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threads； rat fur and murk； then set it upon a stone dish with its legs arrayed full circle around it and its eyes glittering in all directions； this might have been likened to what I saw。 Then； if the child had built bulky mud towers between the spider's legs； each tower with doors at the bottom in the shape of faces； each face a maw opening into the dark…why then； that might have been likened to what I saw。 Then； if the child had surrounded it all with a saw…edged wall and set the whole thing in quivering motion…well； that was the place。 Smoke rose from it。 Clangor sounded from it； soft with distance。 The faces upon the tower doors grimaced； eyes first open then shut。 The spider turned its eyes this way and that； the whole a clot； a bulk of dark in the light of morning。
〃What is it？〃 I whispered； unbelieving。
〃The Blot；〃 she said。 〃To which Gifters e。 Nap among them。〃
〃Gifters！〃
〃Traders。 They call themselves Traders。 They are Gifters nonetheless。 They bring certain things here； they take certain things from here。 The things they take from here they sell； sometimes。 Often they give。〃
〃Is this…the place of magicians？〃
〃What do you know of magicians？〃 she demanded。
〃Only what is said in the marketplace。 What Gamesmaster Gervaise said。 What Laggy Nap said。 That there may be； perhaps； a place of magicians to the west。 Gervaise says the little cold Gamespieces e from there。 Nap says no such thing； but we both know he is a liar。〃
〃Some call the place below there a place of magicians。 But there are no Gamesmen there。 No Immutables。 Only a few very strange beings which stay there and other strange creatures which e and go。 And soon now； Nap again。 He es regularly； and last time he came here； he left here with your cousins in his train。〃
〃My cousins？〃 I remembered two grinning faces under flame…red hair； peering down at me from a height before the battle at Bannerwell。 〃My cousins？ With Nap？〃
〃Your cousins。 Swolwys and Dolwys。 Twins。 Scamps。 But better Shifters than any you met in Schlaizy Noithn。 They have not your advantages； no Gamesmen of Barish to call upon （as I presume you did in Castle Lament； as I intended） but good boys for all that。 I sent them to join Nap's train the last time he came to the Blot； and I let them go and return by that road to the north。
If we had no other evidence； the fact that Nap travels that road would tell us what he is。 Past Poffle。 Too close。 But they should return soon。〃
She was staring away to the north where a pair of ruts wound around the edge of the plateau and disappeared。 Following her gaze I could see a plume of dust there。 Someone was upon that road； certainly； and it came in only the one direction； toward the place below。
〃There they are。 Still some hours away； ing no faster than the pace of their water oxen。 So； if I were you； my son； I'd sleep a while。 Drink the rest of your wineghost and take your full stomach into my cavern yonder。 I will call you when they e。〃 She gestured toward a half hidden entrance I had not noticed before。 I was too weary to argue； so let her push me in that direction。
When I came to the cave entrance； I looked back expecting to see her still watching from the prominence； but it was bare。 High above me circled a huge bird with wings as long as I am tall。 It cried my name and dipped toward me； then caught a current of air to carry it north。 It was very beautiful in the sun； white and gleaming； trailing plumes graceful as smoke。 I went into the cave with a feeling of exquisite sadness； as though ridden by a memory I could not identify。 Had I seen her so before？ Or was it something in her voice as she cried to me？ Perhaps it was only the spirit in my blood； the aftermath of anger。 I was asleep as soon as I lay down。
She woke me in the late afternoon； shaking me and offering some warm brew from a simmering pot by the fire。 〃They have stopped；〃 she said。 〃It is as though Nap is not eager to e to the Blot。 They have e almost to the wall； however； and you can see them easily from the pinnacle。〃
So I went onto the pinnacle once more to watch the pact circle of wagons near the cinereous walls。 The animals were unhitched and led away to a patch of tall meadow grass near the bottom of the long slope。 Mavin watched the animals with curious intensity。 Until that moment I had given no thought as to what guise my cousins had taken in Nap's train。 Now her focused gaze told me where they were and in what shape。 A pair of oxen grazed away from the others； toward a stony place heavy with obscuring shadows； grazed around； behind them； and was gone。 A rustle among small trees marked their passage。
