few long tables。 A sour…faced Perdruinese woman； heavy…armed and with gray…shot hair； stood pouring beer from one jug to another。
〃What do you want？〃 she said。
Tiamak paused in the doorway 〃Are you。。。〃 he at last remembered the former nun's name； 〃Xorastra？〃
The woman made a face。 〃Dead three years。 She was my aunt。 Mad as a mudlark。 Who are you？ You're a swamp man； aren't you？ We don't take beads or feathers here for payment。〃
〃I need a place to stay。 My leg is injured。 I am a friend of Father Dinivan and of Doctor Morgenes Ercestres。〃
〃Never heard of them。 Blessed Elysia； but you do speak decent Perdruinese for a savage； don't you！ We have no rooms available。 You can sleep with old Ceallio out there。 He's simple…minded but he does no harm。 Six cintis a night； nine if you want food。〃 She turned away； gesturing absently at the courtyard beyond。
As she finished speaking a trio of children thundered down the stairs； smacking at each other with switches； laughing and shrieking。 They almost knocked Tiamak down as thev pushed past him and went through into the courtyard。
〃I must have help with my leg。。。 〃 Tiamak swayed as dizziness washed over him。 〃Here。〃 He reached into his belt…pouch and pulled out the two gold Imperators he had been saving for years。 He had brought them with him for just such an emergency； and what good would money be to him if he died？ 〃Please； I have gold。〃
Xorastra's niece turned。 Her eyes bulged。 〃Rhiappa and her large Pirates！〃 she swore。 〃Look at that； now！〃
〃Please； good lady； I can bring you back many more of these。〃 He couldn't； but there was a much better chance this woman would help keep him alive if she thought he could。 〃Just get a barber or a healer to see to my leg； and give me food and a place to sleep。〃
Her mouth； still gaping in surprise at the appearance of the glittering golden coins； widened even further as Tiamak pitched over at her feet； senseless as a stone。
〃。。。But although not everything that thrives in shadow is bad； Hakatri； still much that hides in darkness does so to keep its evil hidden from all eyes。〃
Simon was beginning to lose himself in this strange dream； to feel as though it were to him that the patient； pained voice spoke。 He felt bad for having been so long absent； for bringing further suffering to such a high yet afflicted soul。
〃Your brother has long hidden his plans beneath a cloak of shadow。 The year…end was danced countless times after Asu'a's fall before we had even a hint that he still lived…if his spectral existence can be called life。 Long he plotted in darkness； hundreds of years of black…minded deliberation before the first steps were taken。 Now； with his plan marching forward； there is so much still hidden in shadow。 I think and I watch； I wonder and I guess； but the subtlety of his design eludes my old eyes。 I have seen many things since first I saw leaves fall in Osten Ard； but I cannot make sense of this。 What does he plan？ What does your brother Ineluki mean to do。。。 ？〃
The stars seemed very naked over Stormspike； gleaming white as polished bone； cold as knobs of ice。 Ingen Jegger thought them very beautiful。 He stood beside his horse on the road before the mountain。 The bitter wind whistled through the ivory muzzle of his snarling； dog…faced helm。 Even his Norn…stallion； bred in the world's blackest； coldest stables； was doing its best to duck the brutal sleet that the wind flung like arrows…but Ingen Jegger was exalted。 The shrill of the wind was a lullabye； the sting of freezing sleet a caress。 Ingen's mistress had set mm a great task。
〃No other Queen's Hunter has ever been granted such a responsibility；〃 she had told him as the indigo light of the Well filled the Chamber of the Harp。 As she spoke； the groans of the Singing Harp…a great； translucent and ever…changing thing cloaked by the mists of the Well…had made the very stones of Stormspike shudder。 〃We have brought you back from the outlands of Death's Country。〃 Utuk'ku's glittering mask threw back the Well's blue radiance so fiercely that her face was obscured； as though a flame burned between shoulders and crown。 〃We have also given you weapons and wisdom no other Queen's Hunter has ever had。 Now we offer you a task of terrible difficulty； a task like no one； mortal or immortal； has ever faced。〃
〃I will do it； Lady；〃 he had said； and his heart had throbbed within him as though it would burst from joy。 Standing now on the royal roadway； Ingen Jegger looked at the ruins of the old city that lay all about him； skeletal litter on the lower slopes of the great ice…mountain。 When the huntsman's progenitors were scarcely more than savages； he thought； ancient Nakkiga had stood beneath the night sky in her full beauty； a needle…forest of alabaster and white witchwood； a chalcedony necklace around the mountain's throat。 Before the huntsman's people had known fire； the Hikeda'ya had built pillared chambers within the very mountain itself； each chamber blazing with a million crystalline facets of glittering lamplight； a galaxy of stars burning in the darkness of the earth。
And now he； Ingen Jegger； was their chosen instrument！ He wore the mantle no mortal had ever borne。 Even to one of his training； of his horrifying discipline； it was a maddening thought。
The wind gentled。 His steed made a noise of impatience； a large pale shape beside him in the flurrying snow。 He stroked the horse with his gloved hand； letting his touch rest on its powerful neck； feeling the quick pulse of life。 He put a boot into the stirrup and lifted himself into the saddle； then whistled for Niku'a。 A few moments later the great white hound appeared on a rise nearby。 Nearly as large as the huntsman's horse； Niku'a filled the night with his steaming breath； the dog's short fur was pearled with mist so that it glowed like moonlit marble。
〃e；〃 Ingen Jegger hissed。 〃Great deeds he before us！〃 The road stretched before him； leading down from the heights and into the unsuspecting lands of sleeping men。 〃Death is behind us。〃
He spurred his horse forward。 The hooves fell on the icy road like hammers。
〃。。。And so in a way I am blinded to your brother's machinations。〃 The voice in Simon's head was growing more and more faint now； withering like a rose lingered past its season。 〃I have been forced to my own stratagems… and poor； weak games they seem when placed against the swarms of Nakkiga and the enduring； deathless hatred of the Red Hand。 Worst of all； I do not know what I am fighting； although I believe I am now discerning the first faint shapes。 If I have even a glimmer of the truth； it is horrible。 Horrible。
〃Ineluki's game has begun。 He was the child of my loins； I cannot shirk my responsibility。 Two sons I had； Hakatri。 Two sons I have lost。〃
The woman's voice was only a whisper； the merest breath； but still Simon could feel its bitterness。 〃The eldest are always the loneliest； my quiet one； but no one should be left behind for so long by those whom they had loved。
And then she was gone。
Simon awakened slowly out of the extended darkness that had held him。 His ears seemed to echo strangely； as though the absence of the voice to which he had listened so long left a greater emptiness。 When he opened his eyes； light flowed in； dazzling him； when he closed them； rings of bright color spun before his shuttered lids。 He assayed a more careful view of the world and found that he was in a tiny forest dell blanketed in new…fallen snow。 Pale morning light streamed down through the overhanging trees； silvering the naked branches and speckling the forest floor。
He was very cold。 He was also pletely alone。
〃Binabik！〃 he cried。 〃Qantaqa！〃 A moment later he added 〃Sludig！〃 as an afterthought。 There was no reply。
Simon untangled himself from his cloak and clambered unsteadily to his feet。 He shook off a coating of powdery snow； then stood for a moment rubbing his head to clear the shadows。 The dingle mounted up steeply on either side of him； judging by the array of torn branches piercing his shirt and breeches； he had tumbled down from above。 He felt himself gingerly； but other than the long；