Enough to threaten Linden: enough to kill her where she stood; or to drive her away from her son.
Liand would die in quick agony.
Now, she thought. The time was now.
At last, she moved.
She could not afford to fail.
She had regained only a fraction of her health-sense; but it sufficed to guide her. The croyel croyel had struck Liand with terrible force. He had hit one of the calcified arms of the warding construct: hit it hard. When she scanned the ridge, she saw that the impact had weakened it. had struck Liand with terrible force. He had hit one of the calcified arms of the warding construct: hit it hard. When she scanned the ridge, she saw that the impact had weakened it.
She dashed to that spot, hoping that the skest skest would ignore her. would ignore her.
The travertine was porous and fragile: she was certain of it. And in that one place, it had been damaged. Nonetheless it was stone. It did not crumble easily. Stooping, she gripped the rimose deposit; dug her fingers in among its bulges and knags until her nails tore and her skin bled; pulled at the ridge until the flesh of her palms was shredded.
The stone held.
Behind her, the Harrow roared curses and invocations in alien tongues. Skest Skest burned like pitch, eating away the perfection of the floor. Again the burned like pitch, eating away the perfection of the floor. Again the croyel croyel raised his mouth from Jeremiah"s neck to bare its teeth at the Insequent. The creature"s glee stung the back of Linden"s neck like the first caress of acid. raised his mouth from Jeremiah"s neck to bare its teeth at the Insequent. The creature"s glee stung the back of Linden"s neck like the first caress of acid.
Her hands were not strong enough.
Part of her wept at her weakness. But that part belonged to the Linden Avery whom she had left behind under Melenkurion Melenkurion Skyweir. The Linden Avery who had stood with Caerroil Wildwood and the Mahdoubt on Gallows Howe did not hesitate. Skyweir. The Linden Avery who had stood with Caerroil Wildwood and the Mahdoubt on Gallows Howe did not hesitate.
Surging erect, she kicked furiously at the marred section of the gnarled arm; stomped with the heel of her boot.
Her blow skidded aside. Her own momentum flung her forward. When one kneecap hit the travertine, she felt the bone crack.
Enlivened by Earthpower, her nerves sensed the first flicker of wild magic as the Harrow began to invoke Covenant"s ring. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d was going to win win- In spite of her pain, Linden kicked again. Hardly aware of what she did, she started screaming the Seven Words.
"Melenkurion abatha!"
Her second blow struck squarely.
"Duroc minas mill!"
Her third broke a chunk as large as her fist out of Jeremiah"s construct.
"Harad khabaal!"
At once, the inherent power of the construct failed. The ridges lost their darkness. Swiftly the travertine lapsed to a more natural grey.
Staggering, Linden faced a throng of skest skest.
She barely had time to draw breath, blink tears from her vision, gasp at the agony in her knee. Then Roger Covenant arrived, shedding his glamour directly behind the Harrow.
Ecstatic with triumph, Roger shouted, "SUCK-er!"
Magma blared from his right fist as he punched fury straight through the center of the Harrow"s back.
For an instant, the Harrow gaped at Kastenessen"s hand; at the charred wound where Roger"s fist emerged from his chest. He seemed unable to comprehend what had become of him. Then Roger s.n.a.t.c.hed back his arm; and the Insequent fell dead.
The Staff and Covenant"s ring dropped from his hands.
Chittering incomprehensibly, the skest skest drew back. Commanded by Roger or the drew back. Commanded by Roger or the croyel croyel, they cleared a s.p.a.ce around Roger, Jeremiah, the Harrow"s corpse. If more of them waited in the corridors, they did not press into the chamber.
Linden"s health-sense had evaporated again, but she was in too much pain to notice the difference. Roger was here here. All he had to do now was bend down and pick up his father"s ring. The skest skest had given him room. He could claim the Staff of Law at the same time, if he wanted it. had given him room. He could claim the Staff of Law at the same time, if he wanted it.
His victory would be complete.
