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void it。
When his head poked free of the neck hole and he could see again； a looming shape was lurching toward him。 For an instant； Simon thought one of the snow…giants had somehow found its way south to the Hayholt。
The great head turned slowly from side to side。 The mask of ruined flesh wrinkled in anger。
'Too much sleeping； little rat…men；〃 the thing rumbled。 〃Work to do。 The priest wants everything finished now。〃
Simon thanked Usires for the tattered fabric that made him another faceless captive。 He knew this one…eyed monster。
Oh； Mother of Mercy。 They've given me to Inch。
19
Cunning as Time
〃Do you think Simon could be down here somewhere？〃
Binabik looked up from his dried mutton； which he had been tearing into small pieces。 It was the morning meal； if morning could be said to exist in a sunless； skyless place。 〃If he is；〃 the little man said； 〃I am thinking there is only a small chance we will find him。 I am sorry； Miriamele； but here there are many leagues of tunnels。〃
Simon wandering alone and in darkness。 The thought hurt too much…she had been so cruel to him！
Desperate to think of something else； she asked： 〃Did the Sithi really build all this？〃 The walls stretched high above； so that the torchlight failed before it found the upper reaches。 They were roofed over by purest black； but for the absence of stars and weather； she and the troll might be sitting beneath the open night sky。
〃With help they built it。 The Sithi were having the assisting of their cousins； I have read…in fact； they were the people who were making the maps you copied。 Other immortals； masters of stone and earth。 Eolair said some still are living beneath Hernystir。〃
〃But who could live down here？〃 she wondered。 〃Never seeing the day 。。。〃
〃Ah； you are not understanding。〃 The troll smiled。 〃Asu'a was full of light。 The castle you were living in had its building on the top of the Sithi's great house。 Asu'a was buried so that the Hayholt could be born。〃
〃But it won't stay buried；〃 Miriamele said grimly。
Binabik nodded。 〃We Qanuc have a believing that the spirit of a murdered man cannot rest； and stays on in the body of an animal。 Sometimes it is following the one who killed him； sometimes it is staying in the place he was loving most。 Either way； there is no rest for it until the truth has been discovered and the crime has been given its punishment。〃
Miriamele thought of the spirits of all the murdered Sithi and shivered。 She had heard more than a few strange echoes since they had entered the tunnels beneath Saint Sutrin's。 〃They can't rest。〃
Binabik cocked an eyebrow。 'There is more here than just restless spirits； Miriamele。〃
〃Yes； but that's what the。。。〃 she lowered her voice 〃。。。 that's what the Storm King is； isn't he？ A murdered soul looking for vengeance。〃
The troll looked troubled。 〃I am not happy to be talking of such things here。 And he brought his own death upon him； I am remembering。〃
〃Because the Rimmersmen had surrounded this place and were going to kill him anyway。〃
〃There is truth in what you say；〃 Binabik admitted。 〃But please； Miriamele； no more。 I do not know what things are in this place； or what ears might be listening； but I am thinking that the less we speak of such matters； the happier we will be。 In many ways。〃
Miriamele inclined her head； agreeing。 In fact； she wished now she had never mentioned it。 After more than a day wandering in these disturbing shadows； the thought of the undead enemy was already close enough。
They had not penetrated far into the tunnels the first night。 The catab passages beneath Saint Sutrin's had gradually bee wider and wider； and soon had begun to slant steadily downward into the earth； after the first hour； Miriamele thought that they must have descended beneath even the bed of the many…faThorned Kynslagh。 They had soon found a relatively fortable spot to stop and eat a meal。 After sitting down for a short while； both of them had realized just how weary they truly were； so they had spread their cloaks and slept。 Upon awaking； Binabik had relit their torches from his firepot…a tiny earthenware jug in which a spark was somehow kept smoldering…and after a few bites of bread and some dried fruit washed down with warm water； they had set out again。
