Suddenly the name came to her. "Naxil!" she shouted.

Eilistraee's magic filled her. His mind touched hers. Alert. Questioning.

A construct is coming your way. A plate-sized gold crab. Halt it, but don't destroy it. Qilue will want to examine it.

His reply was tense, excited. I see it!

Leliana ran on, turning right, then left, then right again. She passed the first of the tunnels that led back to the Sargauth-back to the cavern the crab had scurried into after climbing out of the river. This first tunnel followed a laborious, winding path, but there was a shorter route just ahead. She turned into this second tunnel, and at last reached the cavern that overlooked the river. It was empty. She stood, panting, looking around for the Nightshadow.

Which way had he gone? Three different corridors led from this cavern to the maze of corridors beyond. She bent to inspect the floor, hoping the crab might have left a dribble of water that would show her which corridor it had entered.

Naxil emerged from the third tunnel, startling her. "Dark Lady," he panted. "My apologies. The construct escaped."

He met her eye unflinchingly as he delivered the bad news. For someone who'd left Eryndlyn behind only a year ago-who would still have the matron mothers and their ways fresh in his mind-Naxil was refreshingly bold.

"Where did you last see it? Show me."

Naxil spun and pointed. "This way."

He led her down a corridor that dead-ended, and pointed at the blank wall. "There."

Leliana examined the stone. It was utterly smooth, worn down by the oozes and slimes that had slithered through this area for centuries, prior to Qilue and her companions cleansing this place. There were no crevices into which the crab construct could have scuttled, no cracks in the floor or chimneys in the ceiling.