“Is Lady Sunlight here? I see some of her flutterbugs."
“I'm sorry, sir, but she went with Lady Sheila. The flutterbugs were a housewarming gift."
Bredon felt harsh disappointment welling within him.
“Damn,” Geste muttered under his breath. “Missed her!” Aloud, he asked, “But she was here?"
“Yes, sir, Lady Sunlight arrived a few hours ago. I understand she will be staying for several sleeps."
“You expect her back?"
“Oh, yes, sir."
“When?"
“I don't know, sir."
“Where did they go? Did they say?"
“Yes, sir. Lady Sheila, Lady Sunlight, and Rawl the Adjuster have gone to the High Castle. I believe they felt called upon to settle a disagreement between Brenner of the Mountains and Thaddeus the Black."
Bredon had observed this exchange without comment. He had determined to his own satisfaction that the voice was not coming from any of the walls, nor the floor, nor the ceiling. It was coming from empty air, in the center of the room, which was impossible. He also did not really know what a castle was, though he had heard the word in childhood stories. More specifically, he did not know what the High Castle was, or why so many of the Powers should be gathering there. The mention of Rawl the Adjuster, the legendary incarnation of justice and mercy, impressed him, even here in the home of the Lady of the Seasons, with the notorious Trickster at his side. He told himself that he should be becoming accustomed to these casual references to the figures of legend, particularly since he had yet to actually meet any but the Trickster, but the name still carried an impact, and it added further to his mounting burden of curiosity, so that he could hold back no longer. “Who are you talking to?” he demanded. “What's going on?"
“I'm talking to Sheila's housekeeper,” Geste replied, a trifle impatiently.
“Why can't I see him?"
“Because it's invisible."
Bredon started to protest that that was impossible, but thought better of it. Among the Powers he had no way of knowing what, if anything, might be impossible. Instead, he asked, “What's the High Castle?"
“That's the stronghold of Brenner of the Mountains, about a hundred kilometers southwest of here. And I think that's where we're headed.” He spun on his heel and marched back out onto the terrace.
Bredon hurriedly followed; behind them the housekeeper's voice called, “Safe journey, sir; I'll tell Lady Sheila you were here."
Bredon heard no command, saw no gesture, but the platform glided smoothly over to meet them.
Chapter Seven
"'…a strong head indeed, for a mortal,’ said Brenner, as he calmly stood up.
"Mighty Konnel looked up at him in shock, still just barely sober enough to realize that although the whole world seemed to be spinning, Brenner was standing straight and steady. Yet he had seen the Power down two drinks to each of his own, and all poured from the same bottles!
"'I don't understand it,’ he said, the liquor loosening his tongue, ‘I just don't understand it. I've drunk men twice your size under the table, and now I can't move, while you aren't even staggered!'
"'Ah,’ Brenner said, ‘but you can never drink one of us under the table, for we are never drunker than we choose to be. Listen, man, they call you the mighty Konnel, and you're as mighty a mortal as I've ever met, but when you match yourself against an immortal you have no chance. When we matched arms, I drew on the strength of steel as well as bone; when we tested our eyes I saw the target with more than mortal sight, and threw with the aid of demons; when we drank, a spirit in my body took the alcohol when I had had enough. Here, take my hand, and the spirit will draw the drunkenness from you, as well.'
"Konnel managed to bring a hand up where Brenner could grasp it, and suddenly the fog vanished from his head and the strength returned to his limbs, so that he felt better than he ever had before, as if the strength of the mountains themselves was pouring into him. He stood and laughed in amazement and joy.
"'There!’ Brenner said. ‘Now, go back to your village and tell them that you did as you swore to do, and that I had to cheat to best you, and you caught me at it-that's close enough to the truth, and I've no need to shame you. You're a good man, mighty Konnel, and I'd be glad of your company should you ever care to return. In your honor I swear that I shall never again send the lightning to burn your village, so long as you live there-but that your people, all save yourself, must still stay away from my mountain. And take this as proof.’ And he handed Konnel a crystal cup that shone with a light of its own and spoke when questioned.
"And the mighty Konnel thanked him loudly, and they shook hands and parted as friends…"
– from the tales of Atheron the Storyteller
Bredon glanced up at the western sky as they flew, and realized with a shock that the sun was still high overhead. Geste had found him early that same light; they had crossed the prairie and the mountains in less than half a light!
As he lowered his gaze to the ground again something glittered in the distance. He stared, but could not make out any details.
The Trickster appeared to be casually watching the scenery flicker past beneath their feet, not particularly involved with anything, and Bredon found the courage to ask, “What's that?"
Geste looked up and followed Bredon's pointing finger. He squinted, then said, “Give me some magnification."
The air in front of him wavered, like the air above a blacksmith's forge, for an instant. From Bredon's point of view, when the waver vanished it left a discontinuity, as if a little bit of reality had been tucked away out of sight.
It hurt his eyes to look at it; he turned away, looking back at the glitter.
Whatever it was, it was approaching them quickly. He still could not tell what it was, but he could see a shining silver shape growing steadily larger.
“What in hell…” Geste began.
“Warning,” a voice said from somewhere just above Bredon's left ear. He spun around, almost losing his balance, and found a gleaming something hanging in mid-air, centimeters away.
“Warning,” it repeated. “Approaching drone is equipped for heavy assault, and does not respond to attempts at communication."
“We've got the fields up full, don't we?” Geste demanded, glancing up at his floater.
“The standard ones, yes, sir, of course we do. However, the approaching drone is of unknown origin and capabilities."
“It is?"
“Yes, sir."
“What the hell is it doing here?"
“I don't know, sir."
“Can it really hurt us?"
“I don't know, sir."
“Damn!"
Then the glittering thing was on top of them, and for a moment Bredon's world vanished in a blazing fury of light and noise. The platform beneath his feet trembled slightly as impossibly bright colors blinded him and a deafening roar shook his bones.
“Whoa,” Geste said as the light and sound died away. “That's serious, isn't it?"
Bredon blinked, clearing spots from his eyes, and turned to see the glittering thing-it was shaped something like a fish, he noticed-to the east, its path curving back around to make another pass at the platform.
“Have we got any weapons with us, any way to shoot back?” Geste asked.
“No, sir,” the floater replied. “I wasn't aware that any might be called for."
“Neither was I,” the Trickster said ruefully, watching the drone complete its turn and head back toward him. “Drop us down out of its line of attack, would you?"
“Yes, sir,” the floater said. Immediately, the mountains rose up around them, though Bredon could not feel any sensation of sinking or falling. They were still speeding forward, as well, so that the sunlit trees and rocks were now flashing past on all sides, rather than merely below them.