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ized faces and forms coalesced； pricked in starlight against the blackness； then dissolved again just as rapidly。
Nine he wears； but his naked finger
Lifts and tastes the southerly breeze 。。。〃
As he walked beneath the velvet…black sky and wheeling stars； Simon felt as if an entire lifetime might be passing with incredible swiftness； simultaneously； the night journey seemed but a single moment of near…infinite duration。 Time itself seemed to sweep through him； leaving behind a wild mixture of scents and sounds。 Aldheorte had bee a single living thing that changed all around him as the deathly chill melted away and the warmth came pushing through。 Even in darkness he could sense the immense； almost convulsive alterations。
As they walked in bright starlight beside the chattering； laughing river； Simon thought he could sense green leaves springing from bare boughs and vibrant flowers forcing their way out of the frozen ground； fragile petals unfurling like the wings of butterflies。 The forest seemed to be shaking off winter like a snake shrugging its old； useless skin。
Aditu's song wound through everything like a single golden thread in a tapestry woven of muted colors。
〃。 。 。 Violet are the shadows in Lynx's ears。
He hears the sun rising；
His tread sends the cricket to sleep；
And wakes the white rose 。。。〃
Morning light began to permeate Aldheorte； spreading evenly； as though it had no single source。 The forest seemed alive； every leaf and branch poised； waiting。 The air was filled with a thousand sounds and numberless scents； with birdsong and bee…drone； the musk of living earth； the sweet rot of toadstools； the dry charm of pollen。 Unmuffled by clouds； the sun climbed into a sky that showed purest pale blue between the towering treetops。
〃。 。 。 Sky…singer's cape is buckled in gold；〃
Aditu sang triumphantly； and the forest seemed to throb around them as though it had one vast and indivisible pulse。
〃His hair is full of nightingale feathers。
Every three paces he casts pearls behind；
And saffron flowers before him 。 。 〃
She stopped in her tracks and released Simon's hand； his arm fell to his side； limp as a boned fish。 Aditu stood on her toes and stretched； lifting her upraised palms to the sun。 Her waist was very slender。
It took a long time before Simon could speak。 〃Are we。。。〃 he tried at last； 〃are we。。。？〃
〃No； but we have traveled the most difficult part；〃 she said； then turned on him with a droll look。 〃I thought you would break my hand； you clutched so hard。〃
Simon remembered her calm； strong grip and thought how unlikely that was。 He smiled dazedly； shaking his head。 〃I have never 。。。〃 He couldn't make the words e。 〃How far have we e？〃
She seemed to find this a surprising question and thought hard for a moment。 〃Quite far into the forest；〃 she said at last。 〃Quite far in。〃
〃Did you make the winter go away by magic？〃 he asked； turning in a stumbling circle。 On all sides the snow was gone。 The morning light knifed down through the trees and splashed on the crush of damp leaves underfoot。 A spider web quivered； afire in a column of sunlight。
〃The winter has not gone away；〃 she said。 〃We have gone away from the winter。〃
〃What？〃
〃The winter you speak of is false…as you know。 Here； in the forest's true heart is a place the storm and cold have not penetrated。〃
Simon thought he understood what she was saying。 〃So you are keeping the winter away by magic。〃
Aditu frowned。 〃That word again。 Here the world dances its true dance。 That which would change such a truth is 'magic'…dangerous magic…or so it seems to me。〃 She turned away。 obviously tiring of the subject。 There was little of imposture in Aditu's character； at least when it was a matter of her time being wasted in niceties。 〃We are almost there now； so there is no need to rest。 Are you hungry or thirsty？〃
Simon realized that he was ravenous； as if he had not eaten for days。 〃Yes！ Both。〃
Without another word； Aditu slipped between the trees and vanished； leaving Simon standing alone by the stream。 〃Stay；〃 she called； her voice echoing so that it seemed to e from every side at once。 A few moments later she reappeared with a reddish sphere held delicately in each hand。 〃Kraile；〃 she said。 〃Sunfruits。 Eat them。〃
The first sunfruit proved sweet and full of yellowy juice； with a spicy aftertaste that made him quickly bite into the second。 By the time he had finished both； his hunger was pleasantly blunted。
〃Now； e；〃 she said。 〃I would like to reach Shao Irigu by noon today。〃
〃What's 'Shao Irigu'…and what day is it today； anyway？〃
Aditu looked annoyed； if such a mundane expression could be said to exist on so exotic a face。 〃Shao Irigu is the Summer Gate； of course。 As for the other； I cannot do all the measurements。 That is for those like First Grandmother。 I think you have a moon…span you call 'Ahn…ee…tool'？〃
〃Anitul is a month； yes。〃
〃That is as much as I can say。 It is that 'month；' by your reckoning。〃
Now it was Simon's turn to be annoyed： he could。have told her that much himself…although months did tend to sneak past when one was on the road。 What he had been hoping to discover； in a roundabout way； was how long it had taken them to get here。 It would have been easy to ask straight out； of course； but somehow he knew that the answer Aditu gave him would not be very satisfying。
The Sitha…woman moved forward。 Simon scrambled after her。 De… spite his irritation； he more than half…hoped she would ask for his hand again； but that part of the journey seemed to be over。 Aditu picked her way down the slope beside the stream without looking back to see if he was following。
Nearly deafened by the cheerful cacophony of birds in the trees overhead； bewildered by all that had happened； Simon opened his mouth to plain about her evasions； then stopped suddenly in his tracks； shamed by his own short…sightedness。 His weariness and crossness abruptly fell away； as though he had sloughed off a heavy blanket of snow dragged with him out of winter。 This was a wild sort of magic； whatever Aditu said！ To have been in a deadly storm…a storm that covered all the northern world； as far as he could tell…and then to follow a song into sunlight and clear skies！ This was as good as anything Simon had ever heard in one of Shem Horsegroom's stories。 This was an adventure even Jack Mundwode never had。 Simon the scullion was going to the Kingdom of the Fair Folk！
He hastened after her； chortling。 Aditu looked back at him curiously。
As the weather had changed during their strange journey； so； too； had the vegetation： the evergreens and low shrubs in which Simon had been snowbound and lost had given way to oak and birch and white ash； their interlaced branches bound with flowering creepers； making an overhead canopy colorful as a stained glass ceiling but far more delicate。 Ferns and wood sorrel blanketed the stones and fallen trees； covering Aldheorte's floor with a bumpy counterpane of green。 Mushrooms crouched hiding in pools of shadow like deserting soldiers； while other