Her tasks finished, Tila straightened her dress and then sat down on the floor facing into the dark circle there. She didn't seem to trust the magic that held it, though the platform was solid and secure. Isak looked at her, but now she kept her eyes lowered.
'Do you want to go back down again?'
she twitched at the sound of his voice, then forced herself to look at him. 'How, my Lord? Lord Bahl is the only one who can take us. The Chief Steward is still up there, so no doubt he will be down soon’
'I can take you down,' Isak said brightly. 'I'm pretty sure I can do what he did. It didn't look that hard.'
'Didn't look that hard?' Tila looked shocked. 'It's magic, so what's so simple about that?'
Isak paused. When he'd entered the circle below and watched Bahl trigger the magic, it had looked simple; it had felt to him as if the tower had welcomed him with its secrets. How did you explain that without sounding like a madman? She would think he meant that the tower had spoken to him, but it wasn't that it was alive, not at all, just that he thought it was able to recognise someone like him. Isak hadn't felt as though he had been Chosen until the magic of the tower had treated him as such. He'd bluster the rest for a pretty face.
'If you don't know anything about magic, then I can't really explain it to you.'
'Well, I suppose you are white-eye. "Pretty sure" – what exactly does that mean?' She still sounded unconvinced.
'Well, if it doesn't work we'll fall hundreds of feet and die – but I really think I know how to do it. Don't worry,' he added, with what sounded like entirely too much enthusiasm for her liking. Grabbing her arm he pulled her up and into the centre of the room. Tila yelped and tugged away, but Isak was so intent on what he was doing he didn't even notice her efforts.
Closing his eyes, Isak visualised himself standing alone in the tower. As the dry scent of the air receded from his awareness, he felt only the warm presence of Tila's arm under his fingers. As he tried to focus, the warmth slid down his fingers until the tips became hot. Tila flinched slightly as he let go of her arm, but she had the sense to keep quiet rather than break his concentration. Then her presence faded from his awareness and he was left disembodied and alone. An image of the symbol drawn in the room below appeared in his
mind.He felt the cylindrical tower, so still and strong about him, the air motionless on his skin while the wind outside tore upwards past windows and beyond the conical peak that pierced the clouds, symbol flexed gently as he focused on it, the outstretched wings flickering as the wind felt its call.
Isak chanced a breath. Now he could see how to release the wind, to channel it through the symbol and into the chimney. He was sure he could control it, but he wanted to enjoy the sensation for a while first. The magic he'd sensed vaguely over the last few years was suddenly within reach and under his control; it set every nerve-ending aflame and made him want to laugh with delight. Finally he reached out to the symbol and gently took hold of it. At his touch, the symbol quivered, trembling as it held back the eager wind. He clasped it for a moment as an understanding of the magic in it poured into him, then he opened it, and a broad grin appeared on his lips as the first feathers flashed around his chest and down his spine.
Then the air burst into life. Even with his eyes closed, Isak could feel the shadows dancing past, running questing fingers over his face and head. Tila moved closer to him, hiding in the lee of his large frame as the wind played through her hair and tugged at her clothes, The air grew dense, pressing the two of them together as the wind rushed and raged.
With his eyes closed, Isak could feel their swift movement down until, with a jolt, they arrived at the bottom and the wind melted away to nothing. When Tila dared to look up, there was only the gloom of the lower chamber and the now-still chalk markings on the wall.
Isak turned to look at her – suddenly aware of the closeness of her body from when she'd instinctively leaned towards him – but as he did so Tda took a smart step away and busied herself tidying her hair. Bobbing low in a curtsey she backed towards the door. Thank you, my Lord.'
'Will you come to see me again?' As the words left his mouth Isak cursed himself for sounding stupid. There was something about her he found comforting – even when her pretty face was clenched in a mask of fear, it felt more welcoming than the blank looks that had greeted him in the dining hall.
'Of course, my Lord. I am your personal maid,' she said. 'Your chambers and meals will be my responsibility.' At last she met his eyes, this time she looked at him as if he were human, not just some white-eye, which pleased him.
'Oh. Well, good,' he said, finding his voice again. 'But that's n what I meant. I meant to talk. I don't know anyone here, or what Nartis's name I should be doing. Put me in the middle of a forest and
I can survive, but this place is beyond me. I was never taught much in the way of history, or etiquette.'
'Of course, my Lord,' Tila repeated, this time with sympathy on her ('I shall await you here tomorrow morning to fetch you to your, akfast. Lord Bahl would probably prefer you to eat in the Great Hall with the Ghosts, but if you need me before, just send someone to find me, Tila Introl, as I'm sure my Lord remembers.'
'Yes of course, Tila Introl, daughter of the Gatekeeper. I, of course, am Isak – just Isak. My family name is Fershin, but like Lord Bahl I was never considered worthy of it.'
Tila opened her mouth, no doubt to apologise, as most people instinctively did at hearing that, before closing it again – much to Isak's relief. The last thing he wanted was her pity.
'But if what Lord Bahl told me is really true, I suppose my name is
Suzerain Anvee now – but let's stick with Isak, shall we?' He smiled
at the notion and saw relief on her face as she curtsied and scurried
away back to her bed. '
As soon as the door shut behind her, whatever he could sense under his feet forced itself into his thoughts and drove all else away. His gaze drifted down to the circle he was standing on. The urge to let his eyelids drift shut grew overpowering as the winged symbol appeared in his mind. As he reached for it, Isak felt a presence beside him. Alarmed, he opened his eyes, but saw nothing until he looked up and realisation dawned at last. He closed his eyes and felt himself in the still tower with the wind rushing all about, but this time he was not alone: there was another with him, one who drew the wind to himself.
Don't you think you've gone far enough tonight? Bahl's voice in his head felt strangely natural, and Isak smiled and nodded, as if the Lord could see him. Maybe he could. There was an edge to the voice which urged caution: down was obviously as large a step as Bahl had said it was. Whatever was calling him from down there wasn't alone.
Isak's curiosity was piqued, but he could tell there was no hurry.
There was a taste of envy in the tower now – whatever was waiting for Isak would not accept Lord Bahl, and the man knew it.Sleep now. Tomorrow will bring challenges enough without the need for you to chase more.
CHAPTER 5
Bahl gave a grunt of approval, satisfied that this time Isak would do as he was told. He withdrew his hand from the central chimney and turned back to Lesarl, who wore a questioning look. •
'He has some skills; the tower accepted his command immediately.'
'That's to be expected, no?'
Tm not sure. This boy is odd; he reacts to magic as if it is the first time he's seeing it – much like I did when I first came here. But he worked the tower with a practised hand.'
'Well, he is younger. You were a member of the Guard for how many years before you were Chosen, twelve? Perhaps your skills developed over that time because you were here, but the Krann's remained latent because he grew up on a wagon-train?'