Roger Zelazny - Jack of the Shadows

8/12/2019 Roger Zelazny - Jack of the Shadows

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This text was scanned and put in order by Kathy Free, 2:5020/517.1

J!K

"F

#$%"

'"()' *)+*-

#oe there be that shadows

iss, #uch hae but a shadows biss.

T$) 3)'!$T "F 4)!)

Foreword

6)"6+) #"3)T3)# #K e whether the tite Jac o #hadows was intended to

sound ie a description o a payin8 card used in soe arcane 8ae, as we as representin8

y prota8onists nae and a atter o 8eo8raphy. nswer: -es. e on8 been ascinated byodd decs o cards, and had an extensie coection o the at one tie.

9$a9 they usuay respond on hearin8 this adission. 9Then this business about the cards

and the reerence to shadows ties this story in at soe subterranean psychoo8ica ee with

your ber boos, ri8ht;9

&e, no. The ast tie was down in the catacobs coudnt ocate any connection.

was sipy attracted by the ia8ery. "n the other hand, nobody eer ased e, 9&hy Jac;9

coud hae answered that one: Jac 4ance.

n this, y tenth boo, d decided to try or soethin8 on the order o those rare and

exotic settin8s adired so uch in so any o Jac 4ances stories. t seeed ony air

then, once d wored thin8s out, to ind a tite with 9Jac9 in it as a priate bit o hoa8e

pubicy dispayed. ow you a now.

suppose the inerences concernin8 a reationship to ber coud hae been

stren8thened, thou8h, by the act that this boo cae out between the pubication o ine

6rinces in ber and The (uns o aon, the irst two boos in that seriesuotation ro The 3erchant o 4enice ony because it seeed so apt once d

pried it ree o its context. The #haespearean wor to which actuay do owe a debt here

cae aon8 about ei8ht years ater 3erchant. reer to 3acbeth. True, =irna &ood does

not coe a8ainst Jac, and the pay contains no >uote wanted to uproot and epoy here.

=ut Jacs character under8oes an interestin8 pro8ression, which owes soethin8 to#haespeares portrait o the boody #cot. dont care to say anythin8 ore about it, thou8h,

because ee that introductory pieces shoud not spoi story ines. #oeone naed J. 1. 3.

#tewart aost ruined 4anity Fair or e that way years a8o.

This was not one o y experienta boos, such as !reatures o +i8ht and %arness,

%oorways in the #and, =rid8e o shes, 'oadars or )ye o !at. Those are the ie wherein

wored out ots o techni>ues used in any o the others. This was a ore woranie

?ob in that new exacty what wanted to do and how to do it, with the prota8onist


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t is interestin8 to e, too, in ooin8 at a story across the years this way, to see it in

ters o what cae ater as we as what preceded it. do ee that the shadow o Jac e

upon the prota8onist o Today &e !hoose Faces. so, there is soethin8 o Jacs sardonic

attitude as we as his caution in the ater taes o %iish the %aned


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9&ho are you tain8 about;9 ased the (aes 3aster.

9%o you now o one caed Jac, who aways hears his nae i it is spoen in shadows;9

9Jac o #hadows; The thie;


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They conducted hi to the (aes 3asters bri8hty i8hted tent. $e was pushed beore

the tabe at which =enoni sat. The 8uards oed to surround hi once ore with their

anterns and shadowuired.

9-es,9 they said in unison.

9=ut you are wron8 in cain8 hi a an,9 Cua@er continued, 9or he is a darsider.9

9ae hi.9

$e is caed Jac o #hadows.9 The (aes 3aster sied.

9t is true that a an ay be caed any thin8s,9 he said, 9but in your case there sees

to be considerabe a8reeent.


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9 dont ie the sound o this,9 said Jac.

9t is not as i you woud be dead oreer.9

9t is a on8 way bac ro the %un8 6its o (ye at the &estern 6oe o the word, and

one ust wa. t soeties taes years to constitute a new body.9

9Then youe been there beore;9

9-es,9 said Jac, testin8 his bonds, 9and d rather not hae to do it a8ain.9 9Then you adit that you hae at east one ore ie. (ood n that case, ee no

copunction in orderin8 your iediate execution


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9 do indeed,9 he said, turnin8 toward #a8e and Cua@er. 9-ou o the ?acass ears and

you< 8ynandroorphui.

Then, 9#o be it,9 said Jac.

They too Jac to the center o the copound, where the an naed =ite stood with

his hu8e axe. Jac ooed away >uicy, and iced his ips. Then his eyes were drawn

irresistiby bac to the bades bri8ht ed8e.

=eore he was ased to nee at the choppin8 boc, the air about hi cae aie with

eathery issies that he new to be a horde o dancin8 bats. 3ore o the poured in ro thewest, but they oed too >uicy to cast hi shadows that attered.

$e cursed then, nowin8 that his eney had sent his inions to oc hi in his

passin8.

&hen it cae to a thet, he 8eneray succeeded. $e was irritated at hain8 to ose one

o his ies on a soppy ?ob. ter a, he was who he was . . .

$e net and owered his head.

s he waited, he wondered whether it was true that the head retained consciousness or a

second or two ater bein8 seered ro the body. $e attepted to disiss it, but the thou8ht

ept returnin8.

=ut coud it be, he wondered, ore than sipy a botched ?ob; the +ord o =ats had aid

a trap, it coud ony ean that one thin8.

2

F) +)# "F i8ht traced in the bacness< white, sier, bue, yeow, red


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$e did not now where he was yin8 or how he had coe to that pace o darness and

stars. The sensation seeed aiiarD howeer, the return et ie soethin8 preiousy

experienced, thou8h on8 a8o.

warth about his heart spread outward, and he et a tin8in8 that >uicened a his

senses. &ith this he new.

9%an9 was the irst word he spoe, or with the return o his sense o se cae au awareness o his situation.

$e was yin8 in the %un8 6its o (ye at the &est 6oe o the &ord in the rea o the

sinister =aron o %rehei, throu8h whose in8do a who see resurrection ust pass.

$e reai@ed thereore that he was on a ound o oa in the idde o a ae o ith.

n ei sie crossed his ace as he considered or the hundredth tie that whie en be8in

and end in such ashion, darsiders coud cai nothin8 better.

&hen he coud oe his ri8ht hand, he be8an to rub his throat and assa8e his nec.

There was no pain, but that ast dreadu eory cae iidy to ind. $ow on8 a8o had it

been; #eera years, ost iey, he decided. That was aera8e or hi. $e shuddered and

orced away the oentary thou8ht o the tie when his ast ie woud be expended. This

shudder was oowed by a shierin8 which did not cease. $e cursed the oss o the 8arentswhich by now had either odered with his orer body or, ore iey, had been worn to

tatters on the bac o another an.

$e rose sowy, re>uirin8 air but wishin8 that he coud ore8o breathin8 or a tie. $e

tossed aside the e88shaped stone he had ound in his hand. t woud not do to reain on8 in

one pace now that he was aost hise a8ain.

The )ast was in a directions. (rittin8 his teeth, he chose what he hoped to be the

easiest way.

$e did not now how on8 it too hi to achiee the shore. Thou8h his shadow eyes

>uicy accustoed hi to the stari8ht, there were no true shadows or hi to consut.

nd what is tie; year is one copete passa8e o a panet about its sun. ny

subdiisions o that year ay be deterined in accordance with other otions o the

panet . . . or the otions o its inhabitants.

For Jac, the our annua uctuations o the Twii8ht represented seasons. &ithin these

tie units, dates were aways to be deterined ore speciicay by eans o the stars


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bac, he coud hear the sound o the any


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For a oent he rested there, tryin8 to uster his reainin8 stren8th. $e sei@ed her

hair with his et hand, as his ri8ht ar oed about her body. Forcin8 her away ro hi, he

roed to his et, nowin8 ro his wain8 instant what ust be done. &ith ?ust a raction o

his od speed, his head dropped orward.

&hen he had inished, he wiped his outh, stood and stared down at the ip or.

96oor apire,9 he said. 9There was not uch bood in you which is why you wantedine so desperatey, yet were so wea in its tain8. =ut , too, was desperate in y hun8er.

&e do what we ust.9

&earin8 the bac sirts, coa and ti8ht


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or did he drea we.

$e dreaed that he was bac in the %un8 6its. This tie, howeer, he was chained, so

that ie 3ornin8star


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That was a.

&hoeer had spoen had had a shadow a across his ips at that oent. t had been a

too brie, howeer.

Jac turned his head sowy and new the direction. t had been ar ahead and to his ri8ht.

"er a hundred ea8ues, he 8uessed. 6ossiby een in another in8do.

$e 8nashed his teeth. ony he new his present ocation, he coud at east 8uess as tothe source. s it was, he coud hae heard anythin8 ro a ra8ent o a taern tae to a

piece o a pot by soeone aready aware o his return. The possibiity o the atter occupied

his ind or a on8 whie.

$e increased his pace and did not rest at the tie he had panned. $e decided that this

hastened his 8ood ortune, when he discoered a rainpoo. $e ound it ree o sureiance,

approached it and dran his i.

$e coud not >uite ae out his reection in the dar waters, so he strained his eyes unti

his eatures becae ainty discernibe: dar ace, thin, aint i8hts or eyes, sihouette o a

an with stars at his bac.

