"No, I didn't. And they probably just used the colors of light when they created the order."

"That doesn't explain why the Spheres show up as the same colors," he challenged. "Maybe Sorcery and light are related somehow, for them to break down in the exact same manner."

"Now you sound like Phandebrass," Tarrin noted dryly. "If light is seven colors, why can't we see them?"

"Because they mix together, and that makes it look white," he replied.

"Then why is the sky blue instead of white?"

"I asked the same thing. He said that the sunlight hits the air at an angle that makes the air absorb or reflect away most of the other colors, making the sky appear to be blue. And when it's sunrise or sunset, the sun strikes the air at a different angle, which makes it look a different color."

"Strange. That sounds like it almost makes sense. But if the sky absorbs everything but blue, why doesn't everything look blue?"

"He said that the sky's color is just the light that got affected. We can't see all the other light, because it never reaches our eyes. Who knows what color the sky would be if we could see all the light at once?"

"He knows how to cover all the angles," Tarrin chuckled.

"It does make sense," Dar said defensively.

"Sorta, but I don't see why you'd be so curious about light. After all, it's just here. What good does it do to know how it works?"

"Because I like to know how things work," he stated. "I don't just accept everything the way you do."

"Call it a cat thing," he replied blandly.

"You still mad at Camara Tal?" he asked curiously.

"A little, but I'll get over it," he replied.

"I think she tries too hard," he noted. "She wants to be your friend, but she keeps trying to make it happen. Maybe she should just step back and let it happen."

"That would be good advice," Tarrin said with a nod. He looked at Dar closely. "I think it's about time for you to start shaving, Dar. You're getting fuzzy."

"I know," he replied, rubbing his cheek. "Phandebrass promised he'd show me how to do it. I can't ask you. I don't think you can grow a beard. Did you shave before it happened?"

"No, I can't," he replied. "I guess it's not in a Were-cat. And I did for about six months, but I was never very good at it. I guess it's a good thing I don't have a beard, because it would probably grow as fast as my hair. I'd have a braid on both sides."

Dar laughed. "That would look strange."

"No doubt there. Why not ask Faalken to show you instead of Phandebrass? The mage'll probably make it a four hour lecture."

"Trust Faalken with something like that? Are you crazy? He'd put ink in my washwater!"

Tarrin laughed. "He probably would," he agreed. "Maybe you should ask him, then make him use your washwater first."

Dar grinned. "He's too cagey for that, Tarrin. I'd never get him."

"Never hurts to try."

"It would when he'd get impatient and just dump it over my head. Faalken cheats."

"True." He looked at the sand of the finger, knowing that they'd be in Saranam by sunset. Saranam. Dry land, and if Phandebrass had been good for one thing, it was that Tarrin now had a better understanding of the Doomwalker. He had the nagging feeling that Jegojah would be in Saranam waiting for him. It seemed to be able to track him down, knowing where he was or where he was going, so it wasn't much of a stretch to assume that the Doomwalker would be there to greet him when he arrived. Triana hadn't destroyed it, only defeated it. So it was still out there.

But thanks to Phandebrass, now Tarrin knew what had to be done to make it go away for a long time. It had to be destroyed, utterly destroyed, just as he had done to it in Suld so long ago. But using Sorcery was out of the question now, and Dolanna or the others didn't have the power. But he'd seen exactly what he needed to see to come up with a plan to get rid of Jegojah for a while, and that was what Sarraya did to that man during the fight. If she could decay him to dust, he thought that she could attack the Doomwalker in exactly the same manner. Since it was already dead, it may go even faster than that man did. He hadn't asked her yet, but that was something he was going to do. Tarrin didn't trust Sarraya, so the idea of asking her for help seemed wrong. The idea of turning his back on the sprite while she was using magic made his fur shimmy, but this was one situation where his misgivings had to step back. His survival was on the line, for Jegojah was one opponent that Tarrin afforded tremendous respect. The Doomwalker was more than capable of killing him, because it was stronger than him, faster than him, more experienced than him, and it could use powerful magic where Tarrin could not. Against Jegojah, no advantage would be thrown aside, no matter how it made him feel.

"What's got you all quiet?" Dar asked.

"Thinking of Saranam," he replied. "Odds are, that Doomwalker is going to be there waiting for us."

"You don't know that, Tarrin. Triana killed it."

"She killed it, but she didn't destroy it. Phandebrass said that it has to be completely destroyed to make it stop."

"We should talk to Dolanna then."

"I already intend to, Dar. I have a plan."

"Why don't we go do that now?"

"Because Dolanna is up on the steering deck with Renoit and the Amazon," he replied with a grunt. "I don't think I'm quite ready to get that close to her yet."

The buzzing of Sarraya's wings heralded her approach. She landed lightly on Tarrin's shoulder and sat down sedately. "I heard the tail end of that, Tarrin. Why don't you go ask Dolanna to come here, Dar?"

"I think that would be a good idea," Dar agreed. "Be right back."

"Afternoon," the sprite said, patting him on the shoulder. "Feeling better?"

"A little," he replied. "I need to ask a favor of you, Sarraya."

"A favor, from me? Merciful Forestmaster, keep my heart beating! What is it?"

"In the fight with the pirates, you killed a man and turned him to dust. Can you do that to things that are already dead?"

She was quiet a moment. "Sure, but why would I want to?" she asked. "The average corpse isn't much of a safety threat, unless you count diseases."

"Because the dead man you're going to use it against isn't completely dead," he replied.

"The Doomwalker?"

"Yes," he affirmed. "I have the feeling that it's going to be in Saranam waiting for us. I'd like to have a plan ready to destroy it, like Phandebrass told me. That'll give us some time without worrying about it following us around."

"Now you're thinking straight!" Sarraya beamed. "It's about time you realized that we're a team, cub. We're stronger as a whole than the sum of our individual parts."

"Teamwork is against a Were-cat's instinct."

"I know. That's why it's so much more impressive that you thought about it all by yourself," she said impishly. "Don't you worry, cub. Together, there's nothing that we can't beat."

Dolanna arrived, with Faalken and Phandebrass trailing along behind her. Phandebrass was engaged in a deep debate with the Knight over some kind of weird talk about metal, but he fell silent when Dolanna spoke. "You wished to see me, dear one?" she asked, looking up at him. Sometimes Tarrin forgot how diminutive Dolanna was. She was a bit short, even for a human woman. It was her manner and bearing that made her seem ten spans tall.

"Tarrin here finally opened his eyes," Sarraya said with a laugh.

"Sarraya," Tarrin cut her off. "I have the feeling that the Doomwalker is going to be in Saranam waiting for us, Dolanna. I really don't want to face it by myself again, so I was thinking that maybe we could make up a plan to deal with it if it does show up." He reached up and nudged the tiny sprite on his shoulder. "This little pain in my neck knows a spell that decays flesh and bone. I was thinking maybe we could work a way so she could use it against Jegojah without putting her in too much danger."