"What else do they say?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Nфd'onn wouldn't have sacked Greenglade for nothing! He had us chased by a war band of orcs just to get his hands on the books!" He glared at the maga defiantly. "With respect, maga, I think you're wrong. There's something important in those volumes, even if you can't see it."

"Are you daring to…?" The mistress of Brandфkai stopped and erupted into laughter. "Did you hear that, Djerun? Here I am, traipsing along a dusty road, being corrected by a dwarf who thinks he knows best!"

The giant kept walking, impassive as ever.

"I didn't mean to cause offense," said Tungdil, "but at least I'm not as arrogant and sure of myself as you are. I shouldn't wonder if there's elfish blood in your veins!"

"Fighting talk, little dwarf!" she said in amusement. She nodded in the direction of the twins. "The other two would have drawn their weapons and settled the matter another way, but you learned from Lot-Ionan, I can tell." Suddenly she was serious again. "I'll take a proper look at the volumes tonight. Maybe you're right and there's more to them than I thought."

"Thank you, Estimable Maga." The dwarf inclined his head respectfully and quickened his pace to catch up with the twins. "We'll soon find out what the magus wanted with our books," he announced proudly.

"What? You didn't tell the wizard-woman about them, did you?" gasped a horrified Boпndil. "Not only that; I showed them to her."

The secondling shook his head reprovingly. "You're too trusting, scholar. It's time you became a proper dwarf and stopped acting like a human."

"I see. So you'd like me to splice her skull if she disagrees with me, would you?" said Tungdil, his temper beginning to fray.

"I'd like to see you dare," Boпndil retorted with venom.

Boлndal quickly squeezed between them. "Stop it!" he said firmly. "Spare your fury for the orcs; I doubt we've seen the last of them. For what it's worth, I think Tungdil was right to tell the maga. I don't like being hounded because of a couple of books I know nothing about."

His brother just grunted and surged on.

"I never said traveling with us would be easy," Boлndal said with a grin.

Tungdil sighed, then burst out laughing.

Dusk was falling when they set up camp. The air had cooled and there was a smell of earth and grass. A band of crickets was chirping its evening concert.

The dwarves divided up their dwindling provisions-the sight of the Blue Range's summits in the distance reassured them that they would soon be feasting on fresh dwarven treats. Meanwhile, Andфkai kept her word and studied the books.

Not wanting to distract her, Tungdil allowed the maga to read in peace, approaching only to bring Djerun his supper. Like every other evening, he placed a loaf of bread, a chunk of cheese, and a large slab of meat beside the warrior.

This time he was determined to keep an eye on the giant while he ate; so far neither Tungdil nor the twins had seen behind the metal visor.

"Djerun will sit the first watch," said Andфkai without looking up from her reading. "The rest of you can get some sleep."

"Suits me fine," said Boпndil, then burped. He shook the worst of the crumbs from his beard, coiled his plait into a pillow, and settled down next to the fire. "Listen, long-un," he told the giant, who was sitting motionless as usual, "don't forget to wake me if you see any orcs. It's about time they had a taste of my axes."

The twins seized the chance to get some sleep, and in no time loud snores were reverberating through the woods, setting the leaves aquiver.

Andфkai slammed down her book. "Now I know why they always take the first watch," she said irritably. "It's a wonder their snores never woke me. How am I supposed to concentrate when they're making such a din?"

Tungdil chuckled. "Imagine what it sounds like in Ogre's Death."

"I don't intend staying long enough to find out."

Tungdil looked at her rippling muscles as she stretched. She was impressively strong for a woman-stronger even than the scullery maids who were used to hard labor.

"Have you found anything new in the…" Tungdil checked himself. He had resolved not to ask her about the books.

Hugging her knees to her chest, she rested her chin on her hands and turned her blue eyes on him. "You think I'll change my mind if the books tell us how Nфd'onn can be defeated."

"Samusin is the god of equilibrium; surely it's your duty to strive for a balance between darkness and light," he said, appealing to her faith since honor alone was not enough to persuade her. Her decision to abandon her realm was proof enough of that.

Andфkai laid a hand on one of the leather-bound volumes. "If I could find a spell or a charm that would cause Nфd'onn's downfall, I would take the traitor on," she said earnestly, "but the books contain nothing of the kind-just far-fetched stories and myths."

"So you're turning your back on Girdlegard?"

"My art is useless against Nфd'onn's power. I was lucky to escape." She flicked through the book, opening it at random. "Maybe there is some kind of hidden meaning. All I know is that I don't have the key."

Tungdil decided to come clean. He produced the letter that Gorйn had written in scholarly script. "This was with the books. I suppose it might help."

"Is there anything else you're not telling me, or is this the last of your secrets?"

"It's the last, I swear."

Andфkai accepted the sheet of parchment, folded it, and placed it between the pages of one of the books. She rubbed her eyes. "The darkness is hardly conducive to study. I'll read it tomorrow." She returned the volumes to their wax paper wrapping, arranged the parcel as a pillow, and nestled her head on top.

"Tomorrow?" Tungdil had been expecting her to read the letter at once. He sighed; the maga was a troublesome person to deal with. He settled down next to the fire and glanced at Djerun.

The giant was still wearing his helmet, but the food was gone. Tungdil cursed: Talking to Andфkai had distracted him from looking at Djerun's visor, although, now that he thought about it, he hadn't been alerted by a telling clunk of metal. There was something unnerving about the maga's companion. Beroпn's Folk, Secondling Kingdom, Girdlegard, Late Summer, 6234th Solar Cycle Balendilнn barely had a moment to himself. On reaching his chamber, he discovered that two dwarves from the fourthling delegation had requested to see him.

Not a moment too soon. It's about time Gandogar put a stop to this foolishness. He turned round and hurried to the meadows, where the delegates were expecting him.

The high king's counselor was feeling remarkably upbeat. For weeks he had poured most of his energy into rebutting the rumors about Gundrabur's failing health, and rightly so: The high king had a strong heart and an even stronger will, which he employed in persuading the assembly to await the arrival of the other pretender to the throne. Such was his success that there was talk of strengthening the bonds among the folks in more permanent ways.

It's going almost too well, thought Balendilнn, gripped by a sudden apprehension. He stepped out of the passageway and onto a bridge across a chasm fifty paces wide. Deep in thought, he made his way over the disused copper mines two hundred paces below.

It bothered him that Bislipur never seemed to tire of rekindling the passions of those who favored a war against the elves. He and Gundrabur would have achieved much more if it hadn't been for the fourthling's inflammatory speeches. He's a rabble-rouser. You can guarantee his influence is at the heart of Gandogar's misplaced zeal.

Just then he noticed a movement in the mouth of the tunnel ahead. Bislipur was on the bridge in front of him, his left hand resting lightly on his ax. For a moment Balendilнn wondered whether the fourthling could have heard his thoughts through the thick stone walls. There was something threatening about his demeanor. Balendilнn stopped and waited. "Were you looking for me?"