9h, Jac -oue becoe a shadow your se9 he uttered. 9&astin8 away in a crue

and. because you proised the !oone &ho eer %ied that cursed baube eerthou8ht it woud coe to this, did you; &as the attept worth the price o aiure;9 Then he

au8hed, or the irst tie since his resurrection. 9re you au8hin8, too, shadow o a

shadow;9 he inay ased his reection. 96robaby,9 he decided. 9=ut you are bein8 poite

about it because you are y reection, and you now 8o ater the boody ?ewe a8ain, as

soon as now where it ies. #hes worth it.9

For a oent he or8ot his hatred and sied, the aes that burned at the bac o his

ind died down and were repaced by the ia8e o the 8ir.

#he had a pae ace, with eyes the 8reen o the ed8es o od irrors. $er short upper ip

touched the ower oisty in a aint pout. $er chin it within the circe o his thub and

orein8er, and copper, catenary ban8s owed oer atchin8 brows ie the win8s o a

hoerin8 bird. )ene was her nae and she stood up to his shouder in hei8ht. #he wore 8reen

eet to a narrow waist. $er nec was ie the bar


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o (ye ay directy beneath the #hieds apex, the sphere. 6erhaps the eects had not yet

been et arther east.

$e traeed on and he sept, and there were no urther sounds which coud be taen as

pursuit. $eartened, he rested ore re>uenty and occasionay deiated ro the route he had

set by the stars to inesti8ate orations which i8ht hod rainpoos or ania ie. "n two

such occasions he ocated water, but he ound nothin8 that woud proide nourishent. "n one such excursion he was attracted by a pae red 8ow coin8 throu8h a cet in the

roc to his ri8ht. $ad he been oin8 ore >uicy, he woud hae passed it unnoticed, so

eebe was the i8ht that eer8ed. s it was, he was picin8 his way up a sope, oer 8rae

and oose stones.

&hen he saw it, he paused and wondered. Fire; soethin8 was burnin8, there woud be

shadows. nd i there were shadows...

$e drew his bade and turned sidewise. #word ar irst, he entered the cet. $e eased

hise aon8 the narrow passa8e, restin8 his bac a8ainst the stone between steps.

+ooin8 upward, he estiated the top o the rocy ass at our ties his own hei8ht.

rier o stars owed throu8h the 8reater bacness o the stone.

The passa8e 8raduay turned to the et: then terinated abrupty, openin8 onto a wideed8e that stood perhaps three eet aboe the aeys oor. $e stood there and considered the

pace.

t was cosed on a sides by hi8h and seein8y natura was o stone. =ac shrubbery

8rew aon8 the bases o these was, and dar weeds and 8rasses 8rew at a 8reater distance

ro the. e8etation ceased, howeer, at the perieter o a circe.

t ay at the ar end o the aey, and its diaeter was perhaps ei8hty eet. t was

perecty circuscribed and there were no si8ns o ie within it. hu8e ossy bouder stood

at its center, 8owin8 ainty.

Jac et uneasy, thou8h he coud not say why. $e sureyed the pinnaces and

escarpents that hed8ed the aey. $e 8anced at the stars.

&as it his ia8ination, or did the i8ht icer once whie his eyes were esewhere;

$e stepped down ro the ed8e. Then, cautiousy, eepin8 cose to the ethand wa,

he adanced.

The oss coered the bouder entirey. t was pinish in coor, and it seeed to be the

source o the 8ow. s he neared it, Jac noted that it was not neary as cod in the aey as

it was outside it. 6erhaps the was proided soe insuation.

=ade in hand, Jac entered the circe and adanced. &hateer the cause o the

stran8eness o this pace, he reasoned that it i8ht be a thin8 he coud turn to his adanta8e.

=ut he had taen scarcey ha a do@en steps within the circe, when he et a psychic

stirrin8 ie soethin8 bupin8, nu@@in8 a8ainst his ind.

Fresh arrow cannot be contained cae the thou8ht. Jac hated.

9&ho are you; &here are you;9 he ased.

ie beore you, itte one. !oe to e

. 9 see ?ust a ody roc.9

#oon you wi see ore. !oe to e

9o than you,9 said Jac, eein8 a 8rowin8 sinister intent behind the aroused

consciousness which had addressed hi.

t is not an initation. t is a coand that pace upon you.

$e et a stron8 orce coe into hi, and with it a copusion to oe orward. $e

resisted i8htiy and ased, 9&hat are you;9

a that which you see beore you. !oe now


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9The roc or the un8us;9 he in>uiredD stru88in8 to reain where he stood and eein8

that he was osin8 the contest. "nce he too one step, he new the second woud coe

ore easiy. $is wi woud be broen and the roc thin8 woud hae its way with hi.

#ay that a both, athou8h we are reay one.< -ou are stubborn, creature. This is 8ood.

ow, howeer, you can no on8er resist e.

t was true, $is ri8ht e8 was atteptin8 to oe o its own accord, and he reai@ed thatin a oent it woud. #o he coproised.

Turnin8 his body, he yieded to the pressure, but the step that he too was ore to the

ri8ht than strai8ht ahead.

Then his et oot be8an inchin8 its way in the direction o the roc. #tru88in8 whie

subittin8, he oed to the side as we as ahead.

4ery we. Thou8h you wi not coe to e in a strai8ht ine, yet wi you coe to e.

The perspiration appeared on Jacs brow as step by step he ou8htD and step by step he

adanced in a countercocwise spira toward that which suoned hi. $e was uncertain

as to how on8 it was that he stru88ed. $e or8ot eerythin8: his hatred, his hun8er, his

thirst, his oe. There were ony two thin8s in the unierse, hise and the pin bouder.

The tension between the ied the air ie a steady note which 8oes unheard ater a tiebecause o its constancy, which aes it a nora part o thin8s. t was as i the stru88e

between Jac and the other had been 8oin8 on oreer.

Then soethin8 ese entered the ti8ht itte unierse o their conict.

Forty or ity painu steps


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The seetons cae into iew a8ain, and he was ery cose to that surace which ooed

ie cancerous esh. $e coud ee it hun8erin8 or hi, and he was icin8 bones aside and

hearin8 the crunch beneath his boots as he oed to the rear. $e saw what he wanted and

orced hise to 8o another three steps to reach it, thou8h it was ie wain8 a8ainst a

hurricane $e was ?ust inches ro that deady surace now.

$e threw hise toward the napsacs. $e raed the toward hi


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There was, o course, resistance as he reersed their preious roes. The power that had

copeed hi ou8ht bac, becae the icti itse. &ithin hise, Jac stiuated the

hun8er, the open space, the acuu. The current, the drain, the pu was reersed.

...nd he ed.

-ou ay not do this to e. -ou are a thin8.

=ut Jac au8hed and 8rew stron8er as its resistance ebbed. #oon it was unabe een toprotest.

=eore the cande booed bri8hty and died, the osses had turned brown and the 8ow

had departed. &hateer had once ied there ied no on8er.

Jac wiped his hands on his coa, any ties, beore he departed the aey.

G

T$) #T')(T$ $) had 8athered sustained hi or a on8 whie, and Jac hoped that

soon he i8ht >uit the stinin8 rea. The teperature did not diinish urther, and there

cae one i8ht raina as he was preparin8 to seep. $e hudded beside a roc and drew hiscoa oer his head. t did not protect hi copetey, but he au8hed een as the waters

reached his sin. t was the irst raina he had et since (ye.

+ater, there were suicient poos and puddes or hi to cean hise as we as to drin

and to rei his as. $e continued on rather than seep, so his 8arents i8ht dry ore

>uicy.

t brushed past his ace so rapidy that he barey had tie to react. t happened as he

neared a shattered tower that a piece o the darness broe away and dropped toward hi,

oin8 in a rapid, windin8 way.

$e did not hae suicient tie to draw his bade. t passed his ace and darted away. $e

ana8ed to hur a three stones which he carried beore it was out o si8ht, coin8 cose to

hittin8 it with the second one. Then he bowed his head and cursed or a u ha


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o. coud not be...

$e drew ery near. Finay, he was starin8 down, ooin8 into her eyes.

9#ay you reeber, Jac.9

9 reeber,9 he said.

nd he did.

9...'osaie, at the #i8n o the =urnin8 6este, on the coach road near the ocean. =ut thatwas so on8 a8o, and in Twii8ht...9

9-es,9 she said. 9t was so on8 a8o and so ar away. =ut neer or8ot you, Jac. " a

the en that taern 8ir et, she reebered you the best.


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#he s>uinted and eaned orward, her 8a@e borin8 into his own. $er eyes were suddeny

ast caerns opened to en8u hi. $e bore the ain8 sensation that cae with this. t

anished seconds ater when she ooed away ro hi, turnin8 her head to rest upon her

ri8ht shouder.

9-ou did 8o bac,9 she said.

9t was as tod you.9 $e piced up his bread and be8an to chew noisiy, so as not to appear to notice the

oisture which had appeared upon her chee.

9 or8ot,9 she inay said. 9 or8ot how itte tie eans to a darsider. The years ean

so itte to you that you do not eep proper trac o the. -ou sipy decided one day that

you woud 8o bac or 'osie, neer thinin8 that she i8ht hae becoe an od woan and

died or 8one away. understand now, Jacie. -ou are used to thin8s that neer chan8e. The

6owers reain the 6owers. -ou ay i a an today and hae dinner with hi ten years

hence, au8hin8 oer the due you ou8ht and tryin8 to reca its cause. "h, its a 8ood ie you

ead9

9 do not hae a sou. -ou do.9

9 sou;9 she au8hed. 9&hats a sou; e neer seen one. $ow do now its there;)en so, what 8ood has it done e; d trade it in a twinin8 to be ie one o you. ts

beyond y rt, thou8h.9

9 sorry,9 Jac said.

