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lking in ruined stone halls again； a homeless spirit in a vast tomb。
The Sithi lived here； he told himself。 This was Asu'a； shining Asu'a。 And somehow they are still here 。。。 as though the stones themselves are dreaming of the old days。
A poisonously seductive idea began to make itself felt。 Amerasu Ship…Born had said that somehow Simon lived closer to the Dream Road than others…he had seen the Parting of the Families during his vigil atop Sesuad'ra； hadn't he？ Perhaps； then； if he could discover some way to do it； he could 。。。 step across。 He would go into the dream； he would live in beautiful Asu'a and plunge his face into the living streams that meandered through the palace…and this time they would not turn to dust。 He would live in Asu'a； and never e back again to this dark； haunted world of crumbling shadows。。。。
Never e back to your friends？ Never e back to your duty？
But the dream…Asu'a was so beautiful。 In the instants of its flickering existence； he could see roses and other startlingly bright flowers climbing up the walls to bask in the sun from the high windows。 He could see the Sithi； the dream…people who lived here； graceful and strange as bright…plumed birds。 The dream showed a time before Simon's kind had destroyed the Sithi's greatest house。 Surely the immortals would wele a lost traveler 。。。 Oh； Mother of Mercy； might they wele him in from the darkness？。。
Weak and weary； Simon stumbled on a loose paving stone and fell to his hands and knees。 His heart felt like an anvil in his chest。 He could not move； could not go another step。 Anything was better than this mad loneliness！
The wide room before him pulsed； but did not disappear。 Out of the nebulous cloud of moving forms； one of the figures became clearer。 It was a Sitha woman； skin golden as sunlight； hair a cloud of nightblack。 She stood between two twining trees laden with silvery fruit； and her eyes slowly turned to Simon。 She paused。 A strange look came over her face； as though she had heard a voice calling her name in a lonely place。
〃Can 。。。 can you see me？〃 Simon gasped。 He scrabbled toward her across the floor。 She continued to stare at the spot where he had been。
Terror rushed through him。 He had lost her！ His limbs turned boneless and he slumped forward onto his belly。 Behind the black…haired woman a fountain of water sparkled； the drops that flew through the slanting light of the windows glowing like gems。 She closed her eyes； and Simon felt a questing touch at the farthest edge of his mind。 She seemed only a few short steps away； but at the same moment as distant as a star in the sky。 〃Can't you see me！？〃 he howled。〃I want to e inside！ Let me in！〃
She stood as immobile as a statue； her hands folded before her。 The high…windowed chamber grew dark； until she alone stood in a column of radiance。 Something brushed against Simon's thoughts； light as a spider's step； soft as a butterfly's breath。
Go back； little one。 Go back and live。
Then she opened her eyes and looked at him again。 Her eyes were full of a wisdom so vast and kind that Simon felt himself lifted and held and known。 But her words were bitter for him。
This is not for you。
She began to fade。 For a moment； she was only another shadowy figure in the ancient parade of shapes。 Then the beautiful airy room itself flickered and vanished。 Simon was sprawled in the dirt。 His torch burned fitfully on the ground； half a pace from his outstretched fingers。
Gone。 Left me behind。
Simon cried until he could not cry any more； until he was hoarse with weeping and his face hurt。 He dragged himself to his feet and went on。
He had almost forgotten his name…he had certainly forgotten how many times he had slept； and how many times he had sucked at the diminishing wad of moss crammed in his pocket…when he found the great stairs。
There were only a few rags left to replace the one that burned on his torch。 Simon was thinking about what that meant； and realizing that he had gone too far to find his way back to the pool of Perdruinese Fire before he was plunged into darkness； when he walked through one of the sweeping portals of the labyrinthine castle and found himself on a vast landing。 Above and below this open place stretched a flight of wide stairs circling around emptiness； an uncountable sweep of steps that curled up into shadow and down into darkness。
The stairs！ A memory； dim as a fish in a muddy pond； came floating up。 The。。。 Tan'ja Stairs？ Doctor Morgenes said 。。。 said 。。。
Long ago； in another life； another Simon had been told to look for stairs like these…anti they had led him upward to night air and moonlight and damp green grass。
Then that means 。。。 if I go up 。。。
A shockingly ragged laugh burst out and echoed in the stairwell。 Something； bats or sad little memories； fluttered away into the darkness above； rustling like a handful of parchments。 Simon began climbing the stairs； his throbbing ankle； his terrible thirst； his utter； utter loneliness almost forgotten。
I'll breathe the air。 I'll see the sky。 I'm 。。。 I'm。。。 I'm Simon。 I won't be a ghost。
Before he had gone half a hundred steps upward； he found that a section of the wall had tumbled down； smashing the outermost edge of the steps so that a ragged gap faced out into the empty darkness。 The rest of the staircase was blocked by fallen stone。
〃Bloody Tree！〃 he screamed in rage。 〃Bloody； Bloody Tree！〃
〃。。。 ree 。。。〃 the echo repeated。 〃。。。 ee 。。。〃
He waved the torch over his head in a furious challenge to the empty air； the flame billowed and streaked across the black。 At last； defeated； he hobbled back down the wide stairs。
He remembered little of his first journey up the Tan'ja Stairs almost a year before； a journey that had taken place through both outer and inner darknesses 。。。 but surely there had not been so many of these damnable steps！ It was almost impossible to believe that he could descend so far without finding himself in the pits of Hell。
His plodding descent seemed to take at least a day。 There was no way off： the arches that led from the landings were blocked by rubble； and the only other escape would be over the baluster and a plummet down into 。。。 who knew what？ By the time he stopped at last to sleep on one of the dusty landings； he wished he had never stepped onto the stairs at all； but the thought of dragging himself all the way back up that near…infinitude of steps to the spot where he had entered was horrifying。 No； down was the only direction left to him。 Surely even these monstrous stairs must e to an end somewhere！ Simon curled up and fell into a thick slumber。
His dreams were powerful but confusing。 Three almost painfully vivid images haunted him…a young fair…haired man bearing a torch and a spear down a steeply…sloping tunnel； an older man； robed and crowned； with a sword lying across his knees and a heavy book opened on top of it； a tall figure； hidden in shadow； who stood straight…backed in the middle of a strangely mobile floor。 Again and again the same three visions appeared； changing slightly； sh