before him； so that he could at least vaguely see his three panions。 Then he braced both arms against the stone beside him as if to keep himself from falling。
A slight breeze drifted onto the Watch from the towering mountain face south of it； and the air carried a foretaste of winter that made Troy shiver。 As midnight passed through the darkness； he began to talk desultorily； as if to warm the vigil by the sound of his voice。 His present sense of suspension； of voids； reminded him of his last moments in that world which Covenant insisted； on calling 〃real〃…moments during which his apartment had been flame…gutted； forcing him to hang by failing fingers from his windowsill； with the long fall and smash on concrete hovering below him。
He talked erratically about that world until the vividness of the memory eased。 Then he said； 〃Friend Mhoram； remind me…remind me to tell you sometime how grateful I am…for everything。〃 He was embarrassed to say such things aloud； but these feelings were too important to be left unexpressed。 〃You and Elena and Quaan and Amorine…you're all incredibly precious to me。 And the Warward… I think I'd be willing to jump from here if the Warward needed it。〃
He fell silent again； and time passed。 Although he shivered in the chill breeze； his speech had steadied him。 He tried to turn his thought to the fighting ahead； but the unknown sight crouched in the ing day dominated his brain； confusing all his anticipations and plans。 And around him the blank night remained unchanged； as impenetrable as chaos。 He needed to know where he stood。 In the distance； he thought he heard dim hoofbeats。 But none of his panions reacted to them； he could not be sure he had heard anything。
He needed to distract himself。 Half to Mhoram； he growled； 〃I hate dawns。 I can cope with nights。 They keep me they're something I've had experience with；
at least。 But' dawns！ I can't stand waiting for what I'm going to see。〃 Then； abruptly； he asked； 〃Is the sky clear？〃
〃It is clear；〃 Mhoram said softly。
Troy sighed his relief。 For a moment； he was able to relax。
Silence enpassed the Watch again。 The waiting went on。 Gradually； Troy's shivering became worse。 The stone he leaned against remained cold； impervious to his body warmth。 He wanted to stand up and pace； but did not dare。 Around him； Mhoram； Ruel； and Terrel stood as still as statues。 After a while； he could no longer refrain from asking the Lord if he had received any messages from Elena。 〃Has she tried to contact you？ How is she doing？〃
〃No； Warmark；〃 Mhoram answered。 〃The High Lord does not bear with her any of the lomillialor rods。〃
〃No？〃 The news dismayed Troy。 Until this moment； he had not realized how much trust he had put in Mhoram's power to contact Elena。 He wanted to know that she was safe。 And as a last resort； he had counted on being able to summon her。 But now she was as pletely lost to him as if she were already dead。 〃No？〃 He felt suddenly so blind that he could not see Mhoram's face； that he had never really seen Mhoram's face。 〃Why？〃
〃The High Wood rods were only three。 One went to Lord's Keep； and one stayed in Revelwood； so that the Loresraat and Revelstone could act together to defend themselves。 One rod remained。 It was given into my hands for use in this war。〃
Troy's voice crackled with protest。 〃What good is that？〃
〃At need I will be able to speak to Revelwood and Lord's Keep。〃
〃Oh； you fool。〃 Troy did not know whether he was referring to Mhoram or himself。 So many things had been kept from him。 And yet he had never thought to ask who had the rods。 He had been saving that whole subject until he saw Lord Foul's army； knew what help he would need。 〃Why didn't you tell me？〃
For answer； Mhoram only gazed at him。 But through his haze； Troy could not read the Lord's expression。 〃Why didn't you tell me？〃 he repeated more bitterly。 〃How much else is there that you haven't told me？〃
Mhoram sighed。 〃As to the lomillialorI did not speak because you did not ask。 The rods are not a tool that you could use。 They were made for the Lords； and we used them as we saw fit。 It did not occur to us that your desires would be otherwise。〃
