"What is happening?" she asked.

I cannot make out her words. It is as if she is speaking to someone, but I do not know who or what… or why she holds back.

Magiere glanced down at Wynn with irises flooded black, then reached out and grasped Wynn's hand.

"Chap believes something is influencing her," Wynn said and stood up, still gripping Magiere's fingers. "What do we do now?"

They had all followed Magiere this far, and Wynn hoped she would somehow know what to do.

Magiere crouched and picked up her sword. She scanned the wide stairs and upper landing with three plain archways, and then glanced briefly to the narrow passage from which Wynn had entered. She stopped last on the left-side passage.

"That way."

At Magiere's first step, Sgaile quickly closed on her.

"You would turn your back on this thing?"

His tone worried Wynn, as well as the way he watched Li'kan with the garrote wire still looped between his hands. How long would the naked woman remain passive if she sensed a threat?

"Li'kan?" Wynn said. "Will you come?"

Magiere spun back, releasing Wynn's hand. Her features twisted with menace, but Li'kan stood listless and unaware. Then a shudder passed through the white undead. Her own face wrinkled in a mute echo of Magiere's.

"What did you call her?" Magiere hissed.

"Her name…," Wynn answered, but the mimicked expressions of these two women left her frightened. "Li'kan has been here, alone, for a long time."

Wynn flinched as Magiere turned on her. More than once, Magiere and Leesil, and even Chap, had chastised her sympathies for certain Noble Dead.

"This place holds secrets," Wynn added firmly. "Chap believes we need assistance in deciphering them, if we are to retrieve what you seek… and more."

Chap wrinkled a jowl at Wynn, but he huffed once in agreement. Leesil, Sgaile, and Osha all looked more uncertain and wary.

"Will you come?" Wynn repeated to Li'kan.

The white undead ceased whispering. A sharp shake of her head tossed her black hair across her face. Her irises rolled down from beneath quivering eyelids, and she swung her head toward the sage. Wynn sidestepped just a little way behind Magiere.

Li'kan studied her, appraised her, trying to decide if she were prey-or at least that was how it seemed to Wynn. Then Li'kan stepped out unsteadily, as if reluctant at each footfall.

Magiere headed for the left corridor. Chap closed behind her, watching over his shoulder.

Must you share all my concerns whenever they pop into your head?

Wynn did not answer as she scurried after him, and Li'kan came behind her.

Osha tried to step in, but Sgaile pulled him back. Leesil waited as well. Once the undead had followed Wynn into the corridor, all three fell in behind her.

"I had to say something," Wynn whispered to Chap. "You saw Magiere's face-not to mention Sgaile's."

I could be wrong.

Wynn's stomach flip-flopped. Chap rarely second-guessed himself, at least as far as she knew.

Li'kan is undead and mad… and cannot be trusted. If she has been here since the forgotten war, then she was likely a part of it.

Wynn glanced back.

Li'kan paced close behind. Her white body turned deep gray in the tight passage's shadowy space. Somewhere farther back, the glow of Leesil's retrieved amulet silhouetted the undead in a dim orange aura.

Wynn was caught between two natural enemies: one of the undead, immeasurably old, and a dhampir-a hunter of the dead-but born to lead them.

Magiere led the way out the passage's end into a large room. At first, Wynn made out little in the darkness-only tall shapes, like freestanding walls, partitioning a wide chamber too long to measure. When Leesil stepped out, his amulet's dim light spread.

Shadow partitions sharpened into high stone casements, and Wynn stumbled mutely to the ends of the nearest two.

Shelf upon shelf of disarrayed texts rose above her. Some had crumbled and others were broken and decayed. Scroll cases of wood, metal, and bone or horn stood on end or lay toppled in heaps. Everywhere she saw bound sheaves, books, and cloth- or hide-wrapped bundles. And the row of tall, wide stone bookcases ran both ways along the chamber, uncountable beyond the reach of the amulet's light.

Wynn stood in an ancient library or archive, perhaps the oldest ever found by one of her guild. She could not begin to measure the wealth of knowledge here, built over unknown centuries. As she slipped between the nearest casements, and shadows thickened around her, she looked up to the shelves beyond her reach.

"Wynn," Osha called. "Come out and sit… eat."

She dug her crystal out of her coat. Dim light still emanated from it, and she rubbed furiously as she turned, looking for Osha. He stood just inside the passage's exit with bundled coats and cloaks in his arms. Then he was blotted from sight as Li'kan rushed in between the casements.

"Wynn!" Osha called louder.

Li'kan's urgent eyes sparked in the crystal's white light, and Wynn backed deeper between the shelves. The undead slowly crept in, delicate hands clutching low shelves on both sides. Wynn retreated again. But if Li'kan intended harm to her, why did she not come more quickly? The white woman stopped, craned her head upward, and snatched a dust-crusted book.

Her narrow fingers bit through the aged cover and pages.

Li'kan's perfect white face twisted in anguish. Wynn forgot danger and gasped loudly as the ancient book shattered into dust. Then she heard frantic panting and looked up.

Li'kan's wide-eyed gaze raced around the shelves, and she grabbed for an age-marred tin scroll case. A gloved hand snarled in the top of her black hair.

Wynn heard Magiere's growling voice. "Get away from her!"

Magiere jerked Li'kan by the hair, and the undead's head snapped backward. But she clasped the scroll case to her bare chest, as if keeping it mattered more than freeing herself. Magiere dragged Li'kan out, pivoted sharply, and threw the woman beyond Wynn's sight around the right bookcase's end.

"Wynn, get out of there!" Leesil shouted.

"Spread out!" Sgaile snapped, then vanished to the right.

Osha dropped his bundles, drew stilettos, and disappeared to the left.

Wynn rushed along the bookcase row. "No, stop-no fighting!"

The instant she stepped into the open, Osha appeared on her left. He flipped one stiletto into his other hand and grabbed her wrist, dragging her left along the row of casements.

Off the other way, Wynn saw Li'kan's back.

Beyond the white undead, Leesil half-crouched and slid in next to Magiere.

Magiere cocked up her falchion in a doubled grip. Li'kan charged, and Magiere took a lunging step, bringing her sword down-and then stumbled.

The blade never passed Magiere's shoulder. It wavered heavily in her grip as Li'kan lurched to a halt, teetering on her small feet.

Wynn saw only Li'kan's bare back as the woman buckled and hunched.

Magiere blinked twice, opening her eyes more slowly each time. She was breathing hard.

Chap circled around both women, and his admonishment lashed sharply in Wynn's head.

Do not move-do nothing, unless you tell us first!

Li'kan spun about. Fury melted from her petite features when her gaze found Wynn.

Osha jerked hard on Wynn's wrist, pulling her behind himself. Wynn did not resist, but peered around his side.

Li'kan grew almost manic. Her colorless eyes widened over her slack mouth, her lips trembling. She began to shake as if caught in overwhelming anxiety, and then she thrust out the scroll case toward Wynn.

Even in fright, a part of Wynn wanted to know what was in that scroll. She reached out to-

Do not even think of it!

Then Chap's ears pricked up as Li'kan's small mouth began to work and twist.