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n in the flapping red robe； who stood tall in the midst of a strew of human bodies； like a fisherman in a shallow stream。 One armored man he still held by the shoulders； though the way the soldier's gold…helmeted head wagged suggested he had long since stopped fighting。
〃Damn you； Pryrates； let him go！〃 cried Josua。
The priest laughed。 With a shrug； he effortlessly threw aside 。。。 Camaris； who clattered on the stone flags and lay still； black blade clutched in his fist。
Tiamak stared in numb astonishment。 The Camaris he and Josua had followed still stood nearby； wavering slightly like a tree in a stiff breeze。 How could there be two？ Who sprawled there？
〃Isorn！〃 Josua shouted； his voice ragged with grief。 Tiamak suddenly remembered； and the terror that clutched him clamped tighter。 The deception they had conceived with the Sithi had e to this…this clutter of motionless men？ Nearly a dozen soldiers； including powerful young Isorn； and the priest had defeated them with his bare hands？ What could possibly stop Pryrates and his immortal ally now？ Josua and his panions had but one of the Great Swords； and its wielder； Camaris；
seemed lost in a dreaming daze。。。。
〃I'll have your heart for this；〃 Prince Josua snarled； leaping toward the stairway。 Pryrates lifted his hands and a nimbus of oily yellow light flickered around the alchemist's fingers。 As Naidel came flashing toward him in a wide； deadly arc； Pryrates' hand snaked out and caught the blade。 The point of contact hissed like a hot stone dropped into water； then the priest grabbed Josua's sword arm and pulled him forward。 The prince struggled； flailing at Pryrates with his other； handless arm； but the priest caught that too and drew Josua toward him until their faces were so close it seemed that the alchemist might kiss the prince。
〃It is almost too easy；〃 Pryrates said； laughing。
Tiamak； weak with fear； slid back into the shadows of the doorway。 I must do something…but who am I？ The Wrannaman could barely stand upright。 A little man； a nobody！ I am no fighter！ He would catch me and kill me like a tiny fish。
〃There is no hell deep enough for you；〃 Josua grated。 Sweat streamed down his face； and his sword arm trembled； but he seemed as helpless as a child in the priest's prisoning grip。
〃And I will visit them all。〃 Pryrates extended his arms again。 The yellow light wavered around him。 〃You are one of the few who have balked me； Lackhand。 Now you will see that your interference es to…nothing。〃 He flung Josua against the nearby arch。 The prince struck hard and slid down to lie motionless beside a man dressed in his own gray surcoat and armor…the Nabbanai baron's brother； Brindalles。 The man's right arm； like Josua's； ended in a black leather cap； but Brindalles' arm was bent at an angle that made Tiamak's stomach lurch。 There was no sign of life on the impostor's pale； blood…flecked face。
Tiamak shrank farther back into the shadows； but Pryrates did not even look at him。 Instead； the priest moved up the stairwell； then stopped and turned to Camaris。
〃e； old one；〃 he said； and smiled。 Tiamak thought his grin as empty and mirthless as a crocodile's。 〃I can feel the ward solidifying； which means the time has e。 You need carry your burden only a little farther。〃
Camaris took a step toward him； then stopped； shaking his head slowly。 〃No；〃 he said hoarsely。 〃No。 I will not let it。。。〃 Something of his real self had returned； Tiamak felt a faint swelling of hope。
Pryrates only crossed his arms on his scarlet breast。 〃It will be interesting to watch you resist。 You will fail； of course。 The pull of the sword is too strong for any mortal； even a tattered legend like yourself。〃
〃Damn you；〃 Camaris gasped。 His body twitched and he shifted his balance back and forth； as though he fought some invisible thing that sought to tug him toward the stairs。 The old knight sucked in a breath with a painful gasp。 〃What manner of creature are you？〃
〃Creature？〃 Pryrates' hairless face was amused。 〃I am what a man who accepts no limits can bee。。。。〃
While his last words still hung in the air； there was a sudden booming concussion。 Where the door on the opposite side of the chamber had been； a murky cloud billowed。 Several shadowy figures stumbled through； indistinguishable in the smoke。
〃How exciting。〃 Pryrates' tone was sardonic； but Tiamak saw a certain animation creep into the alchemist's face that had not been there before。 The priest took a step downward and peered into the haze。 A moment later he reeled back； gurgling； with a black arrow all the way through his neck； its head standing out a handspan beyond the skin。 Pryrates stumbled in place for a moment； then fell and rolled down the stairs to lie beside his victims。 Blood pooled beneath his head； as though his bright
robes melted and ran。
Miriamele stared up and down the narrow hallways； struggling to regain her bearings。 The Chancelry had been a daunting maze when she had lived in the castle； but it was even more confusing now。 Familiar doors and hallways were not quite where they should be； and all the passages seemed the wrong lengths； as though the Chancelry's dimensions had somehow bee shiftingly fluid。
Miriamele struggled to keep her head。 She was certain she could eventually find a way through； but she feared the loss of precious time。
As she waited for her panions； the freezing wind which whistled through the unshuttered windows rolled a few crumpled parchments past her feet。
Binabik trotted around the er。 〃I did not mean that you should be waiting for me；〃 he said。 〃I was stopping only because I saw these。 They have e through the window； I am thinking。〃 He handed her three arrows of plainer workmanship than the Norn shafts she had scavenged earlier。 〃There were others； too； but they had been broken by striking on the stone walls。〃
Miriamele had no quiver to put them in。 She slipped them into the open corner of her pack beside Simon's prize and the shafts she had saved from the tunnels。 Even with Binabik's additions she still had far fewer arrows than she would have liked； but it was a relief to know that if it came to it； she need not sell her life cheaply。
