Enchanter (73 page)

In a group of four to the left of the dais stood Timozel, morbid; Gautier, a thin sheen of sweat across his face betraying his inner fears; Jayme, pale; andYr, as serene as her mistress, feeling the presence of the Prophecy strongly in the night.

The only light in the Chamber was an inadequate ring of blazing torches round the pillars. They threw more shadows than light, and those shadows provided the only movement.

Everyone waited.

On Grail Lake the boat moved through the smooth waters. All on board were absorbed in their own thoughts.

Axis thought of Azhure one moment, Faraday the next. He thought of Borneheld, and the end they would make of it tonight. He thought of FreeFall and of Zeherah, and of the bargain with the GateKeeper.

Belial thought of the duel ahead and of his wife. He had wed Cazna there on the shores of Grail Lake this afternoon, and the pledges he made had tasted right in his mouth. He thought of the life they would make together when this Prophecy had ground itself to a close. Would they settle in his home province of Romsdale? Or in one of the three manors Cazna had had bestowed upon her?

Belial's thoughts saddened. He prayed Cazna could be all he hoped.

Rivkah and Magariz thought of Axis, and of the duel that they would witness tonight. Rivkah had not wanted to be there, but knew that she had to be. 'She had brought both men into this world, and she would witness one of them out of it tonight. She hoped it would be Borneheld. She was glad she had Magariz with her tonight, glad that they no longer needed to hide their love for each other.

As the boat slid through the darkness Rivkah looked into the water. She snatched at Magariz's hand and indicated with her eyes. Far into the depths of the Lake a line of double lights glowed as if marking a road. The boat glided directly above. Every now and then the row of glowing lamps would diversify into circles and arrows, reminding Rivkah vaguely of the swirls and lines on the faces of the Ravensbund people. They glowed welcomingly, and Rivkah fought the urge to slip into the water and swim down to meet them. She had often sailed these waters at night when she was a girl, but she had never seen lights such as these before.

Jack, Ogden andVeremund had seen the lights as well, but none were puzzled. There it lies, thought Jack, and Ogden andVeremund silently agreed with him. Our fate.

All three knew what they would soon witness, and they hoped that tonight would provide the final stroke for the war between Axis and Borneheld, for the war which had riven Achar apart.

But why, thought Veremund, why go through with this, when the fifth is still lost? Ogden squeezed his brother's hand, and Jack placed his own hands on the shoulders of the two Sentinels. Trust, he thought, it is all we can do. Trust.

Arne thought of Axis and he thought of traitors. He thought of backs, and he thought of Axis' back. Sometimes when he looked at Axis he thought he could see a knife emerging from between his shoulder blades. Sometimes he thought he could see Axis' hands covered in blood, but he could not tell whose. Arne's eyes darted about the boat. Where the traitor s hand? Where? Who?

At the very stern of the boat sat StarDrifter and Even-Song, both a little uncomfortable, both trailing their wings slightly in the cool waters. StarDrifter thought of his mother, of her excitement at finding The History of the Lakes, of her death before she could read it. He thought of MorningStar's crushed head and of WolfStar who lurked somewhere among them. Who?

EvenSong thought of FreeFall. She had fought to put him out of her mind this past year, even to the extent of seducing Belial one night in Sigholt and again this Beltide night past. But nothing had worked, not even Belial's ardent love-making, and tonight the memories of FreeFall seemed closer than ever before. FreeFall, she thought, leave me to live the rest of my life without you.

Let go my heart. Soar back to the stars where you belong.

Jorge sat shoulder to shoulder with the impassive Ravens-bund chief and the six Ravensbundmen who accompanied Axis. Over the past months Jorge had grown to respect the Ravensbund people where once he had only loathed them as savages. Nevertheless, Axis had picked a peculiar force to invade with, a strange one indeed. Magic and enchantments and alien vows with unseen faces have more to do with the
selection for this mission than fighting skill. And why me? Why me? I am too old for this. Too tired.

The boat came to a small and forgotten postern door set low in Carlon's walls. It was a little-known gate that Rivkah remembered from her childhood.

