Castle

by Garth Nix

  When Tal had finished, Ebbitt also applied the repellent. Tal could see traces of a previous application, so perhaps it wasn't a joke. Then they both climbed up to the tunnel - or capillary - that Ebbitt had pointed to.

  It was even narrower than the heating tunnels, only wide enough to crawl through. Tal was relieved to see that it was almost dry, with the merest trickle of water in the middle. At least, he was relieved until Ebbitt mumbled something about the water spiders being called that because they could swim and dive as well as run around on dry land.

  "We'll play Colours to see who goes first," announced Ebbitt, who was once again supported by his Spiritshadow. Tal, who was delicately balanced with his feet in one tunnel and his elbows on the next, groaned.

  "I'll go first, or last, or whatever," he said. "Where does this tunnel go, anyway?"

  "Now, now, don't spoil my fun," said Ebbitt. "This capillary goes to an artery, a bigger tunnel. We '11 go along that, and then through another capillary, and then down through a valve, and then we'll come out right inside the Hall of Nightmares."

  "Inside the Hall of Nightmares!"

  "Of course." Ebbitt frowned. "Outside wouldn't be much use if we want to rescue your friend Milla, would it? Now, let's play."

  He held up his hand, and the Sunstone ring there quickly shifted through the colors of the Seven Orders.

  Tal groaned again, and reached out his hand with its own Sunstone ring. His other hand clutched at the lip of the upper tunnel, while his shadowguard hung anxiously to his knees.

  "Go," said Ebbitt. His ring flashed red as Tal's flashed violet. Colours was a children's game, and often ended in stalemate. The object was to flash a Sunstone in a higher color than your opponent. The catch was that you could use each color only once in the entire game, and in the next round you couldn't use the next-highest or next-lowest color to the one just played.

  Tal won the first round, but could no longer use Violet at all, or Indigo in the next round. Predictably, Ebbitt flashed Blue next, as did Tal. So it was still one-nil. Then Ebbitt flashed Violet, while Tal flashed Red. One-all. Then Tal flashed Indigo and Ebbitt Orange. Two-one in favor of Tal. Ebbitt countered with Indigo, beating Tal's Green to make it two-all. Ebbitt finished with Green, and Tal was left with Orange, the final score three-two in Ebbitt's favor.

  "I win," announced Ebbitt. "But you can go first."

  "Thanks," said Tal nervously. He slid into the tunnel, trying not to listen as Ebbitt muttered something under his breath about water spiders.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Milla was lying in the crystalglobe, saving her strength and pretending to be asleep, when she heard the sudden clang of metal hitting stone. She didn't react obviously, but her head moved slightly toward the sound, and her eyes opened to narrow slits. Had her jailer returned and tripped over some of his own apparatus?

  Whatever had happened, it was in one of the dark corners of the Hall. The globe was still brightly lit by beams of colored light that continued to run through the silver wires. Everywhere else was dark.

  Or was it? Milla watched a small light blossom in the far corner a surreptitious light that moved slowly toward her. Milla opened her eyes a little more, peering at it. She could see shapes around the light.

  And she could hear whispering as well. It sounded like the old man, Tal's great-uncle, whatever that meant. Milla had uncles, but not great ones.

  "Probably have to carry her," he was saying. "Mind turned to jelly. Chance of recovery, mind you."

  Milla kept silent. This could be a trick. But when she heard another whisper, she almost called out. It was Tal.

  "She looks all right. Where's… who did you say… Fashnek?"

  "Asleep, if we're lucky."

  They came up to the globe. Milla kept still, though she was surprised to see that both were sodden and covered in little bits of dark muck that looked like the seaweed the Mother Crone had served them in the Ruin Ship.

  Ebbitt cautiously moved the metal stands and their Sunstones, pointing their beams up to the ceiling. Tal touched the globe, then tapped on it, near Milla's face.

  She sprang up, and he jumped back.

  "Milla!"

  "Who else would I be?" asked Milla. But she smiled, clearly with some effort, for it only lasted an instant.

  "You're all right!" exclaimed Tal. "What happened?"

  "The man who is half shadow tried to change my dreams," Milla said. "But I called the Crones, and they came to my dream and scared him away."

