as。〃
Maegwin pulled back； stung。 〃Do not throw my father up to me！〃
Eolair shook his head。 〃Still； my lady； you promised me。〃
Maegwin stared at him。 Something in his careful； clever face took hold of her so that she did not hurry away down the stairs as she had intended。 An inner voice mocked her stupidity； but she faced him squarely。
〃You are only partly correct； Count Eolair；〃 she said slowly。 〃You could not open it yourself； if you remember。 I had to help you。〃
He looked at her closely。 〃So； then？〃
〃So； then； a promise。 I know you think me headstrong or worse； but I do still want your friendship； Eolair。 You have been good to my father's house。〃
〃A bargain； Maegwin？〃 he asked expressionlessly。
〃If you will let us walk down to the bottom of the stairs…just until we can set foot on the tiles of the city…I will turn around and go back with you 。 。 。 if that is what you wish。 I promise。〃
A weary smile touched Eolair's lips。 〃You promise； do you？〃
〃I swear by Bagba's Herd。〃 She touched her soiled hand to her breast。
〃Better you should swear by Black Cuamh； down here。〃 He grimaced in frustration。 His long tail of hair had shed its ribbon and lay black across his shoulders。 〃Very well。 I don't like the idea of trying to carry you back up these stairs against your will。〃
〃You couldn't；〃 Maegwin said； pleased。 〃I am too strong。 e； let's go faster。 As you said； people are waiting for us。〃
They passed down the steps in silence； Maegwin reveling in the safety of shadows and stone mountains； Eolair lost in his own unvoiced thoughts。 They watched their feet； fearful of a misstep despite the stairway's great width。 The stairs were pitted； crazed with cracks as though the earth had shifted in uneasy sleep； but the stonecraft was beautiful and subtle。 The lamplight revealed traces of intricate designs that coiled across the steps and onto the wall above the staircase； scribings delicate as the fronds of young ferns or the shingled feathers of hummingbirds。 Maegwin could not help turning to Eolair with a smile of satisfaction。
〃Do you see！？〃 She held her lamp up to the wall。 〃How could this be work of any mere mortals？〃
〃I see it； Lady；〃 Eolair responded somberly。 〃But there is no such wall on the other side of the stairs。〃 He indicated the drop…off to the canyon below。 Despite the distance they had already traveled downward； it was still far enough to kill someone handily。 〃Please don't look at the carvings so closely that you stumble over the edge。〃
Maegwin curtseyed。 〃I will be careful； Count。〃 Eolair frowned； perhaps at her frivolity； but only nodded。
The great stairway opened out at the bottom like a fan； spreading onto the canyon floor。 Away from the overhanging cavern wall； the glow of their lamps seemed to diminish； the light not strong enough to dispel the deep and overwhelming dark。 Buildings which had seemed cunning as carved toys from the height of the canyon rim now loomed above them； a fantastic array of shadowed domes and spiraling towers that tapered up into the blackness like impossible stalagmites。 Bridges of living stone stretched from the cavern walls to the towers； winding in and about the spires like ribbons。 Its various parts tied together with narrow integu… ments of stone； the city seemed more like a single； breathingly vital thing than an artifact of lifeless rock…but it was surely empty。
〃The Sithi are long gone； Lady； if they ever lived here。〃 Eolair was solemn； but Maegwin thought she heard a certain satisfaction in his tone。 〃It is time to return。〃
Maegwin gave him a look of disgust。 Had the man no curiosity at all？ 〃Then what is that？〃 she asked； pointing to a faint glow near the center of the shadowed city。 〃If that is not lamplight； then I am a Rimmersman。〃
The count stared。 〃It does look like it；〃 he said cautiously。 〃But it might be something else。 Light leaking down from above。〃
〃I have been in the tunnels a long while；〃 Maegwin said。 〃Surely it is well past sunset aboveground。〃 She turned and touched his arm。 〃e； Eolair； please！ Don't be such an old man！ How could you leave this place without knowing？〃
The Count of Nad Mullach frowned； but she could see other emotions struggling beneath the surface。 He did wish to know； that was plain。 It was just this transparency that had captured her heart。 How could he be an envoy to all the courts of Osten Ard and yet sometimes be as uncloudedly obvious as a child？
〃Please？〃 she said。
He checked the oil in the lamps before answering。 〃Very well。 But only to set your mind at ease； I do not doubt that you have found a place that once belonged to the Sithi； or to men of old who had skills we have lost； but they are long vanished。 They cannot save us from our fate。〃
〃Whatever you say； Count。 Hurry now！〃
She tugged him forward； into the city。
Despite her confident words； the stone byways did indeed seem long…deserted。 Dust sifted beneath their feet； eddying listlessly。 After they had walked awhile； Maegwin found her enthusiasm begin to diminish； her thoughts turning melancholy as the lamplight threw the jutting towers and swooping spans into grotesque relief。 She was again reminded of bones； as though they wandered through the time…scoured rib cage of some impossible beast。 Following the twisting streets through the abandoned city； she began to feel herself swallowed up。 For the first time the utterness of these depths； the sheer furlongs of stone between herself and the sun； seemed oppressive。
They passed innumerable empty holes in the carved stone facades； holes whose smooth edges had once been tight…filled by doors。 Maegwin imagined eyes staring out at her from the darkened entrances…not malicious eyes； but sad ones； eyes that gazed at the trespassers with more regret than anger。
Surrounded by proud ruins； Lluth's daughter felt herself weighted down by all that her people had not bee； all that they could never be。 Given the entirety of the world's sunlit fields in which to run； the Hernystiri tribes had let themselves be driven into caves in the mountain。 Even their gods had deserted them。 At least these Sithi had left their memorial in magnificently crafted stone。 Maegwin's people built of wood； and even the bones of Hernystir's warriors now bleaching on the Inniscrich would disappear with the passing of years。 Soon there would be nothing left of her people at all。
Unless someone saved them。 But surely none but the Sithi could do that…and where had they gone？ Was Eolair right？ Were they indeed dead？ She had been sure they had gone deep into the earth； but perhaps they had passed on to some other place。
She stole a glance at Eolair。 The count was walking silently beside her； staring up at the city's splendid towers like a farmer from the Circoille fringes on his first visit to Hernysadharc。 Watching his thin…nosed face； his bedraggled tail of black hair； she suddenly felt her love for him e surging up from the place where she had thought it prisoned； a helpless love as painful and undeniable as grief。 Maegwin's memory went flying back almost a score of years to the first day she had seen him。
She had been only a girl； but already tall as a grown woman； she recalled with disgust。 She had been standing behind her father's chair in the Taig's great hall when the new Count of Nad Mullach arrived for his ritual pledge of loyalty。 Eolair had seemed so young that day； slender and bright…eyed as a fox； nervous； but almost giddy with pride。 Seemed young？ He had been young： scarcely more than twenty…two years old； full of the suppressed laughter of anxious youth。 He had caught Maegwin's eye as she peered cunously around the high back of Lluth's chair。 She had blushed scarlet as a berry。 Eolair had smiled then； showing her those bright； small； sharp teeth； and it had felt as though he took a gentle bite of her heart。
It had meant nothing to him； of course。 Maegwin knew that。 She was only a girl then； but already fated to bee the king's gawky spinster daughter； a woman who lavished her attention on pigs and horses and birds with broken wings； and knocked things off tabletops because she could never remember to walk and sit