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only knows what else； it took a part of her away。〃 She paused。 〃It's not your fault； Aditu。 You've done all that anyone could； I'm sure。〃
Aditu turned to look at Gutrun； but betrayed no change of expression at the duchess' conciliatory tone。 〃But it is sad；〃 was all she said。
〃Sad； yes；〃 Gutrun replied。 〃God's wishes often make His children sad。 We just don't understand； I suppose； what He plans。 Surely after all she suffered。 He has something better in mind for little Leieth。〃
Aditu spoke carefully。 〃I hope that is so。〃
〃And what else do you have to tell me？〃 Vorzheva asked。 〃I guessed about Leieth。 You would have told me first if there was any new thing。〃
〃There is not much else to relate。 The Duke of Nabban's forces have fallen back a little farther； but soon they will stop and fight again。 Josua and the others are trying to arrange a truce so that they can stop the fighting and talk。〃
〃Will these Nabbanai talk to us？〃
Aditu shrugged sinuously。 〃I sometimes wonder if I understand even the mortals I know best。 As to those who are pletely strange to me 。。。 I certainly cannot offer any firm idea as to what these men may do。 But the Nabbanai general is a brother of the ruling duke； I am told； so I doubt that he will be very sympathetic to anything your husband has to say。〃
Vorzheva's face contorted。 She gasped； but then waved the solicitous Aditu back。 〃No； I am well。 It was just a squeezing。〃 After a moment she took a deep breath。 〃And Josua？ How is he？〃
The Sitha looked to Gutrun； who raised her eyebrows in a gesture of amused helplessness。 〃He was just here this morning； Vorzheva；〃 the duchess said。 〃He is not in the fighting。〃
〃He is well；〃 Aditu added。 〃He asked me to send his regards。〃
〃Regards？〃 Vorzheva sat up。 〃What sort of word is that from a man； from a husband？ Regards？〃
〃Oh； Elysia； Mother of Mercy；〃 Gutrun said in disgust。 〃You know that he cares for you； Vorzheva。 Let it go。〃
The Thrithings…woman sank back； her hair spreading against the pillow like a shining dark cloth。 〃It is only because I cannot do anything。 Tomorrow I will be stronger。 Tomorrow I will walk to where I can see the battle。〃
〃Only if you can drag me that far；〃 said the duchess。 〃You should have seen her； Aditu…she couldn't stand this morning； the pains were so dreadful。 If I had not caught her； she would have fallen down right on the stone floor。〃
〃If she is strong enough；〃 Aditu said； 〃then for her to walk is certainly good…but carefully； and not too great a distance。〃 She paused； looking at the Thrithings…woman carefully。 〃I think perhaps you are too excitable to look at the battle； Vorzheva。〃
〃Hah。〃 Vorzheva's disgust was plain。 〃You said your people hardly ever have children。 Why are you now so wise about what I should do？〃
〃Since our birthings are so infrequent； we take them all the more seriously。〃 Aditu smiled regretfully。 〃I would greatly love to bear a child one day。 It has been a privilege to be with you while you cany yours。〃 She leaned forward and pulled back the coverlet。 〃Let me listen。〃
〃You will only say that the baby is too unhappy to go walking tomorrow；〃 Vorzheva plained； but she did not prevent Aditu from laying a golden cheek against her tautly rounded stomach。
Aditu shut her upturned eyes as though she were falling asleep。 For a long moment； her thin face seemed set in almost perfect repose。 Then her eyes opened wide； a flashing of brilliant amber。 〃Venyha s'ahn！〃 she hissed in surprise。 She lifted her head for a moment； then placed her ear back against Vorzheva's belly。
〃What？〃 Gutrun was out of her chair in a heartbeat； stitchery tumbling to the floor。 〃The child！ Is the child 。。。 is something wrong？〃
'Tell me； Aditu。〃 Vorzheya was lying perfectly still； but her voice cracked at the edges。 〃Do not spare me。〃
The Sitha began to laugh。
〃Are you mad？〃 Gutrun demanded。 〃What is it？〃
