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ices。 Below on the beach； a boy and girl play。 They chase each other； leaving footprints in the sand that are washed away by the ining tide。
The children's high…pitched voices float up to her； but she can't make out what they're saying。 Then； as she watches； the sea turns red and bleeds onto the beach。
〃Don't be ridiculous；〃 Caimbeui said。
〃Are you deaf？〃 I asked。 〃You were here。 You heard it。〃
〃A prank； perhaps；〃 he said。
〃That was no prank and you know it；〃 I said。 〃I know 'that voice。〃
I turned away； running my hands over my arms to warm them。 It had been so long。 A time out of mind。 Even so； I would never forget that sound。 The sound of Ysrthgrathe's voice。
Like chalk on a blackboard。 Like the whisper of a child。 Like breaking glass。 Like the dear departed。 Whatever would be most effective。
A fine； cold sweat broke out on my back。 No； I thought； I'll not give way to that so fast。 I clamped down on the panic。 He'd be expecting that。 No； I'd have to be careful and deliberate。
〃It's only one；〃 Caimbeui said。 〃We can deal with one。〃
〃It's not just one；〃 I said angrily。 〃Don't you remember anything I told you then about him？ I seem to recall that we did spend some time talking all those years ago。 Or is your memory as convenient as it ever was？〃
〃I thought we agreed not to discuss that time；〃 he said。 〃But you keep bringing it up。〃
〃I'm not discussing that time。 I'm asking you if you remember what I told you then about Ysrthgrathe。〃
〃That's a roundabout way of doing it。〃
〃Will you shut up and listen？ Frag it； you are so oblivious to everything but yourself。 Didn't you hear a word I said then？ Oh； I give up。〃
I spun about and strode from the room。 I had to get to my grimoire。 There were preparations to be made。
When the last of my defenses was in place； I began to relax a little。 It concerned me that I might be making even more of a target of myself。 Strong magic stuck out like a sore thumb these days。 But it didn't really matter； he'd already found me。
Caimbeui knocked on the door to my study。
〃Go away；〃 I said。
〃Don't be difficult； Aina；〃 he said。 〃Let me in。〃
〃No； no； dear Harlequin；〃 I replied。 〃I don't wish to trouble you。〃
I heard him sigh。 Loudly and dramatically so I would hear。
〃Let me in；〃 he said。
I walked over to the door and opened it。
〃Oh； it's the great Harlequin e to pay a visit to the poor unenlightened masses。 Oh； please show us your bountiful insight。 We are honored by your presence。 May we kiss your hem？〃
〃I was a bit。。。 difficult；〃 he began。
〃No； you were an ass；〃 I said。
〃Very well； an ass。 You always did get sarcastic when you were upset。〃
〃How insightful of you；〃 I said。 〃But you've got it a little wrong。 I'm not upset。 I'm scared。 And if you had a bit of sense； you'd be frightened too。〃
He began to circle my study slowly； gently touching the books； totems； scrolls； and other bits of ar…cans I'd carefully catalogued。 Some was only theory； some was practical。 I knew he had an impressive accumulation of his own； but I also knew that I had been at this longer。
〃What's this？〃 he asked； pulling a thick tome from a shelf。
〃That；〃 I said as I walked over and plucked it from his hand arid stuck it back on its shelf； 〃is none of your concern。 I'm certain you have five or six just like it at home。〃
An annoyed and interested expression crossed his face。
〃I don't understand why you're so worried；〃 he said。 〃You've dealt with him in the past。 As I recall； Vistrosh told me the most amazing story about how you vanquished him。〃
Rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands； I sighed。
〃Did he tell what really happened？〃 I asked。 〃Or was it turned into some of kind of ridiculous tale？ Let me see if I can recount his version： 'And then Aina threw her arms wide to the skies and caused a blast of heavenly fire to consume the monster。 The creature gave one last wail of angry despair and vanished into the void。' 〃
Caimbeui dropped into my heavy leather wingback chair and put his feet up on my desk。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃It was something like that。〃
〃Well； you know as well as I that that's not exactly how these things happen。 Oh； certainly I managed to overe Ysrthgrathe； but it wasn't the simple matter Vistrosh would have had you believe。 It almost killed me and I sacrificed more than you can possibly imagine。〃
〃Like your grimoire？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 I replied。 〃I unmade myself。 You remember what I'd done。 All those scars。 The years and years of blood magic。 Everything。 I gave it all up to send him back。 To imprison him。 And now he's returned。
〃Then I had so much power。 Look at me now。 What are you doing？〃
He had picked up my grimoire and was leafing through it； making interested noises every few pages。 I grabbed it from his hands； shocked at such a breach of etiquette。
〃And I don't expect you to be any help；〃 I said。 〃You're too damn selfish。〃
〃The Enemy was stopped or we'd be dealing with more than one of them now。 You're letting something that happened millennia ago affect you now。〃
〃Don't tell me the past has no hold over you； Caimbeui。 We both know what a lie that is。〃
〃This is precisely the reason I left you；〃 he snapped。 〃You pick and pick and pick。〃
〃That's right；〃 I said。 〃I'm no Sally； or Susan； or whatever…her…name…is…this…decade who fawns over you like you were some sort of demigod。 Doesn't fragging a sycophant lose its appeal after a while？〃
He pushed himself up from the table in an angry rush。
〃This bickering isn't getting us anywhere；〃 he said。 〃What are you planning to do？〃
Hugging my grimoire close to my body； I walked to the window and pulled back the drapes。 It had begun to rain； and every so often the craggy land was lit by lightning。 Bare country； wild and untamed。
〃I've put up some protections； but I'm not sure how effective they'll be。 I wish。。。 Well； I might as well wish for the sun to rise in the west。 What's that old adage？ 'If wishes were horses； beggars would ride。' 〃
Caimbeui came up behind me。 I could see him refleeted in the window。 A flash of lightning； the desotate land outside。 The darkness； Caimbeul's image in the glass。
〃I think you should tell the others；〃 he said。
〃Why don't you tell them？ Your relations with them have always been better than mine。〃
〃Because； Aina； I'm not convinced。 You are。 You will be more effective。 Tell them。〃
〃Tell them what？〃 I asked。 〃That I've had dreams and there has been one very strange tele call？〃
〃Don't dodge it；〃 he replied。 〃They'll have to listen to you。 The ones who matter will know what it means。〃
I dropped the curtains and skirted around him。 He was close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body。
〃Why do you want me to do this？〃 I asked。 〃What have you got up your sleeve？〃
He shrugged。
〃I suppose your reaction has something to do with it；〃 he said。 〃In all the time I've known you； I've never seen anything unnerve you so much as that call。 Your hands are shaking even now。 And when you heard that voice I thought you might faint。 And； Aina； you're not the fainting