Alec took pen in hand and sketched out the large cave on the other plane, the spot where the seal was, and the tunnel that led outside. “It’s about thirty or so feet from the opening.”

“You’ll have to be inside the tunnel to see what’s at the end of it, with the light behind you.”

“Which means he’ll be visible,” said Thero.

“Not if I’m on my belly until the last minute,” said Alec. “Besides, the dyrmagnos will probably be too occupied with Klia and the seal to notice me.”

“You can’t count on that,” Thero warned. Taking the pen, he drew the third cave just touching the one Alec had drawn. “Assuming that they are joined, as they were in my vision, then we should be nose-to-nose with Rhazat and Klia when the seal is broken and our plane opens to the other. And our cave here …” He drew in the narrow tunnel that connected the third cave to the second. “The only ways out are back through this bottleneck, or forward, charging her.”

“Or rather, driving her,” said Seregil. “Alec is our first line of attack. Until he weakens her with the arrows, we may not be much good against her.”

“If I manage to hit her heart, that should be pretty much the end of her,” said Alec.

“It didn’t work that way last time,” Micum reminded them. “We still had to hack Irtuk Beshar to pieces. That’s a rotten business and if you don’t remember, I’ll show you the scars on my leg.”

“I’ll aim for her heart,” Alec assured him. “I’ve got sixteen arrows and if I can, I’ll put every damn one of them into that bitch.”

“We’re still assuming that Klia will agree to break the seal,” Micum reminded them. “Who’s to say she won’t order us to leave her there and reseal the plane?”

“I’ll just have to convince her,” said Alec.

“You might need help doing that.” Seregil turned to Thero. “Perhaps a letter from you?”

“I composed one last night.” He took a wax-sealed letter from his coat pocket and gave it to Alec. “Whatever happens, she must have this.”

Alec tucked it away in his coat. “The only problem is, I can’t guarantee when I’ll find her again. She said she’d go to the cave every day, but who knows if she’ll be able to or not?”

“That means we’ll have to be ready and waiting, no matter what,” said Micum. “Once we’re in place, we’ll stay there until you and Klia come through. Only problem is, I don’t fit down the tunnel to the painted cave.”

“That’s easily fixed,” said Thero.

“Yes, but then what?” asked Alec. “We’re assuming that the magic on the arrows won’t work until the other plane is breached—”