aI have a question for you.a aAye?a aThe Lady, Gemas mother a Flow said she faded and went away. Where did she go?a Their spoons stilled in their hands.
aAwaa,a said Constant.
aWhaur, we canna tell ye,a said Trusty.
aIf I could bring her back, would he wake?a aIf that didna wake him,a said Constant, anaethina would.a aCan ye dae it?a asked Trusty, his voice vibrant with sudden hope.
aWhen I was in the isles, I did call a being of some power. He was dear to the Hag, like a husband. But when I did it, he was quite close by, under the sea. In my mind, I could feel my way through the water and find him.a aNeryn,a said Constant, aI dinna want tae tell ye this, but the Lord, heas the only one will know whaur the Lady went. And he canna tell ye until he wakes. The truth, itas hidden inside him; tucked awaa deep like a shining jewel in the heart oa stane.a The image was powerful. As I considered it, an answer came with such force that I sprang to my feet, almost upsetting my porridge bowl. aThe magic of stone! Thatas what heas done, anch.o.r.ed himself in stone, made himself part of it, and hidden the sorrow away inside.aa Stane moves awfua slow, Whisper had said. Never mind that; I must work as I had never worked before. aIam going to need your help,a I told them.
PERHAPS I SHOWED A CONFIDENCE I DID NOT truly feel, for once I had explained what I intended, it was not only the Twa who helped me but the entire household. I had them move the Lord out of the vast hall and into the chamber he had shared with his Lady, a s.p.a.cious room but far smaller than the other, with hangings to soften the walls. At my request a fire was kindled on the hearth and oil lamps were brought in to banish the shadows. The Lord of the North lay on his bed, as still and remote as ever.
I asked that we be left alonea"the Lord, the Twa, and me. There were to be no interruptions. We entered the chamber and shut the heavy door behind us.
Constant and Trusty took up their usual positions, spears in hand. I stood by the Lordas bed, took his cold hand in mine, and shut my eyes. Somewhere within the stony chill of the sleeping man, there was life. Somewhere within the fearsome spell that locked him away, there was a person who had loved, and loved well. A fine person, one who had earned the devotion of his household, a devotion that had endured through three hundred years of waiting. I would not call him; every instinct told me that was wrong. But if I could find his Lady in his thoughts, if I could find something that convinced me her return would wake him, I could call her.
I went through the long preparation the Hag had taught me: breathing, concentration, awareness. But I changed the manner of it. I did not seek the fluid, ever-shifting movement of water now, but the heavy, monumental existence of stone. Not dancing, spraying, flowing, crashing, but waiting, holding, staying, being. I stood immobile, my breathing slow and slower, searching. Within the stillness that wrapped the Lord of the North, I sought the little signs of movement and change. For the wisdom of the north was not only that of stone, but also of earth, and from earth springs life. If he was a rock, monumental and still, I would be a growing tree, and as a tree sends its roots deep into the earth, I would find a way to the secrets at his heart. When I was ready, I made my mind a seed, lying in the winter ground as snowstorm and windstorm harried the mountains above. I felt the little death that was the cold season. I felt the spring thaw; I felt the ground soften and warm around me, and I stretched out tiny roots into the soil and pushed a single green shoot into the air. I am alive. I rise from earth. I am the awakening of Albanas deep heart.
Rain fell on me; breezes stirred me; wandering goats nibbled at my leaves. Seasons pa.s.sed and pa.s.sed, and I thrust my roots deep into the ground, finding ways between the stones, gripping tight, winding and binding and fastening myself there. In my crown, generation on generation of birds nested. Martens climbed my trunk and raised their young in my hollows. Autumn by autumn, my leaves changed color and dried up and fell to form heavy drifts around my feet. My seeds were carried by wind and bird and insect; my children flew far and wide, settling in their own soil. Spring after spring saw my new leaves sprout, the fresh green of hope. Kings and chieftains rode by me on their proud horses; sheep grazed around me; farmers and herdsmen rested in my shade. Fey folk too visited me, joining hands to dance around my trunk, making crowns from my leaves, living in my canopy. Good Folk, respectful of my gifts, wise in ancient ways.
I grew old, old beyond human measure. My strength waned; insects ate at my core, and my branches grew brittle, snapping in autumn gales. A storm toppled me; I fell to lean against a younger tree, grown from my seed. Mosses crept over me. Small creatures found a refuge in my decaying wood. Beetles dwelt in the shadowy recesses beneath my great body. In death, I was wrapped in life. And underground, in the caverns of Albanas heart, my roots still held fast.
aDinna ye think,a whispered someone, athat thereas a bittie mair warmth in his cheeks?a aAye,a murmured someone else, aand a touch oa light in his eaen, would ye noa say?a I sucked in a breath, opened my eyes, felt my knees give way. Before I could fall, Constant was on one side and Trusty on the other, holding me up. They helped me to a bench by the fire. The chamber was moving around me, even when I was sitting still. It might have been morning or night; I might have been standing there for days.
aNot finished,a I managed. aCanat a rest aa aYead best taka a bite tae eat and a wee sip oa mead,a Constant said. aYe been standina there lang. For a human la.s.sie, verra lang.a The household knew I wanted no distractions. Trusty went off to fetch food and drink. When he came back in, Tali was waiting at the door to escort me to the privy.
aAll right?a She frowned as she scrutinized my face.
aMm.a I was too tired to think, let alone have a conversation. Besides, if I started to talk about this, I might lose any belief that what I was attempting would actually work.
aYou donat look it. Make sure you call if you need me. Iall be right outside the door.a aWhat about a?a aScar and the others can manage without me.a aYou need nota"a aYes, I do.a I took to sleeping as Constant and Trusty did, in short s.n.a.t.c.hes when I could no longer keep my eyes open. There was a shelf bed by the wall, probably intended for the Ladyas maidservant, and that was where I lay, under the fur cloak I had been given when I first came here. The Twa were too tall to use this bed, but took turns to stretch out on the floor.
