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t bring the correct works。〃
〃You think too much； little man；〃 Sludig called from the other side of the cavern。 〃Haestan and I are showing your friends how to play 'Con… queror。' It works nearly as well with your troll throwing…stones as with real dice。 e； play； take your mind off these things for a while。〃
Binabik looked up and smiled； giving Sludig a wave of his hand。 〃Why do you not join them in this play； Simon？〃 he asked。 〃Surely it would be more interesting than watching my confusion。〃
〃I'm thinking； too；〃 Simon said。 〃I've been thinking about Urmsheim。 About Igjarjuk and what happened。〃
〃It was not as you were when young imagining it to be； hmmm？〃 Binabik said； absorbed in the perusal of his scroll once more。 〃Things are not always as old songs tell them to be…especially when it is concerning dragons。 But you； Simon； acted as bravely as any Sir Camaris or Tallistro。〃
Simon felt a pleasant flush。 〃I don't know。 It didn't seem like bravery。 I mean； what else could I have done？ But that isn't what I was thinking about。 I was thinking about the dragon's blood。 It did more than this to me。〃 He indicated his cheek and the white stripe that now ran through his hair。 Binabik did not look up to see his gesture； but Sisqi did。 She smiled shyly； her dark； upturned eyes fixed on him as though on a friendly but possibly dangerous animal； a moment later； the troll maiden rose and walked away。 〃It made me think differently about things；〃 Simon continued； watching her go。 〃The whole time you were in that hole； a prisoner； I was thinking and dreaming。〃
〃And what did you think？〃 Binabik asked。
〃It's hard to say。 About the world and how old it is。 About how small I am。 Even the Storm King is small； in a way。〃
Binabik inspected Simon's face。 The troll's brown eyes were serious。
〃Yes； he is perhaps small beneath the stars； Simon…as a mountain is small in paring to the whole world。 But a mountain is bigger than we； and if it falls on us； we will still be very dead in a very big hole。〃
Simon fluttered his hand impatiently。 〃I know； I know。 I'm not saying that I'm not afraid。 It's just 。 ； 。 it's hard to say。〃 He struggled for the proper words。 〃It's like the dragon's blood taught me another language； another way to see things when I think。 How can you explain another language to someone？〃
Binabik started to reply； then stopped； staring just over Simon's shoulder。 Alarmed； Simon turned； but nothing was there but the oblique stone of the cavern and a patch of gray； white…flecked sky。
〃What's wrong？ Are you ill； Binabik？
〃I have it；〃 the troll said simply。 〃I knew there was something of familiarity in it。 But it was a confusion of language。 They are translating differently； you see。〃 He bounced up onto his feet and trotted over to his bag。 A few of his fellow trolls looked up。 One started to say something； but broke off； deterred by Binabik's fixed expression。 A few moments later the little man returned with an armful of new scrolls。
〃What's going on？〃 Simon asked。
〃It was language…the difference between tongues。 You said： Stone of Farewell。〃
〃That's what Geloe told me；〃 he answered defensively。
〃Of course。 But Ookequk's scrolls are not in the language you and I are now speaking。 Some are copied from original Nabbanai； some are in Qanuc…tongue； and some few in the original speech of the Sithi。 I was looking for 'Stone of Farewell；' but in Sithi language； it would be named 'Leavetaking Stone'…a small difference； but one that makes much differentness in the finding of it。 Now wait。〃
He began to read swiftly through the scrolls； his lips moving as he followed the movement of his stubby finger from one line to another。 Sisqi returned； bearing two bowls of soup。 One she sat beside Binabik； who was too preoccupied to do more than nod his thanks。 The other bowl she offered to Simon。 Not knowing what else to do； he bowed his head as he took it。
〃Thank you；〃 he said； wondering if he should call her by name。
Sisqinanamook started to say something in reply； then stopped as if she could not remember the appropriate words。 For a moment she and Simon stared at each other； an inclination toward friendship hindered by their inability to converse。 At last； Sisqi bowed in return； then snuggled in next to Binabik； asking him a quiet question。
〃Chash；〃 he replied； 〃that is correct；〃 then went silent again； searching。 〃Ho ho！〃 he cried at last； thumping his palm on his hide…suited leg。 〃This is the answer。 We have found it！〃
〃What？〃 Simon leaned in。 The scroll was covered with strange marks； little drawings like the feet of birds and the tracks of snails。 Binabik was pointing at one symbol； a square with rounded corners； full of dots and slashes。
〃Sesuad'ra；〃 the little man breathed； stretching the word out as if examining fine cloth。 〃Sesuad'ra…Leavetaking Stone。 Or； as Geloe spoke it； the Stone of Farewell。 A Sithi thing it is； as I guessed。〃
〃But what is it？〃 Simon stared at the runes； but could not imagine getting meaning from it as he could from Westerling script。 Binabik squinted at the scroll。 〃It is the place； this is saying； where covenant was broken when the Zida'ya and Hikeda'ya…the Sithi and the Norns…split asunder to be going their separate ways。 It is a place of power and of great sorrow。〃
〃But where is it？ How can we go there if we don't know where it is？〃
〃It was once being part of Enki…e…Shao'saye； the Summer…City of the Sithi。〃
〃Jiriki told me about that；〃 Simon said； suddenly excited。 〃He showed it to me in the mirror。 The mirror he gave me。 Maybe we could find it there！〃 He fumbled in his pack； searching for Jiriki's gift。
〃No need； Simon； no need！〃 Binabik laughed。 〃A fool I would truly be…and the poorest apprentice Ookequk could ever be having…if I did not know of Enki…e…Shao'saye。 It was one of the Nine Cities； great in beauty and lore。〃
〃Then you know where the Stone of Farewell is？〃
〃Enki…e…Shao'saye was at the southeast edge of the great forest Aldheorte。〃 Binabik frowned。 〃So it is not near； obviously。 Many weeks of journeying we will have。 Where the city was standing is on the far side of the forest from us； above the flat lands of the High Thrithings。〃 His expression brightened。 〃But we are knowing now our destination。 That is good。 Sesuad'ra。〃 He savored the word again reflectively。 〃I have never seen it； but words of Ookequk e to me。 It is a strange and grim place； as legend speaks。〃
〃I wonder why Geloe chose it？〃 Simon said。
〃Perhaps there was no other choosing she could make。〃 Binabik turned his attention to his cold soup。
The rams； understandably enough； did not like to walk with Qantaqa behind them。 Even after several days； the smell of the wolf still troubled them deeply； so Binabik continued to ride ahead。 Qantaqa picked her way deftly along the steep； narrow trails； the ram…riders following after； talking or singing quietly among themselves； keeping their voices low so as not to wake Makuhkuya； the avalanche goddess。 Simon； Haestan； and Sludig trooped along at the rear； trying to stay out of the hoof…ruts and thereby keep the snow from creeping in over