Linden had done what she could-and it was too little. She had broken the spell of Jeremiah"s construct. Surely now the Elohim Elohim were able to discern his location? Roger she had expected in some fashion. But she had also believed that at least one of the scattered were able to discern his location? Roger she had expected in some fashion. But she had also believed that at least one of the scattered Elohim Elohim would care enough to intervene. Or if none of Infelice"s people responded, Kastenessen would-or Esmer- would care enough to intervene. Or if none of Infelice"s people responded, Kastenessen would-or Esmer- Here Roger and the croyel croyel could combine their powers. They could escape through time and distance, as they had done before. could combine their powers. They could escape through time and distance, as they had done before.
Yet no Elohim Elohim came. Esmer did not. came. Esmer did not.
And the Ardent had failed the will of the Insequent. Liand was severely injured: he may have been dying. Anele had fled. The rest of Linden"s companions were held in thrall by the astonishment of the palace.
Sobbing at the scream in her knee, she dove headlong toward Liand"s orcrest orcrest.
If the Sunstone reawakened even a few tiny glints of her percipience, she would be able to reach out for Earthpower and Law. She did not need to hold the Staff in order to use it: not now. She needed only a small spattering of health-sense- A body hurtled past her into the chamber. She had no idea who or what it was. Pain and desperation blinded her to everything except orcrest orcrest. She hardly heard Roger"s eager roar of defiance.
When her straining fingers closed on the Sunstone, she felt nothing. Nothing at all. The orcrest orcrest was only a lump of rock. She could not was only a lump of rock. She could not see see it; could not touch its true vitality. it; could not touch its true vitality.
A surge of absolute despair broke over her: a crashing wave. Then it receded. She was too frantic to drown in it, or to be swept away.
Wrenching herself into a sitting position, she c.o.c.ked her arm to hurl the Sunstone at Roger"s head: the last throw of a woman whose fate was written in water.
Covenant"s ring still lay amid a tumble of chain near Jeremiah"s bare feet. The runed ebony length of the Staff rested an arm"s length away. Roger had not claimed either instrument.
He had not had time.
Through a blaze of argent, Linden saw Thomas Covenant.
Somehow he had emerged from his memories; had shrugged off the enchantment of the palace. He must have sensed Roger"s power, or the croyel croyel"s; must have realized that Linden needed him.
Braced in the act of trying to slash downward with Loric"s krill krill, Covenant confronted his son. He gripped the dagger in both fists, apparently striving to cripple or sever Kastenessen"s hand. But Roger had blocked his father"s cut with a blast of heat and scoria. Straining to strike, Covenant stood with his blade embedded in the furnace of Roger"s power.
They had not touched each other physically: their blows met in the air between them. Roger"s pyrotic theurgy held Covenant"s blade in a grip of crimson and sulphur, as fluid and fatal as lava. Covenant answered with the salvific possibilities of wild magic channeled and focused by High Lord Loric"s mighty lore. The krill krill"s pure gem was an expanding cynosure of incandescence.
Too much much incandescence. Linden did not need health-sense to guess that Joan was pouring out her madness, trying to hurt the man who had been her husband. Somehow Joan-or incandescence. Linden did not need health-sense to guess that Joan was pouring out her madness, trying to hurt the man who had been her husband. Somehow Joan-or turiya turiya Herem-had recognized Covenant"s grip on the Herem-had recognized Covenant"s grip on the krill krill, Covenant"s intention. While he struggled against their son, she wielded her own ring in an effort to incinerate him.
She could not attack him directly. She was not present; and her own plight hampered her. But if she unleashed enough wild magic through the gem, she might make the krill krill so hot that it burned the flesh from his bones. so hot that it burned the flesh from his bones.
And Roger"s power was the essence of the skurj skurj multiplied by Kastenessen"s immense might. Even a Giant could not have endured such heat. multiplied by Kastenessen"s immense might. Even a Giant could not have endured such heat.
