Lightly； Amok turned and gave her an unexpected bow。 〃My home is Revelstone。 I have no parents。 And my past is both wide and narrow； for I have wandered everywhere； waiting。〃
A surge ran through the Council； but no one interrupted Amatin。 Studying the boy； she said； 〃Your home is Revelstone？ How can that be？ We have no knowledge of you。〃
〃Lord； I have been away。 I have feasted with the Elohim； and ridden Sandgorgons。 I have danced with the Dancers of the Sea； and teased brave Kelenbhrabanal in his grave； and traded apothegms with the Gray Desert。 I have waited。〃
Several of the Lords stirred； and a gleam came into Loerya's eyes； as if she recognized something potent in Amok's words。 They all watched him closely as Amatin said； 〃Yet everything that lives has ancestry； forebearers of its own kind。 Amok； what of your parentage？〃
〃Do I live？〃
〃It appears not；〃 Verement growled。 〃Nothing mortal would try our patience so。〃
〃Peace； Verement；〃 said Loerya。 〃There is grave import here。〃 Without taking her eyes off Amok； she asked； 〃Are you alive？〃
〃Perhaps。 While I have purpose； I move and speak。 My eyes behold。 Is this life？〃
His answer confused Lord Amatin。 Thinly； as if her uncertainty pained her； she said； 〃Amok； who made your〃
Without hesitation； Amok replied； 〃High Lord
Kevin son of Loric son of Damelon son of Berek Heartthew the Lord…Fatherer。〃
A silent clap of surprise echoed in the Close。 Around the table； the Lords gaped in astonishment。 Then Verement smacked the stone with the flat of his hand； and barked； 〃By the Seven！ This whelp mocks us。
〃I think not；〃 answered Elena。
Lord Mhoram nodded wearily； and sighed his agreement。 〃Our ignorance mocks us。〃
Quickly； Trevor asked； 〃Mhoram； do you know Amok？ Have you seen him？〃
Lord Loerya seconded the question； but before Mhoram could gather his strength to respond； Lord Callindrill leaned forward to ask； 〃Amok； why were you made？ What purpose do you serve？〃
〃I wait；〃 said the boy。 〃And I answer。〃
Callindrill accepted this with a glum nod； as if it proved an unfortunate point； and said nothing more。 After a pause； the High Lord said to Amok； 〃You bear knowledge； and release it in response to the proper questions。 Have I understood you aright？〃
In answer； Amok bowed； shaking his head so that his gay hair danced like laughter about his head。
〃What knowledge is this？〃 she inquired。
〃Whatever knowledge you can ask for； and receive answer。〃
At this； Elena glanced ruefully around the table。 〃Well； that at least was not the proper question；〃 she sighed。 〃I think we will need to know Amok's knowledge before we can ask the proper questions：〃
Mhoram looked at her and nodded。
〃Excellent！〃 Verement's retort was full of suppressed ferocity。 〃So ignorance increases ignorance； and knowledge makes itself unnecessary。〃
Covenant felt the force of Verement's sarcasm。 But Lord Amatin ignored it。 Instead； she asked the youth； 〃Why have you e to us now？〃
〃I felt the sign of readiness。 The krill of Loric came to life。 That is the appointed word。 I answer as I was made to do。〃
As he mentioned the krill； Amok's inner cradled glory and dread seemed to bee more visible。 The sight gave Covenant a pang。 Is this my fault； too？ he groaned。 What have I gotten myself into now？ But the glimpse was mercifully brief； Amok's boyish good humor soon veiled it again。
When it was past； Lord Mhoram climbed slowly to his feet； supporting himself on his staff like an old man。 Standing beside the High Lord as if he were speaking for her； he said； 〃Then you have… Amok； hear me。 I am seer and oracle for this Council。 I speak words of vision。 I have not seen you。 You have e too soon。 We did not give life to the krill。 That was not our doing。 We lack the lore for such work。〃
Amok's face became suddenly grave； almost frightened； showing for the first time some of the antiquity of his skull。 〃Lack the lore？ Then I have erred。 I have misserved my purpose。 I must depart； I will do great harm else。〃
Quickly； he turned； slipped with deceptive speed between the Bloodguard； and darted up the stairs。