They ate in sience or a tie. 9There is a thin8 woud ie to as you,9 she said.

9&hat is that;9

9s there reay a #hadow (uard;9 she ased $i. 9 caste o hi8h, shadow


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9%o not inish eatin8. Tae your bread and run. a too od to 8o with you. t was sweet

o you to as. That youn8 8ir i8ht hae ied #hadow (uard, but a content to spend y

days where a.


19/83


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The riders cae into iew. $e counted seen.

$is bade cae into his hand, and he threw his coa bac oer his shouders. $e ran

in8ers throu8h his hair, rubbed his eyes and waited.

"er his et shouder, hi8h in the idde o the air, a star appeared to bri8hten.

$e decided that it was senseess to ee on oot ro ounted en, especiay when he

new o no haen which he i8ht see. They woud ony run hi to the 8round i he ed,and by then he woud be too tired to 8ie a 8ood batte and send at east a ew o the to the

6its.

#o he waited, ony si8hty distracted by the 8rowin8 ba@e in the heaens.

The coen hooes o the seen bac riders struc spars ro the stones. Their eyes,

hi8h aboe the 8round, were ie a handu o 8owin8 ebers buried in his direction. &isps

o soe eer8ed ro their nostris, and occasionay they eitted hi8h


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96ut up your bade, shadow an,9 said the =aron. 9 we ust disar you, you wi

doubtess be in?ured in the scue. shoud preer an unaied serant.9

s the =aron spoe. Jac spat. Two o the en 8anced upward and continued to stare at

the sy. #uspectin8 an attept to distract hi, Jac did not oow their eyes.

=ut then another an turned his headD and seein8 this, the =aron hise ooed upward.

$i8h, and at the periphery o his ision, Jac becae aware o the 8reat 8ow that hadappeared. $e turned his head then, and he saw the 8reat sphere that raced in their direction,

8rowin8 and bri8htenin8 as it approached.

Cuicy, he dropped his eyes. &hateer the nature o the thin8, it was senseess not to

tae adanta8e o the opportunity it had proided.

$e eaped orward and beheaded the 8apin8 an who stood at the end o the arc to his

ri8ht.

$e was abe to spit the next ans su, despite a hasty parry which cae too sow as

the an turned. =y then, the =aron and his our retainers had turned and were upon hi.

Jac parried and retreated as rapidy as he coud, not enturin8 a riposte. $e attepted to

circe the stone to his et, whie eepin8 the at bay. They oed too >uicy, howeer, and

he ound hise parenthesi@ed. )ach coseuicy as it had coe, howeer, and the darness that oowed

seeed aost absoute. $e attepted to tae adanta8e o this =aron and his en unti he

touched the roc. $e be8an to ed8e his way about it.

9-our prisoner;9 he heard the =aron shout. 9$e is ine9

9&e hae been 8ood nei8hbors or a on8 whie, =aron


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respected isitorD and the prisoner, o course, is ine.9

9+ord,9 said the =aron, 9this has aways been a disputed border


23/83

#oon it was at his side. $e et the presence, thou8h he coud barey discern it. &hie it

ade

no hostie oeents, he prepared to deend hise at its irst touch.

93ay in>uire as to the state o your heath;9 cae the sot, sweet oice.

#uppressin8 a shudder, Jac said, 9 a hun8ry, thirsty and tired.9

9$ow unortunate. wi see that those conditions are soon reedied.9 9&hy;9

9t is y custo to treat y 8uests with eery courtesy.9

9 was not aware o y bein8 anyones 8uest.9

9 isitors to y rea are y 8uests, Jac, een those who abused y hospitaity on

preious occasions.9

9That is 8ood to nowuicy and saey as possibe.9

9&e wi discuss the atter ater dinner.9

94ery 8ood.9

9This way, pease.9

Jac oowed hi as he bore to the ri8ht, nowin8 that it woud be utie to do otherwise.s they oed, he occasionay cau8ht a 8ipse o that dar, handsoe ace, hauired.

9$e has 8one hoe a wiser an,9 said the otherD and there was a ash o white within a

oentary sie.

They reached the his ee top and oed to its center.

The dar one drew his bade and used it to scratch an eaborate pattern upon the 8round.

Jac reco8ni@ed soe o the arin8s. Then he otioned Jac away, oed his et thub

aon8 the ed8e o the bade and et his bood a into the center o the pattern. s he did this,

he spoe seen words. $e turned then and 8estured or Jac to coe and stand beside hi

once a8ain. $e then drew a circe about the and turned to address the pattern once a8ain.

s the words were spoen, the pattern too ire at their eet. Jac sou8ht to oo awayro the ba@in8 ines and cures, but his 8a@e was trapped within the dia8ra and his eyes

be8an to trace it.

eein8 o ethar8y oercae hi as the pattern too hod o his ind to the excusion o

a ese. $e seeed to be oin8 within it, a part o it...

#oeone pushed hi and he e.

$e was on his nees in a pace o briiance, and the utitudes oced hi. o.

Those who iiced his eery oeent were other ersions o hise.

$e shoo his head to cear it, reai@ed then that he was surrounded by irrors and

bri8htness.

$e stood, re8ardin8 the conused prospect. $e was near to the center o a ar8e, anyuiibriu. $urryin8 then, he passed the tabe and continued on in what he deeed to be a

strai8ht ine. The tabe was behind hi, then aboe hi. ter seera hundred paces, it wasbeore hi once a8ain. $e turned in a ri8ht an8e ro his course and repeated the wa. The

resuts were the sae.

There were no windows, no doors. There was the tabe, there was a bed and there were

chairs with sideuicy, and the +ord

o =ats sied at hi and bowed.

9%inner is sered,9 he said, 8esturin8 toward the tabe.

Jac nodded, oed with hi, seated hise and be8an to i his pate.

9$ow do you ie your >uarters;9

9 ind the >uite ausin8,9 Jac repied. 9 note an absence o doors and windows,

aon8 other thin8s.9

9-es.9

Jac be8an to eat. $is appetite was ie a ae that woud not be >uenched.

9-our ?ourney has et you >uite wretcheduired.

9&ho nows; t coud tae years.9

9 see.9 were to attac hi with the carin8 nie. Jac wondered, woud be abe to i hi;

"r woud he be too stron8 or e now; "r abe to suon his power in an instant; nd i

were to succeed, coud ind a way out o here;9

9&here are we;9 Jac ased.

The +ord o =ats sied.

9&hy, we are ri8ht here,9 he said, touchin8 his breast.

Jac rowned, pu@@ed.

9 do not


25/83

9&e, woud it be worth steain8;9

93ost iey. &hat sort o stone is it;9

9t is not actuay a stone. t is this roo. !onsider the shape.9

Jac did, shitin8 his eyes ro the stone to the was and bac seera ties.

9ts shape is >uite siiar to that o this chaber...9

9t is identica. t ust be, because they are the sae thin8.9 9 ai to oowuinted, stared.

9nside...9 he said. 9There is a tiny repica o this chaber inside...9

9+oo or this tabe.9

9 see it nd see us seated at it a


26/83

epoyent. sha tae 8reat dei8ht in obserin8 his de8eneration into a state o tota

adness.9

9#o as to eed your pride and se


27/83

9 deterined to succeed with a8ic where they had aied with their science,9 he went on.

9 experiented or a on8 whie, then ade the attept. aied


28/83

occasions since his arria, pupin8 into sudden existence, drooin8 and snatchin8 at hi.

)ach tie, he had ended it o with a chair, whie screain8 as oudy as he coud ana8eD

and the +ord o =ats aways oowed ater a ew oents and droe the creature away,

apoo8i@in8 prousey or the inconenience. Jac had been unabe to seep we since the

irst such isit, nowin8 that it coud happen a8ain at any tie.

The eas appeared re8uary, >uite undistin8uished repasts, and he ate theautoaticay whie thinin8 o other atters. terward, he was neer abe to reca what

they had eatured, nor did he wish to.

#oon now he reected.

$e had exercised to eep ro 8rowin8 sot. $e had 8ained bac soe o the wei8ht he

had ost. $e had ou8ht boredo by pannin8 and re?ectin8 any pots or escape and

en8eance. Then 'osaies words had returned to hi, and he deterined his course o

action.

The air seeed to shier. There cae a one, not unie the snappin8 o a in8ernai

a8ainst a 8obet, soewhere near at hand.

Then the +ord o =ats was beside hi, and this tie he was not siin8.

9Jac,9 he be8an iediatey, 9you disappoint e. &hat were you atteptin8 toestabish;9

9 be8 your pardon;9

9-ou ?ust copeted soe sort o wea spe a ew oents a8o. %id you reay thin

woud

be unaware o a worin8 o the rt here in $i8h %ud8eon;9

9"ny i it succeeded,9 said Jac.

9&hich it obiousy did not. -ou are sti here.9

9"biousy.9

9-ou cannot shatter these was, nor pass throu8h the.9

9#o e earned.9

9%o you ind ties wei8ht increasin8 upon you;9

9#oewhat.9

9Then perhaps it is tie to introduce soe additiona eeent into your enironent.9

9-ou did not te e there was another =orshin.9

The other chuced, and a bat eer8ed ro soewhere, circed his head seera ties,

suspended itse ro the chain he wore.

9o, that is not what had in ind,9 he said. 9 wonder how uch on8er your sense o

huor wi hod up;9

Jac shru88ed, rubbed idy at a sud8e o soot on his ri8ht orein8er.

9+et e now when you ind out,9 he said.

9 proise you wi be aon8 the irst.9 Jac nodded.