I lost track of the pa.s.sing days and nights. From that first delving, when I sought a pathway into the Lordas enchanted sleep as a tree would search for a crevice through which to slip its root, I moved deeper and deeper, searching for traces of the Lady. For all my weariness, I found it easier each day to sink into the state of trance; I felt the weight of earth in my body, its slow rhythms in the beating of my heart, and in my bones the endurance and strength of stone. I was no longer hungry, though the Twa made me eat. I became patient. Day by day, as Tali took me to use the privy, to wash, to change my clothing, I saw that the lines on her face were deeper and her eyes more troubled, but I did not think of the pa.s.sage of time or of what it might mean for us. I was not aware of thinking much at all.
Step by slow step I moved down the pathways of the Lordas mind. Day by day, night by night, I walked there, and saw revealed, as bright spots in the darkness, the things he had loved, the things he had lost, the good things he had chosen to set aside. Gem was everywhere: a tiny babe, her cheek peach-soft under her fatheras astonished touch; a dark-haired child, tossed high in the air, laughing in delight; a quicksilver girl, full of curiosity; a frowning student, bending over a great scroll with questions in her eyes. Gem running. Gem climbing. Gem playing a little harp. Gem casting a spell and turning a cat to stone. Gem shouting at her father. Always that: the furious words, the swirl of her long hair as she stormed out of their workroom. She left me. My Gem left me. The last thing I ever said to my daughter was, Disobedient wretch! If you cannot master yourself, how will you ever master your craft?
The Lady was more elusive. From the Twa, I learned that her name was Siona, and that she came from the far north, land of eternal ice. But I did not see her anywhere in the Lordas thoughts; it was as if the loss of Gem had erased his wife from his memory.
aDid they have a falling-out?a I asked the Twa on a day when frustration had made me give up my quest early enough to take supper by the fire with them, all of us weary and despondent. aA quarrel? Did they part on bad terms?a It was hard for me to accept, still, that the Lady had chosen to walk away when her man was sunk in his grief.
aHe loved her weel,a Trusty said. aAnd she was right fond oa him. But after Gem died, they had words. Words that would hae been best left unsaid.a aTell me, if you will.a aHe blamed himself. If head heeded Gem, if he hadna shouted at her, if head done this or that different a He couldna see past that. Aa tangled up in it, he was.a aThe Lady reminded him she was grievina too,a Constant said. aBut he was deaf tae her; he was fua up wia his ain hurt. She waited awhile, and he didna seem tae change. So she told him that while she was by him, she couldna heal.a aHe didna listen. The next day he woke up and couldna find her. Asked us where she was; didna believe us when we told him. Nine-and-ninety days he waited for her to come tappina on the door, fua oa contrition. But she didna. So he lay doon, and ye know the rest.a aWhy is it ye need the story?a The Twa had been keenly interested in what I was doing, and so were the folk beyond the closed door. Iad been giving Tali brief reports on my progress, which she shared with the rest of them; apparently they hung avidly on every word.
aHis mind is full of Gem; in particular, his argument with her before she ran out and fell to her death. Sometimes I see his life before, but nearly always with her. Lady Siona simply isnat there. This will be the first time Iave tried to call someone when I have no idea where she is. And the first time Iave done it when the person is probably far away. Without an image of her in my mind, I donat know how I will go about it.a They had described her to me, of course. Like moonlight, Constant had said. Like a willow, Trusty had added. That was not much help.
aYe might speak tae Flow,a Constant said now.
Tali, true to her word, had been keeping guard outside the door. She came with me to find Flow in her small, warm chamber, and I explained my difficulty.
aHe doesna think oa her at aa?a The little woman was working on a pair of shoes, tiny needle flashing as she embroidered a delicate pattern of leaves and tendrils. aAye, weel, mebbe that isna sae surprisina. Heas set her awaa deep as deep, hopina he willna need tae look at what heas done. If he hadna been sae wrapped up in his ain grief, head hae seen the twa oa them needed each other. He didna understand until it was too late. And then he couldna face the truth: that he had driven her awaa.a aYou think thatas what holds him so long in this spell? But what if I summon her and she doesnat want to be here? Surely, if she really wanted to come back, shead have done so long ago. And what if she comes and he still doesnat wake up?a Flow lifted her gaze from her handiwork. aI canna answer that, la.s.sie. Ane thing, I can help ye wia.a There was a big basket in the corner; she moved to sort through the contents, then returned to the fireside with a folded cloth in her hands. aYe wanted the image oa Lady Siona. I crafted this soon after she came here as his bride; it hung on the waa by their bed, but when he fell intae his lang sleep, I set it awaa for safekeepina. A guid likeness.a Unfolded, the cloth revealed an embroidered picture of a slender fey woman in a white gown, standing by a window through which pale light streamed. The st.i.tches were small and fine. Lady Siona might have been standing there in miniature, so real did she seem. Her hair was wheaten fair and rippled over her shoulders in waves; her eyes were palest green, her face heart-shaped, with a sweet mouth and a small, straight nose. She was somewhat like Gem, but at the same time very much herself.
aOa course, sheall be aulder now,a Flow said, running a hand over the embroidery. aOor folk are lang-lived; but time and sorrow will hae made their mark.a Tali gasped. I felt my eyes widen. The image had changed under Flowas fingers, the Ladyas hair now touched with silver, her face still beautiful but older, wiser, her eyes shadowed with sadness. I was reminded sharply that this place was not Shadowfell, and its folk were not of humankind. I gazed at Sionaas embroidered features, trying to fix them in my mind.
