“I’ll try to explain, but I’m not sure I understand it myself,” Linnet said.
“In fact I’m not sure that anyone does, really—except the priests.”
Aurian bit her lip, counted to ten, and reminded herself that Linnet was very young. “Linnet—just tell me what happened—please.”
“I told you, I don’t really know. Suddenly Skua, the High Priest, developed powers of magic. He said that Yinze had brought back the powers of Incondor and the Skyfolk Mages. He said it was a sign from the Gods, that Aerillia should be ruled from Yinze’s Temple. He was backed by Sunfeather and the Syntagma, and there was a terrible battle against Queen Raven’s Royal Guard—until Skua brought down lightning bolts from the sky and incinerated half of Raven’s warriors.”
Linnet shuddered. “It was dreadful. The Queen was far advanced in pregnancy at the time. She and Lord Aguila were forced to flee for their lives. In a matter of days the city had become a place of fear and suspicion. Lord Skua claimed that he could read people’s minds, and that the wrath of the Gods would descend upon those who still supported the Queen. Certainly folk began to disappear, and were never seen again. I was one of Queen Raven’s ladies-in-waiting—that was her reward for my saving her when I was a little girl. I offered to stay behind and collect information, but after a while I got too scared. Skua’s mind-reading claims were starting to ring true. I was going to flee and join the Queen in the new southern Skyfolk settlement, but then I thought of you. I was sure you were the only one who could help us, and so I headed north instead.”
“And I’ll wager you had some adventures, too,” said Aurian with a kindly smile, “but they can wait for another day. You’ll be tired now, after the healing, so I suggest you get a good night’s sleep now, and we’ll talk again soon.”
“All right. And thank you, Lady—thank you so much for repairing my wing.”
Linnet looked up at the Mage, her eyes frank and pleading. “Lady Aurian—you will come back with me to Aerillia and help my people?”
Cold seemed to strike through Aurian’s heart. Suddenly she felt old, and very weary. I wish people would stop asking me that, she thought. But Linnet’s tale had stirred her suspicions. . . . “It looks very much as though I will,” she told the girl.
Lost in thought, Aurian walked back toward her chamber—and went straight past the door. Forral was there, and right now she didn’t want him asking any awkward questions, such as where was she going, and why. Linnet’s tale had simply served to confirm her suspicions that Eliseth must have gone south. It would be just like the Weather-Mage, to usurp power in an alien city by manipulating people’s lust and greed from behind the scenes. Also, something about the situation that Linnet had described struck a chord with the Mage when she considered the events in Nexis of about a year ago. I can’t quite put my finger on the connection, she thought, but a connection there is, or I’m a Mortal.
Well, there was one way to find out. Normal scrying wouldn’t work, not across the ocean, but using the nearby standing stone, she would be able to take herself Between the Worlds. From there, she would be able to discover what was going on. .. .
“And you might also find out what happened to Anvar,” said a little voice at the back of her mind, “which is why you really want to go risking your life on such a rash, insane venture.”
“Oh, shut up,” Aurian told it, and went to find Shia.
18
The Way Through the Stone
The eerie darkness pressed close around Aurian, dimming even her Mage’s sight.—She could hear nothing save the boom and hiss of surf on rocks, somewhere below her and off to her left. Carefully, she altered her path away from the sound, away from where she guessed the cliff edge must be. Shia accompanied her on that side, but that was no guarantee that the Mage might not miss her in the dark and go hurtling to her doom.
When she could feel that she had started to climb, Aurian knelt for a moment and touched the ground around her feet. When her fingers encountered short, soft turf instead of the tough and wiry dune grass she knew she had reached the hallow.
The Mage was uneasy. She had never known her night vision to fail like this before, yet in this place she was utterly blind. From the thunder of the surf there must be a stiff wind blowing in from the sea—indeed, she had felt its cold pressure on her left cheek all the way here—yet in this place not a breath of air stirred against her face. Well, what did you expect? she told herself irritably. You always suspected that this was one of the Gateways, where the barrier between the worlds grows thin and fragile—and that’s exactly what you want and need. This strangeness only proves that you were right.
“Aurian, I can’t come any further.” Shia’s mental tones were taut with distress. “The magic—I have never felt anything like this. It forms a barrier I cannot pass.”
“Don’t worry,” Aurian told her friend. “Where I’m going you couldn’t follow in any case. Just stay there, if you will, and watch for my return.”
“If you do return,” the great cat muttered direfully. “You don’t need me to tell you that this is an act of utter folly.”
“You’re right,” Aurian told her briskly, “I don’t. I already know that—but this is something I must do, Shia. One way or another, I have to see him again. Take care, my friend—I’ll see you soon.” With these parting words, Aurian put all thoughts of her companions firmly from her mind. Right now she must concentrate all her energies on the journey before her.
As she began to climb the steep slope of the knoll, the feeling of unease grew into fear, and finally to stark terror that became worse with every step she took. Soon she found herself beginning to tremble. Her heart raced, and her mouth became dry. “It’s nothing but a cheap trick, to guard the Gateway,” the Mage told herself firmly. She put forth all her power to shield herself and clamped down firmly on the fear. Gradually, she brought the incipient panic under control, then banished it altogether.
Aurian reached the broad, level plateau where the monolith stood, and located the great stone by touch alone. As her fingers met the icy surface, the terror lashed out at her again, multiplied a hundredfold, but this time she was ready. Snatching the Staff of Earth from her belt, she raised it as if to block a physical blow—and cried out as a sharp, sizzling shock of energy ran up through her fingers. It was as if the Staff itself had turned on her and stung her. Suddenly the wood felt slick to the touch. There was a brief writhing sensation as though the serpents had come alive beneath her hand—and the Artifact slipped from the Mage’s fingers to fall to the turf at her feet.—Aurian’s dismay had left her wide open to the terror of the Gateway. It hit her like a corrosive blast that gnawed at her will and her courage, driving her back down from the top of the mound, away from the stone. But her fear of losing the Staff was greater than any dread projected by some external, unknown force. The reeling Mage recovered herself and shored up her fragile shield with a desperate effort of self-mastery. Fighting her way back uphill against the barrier of fear was like trying to push against a hurricane, but inch by inch she crept forward until the Staff was within her reach once more.—The Mage hesitated, her fingers almost touching the wood. Tonight was the first time she had tried to wield the Staff since she had misused its powers beneath the Academy. Was the Artifact now protesting her claim to it? Would it reject her outright? She took hold of the Staff and almost wept with relief to feel a muted thrum of power vibrating through her hand. Though it was not the usual, welcoming leap of energy, it should be enough.. ..
As Aurian merged her own magic with that of the Staff, the Artifact blossomed with an emerald flare, sending the shadow of the stone flashing across the plateau. Its power shielded her and reflected the fear back to its source.—Aurian’s night vision suddenly returned and the stars appeared, sparkling in the deep blue canopy above.