The thought troubled her more than she cared to admit, and
she shoved it hastily away.
It was still and calm within the Gardens, secluded amid the
trees and flower beds, cool and removed beneath the silken
covering of the Ellcrys. She let her eyes wander across the blan-
ket of colors that formed the Gardens, studying the way they
swept the earth like brush strokes, some short and broad, some
thin and curving, borders of brightness that shimmered in the
light. Overhead, the sun shone down out of a cloudless blue
sky, and the air was warm and sweet smelling. She drank it in
slowly, carefully, savoring it, aware as she did so that it would
all be gone after tonight, that when the magic of the Loden was
invoked she would be cast adrift once more in the wilderness
dark of Morrowindi. She had been able to forget for a time the
horror that lay beyond the Keel, to block away her memories
of the stench of sulfur, the steaming fissures in the crust of lava
rock, the swelter of Killeshan’s heat rising off the earth, the
darkness and the vog, and the rasps and growls of the demons
at hunt. She shivered and hugged herself. She did not want to
go back out into it. She felt it waiting like a living thing,
crouched down patiently, determined it would have her, certain
she must come.
She closed her eyes again and waited for the bad feelings to
subside, gathering her determination a little at a time, calming
herself, reasoning that she would not be alone, that there would
be others with her, that they would all protect one another, and
that the journey down out of the mountains would pass quickly
and then they would be safe. She had climbed unharmed to
Arborlon, hadn’t she? Surely she could go back down again.
And yet her doubts persisted, nagging whispers of warning
that echoed in the Addershag’s warning at Grimpen Ward. Be-
ware, Elf-girl. I see danger ahead for you, hard times, and treachery and
evil beyond imagining.
Trust no one.
But if she did as the Addershag had advised, if she kept her
own counsel and gave heed to no one else, she would be para-
lyzed. She would be cut off from everyone and she did not think
she could survive that.
How much had the Addershag seen of her future? she won-
dered grimly. How much had she failed to reveal?
She pushed herself to her feet, took a final look at the ElI-
crys, and turned away. Slowly she descended the Gardens of
Life, stealing as she went faint memories of their comfort and
reassurance, brightness and warmth, tucking them away for the
time when she would need them, for when the darkness was all
about and she was alone. She wanted to believe it would not
happen that way. She hoped the Addershag was wrong.
But she knew she could not be certain.
GARTH CAUGHT UP WITH HER shortly after that and she re-
mained with him for what was left of the day. They spoke at
length about what lay ahead, listing the dangers they had already
encountered and debating what they would require to make a
journey back through the madness that lay without. Garth
seemed relaxed and confident, but then he always seemed that
way. They agreed that whatever else happened, they would stay
close to each other.
She saw Gavilan only once and only for a moment. It was
late that afternoon and he was leaving the palace on yet another
errand as she came across the lawn. He smiled at her and waved
as if everything was as it should be, as if the whole world were
set right, and in spite of her irritation at his casual manner she
found herself smiling and waving back. She would have spoken
with him if she could have managed it, but Garth was there and
several of Gavilan’s companions as well, and there was no op-
portunity. He did not reappear after that, although she made it
a point to look for him. As dusk approached she found herself
alone in her room once more, staring out the windows at the