by Sanders, Dan
Sabina let go of her mother. She pulled the orange cylinder from her pack and withdrew the yellow-stoned ring from the front pocket in her tunic. She wiped her tears.
“Will you be all right?” Rupurt asked.
She patted Rupurt’s blue ears. “I will be fine. I am just not sure I can figure this out on my own, without…” Sabina started crying again.
Daimon touched her arm and said, “We will do it together, won’t we?” He looked at the others. They nodded. Bevan was talking to one of his aides.
Sabina composed herself and held up the ring with the crystal cylinder. “But where is the door that this ring-key is meant to open?”
Emily hopped forward. She wasn’t sure whether she was crying for herself or Sabina. The prophecy had been sending those feelings out to her again, but this time it was as though she understood the impressions, even though there were no words.
“Perhaps I can help,” she said and took the ring in her left paw. “Hold the end of the cylinder up towards me.”
Sabina narrowed her eyes and held an end to Emily. “The other end,” Emily said.
Sabina turned the cylinder. They all leaned in closer. Emily stared at the pulsing yellow gem in the ring and at the cylinder. She reached out to the prophecy and placed the stone into the matching end in the cylinder. The cylinder glowed and Emily felt a surge of joy. The cylinder dimmed.
“What happened?” Lupi asked hovering behind Sabina’s head. Sabina brushed her away.
“Now read the prophecy,” Emily said uncertainly.
Sabina placed the seer-stone glasses on the end of her nose, pushed her silver hair behind her ears and started to read.
“The text is clear now,” she said. “Here we go.
’From the lesser world, one of humble birth,
And from the higher world, the child whose past is her future.
Only then will the circle be complete.’”
“That’s you, Sabina,” Emily said excitedly. “Remember at the Gala Ball?”
“Yes,” she said flatly.
“And Daimon,” Lupi said, “you must be the Earth child.”
“But how?” he said, shocked.
Magas stood forward and said, “The powers of the seers are mysteries worthy of solving, young Daimon. But now is not the time.”
Magas looked up to the sky and then back at the group. He cleared his throat and stood tall with his staff before speaking. “Time has been lost with this tragedy. The Circle of Six is now complete. You have until the dawn of the next luna cycle, the commencement of the next season or the vernal equinox of Spring, to find and retrieve the artefacts.”
Sabina kept her head and voice low. “That’s only five days. You can’t reach both Thilameth and Nilawen in that time. They’re at opposite ends of Annwyn.”
“We have the Largon, my new air-carriage,” Bevan offered. “It is fast and I can go alone to Nilawen to collect the Harp.”
Just then Ketty stepped forward with a drink on a clear crystal tray for the Prince. Her hands shook and tears welled in her eyes. They must be for Aldrick, Emily thought. The
Prince reached out to grab the goblet and saw the shocked faces around him. He picked up the pink liquid, thought for a moment and handed it to Sabina. She took the drink and held it to her lips before Ketty held out her thick fingers.
“But that is for you, my Prince,” Ketty said. “The Prince doesn’t share.”
“The girl needs it more,” the Prince said magnanimously.
Ketty’s eyes widened and she placed her slightly trembling hands into her apron. Sabina shrugged her shoulders and drank deeply from the clear goblet.
“We cannot split up,” Sabina said wiping her mouth. “Look what happened last time, and we were all together.”
Emily broke the awkward silence and said, “We have to. Perhaps Lupi and Daimon can go with Bevan to Nilawen to fetch the Harp.”
“I must stay with Emily,” Daimon said. “The goddess Eostra has willed that I stay as her protector.”
“And I must go to Nilawen,” Sabina said. “Uncle… I mean Aldrick, said I must go to Nilawen.”
Sabina held the yellow stoned ring from the AGate up to the light, giving her skin a sickly colour. “I am the only one who can use the ring, or the key or whatever this is.”
“Why?” Rupurt asked.
Magas interjected, “Aldrick had his reasons. Sabina, you will go to Nilawen with Daimon and Bevan. Kato, Rupurt and Lupi will travel with Emily to Thilameth.”
“You don’t want me at Thilameth,” Lupi protested. “I have a few unpaid debts I’m not ready to resolve.”
“Lupi, it is your home town,” Emily said. “I’m sure you can be forgiven your debts, given the gravity of our task.”
“You don’t know these people. Payment first, quests later.”
Kato offered a suggestion. “I think, Lupita, I will be able to protect you against any ill-considered attempts at retribution.”
Lupi sat on a low hanging branch in resignation, resting her head on her right elbow.
“How will we get to Thilameth and back in time?” Emily asked. “Even separating like this, we will not make it back in five days.”
“I am glad you asked that question,” said Magas. He closed his eyes, turned his razorback eyebrows skyward and concentrated for a moment. Emily thought he must be using Thoughtspeak.
At first Emily saw only clouds, but against the late grey afternoon backdrop a white dot appeared, swirling in a circle until a gigantic white eagle descended. A single spark from the sun glinted off its fierce, golden beak.
“Fistur,” Sabina whispered in awe. She squeezed her mother’s hand.
“I have never before seen one in the flesh,” Bevan said.
