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After a moment； the troll said： 〃Then we will be examining it more tomorrow； after we have had a chance for thinking and sleeping。 e up； Simon。〃
〃I will；〃 said Simon。 〃Go ahead。〃 He moved closer。 He knew he should be more frightened than he was…anything that made a hole this large； animal or human； was nothing to sneer at…but he felt an unmistakable certainty that this gaping rent in the earth had something to do with Bright…Nail's disappearance。 He stared into the empty hole； then lifted the torch out of the way and squinted。
There was a gleam down in the darkness…some object that reflected the torchlight。
〃Something's in there；〃 he called。
〃Something of what sort？〃 Binabik said worriedly。 〃Some animal？〃
〃No； something like metal。〃 He leaned into the hole。 He smelled no animal spoor； only a faint acridity like sweat。 The gleaming thing seemed to lie a short way down the tunnel； just where it bent out of sight。 〃I can't reach it without going in。〃
〃We will be looking for it in the morning； then；〃 Binabik said firmly。 〃e now。〃
Simon edged a little way into the hole。 Maybe it was closer than it looked…it was hard to tell by torchlight。 He held the burning brands before him and moved forward on his elbows and knees until he was entirely into the tunnel。 If he could just extend himself to full length； it should be almost within his grasp。。。。
The soil beneath him abruptly gave way and Simon was flailing in loose dirt。 He grabbed at the tunnel wall； which crumbled but held for a moment as he braced himself with arms outstretched。 His legs continued to slip downward through the oddly soft earth until he was buried waist…deep in the tunnel floor。 One of the torches had fallen from his grip and lay sizzling against the damp soil just a few handbreadths from his ribs。 The other was pinioned by his palm； rammed against the tunnel wall； he could not have dropped it even if he wished。 He felt strangely empty； unafraid。
〃Binabik！〃 he shouted。 〃I've fallen through！〃
Even as he struggled to work himself free； he felt the soil shifting beneath him in a very strange way； unstable as sand beneath a retreating wave。
The troll stared； eyes so wide the whites gleamed。 〃Kikkasut！〃 he swore； then shouted： 〃Miriamele！ e here quickly！〃 Binabik scrambled down the incline into the barrow； working his way around the broad hull of the boat。
〃Don't e too close；〃 Simon cautioned him。 〃The dirt feels strange。 You might fall through； too。〃
〃Then do not be moving。〃 The little man gripped the protruding edge of the boat's buried keel and stretched his arm toward Simon； but his reach was short by more than a cubit。 〃Miriamele will bring our rope。〃 The troll's voice was quiet and calm； but Simon knew that Binabik was frightened。
〃And there's something 。。。 something moving down there；〃 Simon said anxiously。 It was a dreadful sensation； a pression and relaxation of the soil that held him； as though some great serpent twisted its coils in the depths。 Simon's dreamlike sense of calm evaporated； replaced by mounting horror。 〃B…Bin 。。。 Binabik！〃 He could not get his breath。
〃Do not be moving！〃 his friend said urgently。 〃If you can but 。。。〃
Simon never heard the rest of what the troll meant to say。 There was a sharp stinging around his ankles as though they had been suddenly wrapped in nettles； then the earth twitched again beneath him and he was swallowed。 He barely had time to close his mouth before the clotted soil rose up and closed over his head like an angry sea。
Miriamele saw Binabik emerge from the hole。 As she stacked the brambles and twigs she had gathered； she watched him hover beside the entrance they had dug into the mound； talking to Simon； who was still inside the barrow。 She wondered dully what they had found。 It seemed so pointless； somehow。 How could all the swords in the world； magical or not； put a stop to the runaway wagon that her father's maddened grief had set in motion？ Only Elias himself could cry halt； and no threat of magical weapons would make him do that。 Miriamele knew her father only too well； knew the stubbornness that ran through him just as his blood did。 And the Storm King； the shuddersome demon glimpsed in dreams； the master of the Norns？ Well； her father had invited the undead thing into the land of mortals。 Miriamele knew enough old stories to feel sure that only Elias could send Ineluki away again and bar the door behind him。