Leprosy aggravated the numbness in Covenant"s fingers. The Ardent had bandaged his hands in garish strips of magic and knowledge. The handle of the krill krill was wrapped in vellum. Yet the vehemence directed at him was too great. Linden watched in horror as the vellum charred and curled, cracking into flickers of flame. For a moment, the Ardent"s bandages resisted. Then they, too, began to smolder. was wrapped in vellum. Yet the vehemence directed at him was too great. Linden watched in horror as the vellum charred and curled, cracking into flickers of flame. For a moment, the Ardent"s bandages resisted. Then they, too, began to smolder.
Wailing, the skest skest crowded back against the walls. The crowded back against the walls. The croyel croyel appeared to be searching for an opportunity to attack. appeared to be searching for an opportunity to attack.
"h.e.l.l and blood blood, Roger!" Covenant shouted: a cry thick with excruciation. "You don"t have to do do this! There are better answers!" this! There are better answers!"
"What makes you think I want want your answers?" Roger retorted, fierce as scoria. "You"re done being the hero, your answers?" Roger retorted, fierce as scoria. "You"re done being the hero, Dad Dad!" He made "Dad" sound like a vile obscenity. "It"s time somebody put you in your place! I"m just glad that somebody is going to be me me!"
The krill krill"s brilliance nearly blinded Linden. Its echo of wild magic was too bright to be borne. G.o.d! she thought, oh, G.o.d, there must be caesures caesures all across the Land, Joan is trying to bring down the Arch by herself-Sudden flames undid the bandages from Covenant"s hands. Soon he would be too badly hurt to hold the all across the Land, Joan is trying to bring down the Arch by herself-Sudden flames undid the bandages from Covenant"s hands. Soon he would be too badly hurt to hold the krill krill.
In an argent blur cruelly tainted with crimson and malice, Linden saw another figure sprint into the chamber. Indistinct amid the squall of magicks, Stave leapt as if he meant to join Covenant"s battle. But he did not. Instead he stretched out in the air, landed full-length on the stone. His momentum carried him, skidding, beneath the conflagration of Kastenessen"s hand and Joan"s ring and Loric"s krill krill.
Covenant withstood Roger"s a.s.sault because Joan"s efforts increased the krill krill"s puissance. Nevertheless Covenant"s flesh was dying. His protections were gone: flames ate at his fingers. Only the reek of Roger"s magma masked the odor of burning meat.
Roger"s concentration was fixed on his father: the croyel croyel"s was not. The creature"s gaze resembled howling as it raised Jeremiah"s arm to hurl hate like boulders down on Stave.
Yet Stave had taken the croyel croyel by surprise. Before it could unleash its blast, he collided with the Harrow"s body. A thrust of Stave"s arms shoved the dead Insequent at Jeremiah. by surprise. Before it could unleash its blast, he collided with the Harrow"s body. A thrust of Stave"s arms shoved the dead Insequent at Jeremiah.
The unexpected impact swept Jeremiah"s feet out from under him. He fell awkwardly atop the Harrow, disrupting the croyel croyel"s magicks.
Through Jeremiah, the croyel croyel clutched at Stave; failed to catch him. Stave was too swift. s.n.a.t.c.hing up Covenant"s ring, he rolled aside, evading Jeremiah"s hands- clutched at Stave; failed to catch him. Stave was too swift. s.n.a.t.c.hing up Covenant"s ring, he rolled aside, evading Jeremiah"s hands- -rolled onto and over the Staff of Law.
Then Linden thought that she heard Stave shout her name. From the core of the clashing theurgies, she seemed to see a black shaft like a spear arc through the air toward her as though it had been aimed at her chest.
She dropped the Sunstone. Pure reflex enabled her to reach out and catch the Staff.
In that instant, she was transformed.
Stave. Of course. When she needed him most.
Of the Haruchai Haruchai, he alone knew how to silence his thoughts. Perhaps that skill-or the discipline to attain it-lessened the entrancement of the palace. He must have felt her absence and broken free when none of her other companions could do so. If he had been bestirred by Anele"s return, he had not paused to rouse anyone else.
