The Escarpment was a thin brown line across the horizon of the sea of tall pains grass when they first left the mountains hiding Sirens’ Forest. Evals no longer had to help with the travois, and his energy slowly returned. He had been going on nervous energy so long he wondered if he would ever feel rested again.

With a couple of additional drops from the sprites’ vial and his sister’s constant attention, Faydaen was regaining his strength, but it would be months before he was actually well. His wounds however did nothing to stop his mouth, and he used it constantly, usually to harangue Evals.

Evals put up with it stoically. With every mile that passed, the Escarpment grew in size. He decided friendship or not, he would go no farther. As much as he liked Cosis, the priest would be on his own after that. Evals longed to see Daxlan again and sit in a tavern watching good fighting men spin wilder and wilder tales of glory as they got drunker and drunker.

Cosis was humiliated by Faydaen’s tongue. The immaturity of Kilaal’s great grandnephew was appalling. The only solace he could mange was Faydael seemed to be seeing how she was acting in a new light as her brother took over for her. He had tried to reason with the younger elf, but Faydaen’s bigotry was too great. It would never be changed. He had apologized countless times to Evals, and he knew nothing the two brats could say would shake the friendship he and the Scout had developed.

They could see the huge lift that moved elves and supplies up and down the Escarpment when Evals saw a dust cloud bearing down on them from the way they had come. "Cosis, you and Faydael cut loose all the horses and then make for your lift. Faydaen is pretty strong so don’t worry about jarring him around a bit.

"That has to be a squad of Madogos. Pychnies are terrible riders. I’ll try to slow them, but don’t count on me giving you much time." He looked at Faydaen then Cosis. "Remember, the Sword is the most important thing right now." Faydaen blanched but said nothing. It was true.

Evals jumped off the brown mare he was riding and quickly mounted his roan who he had purposely not ridden since they left the Sirens’ Forest. The horse once again had his spirit back and pranced excitedly with Evals’s weight on his back. Evals unlashed the Pychnie bow and strung it.

Dropping the reins onto the roan’s neck, he used his knees to get the horse turned as he nocked an arrow and galloped towards the oncoming dust cloud which now showed a mass of riders under it. Evals was just glad Mandogo cavalry, like the Jinku, abhorred the bow as too impersonal a weapon.

"Let’s go," Cosis said harshly as he released the spare horses’ ropes. Faydael spurred her horse, and they began galloping towards the lift. Faydaen moaned miserably as the travois bounced around dangerously. He knew the Sword was more important than he, but he wished they would slow down just a little.

Evals cursed when he saw the riders split into two groups. One group would finish him and the other would continue the chase. He halted and waited. When the group charging him was nearly upon him, he shot the lead horse in the chest. It reared and spooked the other horses. He shot another horse and then spurred the roan after the group swinging around him.

Ground churned under the roan’s hooves as it laid out its neck and raced after the horses in front of it. Grass whipped by at a dizzying speed. Evals lay flat on the roan’s neck moving with the powerful strides of the horse. Slowly the gap closed between the lone rider and those ahead of him.

He saw the surprised expression of the Mandogos as the roan pulled even with them. Evals let another arrow fly at the lead horse. It struck the horse in the belly, but the horse continued its run. He nocked another arrow and shot the next horse. The arrow pierced the animal’s neck and it tumbled to the ground. Several horses bunched around it went down. The lead horse finally collapsed and took down more of the group.

Evals galloped ahead and watched as his companions clambered into the lift with their horses. It began it slow climb to the top, two hundred feet above the plains. He stopped. The roan was lathered and breathing hard, but it wouldn’t let its head droop. It seemed to sense this was their last battle.

As the Mandogos regrouped, Evals charged them. Knowing he could never elude them in the plain, he was determined to take as many with him as he could. He launched another arrow as he swept by them. It struck one of the warriors in the chest. Evals wheeled the roan around for another pass. As he pulled back his next arrow, the bowstring snapped.

He threw down the bow and unsheathed his sword and dagger. Screaming the wild cry of the Gray Riders, he charged. Scimitars waved as the Mandogos bellowed their response. Just before they met, Evals heard a horn and saw the lift was coming down again. He turned the roan so hard it nearly went down.

He galloped by the outer most Mandogo. Their swords clashed once and Evals was by. He leaned over the roan’s neck and urged it on. Foam coated horse’s mouth, and its chest was completely lathered. It labored for breath as it sprinted for the lift. It stumbled and started to go down, but Evals pulled up its head brutally, and the horse ran on.