9 woud appreciate it i you woud rerain ro urther endeaors aon8 a8ica ines,9

said the +ord o =ats. 9n this hi8hy char8ed atosphere they coud produce seere

repercussions.9

9 bear that in ind,9 said Jac.

9!apita. #orry to hae interrupted. et you 8et bac to your nora actiities now

dieu.9

Jac did not repy, or he was aone.

t was soe tie ater that the additiona eeent appeared within his enironent.

'eai@in8 that he was not aone, Jac ooed up suddeny. t the si8ht o her coppery hairand her ha


29/83

Then he rose, oed toward her, oed to the side, studied her ro seera an8es.

Finay, 9t is a ery 8ood ?ob,9 he said. 9(ie y copients to your creator. -ou are

an exceedin8y ine siuacru o y +ady )ene, o the Fortress $odin8.9

9 a neither a siuacru nor a your +ady,9 she said with a sie, curtseyin8.

9&hateer, you hae brou8ht e bri8htness,9 he said. 93ay oer you a seat;9

9Than you.9 #eatin8 her, he drew up another chair and set it to her et. +eanin8 bac in it, he re8arded

her obi>uey.

9ow wi you ridde e your words;9 he said. 9 you are not y )ene nor a

siuacru

coposed by y eney to troube e, then what are you; "r


30/83

9&hat was that ans nae;9

9Cua@er,9 she said. 9Cua@er was chapion o the $e8aes.9

9 oderatey useess piece o inoration or a siuacru to possess,9 Jac obsered,

9i true. -et, y eney is o the ussy, thorou8h sort. a sorry, but do not beiee you are

rea.9

9t is an exape o the e8otis that binds one to the obious.9 9o. now that you are not the rea )ene, but rather a thin8 sent to torent e, because

the rea )ene, y )ene, woud hae rerained ro ?ud8in8 e in y absence. #he woud

hae waited or y answer to whateer was said a8ainst e.9

#he ooed away then.

93ore o your ceer words,9 she inay said. 9They ean nothin8.9

9-ou ay 8o now,9 he said, 9and te your aster you did not succeed.9

9$e is not y aster $e is y +ord and oer9

9..."r you ay stay, i you do not wish to 8o. t atters not at a.9

$e rose then, crossed to the bed, stretched out upon it, cosed his eyes.

&hen he ooed a8ain, she was 8one.

$e had seen, howeer, that which she had not wished hi to see. ...=ut not 8ie the anythin8, he decided. o atter what eidence they oer, wi

expain it as a tric. wi eep y nowed8e where eep y eein8s, or now.

ter a tie, he retreated into seep, dreain8 in bri8ht coors o the uture as he woud

hae it.

$e was et aone or a on8 whie ater that, which suited hi perecty.

$e et that he had hed the +ord o =ats at bay, that he had deeated his irst desi8n upon

his sanity. $e occasionay chuced as he paced the was, ceiin8s, oors, suraces o his

chaber. $e editated upon his pan and its dan8ers, on the years that i8ht be inoed in

achiein8 it. $e ate his eas. $e sept.

t occurred to hi then that whie at any 8ien oent the +ord o =ats i8ht be

obserin8 hi, he coud possiby be under obseration at a ties. $e iediatey had

isions o the stran8e 8estone bein8 passed ro hand to hand by shits o his eneys

seritors. The thou8ht persisted. o atter what the action in which he was en8a8ed, there

cae the na88in8 eein8 that soeone i8ht be watchin8. $e too to sittin8 or on8 spes

8arin8 at possibe watchers behind the irrors. $e woud turn suddeny and 8esture

obsceney at inisibe copanions.

(ods ts worin8 he decided one tie, on awaenin8 and ooin8 >uicy about the

chaber. $e is reachin8 suspect his presence eerywhere, and it is be8innin8 to unbaance

e. =ut e aid the 8roundwor. he wi ?ust 8ie e the openin8 need and a other

thin8s reain as they are, ay hae a chance. The best way to insure the openin8, thou8h, isto reain as untroubed


31/83

soon. #oon he wi be coin8 to e. $e wi ee that it is tain8 too on8 to distress e.

There wi coe a counter


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9-our nae was stran8ey entered in the boo o )s,9 said the +ord o =ats, 9or that o

another was botted out aboe it.9

96erhaps the tuteary deity had second thou8hts on the atter.9

9To y nowed8e, this has neer occurred beore. =ut i you are one o the seen

chosen, so be it. $ear e, thou8h, beore you oe to essay your part o the #hied duty.9

$e capped his hands and a han8in8 stirred. )ene entered the roo. #he went and stood ather +ords side.

9&hie your powers ay be necessary or this thin8,9 he said to Jac, 9do not thin that

they approach y own here in $i8h %ud8eon. #oon we ust strie i8hts, and there wi be

shadows. )en i hae underestiated you, now that y +ady has had years in which to

study the rt and that she is uni>uey 8ited in its epoyent. #he wi add her sis to y

own, shoud you attept anythin8 sae that or which brou8ht you here. o atter what

you beiee, she is not a siuacru.9

9 now that,9 said Jac, 9or siuacra do not weep.9

9&hen did you see )ene weep;9

9-ou ust as her about it soetie.9

#he dropped her eyes as he turned his toward the atar and oed orward. 9d best be8in. 6ease stand in the esser circe,9 he said.

"ne by one, he i8nited the charcoa within ten bra@iers, which stood in three rows o

three, our and three each. $e added aroatic powders, causin8 each to ae and cast

soes o dierent coors. Then he oed to the ar side o the atar and traced a pattern

upon the oor with the bade o an iron nie. $e spoe soty and his shadow utipied,

recobined into one, swayed, 8rew sti, darened, and then stretched across the ha ie an

endess roadway to the

east. t did not oe thereater, despite the icerin8 i8ht, and 8rew so dar that it seeed to

possess the >uaity o depth.

Jac heard the +ord o =ats whispered, 9 ie this not9 to )ene, and he 8anced in their

direction.

Throu8h the roin8 soe, by the icerin8 i8hts, within the circe, he seeed to tae on

a darer, ore sinister appearance and to oe with 8reater and 8reater assurance and

eiciency. &hen he raised the sa be ro the atar and ran8 it, the +ord o =ats cried,

9#top9 but he did not brea the esser circe as the sense o another presence, tense, watchin8,

ied the ha.

9-ou are correct with respect to one thin8,9 Jac said. 9-ou are y aster when it coes

to the rt. a not so added as to cross swords with you, yet. )speciay not in your pace o

power. 'ather, see erey to occupy you or a tie, to assure y saety. t wi tae een

the two o you soe inutes to banish the orce hae suoned here


33/83

9The !opact and its a8ent, the =oo o )s, is the one thin8 we a respect


34/83

The shadows had borne hi to his cache near Twii8ht, where he stored the a8ica

docuents he had accuuated oer the years. $e wrapped these careuy and bore the

with hi into the east. "nce he achieed Twii8ht he woud be reatiey saeD when he

passed beyond it, he woud be out o dan8er.

!ibin8, he wored his way into the 'ennsia 3ountains, at the point where the ran8e aynearest Twii8htD there, he sou8ht 6anicus, the hi8hest rid8e.

3ountin8 aboe the ist, he saw the di and distant or o 3ornin8star outined

a8ainst the )erdawn. There on his cra8, couchant, unoin8, he aced the east. To one

who did not now, he woud hae seeed a wind


35/83

9%o you;9

9" course.9

9$ow;9

9Fro the shape o a coud now that a an in a distant city wi >uarre with his wie

three seasons hence and a urderer wi be han8ed beore inish speain8. Fro the ain8

o a stone now the nuber o aidens bein8 seduced and the oeents o iceber8s on theother side o the word. Fro the texture o the wind now where next the i8htnin8 wi

a. #o on8 hae watched and so uch a part o a thin8s, that nothin8 is hidden ro

e.9

9-ou now where 8o;9

9-es.9

9nd what woud do there;9

9 now that, too.9

9Then te e i you now, wi succeed in that which desire;9

9-ou wi succeed in that which you are about, but by then it ay not be what you desire.9

9 do not understand you, 3ornin8star.9

9 now that, too. =ut that is the way it is with a oraces, Jac. &hen that which isoreseen coes to pass, the in>uirer is no on8er the sae person he was when he posed the

>uestion. t is ipossibe to ae a an understand what he wi becoe with the passa8e o

tieD and it is ony a uture se to who a prophecy is truy reeant.9

9Fair enou8h,9 said Jac. 9"ny a not a an. a a darsider.9

9-ou are a en, whateer side o the word you ca hoe.9

9 hae no sou, and do not chan8e.9

9-ou chan8e,9 said 3ornin8star. 9)erythin8 that ies chan8es or dies. -our peope are

cod but their word is war, endowed as it is with enchantent, 8aourie, wonder. The

i8htanders now eein8s you wi not understand, thou8h their science is as cod as your

peopes hearts. -et they woud appreciate your rea i they did not ear it so and you i8ht

en?oy their eein8s but or the sae reason. #ti, the capacity is there, in each o you. The

ear need but 8ie way to understandin8, or you are irror ia8es o one another. #o do not

spea to e o sous when you hae neer seen one, an.9

9t is as you said


36/83

9-ou were both correct,9 said 3ornin8star. 9t is the sae thin8 that you both describe,

athou8h neither o you sees it as it reay is. )ach o you coors reaity in eepin8 with your

eans o controin8 it. For i it is uncontroabe, you ear it. #oeties then, you coor it

incoprehensibe. n your case, a achineD in theirs, a deon.9

9The stars now to be the houses o spirits and deities


37/83

96erhaps,9 said 3ornin8star, 9the ore theoo8icay incined aon8 the i8htanders as

why he did not 8rant the boon o science to the darsiders. &hat dierence does it ae;

hae heard the story that neither was the 8it o the Faen "ne, but both the inentions o

anD that his 8it, rather, was that o consciousness, which creates its own systes.9

Then, pantin8 and whee@in8, with a 8reat beatin8 o dar 8reen anes, a dra8on coapsed

upon their she o stone. The wind had coered the sounds o its coin8. t ay there,exhain8 brie aes at a rapid rate. ter a tie, it roed its appe


38/83

9-et you oercae your passion and returned to anhood, as ay the dra8on one day.