〃They will be here momentarily；〃 she said with satisfaction。 〃Perhaps we may learn something There was the sound of plodding on the trail； silence； and then they appeared around the high stone； precisely as I remembered them。 Broad…faced； red…haired； with grins of the same width on lips of the same shape。 One of them had an interesting scar over one eye。 Otherwise they were identical。 The scarred one pointed to his identifying mark。
〃Swolwys；〃 he said。 〃I keep the scar to make it easier for others to address me by name。 It is easier than Shifting into something unique。〃
〃Our similarity is uniqueness enough；〃 said the other。 〃Why should we not be known for that fact as well as any other？ I am Dolwys。 Those mental midgets in the wagon train did not even notice that they had two identical water oxen。 We did it to see if they were alert。 They are not； or at least； not very。 They even believed you dead； Cousin Peter。〃
I swallowed。 They looked very young to be so insouciant； younger even than I。 〃I take it you were not convinced。〃
Swolwys considered this。 〃Ah； had we not known who and what you are； it is possible we would have been taken in。 It was very well done。 Except that we could not figure out why you did not simply Shift and slide away。〃
〃There was a woman in the train；〃 I said。
〃Ah；〃 said Dolwys。 〃Izia。〃
〃Lovely Izia；〃 mented his twin。 〃Not a type attractive to me； but still； fair。 Very fair。〃
Mavin's head had e up like a questing fustigar's。 〃A woman？ What is she to you？〃
〃She is nothing to me。〃 I laughed； somewhat bitterly。 〃Why this concern？ She is a pawn； a servant。 She is in durance； held unwillingly； captive by some device I have not seen or heard of before。 Boots。 Metal boots； high on the leg； which grow hot at Nap's will。 Had I simply vanished； Nap might have thought the woman involved in my disappearance； for I had been stupid enough to let him see me watching her。 As you say； she is very fair。〃
〃But she is nothing to you？〃
I began to bridle at this repeated question。 〃Not quite nothing； no！ She is a captive。 As were those in Castle Lament。 I have told you my feelings about such matters。〃
〃Ah。 Well。 Perhaps we can do something about it。〃
At that moment； I was glad there was no Demon among them。 I had not been able to say she was nothing to me with an honest heart。 She was a good deal to me； and the fact that she was now almost within reach of my voice made me tremble。 Izia。 I could not leave her to Nap's malevolence。 I would have to find a way to free her。 I did not understand the pulsion； for it was not merely pity； but I weled it as I now supposed I had weled Sylbie and Castle Lament。 They were all problems； problems to be solved； wrongs to be righted。 I thought again of Windlow's curious word： Justice。 It was odd how many satisfying things could be done under that rubric。 So； I ruminated while my cousins and mother leaned upon the stone to watch the wagons below。
'There；〃 whispered Mavin。 〃Nap has decided to wait until morning to enter the Blot。〃 It was true。 The camp had settled； Nap was seated beside his fire as others moved about the endless duties of the train。 I saw Izia at once； moving among the animals； searching for the missing pair； her skirted figure plain among the trousered ones of the men； all walking with that strange hesitation which I now； too well； understood。
〃Is there some way we can free them？〃 I asked the twins。 〃From Nap； or from the boots？〃
〃If it bees important； we must find a way；〃 said Swolwys。 〃However； those boots are locked on in a way we do not understand。 I have heard Nap say that an Elator in those boots could not move out of them。 A Tragamor could not move them from himself。 A Shifter could not change out of them。 They transcend Talent； so says Nap。 Nap controls them； but he must return to the Blot every season to have that power renewed。 It is growing weaker even now； and I think it is only that which brings him back to the Blot。 Without his power； control of his servants wanes。 The last day or two we have seen indications of rebellion among the pawns； particularly the newest ones。 We went far to the south； you know； looking for you； I suppose； cousin。 We stopped near the Bright Demesne。 You were not there； but Nap bought pawns from a pawner； young； strong ones who look at him with mutiny in their eyes。〃
〃Izia？ Is she likely to mutiny？〃
〃No。 Nap has had her since she was a child。 He taunts her with that fact。 He tells her that she was sold to him by a Shifter because she was worthless； that only Nap's kindness and forbearance have kept her alive th