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eyes had turned toward Simon and Jiriki upon their entrance； but no one gaze had lingered long： the attention of all assembled seemed fixed on the three figures at the center of the vast tree…chamber。 Glad of the anonymity； Simon chose a place on the outskirts of the silent crowd for Jiriki and himself to sit。 He did not see Aditu anywhere； but he knew she would be hard to pick out in the midst of such an array。
For a long time there was no movement or speech； although it seemed to Simon that there were hidden currents moving just beneath his own understanding； subtle munications shared by everyone in the room but him。 Still； he was not so insensitive that he failed to perceive the tension of the quiet Sithi； the clear sense of uneasy anticipation。 There was a sharpness to the air； as before a lightning storm。
He had begun to wonder if they would go on this way all afternoon； like a group of cat…rivals gathered on a wall； silently staring each other down； when at last Shima'onari rose and began to speak。 This time； the master of Jao e…Tinukai'i did not bother with Simon's own Westerlmg tongue； but used the musical Sithi speech。 He spoke for some while； acpanying his soliloquy with graceful hand gestures； the sleeves of his pale yellow robe fluttering as he emphasized his words。 To Simon； it was only confusion piled atop inprehensibility。
〃My father speaks of Amerasu and asks us to listen to her；〃 Jiriki whispered； translating。 Simon was dubious： Shima'onari seemed to have spoken a very long time just to say that。 He glanced around the Yasira at the somber； cat…eyed faces。 Whatever Jiriki's father was saying； he had the undivided and almost fnghteningly plete attention of his people。
When Shima'onari concluded； Likimeya rose； and all eyes then turned to her。 She； too； spoke for a long time in the language of the Zida'ya。
〃She says Amerasu is very wise；〃 explained Jiriki。 Simon frowned。
When Likimeya finished a great； gentle sigh arose； as though all assembled had released their breath at once。 Simon let out his own quiet sigh； one of relief as the inprehensible babble of Sithi…tongue went on and on； he had been finding it harder and harder to concentrate。 Even the butterflies were moving restlessly above； the colorful sun…patterns made by their wings swimming back and forth across the great chamber。
At last Amerasu stood。 She seemed much less frail than she had in her house。 Simon had thought her then like a martyred saint； but now he saw in her a touch of the angelic； a power that smoldered low but which could burst out into pure white light。 Her long hair moved in a breeze that might have e from the careful movement of a million wings。
〃I see that the mortal child is here；〃 she said； 〃so I will speak in a way that he can understand； as much of what I say came from him。 He has a right to hear。〃
Several Sithi turned their heads to gaze impassively at Simon。 Caught by surprise； he dropped his chin and looked down at his chest until they had turned away once more。
〃In fact；〃 Amerasu continued； 〃strange as this may sound； it is possible that some of the things I must say are better suited to the languages of the Sudhoda'ya。 The mortals have always lived beneath one kind of darkness or another。 That is among the reasons we named them 'sunset…children' when they first came to Osten Ard。〃 She paused 〃The manchildren； the mortals； have many ideas of what happens after they die and wrangle about who is right and who is wrong。 These disagreements often e to bloodshed； as if they wished to dispatch messengers who could discover the answer to their dispute。 Such messengers； as far as I know of mortal philosophy； never return to give their brethren the taste of truth they yearn for。
〃But among the mortal peoples there are stories that say that some do return as bodiless spirits； although they bring no answers with them。 These spirits； these ghosts； are mute reminders of that shadow of death。 Those who encounter such unhomed spirits call themselves 'haunted'。〃 Amerasu took a breath； her immense posure seemed to slip。 It was a moment before she resumed。 〃That is a word we Zida'ya do not have； but perhaps we should。 〃
The silence； but for the murmur of delicate wings； was absolute。
〃We fled out of the Uttermost East； thinking to escape that Unbeing that overwhelmed our Garden…land。 That story is known to all but the mortal boy…even those of our children born after the Flight from Asu'a take it in with their mother's milk…and so it will not be told again here。
〃When we reached this new land； we thought we had escaped that shadow。 But a piece of it came with us。 That stain； that shadow； is part of us…just as the mortal men and women of Osten Ard cannot escape the shadow of their own dying。
〃We are an old people。 We do not fight the unfightable。 That is why we fled Venyha Do'sac； rather than be unmade in a fruitless struggle。 But the curse of our race is not that we refuse to throw down our lives in purposeless defiance of the great shadow； but that we instead clasp the shadow to ourselves and hug it tightly； gleefully； nursing it as we would a child。
〃We brought the shadow with us。 Perhaps no living； reasoning thing can be without such shadow； but we Zida'ya…despite our lives； beside which the spans of mortals are like fireflies…still we cannot ignore that shadow that is death。 We cannot ignore the knowledge of Unbeing。 Instead； we carry it with us like a brooding secret。
〃The mortals must die； and they are frightened by that。 We who were once of the Garden must also die； although our span is vastly greater； but we each embrace our death from the moment we first open our eyes； making it an insoluble part of us。 We yearn for its plete embrace； even as the centuries roll bv； while around us the death…fearing mortals breed and drop like mice。 We make our death the core of our being； our private and innermost friend； letting life spin past as we enjoy Unbeing's grave pany。
〃We would not give Ruyan Ve's children the secret of our near…immortality； though they were stock of the same tree。 We denied eternal life to Ruyan's folk； the Tmukeda'ya； even as we clasped Death tighter and tighter to our own bosoms。 We are haunted； my children。 The mortal word is the only correct one。 We are haunted。〃
He did not understand most of what First Grandmother said but Amerasu's voice worked on Simon like the scolding of a loving parent。 He felt small and unimportant； but reassured that the voice was there and that it spoke to him。 The Sithi around him maintained their careful impassivity。
〃Then the ship…men came；〃 Amerasu said； her voice deepening； 〃and were not content to live and die within the walls of Osten Ard as the mortal mice before them had been。 They were not satisfied with the morsels we tossed to them。 We Zida'ya could have stopped their depredations before they became great； but instead we grieved over the loss of beauty while secretly rejoicing。 Our death was ing…a glorious and final ending that would make the shadows real。 My husband Iyu'unigato was one such。 His gentle； poetic heart loved death more than it ever loved his wife or the sons of his loins