=y irtue o your consciousness you reco8ni@ed and oercae certain o those eeents

which ade you sub?ect to predictabiity. !onsciousness tends to transor one. &hy did you

not destroy the dra8on;9

9There was no need to,9 Jac be8an. Then he au8hed. 9ts carcass woud hae seed up

your ci.9 9&as it not that you decided that there was no need to i that which you did not need to

eat, or that which was no rea threat to you;9

9o,9 said Jac, 9or now a ?ust as responsibe or the death o a sheep and depriin8

soe ia8e an o uture eas.9

t too Jac seera seconds to reco8ni@e the sound which oowed, a 8rindin8, cicin8

noise. 3ornin8star was 8nashin8 his teeth. cod wind struc hi then, and the i8ht died

in the east.

9...6erhaps you were ri8ht,9 he heard 3ornin8star sayin8 soty, as thou8h not addressin8

hi, 9about consciousness...9 and his 8reat, dar head was owered si8hty.

ncoortabe, Jac ooed away ro hi. $is eyes oowed the white, unbinin8 star

which had aways troubed hi, as it oed on its rapid way ro ri8ht to et in the east. 9The ruer o that star,9 he said, 9has resisted a spes o counication. t oes

dierenty ro the others and aster. t does not twine. &hy is this;9

9t is not a true star, but an artiicia ob?ect paced into orbit aboe Twii8ht by the dayside

scientists.9

9To what end;9

9t was paced there to obsere the border.9

9&hy;9

9%o they ear you;9

9&e hae no desi8ns upon the ands o i8ht.9

9 now. =ut do you not aso watch the border, in your own way;9 ased Jac.

9" course.9

9&hy;9

9To be aware o what transpires aon8 it.9

9That is a;9 Jac snorted. 9 that ob?ect is truy aboe Twii8ht, then it wi be sub?ect to

a8ic as we as to its own aws. stron8 enou8h spe wi aect it. "ne day, wi noc it

down.9

9&hy;9 ased 3ornin8star.

9To show that y a8ic is superior to their science


39/83

these, noted indiiduaists in ie, coenced his own son8 at the sound o a ootstep. Finay,

ater runnin8 Aor it was a on8 thorou8hareB, he eer8ed with teporary deaness, shortness

o breath and a headache.

+owerin8 his ist, he hated in the idde o a curse, at a oss or words. $e coud thin o

no caaity to ca down upon the deserted ruin which had not aready been isited upon it.

&hen rue, thin8s wi be dierent, he decided. !ities wi not be panned so chaoticaythat they coe to this.

'ue;

The thou8ht had coe unbidden into his head.

&e, why not; he ased hise. can obtain the power see, why not use it or

eerythin8 that is desirabe; ter hae obtained y en8eance, wi hae to coe to

ters with a those who are a8ainst e now. t i8ht as we be as a con>ueror. a the ony

one who needs no ixed pace o power. sha be abe to deeat the others on their own

8rounds once hod the Key That &as +ost, Kowynia. This thou8ht ust hae been with e

a aon8. wi reward 'osaie or hain8 su88ested the eans.


40/83

yet, the eeruaity

either cae into or departed the word. t was in .the nature o an underyin8 sense o

interconnectedness, which was not present in days u 8are. &ith it cae sa eein8s and

soe ipressions. t was as i, despite his deaness to the, the shadows sti attepted to

address hi. t was in this way that he new, upon enterin8 the dar bar, that that which had

been seein8 hi was now drawin8 near.

The heat o perpetua day dropped away as he oed to the rear o The %u8out. Touched

here and there with auburn hi8hi8hts, he saw her dar hair in the rosy 8ow o cande


41/83

ese, thou8ht Jac. 8ood ay, but too ea8er to 8et arried. #hes been ipatient with e a

seester. ny day now...

$e disissed the thou8hts. $e i8ht hae arried her had he et her sooner, or he had

no >uas about eain8 a wie behind when he returned to where he ust. =ut he had ?ust

et her this seester, and thin8s were cose to copetion.

9&hat o the sabbatica youe been entionin8;9 she ased. 9ny decision on that yet;9 9 dont now. t depends on soe research doin8 ri8ht now.9

9$ow ar aon8 is it;9

9 now ater e used soe coputer tie hae coin8.9

9#oon;9

$e 8anced at his wristwatch and nodded.

9That soon;9 she said. 9 the indications are aorabe...;9

$e it a ci8arette.

9Then it coud be this coin8 seester,9 he said.

9=ut you said that your contract was


42/83

obiousuite wea, and bri8ht i8hts irritate the.9

9-es, thats what said.9 $e returned her sie.

$e crushed out his ci8arette, and as thou8h this were a si8na, a sot, sicenin8 usic

sithered ro out o a speaer set hi8h on the wa aboe the bar. $e too another drin o

beer.

9 suppose &eatherton 8ot in a ew shots at the resurrection o bodies, too;9

9-es.9

nd i die here; he wondered. &hat wi becoe o e; &i be denied (ye and

return;

9&hats wron8;9 she ased.

9&hat do you ean;9

9-our nostris ared. -our brows contracted.9 9-ou study eatures too uch. ts that awu usic.9

9 ie ooin8 at you,9 she said. 9=ut ets inish and 8o to y pace. pay you

soethin8 dierent. There is a thin8 want to show you and as you about, too.9

9&hat is it;9

9d rather wait.9

9 ri8ht.9

They inished their drins, and he paid. They departed, his eein8s o apprehension

subsidin8 as they oed into the i8ht he itered.

They cibed the stairs and entered her thirduicy to the et. Then he hated.

9&hat is it;9 he ased, searchin8 the roo with his eyes.

9 sure didnt eae the pace ie this. Those papers on the oor... dont thin that

chair was oer there. "r that drawer opened. "r the coset door...9

$e oed bac to her side, studied the oc or scratches, ound none. $e crossed the

roo then, and she heard a sound that coud ony be the cicin8 o a nie bade as he entered

the bedroo.

ter a oent he eer8ed, anished into the other roo, passed ro there into the

bathroo. &hen he reappeared, he ased her, 9&as that window by the tabe opened the way

it is now;9 9 thin so,9 she said. 9-es, 8uess it was.9

$e si8hed. $e exained the windowsi, then said, 9 8ust o wind probaby bew your

papers. s or the drawer and the coset, d bet you et the open yourse this ornin8. nd

youe probaby or8otten about oin8 the chair.9

9 a ery ordery person,9 she said, cosin8 the door to the andin8D and when she turned

she said, 9=ut 8uess youre ri8ht.9

9&hy are you nerous;9

#he oed about the apartent, picin8 up papers.

9&here did you 8et that nie;9 she ased hi.

9&hat nie;9

#he saed the coset door, turned and 8ared at hi. 9The one you had in your hand a inute a8o9


43/83

$e extended his hands, pas orward.

9 hae no nie. -ou ay search e i you wish. -ou wi not ind a weapon.9

#he oed to the chest o drawers, cosed the one which had been opened. #toopin8, she

opened a ower one and reoed a newsprint


44/83

+ater, whie starin8 at a piow throu8h the curtain o her hair and anay@in8 his reactions

to earier eents, he et once a8ain the nearin8 presence, this tie so cose that it aost

seeed as i he were bein8 watched. $e 8anced >uicy about the roo but saw nothin8.

+istenin8 to the sounds o traic on the street beow, he deterined to be about his

business soon, say in the space o a ci8arette.

There cae a sonic boo ro oerhead that ratted the window ie a sudden hand.

!ouds, sowy 8atherin8, obscured the sun soewhat. Knowin8 he was eary, he pared

his ehice in the acuty ot and reoed his heay briecase ro the rear. The trun o the

car contained three heay traein8 ba8s.

$e turned and be8an wain8 toward the ar end o the capus. $e et a need to eep

oin8, to be ready to run i necessary. $e thou8ht o 3ornin8star at that oent, watchin8

rocs and couds and birds, eein8 winds, rains, i8htnin8s, and he wondered whether that one

was instanty aware o eery oe he was ain8. $e et this to be so, and he wished that

his riend were at hand to counse hi now. %id he nowuite war, but now the heat was tepered by a i8ht bree@e ro the north.

The capus was aost deserted. $e passed a 8roup o students seated about the base o a

ountain, coparin8 notes on an exaination they had ?ust taen. $e thou8ht he reco8ni@ed

two o the ro his ntroduction to !utura nthropoo8y o seera seesters bac, but

they did not oo up as he went by.

s he passed %rae $a, he heard his nae caed out.

9John %octor #hade9

$atin8, he saw the short, heay i8ure o the youn8 instructor 6oindexter eer8e ro the

doorway. The ans irst nae was aso John, but since he had been a newcoer to their

card 8roup they had coe to reer to hi by his ast nae rather than conuse conersation.

