Ahead of her, the Manethrall sat, watchful and ready, on Latebirth’s arms as the Swordmain followed the Waynhim. Energized by the vitality of the Staff, Liand grew palpably stronger, shedding the aftereffects of his wounds while Stonemage ran. The Ardent deployed his ribbands in a frenzy like the fever of his timorous heart. Covenant seemed to be failing. Bit by bit, the hurt of his burns gnawed at his self-command. Nevertheless he clung grimly to his present.

Like Stave, Clyme and Branl looked impervious to any doom. At Linden’s side, Esmer radiated a chaos of conflicting passions: anger and disdain, anticipation and abhorrence; a chagrin as immedicable as his wounds.

Behind them, Anele’s head jerked anxiously from side to side. His whole body emitted a sharp gibber of fright. But he did nothing to hinder Galesend’s steps.

Pahni’s aura was a vivid ache of concern for Liand. Yet her Ramen discipline held. And Bhapa had regained his determination to face any peril for Linden’s sake, and for Mahrtiir’s. In spite of his naked apprehension, he sat leaning forward on Bluntfist’s forearms as if he were prepared to fling himself bodily into the chasm of the Hazard; the maw of the bane.

For Linden, this tunnel passed like the previous one: a torrent of pearlescence and panic and Earthpower; curses and dread. By the simple lore of long strides and haste, the Giants foreshortened the distance.

Grueburn carried Linden into the next chamber before Linden realized that Latebirth, Stonemage, and the Ardent had reached the immaculate hall which contained the jut of rock like a misshapen throne.

In the center of the floor, jagged stone gaped like fangs at the ceiling. Even now, the maimed seat seemed indefinably abominable, as if here the Viles had sculpted an image or replica of something far more bitter and brutal.

Linden had reached the limit of her endurance: she could not abide her separation from her son; her bone-deep conviction that she was abandoning him. “Stop!” she called to the Giants. “I can’t go on like this. I need to wait for Jeremiah!”

Already Cirrus Kindwind had brought Covenant into the chamber. Galesend, Cabledarm, and Bluntfist were close behind her. But Jeremiah remained beyond the reach of Linden’s senses.

“Lady, we must have haste!” Words frothed on the Ardent’s lips. “If any hope remains to us, it lies beyond the Hazard. Within the Lost Deep, we may be hunted and devoured at leisure. We must pass the abysm!”

Ur-viles and Waynhim shouted like dogs or crows; but Linden did not know how to heed them.

“And if She rises between us?” she retorted. “If we’re on one side of the Hazard, and Jeremiah is on the other? I won’t do it! We have to stay together. Everything we’ve done is wasted if we don’t stay together.”