The Last Dark: The climax of the entire Thomas Covenant Chronicles (Last Chronicles of Thomas Cove)

her second meeting with Caerroil Wildwood, and about Manethrall Mahrtiir’s transformation.
    “But I still didn’t know how to get back. After what Caerroil Wildwood did for us, the idea of making another Fall horrified me. I would have had to ruin an unconscionable amount of Garroting Deep. But I was desperate to return, and I couldn’t wait until we left the forest. I didn’t know what to do.”
    Covenant heard the force of that emotional snare in her voice, the intolerable conundrum of being caught between mutually exclusive commitments. He recognized it.
    “Mahrtiir”—she corrected herself—“no, Caerwood ur-Mahrtiir helped me. You should have seen him, Thomas. He stood here like a king, as if he had earned the right, and he sang things that I couldn’t understand until Caerroil Wildwood nodded. Then Wildwood gave me another gift.”
    Like suppressed weeping, she said, “Oh, Thomas. Caerroil Wildwood said that he was tired of living. Tired of trying. Worn out by losing trees to people and wars. Law was getting weaker, and he knew that he was doomed. He’d faced too much evil. That was why he created Caer-Caveral, and why he made Caerwood ur-Mahrtiir. So that he could finally rest.
    “He told me”—her voice broke—“that he still had no answer for the deaths of trees.”
    Then she hurried to finish.
    “Every leaf and branch all around the Howe sounded like it was sobbing, but he had made up his mind. He brought Hyn and Narunal to us. He gave us time to mount. ‘By wild magic you came,’ he said. ‘Wild magic must guide your return.’ When we were ready, he did something like what the Mahdoubt did for me. He didn’t violate Time, he used everything he was to make an opening.” Covenant felt her tears on the soft skin of his shoulder. “Then he pushed us through so that Hyn and Narunal could find the way back.
    “It killed him, just like it killed Caer-Caveral. All of his music and glory and anger and effort seemed to wail. The whole Howe was like a shriek. When we rode away, there was nothing left except screaming.”
    Trying to comfort her, Covenant murmured, “I wish I could remember.” He did not care what he said: he only sought to acknowledge her distress. “While I was still part of the Arch, I probably knew why Caerroil Wildwood decided to let go. Now that’s gone. As far as I can tell, you found the only—I don’t know what to call it—the only clean way to do what we need. The only safe way. The only way that doesn’t change the Land’s history.”
    Linden wiped her eyes and nose. Under his caresses, her tension and remorse eased. “I’ve been so scared. I didn’t know what I was doing. Half of the time, I felt terrified. Otherwise I was just frantic. Jeremiah and the Land and even you needed more from me than I knew how to give. I only did what I did because I couldn’t think of anything else.”
    “Hellfire, Linden,” Covenant snorted. “Don’t sell yourself short. Miracles are becoming practically normal around here, and most of them are your doing.”
    When she felt less troubled in his arms, he asked a different question. “So how did you get rid of those stains on your jeans?”
    She lifted her head in surprise. After a moment, she sat up, snatched at her jeans, studied them. “Oh my God. They’re gone. I’ve had them for so long, I stopped seeing them. They must have faded when Caerroil Wildwood—”
    Eyes wide, she faced Covenant. “What does it mean?”
    He smiled crookedly. Still hungry for her, he said, “Maybe Caerroil Wildwood took away those stains because you don’t need them anymore. They were a map, and now you’ve found your way.” She had found him—or they had found each other. “Maybe it just means we should try to take advantage of every minute we have left.”
    For a moment, she appeared to struggle against her uncertainty—or against the particular intensity of his regard. But then she seemed to find that he had said enough. That his response sufficed. Dropping her clothes, she moved to put her arms around his neck.
    That response sufficed for him as well.

    ventually Linden asked a more difficult question. “After Lord Foul killed you, you left your ring for me. You wanted me to have it, didn’t you? So why haven’t I been a ‘rightful white gold wielder’ all along?”
    “I’m not entirely sure,” Covenant admitted. “Sure, I wanted you to have my ring. But I didn’t
give
it to you. Lord Foul just dropped it. And