"I don't know," said Sepwin.

"These mortals," Leemin muttered, too softly for any but demons to hear. "If I were told that another demon was going to be the cause of some danger to myself, I would avoid it forever."

"You don't understand mortals," Gildrum replied. "I wouldn't expect you to, creature of Ice."

Chapter 7.

In the human realm, summer had waned and the first frosts of autumn were touching the trees. But in Ice the season was always winter, and to Cray's eyes there had been no change since his last visit. He had four companions this time. Gildrum, of course, and Elrelet, willing as always; Leemin, who professed a desire to see Cray cope with the prophesied danger; and Arvad, the first demon of Air that Cray had ever freed. Arvad had come along to serve Aliza. "How do you know she'll be willing to come out?" Elrelet had said when the five were gathered at the boundary of Ice and Air. "I couldn't find anyone who has ever seen her in any of the other demon worlds. She obviously doesn't have any interest in them."

"I think you're wrong about that," Cray replied. "I think it isn't that she doesn'twant to know anything about the outside; it's that her grandfather had con-vinced her, and with his help she had convinced herself, that there was nothing worth knowing there. Only when I spoke of my own experiences did she begin to see what possibilities lay beyond the bounds that she knew. She was interested enough in my tales of Mistwell."

Gildrum chuckled, its light pulsing with the sound. "You played the troubadour to the sheltered noblewoman. It's a role not unknown in the human realm. The troubadour brings tales of the world beyond the castle walls and makes the ladies sigh at the adventures of a brave knight."

"Yes, she is sheltered," said Cray. "And, in spite of her denials, afraid of the outside, and of strangers.

Who wouldn't be, growing up as she has? She stays in Ice because she knows that only her own familiar Ice demon would approach her there."

"No other would," said Leemin, "and no other could-she has a strong shield of sorcery wrapped about her."

"Of course," said Cray. "Between herself and the outside, she always has a barrier."

"Then I ask again," said Elrelet, "how do you know she'll come out now?"

"I don'tknow," said Cray. "But I think-and I hope-that she'll be willing to come with me where she would not go by herself. That's the key. She needs a guide, a buffer between herself and the unknown, an unraveller of the unfamiliar."

"And you think if you make the offer ... "

"It's worth the attempt. I've given her plenty of time to return to her studies. I'm sure she's worked hard these last months. She deserves a holiday."

"I was surprised you managed to wait this long," remarked Gildrum. "I watched you pacing the garden this last month and more, and I could see that you were impatient to be back with her."

"Impatient, yes," said Cray. "But a little afraid, I have to admit it. Afraid that she would refuse to come along with me. But my impatience has overcome my fear at this point."

"And the danger?" said Gildrum. "You didn't think of that?"

Cray smiled slightly. "I thought of it, but if Feldar is to share it with me, as he and the lady Helaine insist, then I can put it off by leaving him behind, can't I?"

"Do you really think so?"

"I won't let this purported danger keep me from her, Gildrum."

"I didn't mean to suggest that. Only that ... you must remember to be careful." "Don't worry about that. Even now I find myself looking over my shoulder constantly. But with all you demons surrounding us, what could possibly happen?"

"I wish I knew," said Gildrum.

And the five companions had entered Ice.

At the transparent wall of Aliza's palace, Cray called her name twice. Then he began to count, slowly and silently. At twenty-five, she appeared in the far doorway of the outermost room, garbed today in green velvet. The wall melted before him as she crossed the chamber, and this time he was ready for it and re-mained standing in Ice as she approached.

"Cray," she said. "Come in."

"For just a moment," he told her, taking the single step that stripped him of Elrelet's protection and caused the wall to seal itself behind him.

"A moment? Were you just passing by, then, on your way somewhere else?"

"In a manner of speaking, my lady. I thought, per-haps, if you had the time and the inclination, you might wish to come with me and explore a corner or two of some other demon world than Ice. I brought a few guides to help us along." He waved to encompass the waiting demons.

"Explore?" she said.