aYe can taka this wia ye, Neryn. Get the Twa tae put it back on the waa. Then sheas wia him, even if he thinks he doesna want her.a After a moment Flow added, aYe might try a different approach. Feel the way, noa wia your mind, but wia your heart. Havena ye ever had a fallina oot wia someone ye loved weel? A quarrel that made a gulf between the twa oa ye, and caused ye tae wish ye could wipe your mind clean oa him, and yet deep down, despite all, he was still as dear tae ye as ever?a She and Tali were both looking at me. I felt my cheeks flush.
aAye, ye ken weel what I mean,a Flow said, saving me from the need to answer. aCould be true love is the key ye need tae unlock the Lordas last secret. Tae find your pathway in. Iall be biddina ye guid night now.a It was late; on the threshold of the Lordas chamber Tali stopped me, putting a hand on my arm. aYou look terrible, Neryn. Pasty, thin, worried, a shadow of yourself. Donat tell me youare going to try this tonight, without resting first.a It was a fair comment. I was so tired I could hardly think straight. aTali, how long have I been doing this? How many days have pa.s.sed?a Her hesitation was an answer in itself. aQuite a few,a she said eventually. Unspoken was the fact that while the Lord slept, I could not learn from him; that we needed to get home to Shadowfell before the season made it impossible.
aYouave finished your work here already, havenat you? Teaching those warriors how to use their long winters profitably. Learning all about their weaponry.a aDonat add me to your concerns.a She attempted a rea.s.suring smile. aI thought it might do you good to go outside for a bit, that was all. Fresh air and exercise. Sitting in that chamber all day and all night isnat doing your fitness any favors.a I managed a smile of my own. aThereas no choice,a I said. aWhen we get home to Shadowfell, Iall practice hard to make up for it.a aHereas a suggestion. For this one night at least, have a proper sleep and tell those two fellows to do the same. I can stand guard in their place, if they want that. Iall have an army of volunteers to keep me company. Tomorrow, come out for a walk with me before breakfast. It need not be long. I want you to see the sunlight, even if itas only for a short time.a aIf you insist.a aI do. I donat want to have to spend another winter running up and down the Ladder with you. Besides, Flint told me in no uncertain terms to look after you. Head hardly be impressed if he could see you now.a A speaking pause. aTrue love, hmm?a aShe wasnat talking about me.a aAh, well,a said Tali lightly, awhat would I know?a Next morning she led me out of the Lordas subterranean hall, with Scar as a guard, and up a winding pathway between the rocks to a level vantage point. We watched the sun rise over the mountains, brightening the wide bowl of the sky and touching the clouds with rose and gold. For a while we sat in silence; Scar leaned on his spear at a little distance. Although I had done as Tali suggested and lain on my bed all night, my sleep had been fitful, full of tangled thoughts of failure and disappointment. And I had dreamed of Flint, a disturbing dream in which he stood before the king and underwent an interrogation that turned his face white and made him bunch his hands into fists.
aAbout Flint,a Tali said now, as if she had read my thoughts.
aWhat about him?a aDid he explain his mission in the isles to you?a That she trusted Scar was obvious; she made no attempt to lower her voice.
I thought of that brief, precious time on Far Isle, when I had spent a night in Flintas arms. aNo,a I said. aDid he tell you?a When had that been possible?
aHe was under orders to kill a man. He told me while you were sleeping. He didnat do it. Instead, he made the fellow disappear. Arranged for the local folk to spirit him away. The target was his old mentor.a aThe mind-mender? I thought he was dead.a aOld and frail, but still living. And still a powerful influence on the folk of the isles, who, as you noticed, are of a different breed from the folk of the mainland.a I could hardly think what to say.
aThe king couldnat have known before the Gathering,a Tali went on, aor Flint would have faced a much harsher penalty than having to perform a public enthrallment, even of a difficult individual like me. But there are folk at court who donat trust him, and whoave made that fairly clear to him. A perilous path.a aHe shouldnat have rushed back to see if I was safe. That must have aroused suspicion, however plausible an excuse he thought of.a aIf heas not more careful, one day heall take a step too far,a Tali said. aHe could be his own destruction, and maybe yours as well. In my mind, true love is overrated as a solution to practical problems.a We sat on awhile, not talking, then made our way back down to the Lordas hall. The position of the sun made it sharply clear that autumn was advancinga"I had been many long days closeted with the Twa, sending my creeping tendrils through the hard stone of the Lordas mind. Today, I prayed. Let it be today that I find the key.
In the Lordas chamber the fire was burning on the hearth, the floor was swept clean, and the embroidered image of Siona looked down at us from the wall. The Twa were waiting for me.
aToday, ye think?a asked Constant.
aDinna push the la.s.sie; she canna tell ye if itas today or tomorrow or some other day,a said Trusty.
aJust sayina.a aIf I find her today, I call her,a I told them. aWhether she will come, and whether he will wake, thereas no telling.a To begin with, it was like so many other days. The long preparation, the breathing, the sinking deep. The slow reaching out, searching within the forbidding stone of the Lordas mind for the wee pathways in, the cracks and c.h.i.n.ks still open to the pa.s.sage of thoughts and feelings, memories and dreams. The images I had seen so often before, his daughter in all her moods, his beloved Gem; the day he lost her, and the guilt that would not go away.
