A Blackbird In Darkness (Book 2) (18 page)

Neyrwin began to drift past them, her lovely face unlit by the tranquillity that was normally intrinsic to all H’tebhmellians. She looked like a figure made of frost, as if a breath would be enough to dissolve her. ‘The Lady did not know... I must tell her.’

‘Know what? What do you mean?’ asked Ashurek, starting to follow her.

‘My purpose was not only to recover your horses, but to observe the state of the Earth and tell her what I saw.’

‘Well, what have you seen?’

She pivoted slowly to face him. ‘It is nothing you do not already know. This world is more deeply in the Serpent’s power than we of H’tebhmella had understood. In Excarith, where all seemed peaceful and normal, I sensed it in the weather and in the earth. As I passed through Guldarktal, it was evident in the desolation all round. The sky was sulphurous and the ground black with ruin. I saw nothing that lived except one lumbering beast of the Serpent that did not flee as I passed but sat watching me from a desecrated hillside, keening as if my presence were an abomination to it. As I passed through the countries between Guldarktal and here, although they were not desolate, I could still feel the Worm’s growing power. I saw more of its beasts. Everywhere I saw people living in fear of them. I saw them stricken by illness and by famine, instilled with terror by even a simple storm. All along my way I saw them bending to worship the Serpent in hopes of appeasing its wrath. This reality has bled my strength from me in tears, even as Filitha wept when she saw Forluin.’

‘Wait,’ Ashurek began, but Neyrwin was drifting away. She needed to be aboard the
Star
before she grew any weaker. He rejoined the others, abstractedly caressing Vixata’s head as she nudged him for attention.

‘Worshipping!’ he exclaimed. ‘Worshipping the Serpent? Such a thing is unheard of! To my knowledge, few have acknowledged that M’gulfn even exists, let alone made obeisance to it. Perhaps some primitives in the far reaches of the Empire…’ From the corner of his eye he saw Medrian walk away to the edge of the clearing and begin to collect wood for a fire. Estarinel and Calorn looked uneasily at him.

‘It indicates that things have grown worse here, even since you have been on the Blue Plane,’ Calorn said quietly.

‘Yes. What else could we have expected?’ the Gorethrian said bitterly. ‘Come, let us make camp.’

‘This is as good a place as any,’ Calorn agreed with what cheerfulness she could muster. ‘Medrian’s building the fire. Let’s help her light it and have a meal. Estarinel, we will not set off until the morning. It’s not far now, and we’ll be the better for a night’s sleep.’

They camped at the edge of the clearing, where the closely woven branches afforded shelter if it started to rain again. Presently the fire was blazing, deceptively merry against the iron shadows of the forest. The heat drew steam from their cloaks as they ate a meal of H’tebhmellian bread and wine. The horses slept standing, close together for warmth and company.

When they had finished eating, Ashurek got up to check that the beasts were sound – or to be alone with his thoughts. Medrian stretched out by the fire and fell asleep; Calorn moved round to sit by Estarinel. She prodded the fire, sending up showers of sparks and thick wood-smoke.

‘I think I’ve told you all I can about the Silver Staff,’ she said, so that only he could hear. ‘Just a few miles from here is the path that will lead you to its domain. I’ll set you upon it, then you will be alone and at the Staff’s mercy.’ He was silent, so she went on, ‘Estarinel? You’ve been so quiet and preoccupied since Medrian was ill... I’m concerned about you. Are you sure you feel able to go?’

He looked startled. ‘Yes, of course I do,’ he answered with the ghost of a smile. ‘Nothing that has happened has given me any thought of turning aside from the Quest. Each of the terrible things I’ve seen or experienced has made me more and more certain that the Quest is the only answer. It’s as though something’s been trying to teach me that lesson over and over again. Don’t think I’m too demoralized to go after the Silver Staff; far from it, it’s my only thought and hope at the moment. That’s probably making me seem preoccupied as much as anything.’

‘I’m glad to hear that. I was worried. If you can focus your mind upon the Staff and nothing else, you will win.’

‘Yes, I know. I have taken some of your advice to heart, you see,’ he answered with a touch of his old warmth.

