by need. There is no reason - "My king believes that there is a reason," Cazzira interrupted. ?You have wandered onto our lands, Belli'mar Juraviel. Do not pretend that your pres-ence in Tymwyvenne means nothing to Tylwyn Doc, or to Tylwyn Tou.
Per-haps it means nothing immediately significant, but now the races know of each other once more, and that is a door that, once opened, cannot be closed, for good or for ill."
"Unless I die in the southland, or on my way to the southland."
"Yet we still know of you, of Caer'alfar and Andur'Blough Inninness And so King Eltiraaz would learn more.
Slowly and in proper time. He would like to keep you in Tymwyvenne for many months, years perhaps, that he might truly learn your heart and your thoughts. But he cannot in good conscience, of course - and despite my counsel - because of your need to be away to the south."
"We are grateful for King Eltiraaz's understanding of our situation."
"And he wishes your response to be the gratitude of a friend," Cazzira said. ?He hopes that more will come of our chance meeting - much more. Thus, he must continue his exploration of Belli'mar Juraviel's heart, through Cazzira, who serves as his eyes and ears."
"And what of me?" Brynn asked, her tone showing that she felt a bit left out.
"You are still alive, and on your way," Cazzira replied, never taking her stare from Juraviel. ?Be pleased, Brynn Dharielle, for that is more than most humans who wander onto the land of Tylwyn Doc can ever say!"
Brynn sighed and did not press the point.
"And so you will serve as King Eltiraaz's eyes and ears all the way to the entrance to the Path of Starless Night?" Juraviel asked.
Cazzira gave a little laugh and swept around, waving her arm out toward a dark shadow at the base of a nearby jag of stone. ?We are at the en-trance," she explained, pulling off her pack as she spoke. She untied and opened the pack, producing three of the blue-white glowing torches, toss-ing one to each of her companions while keeping the third for herself. ?The continuation of your road, the beginning of my own."
Cazzira started toward the shadowy opening, but Juraviel grabbed her arm to stop her. She turned about and the two locked stares again.
"This is not your business," Juraviel said.
"Is it yours?"
"It is because Lady Dasslerond decided that it was."
"As it is mine because King Eltiraaz decided that it was," Cazzira an-swered. ?Perhaps the Tylwyn Doc have no place in the affairs of the Tylwyn Tou, or in the affairs of the To-gai-ru or any humans at all. Or perhaps we not trust you enough to let you walk out freely. That is what we discover. Consider my company the price of your freedom, if you -? a return favor from Belli'mar Juraviel and Brynn Dharielle." raviel continued to stare at Cazzira for a long, long while, and then he d and gave a helpless, defeated laugh. How could he refuse her com-chip after the amazing trust the Doc'alfar had placed in him and in At other part of Belli'mar Juraviel wondered why he would want to e her as well. Would it not be more pleasant for him to have another along who understood his perspective of the world, the elven viewpoint? He was a fine companion, but she was a human, and would soon be among her own kind, heavily involved in their politics and ways, and during that transition, Juraviel knew that he would be little more than a distant observer. Perhaps those days would be brighter indeed with the companionship of one more akin to him.
Besides, there was something about Cazzira that Juraviel found quite ap-pealing, despite her stern face - or possibly, because of it. Her often fiery and volatile remarks reminded him of another he had once known, a Touel'alfar named Tuntun who had been his dearest friend. Cazzira even looked a bit like Tuntun.
"Lead on," he said, and so she did, and so Cazzira and Juraviel and Brynn entered a narrow tunnel that widened into a large and airy cave. Tw exits ran off the back of the cave, deeper into the mountains, and Cazzira considered each for a few moments, then nodded and went into the one to the left.
Soon all daylight was left behind, the trio entering a darkness so pro-found that, without the strange torches, they would not have been able to see a hand flapping