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each a gleaming rose crystal clutched m the hands of a dwarrow。 Their large heads and wide； solemn eyes made them seem distorted children； grotesque but not frightening。
Unlike Yis…fidri's foursome； these new dwarrows seemed afraid to approach Maegwin and Eoiair too closely。 Instead； they passed slowly down the stone pathways and seated themselves here and there among the hundreds upon hundreds of benches； faces turned toward the gleaming Shard； thin fingers clutching their crystals。 Like a dying galaxy； the vast； gloomy bowl was pricked with dim stars。
〃They were cold；〃 Yis…fidri whispered。 〃They are happy to e back to the warmth。〃
Maegwin jumped； startled after the long quiet。 The realization came to her abruptly that here beneath the world's crust there were no birds singing； no rustling of wind…tossed trees； the city seemed almost constructed of silence。
Eoiair looked around at the ring of solemn eyes before turning back to Yis…fidri。 〃But you and your people seemed afraid of this place。〃
The dwarrow looked embarrassed。 〃The voices of our old masters frighten us； yes。 But the Shard is warm and great。 Mezutu'a's halls and streets are cold。〃
The Count of Nad Mullach took a deep breath。 〃Please； then。 If you believe we mean you no harm； explain to us how you know Josua's name。 〃
〃Our Witness…the Shard。 As we told you。 The Sithi have called to us here at the Site of Witness； asking of this Josua； and of the Great Swords。 The Shard was long silent； but lately it has begun speaking to us again； for the first time in recent memory。〃
〃Speaking？〃 Eoiair asked 〃As it spoke to us？ What is the Shard？〃
〃Old； it is。 One of the oldest of all the Witnesses。〃 Yis…fidri's worried tone returned。 His cohorts wagged their heads； narrow faces uneasy。 〃Long has it been silent。 None did speak to us。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 The count looked at Maegwin to see if she shared his puzzlement。 She avoided his eyes。 The Shard pulsed with gentle； milky light as Eoiair tried again。 〃I am afraid I cannot understand you。 What is a Witness？〃
The dwarrow considered carefully； looking for words to explain something that had never before needed explaining。
〃In days long past；〃 he finally said； 〃we and others of the Gardenborn did speak through the particular objects that could act as Witnesses： Stones and Scales； Pools and Pyres。 Through these things…and through some others； like Nakkiga's great Harp…the world of the Gardenborn was tied together with strands of thought and speech。 But we Tinukeda'ya had forgotten much even before mighty Asu'a fell； and had grown far apart from those who lived there。。。 those who we had once served。〃
〃Asu'a？〃 Eoiair said。 〃I have heard that name before。 〃
Maegwin； only half…listening； watched the coruscating colors of the Shard dart like bright fish below the crystal's surface。 On the benches all around； the dwarrows watched； too； their faces grim； as though their hunger for its radiance shamed them。
〃When Asu'a fell；〃 Yis…fidri continued； 〃the seldom…speaking became silence。 The Speakfire in Hikehikayo and the Shard here in Mezutu'a were voiceless。 Do you see； we dwarrows had lost the Art of their using。 Thus； when the Zida'ya spoke to us no more； we Tinukeda'ya could no longer master the Witnesses； even to speak among ourselves。〃
Eoiair pondered。 〃How did you forget the art of using these things？〃 he asked at last。 〃How could it be lost among even such few as there are of you？〃 He gestured to the silent ones sitting around the stone bowl。 〃You are immortal； are you not？〃
Yis…fidri's wife Yis…hadra threw back her head and moaned； startling both Maegwin and the count。 Sho…vennae and Imai…an； Yis…fidri's other two panions； joined her。 Their lament turned into a kind of eerie； sorrowful song that rose to the cavern ceiling and echoed in the darkness above。 The other dwarrows turned to watch； heads slowly swaying like a field of gray and white dandelions。
Yis…fidri lowered his heavy lids and cupped his chin in trembling fingers。 When the moaning had died away； he looked up。
〃No； Hern's Child；〃 he said slowly； 〃we are not immortal。 It is true we are far longer…lived than you mortals be； unless your race has much changed。 But unlike Zida'ya and Hikeda'ya…our old overlords； Sithi and Norn…we do not live on and on； eternal as the mountains。 Nay； Death es for us as for your folk； like a thief and a reaver。〃 Anger touched his face。 〃Mayhap our once…masters were of somewhat different blood since back m the Garden of our old stories； whence came all the Firstborn； mayhap then we are just of shorter…lived stock。 Either that； or there was in truth some secret kept from us； who were after all deemed only their servers and vassals。〃 He turned to his wife and gently touched her cheek。 Yis…hadra hid her face against his shoulder； her long neck graceful as a swan's。 〃Some of us died； some left； and The Art of the Witnesses has escaped us。〃
Eolair shook his head； confused。 〃I am listening carefully； Yis…fidri； but I fear I still do not understand all the riddles in what you say。 The voice that spoke to us from the stone…the one you called the grandmother of the Sithi…said that Great Swords are being sought。 What does Prince Josua have to do with any of this？〃
Yis…fidri raised his hand。 〃e with us to a better place for speaking。 I fear that your presence has bewildered some of our folk。 It has been beyond the lives of most of us since Sudhoda'ya were among us。〃 He stood up with a creak of leather； unfolding his spindly limbs like a locust climbing a stalk of wheat。 〃We will continue m the Pattern Hall。〃 His expression became apologetic。 〃Also； Hern's Folk； I am tired and hungry。〃 He shook his head。 〃I have not talked so much in a long age。〃
Imai…an and Sho…vennae stayed behind； perhaps to explain to their shy fellows what sort of creatures the mortals were。 Maegwin saw them gather the other dwarrows together in a solemn group at the center of the giant bowl； huddling near the inconstant light of the Shard。 Only an hour before she had been brimming with anticipation and excitement； but now Maegwin was glad to see the arena disappearing behind them。 Wonder had turned to unease。 A structure like the Site of Witness should stretch beneath an open sky filled with stars； as did the circuses of Nabban or the great theater of Erchester； not crouch beneath a firmament of dead black basalt。 Anyway； there was no help for the Hernystiri here。
Yis…fidri and Yis…hadra led them through Mezutu'a's deserted byways； crystal rods glowing in the murk like swamp…ghosts as they wound through the narrow streets； across broad； echoing squares and over icicle…slender bridges with only shadowed emptiness below。
The lamps that Maegwin and Eolair had brought down to the subterranean city had guttered and gone out。 The soft； roseate glow of the dwarrow's batons cast the only light。 Mezutu'a's lines seemed softer now than they had by lamplight； the city's edges gentler； rounded as though by wind and rain。 But Maegwin knew that here in the deeps of the earth no such weather had troubled the ancient walls。
She found her thoughts straying even from such wonderfully