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The thought came to him suddenly。 I'm dead。
But if that was so； why could he still dimly feel the ropes； still feel his arms yanked to the straining length of their sockets？ Why did he seem to be both in and out of his body？
The light moved before him again； summoning； beckoning。 Without will； Simon followed。 Like wind in a long daric chimney； they moved together through chaotic shadows； almost…things brushed at him and passed through him。 His connection to the body hanging upon the wheel grew more tenuous。 He felt the candle of his being flickering。
〃I don't want to lose me！ Let me go back！〃
But the spark that led him flew on。
Swirling darkness blossomed into light and color； then gradually took on the shapes of real things。 Simon was at the mouth of the great sluice that turned the water wheel； watching the dark water tumble down into the depths below the castle； headed for the foundry。 Next he saw the silent pool in the deserted halls of Asu'a。 Water trickled down into the pool through the cracks in the ceiling。 The mists that floated above the wide tarn pulsed with life； as though this water was somehow revivifying something that had long been almost lifeless。 Could that be what the flickering light was trying to show him？ That water from the forge had filled the Sithi pool？ That it was ing to life again？
Other images flowed past。 He saw the dark shape that grew at the base of the massive stairwell in Asu'a； the tree…thing he had almost touched； whose alien thoughts he had felt。 The stairway itself was a spiraling pipe that led from the roots of the breathing tree up to Green Angel Tower itself。
As he thought of the tower； he abruptly found himself staring at its pinnacle； which reared like a vast white tooth。 Snow was falling and the sky was thick with clouds； but somehow Simon could see through them to the night sky beyond。 Hovering low in the northern darkness was a fiery ember with a tiny smear of tail…the Conqueror Star。
〃Why have you brought me here； to all these places？〃 Simon asked。 The spot of light hovered before him as though listening。 〃What does this mean？〃
There was no answer。 Instead； something cold splashed against his face。
Simon opened his eyes； suddenly very much an inhabitant of his painful flesh once more。 A distorted shape hung upside down from the ceiling； piping like a bat。
No。 It was one of Inch's henchmen； and Simon himself was hanging head…down at the lowest point of the wheel's revolution； listening to the axle squeak。 The henchman turned another dipper full of water over Simon's face； pouring only a little of it into his mouth。 He gasped andchoked； trying to swallow； then licked his chin and lips。 As Simon began his upward turn； the man walked away without a word。 Little drops ran down from Simon's head and hair； and for a while he was too busy trying to catch and swallow them before they dripped away to wonder athis strange vision。 It was only when the wheel brought
him down the other side again that he could think。
What did that mean？ It was hard to hold a coherent thought against the fire in his joints。 What was that glowing thing； what was it trying to show me？ Or was it just more madness？
Simon had experienced many strange dreams since Inch had left him…visions of despair and exaltation； scenes of impossible victory over his enemies and of his friends suffering dreadful fates； but he had also dreamed of far less meaningful things。 The voices he had heard in the tunnels had returned； sometimes as a faint babble barely audible above the splashing and groaning of the wheel； other times clear as someone whispering in his ear； snatches of speech that always seemed just tantalizingly beyond his prehension。 He was beset by fantasies； dizzy as a storm…battered bird。 So why should this vision be any more real？
But it felt different。 Like the difference between wind on your skin and someone touching you。
Simon clung to the memory。 After all； it was something to think about； something beside the horrible gnawing in his stomach and fire in his limbs。
What did I see？ That the pool down below the castle is alive again； filled up by the water that's splashing right under this wheel？ The pool！ Why didn't I think of it before？ Jiriki…no； Aditu…said that there was something in Asu'a called the Pool of Three Depths； a Master Witness。 That must be what I saw down there。 Saw？ I drank from it！ But what does that matter； even if it's true？ He struggled with his thoughts。 Green Angel Tower； that tree； the pool…are they all linked somehow？
He remembered his dreams of the White Tree； dreams that had plagued him for a long time。 At first he had thought it was the Uduntree on frozen Yijarjuk； the great ice waterfall that had stunned him with its magnificence and improbability； but he had e to think it had another meaning as well。
A white tree with no leaves。 Green Angel Tower。 Is something going to happen there？ But what？ He laughed harshly； surprising himself by the rasping noise…he had been silent for many； many hours。 And what can I do about it anyway？ Tell Inch？
Still； something was happening。 The Pool was alive； and Green Angel Tower was waiting for something 。。。 and the water wheel kept turning； turning； turning。
I used to dream about a wheel； too…a great wheel that spun through Time； that pulled the past up into the light and pushed everything alive down into the ground 。。。 not a huge piece of wood paddling dirty water； like this。
Now the wheel was carrying him down once more； tipping him so that the blood again rushed to his head and made his temples pound。
What did the angel tell me in that other dream？ He grimaced and choked back a cry。 The pain as it moved to his legs felt like someone jabbing him with long needles。 〃Go deeper；〃 she said。 〃Go deeper。〃
Time's walls began to crumble around Simon； as though the wheel that carried him； like the wheel that had haunted his dreams； plunged directly through the fabric of the living moment； pushing it down into the past and dredging up old history to spill across the present。 The castle below him； Asu'a the Great； dead for five centuries； had bee as real as the Hayholt above。 The deeds of those who were gone…or those like Ineluki who had died but still would not go…were as vital as those of living men and women。 And Simon himself was spun between them； a bit of tattered skin and bone caught on the wheel…rim of Eternity； dragged without his consent through the haunted present and the undying past。
Something was touching his face。 Simon surfaced from delirium to feel fingers trailing across his cheek； they caught in his hair for a moment； then slid free as the wheel pulled him away。 He opened his eyes； but either he could not see or the torches in the chamber had all been extinguished。
〃What are you？〃 asked a quavering voice。 It was just to one side； but he was moving away from it。 〃I hear you cry out。 Your voice is not like the others。 And I can feel you。 What are you？〃
The inside of Simon's mouth was swollen so that he could barely breathe。 He tried to speak； but nothing came out except a soft gargle of noise。
〃What are you？〃
Simon struggled to answer； wondering even as he did so if this was another dream。 But none of those； for all their rustlingly intrusive presence； had touched him with solid flesh。
An eternity of time seemed to pass as he made his way to the top of the wheel where the great chains sawed noisily upward； then began his downward turn again。 By the time he reached the bottom he had worked up enough spit for something close to speech； although the effort tore at his aching throat。
〃Help 。。。 me 。。。〃
But if someone was there； they did not speak or touch him again。 His circle continued； uninterrupted。 In darkness； alone； he wept without tears。
The wheel turned。 Simon turned with it。 Occasionally water splashed on his face and trickled into his mouth。 Like the Pool of Three Depths； he thirstily absorbed it to keep the spark inside him alive。 Shadows flitted through his mind。 Voices hissed in the porch of his ear。 His thoughts seemed to know no boundary； but at the same time he was trapped in the shell of his tormented； dying body。 He began to yearn for release。 The wheel turned。 Simon turned with it。
He stared into a grayness without form； an infinite distance that seemed somehow near enough to touch。 A figure hovered there； faintly glimmering； gray…green as dying leaves…the angel from the tower…top。
〃Simon；〃 the angel said。 〃I have things to show you。〃 Even in his thoughts； Simon could not form the words to question her。
〃e。 There is not much time。〃
Together they passed through things； moving crossways to another place。 Like a fog evaporated by strong sun； the grayness wavered and melted away； and Simon found himself watching something he had seen before； although he could not say where。 A young man with golden hair moved carefully down a tunnel。 In one hand was a torch； in the other a spear。
Simon looked for the angel； but there was only the man with the spear and his stance of fearfully po