Aditu sat up。 〃I am sorry。 I was marveling at the continuing astonishment I feel around you mortals。 And when I think that my own people count themselves lucky if we birth a handful of children in a hundred years！〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 Gutrun snapped。 Vorzheva looked too frightened to ask any more questions。
〃I am talking about mortals； about the gifts you have that you do not know。〃 She laughed again； but more quietly。 'There are two heartbeats。〃
The duchess stared。 〃What？。。〃
〃Two heartbeats；〃 Aditu said evenly。 'Two children are growing inside of Vorzheva。〃
12
Sleepless in Darkness
Simon's disappointment was an emptiness deep and hollow as the barrow in which they stood。 〃It's gone；〃 he whispered。 〃Bright…Nail isn't here。〃
〃Of that there is being little doubt。〃 In the torchlight； Binabik's face was grim。 〃Qinkipa of the Snows！ I almost am wishing we did not find out until we had e here with Prince Josua's army。 I do not wish to take him such news。〃
〃But what could have happened to it？〃 Simon stared down at the waxen face of Prester John as though the king might wake from his deathly sleep to give an answer。
〃It seems plain to me that Elias knew its value and took it away。 I am not doubting it is sitting in the Hayholt now。〃 The troll shrugged； his voice was heavy。 〃Well； we knew always that we must be taking Sorrow from him。 Two swords or one seems to me a small difference only。〃
〃But Elias couldn't have taken it！ There was no hole until we dug one！〃
〃Perhaps he was taking it out shortly after John was buried。 The marks would be gone after such a time passing。〃
〃That doesn't make any sense；〃 Simon stubbornly insisted。 〃He could have kept it in the first place if he wanted it。 Towser said that Elias hated it…that he couldn't wait to get rid of it。〃
〃I have no certain answers； Simon。 It is being possible that King Elias did not know its value then； but heard of it later。 Perhaps Pryrates was discovering its power and so had it removed。 There are many things possible。〃 The troll passed his torch to Simon； then crawled off the wale of Prester John's boat and began to clamber back up toward the hole they had made。 The twilit sky shone through； blue…gray and muddy with clouds。
〃I don't believe it。〃 Simon's hands； weary with digging； painfully sore still from the ordeal in Hasu Vale； hung limply in his lap。 〃I don't want to believe it。〃
〃The second； I am afraid； is the truer thing；〃 Binabik said kindly。 〃e； friend Simon； we will see if Miriamele has made a fire。 Some hot soup will be making the situation a little easier for thinking about。〃 He climbed to the lip of the hole and wriggled out； then turned。 〃Hand the torches to me； then I will be helping you out。〃
Simon barely heard the troll's words。 His attention abruptly caught by something； he held both torches higher； leaning out over the boat once more to stare at the base of the barrow's far wall。
〃Simon； what are you seeking still？〃 Binabik called。 〃We have already nearly turned the poor king's body overside…up in searching。〃
〃There's something on the other side of the mound。 Something dark。〃
〃Oh？〃 A trace of alarm crept into Binabik's tone。 〃What dark something are you seeing？〃 He leaned farther in through the entrance they had dug； blocking the view of the sky。
Simon took both torches in one hand； then slid along the wale of Sea…Arrow until he could get close enough to confirm his suspicions。 〃It's a hole！〃
〃That does not seem to me surprising；〃 the troll said。
〃But it's a big one…right into the side of the mound。 Maybe it's the one they used to get in。〃
Binabik stared at the spot where he pointed； then suddenly vanished from the opening。 Simon inched closer。 The ragged hole in the side of the barrow was as wide as an ale cask。
The troll reappeared。 〃I see nothing on the outer side that matches；〃 he called。 〃If they were making their hole there they covered it with great care； or they were doing it long ago； the grass is untouched。〃
