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fighting against his treacherous； weary muscles； and when he lay quivering on the stone floor he called down through the fissure： 〃e！ It's a storeroom！〃
Josua tossed up the torch。 With a helping hand from Tiamak； he struggled upward through the crack。 Together they raced across the room； dodging the bits of wreckage strewn about； and climbed a rickety ladder through a hatchway。 Beyond this was another storeroom； this one with a small window high in the wall。 Threatening black clouds roiled in the box of sky visible there； and cold wind bled through。 Another hatchway led to yet one more level。
As Tiamak put his aching leg to the bottommost rung； a crash resounded back through the hatch door； a sudden and violent sound。 Josua； who climbed above him； sped up the ladder and disappeared。
When Tiamak made his way to the top； he found himself in a small； shadowy room； staring at the flinders of a door strewn outward into the chamber beyond。 He could see torchlight in the chamber； and figures moving。 Josua's voice rang out。
〃You！ May God send your black soul to hell！〃
Tiamak hurried to the doorway； then stopped； blinking as he tried to make sense of the wide circular room that opened before him。 On his left； the windows above the tall main doors streamed with scarlet…tinted light that vied with the dull glow of torches in the wall sconces。 Just a few cubits before the Wrannaman； Camaris stood in the ruins of the smaller door which had blocked his own way out into the chamber； the old knight now stood motionless； as though stunned。 Josua was only an arm's length away from Camaris； Naidel unsheathed and dangling in his hand。 Two dozen paces beyond them； on the far side of the stone floor； a small door in the wall mirrored the one Camaris had just burst into flinders。 On Tiamak's right； beyond a high arch； a great sweep of stairs coiled upward out of sight。
But it was the figures on the bottom steps of this staircase that caught and held Tiamak's eye； as they had Josua's…especially the bald man in the flapping red robe； who stood tall in the midst of a strew of human bodies； like a fisherman in a shallow stream。 One armored man he still held by the shoulders； though the way the soldier's gold…helmeted head wagged suggested he had long since stopped fighting。
〃Damn you； Pryrates； let him go！〃 cried Josua。
The priest laughed。 With a shrug； he effortlessly threw aside 。。。 Camaris； who clattered on the stone flags and lay still； black blade clutched in his fist。
Tiamak stared in numb astonishment。 The Camaris he and Josua had followed still stood nearby； wavering slightly like a tree in a stiff breeze。 How could there be two？ Who sprawled there？
〃Isorn！〃 Josua shouted； his voice ragged with grief。 Tiamak suddenly remembered； and the terror that clutched him clamped tighter。 The deception they had conceived with the Sithi had e to this…this clutter of motionless men？ Nearly a dozen soldiers； including powerful young Isorn； and the priest had defeated them with his bare hands？ What could possibly stop Pryrates and his immortal ally now？ Josua and his panions had but one of the Great Swords； and its wielder； Camaris；
seemed lost in a dreaming daze。。。。
〃I'll have your heart for this；〃 Prince Josua snarled； leaping toward the stairway。 Pryrates lifted his hands and a nimbus of oily yellow light flickered around the alchemist's fingers。 As Naidel came flashing toward him in a wide； deadly arc； Pryrates' hand snaked out and caught the blade。 The point of contact hissed like a hot stone dropped into water； then the priest grabbed Josua's sword arm and pulled him forward。 The prince struggled； flailing at Pryrates with his other； handless arm； but the priest caught that too and drew Josua toward him until their faces were so close it seemed that the alchemist might kiss the prince。
〃It is almost too easy；〃 Pryrates said； laughing。
Tiamak； weak with fear； slid back into the shadows of the doorway。 I must do something…but who am I？ The Wrannaman could barely stand upright。 A little man； a nobody！ I am no fighter！ He would catch me and kill me like a tiny fish。
〃There is no hell deep enough for you；〃 Josua grated。 Sweat streamed down his face； and his sword arm trembled； but he seemed as helpless as a child in the priest's prisoning grip。
〃And I will visit them all。〃 Pryrates extended his arms again。 The yellow light wavered around him。 〃You are one of the few who have balked me； Lackhand。 Now you will see that your interference es to…nothing。〃 He flung Josua against the nearby arch。 The prince struck hard and slid down to lie motionless beside a man dressed in his own gray surcoat and armor…the Nabbanai baron's brother； Brindalles。 The man's right arm； like Josua's； ended in a black leather cap； but Brindalles' arm was bent at an angle that made Tiamak's stomach lurch。 There was no sign of life on the impostor's pale； blood…flecked face。
Tiamak shrank farther back into the shadows； but Pryrates did not even look at him。 Instead； the priest moved up the stairwell； then stopped and turned to Camaris。
〃e； old one；〃 he said； and smiled。 Tiamak thought his grin as empty and mirthless as a crocodile's。 〃I can feel the ward solidifying； which means the time has e。 You need carry your burden only a little farther。〃
Camaris took a step toward him； then stopped； shaking his head slowly。 〃No；〃 he said hoarsely。 〃No。 I will not let it。。。〃 Something of his real self had returned； Tiamak felt a faint swelling of hope。
Pryrates only crossed his arms on his scarlet breast。 〃It will be interesting to watch you resist。 You will fail； of course。 The pull of the sword is too strong for any mortal； even a tattered legend like yourself。〃
〃Damn you；〃 Camaris gasped。 His body twitched and he shifted his balance back and forth； as though he fought some invisible thing that sought to tug him toward the stairs。 The old knight sucked in a breath with a painful gasp。 〃What manner of creature are you？〃
〃Creature？〃 Pryrates' hairless face was amused。 〃I am what a man who accepts no limits can bee。。。。〃
While his last words still hung in the air； there was a sudden booming concussion。 Where the door on the opposite side of the chamber had been； a murky cloud billowed。 Several shadowy figures stumbled through； indistinguishable in the smoke。
〃How exciting。〃 Pryrates' tone was sardonic； but Tiamak saw a certain animation creep into the alchemist's face that had not been there before。 The priest took a step downward and peered into the haze。 A moment later he reeled back； gurgling； with a black arrow all the way through his neck； its head standing out a handspan beyond the skin。 Pryrates stumbled in place for a moment； then fell and rolled down the stairs to lie beside his victims。 Blood pooled beneath his head； as though his bright
robes melted and ran。
Miriamele stared up and down the narrow hallways； struggling to regain her bearings。 The Chancelry had been a daunting maze when she had lived in the castle； but it was even more confusing now。 Familiar doors and hallways were not quite where they should be； and all the passages seemed the wrong lengths； as though the Chancelry's