I nodded, perturbed. Adric's thoughts seemed to be surging back, insidiously, as if Narayan held the key to unlock them. What crazy drama was going to be unfolded in my mind now? Narayan said, low; "Karamy did it, I think." "Yes." My own voice was as quiet as his own. "Karamy sent me on the Time Ellipse. She knew I'd come back changed--or mad--or not at all. I think--I think she wanted me to betray you again." "Adric!" Narayan reached out quickly and grabbed my arm, hard, above the elbow, till I cried out with the pain of that steely grip and twisted away, rubbing numbed flesh. "Adric--" Narayan repeated, unsteadily, "Why do you say--betray me again? Betray me? Adric--it was your hand that freed me! Zandru! Adric--" he begged, "_How much_ have you forgotten?" CHAPTER SEVEN Battle in my Brain The fire in the other room had burned down to an ember. Without a glance my way, Narayan mended the fire; sat down, his legs stretched toward the little blaze, his shin in his hands; waiting. I could not stand still. I walked, restless, around the room, speaking in little jerks and half-sentences. "You are the Dreamer," I said, "I--I remember a little. I remember being bound to you. I remem-member when I--freed you. Not knowing what it might mean, not knowing you could have slain me on the ground of sacrifice." "No!" Narayan was as motionless as Gamine's veils, but his voice was harsh, strident. "No, Adric, never that! We cannot--kill each other, you and I. I could order you killed, I suppose, but I--I would never do that unless there was no other way. Adric--is there any other way for me, for you?" A bitterness spoke in my voice; neither side trusted Adric, both wanted his allegiance. I tried to trim my words carefully between the two personalities that were battling for mastery in me. "It was Karamy," I said, "who took Adric from you, and sent him, half-mad, back to the Crimson Tower. Karamy's magic stripped him of power, and sent him, gone mad, back to stargazing in Narabedla. But it was _not_ Karamy's--" the voice that was not quite mine shook, suddenly, with my own weariness and the blank terror I'd been keeping at bay, "It wasn't Karamy who sent _me_ here, I'm not Adric. You were perfectly right. I'm no more Adric than--than you are. I'm in Adric's body, yes. He moves me like a puppet! I have his memories, his--some of his thoughts--but he--" my voice cracked suddenly on a note of panic; I knew I sounded like a hysterical kid, but I couldn't stop my own crackup once it had broken loose. "I'm not Adric, I'm not! I don't belong here at all! I don't--" Narayan jumped up from the bench and I heard his hurrying steps, then his steel hands were hard on my shoulders, swinging me around to face him. "All right," he said, "Steady. It's all right." I drew a long breath and let it out again. "Thanks," I said briefly, shamed. "I'll be all right now."