Simon made his way carefully around to the narrow stern。 He let himself down from the wale into Sea…Arrow and moved as carefully as he could to the other railing； then clambered up。 There was a space little more than a cubit wide between the outside of the hull and the barrow's wall of mud and timber。 He slid down to the floor so that he could examine the hole more closely； bringing the torch close to the shadowed gap。 Surprise set his neck tingling。 〃Aedon；〃 he said quietly。 〃It goes down。〃
〃What？〃 Binabik's voice reflected some impatience。 〃Simon； there are things to do before the darkness is being full。〃
〃It goes down； Binabik！ The tunnel beyond this hole goes down！〃 He thrust his torches into the opening and leaned as close as he dared。 There was nothing to see but a few gleaming； hair…thin roots； beyond them the torchlight faded as the tunnel wound down and away into blackness。
After a moment； the troll said： 〃Then we will be examining it more tomorrow； after we have had a chance for thinking and sleeping。 e up； Simon。〃
〃I will；〃 said Simon。 〃Go ahead。〃 He moved closer。 He knew he should be more frightened than he was…anything that made a hole this large； animal or human； was nothing to sneer at…but he felt an unmistakable certainty that this gaping rent in the earth had something to do with Bright…Nail's disappearance。 He stared into the empty hole； then lifted the torch out of the way and squinted。
There was a gleam down in the darkness…some object that reflected the torchlight。
〃Something's in there；〃 he called。
〃Something of what sort？〃 Binabik said worriedly。 〃Some animal？〃
〃No； something like metal。〃 He leaned into the hole。 He smelled no animal spoor； only a faint acridity like sweat。 The gleaming thing seemed to lie a short way down the tunnel； just where it bent out of sight。 〃I can't reach it without going in。〃
〃We will be looking for it in the morning； then；〃 Binabik said firmly。 〃e now。〃
Simon edged a little way into the hole。 Maybe it was closer than it looked…it was hard to tell by torchlight。 He held the burning brands before him and moved forward on his elbows and knees until he was entirely into the tunnel。 If he could just extend himself to full length； it should be almost within his grasp。。。。
The soil beneath him abruptly gave way and Simon was flailing in loose dirt。 He grabbed at the tunnel wall； which crumbled but held for a moment as he braced himself with arms outstretched。 His legs continued to slip downward through the oddly soft earth until he was buried waist…deep in the tunnel floor。 One of the torches had fallen from his grip and lay sizzling against the damp soil just a few handbreadths from his ribs。 The other was pinioned by his palm； rammed against the tunnel wall； he could not have dropped it even if he wished。 He felt strangely empty； unafraid。
〃Binabik！〃 he shouted。 〃I've fallen through！〃
Even as he struggled to work himself free； he felt the soil shifting beneath him in a very strange way； unstable as sand beneath a retreating wave。
The troll stared； eyes so wide the whites gleamed。 〃Kikkasut！〃 he swore； then shouted： 〃Miriamele！ e here quickly！〃 Binabik scrambled down the incline into the barrow； working his way around the broad hull of the boat。
〃Don't e too close；〃 Simon cautioned him。 〃The dirt feels strange。 You might fall through； too。〃
〃Then do not be moving。〃 The little man gripped the protruding edge of the boat's buried keel and stretched his arm toward Simon； but his reach was short by more than a cubit。 〃Miriamele will bring our rope。〃 The troll's voice was quiet and calm； but Simon knew that Binabik was frightened。
〃And there's something 。。。 something moving down there；〃 Simon said anxiously。 It was a dreadful sensation； a pression and relaxation of the soil that held him； as though some great serpent twisted its coils in the depths。 Simon's dreamlike sense of calm evaporated； replaced by mounting horror。 〃B…Bin 。。。 Binabik！〃 He could not get his breath。
〃Do not be moving！〃 his friend said urgently。 〃If you