  "Really?" asked Ebbitt. "I'd like to meet one of these Crones. I never married, but anyone who could -"

  "Not now, Uncle," said Tal firmly, noticing Milla's expression. "Where's Fashnek?"

  "He left," replied Milla. "Can you release me? I have not found the trick of opening this prison."

  "Sure," said Tal, but it proved easier said than done. The globe appeared to be solid crystal. Under bright light there were lots of tiny holes in the bottom of it, but they couldn't help get Milla out.

  While Tal pored over the globe trying to find a switch, lever, or something t open it, Ebbitt wandered about, looking at the Sunstones on their metal stands. The stands stood in grooved tracks on the floor so they could be accurately placed.

  Several books were laid out on a table, beyond the ring of Sunstones. Ebbitt flipped through them with interest, while his Spiritshadow stood guard near the door.

  Finally, Tal had to admit that he couldn't find a way to open the globe.

  "I suppose we'll have to wait for Fashnek," he said. "I guess I can blind him, and then we'll tie him up and make him open the globe."

  Milla shook her head.

  "He has three shadows with him, as well as the one that grows from his flesh," she said. "You could not overcome them all."

  "Three S-S-Spiritshadows!" stuttered Tal. "He can't!"

  "He could," said Ebbitt. "No one ever sees Fashnek. Well, no one he doesn't want to see. I suppose he must see someone. Or someone must see him."

  "Sushin," Tal declared. "He's the one behind everything. He's got a new Spiritshadow, too. I just don't understand what he wants."

  "I never understand," said Ebbitt. "Plots and schemes, secret meetings. It's all too hard. What's the point of going Violet, anyway?"

  Tal shook his head, ignoring the old man. Sometimes he really didn't understand his great-uncle. Besides, whatever Sushin was up to, it wasn't anything as normal as trying to climb to a higher Order. He could do that the regular way, without putting people in pits and kidnapping children.

  "By the way," Ebbitt added, "that book over there is very interesting. Did you know this globe was originally invented to help people with their dreams? Not to give them nightmares at all. The Castle builders were really very clever"

  "Did it tell you how to open the globe?" asked Tal crossly, before Ebbitt could blather on about what the globe used to be for.

  "Naturally," Ebbitt replied. He raised his ring and sent a quick combination of colored lights at the globe. As they hit, there was a ringing sound, like a tuning fork or a crystal glass being struck. The globe split in half like an oyster.

  Milla jumped out and stretched. Then she clapped her fists together to Ebbitt, showing thanks and respect. Tal waited for her to do it to him as well, but she didn't. Instead she immediately started looking for her Merwin-horn sword and armor.

  "Where do we go now?" asked Tal nervously. "We'll have to hide somewhere. I'll need to put together some sort of disguise so I can go looking for the Codex and Gref."

  "Mmmm," replied Ebbitt. He was momentarily intent on cleaning out his ear, which had suffered from an intrusion of the green weed. "I've been thinking about that, and thinking about my thinking, and then thinking about me thinking about my thinking -"

  "And?" Tal interrupted.

  "The Codex is probably in Aenir."

  "Why?"

  "Because there is no power in the Castle that could restrain the Codex, if it wanted to be consulted," said Ebbitt. "But th
ere is in Aenir. The Codex is almost alive, my boy. It was made to be read. If it was in the Castle, it would have found a way for people to consult it. Therefore, it must be in Aenir. You'll have to bring it back."

  "Right," said Tal slowly. "I can't believe this all started because I needed one Sunstone!"

  "Is that when it started?" Ebbitt asked innocently. "I think you'll find that whatever it is, it started long ago. Sushin is not the only one with secret business and strange ways. Your father is not the only Chosen who is missing, nor is Gref the only child. I should have looked into matters long ago, but I missed my chance. I think it is long past time someone did what I didn't, and brought the Codex back and set all to rights. You seem to be just the right person for the job."

  Tal looked at Ebbitt. For once, the old man seemed quite serious. He wasn't smiling dreamily, or cleaning his ear, or staring at something no one else could see.

  "Well, there's one thing I can do right now," Tal said. "And that is to get Milla a Sunstone."

  He reached out to grab the one closest to him, one that was set in a clawed hand atop a silver stand. But before his fingers closed on it, Ebbitt grabbed him and twisted his arm away.

