Tal sniffed the air, but he couldn't smell anything oily. All he could smell was the fresh scent of grass and the pleasant perfume of the flowers that grew on the tall bushes ahead. Tal walked along the path for a while. It looked like it circumnavigated the island. Other paths ran off it, into the interior. One of them headed in the direction of the house.
Tal took it. He walked a little slower as the path headed between two overhanging flower bushes. Something about the whole place made him uneasy. Perhaps it was the moonlight, he thought. It made everything look creepy.He took a few more steps before he realized what it was.There was a light breeze blowing from behind his back.But the bushes were leaning toward him.
Tal stopped and looked at them. They were taller than he was. Big bushes with broad clusters of green leaves. Both had two large red flowers about two-thirds of the way up."They're only plants," Tal said aloud. "Only plants."But he didn't walk toward them. As he watched, first one flower then another slowly swiveled to face him. Then, with a horrible sucking sound, both bushes lifted their roots out of the ground and glided forward, rustling. The roots they moved on were sharp and pointed, more like multiple talons than anything else.
Tal backed away. But he had only gone a few paces when Adras said, "Uh-oh."
Tal looked behind. Two of the statues he'd seen from the air were coming down the path. They were humanoid, a little larger than an adult Chosen, and made of the same golden metal as the Ruin Ship. As they closed in, Tal noticed the oily smell Adras had mentioned before. They moved like Tal and Adras in the Chromatic armor. Slowly and clumsily."Time to fly," said Tal, reaching up his arms. Adras swooped down and grabbed him, and this time it really hurt--because Tal's feet wouldn't leave the path.
He looked down and saw strands of violet wrapping themselves around his ankles, forming shackles of light.The flower creatures glided forward, piercing roots questing ahead of them. The statues shuddered up behind, their massive fists rising and falling."Let go, I'm stuck! Try to hold them off!"
Adras let go. Instantly Tal focused on his Sun-stone. If he could make a Violet Key he could unlock the shackles on his ankles. Thanks to Lokar, he had some idea of what he had to do.But could he do it before the statues clubbed him down or the flower creatures stabbed him?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Malen kept working on Crow for several hours after the Freefolk left to gather airweed and take it to the Icecarl advance guard. Milla watched the Crone's quick and clever hands for a while, then decided to make sure Jarnil hadn't tried to sneak away.She found him asleep in his bed. Milla looked down at him, wondering again whether she should do anything. She was about to leave when something triggered a memory. Jarnil was sleeping in an odd posture. He had his hands linked on his chest, under the blanket.
Milla pulled the blanket back. As she'd suspected, his hands were clasped around a Sunstone.
Jarnil wasn't asleep. He'd gone to Aenir. Without leaving a Spiritshadow to guard the body he left behind, because he didn't have one anymore. It had been taken from him in the Hall of Nightmares. Yet even though he had been cast out and made an Underfolk, and eventually one of the Freefolk, in the end it hadn't been enough to break his lifelong loyalty. There was only one reason Jarnil would have gone to Aenir. He was going to warn the Chosen about the Icecarl invasion.
Milla's knife came out of her sleeve and into her hand. She held it lightly, poised above Jarnil's throat. Then she sighed and put it away. Nothing would be gained by killing Jarnil's body. She didn't know if it would kill him in Aenir, and in any case, he was a brave man to do what he had done. Plus, he was asleep and defenseless. There would only be dishonor if she slew him now.
Milla climbed back up to the central courtyard and splashed some water from the well on her face. When Jarnil gave them a warning, the Chosen would swiftly return. They would also learn about this fortress. If Milla stayed here, she could be cut off from her forces, the Freefolk fortress being too easily besieged with its single bridge over the lava crevasse.But her knowledge of the Castle and the Underfolk levels in particular was too limited. How could she be a War-Chief if she didn't know the territory where her people would fight?"I need maps," she shouted angrily, releasing the tension she felt at her own mistake in leaving Jarnil unwatched. "Where can I find maps?"A splash from the well answered her question. Instantly, Milla leaped back from the rim, her Merwin-horn sword and dagger in her hands.A door-sized rectangle of crystal slowly floated up through the water. It was horizontal at first, but then it levitated upright, water splashing down on every side. Even after the water fell, its face was liquid and shining.
