Range。
For a day and a night； Myrha galloped； bearing Elena far south along mountain trails and over passes unknown to the people of the Land。 At the end of that time； they gained a high valley； a grassy glen folded between sheer cliffs； with a rugged； spring…fed tam near its center。 This small lake was mysterious； for its dark waters did not reflect the sunlight。 And the valley itself was wondrous to behold； for it contained hundreds of Ranyhyn…hundreds of proud； glossy； starbrowed stallions and mares…gathered together for a rare and secret ritual of horses。
But Elena's wonder quickly turned to fear。 Amid a chorus of wild； whinnied greetings； Myrha carried the little girl toward the lake； then shrugged her to the ground and dashed away in a flurry of hooves。 And the rest of the Ranyhyn began to run around the valley。 At first they trotted in all directions； jostling each other and sweeping by the child as if they were barely able to avoid crushing her。 But gradually their pace mounted。 Several Ranyhyn left the pounding mob to drink at the tare； then burst back into the throng as if the dark waters roiled furiously in their veins。 While the sun passed overhead； the great horses sprinted and bucked； drank at the tam； rushed away to run again in the unappeasable frenzy of a dance of madness。 And Elena stood among them； imperiled for her life by the savage flash and flare of hooves…frozen with terror。 In her fear； she thought that if she so much as flinched she would be instantly trampled to death。
Standing there…engulfed in heat and thunder and abysmal fear as final as the end of life…she lost consciousness for a time。 She was still standing when her eyes began to see again； she was erect and petrified in the last glow of evening。 But the Ranyhyn were no longer running。 They had surrounded her； they faced her； studied her with a force of pulsion in their eyes。 Some were so close to her that she inhaled their hot； damp breath。 They wanted her to do something…she could feel the insistence of their wills battering at her immobile fear。 Slowly； woodenly； choicelessly； she began to move。
She went to the tare and drank。
Abruptly； the High Lord dropped her narration； and began to sing…a vibrant； angry； and anguished song which cast ripples of passion across the air of Earthroot。 For reasons at which Covenant could only guess instinctively； she broke into Lord Kevin's Lament as if it were her own private and immedicable threnody。
Where is the Power that protects beauty from the decay of life？ preserves truth pure of falsehood？
secures fealty from that slow stain of chaos which corrupts？ How are we so rendered small by Despite？ Why will the very rocks not erupt for their own cleansing； or crumble into dust for shame？
While echoes of the song's grief ran over the lake； she met Covenant's gaze for the first time since she had begun her tale。
〃Beloved；〃 she said in a low； thrilling voice； 〃I was transformed…restored to life。 At the touch of those waters； the blindness or ignorance of my heart fell away。 My fear melted； and I was joined to the munion of the Ranyhyn。 In an instant of vision； I understood…everything。 I saw that in honor of your promise I had been brought to the horserite of Kelenbhrabanal； Father of Horses…a Ranyhyn ritual enacted once each generation to pass on and perpetuate their great legend； the tale of mighty Kelenbhrabanal's death in the jaws of Fangthane the Render。 I saw that the turmoiled running of the Ranyhyn was their shared grief and rage and frenzy at the Father's end。
〃For Kelenbhrabanal was the Father of Horses； Stallion of the First Herd。 The Plains of Ra were his demesne and protectorate。 He led the Ranyhyn in their great war against the wolves of Fangthane。
〃But the war continued without issue； and the stench of shed blood and rent flesh became a sickness in the Stallion's nostrils。 Therefore he made his way to Fangthane。 He stood before the Render； and said； ‘Let this war end。 I smell your hate…I know that you must have victims； else in your passion you will consume yourself。 I will be your victim。 Slaughter me； and let my people live in peace。 Appease your hate on me； and end this war。' And Fangthane agreed。 So Kelenbhrabanal bared his throat to the Renders teeth； and soaked the earth with his sacrifice。
〃But Fangthane did not keep his word…the wolves attacked again。 The Ranyhyn were leaderless； heartstricken。 They could not fight well。 The remnant of
the Ranyhyn was pelled to flee into the mountains。 They could not return to their beloved Plains until they had gained the service of the Ramen； and with that aid had driven the wolves away。
〃Thus each generation of the Ranyhyn holds its horserite to preserve the tale of the Stallion…to hold pure in memory all their pride at his self…sacrifice； and all their grief at his death； and all their rage at the Despite which betrayed him。 Thus they drink of the mind…uniting waters； and hammer out against the ground the extremity of their passion for one day and one night。 And thus； when I had tasted the water of the tam； I ran and wept and raged with them throughout the long exaltation of that night。 Heart and mind and soul and all； I gave myself to a dream of Fangthane's death。〃
Listening to her； clinging to her face with his eyes； Covenant felt himself knotted by the clench of unreleasable grief。 She was the woman who had offered herself to him。 He understood her passion now； understood the danger she was in。 And her elsewhere glance was drawing into focus； already he could feel conflagrations blazing at the corners of her vision。
His dread of that focus gave him the impetus to speak。 With his voice rent between fear and love； he wrenched out hoarsely； 〃What I don't understand is what Foul gets out of all this。〃
TWENTY…FIVE： The Seventh Ward
FOR a long moment； High Lord Elena gripped the Staff of Law and glared down at him。 Focus crackled on the verge of her gaze； it was about to lash out and scourge him。 But then she seemed to recollect who he was。 Slowly； the passion dimmed in her face；
went behind in inward veil。 She lowered herself to her seat in the boat。 Quietly； dangerously； she asked； 〃All this？ Do you ask what Lord Foul gains from what I have told you？〃
He answered her with quivering promptitude。 Careless now of the illimitable range of implications with which the echoes multiplied his voice； he hastened to explain himself； ameliorate at least in this way the falseness of his position。
〃That； too。 You said it yourself…that old； unsufferable bargain I made with the Ranyhyn put you where you are。 Never mind what I did to your mother。 That； too。 But it's really this time I'm thinking about。 You summoned me； and we're on our way to the Seventh Ward…and I want to know what Foul gets out of it。 He wouldn't waste a chance like this〃
〃This is no part of his intent；〃 。she replied coldly。 〃The choice to summon you was mine； not his。〃
〃Right。 That's the way he works。 But what made
you decide to summon me？ …I mean aside from the
fact that you were going to call me anyway at some
time or other because I have the simple misfortune to
wear a white gold wedding ring and have two fingers
missing。 What made you decide then…when you
did？〃
〃Dukkha Waynhim gave us new knowledge of Fangthane's power。〃
〃New knowledge； by hell！〃 Covenant croaked。 〃Do you think that was an accident？ Foul released him。〃 He shouted the word released； and its echoes jabbered about him like dire significances。 〃He released that poor suffering devil because he knew exactly what you would do about it。 And he wanted me to be in the Land then； at that precise time； not sooner or later。〃
The importance of what he was saying penetrated her； she began to hear him seriously。 But her voice remained nonmittal as she asked； 〃Why？ How are his purposes served？〃
For a moment； he shied away from what he was thinking。 〃How should I know？ If I knew； I might be able to fight it somehow。 Aside from the idea that I'm supposed to destroy the Land…〃 But Elena's grave
attention stopped him。 For her sake； he mustered his courage。 〃Well； look at what's happened because of me。 I did something to Loric's krill…therefore A