Upon igniting a torch did I begin the search, to no avail. The device, in its cumbersome form, would not be easily hidden, yet nowhere was there trace of it. The new light was strong beyond the window beside the room I came to last, a room whose use was not easily seen. Bare of silks and floor covering was the room, the walls containing only paired metal cuffs, two hands of them, and very high. Then were the old traces of blood revealed by the torchlight, here and there upon the wooden floor, and no further explanation did I require. Vistren had held slaves, and well pleased was I that never again would he do so.
I extinguished the torch in a bucket of dirt, then seated myself beside the bucket, where I might take a moment to consider. The device bearing the Crystals could not have merely faded from view, therefore it must have been taken by someone. Vistren, dead, could not have seen to the matter, nor could those who had ridden from the city with the Hosta; however, there had been others within the room to learn of its existence. Telion had been there, and Galiose and his males, though Galiose seemed the most likely to have taken it. Galiose was leader within the city, called High Seat, and to his dwelling must the device have been carried. I cared little for the need, yet to Galiose’s dwelling must I also take my search. I thought upon the wisdom of going with the light, then knew the effort would be futile. Much difficulty would there be with the males in leather and metal, and I, unarmed, would have small chance of besting them. Wisest would be to await true darkness, when the males found themselves touched by the wish for sleep. Then would their vigilance be less, and a shadow moving by them not be noted. I lay flat upon the floor, knowing the lack of all things edible within the dwelling and regretting it, and then forced myself to seek escape from chill and hunger within sleep.
Darkness was not far from coming when I awakened, therefore did I seat myself erect once more, and patiently await the passing hind. First came full darkness, then did the sounds from without grow still, and then did the Entry to Mida’s Realm appear in the skies, and still I waited. When the Entry had once more departed, I rose to my feet, stretched briefly, then sought the door by which I had entered. The time had come to approach the dwelling of Galiose.
Many were the males in leather and metal about the dwelling, yet were their eyes the eyes of city males and therefore unseeing. To the bushes close by the dwelling I moved, passing near to a male who paused in his walk to stretch with weariness before continuing on. Such a pause had been foolhardy, for it had been done in the darkness, between torches, and had I had a weapon and wished his life, it would then have been mine. Briefly I shrugged over the lacks of males, then sought out the window which had once been left ajar. What is done once is often done many times, and the window did stand ajar once more, those within believing themselves safe because of the presence of those without. Silently, I entered through the window, to find the blue cloth beneath my feet and none about, therefore I hastened to the left, where a long, darkened area was to be found, and began my search.
Again the hind passed, yet was the need for caution great. No sign of the device did I come upon, and many folk were about, at ease or asleep within rooms, for the most part, some few walking about. At each sound of approach, I stepped within shadows, those being caused by many of the torches having been extinguished, and waited till the passerby had gone his way. Once the passersby were two, a male of metal and leather, and a female slave clad in the blue silk of Galiose. The male held the female by her wrist, taking her along behind him as she attempted to fist the sleep from her eyes, her steps hurried as she was made to match the pace of the male. Neither saw me where I stood, yet was I able to see that the male wore sword and dagger, and that interested me greatly. Had I need of a weapon, I now knew where it was to be had.
Each room of the lowest floor did I search, in some merely glancing about, and then was I forced to the floor above. Many rooms for sleep were to he found there, the slaves asleep by their platform in the midst of the area, and quickly I decided to seek elsewhere. Should the device be found in such a place, surely it would be within the guarded rooms of Galiose that it would lie, and should such be the case, I had little hope of reaching it. Quickly, I passed the sleeping slaves, for a farther set of steps was to be seen to the end of their area.
Upon the third level was the floor cloth less grand, the silks completely absent, and there was an air of use, rather than neglect. Though the way was dim through lack of torches, I was able to see the wood-covered walls, a smooth and polished wood, as I moved along. The air within a number of rooms was heavily laden, filled with scents I could not identify, never before having come across them, yet was the device not in view. Other things stood about on platforms, items of glass and metal, some filled, some not, some connecting to another, others standing singly, and truth to tell, I liked it not. Such things seemed unnatural, locked away from the sight of Mida for fell purposes, and hurriedly did I leave them to themselves. Again I carried a lighted candle, for a torch was too difficult to extinguish, and I felt the presence of others upon the level. Small murmurings came to me, of voices from a distance, and most carefully did I move, so as not to alert them.
Many reckid passed before I came upon the room, merely one among others, yet lit somewhat by gently glowing candles. My own candle I extinguished before moving inside, and quickly was its presence in my hand forgotten, for to the right, alone upon a wide platform, stood the device. Other, smaller platforms stood before the wall, not far from it, and upon these platforms were piles of leather and cloth.
The leather seemed to surround the cloth, perhaps protectively, yet little thought did I give to it, for the end of my quest was before me. The Crystals, cloudy in the golden air, drew me toward them, and willingly did I go, at last raising my hand to grasp one.
“No!” snapped a voice, and I whirled around. A male was there, upon a seat behind a platform, and he gazed sternly at me. An aged male was he, his hair gray above a sharp-featured face, his brows thick and gray above disapproving black eyes. He rose from his seat and began to approach me, and his green covering showed itself to be longer and fuller than those of other males. It hung somewhat loosely upon his tall, thin form, and his arms were covered by it as well. Briefly, I saw a sign of metal upon a chain about his neck, the sign of a single, opened eye, the sign which Vistren had worn, and then he stood before me.
“Do you seek your death, foolish wench?” the male demanded in annoyance. “Secret fires guard the Crystals of power when they are held so, fires which shall strike without thought being given to whom they strike! Who are you, and why have you come here?”
With disappointment I noted that the male wore no weapons, yet he was aged, and perhaps without the strength of others. “I come for the Crystals,” said I, “for they belong to Mida. Do not attempt to interfere, for I shall have them!”
I turned from him then, and again reached toward the Crystals, but his hand closed upon my arm and pulled me from the platform. “You shall not touch the comm, young savage!” said he, his fingers upon my arm with surprising strength. He was still annoyed, but he only held my left arm, therefore I moved quickly toward him in attack, teeth and nails eager for victory. A muffled shout erupted from him as he struggled to fend off hurt, then his voice raised to a clear shout. “Guards!” he called breathlessly and anxiously. “To me, to me!”