“I spoke with some chasm-crossers who’ll be here for a while,” Gordy said. “They offered to look after Cliff until he’s strong enough to walk.”

Gordy introduced me to them, and we spent most of the day in their company. When I was finally satisfied, I said, “Take good care of him.”

“As soon as he’s better, he’ll walk the road with us.”

Gordy shook hands with old Cliff. Malaiki kissed him on the cheek, and his eyes sparkled. I put my arms around him, and he hugged me with surprising strength.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“Thank you,” I whispered back. “Don’t forget what I told you about the King.”

“I won’t,” he said, eyes bright. “And I won’t forget you.”

Cliff’s lips spread into a broad, gap-toothed smile.

By then it was late in the day, and we pitched our tents just a few hours up the road. I lay awake hours after we retired, reflecting on the last few days, thinking about Cliff and all that had happened. Suddenly I saw a large misshapen shadow cast on the tent by the moonlight. Frodo lay beside me, and I expected him to wake, but he didn’t. The only sound I heard was his light breathing. But I felt something outside brooding, watching, waiting, planning.

Why was the night so still? Where were the sounds of frogs and crickets? Why were they quiet? What were they afraid of?

Finally I peeked out the tent flap. I saw nothing. I got out of the tent and peered into the darkness with only the aid of the second moon, which was dropping low on the horizon. I smelled the scent of death. Then ten feet away in the bushes I saw a reflection … eyes! Windowed eyes, three feet off the ground, catching the moonlight. I heard the creaking of great joints. Was it a giant spider? Was it a spinner of the great web of Skia? Was it he who hated the singer and lived to rid the whole world of song? Or was it one of his foul servants? Or some loathsome beast he had nurtured and set out to prowl the camps of men?

Trembling, mind racing and terror-struck, I returned to my bed, grasping my knife. I sensed I was still being watched and heard in the wind the whispers of phantoms and specters, goblins and gremlins and ghosts. I felt something light brush my face and tucked my chin against my chest under the blanket. I stuck my neck out of the covers again. I saw and heard nothing. Finally the terror lightened to dread, then dissolved into tolerable fear.