Jac ade hise sie as the an approached and nodded a 8reetin8.

9$i, 6oindexter. thou8ht youd be o recuperatin8 by now.9

9 sti hae soe dan ab exas to 8rade,9 he said, breathin8 heaiy. 9 decided

wanted a cup o soethin8 hot, and the inute cosed the door to y oice new what d

done. The eys are on y des and the door ocs when it coses. Theres nobody ese in the

buidin8 and the ront oice is shut down, too. was standin8 there waitin8 or a 8uard to

coe by. thou8ht they i8ht hae access to a aster ey. $ae you seen any 8uards;9

$e shoo his head.

9o, ?ust arried a ew oents a8o. =ut now the 8uards dont hae access to

asters.< -our oice is on the ar side o the buidin8, isnt it;9

9-es.9 9 or8et how hi8h o the 8round that woud put it, but what about 8ettin8 in throu8h a

window;9

9Too hi8h, without a adder


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9Thans,9 he said. 9Thans a ot. re you in a hurry;9

9o, eary or what was about.9

9Then et e 8et us soethin8 ro the achine. sti want to tae a brea.9

9 ri8ht.9

$e oed into the oice, paced his briecase behind the door, whie the others ootsteps

receded and were 8one. $e stared out the window at the 8atherin8 stor. #oewhere a be be8an to rin8.

ter a tie, 6oindexter returned and he accepted the steain8 cup he proered.

9$ows your other;9

9#hes doin8 we. #houd be out >uite soon.9

9Te her said heo.9

9 wi. Thans. ice o you to isit her.9

They sipped at their cups, then, 9t is ucy you cae aon8,9 6oindexter said. 93aybe ours

are the ony two oices on capus with the sae oc. $e, woud hae setted or the

8host i hed 8otten e in.9

9(host;9

9-ou now. The atest stunt.9 9 araid haent heard o it.9

9... white thin8, ae8edy seen ittin8 around in trees and on the tops o buidin8s.9

9&hen did this start;9

9Just recenty, o course. +ast seester it was uta8enic rocs in the (eoo8y =uidin8.

The one beore that, thin, it was aphrodisiacs in the water cooers. #ae as aways.

seester coses ie the end o the word, 8uess, u o portents and ruors. &hats the

atter;9

9othin8. $ae a ci8arette.9

9Thans.9

$e heard a tiny beat o thunder, and the eer


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9The eys. &hy dont you tae the o the des and put the in your pocet now, ?ust in

case;9

6oindexter bushed and did it. Then he chuced.

9-es. woudnt want to do that a8ain, woud ;9

9 hope not.9

$e retrieed his briecase whie 6oindexter it the candes aboe his des. There cae aash in the sy, oowed by a ow rube.

9#o on8.9

9(ood


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9#urey,9 he said, and oered hi the papers.

ter a oent, 9 dont understand the,9 said Cuiian.

9 you had, woud hae been ery surprised. Theyre about three ties reoed ro

reaity, and hae to transate the or y artice.9

9John,9 said the other, 9 be8innin8 to hae soe unny eein8s about you.9

The other nodded and it another ci8arette beore he recoered the print


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9 tae it that i a, those conditions wi be deeed to hae been et;9

96erhaps,9 said Cuiian.

9nd perhaps not; &hat do you want;9

9For now, a that want is to now your identity.9

9-ou now e,9 he said, odin8 the pa8es and reachin8 or his briecase.

Cuiian shoo his head. 9" the thin8s about you which troube e,9 he said, 9e ?ust recenty ound a new one

which 8ies e considerabe cause or concern. owin8 or a oent that you are a

darsider who has ei8rated into day, there are certain correspondences which orce e to

pursue the >uestion o your identity. There is a person who had considered possessed

ony o a ythoo8ica existence, on the darside o the word. wonder, woud the e8endary

thie dare to wa in suni8ht; nd i so, or what reason; !oud Jonathan #hade be the

orta e>uiaent or Jac o #hadows;9

9nd what i it is;9 he ased, striin8 to eep his eyes ro oin8 to the window, where

soethin8 seeed now to be occudin8 uch o the di i8ht. 9re you prepared to pace e

under arrest;9 he ased, oin8 sowy to his et so that Cuiian woud turn his head to

oow. 9-es, a.9

$e 8anced toward the window hise then, and an od oathin8 returned to hi as he saw

what was pressed a8ainst it.

9Then tae it that you hae coe ared;9

9-es,9 he said, reoin8 a sa pisto ro his pocet and pointin8 it.

coud throw the briecase and ris tain8 one round, he decided. ter a, its a sa

enou8h weapon. #ti, i buy tie and 8et coser to the i8ht, it ay not be necessary.

9t is stran8e that you cae aone, i you had such a thin8 in ind. )en i you do hae

the authority to ae a security arrest on capus


49/83

duped the +ord o $i8h %ud8eon once, and wi return or en8eance upon hi. a the

eney o y eneies. !oe tae e, ith, i you oe the +ord o =ats or despise e, or

hae naed yse Jac o #hadows9

Cuiians ace showed pu@@eent at this outburst, and thou8h he opened his outh and

tried to spea, his words were drowned out by the others cries.

Then the window shattered, the cande died, and the =orshin spran8 into the roo. Turnin8, Cuiian saw the 8ashed, rain


50/83

aow hi to do so without >uestion. Then he had had to reiew eerythin8 he possessed in

the way o priary data with respect to his rea >uestions, or8ani@e the inoration, and cast

it into the proper or. The entire process had taen years, and there had been aiures, any

o the.

This tie, thou8h, this tie he had been so near that he coud taste it, se it. This tie

he had nown that he was cose to the answers he had been seein8. ow, he was runnin8 away with a briecase u o papers he had not had an opportunity

to reiew. t was possibe that he had aied a8ain and was returnin8 without the weapon he

had sou8ht, returnin8 to the pace o his eneies. this were the case, he had ony

postponed his doo. #ti, he coud not reainuired eneies. $e

wondered briey whether there was soe cryptic esson inoed, soe aaiabe but

oerooed insi8ht that woud show hi ore about hise than about his eneies. so, it

euded hi.

Just a itte on8er... he had ony had a bit ore tie, he coud hae checed, then

reoruate and repro8raed i necessary. ow there was no ore tie. There coud be

no 8oin8 bac to hone it i it was a bunted sword he bore. nd there were other atters,

persona ones, he had wished to draw to better concusions. !are, or instance... +ater, the rain et up, thou8h the couduestion. ot ond o introspection, he was neertheess

in>uisitie.

$e had noted chan8es in peope durin8 his stay at the uniersity. t was ost apparent in

the students, and it occurred in such a brie tie


51/83

not. s this iportant; 6robaby, thou8h do not see how. &e hae no need to chan8e, and it

sees that they do. &hy; +en8th o ie; %ierent approach to ie; 6ossiby both. &hat

aue is there in chan8e, anyway;

$e turned o onto a seein8y deserted side road ater the next news broadcast. This one

had naed hi as wanted or >uestionin8 in connection with a hoicide.

nto the sa ire he inded, he tossed eery piece o identiication that he carried. &hiethey burned, he opened his ba8 and reied his waet with resh papers he had prepared

seera seesters earier. $e stirred the ashes and scattered the.

!arryin8 it across a ied, he tore Cuiians raincoat in seera paces and tossed it into a

8uy where uddy waters rushed. 'eturnin8 to the ehice, he decided to trade it or another

beore ery on8.

$urryin8 up the hi8hway then, he reected on the situation as he now understood it. The

=orshin had ied Cuiian and departed, doubt ess as it had coe, throu8h the window. The

reason or Cuiians presence there was nown to the authorities, and 6oindexter woud

eriy his own presence on capus and his stated destination. !are, and any others,

coud testiy as to their disiin8 one another. The concusion was obious. Thou8h he

woud hae ied Cuiian had the necessity arisen, he 8rew indi8nant at the thou8ht o bein8executed or soethin8 he had not done. The situation reinded hi o what had occurred

at 8es, and he rubbed his nec ha


52/83

and the bac transation he had ade ro the printuicened within his ind ie a poe suddeny understood.

-es

$is eyes sou8ht the haens and ound the white, unbinin8 star that coursed the.

$e rose to his eet with his ati8ue or8otten. &ith his ri8ht oot he traced a brie pattern

in the dirt. Then he pointed a in8er at the sateite and read the words that he had writtenupon the papers he hed.

For a oent nothin8 happened.

Then it stood sti.

#ient now, he continued to point. t 8rew bri8ht and be8an to increase in si@e.

Then it ared ie a shootin8 star and was 8one.

9 new oen,9 he said and then sied.

&$) T$) %3)% thin8 entered $i8h %ud8eon, it swept ro chaber to chaberin search o its +ord. &hen it ocated hi at ast, castin8 suur into a poo o ercury in the

center o an octa8ona roo, it obtained his attention and suspended itse ro the

outstretched in8er he oered. t coneyed to hi then, in its own ashion, the news that it had

borne.

&ith this he turned, perored a curious act inoin8 a piece o cheese, a cande and a

eather and departed the chaber.

$e reoed hise to a hi8h tower and or a on8 whie there re8arded the east. Cuicy

then, he turned and studied the ony other aenue in his eep


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waist, and casped at her et shouder with a sier brooch. &hen he put his ar about her

and drew her to hi, she trebed, eein8 the currents o power risin8 in his bodyD she new

that he woud not aor speain8.

$e pointed at the ountain he aced, then at the other, to the east.