Love, I thought. Love heals all. And I made an image of Flint, whom I loved above all others: Flint tending to me in a little hut halfway up the Rush valley, Flint keeping one eye on me as he stirred a pot of porridge, Flint risking everything to shield me from harm. Flint on the jetty when the Hag brought me back from the skerry, with his heart in his eyes. Flintas body against mine. Flint calling me my heart.
I searched again for Siona, a trace of shining hair, a soft pale gleam, a pair of green eyes, a wistful smile on lips surely made for laughing. And there she was, playing a game with her little daughter: Siona hiding behind a tree trunk, her white gown clearly visible while Gem hunted here and there, calling. Siona jumping out to catch up her daughter and whirl her around. The image faded, and here was another: Siona by her window, as in the embroidery; Siona turning to greet her husband, rising on tiptoes to kiss his cheek, her hands light on his shoulders. Siona smiling, with an invitation in her green eyes. I need you. The thought was so powerful I staggered, almost letting go of the Lordas hand. I need you! Come back to me!
It was time. His longing flowed through me, as strong as living stone, as urgent as true love itself. I opened myself wholly to it, let it take me, sent it out to the woman who walked through my mind and his, wherever she might be. Come home, Lady Siona! Your Lord needs you! Come now!
The Twa told me later that my call was silent; at the time I did not know if I was shouting or singing or only calling to her in my mind. Afterward I fainted. I came to on my little bed to find Constant wiping my face with a damp cloth while Trusty hovered behind him with a mead cup in his hand. The chamber was as before, the fire burning on the hearth, the picture of Siona looking down on her sleeping husband. I sat up gingerly; my head was throbbing and my limbs felt as if they belonged to someone else, perhaps a rag doll.
aDinna try tae talk,a Constant said. aYeare lookina peaky.a aYe did it, aye?a asked Trusty.
I took the proffered mead, drank, felt somewhat restored. aI tried, at least.a But had it worked? Might we wait days and days, as the Lord had, only to discover that she was not coming back?
Trusty moved to set the mead flask down, and halted in his tracks. aHis eaen,a he whispered. aHis eaena"theyare shut.a It was true; the Lordas eyes no longer stared blankly upward, but were shielded by their heavy lids.
aBreathina still,a Trusty said, laying his hand on the Lordas chest, abut sleepina noo. Guid sleep, ye ken?a A tear ran down his broad cheek. aAye, sleepina like a babe.a He knelt down by the bed, laying his big hand over the Lordas cold fingers.
aSheas comina,a Constant said in a tone of awe. aYeave done it.a I opened my mouth to tell them they should not get their hopes up, that this might be only coincidence, but before I could speak, someone knocked on the door. We had laid down the rules so clearlya"no interruptions at all while I was workinga"that all three of us turned our heads at once, and now even I was tight with antic.i.p.ation.
aOpen it, Constant.a He slid the bolt back and swung the heavy door open, and there she was, with what looked like the entire household behind her: a tall, slender fey woman in a white gown, her hair a blend of gold and silver, her face as sweet as in Flowas embroidery, but shadowed with the pa.s.sing of time and the bearing of a great sorrow. Around her brow was a circlet of pale flowers. Siona did not ask to be let in; she did not say a word. Constant gave a little bow, scrubbed his hand over his cheeks, and stepped back so she could walk past. Trusty rose to his feet and came to stand beside me; I had tried to rise, but my legs would not hold me.
Siona ignored us all. She stepped over to her husbandas bed, sat down on the edge of it, and reached out a graceful hand to touch his forehead, his cheeks, his strong mouth, as if relearning him. There was tenderness in her fingers as she brushed them across his closed eyes, then stroked his dark hair where it fell back from the strong forehead. There was love in her eyes, a love that acknowledged the errors of the past and forgave them. I held my breath as she bent forward and kissed him on the lips.
He stirred; he opened his eyes, and they were no longer blank, but full of all he had held trapped inside, full of all that had not been said, all that had played on him during the long years of silence. He opened his mouth to speak, and Siona laid her fingers across his lips.
aWeall be awaa, my lady,a Constant said quietly. aCome on, Trusty. Neryn, can ye walk?a When it was obvious I could not, he picked me up bodilya"not difficult for such a gianta"and bore me out of the chamber, with Trusty coming behind. It was the first time the Twa had been away from their Lord, both at once, since the day I had met them. As Constant carried me toward my bedchamber, as careful as if I were a basket of eggs, I fell asleep in his arms.
I woke to find myself tucked up in bed. For a while, I lay there watching the oil lamp throw patterns on the stone walls, not ready to get up and face the immensity of what it seemed I had managed to do. Lady Siona had come home; the Lord of the North had woken from his long sleep. If I felt anything, it was an awareness of my own temerity for daring to meddle in the lives of such powerful and ancient beings. All very well for the Hag to say I need not worry about overreaching myself. When Iad called Himself, I had already got to know both him and her; I had been fairly sure neither would take offense. This was quite different.
After a while Tali came in with Flow behind her.
aYouare awake,a Tali said. aGood. Heas asked to see you.a It was an effort to get up and change my clothes; an effort to brush and replait my hair. Flow set food and drink before me, then stood with hands on hips watching me eat.
aIs it all right?a I asked. aIs he angry? Is Lady Siona happy to be back?a aI donat think you need worry about that,a Tali said with a crooked smile. aNor will you have to give lengthy explanations, since everyone including the Lord and Lady seems to know all about Regan and the rebellion, as well as your own history, even some bits that are new to me.a She lifted her brows in query.
aOh. I did talk to him quite a bit, told stories and so on. In the first days I couldnat think what else to do. I didnat realize he could hear me; he was sunk so deep in his sleep.a aSaves explaining anyway,a she said. aWhen youare ready, weall go.a Beyond the door of our chamber, the household was transformed. There were lights everywhere and folk bustling about; the uniform gray cloaks had been discarded to reveal garments decorated with feathers and fur, and as they met in the hallways, members of the household were stopping to greet each other with smiles. As Tali and I pa.s.sed, folk reached out to touch me, to thank me, to offer shy nods or extravagant bows. There was no doubt that in their minds I had achieved the required miracle.