Icecarl runes formed upon its surface."Maps may be found in many places within the Castle. I have many maps within me."For once Milla stared. This was the Codex of the Chosen, the magical artifact she and Tal had risked their lives to bring back from Aenir. They had left it hidden in the Mausoleum higher in the Castle, only to learn from Ebbitt that the Codex could wander of its own accord."You have come back," Milla said.The Codex didn't answer. It was its nature to only answer questions.
"How do I get to the Underfolk levels from here?" Milla asked.Silver lines appeared on the shining surface of the Codex. They drew a map. Milla studied it intently. There was another way out of the Fortress of the Freefolk, she saw, but it was narrow and difficult and led only to a distant part of the heatways.
"Where is the best place for a raiding party of five hundred Icecarls to gather in the Underfolk levels so they can quickly attack the higher Chosen levels?"Another map formed, showing a huge chamber labeled as The Assembly of the Miners. Milla smiled as she studied the map. Even if the Chosen did come back, the Codex would help her defeat them. There were so many secret ways and passages that the Chosen wouldn't know. The Codex, on the other hand, knew everything.If she could make sure it stayed around.
"Malen!" she called, half turning away. "Malen!"
As she turned back, the Codex sank into the well again. Milla snatched at it, and for a moment held a corner fast. But it shrank under her fingers and slipped away. In seconds the Codex was the size of a large fish and it zipped away like one, down into the deep waters of the well.
Malen came out as Milla scooped vainly at the well, spraying the Crone with water."War-Chief!" exclaimed Malen, affronted. "The Codex! It was here!"
Malen rushed to the well, but there was nothing to be seen. She looked at Milla, her blue eyes already clouding over as she prepared to share whatever Milla said with the other Crones."The Codex of the Chosen," said Milla. "It was here. It came out of the well. I asked it to show me maps of the Castle. Tell the Crones with the advance guard to tell the Shield Maidens to ask the Freefolk to show them the way to the Assembly of the Miners on Underfolk Level Seven. We will meet there. Also… I have made a mistake. Jarnil has gone to Aenir to warn the Chosen."
Milla paused and waited for Malen to speak. But the young Crone was silent for some time. When she did talk, it was with the strange, gestalt voice of all the Crones, the voice that sent shivers down Milla's spine."You must keep the Codex if it comes again. It is of the highest importance."
Malen stopped talking and nearly fell into the well. Milla steadied her."Sorry," said Malen. She suddenly sounded like her nose was blocked. "I'm not… not used to carrying the Voice. I've only had the basic lessons."For once Malen didn't sound like a Crone. She sounded like a young Icecarl with a touch of the chill-fever, an Icecarl who wasn't too confident she could do what had to be done, but would try anyway. Milla liked her the better for it."How is Crow?" she asked."I think he will recover," answered Malen. She coughed and stood straighter. The blue in her eyes grew brighter and she sounded more confident. "He will sleep normally now, and should be able to speak when he wakes.""Can he be moved?" asked Milla. "If Bennem carries him?"
Malen frowned. "If he must.""And Ebbitt, can he be moved?""Who knows? He is old and has overexerted himself. If he were an Icecarl, I think he would give himself to the Ice.""But he is not," said Milla. "And the Castle is not so hard a
place for the old as a ship. He is also very wise and powerful with the Chosen's light magic.""It is different here," Malen acknowledged. She shivered and said, "I fear that it will change us, coming here."
Milla was silent. She had been changed beyond recognition already, so much she hardly knew who she was anymore. So few things were certain. One was her responsibility as War-Chief of the Icecarls.
"We will move," she ordered. "All of us, before the Chosen return. Bennem will carry Crow, Odris will carry Jarnil, and Ebbitt will ride on his Spiritshadow's back. We will go to the Hall of Miners to meet the advance guard -- and prepare for the attack."
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Adras swooped down and tried to topple the closest statue. It rocked back momentarily, but even the Storm Shepherd's strength could not prevent it from moving forward. Its mighty fists slammed into Adras's cloudy chest and sank in.
"Owwgh!" gasped Adras. He reeled back. "That hurt!"The flower-creatures were advancing, too. Long, sharp roots slid ahead of them, as the trunks and branches crept inexorably forward. Tal didn't look. He kept concentrating on his Sunstone and the shackles of light. They were violet, and all he had to do was find the right Violet Key to make them let him go. He had to bring the correct light forth from his Sunstone.
