“Tiana! Tie-anna, who’s ridden the thunder. They sing my deeds in every pirate tavern.”
“True enough, men sing of a fabulous fighting she-devil named Tiana. But everybody with his head on straight -knows there’s no such person.”
“Bjaine,” Jiltha interrupted, “have you any plan to get us out of danger?”
“Why certainly, little girl.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll wait till luck — Lord Fortune of the Snows — sets me free, then I’ll kill our enemies. I’m bound to the service of the wizard Ekron, so I’ll have to give you to King Hartes for his seraglio, Jiltha.” He smiled broadly. “But Bjaine will keep you, Firetop … ‘Tiana’ — for myself.”
Tiana couldn’t decide which appalled her more, the arrogance of the man or his stupidity. She wished her shorts were baggy. And long.
“Oaf, you mean you’re going to trust entirely to brute force and dumb luck!”
Bjaine decided it was fun to annoy Tiana. “Yes, that’s what I mean.” His chain rattled with his attempt to shrug. “It’s worked fine for me all my life. Besides, neither of you have a better plan.”
“Has,” Tiana stiffly corrected. Jiltha said, “But I have a much nicer plan and we can carry it out right away.” Seeing she had their attention, she continued, “The Bear said it wanted a mighty warrior, a beautiful woman, and a royal virgin for some Awful Ceremony. That’s why it took us. Now I think I can take this bed to pieces and get free. Then Bjaine, Captain Tiana can marry us. Once I’m no longer a virgin, the Bear can’t perform that terrible ceremony! So it will just have to let us go. You can take me home and Papa will make you Prince and Heir Apparent to the Throne of Ilan.”
Tiana moaned inwardly. It was not enough that the Gods set her to fight a supernatural monster of hideous powers; now they sent her such … friends! Had she committed some sacrilege to merit such punishment? Let’s see … back in Reme, she had killed a high priest on his own altar. Looking further back, she had robbed the Royal Tombs of Nevinia. But flooding it in the process was purely an accident. She had also burned down a chapel of nuns — with them in it, but they were bad … stolen the great ruby eye of the idol Horgarrav, and cut up the sacred bull of Injana for steaks. But all these actions were well justified by the circumstances! Nor had she ever killed anyone she didn’t dislike. The ways of the Gods were hard to fathom; perhaps They were punishing her for some mischief she had committed as a child.
No matter, now the problem’s this giddy Jiltha.
It would do no good to tell the silly child that her father would disapprove of such a marriage, for it was very clear that Jiltha wanted Bjaine. How could she? That big homely musclebound dunce. I disliked him right off! The girl must be given a strong motive for remaining a maiden. Tiana’s voice was kind and soft.
“Jiltha dear, feel your neck. You’ll find a small wound. Bjaine and I both have them. That’s where the bear tasted us. If the Bear sees you won’t be useful in the ceremony … ” It was plain from Jiltha’s face that she followed this logic to its unpleasant conclusion. “But don’t worry, dear. As soon as it’s dark, we’ll steal a small boat and escape.” She writhed, twisted, grunted, hunched, tugged loose her picklock eardrop. Swiftly she unlocked her manacles. Before Jiltha could ask to be freed, Tiana sprang up.
“We’ll need food and water. I’ll be back as soon as I steal them.” And she was gone.
The cabin door opened onto a narrow corridor. At its end the shadow of a guard was clearly visible. Right now Tiana didn’t seek to escape, but to spy; to learn the situation on this ship. No doubt she could send that guard to Drood without raising an alarm, but it would be better tactics if she could sneak past him. Two other doors opened off this corridor. She stepped to one and listened. Silence. She slipped inside. This large cabin was well furnished and well maintained: the captain’s cabin! Again: a real bed, rather than a seemly bunk. Probably the lair of the Bear. Her first impulse was to flee — and something caught her eye. The Jewels of Ullatara.
The chest was filled with a crystal rainbow. It was beauty, it was wealth; and above all it was power. Though she had no idea how to use that power against the Eye of Sarsis, here was an opportunity not to be missed. She stretched a hand toward the flashing gems, and frowning suddenly she snatched back her hand.
