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Was it possible that all those otherthis river, lay aavenue fronted on one side by a cunningly paved road and, on the other, by the river For the river was also a road for those who traveled its ways as easily as a hu with the merfolk Could it be that skrolin and merfolk alike lived lives completely oblivious to what took place beyond sea and cave?

What merchandise passed from hand to hand she could not see; the vessel did not slacken its pace except to accomhfare where other vessels such as this one ski wharf, decorated with shells andinto archways and pillars carved like elongated dragons on the land side, hs cut into the wharf, uidly around their heads The skrolin, who looked quite dry and encrusted next to the sleek, moist fors next to low tables and basins in which, it appeared,this scene emanated from the stone itself, so diffuse and cool that it felt h water

In a way, the cloudy light made the vista seem more dreae to coth of thewinded, but it did come to an end at last Alain had not uttered one word, only stared, while Laoina muttered imprecations and prayers under her breath The only noise their skrolin guidefrom its body

At last, they turned away frouide diseer than it ide A second skrolin e each other so rapidly that in the diht Adica could not ers Then their guide shooed the swept out of a clean house, before it climbed back into the shell and vanished into the darkness

"You are the anirated like rocks Words cae of Horn’s people, Laoina had a hard ti One succeeded without a good ear Whatever fear and awe Laoina felt, she did as expected of her

"We are not animals but human, people like yourself" Adica displayed the ar the other jewelry she wore to show that her people, too, had the skill of ain, that we must help you because of the child as lost" With a delicate claw it brushed the arive you what you need so you e to the land of the tribe of Shu-Sha, which borders the lands of the Cursed Ones"

Without warning, the skrolin turned and shuffled into the stone house The door shut in Adica’s face as she tried to follow; it bore no latch she could see, nothing to pry open Srain of rock but she suspected it was neither substance

"With such allies, surely we could defeat the Cursed Ones," she said

"I knew nothing of this," repeated Laoina, as in a daze "I thought I knew so ods must be, to watch over such a place!"

"There is only one God, Female and Male in Unity," said Alain "They who created all creatures and all places Even these"

Laoina snorted It was an old arguod Where do you keep it? In your pocket? Or your sleeve?"

"God are everywhere As God are part of each one of us and of the world, so we in the world are part of God"

Before Laoina could reply, the door whisked open and the skrolin beckoned "Coait, it led theht of stairs It soon beca the steps; Alain, helping the dogs, fell behind The skrolin did not seem inclined to slow its pace to accoer hear its chuffing and wheezing, it halted so they could catch up

She had lost count of the steps and knew only that her thighs and knees were aching when the stairs botto with loud booms A hot blast of air struck her in the face She was completely blind A clawed hand scraped her arms, then shoved her forward unexpectedly She collided with a slick wall, banged her knees on a bench, and sat down hard Laoina crashed into her, swore; then the dogs were barking