Doom cursed under his breath.
Zeean lifted her chin. ‘It seems you would rather my people were kept ignorant of things they have every right to know,’ she said icily.
‘Stop this, I beg you!’ Lief exclaimed, unable to keep silent any longer. ‘Do you not see? This is what the guardian of the south wants! The guardian wants distrust between Del and Tora—perhaps only to create fear and confusion, perhaps to stop supplies coming from the west, should food ships ever arrive.’
Neither Doom nor Zeean answered.
Lief flung out his hands desperately. ‘While we fight we can do nothing,’ he said. ‘And we must act quickly, before the guardian regains strength enough to stop us. We know that the Sister of the South is somewhere in the palace—’
Jasmine drew a quick breath, Zeean’s eyes widened, and even Barda looked up, suddenly alert.
‘The Sister is in the palace,’ Lief repeated. ‘Josef knew where, I think, but he is beyond telling us now. He may have left us a clue, and the topaz dragon will aid us also. I will summon it as soon as—’
‘Summon that menace?’ Doom growled. ‘You cannot—’
‘Listen to me!’ Lief begged. ‘There is much you do not understand. We must meet with Gla-Thon, Steven, Ranesh, Gers and Manus at once. When they are with us, I will explain everything.’
He saw Doom’s face harden into the familiar, stubborn lines of suspicion and leaned forward urgently.
‘Once, Doom, when we knew each other far less well than we do now, we stood together in the Valley of the Lost and heard Zeean say, “the time for secrecy between friends is past”. Those words are as true now as they were then, I know it!’
The scarred man’s eyes met his own. Memories flashed between them. Memories of distrust and heroism, pain and triumph. Memories of plans, of daring, of hope—and even of laughter.
‘Secrecy is pointless now,’ Lief said quietly. ‘The attack this morning proves that the Shadow Lord knows full well where we are. How, I cannot imagine, but clearly it is so. Fate has decreed that the friends we trust the most are here. We must ask them to help us.’
Doom bowed his head. He did not look up as Zeean stepped forward and placed her hand on his arm. But, slowly, he nodded.
‘I will gather the others,’ said Barda gruffly. ‘Where is the meeting to be?’
‘Here, old bear, or it will be the worse for you,’ said a slurred voice from across the room.
They whirled around. Barda gave a choked cry.
Lindal’s eyes were open. She turned her head on the pillow and looked at them.
‘The gathering must be here,’ she repeated. ‘For you leave me out of it at your peril and I fear that—just at the moment—walking is quite beyond me.’
7 - Old Friends
Not long afterwards, a strange meeting was held in the lady Sharn’s bed chamber. As Sharn herself lay lost in sleep, the Dread Gnome Gla-Thon, Steven of the Plains, Zeean of Tora, Manus of Raladin, Gers of the Jalis, Doom, Barda and Jasmine gathered around the bed of Lindal of Broome and listened as Lief told them everything.
Only Ranesh had failed to join them. He had flatly refused to leave Josef’s side. No entreaties could move him, and at last Barda had been forced to leave him where he was.
When Lief had finished speaking, there was a long silence. Everyone had believed in the Toran Plague so completely that it was hard for them to accept the truth. And all except Barda, Jasmine and Zeean found it even more difficult to accept that an evil presence prowled the palace.
At last Steven cleared his throat. ‘Are you saying that this guardian of the south is an Ol?’ he growled, his golden eyes flickering dangerously brown. ‘I thought the Belt had rid Deltora of those slimy, shape-changing creations of—’
‘The guardian is no Ol,’ Lief cut in quickly. ‘The guardian is a human with powerful gifts of sorcery. The two-faced beast, and the black slime I saw sliding away into the palace, are merely forms the guardian finds … convenient.’
There was another moment’s silence as his audience took this in.
‘If what you say is true, Lief,’ Gla-Thon murmured, ‘no food or drink in Del is safe.’
‘The guardian has been leaving the palace under cover of darkness, but I do not believe the Sister would be left unprotected for long,’ Lief said. ‘I think the homes closest to the palace are in the greatest danger.’
‘Certainly most of the deaths have occurred either in the palace itself, or nearby,’ Doom said, frowning thoughtfully. ‘It seemed only natural, when we thought of this curse as a plague brought to Del by Sharn. Palace workers who go to their homes each night usually live quite near.’
‘Then a circle must be drawn around the affected area, with the palace as its centre,’ said Lindal, pulling herself up on her pillows. ‘All food within the circle must be taken away. The people there must eat only food given back to them after it has been tested.’
‘Folk will not give up their private food stocks without a fight,’ muttered Gers.
‘I think I could persuade them,’ Steven said cheerfully. ‘They have grown to know me and my caravan over the past days. The children like my horse and Zerry entertains them with magic tricks.’
He grinned. ‘If I load the caravan with food that has already been tested, and offer to exchange it for their private stores, the people will agree in good spirits, I am sure.’
Lief felt a warm wave of relief that was almost joy. Now ten minds instead of one were working on the problems Del faced. And each one of the ten had something useful to offer.
‘I do not understand why, after months or years of remaining hidden, this enemy—this guardian of the south—would suddenly begin poisoning innocent people,’ Manus said suddenly.
‘It did not poison just anyone,’ Lief pointed out, taking care not to look at Doom. ‘It poisoned Mother, immediately on her arrival in Del. And then it poisoned all those who had come in contact with her, so that it seemed she was carrying a plague. Plague victims are always isolated from others. People who wish to talk to them are kept away.’
‘Are you saying that all this began to prevent Josef from seeing Sharn?’ Doom demanded.
Lief nodded uncomfortably. ‘I fear so. Josef had discovered something of great importance. He would have passed it on to Mother if he could. He trusted her completely.’
‘While I was not worthy of trust,’ Doom said sourly.
‘Josef was addle-headed,’ said Gla-Thon. ‘I have seen it often in Dread Mountain. Some old ones remain sharp as Boolong thorns till death. Others become filled with fancies. Josef was such a one. He took against you, Doom, because you were firm with him.’
Barda shrugged. ‘Addle-headed or not, Josef plainly had important knowledge in his keeping. And now he is dead, and his assistant, in whom he might have confided, is gravely ill.’
‘I doubt Josef would have told Paff anything,’ Doom muttered. ‘He disliked her.’
‘If Paff survives, she can tell us one way or the other,’ Gla-Thon said. ‘And she may well survive, in fact. She drank only half of the brew that Lief says poisoned her, and she has the strength of youth. If she has the aid of the great emerald as well…’
‘She will, as soon as we have finished here,’ Lief said. ‘And until she can speak, she must be closely guarded. No harm must befall her.’
Gla-Thon nodded. ‘I will see to it,’ she said, turning quickly to leave as if pleased to have something practical to do.
‘Wait, Gla-Thon!’ Lief called. ‘There is something else I must ask of you—and of your people.’
‘Name it,’ Gla-Thon said, her hand on the door knob.
Lief looked at her steadily. ‘I need every large emerald from the Dread Gnomes’ treasure cave. Every emerald, and every amethyst, too.’
Gla-Thon’s small eyes widened, and for a moment everyone in the room could see, flaring in those eyes, the Dread Gnomes’ natural suspicion, and love of treasure.