9-es, now,9 she said. 9The essen8er tod e. That is why hurried here. e brou8ht

you your wand.9 #he raised the bac, sien sheathe she bore at her 8irde.

$e sied and oed his head si8hty ro et to ri8ht.

&ith his et hand, he raised and drew o the pendant and chain he wore about his nec.

$odin8 it hi8h, he dan8ed the bri8ht 8e beore the.

#he et a swirin8 o orces and seeed or an instant to be ain8 orward into the stone.

t 8rew, iin8 her entire ied o ision.

Then it was no on8er the ?ewe, but the sudden westnorth ountain that she behed. For

a on8 whie, she stared at the hi8h 8ray


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$e pointed toward the trapdoor.

9o,9 she said. 9 wont 8o. wi stay and assist you.9

$e continued to point.

9%o you now what it is thats out there;9

9(o,9 he had said, or perhaps she ony thou8ht that he had said it. #he recaed it,

standin8 within her chaber at the eastsouth ed8e o the eep, uncertain as to what hadoccurred since the word had ied her ind and body. #he oed to the window and there

was nothin8 to see but stars.

=ut suddeny, soehow, then, she new.

#he wept or the word they were osin8.

They were rea, he new that now. For they crushed as they cae, and he et the

ibrations o their oeents within his body. &hie the stars tod hi that a bad tie was at

hand


55/83

ter another oent o stiness, he oed to the nearest and studied the an. $e did

not see to be in?ured. $e sapped hi i8hty, and there was no reaction. $e tried anotherD he

tried two ore. t was the sae. They seeed barey to breathe.

nsheathin8 his bade, he oed toward the courtyard to his et. !ou8hin8, he entered it.

$a the iraent was shadowed by the now otioness ountain, and the courtyard

hed the ruins o the tower. ts prow had broen. The present stiness seeed ore terribethan the earier rubin8 and the recent din. The apparitions a had anished. othin8 stirred.

$e oed orward. s he adanced, he saw bastars, as thou8h i8htnin8 had payed

about the pace.

$e hated when he saw the outstretched i8ure at the ed8e o the rubbe. Then he rushed

orward. &ith the point o his bade, he turned the body.

$e dropped the bade and e to his nees, 8rippin8 the an8ed hand to his breast, a

sin8e sob escapin8 his throat. $e heard the cracin8 o ires be8in suddeny at his bac, and

he et a rush o heat. $e did not oe.

$e heard a chuce.

$e ooed up then, ooed a about hi. =ut he saw no one.

t cae a8ain, ro soewhere to his ri8ht. There

on8 the shadows that oed on the santin8 wa...

9$eo, #a8e. 'eeber e;9

$e s>uinted. $e rubbed his eyes.

9uite ae you out.9

9=ut see you perecty there, cutchin8 the eat.9

$e owered the hand 8enty and raised his bade ro the a88in8. $e stood.

9&ho are you;9

9!oe ind out.9

9-ou did a this;9 $e ade a sa 8esture with his ree hand.

9.9

9Then wi coe.9

$e adanced upon the i8ure and swun8 his bade. t cut but air, throwin8 hi o

baance. 'ecoerin8, he aied another bow. 8ain, there was nothin8.

$e wept ater his seenth attept.

9 now you now !oe out o those shadows and see how you are9

9 ri8ht.9

There was oeent, and the other stood beore hi. $e seeed or a oent ta

beyond easureent, ri8htenin8, nobe.

#a8es hand hesitated upon the bade, and the hit too ire. $e reeased it, and the other

sied as it e between the. $e raised his hands and a paraysis oercae the. Throu8h in8ers ie twisted bou8hs

he re8arded the others ace.

9s you su88ested,9 he heard hi say. 9nd see to be arin8 we. =etter than yourse

certainy.

9 peased to eet you once a8ain,9 he added.

#a8e wished to spit, but he coud suon no saiaD besides, his hands were in the way.

93urderer =east9 he croaed.

9Thie,9 the other said 8enty. 9so, sorcerer and con>ueror.9

9 coud but oe


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9+op o the head +et it be done with one, >uic, cean bow


57/83

9&hat is he doin8;9 she ased.

9$e is repeatin8 the eat which won hi the $eae. $e wi continue to reenact his

triuph unti his heart or soe 8reat esse bursts within hi and he dies.9

9$ow awu #top hi9

9o. t is no ore awu than what he had done to e. -ou accused e o not eepin8 y

proises. &e, proised hi y en8eance, and you can see that did not ai to deierit.9

9&hat power is it that you hae;9 she ased. 9-ou coud neer do thin8s ie that when uired the ?ourney. t was not,

howeer, a sense o duty or responsibiity that otiated hi. 'ather, it was one o seuare o i8ht. $e ay on his bey and ooed at the i8ht

or a on8 period o tie, aowin8 his eyes to ae an ad?ustent. $e repeated this any

painu ties as he adanced.

The oor o the pace had becoe sooth beneath hiD the air was coo but peasant, and ree

o the odors which had preaied in the re8ion he had recenty departed.

$e oed unti it was iediatey beore hi. There was nothin8 but the i8ht. t was a

8i8antic openin8 onto soethin8, but a that he coud see was the yeow


72/83

The ed8e narrowed, but he ana8ed to reach the topost run8, and ro there he swun8

hise into position.

$e be8an the on8 cib down.

=eore he had reached the botto, he heard ootsteps. They were barey discernibe oer the

sounds o the achinery, but he distin8uished the and baced into a shadow.

thou8h the shadow did not possess its nora eects, it hid hi. $e waited there, near tothe adder, next to a 8enerator o sorts, and thou8ht o his next oe.

sa, whiteuirtin8 oi into the.

9$eo,9 he said, as the an passed.

9&hatuestions.9

9&e, that is peasant enou8h and a wiin8 to answer you. &hat do you wish to now;99 was curious about the aeup o this 3achine.9

9ts >uite copex,9 he repied.

9 daresay. !oud you 8ie e detais;9

9-es,9 he answered, da@@in8 hi with the expanation.

Jac nodded his head and et his hands 8row sti.

9-ou understand;9

9-es.9

9&hat is the atter;9

9 beiee that you are 8oin8 to die,9 he said.

9&hatuipent. $e

seected a heay bar o eta, whose unction he did not understand. +itin8 it, he sou8ht a

sa 8ass case the od an had indicated. $e studied the hundreds o tiny, deicate 8ears

which turned within it, oin8 at aryin8 rates o speed.

'aisin8 the bar, he sashed the 8ass, and be8an to destroy the intricate echanis. &ith

each bow he struc, a sound o echanica protest arose ro soe new portion o the ast

3achine. There cae an irre8uar huin8, then a series o canin8 sounds, as i soethin8

ar8e had snapped or been torn oose. This was oowed by a shri whine, a 8ratin8 sound

and the screech o eta a8ainst eta. Then cae a ban8in8 noise, and soe be8an to rise

ro

seera se8ents. "ne o the ore assie 8ears sowed, hesitated, hated, and be8an a8ain,oin8 ore sowy than beore.

&hie Jac was sashin8 the other cases, the ubricant bucets went wid oerhead, racin8

bac and orth, eptyin8 their contents, returnin8 to the wa spi8ots or ore. There cae

the se o burnin8 insuation and a poppin8, si@@in8 sound. The oor be8an to shae and

seera pistons tore oose. ow there were aes aid the soe, and Jac cou8hed at the

acrid ues.

The 3achine >uiered, 8round to a hat, and be8an a8ain, widy. t shoo as 8ears raced and

axes snapped. t be8an tearin8 itse to pieces. The din 8rew painu to his ears. &heein8, he

hured the bar into the 3achine and ed in the direction o the adder. /

&hen he ooed bac, there were hu8e i8ures, party hidden by the soe, racin8 toward the

3achine. Too ate, he new.$e ed up the adder, reached the ed8e, raced into the darness ro which he had coe.


73/83

Thus be8an the destruction o the word he had nown.

The return ?ourney proed in soe ways ore dan8erous than the downward one had been,

or the 8round trebed now, stirrin8 the dust and debris o the a8es, cracin8 was, causin8

portions o the roo to coapse. Twice, cou8hin8, he had to cear itter ro his way

beore he coud pass. Then, too, the inhabitants o that 8reat tunne ran in panic, attacin8 oneanother with a new erocity. Jac sew any to pass there.

ter eer8in8, he ooed at the bac orb, hi8h in the heaens. The codness sti cae by it,

ore perhaps now than when he had be8un his ission o sabota8e. $e studied that sphere

and saw that it appeared to hae oed si8hty ro the position it had preiousy occupied.

Then, hurriedy, to eep a recent proise he had ade to hise, he epoyed the Key to

transport hi to the #i8n o the =urnin8 6este, on the coach road by the ocean.

$e entered that inn, buit o ni8htwood, repaired a thousand ties, and ancient aost beyond

his eory. s he descended into the centra dinin8 area, the 8round shuddered and the was

creaed about hi. This caused a sience, oowed by a babbe o oices, ro a 8roup o

diners near the ire.

Jac approached the.9 ooin8 or an od woan naed 'osaie,9 he said. 9%oes she reside here;9

broaduinted.

9=ide a oent,9 he said. 9There was an od ha8 . . . -es. #he died soe tie a8o.9

9"h,9 said Jac. 9Te e then where she is buried, that i8ht isit her 8rae.9

$aric snorted and >uaed his wine. hen he be8an to au8h. $e wiped his outh on the bac

o his hand, then raised it to wipe his eyes with his seee.