When he was halfway to the doors； everyone in the Close lost sight of him。 He vanished as if they had all taken their eyes off him for an instant； allowing him to hide。 The Lords jumped to their feet in amazement。 On the stairs； the pursuing Bloodguard halted； looked rapidly about them； and gave up the chase。
〃Swiftly！〃 Elena manded。 〃Search for him！ Find him！〃
〃What is the need？〃 Crowl replied flatly。 〃He is gone。〃
〃That I see！ But where has he gone？ Perhaps he is still in Revelstone。〃
But Crowl only repeated； 〃He is gone。〃 Something in his certitude reminded Covenant of Bannor's subdued； unusual excitement。 Are they in this together？ he asked himself。 My purpose？ The words repeated dimly in his mind。 My purpose？
Through his mystification； he almost did not hear Troy whisper； 〃I thought…for a minute…I thought I saw him。〃
High Lord Elena paid no attention to the Warmark。 The attitude of the Bloodguard seemed to baffle her； and she sat down to consider the situation。 Slowly； she spread about her the melding of the Council； one by one bringing the minds of the other Lords into munion with her own。 Callindrill shut his eyes； letting a look of peace spread over his face； and Trevor and Loerya held hands。 Verement shook his head two or three times； then acquiesced when Mhoram touched him gently on the shoulder。
When they all were woven together； the High Lord said； 〃Each of us must study this matter。 War is near at hand； and we must not be taken unaware by such mysteries。 But to you； Lord Amatin； I give the chief study of Amok and his secret knowledge。 If it can be done； we must seek him out and learn his answers。〃
Lord Amatin nodded with determination in her small face。
Then； like an unclasping of mental hands； the melding ended； and an intensity which Covenant could sense but not join faded from the air。 In silence； the Lords took up their staffs； and began to leave。
〃Is that it？〃 Covenant muttered in surprise。 〃Is that all you're going to do？〃
〃Watch it； Covenant；〃 Troy warned softly。
Covenant shot a glare at the Warmark； but his black sunglasses seemed to make him impervious。 Covenant turned toward the High Lord。 〃Is that all？〃 he insisted。 〃Don't you even want to know what's going on here？〃
Elena faced him levelly。 〃Do you know？〃
〃No。 Of course not。〃 He wanted to add； to protest； But Bannor does。 But that was something else he could not say。 He had no right to make the Bloodguard responsible。 Stiffly； he remained silent。
〃Then do not be too quick to judge；〃 Elena replied。 〃There is much here that requires explanation； and we must seek answers in our own way if we hope to be prepared。〃
Prepared for what？ he wanted to ask。 But he lacked the resolution to challenge the High Lord； he was afraid of her eyes。 To escape the situation； he brushed past Bannor and horned out of the Close ahead of the Lords and Troy。
But back in his rooms he found no relief for his frustration。 And in the days that followed； nothing happened to give him any relief。 Elena； Mhoram； and Troy were as absent from his life as if they were deliberately avoiding him。 Bannor answered his aimless questions courteously； curtly； but the answers shed no light。 His beard grew until it was thick and full； and made him look to himself like an unraveled fanatic； but it proved nothing； solved nothing。 The full of the moon came and went； but the war did not begin； there arrived no word from the scouts； no signs； no insights。 Around him； Revelstone palpably trembled in the clench of its readiness； everywhere he went； he heard whispers of tension； haste； urgency； but no action was taken。 Nothing。 He roamed for leagues in Lord's Keep as if he were treading a maze。 He drank inordinate quantities of springwine； and slept the sleep of the dead as if he hoped that he would never be resurrected。 At times he was even reduced to standing on the northern battlements of the city to watch Troy and Quaan drill the Warward。 But nothing happened。
His only oasis in this static and frustrated wilderland was given to him by Lord Callindrill and his wife； Faer。 One day； Call