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p his sword belt and leaned to pluck his cloak from the floor。 〃Put on your boots and e help me。〃
〃What？ Who's gone； Prince Josua？〃
〃Camaris； curse it； Camaris！ e and help me。 No； rouse Isgrimnur and find some men to help。 Have them bring torches。〃
The prince took a brand from the fire； then turned and pushed out through the door flap。 He looked down at the snow； trying to make some sense out of the muddle of footprints。 At last he chose a set of tracks that led downhill toward the Kynslagh。 Within moments he was beyond the light of the few campfires still burning。 The moon had vanished from the sky； but the Conqueror Star still burned like a signal beacon。
The trail twisted erratically； but within half a furlong it was clear that the footprints had turned toward the cliffs east of the Hayholt's seawall。 Josua looked up to see a pale figure moving along the edge of the shoreline； silhouetted against the wall of empty blackness that was the Kynslagh。
〃Camaris！〃 Josua called。 The figure did not stop； but moved along unsteadily toward the edge； lurching like a puppet with knotted strings。 The prince began to run； floundering in the deep snow； then slowed as he reached the cliffs。 〃Camaris；〃 he said； his voice deceptively calm。 〃Where are you going？〃
The old man turned to look at him。 He wore no cloak； and his loose shin flapped in the wind。 Even seen by starlight there was something odd in his posture。
〃It is Josua。〃 The prince lifted his arms as though to embrace the old man。 〃e back with me。 We will sit by the fire and talk。〃
Camaris stared as though the words were animal noises； then began to make his way down the rocks。 Josua hastened forward。
〃Stop！ Camaris； where are you going？〃 He scrambled over the edge； struggling to keep his balance on the muddy slope。 〃e back with me。〃
The old knight whirled and pulled Thorn from its scabbard。 Although he seemed fearfully confused； he handled the sword with unthinking mastery。 His horn Cellian dangled on its baldric； drawing Josua's eye as it swung back and forth。 〃It is time；〃 Camaris whispered。 He was barely audible above the waves that slapped on the shore below。
〃You cannot do this。〃 Josua reached out his hand。 〃We are not ready。 You must wait until the others can go with you。〃 He advanced a few slithering steps down the slope。 〃e back。〃
Camaris abruptly swung the sword in a wide； flat arc； it was nearly invisible in the darkness； but it hissed as it passed the prince's chest。
〃Aedon's Blood； Camaris； do you not recognize me？〃 Josua took a step back。 The old man raised the sword for
another stroke。
〃It is time！〃 he said； and swung； this time with deadly aim。
Josua threw himself backward。 His feet skidded from beneath him and he whirled his arms for a moment； struggling for balance； then fell and tumbled down the slope； through long grasses and over mud and stones； landing at last in a drift of dirty snow where he lay for long moments； wheezing in pain。
〃Prince Josua？！〃 A head appeared at the top of the rise。 〃Are you down there？〃
Josua dragged himself onto his feet。 Camaris had made his way down to the bottom of the hill and onto the beach。 Now he was a ghostly shape moving along the cliff face。 〃I'm here；〃 he called to Jeremias。 〃Damn it； where is the duke！？〃
〃He's ing； but I don't see him yet；〃 the youth said excitedly。 〃I ran back after I told him。 Shall I e down and help you？ Are you hurt？〃
Josua turned and saw Camaris hesitating before one of the black openings in the cliff wall。 A moment later he vanished into the hole。 〃No！〃 Josua shouted； then called up to Jeremias： 〃Get Isgrimnur； make him hurry！ Tell him Camaris has gone into one of the caves down here…I will mark which one！ We will lose him if we wait any longer。 I am going to bring him out。〃
〃You 。。。 you 。。 。〃 The squire was confused。 〃You're going to follow him？〃
〃Damn me； I can't let him go down there himself…he is mad。 Aedon knows what…he might fall； be lost 。。。 I will bring him back somehow； even if I have to outfight him myself and carry him back on my shoulder。 But for God's sake； tell Isgrimnur to hurry with the torches and men。 Go on； boy； run！〃
Jeremias hesitated a moment longer； then vanished from the prince's sight。 Josua crawled the short distance to where his torch lay sputtering on a muddy outcropping； then clambered down the slope to the beach。 He quickly made his way to the place where Camaris had disappeared and found a cave mouth little different than any of the others along the cliff。 Josua grabbed several stones and piled them next to the opening； then stepped in； holding the torch before him。
Isgrimnur stared at the soldiers。 〃What do you mean； gone？〃
The man looked back at him； half…apologetic and half…defensive。 〃Just that； Duke Isgrimnur。 The hole splits off； goes different ways。 We thought we saw some marks； like from a torch…end； up on the walls； but we didn't find anybody that way。 We searched the other passages； too。 It's like wormholes in there； tunnels everywhere。〃
〃And you shouted？〃
〃Called the prince's name loud as we could。 Nobody called back。〃
Isgrimnur stared at the gap in the cliff wall； then looked at Sludig。 〃Ransomer preserve us；〃 he groaned。 〃Both gone。 We'll have to get the Sithi after them now。〃 He turned to the soldier。 〃I'll be back before sunrise。 Until then； keep looking and calling。〃
The man nodded。 〃Yes； sire。〃
Isgrimnur pulled at his beard for a moment； then began making his way back along the beach。 〃Oh； Josua；〃 he said quietly。 〃You fool。 And me； too。 We've all been fools。〃
28
Abandoned Ways
Binabik touched her arm。 〃Miriamele； what are you thinking？〃
〃I'm trying to think of what we can do。〃 Her head was pounding。 The shadowed cavern seemed to be closing in。 〃We have to get out； somehow。 We have to。 I don't want to be trapped in here。〃 She caught her breath and looked at Cadrach huddled against the wall on the far side of the cavern。 〃How could he do such things； Binabik？ How could he betray us all that way？〃
〃He was not knowing you then；〃 the troll pointed out。 〃So he could not be thinking that it was you he was betraying。〃
〃But he didn't tell us afterward！ He didn't tell us anything！ All that time we were together。〃
Binabik lowered his head。 〃It is done。 Now we must be thinking on other things。〃 He gestured to the dwarrows； who were seated in a circle； singing quietly。 〃They are thinking the Norns e soon； they have said to me。 Already the ward is crumbling。 The door will not hold for a much lengthier time。〃
〃And they're just going to sit and wait；〃 said Miriamele bitterly。 〃I can't understand them any more than I can understand Cadrach。〃 She stood and walked past the troll。 〃Yis…fidri！ Why are you mooning around like this when the Norns are outside？ Don't you understand what will happen to us？〃 She heard her voice rising shrilly； but she did not care。
The dwarrows stared up apprehensively； mouths agape； Miriamele thought they looked like a nestful of baby birds。 〃We are waiting 。。。〃 he began。
〃Waiting！ That's just it； you're waitin