Her enemy’s habit of caution dictated that this high prize must be guarded. She pulled a bit of broken crystal from the chandelier and tossed it ‘into the chest. Nothing happened. She reached up and took a second piece of crystal. Calmly Tiana cut her finger and let a few drops of blood fall onto the crystal. She tossed the blood-smeared bit of glass into the chest. It fell with a tink — and instantly turned from red to completely clear. Every trace of blood was gone.
Yes. The chest is well guarded.
She heard sound in the hallway, and approaching footsteps. As the door opened, Tiana slipped under the bed. She saw only the massive hind-paws as the Bear strode into the cabin. Claws clicked. This was a foolish hiding place, a trap if her enemy had any hint of her presence. She bore a fresh wound, however tiny; would blood-scent betray her? The fell beast came to the bed, click-click. A black-furred paw was inches from her face. Tiana’s face twisted. No, it would not scent her or anything else. Though the Bear walked, it was three days dead.
The uncanny power of the Eye of Sarsis did not prevent corruption.
Tiana tried to tell herself that things had worked out to her advantage. This ship was full of hostile eyes. Out on deck lay little hope that she could learn much without being seen, while here in the very lair of her mortal enemy she could spy nicely. Even as she told herself this, her stomach was cold and her throat dry. The Bear stood motionless, inches from her.
She was lightly dressed and it was growing chilly! These were southern waters, where cold north winds were most uncommon. Yet the wind howled outside and the temperature dropped rapidly. The sea was becoming rough.
The door opened. Tiana could see only bare feet and bony legs, but she knew it was Morna. Somehow that fool girl had gotten herself caught and carried onto this ship.
“My Lord Storgavar,” the soft voice said, “is it your pleasure that I feed the prisoners?”
Apparently the Bear gestured; the dirty feet turned and left.
The violence of the storm increased apace. The ship staggered like a drunkard through the waves. Tiana could hear timbers moan in protest at the stress. From somewhere above came an awful scream, followed by a sickening crash. A man had fallen from the rigging. The Eye obviously knew nothing of the sea, else it would give order to heave to. No masts could long take this punishment; soon they must break and the ship founder. The rain was intense. Abruptly its vicious patter changed to a hard cracking noise: hail.
Tiana had heard Northers talk of such storms, unheard of in this part of the world. Occasionally a man’s death scream could be heard above the rage of the storm. The Northrons could survive ice storms — in their warm clothing. Their ships were rigged with hand-and footholds so that crew could move even when the deck was a sheet of ice. The Kroll pirates were caught unprepared. Soon all of them would be frozen or swept overboard.
Tiana thought. How very sad.
Now came an explosion louder than thunder, followed by angry roaring. The ship was thrown violently about, a rat shaken in the jaws of a dog. Clinging tightly to the bottom of the bed, Captain Tiana knew what had happened. A sail, stretched by the wind beyond its strength, had blown. The roaring was the sail’s fragments tearing in the wind.
A man entered the cabin: boots, to Tiana, and a voice without emotion or life. “My Lord Storgavar, the other two ships have hove to, contrary to your orders. What shall we do about such mutiny?”
“Nothing. Return to your post.”
The Bear shuffled to the chest and Stretched out its forepaws to the Jewels of Ullatara. The cabin began to shimmer; to fade. The bed above Tiana was fading, becoming transparent. She was trying to hide under a piece of glass. The
Bear turned and looked toward her. It didn’t see her. She looked and did not see herself. The cabin and all it contained, including Tiana, had become invisible. In place of the vanished cabin another scene appeared. Though the floor beneath her felt as it had before, it seemed to her that she lay on the ice-crusted deck of a ship. It had heaved to but was still in grave danger. The sheets were not properly trimmed and men worked desperately in the rigging to free ice-fouled lines. The ship was listing severely; a little more and it would capsize. A snap, and a spar fell straight at Tiana. It was a giant spear aimed at her, but she forced herself to remain motionless. It passed through her and struck the deck. She felt nothing.
The Bear changed; became Storgavar. “All right, boys, the storm abates. Make sail or the treasure we seek will escape us.”