‘When you three first came to the Blue Plane, for all you had much to be unhappy about, you seemed close to each other – even Ashurek. Now you seem miles apart.’

‘You’re observant,’ was all Estarinel said.

‘Well, it’s nothing to do with me, I know.’ She sighed reflectively. ‘I have to keep reminding myself that mercenaries are not supposed to become involved. I’ve always needed to feel in control of whatever situation I am in, and I usually have been. But you three make me feel somehow powerless...’ she shook her head. ‘It’s something I can’t define. It’s like wanting to chase away the darkness, but knowing I can’t. And this help with the Silver Staff is all I can give you.’

‘That’s all right,’ he said, clasping her hand for a moment. ‘Calorn, it’s enough.’

When dawn came they rekindled the fire and partook of a silent breakfast. Even in daylight the forest seemed colourless, though the early sun drew glittering points of white and silver from the grass and the beaten-metal foliage of the trees, while the strange amber berries shone like jewels. A breeze carried the sweet, fresh smell of rain; there was no sense of the Serpent’s presence such as Neyrwin had described. Vixata wandered across the clearing and began to chew Shaell’s tail. The scene took on a homely familiarity for Estarinel; he could almost have imagined himself in Forluin. The imminent search for the Silver Staff seemed so distant and unreal that he felt hardly the slightest pang of apprehension. Calmly, he checked Shaell over and fastened the buckles of his bridle.

Calorn was to borrow the palfrey, Taery Jasmena. He was an unearthly-looking stallion, finely built with a coat like blue-green silk and a golden mane and tail. Medrian was busy with him, picking up his feet and running her hands over his legs for any sign of injury. Meanwhile Calorn slipped the bridle over his head. She and Estarinel would both have to ride bareback.

In only a few minutes they were mounted and ready to leave. Both were travelling light, without cloaks, and Estarinel had only a small pouch of provisions strapped to his belt. Even at this moment of departure there was little communication between him and his two companions. They stood waiting for him to leave, but Medrian’s eyes were downcast and she stood like a wax figure, gripping her cut forearm with the other hand as though it still hurt. She looked ill, white and hollow-cheeked. Ashurek was looking straight at Estarinel as if he wanted to speak words of encouragement, but could find none. Instead, his green eyes seemed to contain terrible warnings against the consequences of Estarinel’s failure.

‘Would that I could go instead – or come with you,’ Ashurek muttered.

‘I’ll do my utmost. I can promise no more,’ Estarinel replied quietly. Then he turned Shaell to ride away.

‘Fare you well,’ the Gorethrian’s voice followed him.

#

Calorn led the way through the forest for several miles. Taery Jasmena danced as he went, starting at every real or imagined sound. Estarinel’s silver-brown, heavily built beast followed sedately at a high-stepping walk. He was still his usual willing, kind-spirited self. The trees grew closer together while the ground between them was choked with bushes, fallen logs, ferns glistening with dew. Calorn was having difficulty in restraining her exuberant mount to a walk. Only the thickness of the undergrowth prevented him from bolting.

‘It seems this beast is not content with being a ridiculous colour,’ she called over her shoulder. ‘He has to behave in an eccentric manner as well.’

Estarinel grinned despite himself, and began to tell her of the remarkable leap Taery had made over a huge wall when they were evading Gastada’s army in Excarith. The tale kept his thoughts safely in the present.

He thought nothing of it when Calorn turned off the already overgrown track onto one even narrower that disappeared into a mass of bushes. She made Taery forge straight into the tangle of waxy, dark green leaves. Estarinel followed, the branches yielding to Shaell’s massive shoulders. Within the bushes, he had a strange sensation of being underwater, in an emerald ocean full of ever-changing light and shade. Around them the rustling of foliage sounded like the movement of great, slow sea currents. Leaves brushed his face and body, pulling at him, letting him pass only with reluctance. He couldn’t see where he was going. Only the occasional glimpse of Taery’s tail ahead like a golden flag, and the faint gleam of the path, kept him on course.

‘There must be an easier way than this!’ he called. ‘Is it much further?’

‘Estarinel, we are there!’ Calorn replied.

