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〃What did you do in the wastes？〃
〃I harped。 I could play that low note there； the one that shatters stone。。。〃 He heard his voice from a distance； amazed that it was vaguely rational。
〃How did you survive？〃
〃I don't know。 Maybe I was part wind； for a while 。。。 I was afraid to e back。 What will I do with such power？〃
〃Use it。〃
〃I don't dare。 I have power over land…law。 I want it； I want to use it。 But I have no right。 Land…law is the heritage of kings； bound into them by the High One。 I would destroy all law。。。〃
〃Perhaps。 But land…law is also the greatest source of power in the realm。 Who can help the High One but you？〃
〃He hasn't asked for help。 Does a mountain ask for help？ Or a river？ They simply exist。 If I touch his power； he may pay enough attention to me to destroy me； but。。。〃
〃Morgon； have you no hope whatsoever in those stars I made for you？〃
〃No。〃 His eyes closed； he dragged them open again； wanting to weep with the effort。 He whispered； 〃I don't speak the language of stone。 To him； I simply exist。 He sees nothing but three stars rising out of countless centuries of darkness； during which powerless shapes called men touched the earth a little； hardly enough to disturb him。〃
〃He gave them land…law。〃
〃I was a shape possessing land…law。 Now； I am simply a shape with no destiny but in the past。 I will not touch the power of another land…ruler again。〃
The wizard was silent； gazing down at a fire that kept blurring under Morgon's eyes。 〃Are you so angry with the High One？〃
〃How can I be angry with a stone？〃
〃The Earth…Masters have taken all shapes。 What makes you so certain the High One has shaped himself to everything but the shape and language of men？〃
〃Why。。。〃 He stopped； staring down at the flames until they burned the shadows of sleep out of his mind and he could think again。 〃You want me to loose my own powers into the realm。〃
Yrth did not answer。 Morgon looked up at him； giving him back the image of his own face； hard； ancient； powerful。 The fire washed over his thoughts again。 He saw suddenly； for the first time； not the slab of wind speaking the language of stone that he thought was the High One； but something pursued； vulnerable； in danger； whose silence was the single weapon he possessed。 The thought held him still； wondering。 Slowly he became aware of the silence that built moment by moment between his question and the answer to it。
He stopped breathing； listening to the silence that haunted him oddly； like a memory of something he had once cherished。 The wizard's hands turned a little toward the light and then closed； hiding their scars。 He said； 〃There are powers loosed all over the realm to find the High One。 Yours will not be the worst。 You are； after all； bound by a peculiar system of restraints。 The best； and the least prehensible of them； seems to be love。 You could ask permission from the land…rulers。 They trust you。 And they were in great despair when neither you nor the High One seemed to be anywhere on the face of the realm。〃
Morgon's head bowed。 〃I didn't think of them。〃 He did not hear Yrth move until the wizard's dark robe brushed the wood of his chair。 The wizard's hand touched his shoulder； very gently； as he might have touched a wild thing that had moved fearfully； tentatively； toward him into his stillness。
Something drained out of Morgon at the touch： confusion； anger； arguments； even the strength and will to wrestle with all the wizard's subtlety。 Only the silence was left； and a helpless； inprehensible longing。
〃I'll find the High One；〃 he said。 He added； in warning or in promise； 〃Nothing will destroy him。 I swear it。 Nothing。〃
XIII
HE SLEPT FOR TWO DAYS IN THE KING'S HOUSE； waking only once to eat； and another time to see Raederle sitting beside him； waiting patiently for him to wake up。 He linked his fingers into hers； smiling a little； then rolled over and went back to sleep。 He woke finally； clear…headed； at evening。 He was alone。 From the faint chaos of voices and crockery that seeped into his listening； he knew that the household was at supper； and Raederle was probably with Danan。 He washed and drank some wine； still listening。 Beneath the noises of the house； he heard the vast； dark； ageless silence forming the hollows and mazes within Isig Mountain。
He stood linked to the silence until it formed channels in his mind。 Then； impulsively； he left the tower； went unobtrusively to the hall； where only Raederle and Bere noticed him； falling quiet amid the noise to watch his passage。 He followed the path of a dream then； through the empty upper shafts。 He took a torch from the wall at the mouth of a dark tunnel； as he entered it； the walls blazed around him with fiery； uncut jewels。 He moved unhesitantly through his memory； down a honeyb of passageways； along the sides of shallow streams and deep crevices； through unmined caves shimmering with gold； moving deeper and deeper into the immensity of darkness and stone until he seemed to breathe its stillness and age into his bones。 At last he sensed something older； even； than the great mountain。 The path he followed dwindled into crumbled stone。 The torch fire washed over a deep green slab of a door that had opened once before to the sound of his name。 There he stopped incredulously。
The ground floor was littered with the shards of broken rock。 The door to the Earth…Masters' dead was split open； half of it had fallen ponderously back into the cave。 The tomb itself was choked with great chunks of jewelled ceiling stone； the walls had shrugged themselves together； hiding whatever was left of the strange pale stones within。
He picked his way to the door； but he could not enter。 He crooked one arm on the door； leaned his face against it。 He let his thoughts flow into the stone； seep through marble； amethyst； and gold until he touched something like the remnant of a half…forgotten dream。 He explored farther； he found no names； only a sense of something that had once lived。
He stood for a long time； leaning against the door without moving。 After a while； he knew why he had e down into the mountain； and he felt the blood beat through him； quick； cold； as it had the first time he had brought himself to that threshold of his destiny。 He became aware； as he had never been before； of the mountain settled over his head； and of the king within it； his ancient mind shaped to its mazes； holding all its peace and all its power。 His thoughts moved once again； slowly； into the door； until he touched at the core of the stone； the sense of Danan's mind； shaped to that tiny fragment of mountain； bound to it。 He let his brain bee stone； rich； worn； ponderous。 He drew all knowledge of it into himself； of its great strength； its inmost colors； its most fragile point where he might have shattered it with a thought。 The knowledge became a binding； a part of himself； deep in his own mind。 Then； searching within the stone； he found once more the wordless awareness； the law that bound king to stone； land…ruler to every portion of his kingdom。 He enpassed that awareness； broke it； and the stone held no name but his own。
He let his own awareness of the binding dwindle into some dark cave deep in his mind。 He straightened slowly； sweating in the cool air。 His torch was out； he touched it； lit it again。 Turning； he found Danan in front of him； massive and still as Isig； his face expressionless as a rock。
Morgon's muscles tensed involuntarily。 He wondered for a second if there was any language in him to explain what he was doing to a rock； before the slow； ponderous weight of Danan's anger roused stones from their sleep to bury him beside the children's tomb。 Then he saw the king's broad fist unclench。
〃Morgon。〃 His voice was breathless with astonishment。 〃It was you who drew me down here。 What are you doing？〃 He touched Morgon when he could not answer。 〃You're frightened。 What are you doing that you need to fear me？〃
Morgon moved after a moment。 His body felt drained； cumbersome as stone。 〃Learning your land…law。