A prickling sensation runs up my back.

  “Polkud said Jaemes had a daughter. Do you mean...?”

  “I do. Though whether she's actually his daughter or not is unclear. She might just be his student. Came down after his death. But her magic is unmistakable.”

  “Lightning?”

  “Sunlight—but she won't divulge its secrets.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because she says that it'll burn us. Perhaps she's right about that—or perhaps she's just jealous of her human knowledge.”

  “But she did show you some of it.”

  “Only once. She keeps to her quarters now mostly—Jaemes' old quarters, and has told me she prefers to have no visitors.”

  “What did it look like? Her magic, I mean. Does she have some kind of tool for it?”

  “It looked like the most blinding glare I ever saw, albeit only for an instant. And yes, she has a tool for it. A wooden staff topped with a daycrystal.”

  “Daycrystal? I suppose the humans trade for it. Do they make their own staffs, I wonder?”

  “I've never asked her. Unlike Jaemes, she doesn't speak much. I'm not even entirely sure why she's down here. Just research, she says.”

  I frown. “Research into the darkness? That's what Jaemes was fascinated by too.”

  “Probably.”

  “Aren't you worried she'll do something dangerous?”

  “I am, a little. Yet if not for Jaemes, just us two could never have uncovered Fjalar. The fortress owes him eternal gratitude. The least we can do is provide his daughter with what little food and drink she takes.”

  "Still, shouldn't she at least give a little back?"

  "What could a human give us runeknights? If the darkness comes roiling up, I'm sure she'll help our defense, even if only to preserve herself. And despite her height, she eats only half as much as we do, and she has no use for metal or gems either, just paper. I see her as a benefit. Potentially a very great one."

  “If her light is even brighter than Galar's and Runethane Yurok's was, you might be right."

  I recall the moment the Runethane unveiled his great mace of light. It shone through my flesh and lit my very bones. What could something even brighter than that look like? Is her magic brighter than dragonflame? Brighter even than the sun?

  "I should like to meet her,” I declare. "I would like to know where human power springs from, if not from runes."

  Nthazes shakes his head. “Be careful. I wouldn't want to make her angry. You said you were nearly killed by a mere apprentice, and she is no apprentice. Jaemes was old, when he died, and she is not young.”

  “Gray haired?”

  “Yes.”

  I pause, think. “She must know a lot about magic. Perhaps as much as any short-lived human could ever come to know.”

  “That may indeed be the case.”

  “And likely she has more than a passing interest in runes.”

  “She has asked a few questions about them.” He tilts his head a little. “You think she might be able to tell you about your powers. That maybe she'll have some insight.”

  “Yes,” I say bluntly. “I do. You said yourself that I ought to learn more about my runeforging.”

  “I did, I did.” He shakes his head. “But she... unnerves all of us. I really wouldn't disturb her."

  "Even so, to turn down this possibility seems wasteful. And I believe I did cover for her father on a number of occasions."

  "I'm not saying you shouldn't try to meet her. I'm just saying to be cautious." He pauses to think. "If she hears of your runeforging, that might compel her to seek you out."

  “Will you tell her?”

  “I'll hint about it. If I tell her directly she'll just suspect something.” Excitement flashes in his pale eyes. “You're very right that this could be an opportunity. The idea didn't come to me until now, but magic is magic. Yours springs from below, the humans' from above. Maybe there's a link there, a link in opposition. She might well be able to help you.”

  I'm starting to feel a little nervous. That look in his eyes—it's far different to what I remember. Back when we first met, his eyes would fill with wonder as he listened to my descriptions of the sun-mirrors of the Hazhakmar, the magma lakes, the river, and of all else that was mundane and incredible. They never flashed with what I see now: something akin to greed, or hungry desperation.

  It's my runeforging that draws these looks from him. The promise of new power, and a new age for dwarfkind. Something has changed. I choose my next words carefully:

  “You want new runes of light badly, don't you, old friend? I'm happy to create some for you, though it will take me time and hard work.”

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  “I do.”

  “For fear of the darkness?”

  He reaches across the table for a skin lying there. He empties its contents into his mug, and it is clear like crystal. Water.

  “Zathar, I know you well,” he says slowly. He is choosing his words carefully too. “I remember the tone of voice you took when asking after the murderer. Do you suspect me of something?”

  “You're sharper than before. And more suspicious.”

  “I've become so, yes.”

  I shake my head. “I don't suspect you of anything. It's just that you've changed a lot. It saddens me.”

  “Who could have remained unchanged, after the calamity? For you, I think, it became an absolution of your past crimes. It was an event that proved you were not as bad as you thought you were. But for us—it was the end of so much. Maybe it's hard for you to understand this, having come from outside.”

  I open my mouth to give an angry retort, but stop myself. He's not trying to offend me. And he's correct.

  “I cannot deny that,” I tell him. “My acts down here convinced me I was not all bad news, and they saved my life at the trial. I would never even have gotten a trial, if Fjalar hadn't given me the opportunity to prove my worth. Yes: your calamity was good for me. It saved me.”

  “You understand.” He nods. “The Zathar before might not have.”

  “No. Probably not.”

  “But I spoke too harshly just then. I apologize."

  I shake my head. "You don't need to."

  "No, I do. You do know what loss is like. You've lost your entire guild, just as we nearly have. And you even lost your purpose, after the black dragon's death at hands not your own.”

  “I helped enough that I'm satisfied. Others had an equal right to take revenge. Or a more than an equal right.”

  “We have not had any revenge," he says sadly. "The darkness still lurks down there, growing in strength. And we cannot even recover the bodies of our slain, nor their equipment.”