"I can't… can't stop them!" puffed Adras as he was flung aside by a huge golden arm.
Tal heard the Storm Shepherd's voice as if it were far away. All his concentration, every scrap of willpower was focused on his Sunstone. Light shone there, first red, then it flickered through orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo… and violet.But it was a weak violet, lacking the fire and strength of the true color. Tal bent all his thought upon it, trying to intensify the light, to make it true. He had to have pure violet to make his key and escape.The statues grew closer. A sharp root, ahead of the rest, sliced across Tal's shin, drawing blood. He ignored it. The light was intensifying. It was almost there. Another root slashed across his leg. A flower bent toward him and some part of Tal's mind noted that its petals were as sharp as steel as they came toward his face.Then something clicked inside Tal's head. He felt totally attuned with his Sunstone, as if he and it were the only things that existed in the whole world.Violet, thought Tal. The Sunstone flared into bright, pure violet light.It grew brighter and brighter--Tal had to close his eyes and shield his face with his arm. Violet light was everywhere, all around, and he couldn't see, couldn't make it undo his shackles. Any second the flower would cut his face and the statues would smash him to the ground…The light faded. No flower cut came, no crushing blow. Tal opened his eyes and let his arm fall. The flower-creatures were retreating to their groves along the path. The statues had turned around and were lumbering back to resume their stolid poses. Adras was floating just off the path, rubbing his chest and groaning.There was still a faint remnant of violet light. Tal looked down. His legs were only lightly scratched and the blood was already drying. The light shackles around his ankles were gone, and the path sparkled innocently. The violet light came from his Sunstone.
Tal held his hand close to his face. The Sunstone had changed. It had been generally yellow with flecks of red before, and occasional twinkles of all the other colors. Now it was a pure deep violet, all the way through, down into hidden depths it hadn't had before."Thanks," said Adras. "Those statues hurt."
"I… I don't know what I did," said Tal. He let his hand fall. The Sunstone dimmed a little, but his fingers were still washed in violet light. "Come on."
There were a lot more flower-creatures along the path, and several more statues. Tal felt a strong urge to run past them, but he didn't. He just kept walking. The flower-creatures rustled as he passed, but made no move to attack. The statues' heads swiveled to watch him, but didn't step off their plinths.It made for a very creepy progress in the moonlight. Tal kept expecting a flower-creature to go from a rustle to a sudden stab, and the statues to suddenly move and bar his way.Finally, they came to the house. As Tal had seen from the air, only the courtyard was lit up. The crystal leaves that were woven into the canopy above the courtyard shone green and silver in the moonlight, and tinkled in the light breeze.There were several people in the courtyard, despite the fact that it was very late. Or very early, depending on how you thought about it. Tal paused next to a flower-creature to get a proper look before he went into the open. It wasn't a very successful reconnaissance as he kept one eye on the closest branches and tried to do his spying with the other.Because the crystal leaves hung over the sides as well as making up a canopy, it was hard to see what was going on. As far as Tal could tell, there were two people sitting down in the very center of the courtyard, and two others waiting on them, occasionally going back and forth to the house.The two sitting down were probably Chosen, as Tal caught brief flashes of light from their Sun-stones, brighter and differently colored than the ones that were set in the corner-posts. The two servants… he wasn't sure about. They didn't seem to be human-shaped.One of the sitting Chosen had to be the Empress, Tal thought. With a courtier, and two servants of some kind. Who else could it be?He looked nervously around for the guards. But there didn't seem to be anyone else nearby. The house was dark and quiet. Perhaps here the Empress relied totally on the flower-creatures, the statues, and the magic in the paths.So there was no one to stop him from walking over, bowing before the Empress, and giving light. He could tell her about Sushin, the Veil, his father… everything."I need a drink," whispered Adras. Or in his idea of a whisper. It made Tal jump into the flower-creature. If it hadn't leaned away he would have been sliced to pieces."I don't understand this place," Tal whispered back when he recovered his balance. In some ways it was worse than being out on the Ice. At least there he knew he didn't know anything. Here in the Chosen Enclave, he felt like he ought to be more knowledgeable. He should know why the Sunstone harpoons were in the lakebed, he should know why his Sunstone had gone Violet, he should know why the guards of the Empress's island had suffered a change of heart.But he didn't. And at this very last minute, he was having doubts about the wisdom of going before the Empress. Yes, she did have the power to put everything right. But he hadn't followed the correct procedures to see her, even if it was impossible to do so with Sushin in control of the Guards and so much else. It wasn't the Chosen way to just saunter across in the middle of the night and address the very highest of the Chosen.Yet there was no other way. This was the choice he had made. He had to be brave and take the opportunity.He stood up and walked across the grass. Adras billowed along behind him. They went to an arched gateway and stepped under the canopy of crystal leaves.