Once, many generations ago, it had been used for courtiers who wished to enter and leave the palace as secretly as they might. Rivkah had discovered it as a child, and had sometimes come down here late in summer evenings to sit with her feet dangling in the cool waters of Grail Lake. Was the gate.still here, unblocked, unlocked? It opened into a stairwell and narrow corridor which eventually led to the main hallways of the palace. Perhaps, Rivkah pondered, it had been built hundreds of years ago for the very purposes of this Prophecy.

Axis lifted his head to the night sky and whistled softly. A sudden rush of wings signalled the arrival of the snow eagle on Axis' outstretched arm.

The boat rocked gently as it bumped against the stone wall and Arne crept forward and worked the latch on the gate.

It swung silently open, revealing a rectangle of darkness. Axis was suddenly, vividly reminded of the rectangle of light that sat behind the GateKeeper, and he pondered the similarities. This was a Gate into the Prophecy as surely as that golden Gate in the UnderWorld was a doorway into the world beyond.

Arne tied the boat to a ring to one side of the gate and disappeared into the darkness for some minutes. Everyone sat quietly, waiting. Axis gently stroked the eagle s feathers, calming it and himself. Earlier Belial had apologised to him for his ill-considered words about Azhure and they had grasped hands, friends once more. Axis had complimented Belial on his new bride. Both men were relieved that their friendship had been restored on this, the most critical of nights.

Arne reappeared. "The place is deserted," he said. "I scouted well ahead.

Nothing. No-one."

"No guards?" Belial queried.

"They will all be in the Chamber of the Moons," said Axis quietly, and although he was not sure why he said it, he knew it to be true. "Waiting. Come."

They moved quickly and quietly through the lower corridors of the palace.

The eagle was becoming more and more restless the further they moved into the palace, and Axis soothed and stroked it. StarDrifter and EvenSong, as nervous about being trapped where they could not fly as the eagle, were grateful the instant they moved out of the tight and narrow lower passageways; their wings had scraped painfully in places against cold and damp stone.

As they moved further and higher into the palace the group passed small numbers of servants. As soon as the servants saw the party was headed by the golden man with the eagle, they slunk back against the walls, their eyes great and solemn. One or two bowed slightly as Axis, his eyes fixed straight ahead, passed them without comment or recognition. There were no guards. No fighting. Borneheld was willing now that it should come down to the duel.

They reached corridors which were wide and spacious, decorated with bright lamps, silken banners and intermittent tapestries showing scenes from Achar's glorious past. Not a few depicted triumphant battles from the Wars of the Axe, which caused StarDrifter to grimace.

Axis finally came to the part of the palace he knew so well. How many times had he trod this very corridor, striding to an audience with Priam in the Chamber of the Moons? And how many times had he walked, not at the head of a party as he did now, but three paces behind the figure of the Brother-Leader Jayme?

Walking as Jayme's right arm, his sword arm, the support of the Seneschal?

Well, now he walked towards the Prophecy, and when he crossed swords
with Borneheld he would be fighting the power of the Seneschal as much as the power of his brother.

"Wait," he called suddenly, holding out his free hand as they turned a corner. The others stopped behind him, looking down the straight and wide corridor. At the end, perhaps some fifty paces away, double doors stood wide.

Beyond was a darkened chamber, lit only by the leaping light of torches.

"The Chamber of the Moons," Jack said, moving forward to step next to Axis.

"Yr is there. I can feel her."

"And Faraday," Axis said, relieved. He could feel the slight tug of her power as well. "And Faraday."

He turned to look at those behind him, smiling as if realising for the first time what a strange group he had brought with him. Sentinels, Ravensbundmen, nobles, a Princess, a friend, a father and a sister.

"Let us go and strike the final blow for Tencendor," he said quiedy. "Let us go and finish this."

When Axis strode into the Chamber of the Moons, the eagle hopping in agitation on his arm, the torchlight caught at his golden tunic and hair, making all who looked at him blink -some in wonder, some in fear, and at least one in love.

He is so different, so changed, so much more powerful than when I first saw him enter this Chamber, Faraday thought, rising to her feet as Axis stared across the Chamber of the Moons at her. He strides through the doors like a golden god and yet still he has my heart as helpless as that first night I saw him so long ago.

