Rather, we begin with Mr. Personality, Castellan Lebbick, tettering on the edge of losing all control. His wife dead, King Joyce abandoning him and now his reason for being - Orison - is beginning to fall apart, literally!
All because of
Terisa was at the root of everything, and he was going to find out why and what part she was playing.That woman.
I can almost feel for the Castellan. He sees the only thing he cares about falling to ruin around him and the ones that could do something about it won't. The King forbids him from acting personally, and this stranger is wandering around, appearing wherever there is trouble. What's he supposed to think?
He has a real distain for the Congery:
The Castellan has a better grip on whats going on than I give him credit for.Apparently to defend them against Alend or Caldwal, the Imagers had chosen some alien man of war whom they had discovered in thier mirrors - a soldier of commanding power, weaponry and fierceness. So what did they expect after snatching a fighter like that out of his own life? A docile bow? A humble offer of service? They were lucky he had simply brought down the ceiling of thier meeting hall, instead of murdering them individually as they diserved.
Quillion convinces the Castellan to help dig for Geraden and 'the woman'.
The Congery makes good use of their mirrors and talents, and slowly begin to clear the rubble out of the room. Quillion's mirror shows a seascape that could never be filled by any amount of stone and Eremis has a mirror with a giant "sluglike beast" that was devouring the rock being thrown at it, "roaring in fury"
Spoiler
Old Eremis is just getting Mr. Slug warmed up for future assignments!
SRD's writing talents put you at the bottom of 20 tons of rock, jagged edges pointing into your spine, slowly crushing the very life out of you...uh I mean Geraden & Terisa whheewww!!! The man can write, can he not?
Terisa is tempted to fade, just like when her PTA honor member parents (HA!) used to lock her away in her closet for hours on end - then she hears Geraden and this keeps her from letting go. The pure connection between her & Geraden, the one that convinced her to go with him in the first place, helps her hold it together.
Geraden & Terisa try to go through all the events leading up to their present state, try to figure out who's on their side. Geraden is convinced of 2 things: Terisa is the champion, and there is a traitor in the Congery - namely Eremis. Of course, Terisa will not believe either theory, and she still, unbelievably, thinks of going to Eremis as soon as she can get out of there! Hasn't she learned to trust Geraden yet?.
Again, SRD paints a picture of terrible confinment and hopelessness and then throws in:
They are rescued. Geraden faints into his brothers arms."I'm sorry." To her amazed relief, he sounded better. "I didn't mean to scare you. The rock keeps shifting. It came down harder on my throat for a while. Are you having an easier time breathing?"
Terisa hears the distant thrill of horns.....
(as a government employee I am allowed to say this!! 
