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"Trim the wick, boy No need to waste oil--"

"Colluone!"

3

Weaselhounds

She lay in darkness, curled around the light of the pearl If she stayed very still, then perhaps the horrible, tangled string of senseless i would not return The pin behind her ear throbbed still, though the worst of its pain had passed She was afraid of the Shadow, here in the dark, but the terrible ri sound brought her sharp awake How long she had slept, she had no way to tell Her legs were craht,moved beyond the bend in the narrow tunnel Terror seized her for a moment as she realized it must be the Shadow Then Maruha ca upon one hand

"There you are!" the duarough exclaie girl"

The pale girl stared at her, tensed and frightened still She laid one hand over the pearl, hiding its light

Maruha drew closer, carefully, as though afraid of startling her

"Collum and Brandl swore they’d no notion why you ran off, but I got it out of theently on the pale girl’s arlad With a puff, she sat, obviously weary

"That fool Brandl and his barding He should know better than to sing of the Sorceress War in front of you"

The girl felt a breath of reassurance pass through her Maruha would not recite the horrible rime that made the pin ache so She felt safe now that Maruha had found her

"And with the Witch’s pin in your head, you doubtless know rim conflict than we How irl?" The little woman eyed her closely The upperlander shifted uncomfortably, looked away She did not want to understand, dared not In a , I suppose If only you could talk!"

She patted the pale girl’s arry?" She fished in one of her many pockets and drew out a square cake that sent dram "It’s been ten hours since you ran away"

She broke the cake and held up one half to the girl, who snatched it from her The dense stuff tasted sweet and tart, but her mouth was so dry she could scarcely s Maruha’s little skin water bag had coirl wanted to reach for it, but hesitated, unwilling to re?" the duarough asked, setting down the water bag and leaning closer

"Will you show me?"

The upperlander drew back The pearl was her secret, its wan glow visible only in near total darkness Not even the Bird had known she had it, the terrible black bird that had…A sharp twinge behind her ear warned her away Hastily, she shoved the alh Surely she could trust Maruha Slowly, she drew back her hand Beneath the yellow fabric of her gown, the clear blue light shone constant white

The duarough gasped "What is that? Did you find it here in the caves?"

The girl shook her head,bold to follow the other’s words a little now The duarough reached for the pearl

"May I see it, child?"

The upperlander’s hand clapped down again, covering her treasure

"Hi--ments Maruha drew back

"Very well, child I’ll not disturb it But I’ve never seen the like You never found it in these caves, I’ll vow Had it with you all along, I’ll wager, and we never even noticed"

She lifted her fingerla light drowned out the pearl’s cool, gentle one The red-haired duarough got to her feet and brushed the cave grit froain

"Wonders upon wonders," she irl?"

But the upperlander could not answer Already the sense of the other’s words was fading She could no longer follow A fog covered her thoughts She was very tired Maruha pulled her to her feet

"We had best get back I left those two fools at the cah they wanted to help ain as find you"