The Lord of the North received us in a council chamber, where he sat at a table fashioned from a huge stone slab set across two slightly less monumental blocks. He was alone save for the Twa, who stood guard on either side of him. They made no move as I came in, but Constant smiled and Trusty winked.
I advanced to the table. aI am Neryn, my lord, the Caller. You asked to see me.a He rested his chin on steepled hands and regarded me across the table. It felt odd to see his features released from the sleeplike spell; they were full of bright intelligence and alive with question. He continued his scrutiny for some time without saying a word.
aMy lord,a I said eventually, aI hope the action Iave taken has not offended you. It was hard to know what to do. Your people needed you. The Twa, Flow, Whisper, your warriorsa"all your folk were desperate to see you restored to yourself. But I also had a purpose of my own for seeking you out. I need your guidance. Iam told you already know about King Keldec and the way he has changed Alban for the worse; about the planned rebellion. I have an important part to play in that, but without your a.s.sistance, I cannot do it.a aI understand this,a he said, his voice deep and sure. aWhile I lay silent, I was not deaf to the tales you told me. You spoke with sincerity and pa.s.sion. As for offense, none was taken. You brought my lady home. You brought love back to my lonely hall. You helped me, and now I will help you. They tell me you want to learn, and they say time is short. What is it you seek from me?a aTo learn the magic of earth and stone,a I said, aso I can use it to strengthen my gift.a A smile curved his thin lips. aWhat was it you used to bring Lady Siona back to me, if not the very magic of which you speak? I felt your tendrils in my mind; I felt you seeking out the secrets I had hidden deep. You understood the heart of an oak; you became one with earth; you trod the slow pathways of stone. Besides, did you not call one of my beings out to help you, long before you knew you would be traveling here? Did not you bring forth one of my own to crush your enemy? In the magic of stone you have a natural ability, and you are already proficient.a aMy lord, I am happy that I could be of service to you and to your household. Yes, I have done those things you mention. But I still have much to learn before I can use my gift for the good of Alban. You know, I think, that our leadera"the leader of the rebels, Regana"plans a confrontation next midsummer, at Summerfort, while the king and his forces are all gathered there.a aAnd the plan is that you call my kind to the a.s.sistance of your human rebels. Yes, if I had not learned that from the tales you told by my bedside, my guards would no doubt have recounted it.a He glanced in turn at the Twa. aYou have made some fast friends during your time here, Neryn.a aI know, my lord, and I am glad of it. My lord, the Hag of the Isles taught me to be fluid as water; to move as the sea does, to learn the shapes of things, to single out one being among many and call to it. And in this hall a calling the Lady Siona was something new for me. I have never before tried to call a being who was far away and in a place unknown to me. Since I managed to do it, and do it successfully, perhaps I do have more ability than I thought. But a I cannot imagine that the forces wead need at Summerfort, the uncanny forces, could be there in some kind of disguise, ready to reveal themselves on command when they were required. Reganas plan depends very much on the element of surprise. The loyal chieftains will have their men-at-arms ready, of course, and the rebels can be in the crowd. Your folk a they would be far harder to hide. I believe I would have to call them from afar. I would need to send a call strong enough to summon many, but precise enough to fetch only those able to fight alongside us.a I hesitated. aThereas the question of cold iron. Is it true what your folk have said, that there is no charm or spell that renders immunity against its destructive power?a aAh,a said the Lord of the North, sitting back and folding his arms. aThe heart of the matter. Not only will you need to call with strength and precision, you will need to do it quickly, if I understand the plan. Youall have a few moments, no more, before this king senses trouble and orders his forces to attack. And your rebel army, I imagine, is somewhat more makeshift than Keldecas.a aMakeshift but well drilled,a I said.
He smiled again. aThat does not surprise me; I understand your friend has transformed my own army during her time here. You can expect their support when the time comes.a This was a remarkable offer. aThank you, my lord. Regan will be well pleased with that news.a aSo. I will help you to refine your call in the manner you require. I will give you the rudiments; you must practice after you leave my hall. They tell me time is running short for you.a aI do not know how long we have been here already, my lord. But we do need to return to Shadowfell before the end of autumn.a aThen time is indeed short, and we have work to do. As for the matter of cold iron, my answer will not please you. I have no charm by which its influence may be kept at bay. My own fighters have a natural resistance to it, but that is not so for many of the Good Folk. Youall have seen its effects. Youall understand why our people keep away when it is present. The Westies in particular. Call them into a place full of iron weaponry, and youall earn lasting enmity toward yourself and your kind. That is not the way to begin a new age.a The weight of this was heavy in my heart. aSo there is no shield against iron,a I said.
aThat is not what I said.a I waited, not daring to breathe.
aFire masters iron,a the Lord said quietly. aYouave seen a smith at work, yes? I think the answer you want may lie in the south. You should seek out the Master of Shadows.a Torn between dismay and hope, I protested, aI only have from spring to midsummer, and I must travel east to visit the White Lady! I saw the Master of Shadows. He told me I needed to learn something from each of you, from each Guardian, before I could use my gift fully. He did not a He implied that meeting him that day and undergoing his test was sufficient for his part of my training. I donat think there can possibly be time.aa Tali would be horrified.
aPerhaps not. And perhaps I am wrong. All of us would like a charm of defense against iron. I have not heard of its ever being used; it does not appear in the lore. Possibly it does not exist. I suggest only that if it did, that is where it would be found.a aI see. Thank you, my lord.a aNo need for thanks.a He waved a hand dismissively. aTonight there will be feasting and celebration. Tomorrow we start work. My gift to you will be to ensure you leave this place with some, at least, of the answers you need. Go now, Neryn.a Over the days that followed, while the household grew bright and joyful under the benign eye of Lady Siona, the Lord of the North took me down to the caverns where his warriors honed their skills to work on my call. He taught me to concentrate my energy tightly, to encompa.s.s a whole group of folk with my mind, to see the one-in-many that would allow me to bring five, ten, twenty beings to me in a matter of moments.
