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" DIV the of to for his right said Ingryl I them-?"Spellmaster?" a voice called, from behind him. Gods, it must be coming from near the entrance to his refuge-but on the inside.

Ingryl whirled around, snatched up two wands, and took two swift steps to fire them down the entrance tunnel. Streams of fire roared, and he let them rage for a long time before he called back sweetly, "Yes? Which fool is it?"

"This one," the Baron Phelinndar replied crisply, stepping through the doorway with Ingryl's flames still curling vainly around his strong shielding. He held what had spun that shield in his hand: a glowing Dwaer-Stone.

"I'm enough of a fool," he announced calmly, "to know that I don't know how to use thiss properly-but I've bound myself to it, so any treachery you do to me will also be visited on you" He strode forward. "I need you to conquer Aglirta, and you need me. Have we the beginnings of a deal here?"

Ingryl swallowed, set down his wands, and waved the baron towards a vacant chair. "I suppose we do," he said faintly. "Claws of the Dark One, but I used to think I knew who was whom in Aglirta, and what spell would defeat which. Now…"

"It's never too late to learn new tactics, I believe," the baron observed calmly. "Have you any wine to share that isn't poisoned?"

After a moment of startled silence, Ingryl threw back his head and laughed.

Meanwhile

Somewhere, in darkness, Ezendor Blackgult and Flaeros Delcamper fell forever.

There were no stars, no sounds, and-nothing. Nothing but endless tumbling. They were falling slowly through nothingness to the accompaniment of the regent's ceaseless flood of oaths. Blackgult cursed softly, on and on, spewing forth a great splendor of words that left the young bard marveling.

When at last the regent grew tired, or ran out of fearsome phrases, and fell silent, Flaeros asked timidly, "Did I do something wrong, Lord?"

"No," Blackgult said shortly, "I did. The scepter has a 'take refuge' power of some sort, and I aroused it when I meant to do something else. That's what comes of snatching up in battle something one has only read about, and trying to use it."

He glanced about, all around them, and spread his hands in a flourish to better indicate-nothing. "We're in a place that only magic can reach-an endless void, if the books tell true… and they seem to." Fixing Flaeros with a sour gaze, he asked, "So, young Delcamper, do you have any other little surprises for me?"

"I… no… well, what d'you mean?"

"Magic, and suchlike-are you carrying any?"

"N-no… well, wait. Just this," the bard said slowly, extending the hand where he always wore the Vodal.

Blackgult seized hold of his fingers, peered at the ring with a frown, and nodded slowly. "I believe this'll do. It'll cost us both blood and the ring-but it will return us to Aglirta. The alternative is to be trapped here forever, I believe-though we'll probably lose interest in 'forever' when we starve." He glanced up. "Shall I?"

Flaeros stared at the Vodal. Familiar, comforting, the family treasure he'd always worn… he ran his fingers over its familiar curves one last time, then looked at the regent. "Yes. Serpent and all, we must go back."

Blackgult nodded grimly, and drew his dagger.

Flaeros looked at him warily, but the regent grinned. 'Just a little blood, lad-I'm not looking to cut your throat."

"Everyone else in Aglirta seems to be trying to," Flaeros complained, and the regent laughed as he nicked the back of the young bard's arm and murmured something. Then he cut himself, made the same murmur, and held out his hand for the Vodal.

Reluctantly Flaeros gave it to him. Baron Blackgult touched it to his own blood and then to the bard's, said the last incantation of his spell, looked up with a grin, and said, 'Just wait until you're a baron, lad. Then ask your throat how hunted it feels."

A moment later, with a sudden whirl of blinding lights and a roar of sound, Aglirta came back to them.

"Quick-run! Serpent-priests!" Narneth