soot…colored clouds； and a biting wind swooped along Mintahoq's face。 The mountaintop above was white…blanketed in ice； like the high peaks across the valley； but at this lower height the snow had fallen more patently。 Some wide drifts lay across the path； and others nestled among the cave mouths； but dry rock and exposed soil were also all around。 Simon had no idea if such snow was normal for the first days of Tiyagar…month in Yiqanuc； but he did know that he was mightily sick of sleet and cold。 Every flake that swooped into his eye felt like an insult； the scarred flesh of his cheek and jaw ached terribly。
Now that they had left what seemed like the populous section of the mountain； there were not many troll folk to be seen。 Dark shapes peered out of the smoke of some of the cave…mouths； and two more groups of riders passed by heading in the same direction； slowing to stare； then bustling along as hastily as had the first troop。
The pair passed a gaggle of children playing in a snowdrift。 The young trolls； barely taller than Simon's knee； were bundled up in heavy fur jackets and leggings； they looked like little round hedgehogs。 Their eyes grew wide as Simon and Haestan trudged past； and their high…pitched chatter was stilled； but they did not run or show any sign of fear。 Simon liked that。 He smiled gently； mindful of his pained cheek； and waved to them。
When a loop of the path led them far out toward the northward side of the mountain； they found themselves in an area where the noise of
Mintahoq's inhabitants disappeared entirely and they were alone with the voice of wind and fluttering snow。
〃Don't like this bit m'self；〃 Haesten said。
〃What's that？〃 Simon pointed up the slope。 On a stone porch far above stood a strange egg…shaped structure made of carefully ordered blocks of snow。 It gleamed faintly； pink…tinged by the slanting sun。 A row of silent trolls stood before it； spears clutched in their mittened hands； their faces harsh in their hoods。
〃Don't point； lad；〃 Haestan said； gently pulling at Simon's arm。 Had a few of the guards shifted their gazes downward？ 〃It be somethin' important； y'r friend Jiriki said。 Called 'Ice House。' Th' little folk be all worked up over it right this moment。 Don't know why…don't want t'know；either。〃
〃Ice House？〃 Simon stared。 〃Does someone live there？〃
Haestan shook his head。 〃Jiriki didna say。〃
Simon looked to Haestan speculatively。 〃Have you talked with Jiriki much since you've been here？ I mean； since I wasn't around for you to talk to？〃
〃Oh； aye；〃 Haestan said； then paused。 〃Not much； in truth。 Always seems like 。 。 。 like he's thinkin' on something' grand； d'ye see？ Somethin' important。 But he's nice enough； in's way。 Not like a person； quite； but not a bad'un。〃 Haestan thought a bit more。 〃He's not like I thought magic…fellow 'd be。 Talks plain； Jiriki does。〃 Haestan smiled。 〃Does think well on ye； he does。 Way he talks； un'd think he owed ye money。〃 He chuckled in his beard。
It was a long； wearying walk for someone as weak as Simon： first up； then down； back and forth over the face of the mountain。 Although Haestan put a steadying hand under his elbow each time he sagged； Simon had begun to wonder if he could go any farther when they trudged around an outcropping that pushed out into the path like a stone in a river and found themselves standing before the wide entranceway of the great
cavern of Yiqanuc。
The vast hole； at least fifty paces from edge to edge； gaped in the face of Mintahoq like a mouth poised to pronounce a solemn judgment。 Just inside stood a row of huge； weathered statues： round…bellied； humanlike figures； gray and yellow as rotted teeth； stoop…shouldered beneath the burden of the entranceway roof。 Their smooth heads were crowned with ram's horns； and greac tusks pushed out between their lips。 So worn were they by centuries of harsh weather that their faces were all but featureless。
This gave them； to Simon's startled eye； not a look of antiquity； but rather of unformed newness…as if they were even now creating themselves out of the primordial stone。
〃Chidsik Uh Lingit； 〃a voice said beside him； 〃…the House of the Ancestor。〃
Simon jumped a little and turned in surprise； but it was not Haestan who had spoken。 Jiriki stood beside him； staring up at the blind stone faces。
〃How long have you been standing there？〃 Simon was shamed to have been so startled。 He turned his head back to the entranceway。 Who could guess that the tiny trolls would carve such giant door…wardens？
〃I came out to meet you；〃 Jiriki said。 〃Greetings； Haestan。〃
The guardsman grunted and nodded his head。 Simon wondered again what had passed between the Erkynlander and the Sitha during the long days of his illness。 There were times when Simon found it very hard to converse with veiled and roundabout Prince Jiriki。 How might it be for a straightforward soldier like Haestan； who had not been trained； as Simon had； on the maddening circularities of Doctor Morgenes？
〃Is this where the'king of the trolls lives？〃 he asked aloud。
〃And the queen of the trolls； as well； 〃Jiriki nodded。 〃Although they are not really called a king and queen in the Qanuc language。 It would be closer to say the Herder and Huntress。 〃
〃Kings； queens； princes； and none of them are what they are called；〃 Simon grumbled。 He was tired and sore and cold。 〃Why is the cave so big？〃
The Sitha laughed quietly。 His pale lavender hair fluttered in the sharp wind。 〃Because if the cave were smaller； young Seoman； they would doubtless have found another place to be their House of the Ancestor instead。 Now we should go inside…and not only so that you can escape the cold。〃
Jiriki led them between two of the centermost statues； toward flickering yellow light。 As they passed between pillarlike legs； Simon looked up to the eyeless faces beyond the polished bulges of the statues' great stone bellies。 He was reminded again of the philosophies of Doctor Morgenes。
The Doctor used to say that no one ever knows what will e to them…〃don't build on expectation；〃 he said that all the time。 Who would ever have though！ someday I would see such things as this； have such adventures？ No one knows what will e to them。 。 。 。
He felt a twinge of pain along his face； then a needle of cold in his gut。
The Doctor； as was so often the case； had spoken nothing but the truth。
Inside； the great cavern was full of trolls and dense with the sweetly sour odors of oil and fat。 A thousand yellow lights blazed。
All around the craggy； high…ceilinged stone room； in wall…niches and in the very floor； pools of oil bloomed with fire。 Hundreds of such lamps； each with its floating wick like a slender white worm； gave the cavern a light that far outshone the gray day outside。 Hide…jacketed Qanuc filled the room； an ocean of black…haired heads。 Small children sat pickaback； like seagulls floating placidly atop the waves。
At the room's center an island of rock protruded above the sea of troll folk。 There； on a raised stone platform hewn from the very stuff of the cavern floor； two smallish figures sat in a pool of fire。
It was not exactly a pool of pure flame； Simon saw a moment later； but a slender moat cut into the gray rock all the way around； filled with the same burning oil that fueled the lamps。 The two figures at the center of the ring of flames reclined side by side in a sort of hammock of ornately…figured hide bounded by thongs to a frame of ivory。 The pair nested unmoving in the mound of white and reddish furs。 Their eyes were bright in their round； placid faces。
〃She is Nunuuika and he is Uammannaq；〃 Jiriki said quietly； 〃…they are the masters of the Qanuc 。 。 。〃
Even as he spoke； one of the two small figures gestured briefly with a hooked staff。 The vast； packed horde of troll folk drew back to either side； pressing themselves even closer together； forming an aisle that stretched from the stone platform to the place where Simon and his panions stood。 Several hundred small； expectant faces turned toward them。 There was much whispering。 Simon stared down the open length of cavern floor； abashed。
〃Seems clea