The touch of the Staff restored Linden"s health-sense. Earthpower lifted her to her feet. The torn flesh of her fingers and palms seemed to heal itself. Stave had renewed her true heritage, the birthright that she had wrested from her parents" legacy of despair.
Jeremiah had already clambered upright. The croyel croyel was summoning enough wrath to crush every bone in Stave"s body. was summoning enough wrath to crush every bone in Stave"s body.
Without a heartbeat"s hesitation, Linden flung flame and Law into the fight.
She wanted to hurl her fire everywhere at once. Liand needed her. Covenant needed her urgently. Stave had no defense: not against the croyel croyel"s theurgies. The skest skest might advance at any moment, rallied by Roger or the might advance at any moment, rallied by Roger or the croyel croyel. Surely one or both of them would turn their powers against her? If they were given an opportunity, they could transport themselves out of danger.
But she was limited by her mortality. She could not focus on so many perils simultaneously.
Trusting that Stave could fend for himself-that Roger and the croyel croyel were done with Liand-that the were done with Liand-that the skest skest were too frightened to advance-Linden threw her desperation at Covenant"s son. were too frightened to advance-Linden threw her desperation at Covenant"s son.
If Covenant"s hands were crippled or burned away, no power known to her would repair them. Like Mahrtiir"s eyes, like Stave"s eye, they would be permanently lost. Covenant would not be able to hold Loric"s krill krill. And he would be in too much pain to call up wild magic from his ring.
Linden wept for her son; but she fought for her former lover.
She had defeated Roger once before. She had faced his ferocity and croyel croyel"s together, and had prevailed. But here she was hampered by Kevin"s Dirt. And she could not draw on the supreme energies of the EarthBlood. As soon as Covenant failed-as soon as Roger and the croyel croyel joined their strengths against her-she would die. Magma and malevolence would extinguish her. joined their strengths against her-she would die. Magma and malevolence would extinguish her.
Yet somehow Covenant endured his agony; his scorched and melting skin. Roger could not aim Kastenessen"s fist at Linden because he was forced to defend himself from his father.
Before the croyel croyel could strike at Stave, the could strike at Stave, the Haruchai Haruchai bounded up from the floor. Imponderably swift, he whirled a flying kick at Jeremiah"s head. The creature could not evade him. bounded up from the floor. Imponderably swift, he whirled a flying kick at Jeremiah"s head. The creature could not evade him.
But its backward flinch diminished the impact of the kick. Jeremiah"s head snapped sideways: blood and saliva sprayed from his lips: he staggered. Wailing, skest skest scattered to avoid contact with their master. Yet Jeremiah did not go down. scattered to avoid contact with their master. Yet Jeremiah did not go down.
Stave rushed after him. As Jeremiah hit the wall, Stave was poised to deliver a second blow.
A thin stream of blood dribbled from Jeremiah"s mouth. Nonetheless the croyel croyel was unharmed. Perhaps no merely physical a.s.sault could harm it. Spite and eagerness frothed in its eyes as its fangs bit down harder on Jeremiah"s neck. was unharmed. Perhaps no merely physical a.s.sault could harm it. Spite and eagerness frothed in its eyes as its fangs bit down harder on Jeremiah"s neck.
Involuntarily Jeremiah jerked up his halfhand-and Stave fell back as though he had crashed into an invisible wall.
He could not hope to defeat the croyel croyel. In moments, he would be dead. Briefly, however, he had prevented the creature from aiding Roger against Covenant and Linden.
While she could, Linden poured Staff-fire straight at Roger"s face; at his bitter mockery of his father"s features.
Exalted by runes and blackness, weeping and frenzy, she compelled Roger to turn away from Covenant.
Covenant plunged, helpless, to his knees. Smoke rose from his twisted fingers. But he did not release the krill krill. As if his flesh had melted onto the dagger-had become one with it-he clutched it while he struggled to regain his feet.
Argent still blazed from the krill krill"s gem. But now its incandescence began to falter. Joan"s awareness of him was fading. She was too weak to support turiya turiya"s demands on her.
