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een very pretty； but for her staring eyes； white…rimmed in the torchlight； and her huge； ghastly smile。
〃The fire is ing！〃 she cried。 The other dancers capered and shouted； then quieted。 A few in the surrounding crowd called out insults； but quickly fell silent as she turned her burning eyes upon them。 〃Do not fear you will be left out；〃 she said； and in the sudden quiet her voice carried clearly。 〃The fires are ing for everyone…the fires and the ice that will bring the Great Change。 The master will spare no one who has not prepared for him。〃
〃You blaspheme against our true Ransomer； demon…lover！〃 Dinivan abruptly shouted； standing in his stirrups。 His voice was powerful。 〃You tell these people lies！〃
A few in the crowd repeated his words and their murmuring began to grow。 The woman in white turned and made a sign to some of the robed ones near her。 Several had been kneeling at the stone below her feet； as if in prayer； one of them now rose and walked across the courtyard as she stood staring imperiously outward； her mad eyes fixed on the lowering twilit sky。 He returned a moment later with a torch from one of the sconces； which she took and raised above her head。
〃What is Usires Aedon；〃 she screamed； 〃but a little wooden man on a little wooden tree？ What are any of the kings and queens of men but apes raised far above their station？ The master will throw down all that stands before him and his majesty shall rise above all the oceans and lands of Osten Ard！ The Storm King es！ He brings with him ice to freeze the heart； deafening thunder…and cleansing fire！〃
She threw the brand down at her feet。 A fierce sheet of flame leaped up around the rock。 Some of the other dancers shrieked as their robes caught fire。 The crowd pushed back with a shout of surprise as a wall of heat pushed out at them。
〃Elysia； Mother of God！〃 Dinivan's voice was full of horror。 〃So it shall be！〃 the woman shouted； even as the flames ran up her robe into her hair； crowning her with fire and smoke。 She was still smiling； a lost； damned smile。 〃He speaks in dreams！ Doom is ing！〃 The blaze mounted； obscuring her； bur her last words rang out over and over。 〃The master is ing！ The master is ing。 。 。 ！〃
Miriamele leaned over her horse's neck； fighting to keep from being sick。 Dinivan rode forward a short way before dismounting to try and help some of chose who had been knocked down and trampled in the crowd's retreat。 The princess straightened up； gasping for breath。
Blind to her presence； Cadrach stared at the charred scene before them。 His face； scarlet in the leaping light； was suffused with an unhappy but hungering look…as though an important； terrible thing had e to pass； a thing feared for so long that the waiting had bee even worse than the fear。
8
On Sikkihok's Back
〃WHERE are we going； Binabik？〃 Simon leaned in； moving his reddened hands nearer the fire。 His gloves steamed on a fir trunk nearby。
Binabik looked up from the scroll he and Sisqi were studying。 〃For now； it is down the mountains。 After that； we will be needing guidance。 Now let me continue to look for such guidance； please。〃
Simon resisted the unmanly urge to stick out his tongue； but the troll's rebuff did not really bother him very much。 He was in a good mood。
Simon's strength was returning。 He had felt a little more fit each of the two days of hard journeymg that had brought them down across Mintahoq； chief mountain of the Trollfells。 Now they had left Mintahoq altogether and had crossed over to the flank of her sister…peak Sikkihoq。 Tonight； for the first time； Simon had not wanted simply to fall asleep when the party had stopped to make camp。 Instead； he had helped find a scanty supply of deadwood to build the fire； then dug snow out of the shallow cave where they would spend the night。 It was good to feel himself again。 The scar on his cheek pained him； but it was a quiet ache。 More than anything else； it helped him to remember。
The dragon's blood had changed him； he realized。 Not in a magical way； like in one of Shem Horsegroom's old stories…he couldn't under… stand the speech of animals； or see a hundred leagues。 Well； that was not quite true。 When the snow had stopped for a moment today； the white valleys of the Waste had leaped into clarity； seeming as near as the folds in a blanket； but stretching all the way to the dark blur of faraway Aldheorte Forest。 For a moment； standing quiet as a statue despite the wind biting his neck and face； he had felt as though he did possess magical vision。 As in the days when he climbed Green Angel Tower to see all Erkynland spread below him like a carpet； he had felt as if he could reach out a hand and so change the world。
But moments like that were not what the dragon had brought him。 Pondering as he waited for his damp gloves to dry； he looked to Binabik and Sisqi； saw the way they touched even when they did not touch； the long conversations that passed between the two of them in the shortest of glances。 Simon realized that he felt and saw things differently than he had before Urmsheim。 People and events seemed more clearly connected； each part of a much larger puzzle…just as Binabik and Sisqi were。 They cared deeply for each other； but at the same time their world of two interlocked with many other worlds … with Simon's own； with their people's； with Prince Josua's； and Geloe's 。。。 It was really quite startling； Simon thought； how everything was part of something else！ But though the world was vast beyond prehension； still every mote of life in it fought for its own continued existence。 And each mote mattered。
That was what the dragon's blood had taught him； in some way。 He was not great； he was； in fact； very small。 At the same moment； though； he was important； just as any point of light in a dark sky might be the star that led a mariner to safety； or the star watched by a lonely child during a sleepless night。 Simon shook his head； then blew on his chill hands。 His ideas were getting away from him； cavorting like mice in an unlocked pantry。 He felt the gloves again； but they were not yet dried。 He tucked his hands into his armpits and inched a little nearer the fire。
〃Are you of great sureness that Geloe said 'Stone of Farewell；' Si… mon？' Binabik asked。 〃I have been reading Ookequk's scrolls for two nights and no luck am I having 〃
〃'I told you everything she said。〃 Simon looked out beyond the lip of the cavern； where the tethered rams huddled； bumping together like an ambulatory snowdrift。 〃I could not forget。 She spoke through the little girl we saved； Leieth； and she said： 'Go to the Stone of Farewell。 That is the only place of safety from the growing storm…safety for a little while； anyway。' 〃
Binabik pursed his lips； frustrated。 He spoke a few quick words of Qanuc to Sisqi； who nodded solemnly。 〃I have no doubt of you； Simon。 We have seen too much together。 And 1 cannot be doubting Geloe； who is the wisest one I know。 It is a problem of my poor understanding 〃 He waved a small hand at the flattened hide before him。 〃Perhaps I did not bring the correct works。〃
〃You think too much； little man；〃 Sludig called from the other side