When she had finished her examination and was apparently satisfied with what she had discovered, she looked back at her followers and said, “Magic made this, but I can’t identify its source. It doesn’t appear to be harmful, but I will have to test it to be certain. Everyone will wait here while I do.”

When Garroneck muttered what must have been an objection, she added. “Yes, that includes you.”

Without hesitating, she stepped into the shimmer and disappeared.

The wait for her return went on for long minutes. Twice, Garroneck started for the light, and twice Carrick caught his arm and shook his head firmly. No one knew what the light would do to anyone entering. It might not even take those entering to the same place. Redden tried to see what lay on the other side, but he could only make out rock walls and clustered shadows.

The reappearance of the Ard Rhys was both sudden and startling. She emerged from the shimmer all at once, her black cloak wrapped close.

The members of the company immediately crowded close to hear what she had to say.

“The light opens into a tunnel,” she told them. “The tunnel winds through rock walls I could not see, but could feel when I stretched out my arms. The tunnel ends at a second shimmer—like this one but much darker and more resistant when I passed through it. On the other side is country similar to what we have here—bleak and empty and gray. I took time to look around and see if anything dangerous waited, but nothing showed itself. Nothing threatened me while I was in the tunnel, either. I think we should go through now and have a look around and then decide if we want to make camp there rather than here. I’ve tagged the opening so that we can find our way back.”

This time there was heated discussion. A handful of those in the company, chief among them Garroneck, thought it would be better to stay where they were until morning and then send a small party back through the tunnel for a closer look around. Most of the others wanted to continue now rather than wait.

Redden kept silent, even though he believed they should rethink the whole business. He didn’t like what he was feeling, and his instincts were seldom wrong when it came to making choices like this one. He wondered if anyone else was feeling this way besides the handful who had already spoken. He glanced from face to face.

To his surprise, he found Oriantha watching him. She gave him a brief nod. She knew what he was looking for.