insouciance； he waved his arms and vanished。
She stared after him and clenched the Staff as if she meant to strike the empty air of his absence。 Her back was to Covenant； he could not see what was happening in her face； but the tension of her shoulders made him
fear that her eyes were drawing into focus。 At that thought； blood pounded in his temples。 He reached out； tried to interrupt or distract her。
His touch caused her to swing around toward him。 Her face looked emaciated…her flesh was tight over the pale intensity of her skull…and she seemed astonished； as if she had just discovered her capacity for panic。 But she did not move into his arms。 She halted； deliberately closed her eyes。 The bones of her jaw and cheeks and forehead concentrated on him。
He felt an abyss opening in his mind。
He did not prehend the black； yawning sensation。 Elena stood before him in the shadow of Melenkurion Skyweir like an icon of gleaming bone robed in blue； but behind her； behind the solid stone of Rivenrock； darkness widened like a crack across the cistern of his thoughts。 The rift sucked at him； he was losing himself。
The sensation came from Elena。
Suddenly； he understood。 She was attempting to meld her mind with his。
A glare of fear shot through the sable vertigo which drained him。 It illuminated his peril； if he abandoned himself to the melding； she would learn the truth about him。 He could not afford such a plunge； could never have afforded it。 Crying； No！ he recoiled； staggered back away from her within himself。
The pressure eased。 He found that his body was also retreating。 With an effort； he stopped； raised his head。
Elena's eyes were wide with disappointment and grief； and she leaned painfully on the Staff of Law。 〃Pardon me； beloved；〃 she breathed。 〃I have asked for more than you are ready to give。〃 For a moment； she remained still； gave him a chance to respond。 Then she groaned； 〃I must think；〃 and turned away。 Supporting herself with the Staff； she moved slowly along the cleft toward the outer edge of the plateau。
Shaken； Covenant sat straight down on the rock； and caught his head in his hands。 Conflicting emotions tore at him。 He was dismayed by his narrow escape； and angry at his weakness。 To save himself； he had hurt Elena。 He thought that he should go to her； but some
thing in the focused isolation of her figure warned him not to intrude。 For a time； he gazed at her with an ache in his heart。 Then he climbed to his feet； muttering at the needless air； 〃He could've had the decency to tell us…at least before she lost her Ranyhyn。〃
To his surprise； the First Mark answered； 〃Amok acts according to the law of his creation。 He cannot break that law merely to avoid pain。〃
Covenant threw up his hands in disgust。 Fulminating uselessly； he stalked away across the plateau。
He spent the remainder of the afternoon roving restlessly from place to place across Rivenrock； searching for some clue to the continuation of Amok's trail。 After a while； he calmed down enough to understand Morin's ment on Amok。 Morin and Bannor were the prisoners of their Vow； they could speak with authority about the exigencies of an implacable law。 But if the Bloodguard sympathized with Amok； that was just one more coffin nail in the doom of the High Lord's quest。
Covenant's effectlessness was another such nail。 He could hear the inflated fatuity of his bargain mocking him now。 How could he help Elena？ He did not even know enough to grasp the issues Amok raised。 Though his disconsolate hiking covered a wide section of the plateau； he learned nothing of any significance。 The barren stone was like his inefficacy…irreducible and binding。 While the last sunlight turned to dust in the sky； he bent his steps toward the graveling glow which marked the High Lord's camp。 He was brooding on the familiar idea that futility governed his very existence。
He found Elena beside her pot of graveling。 She looked both worn and whetted； as if the pressure on her ground down her individuality； fitted her to the pattern of her Lord's duty。 Resolution gleamed in the honed patina of her bones。 She had accepted all the implications of her burden。
Covenant cleared his throat awkwardly。 〃What have you got？ Have you figured it out？〃
In a distant voice； she asked； 〃How great is your knowledge of Warmark Troy's battle plan？〃
〃I know generally what he's trying to do…nothing specific：〃
〃If his plan did not fail； the battle began yesterday。〃
He considered for a moment； then inquired carefully； 〃Where does that leave us？〃
〃We must meet Amok's condition。〃
He gestured his inprehension。 〃How？〃
〃I do not know。 But I believe that it may be done。〃
〃You're missing four Wards。〃
〃Yes；〃 she sighed。 〃Kevin clearly intended that we should gain the Seventh Ward only after mastering the first Six。 But Amok has already violated that intent。 Knowing that we have not prehended Loric's krill； he still returned to us。 He saw the Land's peril； and returned。 This shows some freedom…some discretion。 He is not explicitly bound by his law at all points。〃
She paused； and after a moment Covenant said； 〃Offhand； I would say that makes him dangerous。 Why would he drag us all the way out here when he knew we would get stuck…unless he was trying to distract you from the war？〃
〃Amok intends no betrayal。 I hear no malice in
To penetrate her abstraction； he snapped； 〃You can be fooled。 Or are you forgetting that Kevin even accepted Foul as a Lord？〃
Steadily； Elena replied； 〃Perhaps the first Six Wards do not contain the name of this power。 Perhaps they teach only the way in which Amok may be brought to speak its name himself。〃
〃In that case〃
〃Amok guided us here because in some way it is possible for us to meet his condition。〃
〃But can you find the right questions？〃
〃I must。 What other choice exists for me？ I cannot rejoin the Wayward now。〃
Her voice had a dull finality； as if she were passing sentence on herself。 Early the next morning； she called Amok。
He appeared； grinning boyishly。 She gripped the Staff of Law in both hands and braced it on the rock before her。
In the dawn under Melenkurion Skyweir； they began to duel for access to the Seventh Ward。
For two days； High Lord Elena strove to wrest the prerequisite name from Amok。 During the second day； a massive storm brooded on the southeastern horizon； but it did not approach Rivenrock； and everyone ignored it。 While Covenant sat twisting his ring around his finger； or paced restlessly beside the batants； or wandered muttering away at intervals to escape the strain； she probed Amok with every question she could devise。 At times； she worked methodically； at others； intuitively。 She elaborated ideas for his assent or denial。 She forced him to recite his answers at greater and greater length。 She led him through painstaking rehearsals of known ground； and launched him with all her accuracy toward the unknown。 She built traps of logic for him； tried to fence him into contradictions。 She sought to meld her mind with his。
It was like dueling with a pool of water。 Every slash and counter of her questions touched him as if she had slapped a pond with the flat of her blade。 His answers splashed at every inquiry。 But when she strove to catch him on her need's point； she passed through him and left no mark。 Occasionally he allowed himself a laughing riposte； but for the most part he parried her questions with his accustomed cheerful evasiveness。 Her toil earned no success。 By sunset； she was trembling with frustration and suppressed fury and psychic starvation。 The very solidity of Rivenrock seemed to jeer at her。
In the evenings； Covenant forted her according to the terms of his bargain。 He said nothing of his own fears and doubts； his helplessness； his growing conviction that Amok was impenetrable； he said nothing about himself at all。 Instead； he gave her his best attention； concentrated on her with every resource he possessed。
But all his efforts could not touch the core of her distress。 She was learning that she did not suffice to meet the Land's need； and that was a grief for which there was no consolation。 Late at night； she made muffled grating noises； as if she grou