The storm did indeed seem to slacken … and the pirates paid no attention to this illusion. With screams of “Demon!” they attacked the Bear. Their swords passed through its body without effect. The whole scene began to fade. The forms of the pirates became misty blurs, but one figure remained clear and distinct; a tall lean ascetic man in black robes and a small salt-and-pepper beard.
The Bear stared at this figure in anger.
“Apeling! Foolish young apeling. You and your ancestors are but newly down from the trees, still wet from the womb of time. All your yesterdays are but a few grains of sand in my hourglass. I am old and I have seen mountain ranges rise from the bowels of the earth only to be worn down by the passing ages. Before my years you are a mayfly, a brief spark soon extinguished. Before my power you are an ant, to be crushed beneath my feet. Why do you so recklessly provoke my wrath?”
Pyre bowed very slightly. “Greetings, ancient snake. The why of it is simple. We both know there can be no peace between us. This storm I have summoned is the first act of my war against you.”
“No, apeling! You do not have the power to summon this storm. You merely distorted the powers I had summoned.”
“True,” said he who dwelt in a keep called Ice, “but nonetheless I have saved two ships filled with people. Food you’ll not enjoy.”
“More likely this storm of yours will kill them.”
“I have saved them from your belly,” Pyre said calmly, very calmly; ascetic as a priest, this Pyre of Ice. “They are pirates and will survive or drown according to their seamanship.”
The Bear laughed derisively. “So you think yourself a great wizard because you have snatched a bit of food from my plate. Fool, fool! Had I real need of them, I could easily end this storm and reestablish my control.”
“Say rather, if you could spare the power. For eons you hoard power as a miser hoards gold. You saved much, but you need much and you have little to spare. Now tell me, ancient snake. Which will you do, order the ship that carries you to heave to, or sink with it?”
“I have power to take this ship to its destiny and then there shall be vengeance for thieves. You stole power from me. You stole food from me. You and your kind stole the world from my people. These things shall be paid for!”
“No, Sarsis,” Pyre said, and he sounded tired. “You cannot turn the wheel back. Nor can you erase what has been written. Your people had their day and it is over. Your allotted years were as the sands of the sea but they have all run through the hourglass. You are banished from the world, Sarsis, and this effort to return will cost you both your eyes.”
The Bear gestured angrily. Pyre vanished, and the cabin appeared again.
Tiana peered cautiously out from under the bed. The Bear paced about the cabin. After a moment it stepped decisively to the chest where lay the Jewels of Ullatara. She could not see what its forepaws were doing but suddenly the room was filled with dancing colored lights. The voice of the Bear filled the cabin with soft hissing words.
The Bear is but a shape it wears, Tiana realized. The voice is the voice of the Eye of Sarsis, something far worse than a cat or bear.
Aye, and the words that voice intoned, hissing, were not such as men had ever spoken. Every sound was like unto an obscene caress, the kiss of an enemy; the courtship by which a snake traps a bird.
The words ended. The dancing lights exploded in a blinding flash.
The cabin was completely black.
Slowly, slowly the dark melted, and Tiana noticed that the storm had somewhat abated. No — judging by the sound of the wind, the fury of the storm continued full strength, but the ship was riding much better. Though the hail continued, it sounded now as if it were striking a distant roof, high above the ship. Tiana swallowed. She tried to imagine what must have happened. Was the ship riding in a great bubble of force, protected from the elements by the magic of the Eye of Sarsis? The exact nature of the enchantment didn’t matter; the important aspect was that while Pyre’s storm continued, escape by small boat was impossible.
Tiana reflected ruefully that so far all she had accomplished was to miss her lunch. Nor was there aught she could do, now. She must lie silent and motionless, hiding scant feet from this monster from the dim past.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Lord Storgavar, the lookout reports sighting the island, even as you foretold. We shall reach it within the hour.”
The Bear gestured dismissal and began to choose certain of the jewels of Ullatara. Under the bed, Tiana was nearly desperate with frustration. She had blundered. She had lain helpless while precious hours trickled away. If this island was the site of the fearsome ceremony planned by the Bear, all hope of escape was lost. If this was an intermediate stop, it was an opportunity to be seized at all risks.
