The Earthman then bent over her, tensely.
"You did." And his voice snapped with the question: "Can you guide us back to Mystoon, Verel? Do you know the way?"
Faintly, she nodded again.
"It's a long, strange way, Kel. But I can try. For we must reach the Stone before it is destroyed."
"Or," Kel Aran put in grimly, "before we are!"
Then I ventured to ask an anxious question.
"If this Stone has the power to destroy Malgarth," I asked, "why doesn't it destroy him?"
"If it were as simple as that—" The girl's somber, curious eyes came to me again. "The ages must have fogged your memory, Barihorn. The Stone has the secret of Malgarth's doom, yes. But it has no power to act alone. The Shadow can only guide its human helpers. That is why there were Custodian and Warders."
Her head shook gravely.