erpreted as promise or abdication。
〃He did not wish to e；〃 Hyrim whispered to Covenant； 〃but the High Lord brought him。 Hs is ashamed。〃
Then Lord Verement moved。 Abruptly； he tossed his staff upright toward Shetra。 She caught it； and threw her own staff to him。 He caught it in turn。 〃Stay well； wife；〃 he said bleakly。
〃Stay well； husband；〃 she replied。
〃Nothing will be well for me until you return。〃
〃And for me also； my husband；〃 she breathed intensely。
Without another word； he turned on his heel and hastened back into Revelstone。
For a moment； she watched him go。 Then she turned also； moved stiffly out of the courtyard into the tunnel。 Korik and the other Bloodguard followed her。 Shortly； Covenant was left alone with Hyrim and Elena。
〃Well； Hyrim；〃 the High Lord said gently； 〃your ordeal must begin。 I regret that it will be so arduous for you。〃
〃High Lord…〃 Hyrim began。
〃But you are capable of it；〃 she went on。 〃You have not begun to take the measure of your true strength。〃
〃High Lord；〃 Hyrim said； 〃I have asked ur…Lord Covenant to acpany us。〃
She stiffened。 Covenant felt a surge of tension radiate from her； she seemed suddenly to emanate a palpable tightness。 〃Lord Hyrim；〃 she said in a low voice； 〃you tread dangerous ground。〃 Her tone was hard； but Covenant could hear that she was not warning Hyrim； threatening him。 She respected what he had done。 And she was afraid。
Then she turned to Covenant。 Carefully； as if she feared to express her own acute desire； she asked； 〃Will yon go？〃
The light from Revelstone was at her back； and he could not see her face。 He was glad of this； he did not want to know whether or not her strange gaze was focused on him。 He tried to answer her； but for a moment his throat was so dry that he could not make a sound。
〃No；〃 he said at last。 〃No。〃 For Hyrim's sake； he made an effort to tell the truth。 〃There's nothing I can do for them。〃 But as he said it； he knew that that was not the whole truth。 He refused to go because Elena daughter of Lena wanted him to stay。
Her relief was as tangible in the gloom as her tension had been。 〃Very well； ur…Lord。〃 For a long moment； she and Hyrim faced each other； and Covenant sensed the current of their silent munication； their mental melding。 Then Hyrim stepped close to her and kissed her on the forehead。 She hugged him； released him。 He bowed to Covenant； and walked away into the tunnel。
In turn； she moved away from Covenant； entered the tower through one of the small doors beside the mouth of the tunnel。 Covenant was left alone。 He breathed deeply； trying to steady himself as if he had just e through an interrogation。 Despite the coolness of the dawn； he was sweating。 For a moment； he remained in the courtyard； uncertain of what to do。 But then he heard whistling from outside the Keepshrill piercing cries that echoed off the wall of Revelstone。 Korik's mission was calling the Ranyhyn。
At once； Covenant hurried into the tunnel。
Outside the shadowed court； the sky was lighter。 In the east； the first rim of the sun had broken the horizon。 Morning streamed westward； and in it fifteen Bloodguard and two Lords raised their call again。 And again。 While the echoes of the third cry faded； the air filled with the thunder of mighty hooves。
For a long moment； the earth rumbled to the beat of the Ranyhyn； and the sir pulsed deeply。 Then a shadow swept up through the foothills。 Seventeen strong； clean…limbed horses came surging and proud to Revelstone。 Their white forehead stars looked like froth on a wave as they galloped toward the riders they had chosen to serve。 With keen whinnying and the flash of hooves； they slowed their pace。
In response； the Bloodguard and the two Lords bowed； and Korik shouted； 〃Hail； Ranyhyn！ Landriders and proudbearers！ Sun…flesh and sky…mane； we are glad that you have heard our call。 Evil and war are upon the Land！ Peril and fatigue await the foes of Fangthane。 Will you bear us？〃
The great horses nodded and nickered as they came forward the last few steps to nuzzle their riders； urging them to mount。 Instantly； all the Bloodguard leaped onto the backs of their Ranyhyn。 They used no saddles or reins； the Ranyhyn bore their riders willingly； and replied to the pressure of a knee or the touch of a handeven to the mand of a thought。 The same strange power of hearing which made it possible for them to answer their riders at once； anywhere in the Land…allowed them to sense the call tens or scores of days before it was actually uttered； and to run from the Plains of Ra to answer as if mere moments； not three or four hundred leagues； separated the southeast corner of the Land from any other region…also enabled them to act as one with their riders； a perfect meeting of mind and bone。
The Lords Shetra and Hyrim mounted more slowly； and Covenant watched them with a thickness in his throat； as if they were accepting a challenge which rightly belonged to him。 Foamfollower； please… he thought。 Please… But he could not articulate the words； forgive me。
Then he heard a shout behind and above him。 Turning back toward Revelstone； he saw a small； slim figure standing with arms raised atop the watchtower …the High Lord。 As the mounted pany swung around to face her； she flourished the Staff of Law； drew from its tip an intense blue blaze that flared and coruscated against the deep sky…a paean of power which in her hands burned with a core of interfused blue and white turning to purest azure along the flame。 Three times she waved the Staff； and its blaze was so bright that its path seemed to linger against the heavens。 Then she cried； 〃Hail！〃 and thrust the Staff upward。 For an instant the whole length of it flashed； so that an immense incandescent burst of Lords…fire sprang toward the sky。 For that instant； she cast so much light over the feet of Revelstone that the dawn itself was effaced…as if to show the assembled pany that she was strong enough to erase the fate written in the morning。
The Lords answered； wielding their own power and returning the vibrant cry； 〃Hail！〃 And the Bloodguard shouted together as one； 〃Fist and faith！ Hail； High Lord！〃
For a moment； all the staffs were upraised in fire。 Then all the Lords silenced their flames。 On that signal； the pany of the mission wheeled in a smooth turn and galloped away into the sunrise。
EIGHT： 〃Lord Kevin's Lament〃
THE departure of the mission…and his meeting with High Lord Elena the previous evening…left Covenant deeply disturbed。 He seemed to be losing what little independence or authenticity he possessed。 Instead of determining for himself what his position should be； and then acting according to that standard； he was allowing himself to be swayed； seduced even more fundamentally than he had been during his first experience with the Land。 Already； he had acknowledged Elena's claim on him； and only that claim had prevented him from acknowledging the Giants as well。
He could not go on in this fashion。 If he did； he would soon e to resemble Hile Troy…a man so overwhelmed by the power； of sight that he could not perceive the blindness of his desire to assume responsibility for the Land。 That would be suicide for a leper。 If he failed； he would die。 And if he succeeded； he would never again be able to bear the numbness of his real life； his leprosy。 He knew lepers who had died that way； but for them the death was never quick； never clean。 Their ends lay beyond a fetid ugliness so abominable that he felt nauseated whenever he remembered that such putrefaction existed。
And that was not the only argument。 This seduction of responsibility was Foul's doing。 It was the means by which Lord Foul attempted to ensure the destruction of the Land。 When inadequate men assumed huge burdens； the oute could only serve Despite。 Covenant had no doubt that Troy was inadequate。 Had he not been summoned to the Land by Atiaran in her despair？ And as for himself…he； Thomas Covenant； was as incapable of power as if such a thing did not exist。 For him it could not。 If he pretended otherwise； then the whole Land would bee just another leper in Lord Foul's hands。
By the time he reached his rooms； he knew that he would have to do something； t