"Strictly as part of your education, of course. You know Ice and the human realm, in nature if not in detail. Don't you think you should know the other demon worlds as well? That strikes me as a useful sort of knowledge."

She frowned. "My grandfather will be arriving soon on his yearly visit. He'll have a host of questions for me to answer on my studies. I don't really have time to waste on such a journey."

"When do you expect him?"

"Not for some time yet. Ten or twelve days."

"Have you been studying hard?"

"Of course."

"Then perhaps a day off would be beneficial. It would rest your mind and leave you fresh to resume your studies with renewed enthusiasm. Like a good sleep."

"Has that been your experience?"

"It has, indeed. When I was apprenticed to Rezhyk the demon master, I took time off to practice my swordsmanship. I found the change to be extremely relaxing."

"And what did Rezhyk think of such activities?"

"He didn't mind. I did my work-that was all that mattered to him." "And you think that my grandfather, too, would not mind my taking time off from my studies?"

"Well ... " Cray shrugged lightly. "It's a cruel mas-ter that doesn't allow his slaves a little time to themselves. I know you must be a diligent student. I'm sure you'll be ready for his questions even if you do steal this one day."

She pursed her lips. "Where would you propose to take me?"

"To Air first. The demons are friendliest there. And then perhaps to Water, to see a sight that no other mortal but myself has ever seen before."

"No other mortal?"

"So they tell me."

She clasped her hands behind her back. "You must know that I have no power over Air or Water."

"Nor have I," said Cray. "But these demons will see that we are safe and comfortable there."

"I must take Regneniel along."

"Of course. I assumed you would."

He could see the conflicting impulses warring on her face-the desire to go, the need to stay. One hand went to her mouth, the forefinger rubbing at her lower lip. "Not an entire day," she said.

"No, not really quite so long. But a good chunk of it."

"I would want to be back here for supper."

"I'm sure that could be managed."

She let her hand drop and form a fist beside her hip. There, the fingers worked against each other for a moment. "I've never been to Air or Water."

"I knew that."

"Are they really worth visiting?"

He smiled. "Obviously I think so. Come find out for yourself."

She took a deep breath, exhaled it heavily. "Very well. I'll take a look at them. Then I'll be able to judge for myself if the things you find interesting are of any real interest to me."

"Yes, you will."

"Wait here, then. I'll be back soon." And, turning she hurried away. She was almost running.

Cray glanced over his shoulder at the demons and nodded. Then, with a slow and deliberate step, he began to pace out the dimensions of the room. He had only completed three rounds of the place whenAliza returned. She had changed her velvet gown for trews and a shirt of the same material, and she had braided her long hair into a single plait. Cray thought she looked charming; he had been wondering how she could move in the weightless demon realm with such free-flowing hair and garments to tangle about her and impede her progress.

Regneniel, in his familiar angular form, followed close behind her.

"What demons have we here?" she asked Cray. "And what are their purposes?"

Cray pointed to each in turn, mouthing their names with exaggerated care so that they would know he was speaking of them. "Leemin of Ice to open paths through this world for me. Gildrum of Fire to light our way. Elrelet and Arvad of Air to shield us from worlds unkind to human flesh and generally to speed us on our journey. We'll especially need the last two in Water. They'll surround us with their substance and keep us from drowning." Three of the demons made signs of greeting-Gildrum briefly assuming a human form in order to bow, the two Air demons expanding into puffy caricatures of men and bending almost dou-ble before Aliza. Only Leemin remained as it had been, a hollow cylinder with as much evidence of life in it as a block of ice.

"You trust them?" Aliza said.

"Completely. And they've promised to look after you as they would me."

Her cool dark eyes studied his face. "You visit the demon world often, don't you?"

"Now and then. Not so often as when I was younger."

"And you've never been harmed by a demon?"

"Never. Though I have to admit that sometimes the playfulness of the demons of Air can be a bit rough.

Still, here I am in one piece."