  "Not one of those!" said Ebbitt. "They're full of nightmares, full of evil dreams. No use to a charming young Icecarl."

  Milla snorted, though Tal wasn't sure if this was because of the nightmare-filled Sunstone or because Ebbitt had called her charming. She'd found her charred armor and put it back on. She had also reclaimed her Merwin-horn sword.

  "I have seen enough of your Castle and enough of its shadows," she announced. "Give me the Sunstone, Tal, so I may return to the clean Ice."

  Tal looked at the ring. He could understand why Milla wanted to take it and go, but he still needed it.

  "What about the thirteen sleeps?"

  "Twelve now," said Milla sternly. "I will wait if I must. But I am asking you now as a friend of the clan, Tal. The clan whose blood you share."

  Tal looked at the ring again, then at Milla. He did feel that he owed her something. It was his fault she'd gotten captured and been taken here, to the Hall of Nightmares. She was also clearly at risk in the Castle. Perhaps he should give her the Sunstone. It might even be easier for him to not have to worry about Milla…

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  "I can't give it to you," Tal finally said. "Not yet."

  He met Milla's gaze, but saw no sign there of what she would do. Surely she wouldn't try to take the stone by force?

  His shadowguard felt his tension and stood up beside him, stretching into the shape of a small Borzog. Ebbitt's Spiritshadow watched from the door, but rose up on all four legs and tensed to spring.

  "What's all this fuss?" asked Ebbitt. "Give me that Sunstone, Tal."

  "This is my business, Uncle," Tal snapped. It was the first time he had ever spoken in such a way to a full, adult Chosen. If he had done it in public, he would have earned deluminents from everyone around.

  "Give it to me," Ebbitt repeated. He held out his bony hand. His Spiritshadow padded over and stood next to Tal, and tilted its head to look at him.

  "Whose side are you on?" Tal asked. He took off the ring and angrily put it in Ebbitt's hand. Tears of rage were forming in his eyes, but there was nothing he could do. If Ebbitt wanted to take the Sunstone and give it to Milla, Tal would just have to put up with it. He could climb another Tower, the Orange one, and do a better job of stealing one. He would steal half a dozen Sunstones!

  Ebbitt didn't hand the Sunstone to Milla. He held it up to his eye and flashed a rainbow of light at it from his own Sunstone. Then he threw it up in the air and a sharp white beam lanced out at it from the ring on his right hand. There was a spray of sparks and the old man caught the ring again.

  Tal blinked, and then he saw that Ebbitt was holding two rings now. The old one had been perfectly sliced in half.

  So had the Sunstone.

  "One each," said Ebbitt, handing Tal and Milla smaller but still perfectly functioning Sunstones, judging from the glow in the depths of each stone.

  "Is it strong enough to be a Primary?" asked Tal as he slid the thinner ring on his finger. He'd had no idea that Sunstones could be split.

  "Easily," said Ebbitt, sniffing. "That's a strong stone. One of the originals, I'd say. Not one of these modern imitations, with hardly ten years' sunlight in them. That's a three- or four-century stone. Besides, it was two stones to start with. Someone put them together long ago, when frogs still had legs."

  "You can put Sunstones together?" asked Tal.

  Why hadn't he been taught any of this Sunstone lore? He would be finished at the Lectorium in a month, and he knew there were no more classes on Sunstones. Perhaps the lectors didn't know themselves?

  Ebbitt was an eccentric, but Tal had always known he was a very learned one. He hadn't suspected that this learning would include the secret ways of the Castle, or the nature of Sunstones, or anything like that.

  "The Far Raiders thank you," said Milla. This time, she did knock her knuckles together for Tal as well as Ebbitt. "Now, how do I return to the heating tunnels?"

  "Tricky," said Ebbitt. "They'll be looking for Tal now, and for you soon, Milla. What with

  ,spiritshadows searching you out, it could be very hard to get back down."

  "Searching us out?" asked Milla. "How? Like a Wrack Hound, by smell?"

  "Wrack Hounds?" asked Ebbitt, brightening. "What might they be -"

  "Spiritshadows, searching," interrupted Tal, to hasten the old man along. He glanced nervously at the door.

