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nnot。〃
〃Again we plan to retreat； Prince Josua；〃 Deornoth replied angrily。
〃You are tired of it yourself…you said as much！〃
The three were still arguing when Ielda returned。 They broke off into guilty silence； wondering how much she might have heard。 Their conversation； however； was the last thing on her mind。
〃My cakes'〃 she shrieked； then pulled them off the hot rock one after the other； making little cries of pain as she burned her fingers。 Each cake was charred black as Pryrates' soul。 〃You monsters' How could you？ Talking all your high…flown nonsense about the prince； then letting my cakes burn！〃 She turned and smacked ineffectually at Isorn's broad shoulders。
〃My apologies； goodwife Ielda；〃 Josua said； producing another quinis…piece。 〃Please take this and forgive us。。。〃
〃Money！〃 she cried； even as she took the coin； 〃What about my cakes？ Will I give my children money to eat tomorrow morning when they are crying！？〃 She snatched up a broom of bound twigs and swung lustily at Deornoth's head； almost knocking him off the rock on which he sat。 He bounded quickly to his feet and joined Josua and Isorn in full retreat。
〃Don't e 'round here any more！〃 she shouted after them。 〃Swords…for…hire indeed！ Cake…burners！ The prince is dead； my friend said…and your talk can't bring him back！〃
Her angry cries slowly faded into the distance as Josua and his panions stumbled back to their horses and made their way out past the fringes of Gadrinsett。
〃At least；〃 Josua said after they had walked a while； 〃we have a good idea of where the Stone of Farewell lies。〃
〃We learned more than that； Highness；〃 Deornoth said； half…smiling。 〃We saw how your name still inspires passion among your subjects。〃
〃You may be the Prince of Grass； Josua；〃 Isorn added； 〃but you are definitely not the King of Cakes。〃
Josua looked at them both disgustedly。 〃I would appreciate；〃 he said slowly； 〃going back to camp in silence。〃
22
Through the Summer Gate
〃IT IS NOT a road that takes us there；〃 Aditu said sternly。 〃It is a sort of song。〃
Simon frowned m irritation。 He had asked a simple question； but in her maddening Sithi way； Jiriki's sister had once more given an answer that was no answer。 It was too cold to stand around talking nonsense。 He tried again。
〃If there's no road； it must still be in some direction。 What direction is it； then？〃
〃In。 Into the forest's heart。〃
Simon peered up at the sun to try and orient himself。 〃So； it's。。。 that way？〃 He pointed south； the direction in which he had been traveling。
〃Not quite。 Sometimes。 But that would more often be when you wished to enter through the Gate of Rains。 That is not right at this time of year。 No； it is the Summer Gate that we seek； and that is a different song altogether。〃
〃You keep saying a song。 How can you get to a thing by a song？〃
〃How。。。？〃 She appeared to consider this carefully。 She inspected Simon。 〃You have a strange way of thinking。 Do you know how to play shent？〃
〃No。 What does that have to do with anything？〃
〃You might be an interesting player…I wonder if anyone ever has played with a mortal？ None of my folk would ask such a question as you did。 I must teach you the rules。〃
Simon grumbled his confusion； but Aditu lifted a slim…fmgered hand to halt his questions。 She stood very quietly； her web of lavender hair trembling in the breeze； everything else still； in her white clothing she was nearly invisible against the snow drifts。 She seemed to have fallen asleep standing； like a stork swaying on one leg among the reeds； but her lustrous eyes remained open。 At last she began to breathe deeply； letting the air out again with a chuffmg hiss。 The exhalations gradually became a crooning； humming sound that hardly seemed to e from Aditu at all。
The wind； which had been a cold…fmgered push on Simon's cheek； abruptly changed direction。
No； he realized a moment later； it was more than just an altering of the wind。 Rather； it seemed that the whole of creation had moved ever so slightly…a frightening sensation that brought on a moment of dizziness。 As a child he had sometimes whirled himself around and around in a circle； when he stopped； the world would continue to reel about him。 This dizziness felt much like that； yet calmer； as though the world that spun beneath his feet moved as deliberately as the unfolding petals of a flower。
Aditu's wordless； airy drone solidified into a litany of unfamiliar Sithi speech； then trailed off into silent breathing once more。 The drab light slipping down through the snowbound trees seemed to have gained some warmer color； an infinitesimal shift of hue that leavened the gray with blue and gold。 The silence stretched。
〃Is this magic？〃 Simon heard his voice shatter the stillness like the braying of a donkey。 He immediately felt foolish。 Aditu swung her head to look at him； but her expression showed no anger。
〃I am not sure what you mean；〃 she said。 〃It is how we find a hidden place； and Jao e…Tinukai'i is indeed hidden。 But there is no power in the words themselves； if that is what you ask。 They could be spoken in any language。 They help the searcher to remember certain signs； certain paths。 If that is not what you mean by 'magic；' I am sorry to disappoint you。〃
She did not look very sorry。 Her mischievous smile had e back。
〃I shouldn't have interrupted；〃 Simon muttered。 〃I always asked my friend Doctor Morgenes to show me magic。 He never did。〃 The thought of the old man brought back a memory of a sunny morning in the doctor's dusty chamber； the sound of Morgenes mumbling and musing to himself while Simon swept。 With that memory came a fierce pang of regret。 All those things were gone。
〃Morgenes。。。〃 Aditu said musingly。 〃I saw him once； when he visited my uncle in our lodge。 He was a pretty young man。〃
〃Young man？〃 Simon stared again at her thin； waiflike face。 〃Doctor Morgenes？〃
The Sitha suddenly became serious once more。 〃We should delay no longer。 Would you like me to sing the song in your tongue？ It could cause no harm that is worse than the trouble we are already brewing； you and I。〃
〃Trouble？〃 Confusion was piling on confusion； but Aditu had taken her odd stance once more。 He had a sudden feeling that he must speak quickly； as though a door were being closed。 〃Yes； please； in my tongue！〃
She settled on the balls of her feet； poised like a cricket on a branch。 After breathing measuredly for a moment； she again began to chant。 The song slowly became recognizable； the clumsy； blocky sounds of Simon's Westerling speech softening and turning liquid； the words running and flowing together like melting wax。
〃The Serpent's dreaming eye is green；〃 she sang； her eyes fixed on the icicles that hung like jeweled pennants from the branches of a dying hemlock。 The fire absent from the muted sun now burned in their scintillant depths。
〃His track is moon…silver。
Only the Woman…with…a…net can see
The secret places that he goes 。。。〃
Aditu's hand drifted out from her side and hung in the air for a long moment before Simon realized that he was expected to take