Again Kes swallowed and shook his head.
‘They were stolen,’ said Taran softly. ‘And do you know who stole them?’
‘N-no, Your Majesty…’
‘Then I’ll tell you. Your mother stole them.’
Kes’s eyes widened. ‘No! She wouldn’t –’
‘Don’t interrupt me!’ Taran snarled. ‘Your mother, Morvyr, stole the silver and black pearls from my crown and hid them. And I want them back!’ She stared at him again. ‘You saw one of the pearls in your sister’s locket, didn’t you, Kesson?’
Her eyes seemed to bore through Kes’s skull and reach to his innermost thoughts, and he felt an awful sense of power radiating from her mind. He dared not lie to her, and he whispered, ‘I saw… a pearl. But I don’t know anything about it.’ He swallowed and added, ‘Your Majesty…’
‘What colour was it?’
Shaking like a jellyfish, Kes replied, ‘S-silver…’
‘And do you know where the black pearl is?’
For the first time in his life Kes thanked his lucky stars that Morvyr had been so secretive. If she had told him about the pearls and he had tried to hide what he knew from Taran, he was absolutely certain she would have known it. And he shuddered to think of what she might have done then.
‘P-please, Your Majesty,’ he stammered, ‘I don’t know anything about a black pearl. I’ve never even heard of it before.’
The Queen continued to stare at him for a few more seconds. Then abruptly she sat back on her couch. ‘I see you’re telling the truth,’ she said. ‘That’s very wise of you. It all happened a long time ago, so I suppose you were too young to remember.’ She turned her attention to the circlet, stroking it, and Kes thought quickly. He knew now why Taran wanted the pearl in Lizzy’s locket so much. But it seemed there was a black pearl too – where was that? Did Morvyr know? Kes didn’t believe for a moment that his mother had stolen the pearls, but he was sure she must know something about the missing black one.
Then with a shock the last words of the message Arhans had brought slammed into his mind. The ninth one is safe with me. There were seven pearls in Taran’s circlet, and two missing – which made nine. Was that what his father had meant? Did he have the black pearl?
Suddenly Kes knew that, at all costs, Taran must not find out about Jack Carrick’s return. He would have to be desperately careful, and hope that she wouldn’t ask him any questions about his father. But if she did and looked into his eyes the way she had done a few minutes ago…
‘What are you thinking, Kesson?’
Kes jumped, and looked up. Taran had put the circlet back on her head and was regarding him with her cold green eyes. He looked away and said, ‘I was wondering… what you’re going to do with Mother and me.’
She smiled. ‘Oh, I see. You’re frightened, are you? Well, don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. I would, if it suited me, but I have a better plan. Your mother is going to stay here for a while, as my… guest.’ The way she said ‘guest’ made Kes shudder inwardly. ‘And you are going to carry out a little errand for me. If you complete it, like an obedient boy, I will set Morvyr free. But, if you fail…’ She uttered an unpleasant laugh. ‘Well, let’s just say that your mother will regret that very much.’
Kes’s fear came surging to the surface again and he cried, ‘Where is she? I want to see her!’
‘Of course you do. And you shall.’ She turned and looked at the indigo mirror. Then she raised one hand and pointed at it.
Kes expected the mirror’s surface to dissolve in a cascade of water as the yellow one had done. Instead, though, it swirled and an image appeared in it.
Morvyr was behind the mirror, trapped inside as Kes had been. She drifted in the water, her golden hair moving slowly like a pale cloud around her head, and her tail drifted too, as though she had no control over it.
Kes shouted, ‘Mother!’ and Taran laughed again.
‘She can’t hear you. She is asleep, and will stay asleep until I decide to wake her. If I decide to. But that depends on you.’
Kes stared at Morvyr’s limp figure, and an ache of desperate, helpless fury rose up in him so that he could hardly breathe.
Finding his voice with an effort, he said, ‘What do you want me to do?’
Taran looked triumphant. ‘As I said, I want you to carry out a little errand for me. It’s quite simple. You will go to shore and find your sister, Tegenn. Tell her that your mother is a captive, and the price of her freedom is the silver pearl.’
With a last shred of defiance Kes said, ‘What if she won’t give it to me?’
‘Then you must persuade her. Otherwise you will never see your mother again. And you don’t want that, do you?’ She paused. ‘Answer me!’
