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hadows。
Camaris drew himself into a sitting position。 〃Let me up。 I do not wish to hurt you； whoever you are。〃 His eyes were fixed on some distant point beyond the antechamber。 〃It is calling me。〃
Miriamele pulled herself free and； trembling； took his hand。 〃Sir Camaris； please。 It is an evil spell that is calling you。 Don't go。 If you take the sword there； everything you have fought for may be destroyed。〃
The old knight lowered his pale eyes to meet hers。 His face was bleak； drawn with terrible strain。 〃Tell the wind not to blow；〃 he said hoarsely。 〃Tell the thunder not to roar。 Tell this cursed sword not to sing and pull at me。〃 But he seemed to sag； as though for a moment the summoning grew less powerful。
A wordless cry like a howl of animal fear rang through the antechamber。 Miriamele suddenly remembered Cadrach。 She whirled to look at him where he crouched by the doorway； but the monk yowled again and pointed。
Pryrates was climbing slowly to his feet； loose…limbed as a drunkard。 The arrow still protruded from either side of his neck。 A faint； putrescent glow played about the torn flesh。
But he's dead！ Horror gusted through her。 He's dead！ Sweet Elysia； Mother of God； I killed him！
The priest staggered a step； groaning； then turned his sharkiike gaze toward Miriamele。 His voice was even harsher than before； ripped raw。 〃You 。。。 hurt me。 For that； I will 。。。 I will keep you alive a long time； womanchild。〃
〃Daughter of the Mountains；〃 Binabik said hopelessly。 He still clung to the old knight's legs。 Camaris lay staring at the ceiling； oblivious to all but the call from above。
Swaying； the priest reached up and grasped the black shaft just behind the arrowhead and snapped it off； bringing a fresh dribble of blood from the wound。 He took a couple of whistling breaths； then grasped the feathers and drew the rest of the arrow back out through his throat； his face stretched in a rictus of agony。 He stared at the blood…smeared thing for a moment before tossing it disdainfully onto the floor。
〃A Nakkiga shaft；〃 he rasped。 〃I should have known。 The Norns make strong weapons…but not strong enough。〃 The bleeding had stopped； and now a tiny wisp of smoke wafted from one of the holes in his neck。
Miriamele had nocked another arrow； and now tremblingly drew her bow and leveled the black point at his face。 〃May 。。。 may God send you to Hell； Pryrates！〃 She struggled to form the words without falling into panicked shrieking。 〃What have you done with my father？！〃
〃He is upstairs。〃 The priest laughed suddenly。 He stood now without wavering； and seemed almost gleefully drunk on his own display of power。 〃Your father is waiting。 The time we have both waited for is e。 I wonder who shall enjoy it more？〃 Pryrates lifted his lingers and curled them。 The air grew momentarily hotter around Miriamele's hand； then the arrow snapped。 The suddenly empty bow almost flew from her grasp。
〃It is not so pleasant tugging out arrows that I will stand and let you feather me all day； girl。〃 Pryrates turned to look back across the antechamber at Cadrach。 The broken doorway behind the monk； barred by the alchemist's ward； was full of shifting； crimson…streaked shadows。 The priest beckoned。 〃Padreic； e here。〃
Cadrach gave a low moan； then stood and took a lurching step。
〃Don't do it！〃 Miriamele called to him。
〃Do not be so cruel；〃 said Pryrates。 〃He wishes to attend his master。〃
〃Fight him； Cadrach！〃
The priest cocked his head。 〃Enough。 Soon I shall have to go and attend to my duties。〃 He lifted his hand again。 〃e here； Padreic。〃
The monk staggered forward； sweating and mumbling。 As Miriamele watched helplessly； he sank into a heap at Pryrates' feet； face pressed against the stone。 He edged forward； quivering； and laid his cheek against one of the priest's black boots。
〃That is better；〃 Pryrates crooned。 〃I am glad you are not so foolish as to challenge me…glad that you remember。 I feared you had forgotten me during your travels。 And where have you been； little Padreic？ You left me and went to keep pany with traitors； I see。〃
〃It is you who are being the traitor；〃 Binabik shouted at him。 He grimaced as Camaris shifted； trying at last to break the troll's grip on his legs。 〃To Morgenes； to my master Ookequk； to all who were taking you in and teaching you their secrets。〃
The priest looked up at him； amused。 〃Ookequk？ So you are the fat troll's errand boy？ This is splendid； indeed。 All of my old friends gathered here to share this day with me。〃
Camaris was clambering to his feet。 Binabik struggled to retain his hold； but the old man reached down and effortlessly dislodged him； then straightened； black Thorn dangling in his hand。 He took a few hesitant steps toward the stairs。
〃Soon； now；〃 said Pryrates。 'The call is very strong。〃 He turned his attention to Miriamele。 〃I fear the rest of our conversation will have to wait。 The ritual will soon reach a delicate moment。 It would be good for me to be there。〃
Miriamele was desperate to distract him； to keep him away from her uncle and father。 〃Why do you do this； Pryrates？ What can you gain？〃
〃Gain？ Why； everything。 Wisdom such as you cannot even imagine； child。 The entire cosmos laid naked before me； unable to hide even its smallest secret。〃 He extended his arms； and for a moment seemed almost to grow。 His robe billowed； and eddies of dust whirled away across the chamber。 〃I will know things at which even the immortals can only guess。〃
Camaris suddenly cried out as though he had been stabbed； then stumbled toward the wide staircase。 As he did； the great bell tolled again from somewhere above； making everything shiver and rock。 The room wavered before Miriamele's eyes； flames licked up the walls； then vanished as the echoes faded away。
Miriamele's head was reeling； but Pryrates seemed unaffected。 〃That means the moment is very near；〃 he said。 〃You hope to detain me while Josua confronts his brother。〃 The priest shook his hairless head。 〃Your uncle can no more halt what is to e than he could carry this castle away on his shoulders。 And neither can you。 I hope I can find you when everything is finished； little Miriamele…I am not quite sure what will remain； but it would be a shame to lose you。〃 His cold eyes flicked over her。 'There is so much we will do。 And we will have as long as we want…forever； if need be。〃
