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The end came suddenly： a shut door。 Going bent over； and a little faster than usual； Arha ran up against it； jarring her head and hands。 She felt for the keyhole； then for the small key on her belt…ring； never used； the silver key with the haft shaped like a dragon。 It fit； it turned。 She opened the door of the Great Treasure of the Tombs of Atuan。 A dry； sour； stale air sighed outward through the dark。
〃Manan； you may not enter here。 Wait outside the door。〃
〃He； but not I？〃
〃If you enter this room； Manan； you will not leave it。 That is the law for all but me。 No mortal being but I has ever left this room alive。 Will you go in？〃
〃I will wait outside；〃 said the melancholy voice in the blackness。 〃Mistress； mistress； don't shut the door…〃 ；
His alarm so unnerved her that she left the door ajar。 Indeed the place filled her with a dull dread； and she felt some mistrust of the prisoner； pinioned though he was。 Once inside； she struck her light。 Her hands trembled。 The lantern candle caught reluctantly； the air was close and dead。 In the yellowish flicker that seemed bright after the long passages of night； the treasure room loomed about them； full of moving shadows。
There were six great chests； all of stone； all thick with a fine gray dust like the mold on bread； nothing else。 The walls were rough； the roof low。 The place was cold； with a deep and airless cold that seemed to stop the blood in the heart。 There were no cobwebs； only the dust。 Nothing lived here； nothing at all； not even the rare； small； white spiders of the Labyrinth。 The dust was thick； thick； and every grain of it might be a day that had passed here where there was no time or light： days； months； years； ages all gone to dust。
〃This is the place you sought；〃 Arha said； and her voice was steady。 〃This is the Great Treasure of the Tombs。 You have e to it。 You cannot ever leave it。〃
He said nothing； and his face was quiet； but there was in his eyes something that moved her： a desolation； the look of one betrayed。
〃You said you wanted to stay alive。 This is the only place I know where you can stay alive。 Kossil will kill you or make me kill you； Sparrowhawk。 But here she cannot reach。〃
Still he said nothing。
〃You could never have left the Tombs in any case； don't you see？ This is no different。 And at least you've e to。。。 to the end of your journey。 What you sought is here。〃
He sat down on one of the great chests； looking spent。 The trailing chain clanked harshly on the stone。 He looked around at the gray walls and the shadows； then at her。
She looked away from him； at the stone chests。 She had no wish at all to open them。 She did not care what marvels rotted in them。
〃You don't have to wear that chain； in here。〃 She came to him and unlocked the iron belt； and unbuckled Manan's leather belt from his arms。 〃I must lock the door； but when I e I will trust you。 You know that you cannot leave… that you must not try？ I am their vengeance； I do their will； but if I fail them …if you fail my trust… then they will avenge themselves。 You must not try to leave the room； by hurting me or tricking me when I e。 You must believe me。〃
〃I will do as you say；〃 he said gently。
〃I'll bring food and water when I can。 There won't be much。 Water enough； but not much food for a while； I'm getting hungry； do you see？ But enough to stay alive on。 I may not be able to e back for a day or two days； perhaps even longer。 I must get Kossil off the track。 But I will e。 I promise。 Here's the flask。 Hoard it； I can't e back soon。 But I will e back。〃
He raised his face to her。 His expression was strange。 〃Take care； Tenar；〃 he said。
Names
She brought Manan back through the winding ways in the dark； and left him in the dark of the Undertomb； to dig the grave that must be there as proof to Kossil that the thief had indeed been punished。 It was late； and she went straight to the Small House to bed。 In the night she woke suddenly； she remembered that she had left her cloak in the Painted Room。 He would have nothing for warmth in that dank vault but his own short cloak； no bed but the dusty stone。 A cold grave； a cold grave； she thought miserably； but she was too weary to wake up fully； and soon slipped back into sleep。 She began to dream。 She dreamt of the souls of the dead on the walls of the Painted Room； the figures like great bedraggled birds with human hands and feet and faces； squatting in the dust of the dark places。 They could not fly。 Clay was their food and dust their drink。 They were the souls of those not reborn； the ancient peoples and the unbelievers； those whom the Nameless Ones devoured。 They squatted all around her in the shadows； and a faint creaking or cheeping sound came from them now and then。 One of them came up quite close to her。 She was afraid at first and tried to draw away； but could not move。 This one had the face of a bird； not a human face； but its hair was golden； and it said in； a woman's voice； 〃Tenar；〃 tenderly； softly； 〃Tenar。〃
She woke。 Her mouth was stopped with clay。 She lay in a stone tomb； underground。 Her arms and legs were bound with graveclothes and she could not move or speak。
Her despair grew so great that it burst her breast open and like a bird of fire shattered the stone and broke out into the light of daythe light of day； faint in her windowless room。
Really awake this time； she sat up； worn out by that night's dreaming； her mind befogged。 She got into her clothes； and went out to the cistern in the walled courtyard of the Small House。 She plunged her arms and face； her whole head； into the icy water until her body jumped with cold and her blood raced。 Then flinging back her dripping hair she stood erect and looked up into the morning sky。
It was not long past sunrise； a fair winter's day。 The sky was yellowish； very clear。 High up； so high he caught the sunlight and burned like a fleck of gold； a bird was circling； a hawk or desert eagle。
〃I am Tenar；〃 she said； not aloud； and she shook with cold； and terror； and exultation； there under the open； sunwashed sky。 〃I have my name back。 I am Tenar！〃
The golden fleck veered westward towards the mountains； out of sight。 Sunrise gilded the eaves of the Small House。 Sheep bells clanked； down in the folds。 The smells of woodsmoke and buckwheat porridge from the kitchen chimneys drifted on the fine； fresh wind。
〃I am so hungry。。。 How did he know？ How did he know my name？。。。 Oh； I've got to go eat； I'm so hungry。。。〃
She pulled up her hood and ran off to breakfast。
Food； after three days of semi…fasting； made her feel solid； gave her ballast； she didn't feel so wild and lighthearted and frightened。 She felt quite capable of handling Kossil； after breakfast。
She came up beside the tall； stout figure on the way out of the dining hall of the Big House； and said in a low voice； 〃I have done away with the robber。。。 What a fine day it is！〃
The cold gray eyes looked sidelong at her from the black hood。
〃I thought that the Priestess must abstain from eating for three days after a human sacrifice？〃
This was true。 Arha had forgotten it； and her face showed that she had forgotten。
〃He is not