Sephrenia had arranged Kurik’s body in a posture of repose. His cloak covered the dreadful wound which had spilled out his life. His eyes were closed and his face calm. Once again Sparhawk felt an unbearable grief. ‘Is there any way –?’ he began, even though he already knew the answer.

Sephrenia shook her head. ‘No, dear one,’ she replied. ‘I’m sorry.’ She sat beside the body holding the weeping Talen in her arms.

Sparhawk sighed. ‘We’re going to have to leave,’ he told them. ‘We have to get back to those stairs before anybody decides to follow us.’ He looked back over his shoulder. Kalten was hurrying to join them, and he was carrying something wrapped in a Zemoch cloak.

‘I’ll do this,’ Ulath said. He bent and picked Kurik up as if the powerful squire were no more than a child, and they retraced their steps to the foot of the stairs leading up into the dusty darkness above.

‘Slide that wall back in place,’ Sparhawk said, ‘and see if you can find some way to wedge it shut.’

‘We can do that from up above,’ Ulath said. ‘We’ll block the track it slides on.’

Sparhawk grunted as he made some decisions. ‘Bevier,’ he said regretfully, ‘we’re going to have to leave you here, I’m afraid. You’re badly wounded, and I’ve already lost enough friends today.’

Bevier started to object, but then changed his mind.

‘Talen,’ Sparhawk went on, ‘you stay here with Bevier and your father.’ He smiled a sad smile. ‘We want to kill Azash; we don’t want to steal Him.’

Talen nodded.

‘And Berit –’

‘Please, Sparhawk,’ the young man said, his eyes filled with tears. ‘Please don’t make me stay behind. Sir Bevier and Talen are safe here, and I might be able to help when we get to the temple.’

Sparhawk glanced at Sephrenia. She nodded. ‘All right,’ he said. He wanted to warn Berit to be careful, but that would have demeaned the apprentice, so he let it pass.

‘Give me your war-axe and shield, Berit,’ Bevier said, his voice weak. ‘Take these instead.’ He handed Berit his lochaber and his burnished shield.

‘I won’t dishonour them, Sir Bevier,’ Berit swore.

Kalten had stepped towards the rear of the chamber. ‘There’s a space back here under the stairs, Bevier. It might be a good idea for you and Kurik and Talen to wait for us under there. If the soldiers manage to break through the wall, the three of you won’t be in plain sight.’

Bevier nodded as Ulath took up Kurik’s body to conceal it behind the stairs.

‘There’s not much left to say, Bevier,’ Sparhawk told the Cyrinic Knight, taking his hand. ‘We’ll try to come back as soon as we can.’

‘I’ll pray for you, Sparhawk,’ Bevier said, ‘for all of you.’