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The troll nodded。 He turned and patted Qantaqa's broad head； then led the wolf a short distance away and crouched beside her； burying his face in her neck fur to whisper in her ear。 It was a long message； of which Miriamele could hear only the throaty clicking of trollish consonants。 Qantaqa twisted her head to the side and whined softly but did not move。 When Binabik had finished； he patted her again and touched his forehead to hers。
〃She will not let Simon's horse stray far away；〃 he said。 〃Now it is time for us to be going forward。〃
Miriamele swung up into the saddle； then leaned down to extend a hand to the little man； he scrambled up and seated himself before her。 She tapped her heels against the horse's side。
When she looked back； Simon's horse Homefinder was cropping grass at the base of a rain…dripping tree。 Qantaqa sat erect； ears high； yellow eyes intent on her master's small back。
The Erchester Road was a sea of mud。 The horse seemed to spend almost as much time unsticking itself as it did walking。
The city gate proved to be unbolted。 The delicately weighted portal swung open with only a light push from Miriamele； creaking gently。 She waded back across the muddy wagon ruts and remounted； then they rode in between the tall gate towers； rain drizzling down on them from the clotted gray skies。
〃There are no guards；〃 she whispered。
〃There is no one at all that I am seeing。〃
Just inside the gate lay Battle Square； a vast expanse of cobblestones with a green in the center； the site of countless parades and festivals。 Now the square was empty but for a few stark…ribbed dogs rooting in debris at the mouth of one of the alleys。 The square looked as though it had been unused for some time； forgotten by all except the scavengers。 Wide puddles rippled beneath the rain。 The green had bee a desolate patch of pockmarked mud。
The echo of the horse's hooves caught the dogs' attention。 They stared； tongues lolling； dark eyes wary； a moment later the pack turned and fled splashing down the alleyway。
〃What has happened here？〃 Miriamele wondered。
〃I think we can be guessing；〃 said Binabik。 〃You saw other nearby towns and villages； and I saw such emptiness all through the snowy lands of the north。 And this place； do you see； is closest of all to what has happened at the Hayholt。〃
〃But where have all the people gone？ From Stanshire； from Hasu Vale； from 。。。 from here？ They didn't just disappear。〃
〃No。 Some may have been dying when the harvests were not ing in； but others have just gone to the south； I am thinking。 This year has been a fearful enough thing for those of us who are having some knowledge of what is happening。 For those who were living here； it must have seemed that they were suddenly finding themselves under a curse。〃
〃Oh； Merciful Elysia。〃 Her unhappiness was strangely mixed with anger and pity。 〃What has my father done？〃
Binabik shook his head。
As they entered broad Main Row； there at last appeared some signs of human life： from the cracks of a few shuttered windows firelight flickered； and somewhere farther up the thoroughfare a door banged shut。 Miriamele even thought she could hear a faint voice raised in prayer； but somehow she could not imagine a person from whom such a ragged sound would e； rather； it seemed that some wandering spirit had left behind its mournful cry。
As they turned the bend in Main Row； a figure in a ragged cloak appeared from one of the narrow cross streets in front of them and went shambling slowly away up the road。 Miriamele was so surprised to see an actual person that she reined up and sat staring for long moments。 As if sensing the presence of strangers； the figure turned； for an instant a look of fear showed on the wrinkled face beneath the hood…it was difficult to tell if it was a man or a woman…then the cloaked shape scuttled rapidly forward and vanished down an alleyway。 When Miriamele and Binabik drew even with the place； there was no sign of anyone。 All the doors that faced the narrow byway looked as though they had been boarded up for some time。
〃Whoever that was； they were scared of us。〃 Miriamele could not keep the pained surprise out of her voice。
〃Can you feel blame for them about that？〃 The little man waved his hand at the haunted streets。 〃But it is no matter。 I am not doubting that many ghastly things have been happening here…but it is not our task to be worrying about such happenings。 We are looking for something。〃
〃Of course；〃 Miriamele replied quickly； but her mind did not fix easily on what the little man was saying。 It was hard to tear her eyes from the mud…spattered walls； the gloomy； empty streets。 It looked as though a great flood had rushed through and swept all the people away。 〃Of course；〃 she said again。 〃But how will we find it？〃
〃On the map； the tunnel end looked as though it was being in the center of the town。 Are we going in that direction？〃
〃Yes。 Main Row goes through town all the way up to the Nearulagh Gate。〃
〃Then what is that thing being？〃 Binabik pointed。 〃It seems to block any going forward。〃 A few furlongs ahead； a huge dark mass straddled the road。
〃That？〃 Miriamele was still so disoriented that it took her a long moment to recognize it。 〃Oh。 That's the back of Saint Sutrin's…the cathedral。〃
Binabik was silent for some moments。 〃And it is at the center of the town？〃
〃More or less。〃 Something in the tone of the troll's voice finally dragged her attention back from the dreamlike emptiness of Main Row。 〃Binabik？ What is it？ Is something wrong？〃
〃Let us just wait until we are seeing it from more closely。 Why is there no golden wall？ I thought from the traveler's tales told to me that such a wall was being a famous thing about this Saint Sutrin's。〃
〃It's on the other side…the side that faces the castle。〃