But she knew that her friends were set on their plan； just as she was on hers； and she would not stand in their way。 Still； she had not for a moment wished to descend with them into the grave。 These were strange days； yes； but not strange enough that she wished to discover what two years in the disrespectful earth had done to her grandfather John。
It had been difficult enough to go to the burial and watch his body lowered into the ground。 She had never been close to him； but in his distant way； he had loved her and been kind to her。 She had never been able to imagine him young； since he had already been ancient when she was a small girl； but she had once or twice seen a glint in his eye or a hint in his stooped posture that suggested the bold； world…conquering man he must have been。 She did not want even those few memories to be sullied by 。。。
〃Miriamele！ e here quickly！〃
She looked up； startled by the fearful urgency in Binabik's tone。 Despite his call the little man did not look back to her； but slid into the gouge in the barrow's side and vanished； quick as a mole。 Miriamele leaped to her feet； knocking over her pile of gathered brush； and hurried across the hilltop。 The sun had died in the west； the sky was turning plum…red。
Simon。 Something has happened to Simon。
It seemed to take forever to cross the intervening distance。 She was out of breath when she reached the grave； and as she dropped to her knees dizziness swept over her。 When she leaned into the hole； she could see nothing。
〃Simoh has 。。。〃 Binabik shouted； 〃Simon has 。。。 No！〃
〃What is it？ I can't see you！〃
〃Qantaqa！〃 the troll shrieked。 〃Qantaqa sosa！〃
〃What's wrong！？〃 Miriamele was frantic。 〃What is it！〃
Binabik's words came in ragged bursts。 〃Get 。。。 torch！ Rope！ Sosa； Qantaqa！ The troll suddenly let out a cry of pain。 Miriamele kneeled in the opening； terrified and confused。 Something dreadful was happening…Binabik clearly needed her。 But he had told her to get the torch and the rope； and every instant she delayed might help doom the troll and Simon both。
Something huge pushed her aside； bowling her over as though she were an infant。 Qantaqa's gray hindquarters disappeared down the incline and into the shadows； a moment later the wolf's furious snarl rumbled up from the depths。 Miriamele turned and ran back toward the place where she had begun her fire； then stopped； remembering that the rest of their belongings were somewhere closer to Prester John's mound。 She looked around in desperation until she saw them lying on the far side of the half…circle of graves。
Panting； her hands shaking so badly that it was difficult even to hold the flint and steel in her hands； Miriamele worked frantically until the torch caught。 She grabbed a second brand； as she searched in desperation for rope； she set this torch alight with the first。
The rope was not among their belongings。 She let out a string of Meremund river…rider curses as she hurried back to the mound。
The coil of rope lay half…buried in the dirt Simon and the troll had excavated。 Miriamele wrapped it loosely about her so she could keep her hands free； then scrambled down into the barrow。
The inside of the grave was as strange as a dream。 Qantaqa's low growling filled the space like the hum of an angry beehive； but there was another sound； too…a strange； insistent piping。 At first； as her eyes became used to the darkness； the flickering torchlight showed her only the long； broad curve of Sea…Arrow and the sagging timbers jutting through the barrow's earthen roof like ribs。 Then she saw movement…Qantaqa's agitated tail and back legs； all that was visible of her past the stern of the boat。 The earth around the wolf was aboil with small dark shapes…rats？
〃Binabik！〃 she screamed。 〃Simon！〃
The troll's voice； when it came； was hoarse and tattered with fright。 〃No； run away！ This place is being 。。。 full of boghanik！ Run！〃
Terrified for her panions； Miriamele scrambled around the side of the boat。 Something small and chittering leaped down from the wale above her head； raking her face with its claws。 She shrieked and knocked it away； then pinned it to the ground with the torch。 For a horrifying instant she saw a wizened little manlike thing writhing beneath the burning brand； matted hair sizzling； sharp…toothed mouth stretched in a shrill of agony。 Miriamele screamed again； pulling the torch away as she
kicked the dying thing into the shadows。
Her pulse beating in her temples until she felt her head would burst； she forced her way forward。 Several more of the spidery things swarmed toward her； but she swiped at them w