Dwer controlled himself。 It's that chip on her shoulder talking。 Her people must have been awful to her。 Taking a breath； he replied evenly。
〃I don't think it's alive。 I know it is。 What's more…this spider's crazy。〃
Rety's first reaction was to raise both eyebrows in surprised fascination。 She leaned toward him and asked in a hushed voice…〃Really？〃
Then she tittered； and Dwer saw she was being sarcastic。 〃What's it do？ Put out sticky lures full o' berry…sugar an' sweet gar； to snatch little girls who're bad？〃
Taken aback； Dwer finally grunted。 〃I guess you could say something like that。〃
Now Rety's eyes widened for real； brimming with curiosity。 〃Now this I gotta see！〃
She gave the rope at her waist a sudden yank。 The formidable…looking knot fell apart； and she took off； dashing past several craggy stones。 The gaily squeaking noor pursued with excited bounds。
〃Wait！〃 Dwer yelled futilely； knowing it useless to chase her through the boulder maze。 Scrambling up a nearby talus slope of rocky debris； he managed to glimpse her ragged ponytail； bobbing as she ran toward where the rocky slabs converged in a tumbled labyrinth rimming the lake shore。
〃Rety！〃 he screamed into the wind。 〃Don't touch the…〃
He stopped wasting breath。 The same breeze that pushed the lake's musty pungency against his face stole his words before they could reach her ears。 Dwer slid back down to the trail； only to realize…damn！ Even the glaver was gone！
He finally found it half an arrowflight uphill； shambling back the way they had e； following whatever instinct sometimes drove its kind to wander doggedly east； away from fort and protection and toward near…certain death。 Growling under his breath； Dwer seized the mare's tether and sought something； anything； to tie her to； but the nearest stand of gangly boo lay too far away。 Dropping his pack； he whipped out a length of cord。 〃Sorry about this；〃 he apologized； using his hip to lever the glaver over。 Ignoring her rumbling plaint； he proceeded to hobble her rear legs； where he hoped she couldn't reach the rope with her teeth。
〃Pain； frustration…both quite tedious are。〃
〃Sorry。 I'll be back soon；〃 he answered optimistically； and took off after the sooner child。
Stay uphill and downwind； Dwer thought； angling to the right of her last heading。 This might just be a trick to let her circle around and head for home。
A little later； he noticed he had reflexively unlimbered his bow； cranking the string tension for short range； and had loosed the clamp securing the stubby arrows in his thigh quiver。
What good will arrows do； if she makes the spider angry？
Or worse； if she catches its interest？
Toward the valley's rim； many stones retained a semblance to their ancient role； segments of whatever Buyur structure once stood proudly on this site； but as Dwer hurried inward； all likeness to masonry vanished。 Ropy strands festooned the boulders。 Most appeared quite dead…gray； desiccated； and flaking。 However； soon his eye caught a greenish streak here。。。 and over there a tendril oozing slime across a stony surface； helping nature slowly erase all vestiges of former scalpel…straight smoothness。
Finally； raising a creepy feeling down his back； Dwer glimpsed tremors of movement。 A wakening of curling strands； roused from sleep by some recent disturbance。
Rety。
He dodged through the increasingly dense maze； leaping over some ropy barriers； sliding under others； and twice doubling back with an oath when he reached impassable dead ends。 This Buyur site was nowhere near as vast as the one north and east of Dolo Village； where each local citizen dutifully took part in crews gleaning for items missed by the deconstructor spider。 Dwer used to go there often； along with Lark or Sara。 That spider was more vigorous and alive than this crotchety old thing…yet far less dangerous。
The thicket of pale cables soon grew too crowded for an adult to pass； though the girl and noor might have gone on。 In frustration； Dwer whirled and slapped a rounded knob of rock。
〃Ifni's luck！〃 He waved his stinging hand。 〃Of ail the bloody damn jeekee。。。〃
He slung the bow over one shoulder； freeing both hands； and started scrambling up the jagged face of a boulder three times his height。 It was no climb he would have chosen； given time to work out a better route； but Dwer's racing heart urged him to hurry。
Mini…avalanches of eroded rock spilled over his hair and down his collar； stinging with a dusty redolence of decayed time。 Flaky vines and dried tendrils offered tempting handholds； which he strove to ignore。 Rock was stronger； though not always as reliable as it looked。
While his fingers traced one fine crack； he felt the outcrop under his left foot start to crumble and was forced to trust his weight to one of the nearby crisscrossing mule…cables。
With a crackling ratchet； the vine gave but a moment's warning before slipping。 He gasped； suspending his entire weight with just his fingertips。 Dwer's torso struck the stone wall； slamming air out of his lungs。
His flailing legs met another strand； thinner than the first； just seconds before his grip would have failed。 With no other choice； Dwer used it as a springboard to pivot and launch himself leftward； landing on a slim ledge with his right foot。 His hands swarmed along the almost sheer face and at last found solid holds。 Blinking away dust； he inhaled deeply till it felt safe to resume。
The last few meters were less steep but worn slick by countless storms since the boulder had been dragged here； then left in place by the weakening vines。 Finally； he was able to get up on his knees and peer ahead； toward the nearby shore。
What had seemed a uniform hedge； lining the lake's perimeter； was now a thick snarl of vines； varying from man…height to several times as tall。 This near the water； the cables' gray pallor gave way to streaks of green； yellow； even bloodred。 Within the tangle he glimpsed specks of yet other colors； sparkling in shafts of sunlight。
Beyond the thorny barrier； the scummy pond seemed to possess a geometric essence； both liquid and uncannily corrugated。 Some areas seemed to pulse； as if to a cryptic rhythm…or enduring anger。
One…of…a…Kind； he thought； not really wanting to evoke the name but unable to resist。 He pulled his gaze away； scanning for Rety。 Don't bun her； One…of…a…Kind。 She's only a child。
He didn't want to converse with the mule…spider。 He hoped it might be dormant； as when the lake was a harmless cranny in the winter snowscape。 Or perhaps it was dead； at last。 The spider was surely long past due to die。 A grisly hobby seemed to be all that kept this one alive。
He shivered as a creeping sensation climbed the nape of his neck。
（Hunter。 Fellow…seeker。 Lonely one。 How good of you to greet me。 I sensed you pass nearby some days ago； hurrying in chase。 Why did you not pause to say hello？
（Have you found what you sought？
（Is it this 〃child〃 you speak of？
（Is she different from other humans？
（Is she special in some way？）
Scanning for traces of Rety； Dwer tried to ignore the voice。 He had no idea why he sometimes held conversations with a particular corrosive alpine puddle。 Though psi talent wasn't unknown among the Six； the Scrolls warned darkly against it。 Anyway； most psi involved links among close kin…one reason he never told anyone about this fey channel。 Imagine the nicknames； if people learned of it！
I probably imagine it all； anyway。 Must be some weird symptom of my solitary life。
The tickling presence returned。
（Is that still your chief image of me？ As a figment of your mind？ If so； why not test it？ e to me； my unowned treasure。 My unique wonder！ e to the one place in the cosmos where you will always be prized！）
Dwer grimaced； resisting the hypnotic draw of the algae patterns； still scanning amid the rocks and tangles for Rety。 At least the spider hadn't taken her yet。 Or was it cruel enough to lie？
There！ Was that a flicker to the left？ Dwer peered westward； shading his eyes against the late afternoon sun。 Something rustled near the coiled vines； just a dozen or so mete