Exodus of the Xandim (GOLLANCZ S.F.)

by Maggie Furey

  He nodded. ‘I thought so. It’s a strange thing, isn’t it, this ability to think and plan ahead. Strange and wonderful – and frightening too.’ He gave her a tentative smile. ‘I was wondering – how is it that when you changed you were wearing a covering on your body, as the Phaerie always did, yet the rest of us had nothing but our bare skins?’

  Corisand noticed that he was shivering, and gave him her cloak, helping him wrap it round his shoulders, for he was unaccustomed to using human hands, and fumbled clumsily at the fastening. ‘I’m afraid,’ she said, ‘that these bodies are a great deal more vulnerable than our equine forms – to cold and small injuries from such things as thorns or stinging plants – or even sitting on rough ground, such as we have here. They need extra protection, and deck themselves in what they call clothes – layers of cloth or leather.’ She went on to explain what she had discovered for herself, that materials made from plant or animal sources such as leather, linen and wool, with fastenings of horn or bone, would transform with her to become part of her equine shape, and still be there when she changed back. ‘That’s why I advised everyone that it might be better for them to stay in their equine shapes for now. Clearly, we’ll need to get clothes for all the Xandim as soon as we can, and hopefully the Wizardfolk, my friend Iriana’s people, will help us with that. However, we’ll have to learn to make our own as soon as possible – and that also goes for all the myriad other things humans need that equines don’t.’ She smiled at him wryly. ‘Our freedom will mean enormous challenges ahead of us, I’m afraid. You all may be cursing my name and wishing you were back with the Phaerie before we’re done.’

  ‘I sincerely doubt that.’ Taryn returned her smile. ‘It may be a hard road ahead, but at least it will be our road, and for that we have you to thank.’

  He got to his feet. ‘I should let you get back to your rest. I only wanted to come over and be the first to thank you, on behalf of all of us. A lot of them are still too afraid and bewildered to understand what a wonderful and amazing thing you’ve done for them tonight – but I know that once they’ve had a chance to settle, they’ll be as grateful as I am.’ He smiled at her, and she could see the same bafflement in his eyes that must have been in hers when she found her human facial expressions mirroring her emotions. ‘I think I’ll change back for a while,’ he said, handing back her cloak. ‘This is going to take a bit of getting used to. Rest a little, Windeye. You look weary beyond belief. I will keep watch for any danger, and the rest of the herd with me.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Suddenly Corisand felt much happier, and easier in her mind. As Taryn transformed into the black stallion again and went to rejoin the others, she wrapped herself in her cloak once more, leant back against her tree trunk and closed her eyes, secure in the knowledge that there was someone in her herd upon whom she could depend.

  32

  ~

  SIGNS IN THE SKY

  Yinze would be happy if he never had to fly again. No matter how long he spent swinging in one of the Skyfolk cargo nets, the result was always the same: he felt sick, cold and uncomfortable. If he could only find Iriana, however, it would all be worthwhile. Where could she have been all this time? All too well he remembered his agony and grief when she’d passed from the world, and his utter shock, followed by relief and joy, when she’d returned. In all the history of the Skyfolk, such a thing had never been known.

  What had happened to her in those long, missing hours?

  Would she have changed?

  Would he even recognise her now?

  Her black and white horse had been found deep in the forest by a human woodsman from Nexis, badly injured yet still gamely trying to struggle back to the settlement. With thoughts of fresh meat, the man had managed to coax the mare all the way back to his lumber camp, and luckily Yinze and his winged escort had arrived in time to save Dailika from slaughter, since the camp foreman, a Wizard, had proved susceptible to bribery. The sight of the wounded animal had torn Yinze’s heart. Had Iriana suffered the same fate?

  ‘Yinze, stop it.’ The clear, chiding voice broke into his circling thoughts. He looked around to see Kea flying alongside, with the flame-coloured undersides of her green wings flashing as she kept pace with the net. She was using mindspeech as they always did when flying, to avoid having to shout over the sounds of wingbeats and the wind, and gave him a stern look. ‘I can feel you worrying all the way over here. I understand that it’s hard, but you’ve got to stop all these fruitless doubts and speculations. We will find Iriana. We won’t stop searching until we do. And when we find her – well, you’ll discover whether she’s changed or not, and worrying won’t affect that outcome. Chewing over and over the whole business might be giving you something to do, but it isn’t getting you anywhere, and it’s costing you a lot of misery in the meantime.’