They reached the lift and the roan stumbled into it. Evals quickly dismounted and hugged the trembling beast. He felt the lift lurch once and then they were going up. Some slapped him on the back. "That was some mighty fine riding," a rough baritone voice said.

Smiling, Evals turned and saw a short, thickset man who looked almost like a miniature Cronc. "The name is Grothner," the man said extending his hand. Evals took it and felt a grip like iron.

"Evals," he replied and couldn’t help but stare at Grothner. The man’s eyes weren’t elven. "Are you an elf?"

Grothner laughed. "By Vulcan’s fire, no! I’m a dwarf. My men and I have been working the lift for the last few days to get some exercise. Life in Eprium is a little too easy for the likes of us." Evals saw a huge battle axe and thick shield. Grothner picked them up with a fluid grace belying his apparent awkwardness.

"I was hoping one or two of those black riders would reach us before the boys started lifting. That little priest probably wouldn’t let them leave us down long enough"

Evals laughed. "Have you ever fought a Mandogo?"

"Aye, I have. They are becoming a regular pest in our land."

The lift stopped and a ramp was set in place. Evals cautiously backed his horse onto it and onto solid ground. Cosis looked at him anxiously.

"Are you all right, Evals?"

"Yes," Evals said absently as he gawked at the huge spool of rope attached to the lift. Gears larger than any he had ever seen worked the spool, and monstrous block and tackles were suspended over the lift.

"Too many pulleys. Slows things down and takes all the work out of it," Grothner said. Evals stared at the dwarf. Takes all the work out of it? Was he a masochist? Evals then saw his men. None of them stood as tall as Cosis, but like their leader, they were solid, thick muscle. It would take a lot of work to keep them happy.

"Evals, let’s get going," Cosis said.

"Going? Where are we going?"

"To Eprium."

"You have to be joking," Evals laughed. "You told me this was definitely as far as I could go. I don’t want to upset you, Cosis, but I don’t want to meet any more of your kind. If Grothner’s men hadn’t been here, I doubt if I would be up here. I doubt an elf would have gone to the trouble of helping a man.

"The Mandogos know they missed. They’ll return to where they came from and report. When they’re gone, I’ll go down and go home."

"Evals, please. I won’t force you, but I feel very strongly that you are needed here. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know. It is just a feeling I have. You have already done more than I could ask of any man or elf, so the decision is yours. If you feel your mission is done, you may go."

"Cosis, you know my mission isn’t really over until you say it is."

"It is still your decision," Cosis said grinning.

"Lead on, master. Just don’t be surprised when I gut a few of your people when they start berating me. I’ve held my temper until now because I thought I would be going home after getting you this far." He shook Grothner’s hand before they left. "I owe you my life. It ought to be worth at least one keg of ale if they have any here."

"They have some of the best, but it’s expensive," Grothner said.

"My master will take care of the small matter," Evals said. Grothner and his men roared their approval as Cosis cringed at the thought of footing the drinking bill for so many dwarves.

Cosis mounted the little chestnut who had carried him so faithfully since they left the Gray Riders While Evals walked the tired roan. The two traveled away from the Escarpment in silence. Cosis was preparing for the task of usurping power from the Council Head. Evals was dreading going into a city where everyone would hate him. All he could envision were thousands of Faydaels and Faydaens blasting him with insults. He was sure before a day passed he and as many elves as he could kill would be dead.

"How long will it take us to reach Eprium?" Evals asked.

"About two days."

"You let Faydael take off with Faydaen? A lot of things could happen. That ride probably didn’t do him any good."

"They weren’t alone. A squad of elves accompanied them."

"Why didn’t you go with them."

"I needed some time away from them. They were getting on my nerves. Besides, you were putting on quite a show charging around shooting arrows and waving your sword."

"I always do my best when there is an audience." He saw the Pychnie blanket still tied to Cosis’s saddle. "I see you still have the Sword. I would have thought they would take it for safekeeping."

"Hah! The don’t get this sword until I say they do, and there isn’t one person who would chance trying to take it from me. I may not have been much help on the trail, Evals, but I have powers greater than anyone here. If I didn’t, I would never have been on the Council when I was only eighteen years old. No, they won’t take this sword, not until I say so. If it takes me years to determine its use, they will wait." The iron in his voice surprised Evals. He knew Cosis had grit, but he didn’t know Cosis was an elf to be reckoned with.

