At the mention of Elster’s name, Raven flinched as though Nereni had hit her.
“That’s not fair!” she protested. “How could you bring Elster into this when I’m so afraid Aguila will die?” The last word was muffled with a sob.—Nereni turned away in disgust. “You’re a queen,” she said shortly. “Act like one. Feed your daughter. Comfort your son. Set your people an example. And never, never lose hope that one day we will get out of here.”
Aurian barely had time to wake up properly and choke down a leathery mouthful of two-day-old venison before Chiamh was trying to drag her off somewhere. As usual, she was not in the best of moods on first awakening. “What is the matter with you,” she said testily, as he grabbed her hand and led her away from the others. “What’s all the mystery? Whatever it is, can’t you just tell me?”
Since they could have no fire, they had camped just below the tree line of the mountain for concealment and shelter. The Windeye led the baffled and irritated Mage on a twisting path through the woods, and the Mage’s hawk, who had stuck firmly by her throughout the entire journey, followed them, swerving and banking between the trees.
“I don’t want any of the others to know I went to Dhiammara last night,”
Chiamh explained quietly, as they went along. “I was afraid you’d let it slip.”
“But I didn’t know you went there. You told me you were going to Aerillia.”
“Whatever—I definitely don’t want the others to remember that I can ride the winds and spy on Eliseth.” Chiamh guided the Mage down a steep rocky defile to a tree-shaded mossy bank where a turbulent little mountain stream swirled and seethed over its bed of rocks, making such a noise on its downward journey that no one within a dozen yards of it could possibly be overheard.—The Mage forgot her irritation and listened, with growing dismay, to what the Windeye had to tell her. He did not get far.
“She’s in Dhiammara?” Aurian interrupted. “But that place is a bloody natural fortress. And how in the name of all the Gods did she find out about the place—not to mention Aerillia . . .” She fell silent as the dreadful realization dawned on her. “What with everything that happened at the Well of Souls and afterward, I never thought to ask myself how she could have ended up in Aerillia. Chiamh—how could Eliseth have known? Until lately, she’d never been out of the north in her life!”
Chiamh took her hand. “Aurian, I’m sorry. That’s why I had to get you out of the camp and talk to you in private. In future, we must guard every word we say. One of our companions is Eliseth’s spy.”
“I don’t believe it!” Instantly, Aurian was furious with the Windeye. “How dare you say such a thing?”
Chiamh said nothing—he simply waited until the initial shock had receded.—Aurian bit her lip. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Are you absolutely certain of this?”
“I’m certain. That’s what she told the Queen of the Khazalim.”
“Sara? What the bloody blue blazes was that backstabbing bitch doing there?”
Chiamh grimaced. “She’s supplying Eliseth with warriors. I see there’s no love lost between the two of you,” he added dryly. “But how do you know her?”
“Know her? I’ve known the little baggage for years. She started life as a fortune-hunting guttersnipe in Nexis—in fact she and Anvar were childhood sweethearts, if you can believe it. Then she married Vannor for his money.”
“What?” Chiamh looked absolutely stunned. “This is the Queen of the Khazalim we’re talking about?”
“Believe me. When the Wraiths struck, Vannor asked Anvar and me to take her with us, out of the city. Then when we got shipwrecked and ended up in Taibeth, she got sold as a concubine to Xiang, and decided he was a much better proposition than a mere merchant.”
The Windeye shook his head. “Goddess save us,” he muttered. “It will be interesting when we get to Dhiammara and she and Vannor meet.”
Aurian put her face into her hands. “Don’t even think about it.” Then she looked up sharply. “Never mind that. Sara is small fry compared to Eliseth.—You were saying that one of us is a spy? Chiamh, it can’t be true, can it?—This is appalling news. Which of us could it be? And how long has it been going on?” She jumped to her feet, as though she wanted to get physically away from the unwelcome news. “Chiamh, would you mind leaving me for a little while? I need to think this through. Tell the others—oh, I don’t know. Tell them I’m thinking. It’s true enough.”
“All right.” As he turned to go, Chiamh hesitated. “But I’m going to send Shia to watch over you,” he told her firmly. “I know you can trust the cats, at least. If one of our companions is really Eliseth’s spy, then he’s also her agent, and the rest of us are in grave danger—especially you, Aurian. As soon as your enemy realizes you know her location and you’re on your way there, I’m sure we can expect some kind of attempt on your life.”
Once the Windeye had gone, Aurian sat down again. She took a handful of pebbles from the bank of the stream and began to flick them, one by one into the water. “I know you can trust the cats, at least,” Chiamh had said. Did he mean that she couldn’t even trust him? Or that she shouldn’t? No, surely that’s nonsense, the Mage thought. How could Chiamh be Eliseth’s spy? He wouldn’t have told me ...
“Not unless he wanted to sow suspicion and dissent between you and your other companions,” said her inner voice.
“That’s rubbish,” Aurian told herself firmly. “Chiamh came with me through time, as did Iscalda and Schiannath. Eliseth never had a chance to get at them. It’s far more likely to be one of the others, who were in Nexis while Eliseth was there—or Aerillia for that matter. It could even be Linnet—or even Grince. He was certainly determined enough to come along on this trip....”
Aurian knew though, in her heart, that it was most likely to be someone who’d had an encounter with the grail. Could the traitor be Vannor? Or Forral? “Dear Gods,” Aurian whispered to herself. “Not Forral—surely? And what can I do now?” One thing was for certain. There was no way she could get to Dhiammara to face Eliseth without the Magewoman knowing. Any possibility of surprising her enemy had just been wiped out completely.
“What is the matter?” Shia appeared through the trees, her voice sharp with anxiety. “Chiamh wouldn’t tell me—he just sent me to guard you. You’re shielding your thoughts, my friend, but I could feel your distress all the way here. What has happened?”
“We’re in a real mess, Shia.” Quickly, Aurian told the cat what had happened.—Shia thought for a while, absently licking at a huge black paw. “You know, there’s one thing you haven’t considered,” she said at last. “If this spy has been among us all the time, then Eliseth could have had you slain long ago, without you coming anywhere near her and certainly while we were completely unprepared for treachery. It would have been the easiest thing in the world just to stick a sword or a knife into you as you slept—and certainly a lot more safe and sure from her point of view. So why has she not ordered your death? It seems to me that there can only be one answer—she wants you to come to her. But why?”
Aurian looked at her friend as though she had never seen her before. “Dear Gods,” she said slowly. “You’re absolutely right—and there can only be one reason. Shia, I was a fool not to think of it before. Eliseth wants the remaining Artifacts! She’s going to lure me to Dhiammara, the most defensible place in the South, so that I can deliver the Harp and the Sword right into her hands before she finishes me.”
“So she thinks,” Shia snarled. “If she wants to finish you, she’ll have to go through me to reach you.”
Aurian reached out and touched the cat’s broad, sleek head. “No, Shia. I’ve lost enough friends since this business started. I’m not going to sacrifice the rest of you now. There must be some other way. ...”