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crest。 She howled once more； a cry of fear and frustration as clear as if it had been spoken with a human tongue。
〃Nasty animal；〃 Skodi said with distaste。 〃Child…eater。 Moon…shouter。 It won't e near Skodi's house。 It won't break my charm。 〃 She stared hard at the green eyes and Qantaqa's baying became a whimper of pain。 A moment later the wolf turned and vanished from the rise。 Simon cursed inwardly and struggled again to break free； but he was still as helpless as a kitten dangled by the scruff。 Only his head seemed his own； and every movement was painfully difficult。 He turned slowly； looking for Binabik and Sludig； then stopped； eyes widening。
Two crumpled shapes； one small； one large； lay on the frosty ground against the abbey's rotted plaster front。 Simon's tears froze into stinging ice on his cheek as something tugged his head back around and drew him another unwilling step toward the fire。
〃Wait；〃 Skodi said。 Her voluminous white nightdress flapped in the wind。 Her feet were bare。 〃I do not want you too close。 You might be burned and that would spoil you。 Stand there。〃 She pointed a plump arm at a spot a couple of paces away。 As if he were an extension of her hand； Simon found himself trudging unsteadily across the thawing mud to the spot she had indicated。
〃Vren！〃 Skodi cried。 She seemed gripped by maniacal good cheer。 〃Where is that rope？ Where are you？〃
The dark…haired boy appeared in the abbey's front doorway。 〃Here； Skodi。〃
〃Tie his pretty wrists。〃
Vren shot forward； skittering over the icy ground。 He grasped Simon's limp hands and pulled them behind his back； then deftly bound him with a length of rope。
〃Why are you doing this； Vren？〃 Simon gasped。 〃We were kind to you。〃
The Hyrka boy ignored him； pulling the knots tight。 When he had finished； he put his small hands on Simon's hips and pushed him toward where Binabik and Sludig lay huddled。
Like Simon； both had their hands trussed behind their backs。 Binabik's eyes rolled to meet Simon's； the whites gleaming in the fire…shadowed yard。 Sludig was breathing but insensible； a strand of spittle frozen on his blond beard。
〃Simon…friend；〃 the troll rasped； each word a labor。 The little man drew breath as if to say more； but instead fell back into silence。
Across the yard； Skodi had bent to draw a circle in the melting snow； trickling a handful of reddish powder from her fist。 When that was finished； she began to scrape runes into the muddy ground； her tongue clenched between her teeth like a studious child。 Vren stood a short distance away； swiveling his head from Skodi to Simon and back again； face empty of all emotion but a sort of animal watchfulness。
Finished stoking the fire； the children were huddled near the wall of the abbey。 One of the youngest girls sat on the ground in her thin shirt； sobbing quietly； an older boy patted her head in a perfunctory way that seemed meant to fort her。 They all watched Skodi's movements with fascinated attention。 The wind had blown the fire into a rippling pillar； which painted their sober little faces with vermillion light。
〃Now； where is Honsa？〃 Skodi called； clutching her nightdress closer to her body as she straightened up。 〃Honsa！？〃
〃I'll get her； Skodi；〃 Vren said。 He slipped into the shadows at the corner of the abbey； vanishing from sight； then reappeared a few moments later with a black…haired Hyrka girl a year or two older than himself。 A heavy basket swung between them； bumping and jostling across the uneven ground until they set it down by Skodi's swollen feet and scampered back to the crowd of watching children。 Once there； Vren squatted in front of the little group and pulled a knife from his belt； then began to nervously shred the end of his remaining hank of rope。 Simon could feel the boy's tension from across the yard。 He wondered dully what the cause might be。
Skodi reached into the basket and lifted out a skull whose mandible clung by only a few knots of dried flesh； so that the eyeless face seemed to gape in surprise。 The bulging basket； Simon now saw； was full of skulls。 He suddenly felt sure he knew what had happened to the parents of all these children。 His numbed body shivered reflexively； but he perceived the movement only dimly； as though it happened to someone else who was some distance away。 Nearby； dark…eyed Vren picked at the end of rope with his gleaming blade； his features set in a brooding scowl。 Simon remembered with a sinking heart how Skodi had said that beside his other chores； Vren butchered and cooked for her。
Skodi held the skull before her； her oddly pretty face utterly absorbed…a scholar studying a table of high mathematical formulae。 She swayed from side to side like a boat in high wind； nightdress flapping； and began to sing in her high…pitched； childish voice。
〃In a hole； in a hole。〃 Skodi piped；
〃。 。 。 in the ground； in a hole； where the wet…nosed mole
sings a song of cold stone； and of mud and gray bone；
a quiet； small song all the chill； dark night long
as he digs in the deep； where the white worms creep；
and the dead all sleep； with their eyes full of earth
where the beetles give birth； laying little white eggs；
and their brittle black legs go scrape； scrape； scrape；
and the dark； like a cape； covers all just the same；
darkness hiding their shame as it covered their names；
the names of the dead； all gone； all fled；
empty winds； empty heads；
Above grass grows on stone； fields lie fallow； unsown
all is gone that they've known
so they wail in the deep； crying out in their sleep；
without eyes； still they weep； calling out for what's lost；
in the darkness they toss； under pitweed and moss
in the deeps of the grave； neither master or slave；
has now feature or fame； needs knowledge or name；
but they long to e back； and they stare through the cracks
at the dim sun above； and they curse cruel love；
and the peace lost in life； think of worry and strife；
ruined child or wife；
all the troubles that burned； dreadful lessons unlearned；
still they long to return； to return； to return；
they long to return。
Return！
In a hole； in the ground； under old harrow…mound； where skin； bone； and blood turn to jelly…soft mud； and the rotting world sings 。 。 。
Skodi's song went on and on； circling downward like a black whirlpool in a weed…strewn and unfrequented pond。 Simon felt himself sinking with it； tugged by its insistent rhythms until the flames and the naked stars and the gleaming eyes of children blurred together into streaks of light； and his heart spiraled down into darkness。 His mind could feel no connection with his shackled body； or with the actions of those around him。 A bleak hiss of idiot noise filled his thoughts。 Bleak shapes moved across the snowy courtyard； unimportant as ants。
Now one of the shapes took the round； pale object in its hand and tossed it into the fire； throwing a fistful of powder in after it。 A plume of scarlet smoke belched forth； trailing off into the sky and obscuring Si… mon's view。 When it cleared； the fire was burning as brightly as before；