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Silent and several others had gathered around； so we could say little that would not sound suspect。 I did murmur； 〃What now？〃 In the background I heard the Lieutenant and Elmo hollering about getting some torches out to shed a little light。
She shrugged。
〃What about the Taken？〃
〃You want to go after them？〃
〃Hell； no！ But we can't have them running around loose in our backyard； either。 No telling 。 。 。 〃
〃The menhirs will watch them。 Won't they？〃
〃That depends on how pissed the old tree is。 Maybe he's ready to let us go to hell in a bucket after this。〃
〃You might find out。〃
〃I'll go；〃 Goblin queaked。 He wanted an excuse to put a lot of yards between him and the tree。
〃Don't take all night；〃 I said。 〃Why don't the rest of you help Elmo and the Lieutenant？〃
That got rid of some folks； but not Silent。
There was no way I was going to get Silent out of sight of Darling。 He had some reservations still。
I chaffed Darling's wrists and did other silly things when time was the only cure。 After some minutes I mumbled； 〃Seventy…eight days。〃
And the Lady； 〃Before long it will be too late。〃
I lifted an eyebrow。
〃He can't be beaten without her。 It won't be long before the hardest ride won't get her there in time。〃
I do not know what Silent made of that exchange。 I do know that the Lady looked up at him and smiled thinly； with that look she gets when she knows your thoughts。 〃We need the tree。〃 And： 〃We didn't get to finish our picnic。〃
〃Huh？〃
She went away for a few minutes。 When she returned she had the blanket； dirtier than ever； and the bucket。 She snagged my hand and headed for the dark。 〃You watch for the traps；〃 she told me。 What the hell was this game？
Chapter Forty…Five： BARGAIN STRUCK
Later a broken boat of a moon arose。 We did not go far before it did； for there was not enough starlight to risk much movement。 Once the moon did rise； the Lady guided me in a slow circle toward where the Taken had e down。 We halted in a clear area； sandy but not dangerous。 She spread the blanket。 We were outside the null。 〃Sit。〃
I sat。 She sat。 I asked； 〃What？ 。 。 。 〃
〃Be quiet。〃 She closed her eyes and went inside herself。
I wondered if Silent had torn himself away from Darling to stalk us。 Wondered if my rades were making crude jokes about us as they labored over the walking trees。 Wondered what the hell kind of game had me caught in its toils。
You learned something out of it； anyway； Croaker。
After a while I realized she was back from wherever she had gone。 〃I am amazed；〃 she whispered。 〃Who would have thought they had the guts？〃
〃Eh？〃
〃Our sky…borne friends。 I expected Limper and Whisper； up to their old crimes。 But I got Scorn and Blister。 Though I might have suspected her； had I thought。 Necromancy is her great talent。〃
Another round of her thinking aloud。 I wondered if she did that often。 I am sure she was unaccustomed to having witnesses around if she did。 〃What do you mean？〃
She ignored me。 〃I wonder if they told the others？〃
I harkened back； put a few things together。 The Lady's divinations about three possible futures and no place in any of them。 Maybe that meant there was no place in them for Taken； either。 And maybe they figured they could take their futures into their own hands by ridding themselves of their mistress。
A light step startled me。 But I did not get excited。 I just figured Silent had chosen to follow。 So I was very surprised when Darling sat down with us； unchaperoned。
How had I overlooked the return of the null？ Distracted； of course。
The Lady said； as though Darling had not appeared； 〃They haven't yet gotten out of the coral。 It's very slow going； and they're both injured。 And though the coral can't kill them； it can cause a lot of pain。 Right now they're lying up； waiting for first light。〃
〃So？〃
〃So maybe they won't get out at all。〃
〃Darling can read lips。〃
〃She knows already。〃
Well； I have said a thousand times that the girl is not stupid。
I think Darling's knowledge was implicit in the position she took。 She placed me squarely in the gap between them。
Oh yeah。
I found myself playing interpreter。
Trouble is； I cannot record what went back and forth。 Because someone tampered with my memories later。 I got only one chance to make notes； and those now make no sense。
Some sort of negotiation took place。 I can still conjure a sense of profound astonishment at Darling's willingness to deal。 Also an amazement at the Lady for the same reason。
They reached an acmodation。 An uneasy one； to be sure； for the Lady henceforth stuck very close and kept me between her and anyone else while she was within the null。 Great feeling； knowing you're a human shield 。 。 。 And Darling kept near the Lady to prevent her calling on her power。
But she did turn her loose once。
That is getting ahead； slightly。 First we all sneaked back； not letting anyone know there had been a summit。 The Lady and I returned after Darling； trying to look like we had had an energetic and thorough encounter。 I could not help chuckling at some envious looks。
The Lady and I went outside the null again next morning； after Darling distracted Silent； One…Eye； and Goblin by sending them to dicker with the menhirs。 Father Tree could not make up his mind。 We went the other direction。 And tracked Taken。
Actually； there was little tracking to do。 They were not yet free of the coral。 The Lady called upon that power she held over them and they ceased to be Taken。
Her patience was exhausted。 Maybe she wanted them to serve as an object lesson 。 。 。 In any event； buzzards…real buzzards…were circling before we returned to the Hole。
That easy； I thought。 For her。 And for me； when I tried to kill the Limper； with every damned thing going my way； impossible。
She and I went back to translating。 So busy did we stay that I did not remain abreast of the news from outside。 I was a little vacant； anyway； because she had expunged my memories of the meeting with Darling。
