The rest did not care, one way or another.
Heris said, “I’ll stand with the nays. For now. Meaning we have a three way tie. Iron Eyes. Take care of Lucke and Red Hammer. Lucke to be left here. Red Hammer can go home with you and be preserved. And why do I see a gleam in your beady little eyes, all of a sudden?”
“Lucke at the mercy of the Aelen Kofer? When he has done so much evil to us? Priceless.”
“You can’t take revenge on him, Iron Eyes.”
“But…”
“To do that you’d need to restore him. That can’t happen. Avoiding any chance of a comeback is why I want to leave him here. If he leaves this world, sooner or later he’ll come into contact with people like those in the Connec who wanted to resurrect those Old Ones there.”
Iron Eyes gave these Old Ones an ugly look. “So you’ll lay it all off on me?”
“For now. One day when Red Hammer isn’t a danger anymore I’ll bring him back.”
Sheaf protested.
Heris told her, “Not for a while. I don’t want him coming out swinging again. Understand?”
Piper Hecht caught Februaren’s eye. His ancestor seemed astounded by the modern Heris, too.
* * *
A ship lay against the quay in the harbor. The derelict was a permanent fixture. It barely remained afloat. When the magic was strong, though, it became the golden barge of the gods.
Dwarf oarsmen drove the barge across the harbor till it encountered an invisible barrier. From the quay the view to seaward ended in fog. At the barrier, though, a good hard squint let a viewer see the middle world beyond: choppy, dark gray, frigid waters scattered with random chunks of ice calved not far to the north. This corner of the middle world had forsaken summer.
Iron Eyes told the Old Ones, “Brace yourselves. The middle-world magic isn’t strong anymore but what remains will bite sharper than anything you’ve tasted in years. Don’t lose yourselves when it hits you.”
Asgrimmur had assumed a solitary station aft. Hecht asked Heris, “Is he sulking?”
“He’s scared. He doesn’t want to walk the Construct again. Last time he nearly didn’t make it out the other end.”
“I know that terror.” His experiences had been soul-crushing. “Though it wasn’t so bad doing it in a big family glob. Tell him to fly. He’s got wings.”
“Good idea. Though he’d really like to get his human shape back.”
Iron Eyes and his crew worked on the gate to the middle world. Everyone recognized the instant the first gap opened.
The gods gasped. Several shrieked. Faint though it was, the magic tasted delicious.
“Easy!” Iron Eyes bellowed. “Don’t make me knock heads!”
The gods became restless but rationality survived. Iron Eyes went around reminding them that only patience would assure survival. The way had to be opened so the barge could pass through.
Threads of color raced through the harbor water. Golden light sparked on decomposing wood.
“And here we go,” Iron Eyes soon said. “Discipline couldn’t last.”
Several Old Ones abandoned human form to become gray mists that tangled and struggled to get to the magic.
“They’ll spread some terror round the islands where the mer live,” Februaren said.
The hunger overpowered several more. Heris said, “Let’s hope they remember their obligations.”
The opening of the way continued. Iron Eyes proceeded cautiously. Hecht asked, “You expecting trouble?”
“After what Heris did to Kharoulke? With the obvious assistance of the Aelen Kofer? Why would I be careful sliding into his world? His ilk will want to make sure that never happens to them.”
“Can’t stop it now. The knowledge is loose. Not even God Himself can make it go away.”
Blasphemy! God could do anything. There were no limits on Him.
Hecht wanted to believe that. He could not. Not anymore.
“That truth won’t keep the primal Instrumentalities from trying, Commander of the Righteous.”
No doubt.
Asgrimmur came up to check the size of the opening as the last two Old Ones surrendered to their hunger. He raised a wing some, let it relax. “Almost time. Heris. Be careful making your transition.” He hopped onto the rail, balanced precariously, flung himself forward. He came within inches of ending up wet. He did dip each wing tip once before gaining altitude.
Hecht asked Heris, “There something going on between you two?”
“Not yet.”
“Heris!”
“I didn’t mean that the way you’re thinking. Though it wouldn’t be any of your damned business if I did.”
“Heris!” He tried out his boss male voice.
“Butt out, little brother. Or look forward to a long walk home. Shouldn’t take you more than three months if you survive the swim to Friesland.”
Februaren and Renfrow were amused but kept quiet.
Heris grumbled, “For thirty-eight years men told me what I could and couldn’t do. And I was miserable. That’s done. I’ll make my own misery, now, thank you very much.”
Februaren made a small gesture, out of her sight, suggesting that Hecht shut the hell up.
“As you will,” Hecht said, conceding her personal sovereignty, but confused by her desire.
Each time he thought he had adapted his new world smacked him with something else.
Iron Eyes shouted in the Aelen Kofer tongue. The oars backed water. The barge rotated, then surged through the gateway.
Even Piper Hecht felt the difference when the barge crossed over.
Renfrow was gone in seconds, by whatever means he used. That left only Piper Hecht and his hodgepodge family.
Heris asked, “Double Great, are you going with the rest of us? Or are you up to something of your own?”
Februaren’s answer seemed more calculated than it should have been. So Hecht thought.
“I have my own chores to attend. I’ll see you at the townhouse.” He vanished with an audible pop.
Heris told the others, “Get in here close, around Piper. Anna, you and Pella need to be in the middle, too. Lila and Vali, same as before. Piper, hang on to this.” She handed him the soul egg of Zyr, wrapped in Aelen Kofer cheesecloth.
He was startled by the weight. It was as heavy as iron. “What?”
“Just hang on to it. Going through. I’ll need my hands free. You drop it in transit, we’ll all end up sorry. Maybe. I can’t say for sure. I just know that I can’t take you home and mess with that at the same time. Pella. Come.”
The boy was admiring the cold Andorayan Sea and cliffs of ice to the north. His aunt had destroyed the Windwalker up there just a way.
Hecht shoved the egg inside his shirt, adjusting it securely.
Korban Iron Eyes shouted at his rowers to turn the barge. He meant to head right back into the Realm of the Gods.
The family Hecht clumped up. Iron Eyes said, “In a few hours there’ll be no more Nine Worlds. We’ll seal the Realm and let it die. Heris. Caution your ancestor against jumping in there again. He’ll die. There will be nothing left but the Trickster’s soul egg.”
“I’ll tell him, though I can’t imagine him wanting to go back.”
“It’s been a joy knowing you, Heris. Recall the Aelen Kofer well, with an occasional much of ale, if you can.”
Hecht grasped what Heris did not. Iron Eyes was saying goodbye forever. He meant to have no congress with the middle world henceforth. For him this was a chapter writ complete.
Hecht felt the soul egg. It now felt as heavy as a dozen bricks, and warm, but it was secure. He wrapped arms around Anna and Pella, who did the same to him. Heris and the girls squished in hard against the core threesome, holding onto one another as well.
The light went out for Piper Hecht.
10. Alten Weinberg: Fearful of Tomorrow
Empress Apparent Helspeth was depressed. She did not foresee a time when she might feel normal again. News of Katrin’s demise had not yet officially reached Alten Weinberg. Even so, the Empress-to-be felt the crushing weight of Empire. How much worse would that become once every greedy Elector and noble started bullying her?