Miriamele felt her heart smothered in an icy fist。
〃But you've failed！〃 she shouted at him。 〃The other sword isn't here！ You've failed； Pryrates！〃
He smiled mockingly。 〃Have I？〃
She turned as something moved just at the edge of her vision。 Camaris' resistance had faded at last； and he was shambling up the first flight of stairs； within moments he had vanished around the spiraling stairwell。 She watched the old man go with dull resignation。 They had done everything they could； but it had not been enough。
Pryrates stepped past Binabik and Miriamele to follow the old knight； then stopped at the base of the steps and slapped at his neck。 He turned slowly to stare at the troll； who had just taken his blowpipe from his lips。 Pryrates plucked something from behind his ear and examined it。 〃Poison？〃 he asked。 〃You are a fitting apprentice for Ookequk。 He was always slow to learn。〃
He dropped the dart on the floor and ground it beneath his black boot； then mounted the stairs。
〃He is fearing nothing；〃 Binabik whispered； awed。 〃I do not 。。。〃 He shook his head。
Miriameie stared at the priest's red garment until it had disappeared into the shadows。 Her gaze moved down to the sad； broken bodies of Isorn and the other soldiers。 The flame of her anger； which had nearly been extinguished by fear； suddenly sprang up again。
〃My father is up there。〃
On the floor beside them； Cadrach lay weeping with his face buried in his sleeve。
Tiamak hurried up the stairs。
All our calculations； all our clever plans； our hopes； he mourned。 All for nothing。 The swords were a trick； they said。 We have been foolish； foolish。。 。。
He scrambled upward； ignoring the flare of pain each step brought as he fought to keep close to Josua； who was a slender gray shadow moving through the near…darkness above him。 Tiamak's mouth was dry。 Something waited at the top of these stairs。
Death； he thought。 Death； crouching like a ghant in the treetops。
From somewhere above the bell thundered again； a shuddersome impact that shook him as an angry parent shakes a child。 Flames flickered again before his eyes； and the very substance of things seemed to shred apart。 It seemed an agonizingly long time before he could see the steps before him once more； and could make his clumsy； nerveless legs do what he bade them。 The tower。。。 was it ing to life？ When everything else was about to die？ Why did she send me？ What can I do？ He Who Always Steps on Sand； I am so frightened！
Prince Josua pulled farther ahead； then disappeared from view； but the lame Wrannaman climbed on。 Quick glances through the tower windows showed him brawling chaos raging across the unfamiliar terrain below。 The Conqueror Star glared like an angry eye overhead。 Snow cluttered the reddened skies； but he could make out the faint shapes of men swarming over the walls； small skirmishes forming along the battlements； other bats spilling across the open ground around the tower。 For a moment Tiamak felt hope； guessing that Duke Isgrimnur and the rest of Josua's army must be forcing their way in…until he remembered the ward with which Binabik said the tower was sealed。 Isgrimnur and the others would be unable to prevent whatever was to happen here。
So much was confusing。 What exactly had Miriamele and the troll meant about the swords？ They were a trick； somehow…and； more importantly； Pryrates and Elias wanted them brought here。 But why？ What had they planned？ Clearly； Utuk'ku's presence beneath the castle had something to do with it。 The Sithi had said they could slow her but not stop her。 There had been some vast power in the Pool of Three Depths； and Tiamak felt sure the Nom Queen intended to harness it。 The Sithi had been struggling to slow her； but they had seemed to be failing at even that task。
Tiamak heard Josua's voice close by。 He paused； quivering； afraid to go the final steps。 Suddenly he did not want to see whatever the prince had found at the top of the stairs。 He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and prayed with all his strength that he would wake up in his banyan…tree hut once more； everything that had happened just an evil dream。 But the sound of the restless winds outside never faded； and when he opened his eyes the pale； polished walls of Green Angel Tower's stairwell still surrounded him。 He knew he must go on； although every hammerblow of his heart urged him to flee back down the stairs。 His legs too weak to hold him upright； he sank to the stone； then climbed the last few steps on his hands and knees； until his head rose past the top step into cold wind and he found himself inside the airy bellchamber。
The huge bronze bells hung beneath the vaulted ceiling like poisonous green marsh flowers； and indeed； despite the buffeting wind； the chamber was filled with the odor of decaying flesh that such flowers produced。 Around the center of the chamber a cluster of dark pillars rose to the ceiling； and on all four sides great arched windows opened out onto swirling snow and angry crimson clouds。 Josua stood a few steps before Tiamak； facing the north window。 The prince's attitude was stiff； as though he did not know what to do； how to stand。 Facing him； seated before the window on a simple wooden stool； was his brother Elias。
The king wore a dark iron crown on his pale brow； and held in his hands a long gray something that Tiamak could not quite see。 It had something of the shape of a sword； but Tiamak's eyes could not fasten on it properly； as though it did not entirely reside within the natural world。 The king himself was dressed in full royal pomp； but his clothes were stained； and his cloak where the wind caught and lifted it showed more holes than cloth。
〃Throw it away？〃 Elias said slowly。 His eyes were still downcast； and he replied to whatever Josua had said with the air of one who