‘No, Your Majesty,’ Kes whispered miserably.
Taran gave a soft, low chuckle. ‘You’re a clever boy, Kesson. You understand that you can’t defy me. Now you must make your sister understand too. I’m sure you can do that.’
Kes knew that he had no choice. Slowly he nodded.
‘When you have the pearl,’ Taran went on, ‘you will bring it here to me – and Tegenn must come with you.’
‘But –’
‘Be quiet! I want to meet her, so she must come! Then all three of you may go free.’
Could he believe that? Kes asked himself. Would Taran keep her word, or would she imprison them all? He didn’t trust her… but if he didn’t do what she wanted, she would hurt Morvyr.
Heart thumping, he said, ‘All right. I’ll bring her.’
‘Good. Now, there’s one more thing before I send you away to carry out your task. Each pearl has its own special gateway to the outside world, which it alone can unlock. You were brought here through the indigo gate, which I opened with the indigo pearl. However, you must bring the silver pearl through the silver gateway.’ She smiled maliciously. ‘No other pearl can unlock that portal. So, if you try to trick me, the gate will not open and I will know that the pearl is a fake.’
‘How can I find the gateway?’ Kes asked.
‘Your snooping friends the dolphins know where all the gates are – much good may it do them!’ said Taran scornfully. ‘It’s a long way from the land, so I’ll give you time to do your task. But you will do it!’
Turning towards the pool, she clapped her hands sharply. Moments later the water churned and Tullor’s head appeared above the surface.
‘You summoned me, Your Majesty?’ said the eel fawningly.
‘Yes, Tullor. This boy is to return to the sea. Take him through the green gateway and let him go. And spread word that I am no longer searching for him; he is free to do as he pleases.’
‘Your Majesty?’ Tullor sounded surprised.
‘Don’t question me, Tullor! Just do as you’re told!’
The eel ducked his head submissively. ‘Of course, Your Majesty.’ He glowered at Kes.
‘Go, Kesson,’ Taran ordered. ‘And don’t forget – if you try to deceive me, I’ll know!’
Kes slipped off the rock and into the pool. Tullor swam round him, still glowering, and Taran held up the circlet. She touched the green pearl, which began to glow. The pool glowed too, and the water turned to the same emerald hue as the pearl. Then, so suddenly that Kes was taken completely by surprise, the water churned and swirled. Spinning round, he felt a powerful pull, and the next instant he and Tullor plunged under the surface and were sucked into what felt like a huge whirlpool. Down and round, twisting and whirling – colours flashed in front of Kes’s eyes. He spun upside down, sideways, every way – then there was a whooshing sound, and he and the eel burst out of the tunnel and into the open sea.
Kes gasped dizzily and thrashed his arms and legs until he was – or thought he was – upright. Tullor had recovered more quickly, and his cold eyes were full of hate as he said, ‘Her Majesty has told me you are to be left alone, and I obey. But if I had a choice…’ He let the threat hang unfinished.
Kes tried to ignore it a
nd looked around. Light was filtering down from above, which meant it must be day, but it was very dim. They were in deep sea, he realised, and nothing looked familiar. ‘Where is this?’ he demanded.
‘Ask the dolphins,’ Tullor retorted spitefully. ‘They like to think they know everything. They’ll tell you where you are – if you can find them.’
If the eel had been capable of laughing, Kes thought, he would have cackled aloud. Kes said nothing, and after a few moments Tullor hissed, ‘I will see you again, Kesson. Be sure of that.’
He writhed round and swam away. Kes watched until he vanished in the undersea gloom, then breathed out a sigh of relief. He might be lost and alone, but anything was better than having Tullor for a companion. He would find his own way to land. Someone would tell him where he was. And maybe he would meet a friend who could get a message quickly to Arhans. He needed her now, as he had never done before.
Closing his eyes, he willed himself to change from human to merboy. When the change was complete, he flicked his tail, feeling its strength. Then he stared into the endless, unfamiliar sea. It looked daunting. But he tried not to think about that.
‘I’ll bring the pearl back, Mother,’ he whispered fiercely. ‘I’ll set you free. I promise!’
Bubbles streamed from his mouth and nose as he took a deep breath. Then he bunched his muscles and streaked away into the gloom.
Table of Contents
Cover
About the Author
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
Prologue
The Black Pearl
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
The Black Pearl Page 8