  I swallow. “Nthazes, you don't mean to say that—”

  A dark look comes across his features. “Retreating saved my life,” he says bitterly. “Perhaps it also saved the fort—perhaps! But whatever the case, it was cowardly to abandon my Runethane. And he hurt the darkness, down there. He hurt it badly enough that it will not come back after us. It remembers our strength.”

  “It did come back after us,” I remind him. “We had to fight it off on the elevator.”

  “That was only a final, exhausted effort. It was Runethane Yurok, and Commanders Cathez and Hraroth, as well as the chamberlain who struck the most violent blows. Compared to their lights, ours were nothing.”

  “Galar's was not.”

  “Yet he did not strike close to the source. If we had ignored Belthur's call to retreat, what might have been? Maybe we could have put a torch to the darkness once and for all."

  "Or maybe there would be no more guardians down here, no one to defend against the darkness at all."

  "That is one possibility, I know."

  “You can't be thinking about attacking the darkness. About going back down there. Be reasonable, Nthazes, please! Runethane Yurok led nearly all of you to your dooms—you can't copy his example.”

  Nthazes shakes his head. “I'm not going to while we're so weak. I'm no fool. Yet I've heard rumors up in Brightdeep about a war oncoming, and your talk has confirmed them. The Runeking will want all his Runethanes at the forefront. And that means finishing business down here once and for all.”

  “Runethane Halmak wants to attack. Is that it?”

  “Yes. He's hinted as much. And when he gives the order, I won't oppose it. I can't betray another Runethane.”

  “You did not betray Runethane Yurok. He betrayed all of you. He was blinded by pride.”

  “Yet still...” He throws up his hands, sighs. “You are not one of us. You can't understand the loyalty we feel to this place. This place is what we are.”

  “No. I accept that. But what about you? Once you wished to leave.”

  “I did, and I still harbor that desire. Now I realize, though, that I can never leave entirely. I'm bound to the deep. I have a duty that far outweighs any singular goals I might have.”

  “You cannot fulfill it dead. Neither can Runethane Halmak—does he not understand the darkness's strength?”

  “No. I do, though, and that is why I'm so desperate to increase our own.”

  “And you think my runes can give you it.”

  “Them, and the secret that none of us here know. In Runethane Yurok's private stores are metals that seem almost alive and sing at the slightest touch. I don't know what they are—though I suspect you do.”

  “I do.”

  “But you cannot say. I can tell by the tone of your voice that you won't. Runethane Halmak refused to say anything too.”

  “I was told each runeknight must forge his own path to the truth. And I agree. It's not something that should be told. It's like almergris. Those who aren't ready should not touch it.”

  “You cannot give me even a hint? Some clue to the correct direction?” He narrows his eyes, as I have never seen him do before. “Nothing?”

  “What flows into Runeking Ulrike's foundries, but never out? That's all I was told.”

  “I see. I will have to ask for the answer.”

  “The answer is metal.” A sick feeling takes me in the stomach. “I cannot say anymore. It's an awful secret. Even once you understand how to create that metal, you won't wish to use it.”

  “You don't need to say any more.” His calm, familiar smile returns. “You've done me enough favors already.”

  “Never. I want to help, if there's to be a battle. I'll make you your runes of light. Just ask and I'll do it.”

  “You could do that so easily? I don't wish to pressure you.”

  “It won't be easy, no. But I will try.”

  “And will you fight alongside us below?”

  He looks desperate. He wants me to say yes. Should I? Surely it is madness to go back down there. The darkness was a foe as strong as the black dragon was. Yet, did we not defeat the black dragon?

  We defeated a weakened black dragon. Runeking Halajatbast struck it fearsome blows, then Runeking Uthrarzak's forces dealt more. The dragon was a more straightforward foe to fight as well. Armor provided some defense against its claws and flames. Against the darkness, armor does little, only with weapons of light can it be battered away.

  “Well, Zathar? Will you?”

  “Yes," I decide. "I must. I swore to myself I would not run away anymore. I have power now and I need to use it. With new runes of light... I think we can win, Nthazes. But it will take a while. Your guild must be built up. Runethane Halmak's forces too.”

  “Do we have time, do you think? You know more of time than I do.”

  “We should have plenty. Runethane Ytith's guards said the war was half a century away. Even if it's closer, there still must be many years left. To make war on such a scale must require preparations you and I could never guess at. We have time. I'm sure of it.”

  “I'll have to rely on you to judge.”

  “I'll try to keep track of the hours.”

  “You'd best stay up in Brightdeep if you want to do that.”

  “I was hoping to stay down here, actually.”

  “Really?” He seems surprised. “With the darkness so near, and memories of Fjalar so close at hand?”

  “I've got worse memories than of him, now. And this place is familiar to me. Brightdeep is not.”

  He smiles widely and seems to relax; I relax too, for this is an expression I do remember him wearing. “You will be our guest. And I will give you free use of our stores too, to forge your new equipment of light.”

  “I'm grateful.” I grin. “Beyond grateful. It is good to have friends again, after so much time alone.” I recall Hayhek and Ithis. “Though I worry for some other friends, also on their way here.”

  “Those fleeing from Runethane Vanerak's realm? I'm sure they'll find their way here eventually. Travel is easier now that Runethane Halmak has civilized the nearby caverns. Don't worry about them.”

  “I'll try not to. The forging hall will take my mind off everything, I hope. Will you lead me to it?”

  “You don't wish to rest a little longer?”

  I shake my head. “No. My hands shiver to create. It's been too long since I worked metal into something new. Runic ears—that's what I'm going to make. Yours have inspired me.”

  He stands up. “Then let us go to the forges, Runeforger.”

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