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The burning man's blind eyes rolled towards Sulis again。 He did not answer； but he seemed to be listening。
'The promise of the Aedon the Ransomer is that all who live will be gathered up … that there will be no death；' my stepfather continued。 'And this is proved because he was God made flesh in this world； and that is proved because of the miracles he performed。 But I have studied much about your own people； Hakatri。 Such miracles as Usires the Aedon performed could have been done by one of your Sithi people； or even perhaps by one of only half…immortal blood。' His smile was as bleak as a skull's。 'After all； even my fiercest critics in Mother Church agree that Usires had no human father。'
Sulis bowed his head again for a moment； summoning up words or strength。 I gasped for air … I had forgotten to breathe。 Avalles and Tellarin still stared； their fear now mixed with astonishment； but the witch Valada's face was hidden from me in shadow。
'Both my wives have been taken from me by death； both untimely；' my stepfather said。 'My first wife gave me a son before she died； a beautiful boy named Sarellis who died himself in screaming pain because he stepped on a horseshoe nail … a nail！ … and caught a death fever。 Young men I have manded were slaughtered in the hundreds； the thousands； their corpses piled on the battlefield like the husks of locusts； and all for a small stretch of land here or there； or sometimes merely over words。 My parents are dead； too； with too much unspoken between us。 Everyone I ever truly loved has been stolen from me by death。'
His hoarse voice had taken on a disturbing force； a cracked power； as though he meant to shout down the walls of Heaven itself。
'Mother Church tells me to believe that I will be reunited with them； he said。 They preach to me； saying； 〃See the works of Usires our Lord and be forted； for his task was to show death should hold no fear； they told me。 But I cannot be sure … I cannot simply trust！ Is the church right？ Will I see those I love again？ Will we all live on？ The masters of the church have called me a heretic and declared me apostate because I would not give up doubting the divinity of the Aedon； but I must know！ Tell me； Hakatri； was Usires of your folk？ Is the story of his godhood simply a lie to keep us happy； to keep priests fat and rich？' He blinked back tears； his stolid face transfigured by rage and pain。 'Even if God should damn me for ever to hell for it； still I must know … is our faith a lie？'
He was shaking so badly now that he took a staggering step back from the fire and almost fell。 No one moved except the man in the flames； who followed SuIis with his blank； dark eyes。
I realized that I was weeping too； and silently rubbed the tears away。
Seeing my stepfather's true and terrible pain was like a knife twisted inside me； and yet I was angry too。 All for this？ For such unknowable things he left my mother lonely； and now had nearly destroyed his own life？ After a long time in which all was silent as the stone around us； Hakatri said slowly； 'Always you mortals have tortured yourselves。' He blinked； and the way his face moved was so alien that I had to turn away and then look at him anew before I could understand what he said。 'But you torture yourself most when you seek answers to things that have none。' 'No answers？' Sulis was still shaking。 'How can that be？' The burning man raised his long…fingered hands in what I could only guess was a gesture of peace。 'Because that which is meant for mortals is not given to the Zida'ya to know； any more than you can know of our Garden； or where we go when we leave this place。
Listen to me； mortal。 What if your messiah were indeed one of the Dawn Children … would that prove somehow that your God had not chosen that to happen？ Would that prove your Ransomer's words any the less true？'
Hakarti shook his head with the weird； foreign grace of a shorebird。
'Just tell me whether Usires was one of your folk；' Sulis demanded raggedly。 'Spare me your philosophies and tell me！ For I am burning too！ I have not been free of the pain in years！'
As the echoes of my stepfather's cry faded； the fairy…lord in his ring of black flames paused； and for the first time he seemed truly to see across the gulf。 When he spoke； his voice was full of sadness。
'We Zida'ya know little of the doings of mortals； and there are some of our own blood who have fallen away from us； and whose works are hidden from us as well。 I do not think your Usires Aedon was one of the Dawn Children； but more than that I cannot tell you； mortal man； nor could any of my folk。' He lifted his hands again； weaving the fingers in an intricate； inprehensible gesture。 'I am sorry。'
A great shudder ran through the creature called Hakatri then … perhaps the pain of his burns returning； a pain that he had somehow held atbay while he listened to my stepfather speak。 Sulis did not wait to hear more； but stepped forward and kicked the witchwood fire into a cloud of whirling sparks； then dropped to his knees with his hands over his face。
The burning man was gone。
After a march of silence that seemed endless； the witch called out； 'Win you honour your bargain with me now； Lord Sulis？ You said that if I brought you to one of the immortals； you would free me。' Her voice was flat； but there was still a gentleness to it that surprised me。
My stepfather's reply； when it came； was choked and hard to understand。 He waved his hand。 Take off her chains； Avalles。 I want nothing more from her。'
In the midst of this great bleak wilderness of sorrow； I felt a moment of sharp happiness as I realized that despite my foreboding； the witch； my beloved； even my tortured stepfather； all would survive this terrible night。 As Avalles began to unlock the witch's shackles； shivering so that he could hardly hold the key； I had a moment to dream that my stepfather would return to health； that he would reward my Tellarin for his bravery and loyalty； and that my beloved and I would make a home for ourselves somewhere far away from this ghost…riddled； windswept headland。
My stepfather let out a sudden； startling cry。 I turned to see him fall forward on to his belly； his body ashake with weeping。 This seizure of grief in stern； quiet Sulis was in some ways the most frightening thing I had yet seen in that long； terrifying night。
Then； even as his cry rebounded in the invisible upper reaches of the chamber and provoked a dim rustle in the leaves of the shadowy tree； something else seized my attention。 Two figures were struggling where the witch had stood。 At first I thought Avalles and the woman Valada were fighting； but then I saw that the witch had stepped back and was watching the battle； her bright eyes wide with surprise。 Instead； it was Avalles and Tellarin who were tangled together； their torches fallen from their hands。 Shocked； helpless with surprise； I watched them tumble to the ground。 A moment later a dagger rose and fell； then the brief struggle was ended。
I screamed； 'Tellarin！' and rushed forward。
He stood； brushing the dust from his