Opportunity to do what, run home like a whipped dog?
It was maddening that she could not slay the Eye of Sarsis; at least she would sabotage its plans before she escaped with Jiltha. But what did it plan? Why had it come to this island? The force controlling the Bear, seen by the Krollers as their leader, was the Right Eye of Sarsis. Its twin was still locked in the steel egg. Clearly the Right Eye would seek to free the Left Eye as a matter of first priority. So it came here.
Why? What was special about this island? If the wind was from the north, then the ship’s course was southwest. South and west of the Kroll Isles the Ocean was unchartered, unknown.
Wait — Voomundo’s map had shown something, a small island southwest of the Krolls. It bore no name, only a tiny symbol. For moments she racked her brain, then it came to her. The symbol was a lightning stroke.
The Bear had completed its preparations, had chosen the enchanted gems that would serve it on … Lightning Island.
When it was gone, Tiana move rapidly but with stealth back to the prisoner’s cabin. On seeing her, Jiltha stifled her exclamation in time. Bjaine mumbled something; it was unintelligible because his mouth was full of food. Morna looked up, said, “Hello, Tiana,” and continued to feed the bound giant.
Under the Bear’s control, Tiana thought. She does what she’s bade, and takes note of nothing else.
Tiana swiftly picked the locks on Jiltha’s manacles while relating what had happened. She turned to the chained warrior, started to free him, then stopped. “Bjaine, if I release you, will you follow my orders?”
Credit Bjaine with a brief attempt to keep a straight face. He failed and burst into roaring laughter. At last he controlled himself.
“Girl who calls herself Tiana, you need my strength to save your life. You have to free Bjaine or we’ll all die. Naturally, when I’m free I’ll make you mine, but once you get used to being my slave you’ll enjoy it. Bjaine won’t beat you unless you need it.”
She looked at him coldly. “If you can’t take orders, you’re useless. Come, Jiltha.”
Bjaine stared after them. “That foolish girl can’t understand what’s good for her,” he mumbled. “Come Morna, let’s have some more roast pork.” The Nor’man had said that chance would free him and let him fight his enemies. In the meantime it was wise to eat and maintain his strength. “Morna my girl, you say they let you have the run of this ship. Do you suppose you coul
d find some wine?” Bjaine knew he faced two singularly horrible deaths. The Bear’s ceremony and the devil on his stomach. Still, he believed there was no point in letting tomorrow’s problems spoil his enjoyment of today. “Ale would be fine.”
Outside, Tiana gestured for Jiltha to stand motionless. The corridor was dark, but the doorway at its end was occasionally illuminated by lightning flashes. The accompanying thunder was strangely muted. Tiana slipped forward through the darkness, her belt in her hands. From the shadows it was clear that a guard still stood just beyond the doorway. The man had as much warning as if he were attacked by a shadow. A flicker of motion, and he was lying still upon the floor, her belt tied tight about his throat.
In an awestruck voice Jiltha whispered, “Is — is he dead?”
Tiana loosened her belt and started slapping her victim’s face. “No. At the last moment I held back. I don’t understand why but this wight fought as much as a statue.”
After a moment the man revived. His eyes looked at neither Jiltha nor Tiana. Indeed they did not move but focused blankly on infinity. Without a word or gesture the guard rose and stepped back toward his former position. Tiana stopped him.
“I nearly killed you. Why didn’t you fight back?”
A brief spark of intelligence flickered in the man’s eyes, then died. “When my Lord Storgavar went ashore he took half the crew with him and ordered the other half to stand at their posts and do nothing.”
“Oh,” Tiana said pleasantly, “how nice.”
The princess and the pirate queen stepped out on the deck. The world was suddenly emblazoned with a blinding flash of color. A myriad-hued splendor reverberated across the sky, accompanied by muffled thunder.
“It’s only lightning,” Tiana said, peeling Jiltha’s fingers from her arm.
“But why the colors?” The princess was torn between fear and wonder.
“The Bear set a spell to protect this ship from the storm. It used an enchanted gem and now if you look closely at the sky, you’ll see it’s faceted. We’re somehow inside a great jewel.”
The Eyes of Sarsis Page 14
