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the pain of a disfigurement visible to everyone； of loss of power； of the absence of adoration； not he who had lived for power and adoration and had adored himself not least among them。 And yet 。。。 it was strange to think of him dead。 〃How did he die？〃
〃From the tower。〃 Riddle indicated the finger of stone which gestured rudely from the western edge of the keep。 〃He stood there often。 We saw him in the dusk； or at dawn； a black blot against the sky。 Then one morning he was not there； and his body was found among the stones at the river's side。 They sent for me then； and I arrived in time to learn that Huld had gone as well。〃
〃Dead？〃
〃I fear not。〃 He looked angry； biting off the words as though they tasted bad。 〃Himaggery had left Demons here； around the edges of the place； to Read if any tried to escape。 They did not Read Huld。 I theorize that he drugged himself into unconsciousness after hiding in a wood wagon or some such。 Certainly he went past us all without betraying his presence。
I said nothing。 I did not like the idea of Huld loose in the world。 I shivered； and Riddle reached out to me again。
〃So； my boy。 What brings you to the Dike？ Was it to meet with Mandor again？〃
I shivered once more。 〃Never。 I have an errand away north of here； and the Dike is a convenient place to begin the northern journey。 。
〃Ah。 Well； you will not begin that road tonight； will you？ There is time for hot food； and for a bath？ Some talk； perhaps。 I have not had news of the south for some time。 。
So I went with him to his camp； a sturdy stone house near the mill； once almost in ruins but reroofed and made solid by the Immutables and those pawns released from Bannerwell。 We were waited on by quiet people with faces I thought I recognized from the time of my captivity。 At my unspoken question； Riddle explained。
〃These were Mandor's people； yes。 Once his powers were nullified by our being here； he could not beguile them any longer。 None would stay。 They saw him； feared him； gradually learned what he had done to them and so began to hate him； I think。 He could not bear it。〃
〃What had he done to them？〃 I asked cynically。 〃More than any Gamesman does？〃
〃More；〃 he said。 〃Though perhaps it was not he who conceived it。 。 。 。 No。 I will say no more about it。〃
I wanted to hear no more about it； though later I was to wish I had insisted。 I told him of the disappearance of Windlow and of Himaggery。 He withdrew into startled silence； but then told me of other vanishments he knew of。 He speculated； almost in a whisper。 I drank wine and tried not to fall asleep。 Others of the Immutables came in and greeted me kindly enough。 They murmured among themselves while I yawned。 Then we were alone and Riddle was leaning across the table to put his face close to mine。
〃I have no right to ask it； Peter； but I beg a service of you。 One you may be loath to give。〃
〃I will do what I can；〃 I murmured； half asleep。
〃We need to speak with Mandor's spirit。〃
The sickness rose in me so that I choked on it； retching； tears pouring from my eyes as I tried not to vomit upon the table。 In a moment he was putting cool water on my face； giving me a cup to drink。 〃How can you ask it；〃 I gargled at him。 〃And why？ What would you know that his ghost can tell you？〃
〃We have found certain 。。。 things in Bannerwell。 After Huld had gone； our people found them and summoned me。 They are 。。。 things which some of these pawns have reason to remember with great pain。 We have studied them as best we may。 We need to know what they are； how used； but more important； from whence they came。 Mandor would have known。 We believe they belonged to him。〃
〃Certain things。 He showed them to me。 They were stored in a back room of the stone house； strange things； crystal linkages； wires； boards on which wires and crystals together made patterns full of winking lights which told me nothing。 They reminded me of something 。 。 。 something。 Suddenly I had it。 〃Riddle。 Long ago…ah； not long ago。 About a year。 Mertyn sought to protect me from being eaten up in a Game。 His servant； Nitch； sewed a thing into my tunic； a thing of wires and beads； a thing like these things。 If you would know of them； ask Mertyn。〃
〃We have done。 It was Nitch who knew the doing of it； not Mertyn。 Nitch has gone； gone in the night without a word。〃
〃Vanished？ Like the others？〃
〃No。 Simply gone。 Have you heard of 'magicians'？〃
Where had I heard of。 。 。 yes。 〃Gamesmaster Gervirnse。 He said the little blue Gamesmen were made by magicians； west somewhere。 I had not heard of magicians before； save as we all have。 At Festivals； doing tricks with birds and making flowers appear out of nothing。〃
〃I do not think a Festival magician made these。〃 He shut the door upon them and led me back to the table before the fire。 I knew he would ask me again。 I wanted to refuse。 How could I refuse？ Oh； Gamelords； in what guise might the spirit of Mandor rise to greet the eidolon of Dorn？
〃By Towering Tamor； Riddle； you ask a hard thing。〃
〃I know。 But it is said your Talent is great。 I would not ask it； save you e so fortuitously to our need。 I thought of it when I saw your mask； at first； and I would not ask not if I thought it endangered you。
How could I tell him that it did endanger me？ It sickened me； yes。 Brought nightmares and horrors； but endangerment？ Well； I would lose no blood nor flesh over it。 Perhaps that was the only endangerment which counted。 Riddle's daughter； Tossa； had lost her life in aiding me。 I could not refuse him。
〃In the morning；〃 I begged。 〃Not at night。〃
〃Certainly； in the morning；〃 he agreed。 I might just as well have done it in the dark for all the sleep I had。
We went to the pit in the gray dawn。 They had not laid Mandor with his ancestors and predecessors in the catabs beneath the fortress； and I was thankful of that。 There the ghosts were as thick as fleas on a lazy dog； and I had no wish to raise a host on this day。 No； Mandor lay beneath the sod in a kind of declivity a little to the north of the walls； a place fragrant and grassy； silent except for the sigh of wind in the dark firs which bounded it。 Riddle let me go into the place alone； staying well away from me in order that his own； strange 〃Talent〃 not impede mine。 。 。 or Dorn's。 As！ left him； he said； 〃We need to know whence these things came。 What their purpose is。 By whom made。 Can you ask these things？〃
I tried to explain。 〃Riddle； I have not heretofore questioned phantoms to know what knowledge they may have。 Those discarnate ones I raised on this land before were ancient； long past human knowledge； only creatures of dust and hunger； fetches to my need。〃
〃It is said that Necromancers are full of subtlety。〃
〃I will be as subtle as I can。〃 Though it would be Dorn being subtle； rather than Peter。 I took the little Gamesman into my hand； fingers finding it at once in the pouch as though it had struggled through the crowd to e into my grasp。 He came into me like heat； burning my skin at first； then scalding deeper and deeper； nothing wraithy or indistinct about it； rather a man e home into a familiar place。 I was not surprised when he greeted me； 〃Peter。〃
〃Dorn；〃 I whispered。 Before； I had