  "Oh, yes," agreed Ebbitt. "Any of the Spiritshadows that have touched you will remember the feel of your essence. They can sense that from quite a long way away. Very clever. I've had mine do it, to track down friends. I wouldn't be surprised if they're already on their way."

  "Well, let's not wait for them!" urged Tal.

  Ebbitt let out a sigh and looked back at the apparatus and the books. Tal steered him back to the capillary tunnel. Tal and Milla bombarded him with questions as they helped the old man up into the ceiling.

  "What do you mean, they sense us?"

  "How far can they do this sensing?"

  "Can anything stop them from sensing us?" After Ebbitt was safely up in the capillary tunnel,

  Tal suddenly stopped asking questions and said, "Ebbitt! The insect repellent! For Milla!"

  Milla didn't ask what the yellow muck was. But she smeared it on immediately. She had just finished her face when the door to the Hall of Nightmares suddenly opened, letting in a rush of light.

  Fashnek stood there, his Spiritshadow behind him, and two other Spiritshadows at his side. He gaped at the open globe, then saw Milla leaping up into what he thought was a solid ceiling.

  "Seize her!" he roared. But he stepped back himself. He had been frightened by Milla and the Crones in her dream. Now she had escaped from the crystal globe, without a sunstone! She was clearly an even more dangerous and powerful an enemy than he'd thought.

  Ebbitt sealed the hatch behind them, then put his sunstone down the front of his shirt. It was followed by his spiritshadow, which shrank down and curled around it. Tal and his shadowguard did the same thing. Milla's stone still shone from her pocket, until Tal dimmed it for her. In total darkness they would be safe from the pursuing Spiritshadows, who needed light to be able to do anything.

  "Hold my leg," whispered Ebbitt. "Milla, hold Tal's."

  Clutching on to one another, they began to crawl. Tal had to fight the urge to get his Sunstone out. It was just like the Veil, when he'd passed through it. The darkness seemed to press on him physically, and he found it hard to breathe. It got worse and worse, until he was panting very quickly and clutching Ebbitt's foot so hard that the old man yelped in pain.

  Tal was even more afraid because he wasn't sure that Ebbitt knew where he was going. They could be crawling anywhere to the lair of the water spiders thousands of them, boiling over, a great pit of water spiders, which would find t
hat square of skin that Tal had missed putting repellent on, and their fangs would

  There was something on Tal's leg. It had to be a water spider. It had to be! Or maybe it was Milla, holding on. He wanted to kick at it and roll over, but maybe it was Milla and he couldn't breathe and Ebbitt stopped.

  "We should be far enough away," he whispered. "I'm going to try a little light."

  Tal almost sobbed with relief, but he couldn't help himself craning his head back to be ready when the light came. Though he had no idea what he'd do if he looked back and found himself staring into the multifaceted eyes and piercing fangs of a water spider…

  The light came. There was only Milla, holding on to Tal's leg. There were no water spiders.

  Tal's expression must have given him away, because Milla quickly ran her fingers across Tal's knee, like a spider. He flinched, and Milla laughed. It was only the second time Tal had heard Milla laugh.

  "There was a spider," said Milla. "It had eyes like ice crystals, but with a light inside, not a reflection. It waved its legs at me but did not move."

  "Where?" croaked Tal, his throat suddenly very, very dry.

  "Back in the cross-tunnel," said Milla, pointing at an intersection that was far too close for Tal's liking. "But there was nothing to fear. I would have slain it if it approached."

  "They are hard to kill," warned Ebbitt. "We had best get on before the repellent wears off." "Where?" asked Milla.

  Tal looked back at Ebbitt. The old man shrugged and smiled. The dreamy smile.

  "If the Spiritshadows can sense us," Tal said, "it's going to be hard to hide anywhere and almost impossible to get you down to the Underfolk levels.

  Even if we could make it there, I don't know where Crow and his friends found us."

  "I'd find it," said Milla. "But I believe you. If we cannot go there yet, where can we go?"

  "We have to let the Empress know that Sushin is doing things illegally in her name, and with her guards," said Tal. "Once she knows, she'll put everything right."

  He hesitated, then added, "But I probably wouldn't be able to get to the Empress, either. Unless these capillaries go up to Violet?"