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King John died that Simon had knocked over Barnabas the sexton downstairs？ Rachel smiled faintly。 The boy had been a very devil。
Thinking of Simon； she abruptly remembered what the chandler's boy Jeremias had said。 The smile dissolved from her face。 Pryrates。 Pryrates had killed her boy。 When she thought of the alchemist； Rachel felt a hatred that burned and bubbled like quicklime； a hatred quite unlike anything she had ever felt in her life。
Rachel shook her head； dizzied。 It was horrifying to think about Pryrates。 What Jeremias told her about the hairless priest gave her ideas； black thoughts she had not known she was capable of thinking。
Frightened by the power of her feelings； she forced her attention back to the wall carving。
Squinting at the careful letters； Rachel decided that； whatever other mischief Simon had gotten into； this carving was not his doing。 It was far too neat。 Even with Morgenes' instruction； Simon's writing had wandered across a page like a drunken beetle。 These letters were made by someone educated。 But who would carve the princess' name in such an out of the way place？ Barnabas the sexton used this closet； no doubt； but the idea of that sour； juiceless； leathery old lizard carving Miriamele's name laboriously into the door beggared even Rachel's imagination； and Rachel could imagine men mitting virtually any evil or stupidity if freed from the proper influence of women。 Even so； sexton Barnabas as a pining lover was too much to conceive。
Her thoughts were wandering； Rachel chided herself angrily。 Was she indeed so old and fearful that she must distract herself at a time when she had many important things to think about？ A plan had been forming in her mind since the night she and the other chambermaids had rescued Jeremias but a part of her wanted to forget about it； wanted things to just be the way they once were。
Nothing will ever be the same； you old fool。 Face up to it。
It was harder and harder to hide from such decisions these days。 Confronted with the runaway chandler's lad； Rachel and her charges had eventually realized that there was no solution but to help him escape； so they had smuggled him out of the Hayholt one day's end； Jeremias disguised as a chambermaid returning home to Erchester。 As she watched the ill…used boy go limping to safety； Rachel had been seized by a revela… tion： the evil haunting her home could be ignored no longer。 And； she now thought grimly； where the Mistress of Chambermaids saw that which was foul； she must make it clean。
Rachel heard the scuffling of heavy boots across the white stone floor of the bell…chamber and risked a peek through the narrow opening。 The king's green…cloaked form was just disappearing through the doorway。 She listened as his steps descended and grew fainter； then waited a long while after they had passed from her hearing altogether before she clambered back down the ladder。 She stepped out from behind the curtain into the airiness of the stairwell； then patted at her forehead and cheeks； which were damp with perspiration despite the cold stone。 Stepping carefully and quietly； she began to descend。
The king's conversation had told her much that she needed to know。 Now； she must only wait and think。 Surely planning such a thing could not be half as plicated as manding a spring cleaning？ And； in a way； that was what she planned； was it not？
Her old bones aching； but her face stretched in an odd smile that would have set her chambermaids to shuddering； Rachel walked slowly down Green Angel Tower's endless stairway。
Binabik's eyes would not meet Sludig's across the cookfire。 Instead； the troll swept his sad pile of knuckle…bones back into their bag。 He had cast them several times that morning。 The results seemed to give him little pleasure。
Sighing； the troll pocketed the sack； then turned and poked in the ashes of the fire with a stick； digging out their breakfast； a cache of nuts that he had located and dug from the frozen ground。 It was a bitterly cold day； and their saddlebags were empty of food。 Binabik was not above stealing from squirrels。
〃Do not speak；〃 the troll said abruptly。 After an hour of silence； Sludig had just opened his mouth。 〃Please； Sludig； for a moment be saying nothing。 Just the flask of kangkang from your pocket I am asking for。〃
The Rimmersman sadly handed over the flask。 Binabik took a long swallow； then wiped the sleeve of his jacket across his mouth。 The sleeve made another pass across the troll's eyes。
〃A promise I made；〃 he said quietly。 〃I was asking for two night's fires and you gave them。 Now I must be fulfilling the oath that of all I would be most happily breaking。 We must take the sword to the Stone of Farewell。〃
Sludig began to speak； but instead accepted the flask back from Binabik and took a deep draught。
Qantaqa returned from a hunting foray to discover the troll and the Rimmersman wordlessly bundling their few belongings onto the pack… horses。 The wolf watched them for a moment； then uttered a low moan of distress and danced away。 She curled up at the edge of the clearing and peered solemnly at Binabik and Sludig over the fence of her brushy tail。
Binabik lifted the White Arrow out of the saddle bag and held it up； then pressed its wooden shaft against his cheek； the arrow shone more brightly than the powdery snow lying all around。 He tucked the arrow back into the bag。 〃I will be back for you；〃 the little man said to no one present。 〃I will find you。〃
He called for Qantaqa。 Sludig swung up into his own saddle and they vanished into the forest； the string of pack horses following。 The downsifting snow began to fill in their footprints。 By the time the muffled sounds of their passage faded； all trace of their presence m the clearing was gone。
Sitting in one place lamenting his fate wasn't going to do him much good； Simon decided。 In any case； the sky was being unpleasantly dark for mid…morning and snow was beginning to fall more heavily。 He stared ruefully at the looking glass。 Whatever Jiriki's mirror might be； the Sithi prince had spoken truth when he said that it would not bring him magically to Simon's side。 He put it back m his cloak and stood up； rubbing his hands。
It was possible that Binabik and Sludig were still somewhere close by： perhaps； like Simon； they had also been tumbled from their mounts and were in need of help。 He had no idea how long he had lain helplessly in the grip of sleep； listening to the Sitha…woman speaking through his dreams…it might have been hours or days。 His panions could still be close by； or they might have given up on him。 They could be leagues away。
Pondering the bleak possibilities； he began walking in what he hoped was an expanding spiral； something he dimly remembered Binabik suggesting as a good thing to do when people were lost。 It was difficult to know if this spiral…walking was exactly the right thing to do； however； since he was not sure precisely who was lost。 Also； he had not paid particularly close attention when the little man had explained how one calculated this spiral…the troll's woodcraft lecture had concerned the movement of su