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Most were Twice Dead, but a few Once Dead lived. Ten years later more were living, and more were retaining some
vestige of their talent.
"You've heard enough to know that this change was far from welcome in many places. In some, those who
survived querinalo were executed. In others they were banded with iron. However, in some more enlightened areas, the
talented were permitted to live."
Skea interrupted with a dry laugh. "Ynamynet gives you the simplified version, and I suppose she must. What she
isn't saying is that in some areas memories of the horrors that sorcery could create were indeed remembered, but in
some places there were rulers-r-especially those of smaller countries pressed by their neighbors - who thought that a
horror or two might be useful. It was in a land ruled by one such ruler that the first attempt was made to reopen one of
the remaining gates."
"My sister was part of the team that did the work," Urgana said, memory etching the notes of her voice. "She had
a feeling for stone, a talent most had found useless, but it was useful for this. I remember how excited we all were
when the old wreck was finally ready for use - and how disappointed we were when we found that only more ruin
remained on the other side.
"Still, we set to work with a will. The would-be conqueror who was our patron wanted us to find which gate led
into the land of his nearby rivals. We did, and when we opened it from the nexus side, we found heaped rubble in front
of us. One man was killed by falling stones. The sorcerer with him barely escaped by using her companion's blood to
work her spells. Even so, she was weeks healing.
"The next attempt was better prepared, and once the initial rubble had been cleared away, our patron was
delighted to receive report that the gate opened into a cellar that, to all evidence, had not been opened since the coming
of querinalo. By then some of our researchers - I was one - had found lists and guides indicating where the various
gates led. To make the work of moonspan upon moonspan brief, our patron mounted a frontal assault on the borders of
this neighboring land, and when the troops were drawn away, a force went through the gate and hit at the heart.
"This plan worked more than once, but gradually our patron's neighbors became suspicious that more than
conventional espionage and betrayal was at work. They had heard rumor that our patron made those who had survived
querinalo welcome in his land, and were not so convinced that magic was forever gone to dismiss the possibility that
sorcery was behind these convenient conquests. Fear makes strange alliances, and our patron, overextended as he was,
was defeated at last. By then, however, we had several gateways active, and the key members of the project had
withdrawn to the nexus along with our research library. We negotiated a deal with those who had thought to make
themselves our masters and..."
Urgana shrugged. "Here we are. Ten years have passed since we made ourselves independent. More gates have
been opened. The New World was not high on our list of priorities, for our stories told how those lands had been
difficult enough to conquer when the greater magics were commonly used. Then the twins came stumbling through,
and we took them in. That was the worst thing we ever did, for you came after them - worst, I suppose, or best,
depending on how we resolve this."
A long silence followed the conclusion of Urgana's account, as the various listeners shook themselves free from
what had been and again faced the immediate reality.
"Maps, you said," Derian asked. "Of the Old World only, or are there any listings of the New World gates as
well?"
"Old World mostly, but some of New," Urgana replied, ignoring Ynamynet's glower. "However, the names of the
locations may mean little, especially if the twins told us rightly of the political upheavals and general chaos that
followed the coming of querinalo. Perhaps all the old gate sites have been destroyed as bastions of sorcery."
"Not all," Harjeedian reminded. "The Setting Sun stronghold established by the twins' father's family still stands.
Other places may as well."
'True, true," Urgana said.
Derian spoke very softly. "I wonder, could these New World gates be a faster way home?"
***
FIREKEEPER SAW THE HOPE that lit Derian's face, then that hope drowned almost immediately with despair
as his hand went up to touch his horse-like ears.
She knew if she did not step in, the discussion was likely to become sidetracked.
"Where go not matter," she said, focusing her gaze on Ynamynet, "if we cannot open even one. I, for one, weary
of this bicker and arguing of fine points that will not matter if one person, one only, set herself against us. What you
say, Ynamynet?'
Ynamynet closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against them. Yet although she seemed to be trying to block out
the world, Firekeeper saw her arm move and knew that Ynamynet had reached to hold Skea's hand. She sat this way
for a long time, and not even Firekeeper stirred to hurry her along. When Ynamynet at last opened her eyes there was
a strange fixedness in them, as if she saw her thoughts more clearly than anything in the room. She focused on
Firekeeper with great effort and spoke in a voice so calm that it hardly seemed like her own.
"Firekeeper, sometimes in order to make a wise decision a person needs to consider what might be the result of
that decision. Equally, there are times you need to know what came in the past in order to decide wisely what to do in
the future. That's what we've been trying to do here."
Firekeeper nodded, but said nothing, hearing in the intake of Ynamynet's bream that the other woman had more to
say.
"How long has it been?" Ynamynet went on. "Only ten days have passed since we went through the gate to the
New World stronghold, thinking to find some confused or wounded yarimaimalom. Instead, we found ourselves
captives. Even then I could tell there was something dangerous about you - not just your group, you in particular. I
tried to stop you, even though that stopping meant I would never see my husband or daughter again. I don't know what
power you called on to bring you through ..."
Ynamynet paused and Firekeeper knew the other woman was hoping for information, but Firekeeper wasn't about
to tell her - or this gathered throng - about the Meddler. Harjeedian might not be the only one who had grown up on
tales of the Meddler's well-meant actions going awry.
Curling her lips into a slight smile was enough to let Ynamynet know this silence was all the answer she was
going to get. After another ragged breath, Ynamynet continued.
"It's obvious that your people would rather take over this place than destroy it, equally obvious that you will
destroy it if you must."
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