Tal looked across the courtyard. Two slim, long-armed semi-human creatures with large green eyes and fuzzy black fur looked back at him. One carried a silver tray with a bottle on it, the other a golden tray with two crystal goblets. Neither creature seemed at all perturbed by Tal and Adras. After a moment's glance, they looked away again.There were also two Chosen, seated in the middle of the canopy. They paid the new arrivals no attention at all. They were both engrossed in a game of Beastmaker. The game was in its final stages, all cards played and the beasts already created in the battlecircle. A star-shaped thing with many mouths was wrapped around a scaly, two-headed insectoid.
The latter had a long tail-sting that it struck with every few seconds, hitting itself as often as its opponent.Both the Chosen players wore flowing violet robes and many Sunstones. They were both indescribably ancient, extremely thin, and had very long white hair. It took Tal a moment to work out that the one with the violet cap trimmed with Sunstones was female, and thus almost certainly the Empress, and that her bareheaded counterpart was male. They were obviously closely related. Brother and sister, or perhaps mother and son. They were so old it was hard to pick any difference in their ages.
Tal approached, but they paid him no attention. When he was only a few stretches away, he sank to one knee, raised his Sunstone, and gave them respectful light. At the same time, the insectoid beast expired. The star creature flexed up on one poi
nt and did a strange little dance. Then the game was over, and both creatures vanished in a stream of tiny sparks of light that circled round and round the polished gameboard and back into the deck of cards. Only then did the two Chosen turn to face Tal. Each held out a hand, the Empress her right and her relative his left. The two semi-human servants placed a goblet in each hand and then poured out something frothy and black. They drank and threw the goblets behind them, which were dexterously caught by the servants. Tal waited, still on one knee. Eventually, he gave light again. He'd meant to give an orange glow appropriate to his station, but somehow it came out violet. This got the Empress's attention. "Oh! It's him!" she wailed. "It's him!"
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
"No it isn't, Ildi," said the other Chosen. "Don't be stupid. Who are you, boy? You look familiar. Gronnius's son?" "I am Tal Graile-Rerem," announced Tal. "I bear important news for Her Imperial Highness." "Never heard of you," said the man. "What are you doing here with important news? Tell it to Sushin. We're busy. Got a Beastmaker series to finish. Best of a hundred." "Yes, go away," pronounced the Empress. At least Tal was pretty certain she was the Empress. He'd only ever seen her in the distance before, at important events, when she wore full robes of state. But he thought Ebbitt had said her name was Kathilde, and the man had just called her Ildi.
"Um, you are
Her Imperial Highness?" he asked hesitantly. "Of course I am… that is, we are," the old woman retorted. "Why does this doubt… this treachery… this carping disbelief continue?" "I don't doubt, Highness," Tal assured her hastily. "It's only I've never been so close to you before, and your… um… radiance is blinding." "Well, that is true," the Empress conceded. "You are a well-brought-up boy. But I cannot recall your parents' names among our Violet personages. Perhaps they are newly risen? We are so busy that we fear we get a trifle behind from time to time." Tal glanced down at the Sunstone on his finger, and its glowing violet pulse. Obviously the Empress thought he was of the Violet order, the child of a Shadowlord and lady. Time to change the subject. "Highness, I bring grave news," he said again. "There is a plot against the Chosen by the shadows of Aenir. Some of the Keystones have been unsealed, and the Veil is threatened. Our whole world is in danger." The Empress smiled and shook her finger at Tal. "Now, now, if you want to present a light-puppet drama to us, you must apply to our Light Vizier first."