9=uried;9 he said. 9#he was worthess. &e ony ept her here or charitys sae, and because

she new soewhat o heain8.9

Tiny bu8es o usce appeared at the hin8es o Jacs ?aws.

9Then what did you do with her;9 he in>uired.

9&hy we threw her carcass into the ocean.< #a picin8s there or ishes, thou8h.9


74/83

Jac et the #i8n o the =urnin8 6este burnin8 at his bac, there on the coach road by the

ocean.

=eside the at, bac ocean, he now waed. The stars within it danced wheneer the 8round

and the waters trebed. The air was >uite chi, and he et a 8reat ati8ue. $is sword bet

was aost too heay to bear. $e on8ed to wrap his coa about hi and ie down or aoent. $e wanted a ci8arette.

s he adanced ie a seepwaer, his boots sinin8 into the sand, he was shoced bac to

waeuness at the si8ht o the one who appeared beore hi.

t appeared to be hise.

$e shoo his head, then, 9"h, its you, sou,9 he said.

$is sou nodded.

9There was no need or you to destroy that inn,9 it said, 9or soon the seas wi be unchained

and i8hty waes wi wash the and. t woud hae been one o the irst thin8s destroyed.9

9-ou are incorrect,9 said Jac, yawnin8. 9There was reason: it did y heart 8ood.


75/83

9-ou ust coe, Jac "r accept e now There wi be another wae shorty9

Jac 8roaned. $e tried to rise, aied.

Then ro the inn, whose aes cast a pae, ruddy 8ow aon8 the beach, there cae a crash

as the roo and one wa coapsed.

There was soe boca8e o the i8ht now, and shadows danced about hi.

ost weepin8, he drew stren8th ro the each tie they e upon hi.9-ou ust hurry, Jac ts turned ts coin89

$e rose to his nees, then pushed hise to his eet. $e sta88ered orward.

$e reached hi8her 8round and continued inand. $e saw his sou waitin8 up ahead and oed

toward it.

=ehind hi, there cae the risin8 sound o the waters now.

$e did not oo bac.

Finay, he heard the wae brea and he et the spray. "ny the spray.

$e 8rinned weay at his sou.

9-ou see; did not re>uire your serices, ater a,9 he said.

9-ou wi soon, thou8h,9 said his sou, siin8 bac.

Jac et at his bet or his da88er, but the ocean had taen it ro hi, aon8 with his coa.$is sword, which had been in his hand when the wae struc, had 8one the sae way.

9#o the sea has robbed the thie.9 $e chuced. 9t aes thin8s ore diicut.9

$e dropped to his nees and, wincin8 because o the broen nai, retraced the pattern he had

drawn on the beach, usin8 his orein8er.

Then, without risin8, he spoe the spe.

$e net in his 8reat ha in #hadow (uard, and torches and enorous tapers icered a

about. For a on8 whie, he did not oe, and et the shadows bathe hi. Then he stood and

eaned a8ainst the wa.

9&hat now;9 his sou ased hi. 9&i you ceanse yourse and seep a on8 whie;9

Jac oed his head.

9o,9 he repied. 9 woud not ris issin8 the tie o y 8reatest triuphuid, he had to spit seera ties to cear his outh o sand.

Then he cosed the cabinet and proceeded to the nearest bench.

9-ou hae not sept in a on8 whie


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9 was sad. was sorry.9

9%o you 8et that way ery oten;9

9o.9

9%o you wish to now why you hae et ore such thin8s recenty;9

9 you now, te e.9

9t is because a about. -ou hae a sou, a sou which has been reed. a aways nearyou. -ou hae be8un to ee y inuence. s it such a bad thin8;9

9s e another tie,9 said Jac. 9 cae to watch thin8s, not to ta.9

. . . nd his words reached the ears o one who sou8ht hi, as a distant ountain shru88ed o

its pea, spewed ire into the air, beched and was sti once a8ain.

1G

J!K +#T))% LM the sound o snappin8 rocs and watched the bac spot aD he heard

the 8roans within the wordD he saw the ines o ire cross the and.

There now cae to his nostris the acrid odors o the inner word. shes, ie the bats o hispredecessor, swared, rose, e in the chiy air. The stars executed oeents neer beore

recorded in the heaens. #een torch


78/83

9#oe,9 said Jac.

9Then why do you not undo it;9

9o.9

9s it that reeberin8, she woud hate you;9

Jac did not repy.

9#he cannot hear e. phrase >uestions, you coud repy briey and she woud thin youare but utterin8.


79/83

The andside did not stop it any ore than the tepest coud.

t piced its way aon8 the strewn bouders at the ountains base and or a oent

re8arded the ina ascent.

There ed the traiD there ust it oow.

$i8h, hi8h


80/83

o y actions, the word is be8innin8 to rotate. There wi no on8er be a darside and a

i8htside. 'ather, there wi be both darness and i8ht in succession in a portions o the

word. The darness, ee, wi aways hod in soe or the thin8s we hae hed, and

science wi doubtess preai in the i8ht9

That is, he added entay, i the word is not destroyed.

$e wondered, at that oent, what it was ie in the ands o i8htuaed, be8an to roc ioenty. $e heard the

sound o ain8 stones within the tower itse, et throu8h his boots the ibrations o their

disod8ent.

. . . nd )ene crouched, and her eyes were wide and wid behind the asses o her now

reed hair, which the wind whipped past the . . .. . . nd he saw that in her ri8ht hand she hed a da88er.

$e iced his ips and baced away.

9)ene,9 he said. 96ease isten to e. can tae that toy away ro you, but dont want to

hurt you. e hurt you enou8h. 6ut it away, pease. try to ae


81/83

dawns shadowy carity, the winds a dir8e, the oeents o the decayin8 tower an aost

soothin8 thin8 now. Jac cae to the head o the stairwe and saw it ascendin8.

$e drew his bade and waited, as there was no other way down.

#tran8e, he thou8ht, how the instinct to surie preais, no atter what.

$e hed the point o his bade steady as the =orshin spran8 up the ina steps and attaced.

t pierced the creatures et shouder, but did not hat it. The bade was torn ro his 8rasp, asthe =orshin struc hi, noced hi oer bacward, eaped or hi.

$e roed to the side and ana8ed to achiee a crouched position beore the creature attaced

hi a8ain. $is bade was sti in its shouder, 8eain8 in the i8htD no bood ay upon it, but a

thic, brownish uid was oo@in8 si8hty about the ed8es o the wound.

$e ana8ed to dod8e the second onsau8ht and strie it with both hands, but the bows had

no apparent eect. t et as i he were striin8 a puddin8 that woud not spatter.

Twice ore, he succeeded in eadin8 its attac, icin8 its e8 once in the process and

?abbin8 the bac o its head with his ebow as it passed.

ext, it cau8ht hi oosey, but he ?osted the bade within its shouder and escaped with a

torn tunic.

!rouchin8, circin8, atteptin8 to eep as uch distance as possibe between the, hescooped up two pieces o asonry and eaped bacward. t woud hae had hi then, sae or

his eap. t turned with 8reat speed, and he hured one o his new ound weapons, issin8.

Then, beore he coud recoer ro his throwin8 stance, it was upon hi, bearin8 hi oer

bacward.

$e struc it about the head with his reainin8 weapon, unti it was dashed ro his hand. $is

chest was bein8 crushed, and the creatures ace was so near his own that he wanted to

screa, woud hae screaed, had he the breath.

9t is unortunate that you did not choose propery,9 he heard his sou sayin8.

Then the creatures one hand cae to the bac o his nec and the other to his head. They

be8an a twistin8 otion.

s the bacness rose ro his idde and the tears o pain in8ed with the perspiration on

his ace, his head was turned in such a ashion that he saw a thin8 which 8ae hi an instants

wonder.

The a8ic was ed, but this dawn was sti ie twii8ht. $e had been abe to unction in

Twii8ht, not as a a8ician, but as a thie.

=ecause o his power within shadow. . .

. . . o bade coud touch hi there, no power har hi.

The risin8 sun, striin8 a section o baustrade, cast a on8 dar shadow that e but a oot

away.

$e stru88ed to reach it, but coud not. #o he un8 his ri8ht ar as ar in that direction as

it woud 8o.$is hand and ha his orear e within the shadow.

The pain was sti there, and the creain8 o ertebraeD he sti et the crushin8 wei8ht upon

his chest.

"ny now, the od, dar eein8 entered hi and owed throu8h his body.

$e resisted unconsciousnessD he stiened his nec usces. &ith the stren8th he had drawn,

he twisted and pushed unti he had dra88ed his entire ar and shouder into the shadow.

Then, usin8 his ebows and hees, he ana8ed to orce his head within the potent shade.

$e pued his other ar ree and his hands ound the =orshins throat. $e dra88ed hi into the

shadow with hi.

9Jac, what is happenin8;9 he heard his sou say. 9 cannot see you when you are in shadow.9

ter a on8 whie. Jac eer8ed ro the shadow.


82/83

$e eaned heaiy upon the nearest baustrade and stood there pantin8. $e was seared with

bood and a 8uy, brownish substance.

9Jac;9

$is hand shoo as he reached within what reained o his tunic.

9%an . . .9 he ha


83/83

Jac wondered whether he woud arrie in tie.

="T T$) T$"'

'"()' *)+*- is an expatriate "hioan who now resides on a ountaintop in ew3exico with his wie, JudyD sons %ein and TrentD dau8hter, #hannonD assorted typewriters,

orienta ru8s, unanswered etters, and science iction awards. The awards, which he eeps

cose on hand in his oice

Documents

Roger Zelazny - Jack of the Shadows