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"It is a little challenging because you cannot see what you are stepping on, but it will support you," she told hi her into the chasood thing There was enough rooerly scooted further toon the rock next to her

"For all that is holy!" he gasped when he realized he was standing on a boulder in the rabbed his shirt

"There is a drop that way," she said "The safe way is over here See down? There is another stone lower Then another one These big stones are like steps They go all the way down to the bottoully brook and water When the hillside washed away, it revealed the in the air Partway down, there is a cave There are Leerings for light and fire in there, so you will not be cold or unable to see You are a maston and can make them work, so I do not have to do it for you Sowe or I will bring food for you later today, if it is safe Or after Pasqua sleeps if it is not If you search, you will find thickets with shrewberries, or mushrooms, or pods But ill leave you food up by the waymarker above"

He looked nervously down at the next step "How far…how far down is the cave?"

She sat on the rock and pushed herself off "Not far Some of the steps are taller than others I have climbed them since the storm washed the hillside away Sowe and I explore here all the time I think we even left a blanket down there We have to h, or the Aldermaston will be…let us just say that he would be furious if anyone else learned of this place"

"So her down sorabbed onto the rock to steady himself

She led the way "It proves the Mediu holding them up? They must be ancient Stones from another time Or another earth I think s work is because I know the Medium is real I do not question it Look, there is the entrance over there Do you see it?"

After leaping to another rock, sheboulders and led hiht, shethe darkness with radiance The room was carved into the hillside stone, the walls smooth but speckled with black lichen It was tiny coe fro his finger along theis over there," she said, looking around, "And there is the blanket Good Sowe and I sit on it and eat the berries I should get back If we are ry"

"Do you need…do you need help clihtened for ht It is dangerous unless the moon is out" She started to leave, but he stopped her

"I will not forget that you did this," he told her He shut his eyes "For a ht they saw us They would have killed rounds better than a wretched If you lack a place to hide, go to the bottom of the hill There are a heap of e stone ossuaries Are you surprised I know that word?"

He winced "Not any more"

"We used to hide in thest the bones?" His face looked sick with revulsion He shuddered

"No, you fool The dead had already revived They were erave linens" She fished in her bodice for the ring "And these"

He stared at her "I did not know they buried the dead with gold rings in his Hundred And you…you took one?"

"If the dead left it behind, they obviously no longer needed it" She scooped it back into her dress, winked at hi not to fall off the hillside and hurried out of the makeshift cave and scrambled up the rock steps to the top She inded when she finished the cli!"

"Stop acting like you are six Back to the kitchen" They started walking quickly, holding hands so that Sowe could keep up