Her eyes travelled over the golden tunic with its blood-red blazing sun and matching red breeches. And blinked.

A bloodied sun hanging over a golden field.

For an instant her hand hovered about her throat as the vision threatened to overwhelm her again. She managed to regain control, and dropped her hand, her eyes calm.

Axis stood a moment, glancing about the Chamber, his eyes finally coming to rest on Faraday standing tall and beautiful before the dais, Borneheld sitting motionless behind her. With a movement so abrupt it brought gasps from all who witnessed, Axis threw the eagle into the air. Eyes followed the silver and white bird as it soared into the dome of the Chamber, coming to rest on a ledge far above.

Faraday's eyes fluttered to the eagle. Feathers?

Feathers! She felt as if she were choking on feathers!

She took a deep breadi, and dropped her eyes.

All eyes were now on the golden man standing in the centre of the Chamber before them.

"The traitors," Borneheld said calmly, evenly, by way of introduction. He had not risen from the throne. "Here they are, Jayme, all together in one room. All walking with their treachery open for all to see. Open for all to note."

Jayme stood some eight or nine paces behind the throne, virtually lost in the shadows. He looked gaunt and grey, and a palsy rippling rhythmically across his cheek gave him a slight air of insanity.

His eyes caught with Axis', and if Jayme had thought that Axis might still retain some measure of compassion, perhaps even love, for him, then Jayme quickly realised that all Axis now felt for him was loathing and contempt.

Jayme was so lost in Axis' eyes that he did not see Rivkah move quietly into the Chamber behind her son. For the first time in thirty-four years the Princess Rivkah had returned to the home of her youth. She took a deep breath, looked between her sons, then gazed about the Chamber. Prophecy. Her life and those of her sons had been manipulated by the Prophecy. Every time she thought she was free of its grips, she realised it continued to manipulate and use her as it willed.

Those entering with Axis moved quietly to join the watchers about the pillars of the Chamber, and even Faraday moved away from the dais so that the brothers could face each other. She gave Axis a smile, but his eyes only flickered quickly over her. His entire attention was reserved for his brother.

The Chamber rang unth shouted accusations of murder and treachery.

"The traitor sits the throne," Axis' voice cried out. "Borne-held, I accuse you of FreeFall SunSoars murder. I accuse you of our uncle's murder. I accuse you of ordering the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Skarabost. You have murdered your last, Borneheld, and now it is time to let the gods pass judgement on your crimes."

Borneheld rose to his feet. "A fight, brother? Is that what you want?" he cried. "And yet you come to me surrounded with your tricks and your enchantments. I am an Artor-fearing man, Axis. A plain soldier. How can I compete with your enchantments? Your sorcery?"

"I stand before you as your brother, Borneheld. Tonight I will not be an Icarii Enchanter. I will come to you only with my sword. We will stand evenly matched for gods and for prophecies to choose which has the right to live, and which the right to die." With an abrupt motion Axis twisted the Enchanter's ring from his right hand and tossed it across the Chamber to StarDrifter.

When Faraday saw the ring glint through the air she cried out, her composure finally breaking. "No!" The thought that Axis would face Borneheld only with his sword appalled her - and again Faraday saw the blood dripping from Axis' hair and felt the soft trickle of blood down her breasts. She moved as if to run to Axis, but a strong arm caught her about the waist. Jorge.

"Let him be," he said. "Borneheld and Axis must end this. Here. Finally."

"No," Faraday wailed again, twisting against Jorge's arm. The vision of the trees overwhelmed her, and now she was
afraid, dreadfully afraid, that what they had shown her (were showing her) had been (was) the truth. Axis would die here tonight, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. "No," she whispered, as Axis glanced her way. "Axis, no." She saw Borneheld, stepping down from the throne. Borneheld took a step away from his throne, his sword raised before him.

Slowly Axis unbuttoned the golden tunic and threw it to Belial. It was a beautiful tunic, and he did not want it rent, or stained with blood. He rolled up the sleeves of his white linen shirt above his elbow, then, in a quick movement so fluid most could hardly follow it, drew his sword from the scabbard at his side.

"Borneheld," he said, and his brother leaped from the dais towards him and into fate and vision.