He used his own folk as the material of my practice: not only Scar and his fellow fighters, but Flow, Whisper, the Twa. He made me call others, folk from beyond the confines of his dwelling, folk of whom I had only a faint notion. He made me place his people at risk; he made me put them to the test. It was not comfortable learning, but I did it without protest, though it troubled my dreams at night.
It became clear to me that the Lord loved to teach. He worked me rigorously. He spent long days with me, and set high standards. When I struggled or made errors, he did not grow angry, merely a.n.a.lyzed the difficulty and made me try again. He was good at explaining, always providing reasons for what he told me, spelling things out in logical sequence. I often remembered those images of him with Gem, the two of them engrossed in their discoveries, the same delight on their faces, the same shining enthusiasm in their eyes. As a fey girl, she had doubtless been more apt than I. As his daughter, she had probably challenged him far more. I knew I could not measure up to her, and I did not try to, only felt glad that he took some pleasure in working with me.
As for Scar and the others, it helped that they were willing partic.i.p.ants. I had given them back not only the Lord for whom they had waited so long and so faithfully but their Lady as well. They were all too ready to subject themselves to whatever the Lord required of me: calls out to the mountainside at odd times of day, calls to leap into a mock battle, a call that brought a huge creature suddenly into their midst, a being of mud and shale and old tree roots that sat there scratching itself and whimpering, until the Lord called Whisper to make it small and carry it outside to be released among the rocks.
And, after a while, calls that encompa.s.sed not only the folk of the north, but Westies as well. Calls that traveled over countless miles of mountain and loch and forest, all the way to the wooded hills by Silverwater. Not Sage; not Red Cap. But I called Daw, the bird-man, and others of that clan, at first on their own, and then at the same time as folk from the mountains. They were not best pleased to find themselves here in a northern hall, but the Lordas household greeted them courteously, and provided refreshments before he used his own magic to convey them home again.
aWe lack the time for you to learn dismissal as well as summoning,a he told me. aWhen you called a stanie mon, you were able to reverse the call with the same kind of rhyme. A creature like that thinks very simply; the childhood rhyme you used was ideal for his understanding. For others it is more difficult. If you were able to stay with us over the winter, I could teach you. But your friend is eager to depart, and I think she will not leave you behind.a aSheas concerned about our comrades. And she needs to be there for winter, to keep them strong and to help Regan with strategy. I need to report to him as well. But I thank you for the offer; perhaps, at some time in the future, I might return here and study further with you, my lord.a aMy door is open to you, Neryn. For a human woman, you learn well. As for the matter of reversing a call, should you win your battle, those of our folk who survive will make their own ways home.a Those who survive. Despite all I had learned, midsummer remained a grim prospect.
Only once did the Lord of the North speak to me about the choice I had made, when faced with the need to wake him. It was after a long dayas training, when Tali and the warriors had left the cavern where we worked to go upstairs to supper, and only he and I were left, with the ever-present Twa close by.
aYou chose not to call me out of my slumber,a he said. aYou chose instead to call my wife. A very wise choice, when it came to it. I heard that Flow advised you.a aYes, my lord.a I was somewhat reluctant to talk to him of true love, and the presence of Flint in my thoughts when I had called Lady Siona to her husbandas side.
aIf you would raise a mighty army to do battle against this king, your command of your gift must be total. You must be prepared to summon anyone. Is not your cause served best by the most powerful beings in your realm?a aI believe, my lord, that it is served best by the wisest. Indeed, perhaps the wisest are the most powerful.a The Lord gave a slow smile. aI wish you were staying,a he said, almost as if he were an ordinary man.
I had expected a test, like the one to which the Hag had subjected me before I left the isles; something that would require me to demonstrate mastery of all he had taught me. But the only thing he made me do was send Whisper away without using words. My call was to be quite specific: Whisper was to fly over the Rush valley, from Shadowfell to Summerfort, and return with a report as soon as possible. I knew there were other winged beings, lesser ones, that regularly carried out this kind of task. But I did as I was bid, and one morning Whisper flew off across mountains whose peaks sparkled under the rising sun; already, in the highest places, there was snow. How long such a journey would take, I did not know. The instruction had been to fly, not to travel the quick way, in darkness and silence, by magic.
Once Whisper was gone, it seemed the formal part of my training was over. The next morning the Lord took me walking on the mountain, just the two of us, without even Constant or Trusty. I wore my fur-lined cloak and carried my staff. We climbed a steep and perilous path. He made me walk on the inside and hold on to his arm.