He sounded withdrawn； weary。 For the first time； Troy noticed how unresponsive the Lord had been all day。 A fit of shivering shook him。 That dream Mhoram had had last night…what did it mean？ What did the Lord knew that made him so unlike his usual self？ Troy felt a sudden foretaste of dread。 〃Mhoram；〃 he began； 〃Mhoram…〃
〃Peace； Warmark；〃 the Lord breathed。 〃Someone es。〃
At once； Troy heaved to his feet； and caught at Ruel's shoulder to anchor himself。 Though he strained his ears； he could hear nothing but the low breeze。 〃Who is it？〃
For a moment； no one answered。 When Ruel spoke； his voice sounded as distant and passionless as the darkness。 〃It is Tull； who shared the mission of Korik to the Giants of Seareach。〃
SEVENTEEN： Tull's Tale
TROY'S heart lurched； and began to labor heavily。 Tulll He could feel his pulse beating in his temples。 Korik's mission！ After the shock of Runnik's news； he had repressed all thought of the Giants； refused to let himself think of them。 He had concentrated on the war； concentrated on something he could
do something about。 But now his thoughts reeled。 The Giants！
Almost instantly he began to calculate。 He 'gad been away from Revelstone for twenty…five days。 The mission to Seareach had left eighteen days before that。 That was almost enough time； almost enough。 The Giants could not travel as fast as Bloodguard on Ranyhyn…but surely they would not be far behind。 Surely
Troy could understand how Tull had e here。 It made sense。 The other Bloodguard would be leading the Giants； and Tull had e ahead to tell the Warward that help was on the way。 With war on the Land and Lord Foul marching； the Giants would not go to Revelstone； would not go north at all。 They would go south； around Sarangrave Flat if not through it。 The Bloodguard knew Troy's battle plan； they would know what to do。 They would pick up the trail of Lord Foul's army above Landsdrop south of Mount Thunder； and would follow it…past Morinmoss； through the Mithil valley； then southwest toward Doom's Retreat。 They would be hoping to attack Lord Foul's rear during the battle of the Retreat。 And Tull； seeking to circumvent Lord Foul's army in search of the Warward； would naturally e south to skirt the Southron Range toward Doom's Retreat。 That route would bring him almost to the doorstep of Mithil Stonedown。 Surely…！
When Tull topped the stair and stepped onto the Watch； Troy was so eager that he jumped past all preliminary questions。 〃Where are they？〃 The words came so rapidly that he could hardly articulate them。 〃How far behind are they？〃
In the dim light of the graveling； he was unable to make out Tull's face。 But he could tell that the Bloodguard was not looking at him。 〃Lord；〃 Tull said； 〃I was charged by Korik to give my tidings to the High Lord。 With Shull and Vale I was charged…〃 For an instant； his fiat voice faltered。 〃But the Bloodguard in the Stonedown have told me that the High Lord has gone into the Westron Mountains with Amok。 I must give my tidings to you。 Will you hear？〃
Even through his excitement； Troy sensed something strange in Tull's tone； something that sounded like pain。 But he could not wait to hear it explained。 Before Lord Mhoram could reply； Troy repeated； 〃Where are they？〃
〃They？〃 said the Bloodguard。
〃The Giants！ How far behind are they？〃
Tull turned deliberately away from him to face Lord Mhoram。
〃We will hear you；〃 Mhoram said。 His voice was tense with dread； but he spoke steadily； without hesitation。 〃This war is in our hands。 Speak； Bloodguard。〃
〃Lord； they…we could not…the Giants…〃 Suddenly the habitual flatness of Tull's voice was gone。 〃Lord！〃 The word vibrated with a grief so keen that the Bloodguard could not master it。
The sound of it stunned Troy。 He was accustomed to the characteristic alien lack of inflection of all the Bloodguard。 He had long since stopped expecting them to express what they felt…had virtually forgotten that they even had emotions。 And he was not braced for grief； his anticipation of good news was so gr