The grass plain on top of the Escarpment soon gave way to a forest whose trees dwarfed even those of the Sirens’ Forest. Evals felt giddy when he tried to look from the base of one to its top. Unlike the Sirens’ Forest, this one teemed with life. Evals quickly counted fifty deer staring at them from under the huge trees.

The two men cam to a hard packed road bordered by the gargantuan trees. Evals was so enthralled by the forest with its myriad of trees he wasn’t aware when they entered Eprium. His first clue was when the road began branching out among trees as thick as houses and as high as he could see. He was shocked when a small child came out of a tree and ran to meet them.

"Are you the man?" she asked, her eyes big with wonder.

"I am," Evals said smiling.

"You need a bath."

"I certainly do," Evals laughed. A woman appeared out of the tree. "Your mother is calling you," he said.

"Bye," she said as she ran to the woman beckoning her. Evals waved to her.

"Not all of the elves hate you," Cosis said.

"Not all of them have been taught to, yet," Evals replied ruefully.

"They passed through an open air market. Its brightly colored tents with their awnings fluttering in the slight breeze brought a twinge of homesickness to Evals. He winced when the friendly bustle stopped, and all eyes turned to him. He saw the centuries’ teachings surface on the friendliest face. He was a man, and men were devils on earth.

"This is not going to be easy," he whispered to Cosis.

"I know," Cosis answered. He stopped in front of a tree with a shingle hanging from a single low limb. "This used to be the best inn in the city. We will get cleaned up, eat, and get some rest. We need and deserve it."

As the dismounted, a boy not yet in his teens approached them. "May I take your horses, sirs?" he asked trying not to show his agitation. Cosis handed him the chestnut’s reins and untied his bedroll and the Sword.

"Give this on a good rubdown. He needs it. If he starts getting frisky in the next few days, take him for a run if you would," Evals said.

"Yes sire," the boy said excitedly as he stroked the roan’s powerful chest, all thoughts of what Evals was slipping from his mind as he imagined himself flying around the track on the huge stallion.

"Do you think that was a good idea?" Cosis asked as they entered the inn.

"It shouldn’t hurt. The roan is tractable. The boy looked to me like he can ride. I haven’t seen a stable boy who didn’t love to. Maybe I’ll have a friend in a day or two. If I’m going to stay sane, I’ll need a couple."

Evals ducked his head as they entered the inn. The doorway was just low enough to thump him soundly. The low ceiling sent a chill through him. He was used to having the sky over him not a living tree. To avoid the stares of the other patrons and the innkeeper, a portly woman who he could tell was normally a friendly, outgoing person, he began counting the rings of the tree shown in the ceiling. They were thicker than any he had ever seen, and there were more of them. He counted two hundred and gave up. His neck was cramping, and he had only just begun.

"Jenal, you are lovelier than I remember," Cosis said. Evals smiled to himself. It sounded like the old coot was a womanizer!

"Had I been lovelier, perhaps you wouldn’t have gone traipsing off," she replied.

Cosis sighed. "Jenal, you could have been no more beautiful, but you know I had to do what I did. And as you can see, I have returned."

Jenal laughed. "Returned?! Cosis, I have three grandchildren. Returned. A little late I would say."

"That is true. It took longer than I expected, but this was as soon as was possible. It could have been no other way."

"And I suppose you want rooms."

"Well, this is an inn. We want two rooms and baths. No doubt you can tell we have a bit of travel grime on us."

"A bit? I think the first layer will have to be chiseled off." Her face sobered when she glanced at Evals again. "Big, isn’t he?" she said softly.

Cosis nodded. "Big, strong, quick, smart, and the best friend I could hope to have," he said loudly to ensure the few patrons brave enough to stay while the man was there didn’t miss it.

"Well, I’ll have your baths brought to you. You can take rooms seven and eight," Jenal said trying to break the tension in the air.

"Thank you," Cosis said.

As they walked away from her desk, Evals said, " Your stable boy is a fine lad. His parents can be proud." Jenal said nothing, but Evals could see the pride in her eyes.

Evals marveled at the craftsmanship that cut the steps going to the next story out of the living tree. Even the walls were a part of the tree and its pleasant scent permeated everything. While studying the walls, he noticed the torches didn’t smoke or char the wood which was very close to them.

"What kind of torches are these?" he asked as he inspected one and found he could touch the flame which was only slightly warm.

"That is elven fire. We have had it for as long as we have been. It is necessary for us to live in harmony with the trees."