The sky was gray; ominous clouds ma.s.sed in the north. Shadows lay over the peaks and the land was eerily still. Our path led to a broad shelf, behind which rose a sheer cliff face, dauntingly high. At its foot a little cairn had been erected, white stones placed with precision, and over the cairn crept a mountain plant dotted with five-petaled yellow flowers. We halted beside it.
aThis is where she fell,a said the Lord of the North. aHere she lies, under the stones. Some lessons, a person can grasp quickly, if he has a mind to it. Some are harder, learned over long years of struggle and confusion. The lessons of loss are hardest of all. Take to heart what you taught me, Neryn; cherish what you have, for in an instant it can be gone. And when itas gone, let the memory not be a weight that drags you down, but a bright light leading you forward. She was like that. Gem. A light. Quick and shining and full of life.a His words conjured an image of Flint, white-faced, white-knuckled, standing tall before Keldecas hard questions. I remembered our night on the island, a precious gift in a world of doubt and hard choices. Tears brimmed in my eyes.
And there beside us was Lady Siona, come from nowhere. She wore a white fur cloak and carried a little lantern shaped like a cat. I had hardly spoken with her, immersed as I had been in the long days of learning. Now she smiled at me, and reached out a hand to wipe away my tears.
aYou have brought such happiness, my dear,a she said. aI think you have touched the heart of every man and woman in our dark old hall. As she did, our lovely daughter.a She bent to place the lantern by the cairn. aYou do not weep for her, I believe, but for a dear friend of your own. Perhaps Whisper will bring news of him.a But Whisper, when he returned, brought news of a different kind entirely.
aNeryn! You need to get up, now, quickly!a aWhaa a?a It could not be morning yet, surely. I closed my eyes again, burying my face in the pillow.
aWake up, Neryn! We have to go, now, straightaway!a I forced myself to sit up, rubbing my eyes. The lantern was lit, and I saw that Tali was fully dressed. Our staves were propped together against the wall, my old one and her fine new weapon crafted of old oak, a gift from the northern warriors. Beside them were two bags, one full and strapped up, the othera"minea"apparently packed, but open.
aItas the middle of the night,a I protested. aWhat is this?a aGet up. Iall tell you while you get dressed. Here.a She even had my clothes readya"gown, tunic, cloak, walking boots. Something had happened. Something bad. I heard it in her voice.
aWhat?a I said, shivering as I took off my warm night-robe, a gift from Flow.
aWhisper. Heas back, and heas brought ill news. He saw aa She was struggling to get the words out.
aSay it, Tali.a Tali shook her head. I saw her take a deep breath and gather herself. aSome of our people, making their way back to Shadowfell. They were in trouble. Bad trouble. Hurry up, Neryn, get your boots on.a aWhy didnat you wake me earlier?a I wrenched my hair into a rough twist and knotted it at the nape. I thrust my feet into my boots, then gathered my small items and shoved them into the pack.
aYou needed sleep. It made more sense to get everything ready before we woke you.a She gathered her pack and staff. Flow was in the doorway now, picking up my pack, motioning to us that we should follow her. The place seemed full of flickering shadows as we walked along the pa.s.sageways to the Lordas council chamber. The door stood open; within were the Lord of the North and Whisper, the Twa, and the warrior Scar.
It was all happening so quickly; too quickly. The Lord bade me a grave farewell and kissed me on the forehead. He reminded me that I was welcome to return whenever I wished. Scar and Tali thumped each other on the shoulder without saying anything. Flow embraced me. Constant and Trusty bent to hug me in turn. I was crying and so were they. And still n.o.body had explained, not properly.
aTell me what you saw,a I said to Whisper. aPlease.a aThree fighters. Twa men, one woman, bearing a wounded warrior on a stretcher fashioned oa bits and pieces. Ane verra tall fellow; ane wia the same raven markings as the la.s.sie here. Frae that, I knew them as some oa your band. The woman was big and strong-looking, wia red hair. I didna get a guid look at the fellow on the stretcher. Going quick, they were, even wia that burden.a aBig Don,a I said, with a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. aFingal. Andra.a On a new mission, begun after midsummer. Fingal would have been traveling with Regan. aWhere?a aComing ower frae Wedderburn, thatas my guess.a aWe have to go.a Talias voice was uneven. aNow.a The Lord nodded at Whisper, and said quietly, aFarewell, Neryn. Farewell, warrior. You have done good work here. Whisper will convey you to Shadowfell. May you find better news there than these tidings suggest. Know that when the time comes to put your plans into action, the North stands ready to support you.a aThank you, my lord. For everything,a I managed. But Tali, caught in the nightmares of her imagination, did not say a word.
WHISPERaS MAGIC GOT US TO SHADOWFELL BY morning. Standing in darkness, silent, while he worked his long charm, I felt my mind filling with unwelcome possibilities. That had been Regan on the stretcher, surely. Had they been attacked by the wayside? Fallen foul of the Enforcers? Reganas Rebels were skilled in crossing country unseen, in avoiding danger, in staying out of trouble even when the risks were high.
In the enforced silence of traveling Whisperas way, I could not ask Tali the hundred questions that were in my mind. But I had seen the horror on her face when Whisper spoke the name. Wedderburn. Wedderburn, whose chieftain, Keenan, was the son of the man who had ma.s.sacred Reganas family. Had he gone there, ignoring her wise caution, and precipitated a disaster?
He was alive, at least, and perhaps not too badly hurt. If his injuries were serious, they surely would have stopped somewhere, not attempted to carry him all the way home.
But maybe Iad got it all wrong. In the back of my mind was Flint, and the risk he had taken to get Tali away from Summerfort. Perhaps the rebels had not gone to Wedderburn at all; perhaps Fingal had persuaded Regan against such rash action. This could have been a rescue mission. The injured man could have been Flint: Flint uncovered as a spy, Flint pursued by his own.
