〃I don't understand。〃
〃Nor should you。 Not yet。〃 Elias leaned forward； his eyes bright as lamps burning behind thin green glass。 〃But someday you will； Guthwulf。 I hope you live to understand everything。 At this time； though； I cannot let you interfere with Pryrates； so if you feel you must leave the castle； I will understand。 You are the only friend I have left。 Your life is important to me。〃
The Earl of Utanyeat wanted to laugh at such a bizarre statement； but the sense of sick unreality would not leave him。 〃But not as important to you as Pryrates？〃
The king's hand leaped out like a striking serpent； fastening on Guthwulf's sleeve。 〃Don't be a fool！〃 he rasped。 〃Pryrates is nothing！ It is what Pryrates is helping me to do that matters。 I told you that there were great things ing！ But there will be a time first when things are 。。。 changing。〃
Guthwulf stared at the king's feverish face and felt something die within him。 〃I have sensed some of the changes； Elias；〃 he said grimly。 〃I have seen others。〃
His old friend looked back at him； then smiled oddly。 〃Ah。 The castle； you mean。 Yes some of the changes are happening right here。 But you still do not understand。〃
Guthwulf was not practiced in patience。 He fought to hold down his rage。 〃Help me to understand。 Tell me what you do！〃
The king shook his head。 〃You could not possibly make sense of it…not now； not this way。〃 He sat back again； his face sliding into shadow once more； so that it almost seemed as though the great tanged and black…socketed head was his own。 A stretching silence followed。 Guthwulf listened to the bleak voices of ravens in the courtyard。
〃e here； old friend；〃 Elias said at last； voice slow and measured。 As Guthwulf looked up； the king slid his double…hiked sword partway from its scabbard。 The metal gleamed darkly； black and crawling gray like the mottled belly of some ancient reptile。 The ravens abruptly fell silent。 〃e here；〃 the king repeated。
The Earl of Utanyeat could not tear his eyes from the sword。 The rest of the room became gray and insubstantial； the sword itself seemed to glow without light； to make the very air heavy as stone。 〃Will you kill me now； Elias？〃 Guthwulf felt his words grow weighty； each one an effort to use。 〃Will you save Pryrates his trouble？〃
〃Touch the sword； Guthwulf；〃 Elias said。 His eyes seemed to shine more brightly as the room darkened。 〃e and touch the sword。 Then you will understand。〃
〃No；〃 Guthwulf said weakly； but watched with horror as his arm moved forward as if by its own will。 〃I don't want to touch the damned thing。。。〃 Now his hand hovered just above the ugly； slow…shinimenng blade。
〃Damned thing？〃 Elias laughed； his voice seeming far away。 He reached out and took his friend's hand； gentle as a lover。 〃You can't begin to guess。 Do you know what its name is？〃
Guthwulf watched his fingers slowly flatten against the bruised surface of the sword。 A deadening chill crept up his arm； countless icy needles pricking his flesh。 Close behind the cold came a fiery blackness。 Elias' voice seemed to be falling away into the distance。
〃Jingizu is its name。。。〃 the king called。 〃Its name is Sorrow。 〃
And in the midst of the dreadful fog that enwrapped his heart； through the blanket of frost that covered and then entered his eyes and ears and mouth； Guthwulf felt the sword's dreadful song of triumph。 It hummed right through him； softly at first hut growing ever stronger； a terrible； potent music that matched and then devoured his rhythms； that drowned out his weak and artless notes； until it had absorbed the entire song of his soul into its darkly triumphant tune。
Sorrow sang inside him； filling him。 He heard it cry out with his voice； as though he had bee the sword； or the sword had somehow bee Cuthwulf。 Sorrow was alive and looking for something。 Guthwulf was looking； too he had now been subdued in the alien melody。 He and the blade were one。 Sorrow reached for its brothers。
He found them。
Two shining forms were there； just beyond his reach。 Guthwulf longed to be with them； to join his proud melody to theirs； so that together they would make a music greater still。 He yearned； a bloodless； warmthless desire； like a cracked bell straining to toll； like a lodestone aching for true north。 They were three of a kind； he and these other two； three songs unlike any the world had heard…but each was inplete without its fellows。 He stretched toward his brothers as though to touch them； but they were too far away。 Mere distance still separated them。 No matter how he strained； Guthwulf could not bring them closer； could not join with them。
At last the delicate balance collapsed； sending him plunging down into an infinite nothingness； falling； falling； falling。。。
Slowly he came to himself again…Guthwulf； a man born of woman…but still he fell through blackness。 He was terrified。
Time sped。 He felt graveworms eating his flesh； felt himself ing apart deep within the black earth； rendered into innumerable particles that ached to scream without voices to do so； at the same moment； like a rushing wind； he flew laughing past the stars and into the endless places between life and death。 For a moment the very door of Mystery swung open and a dark shadow stood beckoning in the doorway。
Long after Elias had sheathed the sword； Guthwulf still lay choking on the steps before the Dragonbone Chair； his eyes burning with tears； his fingers helplessly flexing。
〃Now can you understand？〃 The king said； beaming with pleasure as though he had just given his friend a taste of a singularly splendid wine。 〃Do you understand why I must not fail？〃
The Earl of Utanyeat got slowly to his feet。 His clothes were soiled and spattered。 He turned wordlessly from his liege lord and staggered across the throne room floor； pushing through the door and into the hallway without looking back。
〃Do you see？〃 Elias shouted after him。
A trio of ravens fluttered down to the windowsill。 They stood close together； their yellow eyes intent。
〃Guthwulf！〃 Elias was no longer shouting； but still his voice carried through the silent room like a tolling bell。 〃e back； old friend！〃
〃Look； Binabik！〃 Simon cried。 〃What are those birds doing？！〃
The troll followed Simon's pointing finger。 The ravens were wheeling madly about the sky overhead； flying in long； looping circles。
〃They are upset； perhaps；〃 Binabik shrugged。 〃I do not have much knowledge of the ways of such things 。。。〃
〃No； they're looking for something！〃 Simon said； excited。 〃They're looking for something！ I know it！ Just look at them！〃
〃But they are not leaving the air above us。〃 Binabik raised his voice as the ravens began to call back and forth； their croaking voices sharp as blades in the still air。
Sludig had reined up his horse； too； and was staring up at the strange exhibition。 He narrowed his eyes。 〃If this is not some deviltry；〃 he said； 〃then I am not an Aedonite。 The raven was Old One…Eye's bird； back in the dark days。。。〃 He trailed off as he saw something new。 〃There！〃 he said； pointing。 〃Is that not some other bird they are chasing？〃
Now Simon could see it too： a smaller gray shape that flitted among the black ones； darting wildly； now this way； now that。 At every turn it seemed to find one of the larger birds already there。 It was tiring； Simon could see plainly； its loops being ever more ragged； its escapes narrower。
〃It's a sparrow！〃 Simon cried。 〃Like the ones Morgenes had！ They're going to kill it！〃
Even as he spoke； the swooping circle of ravens seemed to sense that the quarry was nearing its limits。 The whirling funnel contracted and the croaking voices rose as if in triumph。 Then； just when it seemed the hunt was over； the sparrow found an open space and burst free of the black ring； darting unevenly toward a stand of fir trees half a furlong away。 The
ravens； shrieking； whirled in pursuit。
〃I do not think it chance that such a bird should be here；〃 Binabik said； unscrewing his walking stick to shake free his pouch of darts。 〃Or that the ravens would be waiting with such patientness just where we are。〃 He grab