They continued up Main Row。 Miriamele wondered whether there might be people here after all…if instead of almost deserted； the city might actually be full…tenanted。 Perhaps if all the inhabitants were as fearful as the one she had seen； they were even now watching quietly from behind shuttered windows and through cracks in the walls。 Somehow that was just as bad as imagining the people of Erchester all gone。
Or perhaps it was something stranger still。 On either side of the road； the stalls which had once housed the various small merchants were empty； but now she thought she could feel a sort of anticipation； as though these hollow holes waited to be filled with some new kind of life…something as unlike the farmers； peasants； and townsfolk who had once bustled through their lives here as mud was unlike dry； sunlit soil。
The golden facade of Saint Sutrin's had been peeled away by scavengers； even the famous stone reliefs were gouged almost into unrecognizability； as though the gold that had covered them had been smashed loose with hammers in the course of a single hasty hour。
〃It was beautiful。〃 Miriamele had not much room left for sadness or surprise。 〃When the sun was on it； it looked like the church was covered in holy flames。〃
〃In times of badness； gold is being worth more than beauty；〃 Binabik mused； squinting up at the crushed faces of the saints。 〃Let us go and try the door。〃
〃Do you think it's here？ The tunnel？〃
〃You saw from the map that it was ing up in the center of this town of Erchester。 I am guessing that this place goes deeper than any other in the town。〃
The great wooden doors did not open easily； but Miriamele and Binabik both lowered their shoulders； the hinges groaned and the doors grated open almost a cubit； allowing them to slip inside。
The forechamber had also lost much of its decoration。 The pedestals on either side of the door were empty； and the huge tapestries that had once made the chamber walls into windows that looked out on the days of Usires Aedon now lay crumpled on the flagstones； crisscrossed with muddy footprints。 The room stank of damp and decay； as though it had been long deserted； but light glowed from the great chapel beyond the forechamber doors。
〃Someone is here；〃 Miriamelfc said quietly。
〃Or at least they are still ing for lighting the candles。〃
They had only taken a few steps when a figure appeared in the inner doorway。
〃Who are you？ What do you seek in God's house？〃
Miriamele was so surprised to hear another human voice that for a moment she did not reply。 Binabik took a step forward； but she put her hand on his shoulder。 〃We are travelers；〃 she said。 〃We wanted to see Saint Sutrin's。 The doors were never closed in the past。〃
〃Are you Aedonites？〃
Miriamele thought there was something familiar about the voice。 〃I am。 My panion is from a foreign land； but he has been of service to Mother Church。〃
There was a moment's hesitation before the man spoke again。 〃Enter； then； if you swear you are not enemies。〃
Miriamele doubted from the tremulousness of his tone that the man speaking could have stopped them if they were enemies； but she said： 〃We are not。 Thank you。〃
The shadowy figure vanished from the doorway and Miriamele led Binabik through。 She was still wary。 In this haunted city； anyone could live in a cathedral。 Why not then use it as a trap spider used its burrow； as a lure to the incautious？
It was not much warmer inside than out； and the great chapel was thick with shadows。 Only a dozen candles burned in the huge room； and their light was scarcely enough to illuminate the vaulting high overhead。 Something was strange about the dome as well。 After a few moments' scrutiny； Miriamele realized that all of the glass was gone but for a few splinters clinging to the lead frame。 A solitary star glimmered in the naked sky。
〃Smashed by the storm；〃 a voice said beside her。 She flinched； startled。 〃All our lovely windows； the work of ages； shattered。 It is a judgment on Mankind。〃
Standing beside her in the dim light was an old man in a dirty gray robe； his face sagging into a thousand wrinkles； his white…wisped； balding head covered with a lopsided hat of strange shape。 〃You look so sad；〃 he murmured； his accent marked him as an Erkynlander。 〃Did you ever see our Saint Sutrin's before。。。〃 he hesitated； as he tried to find a word； but could not。 〃Did you ever see it 。。。 before？〃
〃Yes。〃 Miriamele knew it was better policy to profess ignorance； but the old man seemed so pathetically proud that she did not have the heart。 〃I saw it。 It was very beautiful。〃
〃Only the great chapel in the Sancellan Aedonitis could pare；〃 he said wistfully。 〃I wonder if it still stands？ We hear little from the South these days。〃
〃1 am sure it does。〃
〃Ah； yes？ Well； that is very good。〃 Despite his words； he sounded faintly disappointed that his cathedral's rival had not suffered a similarly ignoble fate； 〃But； may our Ransomer forgive us； we are poor hosts；〃 he said suddenly； catching Miriamele's arm with a gently trembling claw。 〃e in and shelter from the storm。 You and your son…〃 he gestured to Binabik； who looked up in surprise； the old man had already forgotten what Miriamele had told him； 〃…will be safe here。 They have taken our beautiful things； but they have not taken us from the watchfulness of God's eye。〃
He led them up the long aisle toward the altar； a block of stone with a rag stretched over it； mumbling as he went about the wonderful things that had once stood here or there and the horrible things that had happened to them。 Miriamele was not listening to him closely： she was preoccupied by the scatter of shadowy human shapes which leaned against the walls or lay in ers。 One or two were draped lengthwise across the benches as though in sleep。 All together； there seemed to be several dozen people in the huge chapel； all silent and apparently unmoving。 Miriamele had a sudden； horrid thought。 〃Who are all these folk？〃 she asked。 〃Are they 。。。 dead？〃
The old man looked up； surprised； then smiled and shook his head。 〃No； no； they are pilgrims like yourself； travelers who sought a safe haven。 God led them here； and so they