"Can any of these things travel through the deep places of the earth?" Her question took everyone by surprise.

"The deep places?" Belloc asked her. "Whatever do you mean?"

Lily took a deep breath and wondered at her boldness. "Deep in the earth where the spirit-children live. The place where the kind of life they will have upon the earth's surface isn't yet decided."

Belloc arched his eyebrows in surprise. "I wasn't aware that such a place existed. Is this what lies below the Marshes of Morag?"

"It is a far greater place than just the Marshes," she replied. "I only know that it is vast. It is its own world. It was my world."

Anest and Belloc exchanged a look. Anest's description of the events surrounding Lily's

appearance suddenly took on new meaning.

"Lily," asked Belloc carefully, "did something chase you from that place? Before you were

supposed to leave it?"

The memory of her flight, of her loss, made her appear ill and profoundly sad. She could only nod, and buried her face against Anest's shoulder.

Anest had seldom seen the wizard angry, but there was no doubt that he was angry now. Rising from his chair, Belloc went to stand before the front window, watching the heavy wind and rain. When he returned to his seat, he seemed calmer, yet more resolute than ever.




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