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very essence of evil itself. The pebble flew out of Dahl’s hand into the pool. The reflection shattered.
    “I am,” he said.

CHAPTER 3
    Hunger woke Dahl early the next morning. He reached for the gourd beside him and took a drink of water, but that did nothing to assuage the cramps in his stomach. The cave was cold and dark. He stretched, rubbed his arms, and looked around. Catryn, curled beside him, stirred slightly. He felt guilty as he looked down at her. She had tried to insist on more explanations the night before, but he had not been able to give them to her. He knew she deserved to be told the truth, to be comforted and reassured. She had been his only friend in that other,alien world. There, she had cared for him.
    Here, where all is so new to her, I should care for her, he thought. But how can I, when it is all just as new to me?
    He had been certain that he would not be able to sleep, but, his mind as weary as his body, oblivion had come quickly and mercifully to him.
    At first he could not find the Protector, then he saw him silhouetted against the faint light at the mouth of the cave. The man was standing quietly, with his back toward Dahl, as if listening to something outside.
    “We must make haste. The word has been passed. They know we are coming.” He had not turned, but seemed to sense Dahl’s eyes upon him.
    “Make haste to where? Who passed the word? Who knows we are coming?” Catryn was instantly awake and alert.
    “There are messengers everywhere here. By now the Usurper of Taun has heard that Dahl has come to challenge him. He will be setting his traps. We must move on before he finds us here.”
    “The Usurper…” Catryn began. One look at the Protector’s face silenced her. She did not immediately rise, however, but dabbed the hem of her shift in the pool and dribbled the icy water over her sore and swollen feet. She returned the Protector’s glare with one of her own.
    “Are we to be walked to death again today? If so,may we at least know where we are going and when we will get there?”
    “There are those who wait to welcome Dahl back to his world, and who will help him,” the Protector said. “We must make our way to them, and then lay our plans for the struggle that lies ahead. It is not too far. Your feet will toughen up, my maid. Just, pray, do not get overmuch in the way.”
    Catryn grabbed for the remnants of her shoes and began to bind them on. She knotted the fraying laces furiously, then swore a barroom oath under her breath as one broke.
    “I am not so useless as you think,” she grumbled. “It may be you will be thankful for my help before this is done.”
    “If it should be so, then you will have my gratitude, fully expressed, in any form you wish,” the Protector answered. His manner left no doubt as to how unlikely he thought this possibility.
    Dahl looked from one to the other, his brow furrowed, his delight at having Catryn here beside him slightly dimmed. How were they to manage if she and the Protector were to be continually at each other’s throats?
    “Don’t worry, Catryn,” he said, trying to reassure her. “I’ll take care of you…”
    Catryn rounded on him with fury. “I thank you very much,” she spat out, “but no one has ever had to take care of me, and no one ever will. I chose tobring myself here—I will take care of myself.”
    Dahl flinched. “I only meant—”
    “Enough,” the Protector broke in. “There is no time for this.” He stepped outside the cave and signaled to them to follow him, then reached out and began to make the opening. “The way is rough and even more dangerous now,” he said. “Keep your wits about you.”
    Dahl took one last look at Catryn, but she avoided his eyes and stalked through the opening behind the Protector. Dahl heaved a sigh, then made his way after them.
    The path continued ever upward, through gradually thickening scrub and bushes. At points it disappeared entirely, but the Protector proceeded