The day's traveling had brought them down many twisting paths。 Miriamele and Binabik had done their best to stay close to the general directions on the dwarrow map； but the tunnels were snaky and confusing； it was hard to feel very confident that they were following the correct course。 Wherever they were； though； it was clear that they had left the realms of humankind。 They had descended into Asu'a…in a way； they had circled back into the past。 Trying to fall asleep； Miriamele had found her thoughts reeling。 Who could know the world had so many secrets in it？
She was no less overwhelmed this morning。 A well… traveled child； even for a king's daughter； she had seen many of the greatest monuments of Osten Ard； from the Sancellan Aedonitis to the Floating Castle at Warinsten…but the minds that had conceived this strange hidden castle made even the most innovative human builders seem timid。
Time and falling debris had crushed much of Asu'a into dust； but enough of it remained to show how matchless it had been。 Spectacular as the ruins of Da'ai Chikiza had seemed； Miriamele quickly decided； these far surpassed them。 Stairways； seemingly unsupported； rose and twisted into darkness like cloth streamers bending in the wind。 Walls curved upward； then spread out overhead into spectacular fan…shaped arrays of multicolored； attenuated rock； or bent back on themselves in rippling folds； every surface was alive with carvings of animals and plants。 The makers of this place seemed able to stretch stone like hot sugar…candy and etch it like wax。
What had clearly been streambeds； although they now held only sifting dust； ran in and out from one room to the other along the broken floors； stitched by tiny； ornate bridges。 Overhead； great sconces shaped like fantastically unlikely flowers grew downward from the carved vines and leaves that festooned the ceilings。 Miriamele could not help wishing she could have seen them when they had bloomed full of light。 Judging by the traces of color that still remained in the grooves of the stone； the palace had been a garden of colors and radiance almost beyond imagining。
But although chamber after ruined chamber dazzled her eyes； there was also something about these endless halls that set her teeth on edge。 For all their beauty； they had clearly been made for inhabitants who saw things differ… ently than a mortal could： the angles were strange； the arrangements unsettling。 Some high…arched chambers seemed far too vast for their furnishings and decorations； but other rooms were almost frightening in their closeness； so cramped and tangled with ornament that it was hard to imagine more than one person occupying them at any given time。 Stranger still； the remnants of the Sithi castle did not seem entirely dead。 In addition to the faint sounds which might be voices and the odd shifts of the air in what should be a windless place； Miriamele saw an elusive shimmer everywhere； a hint of unseen movement at the corner of her eye； as though nothing was quite real。 She imagined she could blink and find Asu'a restored…or； equally likely； find bare cavern walls and dirt。
〃God is not here。〃
〃What is that you are saying？〃 asked Binabik。
Their meal finished； they were walking again； carrying their packs down a long； high…walled gallery； across a narrow bridge that stretched through emptiness like the flight of an arrow。 The torchlight did not reach past the darkness below them。
She looked up； embarrassed。 〃I'm not sure。 I said； 〃God is not here。' 〃
〃You are not liking this place？〃 Binabik showed a small yellow smile。 〃I have fear of these shadows； too。〃
〃No…I mean； yes； I'm afraid。 But that's not what I meant。〃 She held her torch higher； staring at a string of carvings on the wall beyond the gap。 〃The people who lived here weren't anything like us。 They didn't think about us。 It's hard to believe it's the same world as the one I know。 I was taught to believe that God is everywhere； watching over everything。〃 She shook her head。 〃It's hard to explain。 It seems like this place is out of God's sight。 Like the place itself doesn't see Him； so He doesn't see it。〃
〃Is that making you more afraid？〃
〃I suppose so。 It just seems as though the things happening here don't have much to do with the things I was taught。〃
Binabik nodded solemnly。 In the yellow torchlight； he looked less like a child than he sometimes did。 Outlined by shadow； his round face had an air of gravity。 〃But some would be saying that the things happening are exactly what your church is telling of…a battle between the armies of goodness and badness。〃
〃Yes； but it can't be that simple；〃 she said emphatically。 〃Ineluki…was he good？ Bad？ He tried to do what was right for his people。 I just don't know any more。〃
Binabik