"It will be a misery," Devoth said, "but we must begin the journey in the winter. We will spend the first month trudging into the arctic, getting colder each day. We'll stay all along the coastline, frozen stiff, no doubt, thinking ourselves insane for leaving Avina. On this schedule, spring will start to warm the land at about the time we must leave the coast. Here." He pierced the map with one of his long fingers. "But then when we turn inland, it will grow cold again. We'll return to winter. That's what Calrach swears, and he says it should be that way, because for a time we travel only upon ice, on some inland sea. We must be fast, though. For if we are too late getting there, the ice will thin. We might fall through. Calrach lost several of his tribe to that fate." Devoth spoke this with an air of solemnity Rialus had never observed on him. "At least," he added, "they had but one life to die through."
Strange, Rialus thought, to imagine an existence in which a single death was an oddity. He wondered if such a perspective was a strength, or if it might be a weakness somehow. "I've said it before, your magnificence, but, please, allow me to express my concern…"
Devoth scowled but did not otherwise dissuade him.
"It will not be the same as with the Numrek. The league will certainly warn the empire."
"You chirp like a cricket," Devoth said. "Listen, chirp no more. This war will happen. It will be a wonder. You can't imagine! You don't know how we go to battle. We haven't done so in hundreds of years-not since the early days, when we were drunk with the soul catcher's gift. Few of us even remember those times. But I do. In the past we warred with one another and almost destroyed our race. Ironic, no? We win the gift of immortality and become so high with it that we slaughtered one another like never before. You have no idea. This time, the clans will all join in one massive force. We'll roll across the land, marching, riding haired rhinoceros and kwedeirs and freketes. You haven't seen a frekete yet, have you? Oh, but you will."
The image of the winged, jointed monstrosity that was the kwedeir flashed in Rialus's mind. The bunched muscle beneath the gray skin, the swaying movement, the enormity of it as scaled by the Auldek riding its back. And that was what he had seen. What might freketes be? He could not help himself. He shuddered.
"Exactly," Devoth said. He grinned with one side of his mouth. "Snow lions hunting for us and antoks clearing the way. Behind us, still other slaves will push weapons of war. We'll ride singing, Rialus Leagueman, chanting, joyful. The Numrek tell me they had a mighty slaughter when they fell upon your lands. This, though, will be like nothing your people have ever seen. Be glad you'll get to watch it from our side instead of from the ground as we trample you. Leagueman, try to understand, we've been dead in our living bodies for years now. We are ready to live again, to battle, to risk everything, to make children, and even to die. It will be wonderful. For us, at least. Not so much for your people."
A male servant finally came and got Rialus, a good hour after he had arrived. A short time later, the servant paused and pointed to a figure in the center of a large, labyrinthine inner garden. "He is there, master. Can you find your way from here, or should I walk farther with you?"
"No," Rialus said, more sharply than he expected. He was quite capable of finding his way forward now. I can see him, he thought. In the Giver's name, I'm not a complete idiot! He had the impulse to wiggle his fingers in the servant's face dismissively, but he knew the man would not so much as deign to respond if he did. Rialus would be left looking silly. "I'm fine," he said. A few steps forward, however, and he was not sure of that.
A snow lion stepped out onto the path some twenty feet in front of him. It was a massive thing that moved with slow, heavy menace. For a moment Rialus thought it would cross the path, but, sensing the Acacian, the feline paused. It turned its head and set its gray eyes on him, moving as if its head and wild mane were as heavy as stone. Its tongue lolled out a moment, wagging, and then was slurped back in. Rialus cried out, "Eyyaaahhhh." His fingers twitched. The summons fell from his hand and clattered, all too loud, on the marble tiles.
The cat lowered its head, the muscles along its back and forelegs rippling beneath its white coat. Its tail flicked, one quick movement that was enough to make Rialus start. He was sure the beast would leap on him, knew that it could cover the distance in one bound, knew its large paws hid claws that would grasp him as mercilessly as an alley cat does a mouse. Indeed, the lion seemed to be speaking to him. Did he realize, the beast asked, that it could crack Rialus's head between his jaws and slop out his brains with his tongue?
Rialus peed. He did not feel it coming. It just happened, the warm flow starting at his groin and trickling down both his legs. He would never be sure-but he had his suspicions-that the act of releasing his bladder saved his life. The lion's nostrils flared. It obviously smelled the urine. Its upper lip drew back from its teeth and trembled for a moment-a look of derision if Rialus had ever seen one. It raised its head, turned away in disgust, and carried on across the path, leaving Rialus the sight of its swaying genitalia as a lingering image.
He considered backing out, running to his quarters, and changing his clothes, but there was not time for that. He picked up the summons and carried on, walking awkwardly, for the urine was already cool, hoping his robe would hide any stains.
As he walked, he noticed something strange in the air around Devoth, things darting and hovering as he stood still. A swarm of insects? Perhaps the beetles performing some strange act of Auldek hygiene? He could not make out what it was until he drew quite near. Then he saw more clearly.
Not flying insects at all, but hummingbirds! Ten or more of them zipped through the air above Devoth, flashing scarlet and metallic green and yellow. They darted, swirled, chased one another, and then hovered. They were beautiful, all motion and grace and… they returned again to Devoth. He even held one on the palm of his outstretched hand. They had no fear of him. Indeed, they seemed to be competing for his attention.
Noticing Rialus, Devoth turned to face him. He smiled as the tiny bird flitted up from his hand and then settled again. "Ah, there's my leagueman. Do you like my birds? They like to dance with me. They love me, as you can tell. And I love them."
Staring at them, Rialus did not know how to answer. He opened his mouth, but only a breath of indecision escaped him. He might never understand these people. He wished to think them foul and base and ugly, but nothing as beautiful as a hummingbird had ever loved Rialus. Fast behind this thought came another, completely unbidden and without warning. What, he thought, if the world is not meant for Acacians after all? What if the Auldek deserve it more than we?
As if in answer, Devoth grinned. For the few seconds that he held the grin, Rialus was certain the Auldek could read his thoughts. "You know, leagueman, if you hold still like that for long enough, one of my birds may nest in your mouth. That would do neither of us any good. Come, we have things to discuss. We'll begin the march within a fortnight." With that, he bobbed his upraised hand, and the tiny bird whirred into flight once more.