  Yinze glared at her. ‘It’s all very well for you to say that. It’s not your sister we’re searching for. Iriana doesn’t mean anything to you.’

  ‘I know how much she means to you, so she matters a great deal to me too, even though I’ve never met her,’ the winged girl retorted. ‘So let’s just concentrate on finding her, shall we? Atka’s scrying put her close to Eliorand, but if the Dragon’s vision was true and she was actually flying on one of those miraculous Phaerie steeds, she could be anywhere by now. This is a bloody big forest, Yinze. You need to be able to concentrate on looking for her, instead of wondering what she’ll be like when you find her.’

  ‘I am looking,’ Yinze snapped, ‘and I can do without the lectures, thank you.’

  ‘Children, children.’ Crombec came swooping down before the impending quarrel could grow into a full-blown fight. ‘You’ll be better off if both of you pay attention to the search. Yinze, Kea is right. These morbid speculations are getting you nowhere. Kea, I know you hate to see Yinze worrying, but nagging at him is only going to make things worse.’

  The harp maker had surprised Yinze. On the ground he’d seemed like an old man, yet once he was in his true element of the air, he appeared to have gained unexpected vigour and strength. He flew along as effortlessly as his apprentice, though she was about a third his age, and though he was always sensitive to the gravity of the situation he looked to be gaining tremendous enjoyment from this exploration of new territory.

  Yinze reminded himself how lucky he was to have his Skyfolk friends there to help him. Had it not been for them, he would still have been kicking his heels in the city, wild with frustration waiting for all the endless, tedious logistics of getting an army on the move to be dealt with. He’d been incredibly glad to escape. ‘I’m sorry I’m so preoccupied,’ he told his companions. ‘I’m truly grateful for your help. I’d have gone insane if I had to wait one more day in Tyrineld, with all the unease and conflict, and everyone running around organising rations, tents, weapons and medicinal supplies. What with my mother begging me not to go, Ionor disappearing, Chathak champing at the bit for vengeance – not that I blame him – Thara tearing herself apart over whether she should go with the army or stay behind and help with food production, and Melisanda working herself to a shadow and miserable about the entire business, I sometimes felt as if I would explode.’

  Kea grimaced. ‘Not to mention the Lady Sharalind practically chewing the carpets because nothing was happening fast enough for her.’

  ‘I couldn’t agree more,’ Crombec said. ‘Though I am deeply concerned about your sister, Yinze, I was extremely glad to have a legitimate reason to leave the city. Though Sharalind has my sympathy, for let us not forget that she also lost a son, she was hinting at using the Skyfolk in Tyrineld – myself, Kea, our bearers and those who brought Incondor – to help transport goods to the staging area in Nexis, or even act as couriers or spies. Without the authorisation of Queen Pandion I cannot allow my people to become embroiled in the wars of another nation, and since Sharalind never mentioned Pandion giving any such permission, I would suspect that she asked and was denied.’

  ‘But what will
happen when we go back to Tyrineld?’ Kea asked.

  ‘The war will not affect us, my dear, or Yinze either, unless the Phaerie get all the way to the city. We are under orders to concentrate on our Artefact, and the Lady Sharalind has—’

  His words were cut off by Yinze’s piercing scream. The Wizard was curled sobbing into a foetal ball in the bottom of the net, his hands clasped to his head, his face twisted in pain and anguish.

  ‘Get him down!’ Crombec shouted as the bearers faltered uncertainly. They landed the net as swiftly as possible and knelt around the stricken Wizard as Kea called his name over and over. After a few anxious moments, Yinze’s shuddering ceased and his breathing became more even. He sat up and took his hands from his tear-streaked face, his expression stricken. ‘Cyran,’ he gasped. ‘The Archwizard is dead!’

  He held up his hands to forestall their spate of questions. ‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘I just felt him die – but what about Iriana? Did he find her? Is she in danger too?’ He leapt to his feet. ‘Come on, quick – we’ve got to get moving!’

  Within minutes they were airborne again, with the bearers beating strongly to gain height. Yinze gripped the meshes of the net with white-knuckled fingers, and the others, seeing his strained expression, forbore to ask any more questions, but concentrated on forging ahead as fast as they were able.

