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tale-telling which Tyrus and Erejzan had followed doggedly.
They were not surprised when they came upon yet another stolen glory.
The stallion had been taken from Gros-Donaq's temple grove on Tor-Nali and the
animal, too, was forfeit to Nidil. Aubage gazed admiringly at the godlike
brute within the crystalline cage. "A charger kings would war to own," he
said. Then he remembered One-Ear's fate and added hastily, "But no man will
ever ride him, now that he belongs to Nidil."
Frozen, its eyes gleaming as if it still lived, the horse was in its way as
flawless a sacrifice as the harper, the crown, the tapestries, and the
man-fish's net. They thought they could hear its hooves drumming and
breath whistling through the flared nostrils. The red coat of the magnificent
dredis stallion shone like sunset and tricked their eyes till they imagined
the head was turning, those soft eyes returning their stares.
"Vraduir stole it from the Storm God and his holy sons," Aubage marveled.
"Even if it was to please another god, does this sire of yours fear nothing?"
"He fears Bogotana," Erejzan answered for Tyrus, very grim. "Vraduir believes
that if he wins Nidil, all other gods are his allies. With Nidil's favor, he
need not fear even death."
"And will take many another sacrifice, before the time appointed by the gods,"
Jathelle said. Tyrus gently urged her to leave the chamber of sacrifice, but
she pulled away, distracted. "Hissa? I& I hear Ilissa!" She whirled and ran
back toward a door they had used earlier, the men at her heels.
Jathelle stopped in the hallway beyond, turning to a dim staircase which was
half lost in shadows. The steps wound down into blackness.
"There! The cry comes from there. Tyrus, it Ilissa! I know it is!"
is
Danger was tangible, and Tyrus felt an ominous and steady building pressure.
Vraduir, reawakening. Yet Jathelle's hope bound him and became his own. The
hatred which drove him after Vraduir was not so strong as this newer link with
Jathelle. Her will overcame his reservations.
Erejzan started to add his arguments to Jathelle's. "Tyrus, I hear it too.
I had not thought anyone's senses were keener than mine. But LaRenya's heart
gives her the advantage. I am sure it is the LaSirin."
"Ai." Erejzan gawked with pleased surprise as Tyrus agreed. "Time grows sharp.
Now!"
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Jathelle plunged down the stairs recklessly, into the blackness. Tyrus and
Erejzan caught up with her, restraining her lest she fall to her death.
They looked back at Aubage. The courtier hesitated on the topmost level, his
complexion gray in the wavering torchlight. Tyrus and Erejzan urged him to
follow but he did not stir until Jathelle exclaimed, "It is your betrothed!
You swore to go through fire and ifce for her. Is darkness such a challenge?
Come!"
He swallowed audibly, then trotted after them. He showed no eagerness to go to
the front and lead the descent. Erejzan grabbed the torch from
Aubage and took the perilous assignment for himself. With feral grace, the
acrobat ran down the stone staircase, Tyrus and Jathelle following as rapidly
as they could. Aubage did not relish this excursion into the depths, but did
not want to be left behind. He crowded so close upon Tyrus and the young queen
that he nearly pushed them down the precipitous steps.
Foul dampness clung to the walls and Nidil's unnatural cold was everywhere.
The torch lent little warmth. Their breath was fog, floating above them like a
misty flag. They took care not to touch the walls with bare skin showing
through frayed gloves, fearing flesh would adhere to the icy stones.
Erejzan paused on a landing, cocking his head and listening intently.
Three more staircases branched off, two of them descending. "How much deeper
can we go?" Aubage grumbled, flapping his arms about himself and stamping his
feet. "I hear nothing."
"Silence!" Jathelle snapped.
A heartbeat after she had spoken, they all detected the faint noise.
Tyrus could make no words of the plaintive wail, but Jathelle teetered forward
and cried, "Little one. I am coming, Ilissa!" She turned this way and that [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]