A quick glance told Linden that Covenant"s hands would never be whole again. Given time and peace, she might be able to unclose his fingers from the krill krill without peeling away too much skin. She might be able to straighten them; heal them enough to let them flex. But with her best efforts she would never make them more useful than blunt stumps- without peeling away too much skin. She might be able to straighten them; heal them enough to let them flex. But with her best efforts she would never make them more useful than blunt stumps- Distracted, she let a blast of Roger"s rage brush her cheek. He may have burned her badly, perhaps disfigured her; yet she felt no pain. Her cracked kneecap did not trouble her. She had not forgotten Jeremiah and the croyel croyel, or the waiting threat of the skest skest: she had not forgotten Stave or Liand. For the moment, however, she fought as though nothing mattered except what had been done to Covenant"s hands.
Goading herself with the Seven Words, she forced Roger to retreat from his father.
Somehow Covenant regained his feet. Every movement was shrill with pain; but he did not retreat. Instead he advanced on Roger, still aiming the krill krill at Kastenessen"s hand. at Kastenessen"s hand.
Together, he and Linden might be able to beat Roger. She knew that Roger feared death. And she did not believe that he would allow harm to his grafted power; his halfhand. If Covenant could endure his suffering a little longer, he and Linden might succeed at driving Roger from the chamber.
Inadvertently Stave broke her concentration. Thwarted in his attack on the croyel croyel, Stave countered by tossing Covenant"s ring toward the ceiling.
Surprise and avarice drew the croyel croyel"s gaze to follow the rise and fall of white gold. Avid for wild magic, the creature dropped its defenses; tried to claw the ring out of the air.
With all of his Haruchai Haruchai muscle and speed, Stave punched the muscle and speed, Stave punched the croyel croyel between its gleaming eyes. between its gleaming eyes.
The creature"s head jolted back, ripping its fangs out of Jeremiah"s neck. Quickly, however, the deformed head whipped forward again. Its eyes focused fury on Stave.
As Stave caught the ring, closed it in his fist, Jeremiah"s arm swept upward. Stave was flung into the air; hurled toward the waiting skest skest.
Stave-! Even his extraordinary reflexes could not save him now. He would land on living acid. His heart, or Linden"s, might have time to beat as much as twice before the corrosion of the skest skest scoured the skin from his bones. He would die hideously, in swift torment. scoured the skin from his bones. He would die hideously, in swift torment.
Helpless to do otherwise, Linden wheeled away from Roger. With the Staff blazing in both hands, she swept all of her power like a scythe among the skest skest, trying frantically to cut them down, burn them to ash; clear a s.p.a.ce for Stave.
She almost succeeded. Creatures by the score burst into flame and fell apart, spilling viscid conflagration across the floor. Vitriol ate at the Harrow"s corpse. Twisting to right himself, Stave came down on his feet in a pool of fiery fluid.
He tried to leap away. But acid splashed his feet and calves; bit into his legs. Nearly crippled, he managed to sprawl beyond the edge of the vitriol. Then he tried to stand, and could not. Corrosion had eaten too deeply into his muscles. It was still burning.
Linden took a moment that she could not afford to slap her own fire at Stave"s legs. Expecting death, she stopped the damage with Earthpower. Then she abandoned Stave to his injuries; spun away to face Roger"s a.s.sault, and the croyel croyel"s, and doom.
As she turned, however, she saw that Roger had not used her distraction to muster a killing blast. The croyel croyel had not followed its attack on Stave. They had not joined together against Covenant. had not followed its attack on Stave. They had not joined together against Covenant.
Instead they had hastened toward each other. Already they had raised their arms, extending their magicks to form a portal. They were about to disappear- Their powers would translate them to a time or a place where she could not hope to discover them again.
Covenant had seen what they were doing: he must have understood it. He stumbled toward them, aiming to thrust the krill krill between them before they could complete their sorcery. But he was too late. Linden felt their might gather while he was still too far away. between them before they could complete their sorcery. But he was too late. Linden felt their might gather while he was still too far away.