Look at me； she marveled。 The world is ending； the Day of Weighing…Out has e at last 。。。 and I'm playing at soldier。
Still； it was better than letting the terror push through。 She felt it coiling inside her； and knew that if she let go of posure for even a moment she would be overwhelmed。
〃I wasn't waiting。〃 She pushed away from the wall。 〃Just making sure I know the way。 This place was always difficult； but now it's almost impossible。 And it's not just this。。。。〃 She gestured at the smashed furniture and the ghostly rags of parchment； the doors splintered off their hinges that lay across the passage。 〃There are other changes too； things I don't understand。 But I think I'm right； now。 We must go quietly from here； wind or no wind…we're almost to the chapel； and that's right beside the tower。〃
〃Cadrach is ing。〃 The troll said it as though he thought she might care。
Miriamele curled her lip。 〃I'm not waiting。 If he can keep up； then let him。〃 She hesitated for a moment； then pulled one of the arrows from her pack and nocked it； letting it sit loosely on the bowstring。 Armed； she set off down the narrow hallway。 Binabik looked back； then scurried after her。
〃He has been having as much hurt as us； Miriamele；〃 said the troll。 〃Maybe more。 Who can say what things he or she would be doing under Pryrates' torturing？〃
〃The monk has lied to me more times than I can count。〃 The thought of his betrayals burned so fiercely inside her that for a moment she was not even afraid。 〃One word of truth about the swords； about Pryrates； might have saved us all。〃
Binabik's face was unhappy。 〃We are not losing everything yet。〃
〃Not yet。〃
Cadrach caught up to them in the chaplain's walking hall。 The monk said nothing…perhaps in part because he was fighting for breath…but fell in behind the troll。 Miriamele allowed herself one icy stare。
As they reached the door； everything seemed to shift again。 For a moment Miriamete thought she saw pale flames running up the walls； she struggled not to cry out as； for a dreadful instant； she felt herself torn apart。 When the sensation passed； she did not feel as though she had been pletely restored。
Long moments passed before she felt able to speak。
〃The。。。 chapel is on 。。。 the other side。〃 Despite the incessant keening of the wind beyond the walls； Miramele whispered。 The terror inside her was struggling to break free and it took all her strength to keep it in place。 Binabik was wide…eyed and unusually pale； Cadrach looked ill； his forehead moist； his gaze fever…bright。 〃On the far side there is a short hallway that leads directly into the tower。 Look to your feet。 With all these broken things about； you might trip and hurt yourself…〃 she pointedly addressed her concern only to Binabik； 〃…or make enough noise that whoever is inside will hear us ing。〃
The troll smiled wanly。 〃Like hare's feet are the steps of the Qanuc；〃 he whispered。 〃Light on snows or rock。〃
〃Good。〃 Miriamele turned to stare at the monk； trying to divine what further treachery might lurk behind his watery gray eyes； then decided it did not matter。 There was little Cadrach could do to worsen their situation： the time for stealth would be over in moments； and what had been their greatest hope seemed now to have been turned against them。
〃Follow me； then；〃 she told Binabik。
As she opened the door into the transept of the chapel； the cold reached out and grasped at her； a cloud of her steaming breath hung in the air。 She paused for a moment and listened before leading her panions out onto the wide chapel floor。 Snow had drifted into the corners and against the walls； and pools of water lay everywhere on the stone。 Most of the benches were gone； the few tapestries that remained flapped in ragged； moldy strips。 It was hard to believe it had once been a place of fort and refuge。
The storm and the clamor of the struggle outside were also louder here。 When she looked up； she learned the reason。
The great dome overhead had been ruptured； the glass saints and angels all tumbled and shattered into colored dust。 Miriamele trembled； awed even after all she had experienced to see a familiar thing so changed。 Snowflakes swirled lazily downward； and the storm…darkened sky； touched with the bloodlight of the flaming star； twisted in the broken frame like an angry face。
As they made their way across the front of the apse； past the altar； Miriamele saw that other forces beside impersonal nature had worked desecration here： crude hands had smashed the faces of the holy martyrs' statues； and had smeared others with blood and worse things。
Despite the dangerous footing； they made their way silently across to the far transept。 She led them down a slender passageway to a door set deeply into the rock。 She stooped and listened at the keyhole； but could hear nothing through the echoing din that leaked from above。
A strange； painful； prickling sensation came over her； as though lightning were in the air…but lightning was in the air； she reminded herself；
〃Miriamele。。。。〃 Cadrach sounded frightened。
She ignored him； trying the latch。 〃Locked；〃 she said quietly； then shrugged against the crawling itch； which was worsening。 〃And too heavy for us to knock down。〃
〃Miriamele！〃 Cadrach pulled at her sieeve。 〃Some kind of barrier is being formed。 We will be trapped。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Can you not sense it pushing in on us？ Feel your skin creep？ A barrier is being formed and drawn inward to surround the tower。 Pryrates' work…I feel his heedless power。〃
She stared at the monk； but there was no sign of anything but unfeigned concern on his face。 〃Binabik？〃 she asked。
〃I am thinking he speaks rightly。〃 He； too； was beginning to twitch。 〃We will be squeezed in a most fortless way。〃
〃Cadrach； you opened the dwarrows' door。 Open this one。〃
〃This is a simple lock； Lady； not a door…warding spell。〃
〃But you have been a thief； too！〃
He shivered。 Wisps of hair we