ust before reacaircase on t Scelto turned rig doairo t broug into anot- corridor. there.

    t beginning to stir.

    S Scelto. t. For a fleeting moment sempted to confide in o make an ally of a friend.

    could s and train of years t had led her here?

    S a ;Go no; s;Ill be all right.”

    it looking back stle o t out into the grey, cold beginning of dawn.

    It  al al ions, and it astes and styles in t had changed.

    arrived it tering exercise in topiary: fully trimmed in trees precisely spaced and arranged t ted benc easy intervals, eaced for fragrance and sidy box- at ter, and roary colors.

    tame and boring, t t time hrough.

    it deal time. ted seemingly at random ted groves of trees—brougain slopes and ts on ted benc flo t to go, and t, symmetrically pruned so gro, rees. the garden was a maze now.

    An underground stream apped and diverted and noer umble upon, rees for s. trange place no overgro certainly not neglected, but deliberately so give a sense of stillness and isolation and even, at times, of danger.

    times sucill cold and t beginning to  buds rees, and only t floo ter trees stood tall and dark against the grey sky.

    Dianora sook a deep breat tain, o t to break up; it er. Not yet tood at ter garden and tried to guide oeadiness and calm.

    Se in t s sure s to  years ago er splasorc pat o a gate umbled upon one day,  to orchem and blue Ilarion overhead.

    nigalked to  ies of flo princess born in some