Anyhow； somehow； the White Rose got right with Father Tree。 The shaky alliance survived。
One thing I did notice。 The menhirs stopped ragging me about strangers on the Plain。
They meant Tracker and Toadkiller Dog all the time。 And the Lady。 Two of three were no longer strangers。 No one knew what had bee of Toadkiller Dog。 Even the menhirs could not trace him。
I tried to get Tracker to explain the name。 He could not remember。 Not even Toadkiller Dog himself。 Weird。
He was the tree's creature now。
Chapter Forty…Six： SON OF THE TREE
I was nervous。 I had trouble sleeping。 Days were slipping away。 Out west； the Great Tragic was gnawing its banks。 A four…legged monster was running to its overlord with news that it had been found out。 Darling and the Lady were doing nothing。
Raven remained trapped。 Bomanz remained trapped in the long fires he had called down on his own head。 The end of the world tramped ever closer。 And nobody was doing anything。
I pleted my translations。 And was no wiser than before。 It seemed。 Though Silent； Goblin； and One…Eye kept fooling with charts of names； cross…indexing； seeking patterns。 The Lady watched over their shoulders more than did I。 I fiddled with these Annals。 I bothered myself with how to phrase a request for the return of those I had lost at Queen's Bridge。 I fussed。 I grew ever more antsy。 People became irritated with me。 I began taking moonlight walks to work off my nervous energy。
One night the moon was full； a fat orange bladder just scaling the hills to the east。 A grand sight； especially with patrolling mantas crossing its face。 For some reason the desert had a lilac luminescence upon all its edges。 The air was chill。 There was a dust of powder swirling on the breeze； fallen that afternoon。 A change storm flickered far away to the north 。 。 。
A menhir appeared beside me。 I jumped three feet。 〃Strangers on the Plain； rock？〃 I asked。
〃None stranger than you； Croaker。〃
〃I get a edian。 You want something？〃
〃No。 The Father of Trees wants you。〃
〃Yeah？ See you。〃 Heart pounding； I headed toward the Hole。
Another menhir blocked the path。
〃Well。 Since you put it that way。〃 Faking bravery； I headed upstream。
They would have herded me。 Best accept the inevitable。 Less humiliation。
The wind was bitter around the barren； but when I crossed the boundary it was like stepping into summer。 No wind at all； though the old tree was tinkling。 And heat like a furnace。
The moon had risen enough to flood the barren with light now argent。 I approached the tree。 My gaze fixed on that hand and forearm； still protruding； still gripping a root； still； it seemed； betraying the occasional feeble twitch。 The root had grown； though； and seemed to be enveloping the hand； as a tree used for a line post will envelope a wire tacked to it。 I stopped five feet from the tree。
〃e closer；〃 it said。 In plain voice。 In conversational tone and volume。
I said； 〃Yipe！〃 and looked for the exits。
About two skillion menhirs surrounded the barren。 So much for running away。
〃Stand still； ephemeral。〃
My feet froze to the ground。 Ephemeral； eh？
〃You asked help。 You demanded help。 You whined and pleaded and begged for help。 Stand still and accept it。 e closer。〃
〃Make up your mind。〃 I took two steps。 Another would have me climbing him。
〃I have considered。 This thing you ephemera fear； in the ground so far from here； would be a peril to my creatures if it rose。 I sense no significant strength in those who resist it。 Therefore 。 。 。 〃
I hated to interrupt； but I just had to scream。 You see； something had me by the ankle。 It was squeezing so hard I felt the bones grinding。 Crushing。 Sorry about that； old…timer。
The universe turned blue。 I rolled in a hurricane of anger。 Lightning roared in Father Tree's branches。 Thunder rolled across the desert。 I yelled some more。
Bolts of blue hammered around me； crisping me almost as much as my tormentor。 But； at last； the hand turned me loose。
I tried to run away。
One step and down I went。 I kept on； crawling； while Father Tree apologized and tried to call me back。
Like Hell。 I would crawl through the menhirs if I had to 。 。 。
My mind filled with a waking dream。 Father Tree delivering a message direct。 Then the earth got quiet； except for the wish as menhirs vanished。
Big hoopla from the direction of the Hole。 A whole gang charged out to find the cause of the uproar。 Silent reached me first。 〃One…Eye；〃 I said。 〃I need One…Eye。〃 He is the only one beside me with medical training。 And contrary though he is； I could count on him to take medical instructions。
One…Eye showed up in a moment； along with twenty others。 The watch had reacted quickly。 〃Ankle；〃 I told him。 〃Maybe crushed。 Somebody get some light up here。 And a damned shovel。〃
〃A shovel？ Are you off your gourd？〃 One…Eye demanded。
〃Just get it。 And do something for the pain。〃
Elmo materialized； still buckling buckles。 〃What happened； Croaker？〃
〃Old Tree wanted to talk。 Had the rocks bring me over。 Says he wants to help us。 Only while I was listening； that hand got ahold of me。 Like to ripped my foot off。 The racket was the tree saying； 'Now stop that。 That's not polite。' 〃
〃Cut his tongue out after you fix his leg；〃 Elmo told One…Eye。 〃What did it want； Croaker？〃
〃Your ears gone？ To help with the Dominator。 Said he thought it over。 Decided it was in his own best interest to keep the Dominator down。 Give me a hand up。〃 One…Eye's efforts were paying dividends。 He had sponged one of his wild jungle glops onto my ankle…it had swollen three times normal size already…and the pain was fading。
Elmo shook his head。
I said； 〃I'll break your damned leg if you don't get me up。〃 So he and Silent hoisted me； but supported me。
〃Bring them shovels；〃 I said。 A half dozen had appeared。
They were entrenching tools； not real ditchdiggers。 〃You guys insist on helping； get me back over to the tree。〃
Elmo growled。 For a moment I thought Silent might say something。 I eyed him expectantly； smiling。 I had been waiting twenty…some years。
No luck。
Whatever vow he had taken； whatever it was that