"I saw the trail this morning, a little beyond the pond. It must lead to the shrine they talk of, up the mountain. I could see marks on the cliff like steps, when I looked through the trees."
"Oh! They talked about that shrine in the kitchen when they thought I wasn't listening," volunteered the girl. "They said Ueln was wrong to mention it before you."
"Did they say what it is?"
"No, except that no one ever goes there, and the old stories say the Raydowers were set here to guard it."
"So no one goes there! Good! That's what I hoped for."
Yorgh set off briskly along the path, intent upon not missing the junction with the trail he wanted. Even so, in the dark, he would have gone past, had not a voice spoken out sharply.
"Who's there?"
Yorgh froze, so promptly that Vaneen bumped into him.
"Ueln," he answered with the first name that came to him.
Then he saw a darker patch move among the bushes.