‘What – you mean that this is the domain?’

‘Yes.’ They came at last to a clearing, like a small cave, where Calorn halted. ‘I am permitted to take you a little way into the domain.’

‘But – I thought we were still in the forest. I have no feeling of being other than on Earth... Are you sure?’

‘Yes. Why, what were you expecting?’

‘Something sudden – like an Entrance Point.’

‘Ah, no,’ Calorn said, smiling. ‘This is all it is.’

‘Did you find the path easily?’

‘More so than I’d expected,’ she said casually, leaving Estarinel mystified as to how she had found it at all. ‘Now I think it’s best that we part ways here. Look, the bushes are thinner now and you can see the path clearly.’ She pointed and he saw the track, a faint silver thread winding into the green shadows of the undergrowth. He made to dismount, but she said, ‘No, you must ride.’

‘Why? I don’t want to take Shaell into unnecessary danger.’

‘You won’t. But he may be able to find the way when you cannot,’ Calorn answered enigmatically.

‘Well, I’ll be glad of his companionship,’ he said.

‘Yes, you will.’ She smiled and again he felt grateful for her bright spirit, the courage she gave him. They clasped hands and then she reined Taery back and gave a friendly salute. ‘I’ll return to the camp now. I don’t know how long you’ll be in this domain, but I will know when you return, and I’ll come to meet you. Now, you must go. Don’t turn aside, whatever happens. Promise.’

‘I promise,’ he said and returned the salute. ‘Farewell, Calorn.’

Then he turned Shaell and sent him into a walk. They had only gone a couple of strides when he saw a weird figure on the other side of the leafy cave. It was roughly humanoid, about four feet high, thin and shapeless like a clay figure made by a child. Its face was a featureless blank. On its head bristled a crest of long white spines, and as he watched it plucked one of these out and threw it, like a spear, at Calorn.

Estarinel looked around in alarm and saw the spine pierce her eye and bury its length in her head. Her hand came up to grasp it and she fell forward onto Taery’s neck with a dreadful groan. Blood was pouring from the eye socket. Her limbs jerked spasmodically, then flopped into the limpness of death. Taery threw up his head, snorting with fear. Then he wheeled and bore Calorn’s body out of sight among the bushes.

Horrified, Estarinel urged Shaell to follow, but the usually amenable stallion turned recalcitrant. He sidestepped and set his head against the bit, determinedly facing forwards along the path. As Estarinel struggled with him, he saw the little shapeless figure running away in that direction.

Enraged, he let Shaell have his head and gave chase, but the bushes were too dense and the tangled foliage hampered them. In seconds the murderer was out of sight.

‘Damn you!’ Estarinel screamed. ‘I’ll find you!’

He pulled Shaell back to a walk. He was gasping with shock and disbelief. Torn between going back to Calorn or pursuing the murderer, he made another abortive attempt to turn Shaell. His horse continued stubbornly along the path. And he heard Calorn saying, ‘
Don’t turn aside, whatever happens. Promise.
’

‘Whatever happens,’ he repeated out loud. He put a hand up to his face, and felt tears there. In the midst of his outrage and grief, a thought came to him.

This must be the first of the Silver Staff’s tests. What kind of entity would commit a bloody murder just to test someone’s ‘clearness of purpose’?

He shuddered. Suddenly he saw the Silver Staff as he had seen it in his vision in the Cavern of Communication: an entity of vast, dwarfing power. Without conscience. He knew then that he did not want the thing, did not want to go even one step nearer to it. But what choice did he have? Perhaps this was another test in itself.

Knowing he could do nothing to save Calorn, he went grimly on.

The undergrowth gradually thinned, but grew no lighter. The atmosphere was now a deep liquid blue and still had a strange underwater quality. He knew for certain that he was no longer in the forest, where it had been early morning. There was a pungent, fresh smell in the air, like wild currant flowers. Around him the bushes swayed like seaweed, tugged by a breeze he could not feel. Anger and horror turned in him as he rode, mingled with uncertainty. Perhaps he had failed the first test. Perhaps he should have left Shaell and followed Taery on foot. How was he to know? He had never imagined that there would be ‘tests’ of this sort.