"So I see. Very well, let us be on our way." She raised a hand, and the wall before them dissolved, allowing the cold breath of Ice to enter the chamber. "Lead on," she said. "You are my guide on this journey."

He stepped forward. Immediately, Elrelet's gray-ness engulfed him and became transparent. He turned back to Aliza and found her and Regneniel almost at his elbow, the wall already sealed behind them.

"Elrelet will keep me warm while I walk through Ice," he said. "I believe you have your own devices for that ... ?"

"Of course. I take the warmth of my palace wher-ever I walk in Ice." She glanced at her demon.

"Shrink, Regneniel; there's no need for you to be larger than my hand in such a small space as this."

Obediently, it dwindled to a milky, dagger-sized icicle floating at her shoulder. Aliza put her hands on her hips. "Shall we go?"

"Perhaps ... you might greet my demon friends first ... "

She looked from the ball of light to the gray cloud that was Arvad to the hollow cylinder that surrounded them. After a long moment of hesitation, she said, rather briskly, "Good morrow to all of you. Shall we begin our adventure now?" "Good morrow," said Gildrum. The others were silent.

"Very well," said Cray. "To the boundary of Ice and Air."

Leemin began to move.

Aliza followed the guiding demon easily, drifting along without touching the tunnel walls except to give herself an occasional push with one hand or foot. Cray tried briefly to imitate her motion, but instead of remaining smoothly on the centerline of the tunnel, he found himself constantly straying to one side or the other and rebounding from the wall. Aliza avoided his awkward, thrashing efforts by falling well behind him, keeping the fracture open by her own powers far past the point where it would have closed after Leemin's Passage. She only caught up with him when he gave over his attempts at independent motion and let Elrelet carry him as usual.

"You push off much too vigorously," she told him. "You should touch the wall very lightly, with just the slightest strength. Under these weightless conditions, too much effort is its own undoing."

Cray smiled wryly. "So it would seem. I am more accustomed to the worlds of Air and Water, where there are no close-set solid barriers to expose my awkwardness, and where strength does count for something. You'll find that the small movements that serve you so well here in Ice won't be of much use in those other places. But we'll have our demon friends, so it doesn't matter. They'll carry us along whenever necessary."

"Ourdemon friends," she murmured.

"I think they would be willing to be your friends, my lady, if you would be willing to offer your friendship to them. I can't speak for Regneniel, of course."

"You may have my friendship, my lady," said Gildrum.

Aliza's eyes were startled as they swung toward the ball of light that floated at Cray's shoulder. "It speaks without being spoken to!"

"Of course," said Cray. "Just as you and I do. That's the mark of a free being. They'd all speak to you, I think, if they believed you were interested in what they had to say."

"You must forgive the others, my lady," said Gildrum. "Aside from Cray, they have only known sorcerers as selfish and cruel masters. They suspect you are that sort. They suspect that if it were possible you would try to enslave every one of them. I hope you can understand how difficult it would be for them to feel true friendship for such a person. Perhaps you would reassure them on this point?"

"I have no interest in enslaving demons," said Aliza.

"Yet you have one slave at this very moment."

"And one is quite enough," she replied. "It was given to me as a gift. I have learned no demon conjura-tions, and I intend to learn none. Even if these de-mons were available to me-and I understand from Cray that they are not-I would not make any attempt to enslave them. Perhaps that will set their ...

their minds at rest."

"They do have minds, my lady," Gildrum said softly. "They are thinking beings, just as you are." Aliza looked long at the ball of light that was Gildrum, looked long as she floated onward through the tunnel made by an Ice demon. "I must admit," she said at last, "that it is a difficult thing for me to comprehend. Here you are, nothing more than light, formless, featureless. And yet you speak to me as one human being to another. And I have seen you take on human shape, a shape as real seeming as Cray Ormoru's. Yet to think of you, of any of you, as the same as human beings ... " She shook her head.

"We are not the same," said Gildrum. "We are ourselves, demons, and we can never be the same as human beings, but we are ... " It seemed to be grop-ing for a word. Finally, it said, "We arepeople. "