  They had flown on a while, growing ever closer to the Phaerie border, when suddenly Yinze let out another yell – but this time, of joy and excitement. ‘Avithan – he’s back! Just like Iriana, I felt him return! Come on, come on – can’t we go any faster?’

  Crombec looked at Kea and frowned. ‘Just what in the world is going on tonight in Eliorand?’ he asked in very private mindspeech. ‘I don’t like this – I don’t like it at all.’

  Kea, however, had her mind on something else. ‘What’s that?’ she cried, pointing. ‘Look – a good way ahead and slightly to the left. There’s a glowing patch in the sky.’

  Yinze squinted into the distance. ‘I can’t see anything.’

  ‘You have keen eyes, Kea, even for one of the Winged Folk,’ Crombec said. ‘I see it now that you’ve pointed it out. I wonder what it could possibly be?’

  As they drew closer, even Yinze could see the strange phenomenon glowing against the dark background of the night sky. Then:

  ‘I don’t believe it!’ Kea gasped. ‘Crombec, can you see that? It’s a horse – a huge, shining image of a horse, and it looks to me to be some form of unfamiliar magic. Yinze, you said that your sister had the ability to perform all four of the Magefolk powers. Do you think her abilities could even stretch further than that?’

  Yinze frowned. ‘I don’t suppose it’s out of the question, but why a horse? I hope and pray it is Iriana – but what if it’s some sort of Phaerie glamourie, to lure us into a trap? The ferals said that the Forest Lord was badly wounded, but supposing he’s recovered? Supposing it was Hellorin who killed the Archwizard? What if we go over there and find ourselves facing the Wild Hunt?’

  ‘They will find that it’s a mistake to attack the Skyfolk,’ Crombec said grimly. ‘You remember the whirlwind Incondor produced from your harp, and how he almost killed himself?’

  ‘I’ll never forget it.’

  ‘Well, I don’t need a harp.’

  With that, the old harp maker picked up the pace, heading directly for the mysterious image that glowed amongst the stars.

  The Windeye was awakened from a deep sleep by Taryn’s hand gently shaking her shoulder. She could hear a disturbance amongst the herd, and suddenly she was wide awake. ‘What is it?’

  ‘Something strange is approaching,’ Taryn answered. ‘Look – over there in the sky.’

  When she saw what was heading towards her, Corisand’s jaw dropped. She had heard of the Winged Folk from Iriana – surely this could be no one else? But what were they doing here, so far away from the mountain, far to the south, that was their home? And what were they carrying in that dangling net? Could it possibly be a person?

  She remembered Iriana saying that the Skyfolk were friendly with the Wizards – and inspiration came to her in a blinding flash. ‘Turn back into a horse – quick, before they get any closer,’ she told Taryn. ‘I don’t want to explain the Xandim to them yet.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘Do it!’ she hissed. ‘I’m sorry, Taryn, but trust me. I’ll explain later.’ Muttering darkly, he did as she said.

  ‘It’ll be all right, I promise,’ she assured him. ‘Just take care of the herd.’ She left the edge of the forest and ran out into the open, waving her arms wildly and yelling at the top of her voice until the airborne figures noticed her, and began to descend.

  As the strangers landed, she felt very nervous. With the exception of the herd, the Evanesar and her own, familiar little group of companions, she had never spoken to anyone as a human. In the end, she decided, she could only be herself. She walked forward, hands held out open and empty in token of peace, and said, ‘Thank you for stopping. I’m so glad to see you.’ Then she got a closer look at the tall man who was stepping out of the net. She had seen his image in Iriana’s mind many times before. ‘Yinze? Aren’t you the Wizard Yinze?’

  He looked at her, completely dumbfounded, then found his voice. ‘I am – but who in perdition are you? I don’t know you. How do you know my name?’

  ‘I’m Corisand, Iriana’s friend. She—’

  Before she could get another word out, he had grabbed her by the shoulders; not to hurt her, she sensed, but in excitement. ‘Iriana?’ he shouted. ‘You know Iriana? Where is she? Is she all right?’