When they reached their rooms, Evals could barely find his door it fit so perfectly with the wall. It opened easily when he pushed on it since he could find no latch. On the inside of the door, he saw a small latch that couldn’t have stopped a child from entering. He grimaced. Elves must not have anything to fear from other elves, but he wasn’t an elf.

After a diligent search, he found a window and pulled open the shutter. The warm summer air wafted in. He breathed it in and felt a little better. Below him life had returned to normal. He could see the market, and he sighed that he couldn’t go down without destroying the atmosphere of the place.

A knock came on his door. He opened it, and two boys silently pushed in a large covered tube on wheels. They put small blocks next to the wheels and lifted off the top. Steamy vapors floated up from the hot water. A little girl brought in a towel, scrub brush, and soap bar on a large tray.

"Thank you," Evals said to the children as closed the door. He stripped and eased into the hot water. Tension flooded from his muscles as the soothing liquid enveloped him. He relaxed until the water began to cool, then he grabbed the brush and soap, going to work on his body with a vengeance. He scrubbed himself until every inch of his body tingled. Even the scab on his thigh didn’t escape the brush’s bristles, though he scrubbed it much more gently.

When the water had cooled completely, Evals reluctantly got out and toweled off. He knocked all of the water out of the brush and used it to work the tangles out of his now shoulder length hair. As he started to put everything back on the tray, he noticed his reflection. He picked up the tray and studied his face. His beard had always been patchy, and the long time on the trail hadn’t closed in any of the bald spots. He got his dagger and stone and soon had a sharp enough edge.

He lathered his beard and began carefully shaving. He was almost through, working on the delicate area of his throat, when a gasp startled him.

"Ouch!" he yelped as the dagger slid slightly sideways cutting him instantly. He grabbed the towel and pressed it to the stinging cut. He turned to the door and Faydael standing there gaping at him.

"What do you want?" he asked harshly, the cut putting an edge on his words he instantly regretted. She was beautiful with her auburn hair cascading over her shoulders outlining her lightly tanned face with its stunningly beautiful brown eyes. The loose fitting dress belted at her tiny waist and reaching midway down her trim, well muscled thighs hinted more at what was underneath than hid it.

"I thought this was Elder Cosis’s room," she said quickly, red suffusing her cheeks. She left the room shutting the door behind her. What she had seen was burned into her mind. Never had she seen such a hard body. Every muscle seemed chiseled from granite. White scars seemed a map drawn on Evals’s body. The wound on his thigh was much worse than the one on her chest which she had been using to draw so much sympathy.

"Faydael, what are you doing here?" Cosis asked opening his door to see what the noise was.

"Father sent me to ask you to dine with us tonight so he could thank you for all you have done," she said glancing guiltily towards Evals’s room.

Cosis adjusted the white toga he wore, the official apparel of the Council. "And Evals? He is the one who got us here alive. Is he invited, also?"

"No," Faydael said staring down at her feet.

"In that case, tell your father no thank you. I have a previous dinner engagement."

"But..." Faydael started to say something but stopped herself. She fidgeted for a minute and said, "He’ll have to have something appropriate to wear."

"First we should see if he wants to go anywhere. He is probably very tired." Cosis crossed the hall and gently pushed on the door. It swung open easily.

"Damn! Don’t you people ever knock," Evals said jumping off the bed and quickly wrapping the towel around himself.

"Privacy is attained in Eprium by closing the latch to one’s door," Cosis said, smiling at Evals’s discomfiture. "We have been invited to the home of Council member Flavis for dinner tonight. Are you up to it?"

Evals stared at Faydael suspiciously. "I don’t think so. She and her brother had to be taught their opinions somewhere. I’ll eat here tonight."

Anger flared in Faydael. The audacity of him, a man. She started to tell where to go but held her tongue. Cosis sat on Evals’s bed.

"This bed looks a little short for you. Is it all right? he asked.

"It’s fine," Evals answered.

Cosis nodded and stood. "Good. I would hate to think you might think poorly of our best inn." He picked up Evals clothes with exaggerated disgust. "These rags are ready for the trash pit. I’ll send someone over to get some measurements so you can have some decent clothes to wear tonight."

Evals started to protest, but Cosis’s even gaze stopped him. For some reason, the priest thought it important he be berated at dinner tonight. "I hope Jenal won’t be too upset that I don’t eat at her table tonight," he said.

"She will probably be relieved," Cosis laughed. "Her patrons will probably become scarce while we are here. It can only help her reputation in the end, though." He led Faydael out of the room.

"He’s coming?" she asked.

"Of course. Now you run along and tell your father. Also, send a tailor here to get him properly attired."