Zelgadis had waited to go into the Dreaming until after they got the stone. He figured it was safe enough now, as he clutched the fragment of stone like a weapon.

But now he was lost. And missing most of the main group. And aware that there was a time pressure, and feeling a bit vulnerable.

"Maybe your wish wasn't such a smart idea?"

Zelgadis turned to see the form of the boy that had called himself Asti and told Zelgadis he was the spirit of Tu Vishan. Who was really Malicant's seeming. "You!" he said.

"For someone who claims to not trust people, you were pretty trusting of me," 'Asti' said, almost conversationally. "One dream, and you were willing to let me change your body to my whim. You couldn't even muster the pragmatism as an adopted father."

"Shut up!" Zelgadis demanded, trying to fire the first spell he could think of at the boy.

The problem with that was belief. Zelgadis had trouble believing he could beat Malicant, even with the stone fragment. he didn't need the taunting to demoralize himself, though it wasn't helping. Not that the seeming was going to reveal that.