  ‘Somewhere near Eliorand. I hope she’s all right – I was forced to leave her. Oh, there’s no time to explain. Please, I’m going to ask you to trust me. Let me use your net, and if your Skyfolk friends will take me, I can go back to find her. If everything went well she—’

  ‘Hold on. You can’t just rush off like that. I felt Cyran’s passing a while ago, and—’

  ‘You did?’ His words filled Corisand with dread. ‘But not Iriana?’

  ‘No, but—’

  ‘I promise I’ll explain everything as soon as I can, or Iriana will when I bring her back,’ she told him, ‘but there’s no time now. She must be stranded somewhere between here and Eliorand, and she might not be dead, but some of our other companions may be. Please, there’s no time to lose. I need the Skyfolk to take me to her. Once I’ve found her, I have a spell to bring her back to you in no time.’

  ‘A spell?’ Yinze scowled. ‘What sort of spell? You’re no Wizard, nor are you a Phaerie or any other sort of Mage. So what exactly are you, and what are you doing with all these horses?’

  Corisand ground her teeth in frustration. Why couldn’t she make them understand? ‘I told you – there’s no time for this now. What if Iriana was hurt in the battle—’

  ‘Battle?’ Yinze roared. ‘You left her in a battle? What kind of friend does that? What battle? Where was it?’

  ‘For goodness’ sake, Yinze, let her go,’ Crombec forestalled him. ‘If matters are as urgent as she says then both she and Iriana need our help.’ He gestured to the net. ‘Quickly now, get in, my dear,’ he told Corisand. ‘Just tell the bearers where to go and they will take you.’

  The Windeye lost no time in doing exactly what he said, wrapping herself in the nest of furs. The net took off with a lurch and suddenly she was in the air, swinging back and forth in the most stomach-churning way. ‘Look after the herd,’ she mind-called back to Taryn. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can. Don’t change in front of them, or let anybody else do so either. I want Iriana here to back me up before they find out about us. I think we can trust them, but I won’t risk them making use of us as the Phaerie did.’

  ‘You be careful up there,’ Taryn replied. ‘I’m sure it can’t be safe. I’ll do my best to keep things under control here, but please hurry back.’

  ‘I’ll be back before you know it,’ Corisand promised rashly. Then she pointed out
to her bearers the direction in which she hoped to find the others, and snuggled into her nest at the bottom of the net to keep warm, keeping a constant lookout over the side as she went.

  All at once her concentration was broken by the drumming sound of wingbeats and the Skyfolk girl came speeding up to them, her extraordinary green hair flying like a banner in the wind. She slowed down to a steady pace at the side of Corisand’s net. ‘Yinze wanted me to come with you, because he doesn’t really trust you,’ she said candidly. ‘After all, we don’t really know who you are or what you were doing with Iriana. I’m Kea, a Skyfolk Mage from the mountain city of Aerillia.’

  She looked expectantly at Corisand, clearly hoping that she would respond in kind.

  ‘I’m sorry, Kea,’ the Windeye said firmly. ‘I have my reasons for wanting to keep my origins a secret, and you’ll understand why when I finally can tell you about my people. But I am Iriana’s friend – she’s been my staunch ally and companion ever since we met. All I want to do is find her and make sure she’s safe. Please, will you help me call out to my companions in mindspeech? It might go further if both of us are trying together.’

  ‘Of course I will,’ Kea replied. ‘And for what it’s worth I trust you. If you’ll give me the names and images of your companions – I know what Iriana looks like of course, because she’s always in Yinze’s mind – I’ll help you call. Hopefully, we’ll find them soon.’

  ‘I hope we do. It tore me apart to have to leave them, but I had no choice. I had to—’ she caught herself up sharply, having almost revealed more than she intended to this friendly girl. Instead she passed on the images of her other companions: Aelwen, Taine, Kaldath and Dael, to Kea. ‘Now, are you ready?’ she said. ‘I’ll count to three and we’ll start.’

  As Corisand was worrying about Iriana, the Wizard was doing the same thing about her friend. When she and her companions sensed that their mounts were beginning to sink beneath them and realised that the flying magic was wearing off, they began, just as the Windeye had done, to look around for a safe place to ease their mounts gently to the ground. The glimmer of the spell had faded almost to nothing, and they were dodging the tops of the tallest trees, before they finally found a small gap in the thick woodland in which they could land.