"What crosses it. Seer?" she asked.

"The Lance of Ships," said Illyra, "the Narwhale, which may be a card of goodfortune, but always means changeability. In this position, it is the goodfortune that will disappear!"

"What do we hope for?" asked Gilla, continuing the litany.

Illyra took another card and placed it above the first two. Gilla recognized itthe Two of Ores reversed, with the Steel pointed downward threateningly.

"And this is what we already have," added the S'danzo. "Quicksilver, what somecall the Card of Shalpa-the Root of Ores and the Foundation of Sanctuary." Thenext card was placed below the first two.

"What has gone before is the Face of Chaos-" Illyra held up a card with theimages of a man and a woman twisted and distorted as if in some fever dream. Shesmiled grimly and laid the card down.

"And what is to come. Seer-show me what is to come!" demanded Gilla. She couldfeel energy flowing from her to the woman on the other side of the table, andknew that more than S'danzo power was going into this casting.

Illyra took another card. "The Zigurrat," she smiled dangerously. "For we shallbring the pride of the destroyers tumbling down."

Gilla looked at the image of the disintegrating tower and thought of the patchedup peace that had held the town quiet since the visit of the Emperor. Surely itwould take only a finger's push to destroy so uneasy a balance.

"How?" whispered Gilla then. "Seeress, show me how it will be!"

Illyra held the remaining cards fanned out in her thin hand. "First the Lance ofWinds-"

The card she set down bore the images of storm and tornado. "This represents ourdetermination to see this done. And this one is for our fear..."

She set another card above it, on which a triumvirate of robed and hoodedfigures stood pointing at a kneeling man. "Justice," came the whisper, and Gilla