Light came, and awareness of time and place, and we were on a different mountain, on the threshold of Shadowfell. It was day, and winter-cold. Blue shadows lay across the fells. All was quiet. Before my eyes had time to adjust to the sudden brightness, Tali strode ahead, not prepared to wait even an instant. Whisper and I followed more slowly.
As we walked up to the door guards, it was plain that something had gone terribly wrong. Gort and Dervla were on duty, with wooden staves in hands, suggesting some of the Good Folk were close by. As she saw us approaching, Dervla rested her staff against the wall and walked forward with hands out, almost as if to fend us off. Gort went inside; I heard him calling for Fingal. So they were home already.
Dervla had taken hold of Talias arm. As Whisper and I came up behind, she said, aThereas bad news. Youad best come inside and sit down.a Tali shook her off. aTell me! Say it straight out!a aTali,a I said, trying to stay calm though my heart was thudding, awe should do as Dervla says, go in, hear the whole story.a aSay it!a shouted Tali, and raised her hand as if to strike Dervla across the face. Dervla lifted her staff.
aTali.a Fingal was in the entranceway. Behind him was the taller Brasal, and beside him Bearberry, the badgerlike warrior of Shadowfellas Good Folk. Their faces told of a loss greater than those I had dared to imagine.
At the sight of her brother, Tali lowered her hand. aTell me whatas happened,a she said in a tone like a barbed blade. aNow, straightaway.a aReganas dead,a Fingal said, and for a moment I closed my eyes, willing this to be a nightmare from which I would soon wake. aKilled. Cian and Andra were both wounded in the same action, Cian seriously. We got him home; heall live. But Regan is gone.a He delivered the news flatly, as if he were too tired and sad to care much about anything.
aHe canat be dead,a Tali said. aYou were carrying him on a stretcher, Whisper flew over and saw you, why would you carry him all the way home if hea"a aHeas dead, Tali. It was Cian we carried back; his ankle is broken. We had to leave the others behind.a She stood frozen, staring at him as if he were speaking a language she did not understand. As tears p.r.i.c.ked my eyes, I asked a question whose answer I did not want to hear. aOthers?a aLittle Don. Killen. Young Ban. Theyare all gone. Tali, Neryn, come inside.a Fingal cast a glance at Whisper. aAnd your companion. The place is clear of iron.a aWhere did this happen?a Talias tone was sharp and cold now. aWho killed them?a aIt was simple enough. Regan was sent information from within Keenanas household. Strategic information of some value, with a promise of more. It seemed reliable, though we had our doubts. Regan was confident that we could get in, speak to the informant, and get out again without arousing suspicion. He insisted on going himself, despite all our arguments. He wanted to do it as a two-man mission; we convinced him to take a bigger team. Three went into the household: Regan, Andra, and me. The rest waited in concealment beyond the walls of Keenanas stronghold. Bearberry acted as messenger, using his special abilities to go unseen.a aAnd?a It was like an interrogation; had Tali forgotten that the rest of us were shocked and grieving too?
aWe went in openly, as folk seeking a few daysa work. Itas a big establishment; there was plenty for us to turn our hands to. We shoveled dung and hauled bags of oats, and Regan spoke to his informant, who happened to be working in the stables alongside us. Regan was confident of maintaining his cover. He never thought someone would recognize him as the island heir everyone believed had been killed alongside his father, years ago.a aYou let him die,a Tali said, staring straight at her brother. aYou were his guard, and you let him be killed. You failed him.a Fingal was chalk-pale, the raven tattoos standing out sharply against his skin. aHe found out head been recognized, not by Keenan but by one of his councillors, an older man. He sent me off to find Andra; our escape plan had us crawling out through a drain that ran under the wall, down from the stables. We waited for him under cover, as planned, and he didnat come. While we were down there, thinking he was just waiting for his moment to get away, theyad apprehended him and dragged him off to account for himself to Keenan. He aa Fingalas gaze faltered; he looked down briefly, then with a visible effort of will, met his sisteras eyes again. aHe was decapitated, Tali. Our comrades out in the woods saw his head displayed above the gates of Keenanas fortress. Bearberry came to get us out. There was no choice but to leave Regan behind.a Tali might have been made of stone.
aThe others,a I managed. aWhat happened?a aKeenanas sentries spotted us slipping across his border and gave chase. There was a skirmish. We accounted for Keenanas men, but we lost three more of our own. Andraas shoulder wound was superficial, but Cian couldnat walk. Bearberry sought out the Westies; they made us a stretcher, brought food and water, helped us to get away safely. And they gave us a solemn promise that they would bury the bodies of our slain, to keep them safe from wolves and from human predators. For Regan, there could be no such promise.a Fingal drew a ragged breath. aOnce we were well clear of Wedderburn, Bearberry enlisted the aid of some strong, fleet-footed beings of his acquaintance, and we were conveyed home with speed. Andraas recovering well. Cianas ankle will mend, thanks in part to the Folk Below, who sent their healer up to a.s.sist me. That is the story. We lost four fine men, among them our leader. Regan made an error of judgment, and now heas gone. Yes, I failed him.a At this point Brasal stepped past both Fingal and Tali, put his arm around my shoulders, and ushered me in through the doorway. I was aware of Bearberry moving out to speak long-overdue words of welcome to Whisper and to draw him inside.
aTalia"a I said, glancing over my shoulder. She looked as if she might never find the will to move again.
aCome,a Brasal said in my ear. aYou, at least, I can look after. Weare working on small things; thatas the best we can do right now.a They had hoped that with our return, Shadowfell might begin to come back to itself. They had expected that Tali would take charge, make sure everything continued as usual, rally the shattered household, and make plans for the future. She was so strong, so certain, that she could be relied on even in a catastrophe like this.