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Eolair grasped her elbow； guiding her with almost laughable caution。 She herself felt the urge to skip down the rough…hewn stairs。 What could hurt them here？
They descended like two small stars falling into a great abyss； the flames of their lamps reflecting from the pale stone roofs below。 Their footsteps echoed out through the great cavern and rebounded from the invisible ceiling to be repeated m countless reverberations； returning to them as a rush of pattering sound like the velvet wings of a million bats。
For all its pleteness； the city nevertheless seemed skeletal。 Its inter…connected buildings were tiled in a thousand colors of pale stone； ranging from the white of a first snow through endless wan shades of sand and pearl and sooty gray。 The round windows stared like unseeing eyes。 The polished stone streets gleamed like the tracks of wandering snails。
They were halfway down the stairs when Eolair pulled up short； clasping Maegwin's arm close against his side。 In the lamplight his worried face seemed almost translucent； she fancied suddenly that she could see everything that was in his mind。
〃We have gone far enough； Lady；〃 he said。 〃Your people will be hunting for us。〃
〃My people？〃 she asked； pulling away。 〃Are they not your people； too？ Or are you now far above a mere tribe of cringing cave…dwellers； Count？〃
〃That is not what I mean； Maegwin； and you know it；〃 he said harshly。
That looks like pain in your eyes； Eolair； she thought。 Does it hurt you so to be yoked to a madwoman？ How could I have been fool enough to love you when I could never hope for more than polite forbearance in return？
Aloud； she said： 〃You are free to go whenever you wish； Count。 You doubted me。 Now perhaps you are frightened that you might have to face those whose existence you denied。 I； however； am not going anywhere but down to the city。〃
Eolair's fine features wrinkled in frustration。 As he unknowingly wiped a smear of lampblack onto his chin； Maegwin wondered suddenly what she looked like。 The long； obsessive hours of searching and digging and chipping away at the bolt that secured the great door floated in her mind like a poorly…remembered dream。 How long had she been down here in the depths？ She stared at her dirt…caked hands with a growing sense of horror…she must indeed look the part of madwoman…then pushed the thought away in disgust。 What did such things matter at an hour like this？
〃I cannot let you lose yourself in this place； Lady；〃 Eolair said at last。
〃Then e with me or bully me all the way back to your wretched camp； noble count。〃 She suddenly did not like the way she sounded； but it was said and she would not take it back。
Eolair did not show the anger she expected； instead； a weary resignation crept over his features。 The pain she had seen before did not go away； but rather seemed to sink deeper； spreading into the very lines of his face。
〃You made a promise to me； Maegwin。 Before I opened the door； you said you would heed my decision。 I did not believe you an oath…breaker。 I know your father never was。〃
Maegwin pulled back； stung。 〃Do not throw my father up to me！〃
Eolair shook his head。 〃Still； my lady； you promised me。〃
Maegwin stared at him。 Something in his careful； clever face took hold of her so that she did not hurry away down the stairs as she had intended。 An inner voice mocked her stupidity； but she faced him squarely。
〃You are only partly correct； Count Eolair；〃 she said slowly。 〃You could not open it yourself； if you remember。 I had to help you。〃
He looked at her closely。 〃So； then？〃
〃So； then； a promise。 I know you think me headstrong or worse； but I do still want your friendship； Eolair。 You have been good to my father's house。〃
〃A bargain； Maegwin？〃 he asked expressionlessly。
〃If you will let us walk down to the bottom of the stairs…just until we can set foot on the tiles of the city…I will turn around and go back with you 。 。 。 if that is what you wish。 I promise。〃
A weary smile touched Eolair's lips。 〃You promise； do you？〃
〃I swear by Bagba's Herd。〃 She touched her soiled hand to her breast。
〃Better you should swear by Black Cuamh； down here。〃 He grimaced in frustration。 His long tail of hair had shed its ribbon and lay black across his shoulders。 〃Very well。 I don't like the idea of trying to carry you back up these stairs against your will。〃
〃You couldn't；〃 Maegwin said； pleased。 〃I am too strong。 e； let's go faster。 As you said； people are waiting for us。〃
They passed down the steps in silence； Maegwin reveling in the safety of shadows and stone mountains； Eolair lost in his own unvoiced thoughts。 They watched their feet； fearful of a misstep despite the stairway's great width。 The stairs were pitted； crazed with cracks as though the earth had shifted in uneasy sleep； but the stonecraft was beautiful and subtle。 The lamplight revealed traces of intricate designs that coiled across the steps and onto the wall above the staircase； scribings delicate as the fronds of young ferns or the shingled feathers of hummingbirds。 Maegwin could not help turning to Eolair with a smile of satisfaction。
〃Do you see！？〃 She held her lamp up to the wall。 〃How could this be work of any mere mortals？〃
〃I see it； Lady；〃 Eolair responded somberly。 〃But there is no such wall on the other side of the stairs。〃 He indicated the drop…off to the canyon below。 Despite the distance they had already traveled downward； it was still far enough to kill someone handily。 〃Please don't look at the carvings so closely that you stumble over the edge。〃
Maegwin curtseyed。 〃I will be careful； Count。〃 Eolair frowned； perhaps at her frivolity； but only nodded。
The great stairway opened out at the bottom like a fan； spreading onto the canyon floor。 Away from the overhanging cavern wall； the glow of their lamps seemed to diminish； the light not strong enough to dispel the deep and overwhelming dark。 Buildings which had seemed cunning as carved toys from the height of the canyon rim now loomed above them； a fantastic array of shadowed domes and spiraling towers that tapered up into the blackness like impossible stalagmites。 Bridges of living stone stretched from the cavern walls to the towers； winding in and about the spires like ribbons。 Its various parts tied together with narrow integu… ments of stone； the city seemed more like a single； breathingly vital thing than an artifact of lifeless rock…but it was surely empty。
〃The Sithi are long gone； Lady； if they ever lived here。〃 Eolair was solemn； but Maegwin thought she heard a certain satisfaction in his tone。 〃It is time to return。〃
Maegwin gave him a look of disgust。 Had the man no curiosity at all？ 〃Then what is that？〃 she asked； pointing to a faint glow near the center of the shadowed city。 〃If that is not lamplight； then I am a Rimmersman。〃
The count stared。 〃It does look like it；〃 he said cautiously。 〃But it might be something else。 Light leaking down from above。〃
〃I have been in the tunnels a long while；〃 Maegwin said。 〃Surely it is well past sunset aboveground。〃 She turned and touched his arm。 〃e； Eolair； please！ Don't be