Emily’s heart beat against her chest as the gentle thud of the eagle’s golden talons bit into the grass. It withdrew its wings, the size of a cloud, serenely into its body. Emily marvelled at the gold carvings crafted on its wings. It swayed its head, looking into Emily’s ocean blue eyes.
“Emily,” Magas began, “meet Arun, your travel companion to the city-of-air.”
Lupi elbowed Daimon, and for a moment both had grins as wide as the river they stood beside.
Chapter 29
Xavier’s Failure
FORTRESS OF TOREK MOTHFOOT,
ABANDONED LANDS,
ANNWYN
The light shining through the window was grey. Rain and red ice scraped the glass, casting morbid shadows across the small chamber. Xavier had stood for some time watching Torek twist the Adros Dagger in his hands. His master was careful with the power now in his possession. There were only the three of them in his personal chamber. Xavier straightened the green robe on his shoulders. He preferred his own red silk robes but these were better suited to travel. Torek removed a palm-sized crystal from his robe. The jagged stone pulsed red across his face. Xavier recognised it as the larger remaining piece of the Zora Stone that Theni wore around her neck.
This was the first time he had been to Torek’s castle. To him, the whole Abandoned Lands was creepy and disgusting. The castle wasn’t as big or as opulent as his father’s; it was as cold as the blackened mountains. The most intriguing item in Torek’s chamber was the large map of Annwyn on the wall. Xavier immediately saw the difference between this map and the one in Professor Sashiel’s study. Torek’s map had a black shadow that crept across the land. It reached from the Abandoned Lands in the north-west towards the centre of Annwyn. Xavier also noticed that Thilameth, the city of air, was not on this map. Even Torek did not know where the Air-Elves’ homeland floated.
Blade leaned forward and broke the silence. “My Lord, I regret I was unable the control the Dagger. I should have known only one with your wisdom and power could control such a weapon.”
Torek ran his gnarled forefinger over the yellow and pink jewels in the gold hilt. Holding the orange crystal handle he waved the blade before them. They gazed at the very substance of the world shimmer
ing as the blade wound through the air.
“Your foolish actions will have alerted Magas and the other Melders to our new possession. I felt the disruption in the energy lattices from here when you ignited the power of the Dagger.”
Blade bowed but didn’t speak. Torek shifted to face Xavier. “Young prince, you succeeded in removing the obstacle of the Vodnik Princess.”
Xavier glanced at Blade and realised he hadn’t told Torek it was that crazy beast Theni who killed the Princess. But part of him knew he was responsible and it was better that Torek not think he was a failure.
Torek’s voice darkened. “Both of you failed to remove the Chosen One. How could you not dispose of a simple Earth animal?”
Xavier swallowed.
Blade spoke on their behalf. “We disposed of the Chosen One’s friend and leader, Professor Icelander. They are in disarray, my Lord.”
“The Chosen One is our target.”
“Yes, my Lord, but the Chosen One has help, and her own strange power. She seems protected by the elements. I can’t quite describe–”
“Silence. Your excuses will not win this war.” Torek laid the Dagger on his lap and continued. “We must make other plans. I have been informed that the Prince of Ibendari is travelling to Ibaloth, probably to raise support for the Coalition army. You will capture the Prince and bring him to me.”
“The Prince, my Lord,” Blade said, wiping cold sweat from his white brow.
“He will not be well when you find him. He should be easy to catch, even for you.”
Xavier was confused what Torek meant by ‘not well’, but again thought silence the safer choice.
Torek continued, “I will use him as bait for the artefacts the Chosen One seeks. I am sure the King of Ibendari has no interest in the Melder activities and will gladly trade a meaningless crystal egg for his son.”
“Yes, my Lord, but what about the Chosen One? I will not fail you this–”
“You will not be given another chance. I made other arrangements.”
Xavier realised who it might be and blurted out, “Do you mean Theni, my Lord?”
Torek’s two red eyes pulsed at him. Torek knew he was a fraud. He sneered quietly, “She will not fail me.”
Xavier pulled his robe over his eyes and nodded. “Yes, my Lord. We will not fail you.”
“You had better not, boy. I have plans for you. If you succeed you will be made ruler over an entire Coalition of Independent States. Even your father would be under your command.”
He was shocked. His father spent his life seeking dominion over the Independent States. He smiled to himself. He wanted me to be great. I bet he didn’t think this would happen.
“Do not fail me, boy.”
“We will not,” Blade finished.
Blade signalled for Xavier to join him. He spoke quietly in the ancient tongue of the Air Lore. Together they swirled into dark clouds, the green tinge the only reminder of their real identities, and drifted out of the now open window.
Chapter 30
Finding Thilameth
THILAMETH-CITY OF AIR,
ANNWYN
A gentle auburn sun filled the sky and caressed the valleys of the southern ranges. Refreshing winds teased both bird and animal, like clouds of puffed silk stretched across the ochre backdrop.
A discerning eye would have been delighted to gaze upon the rare sight of a Fistur Eagle beating its powerful wings, carrying precious cargo on a mission. The giant eagle had flown tirelessly for a day and a night, stopping only for its passengers’ needs. From the vantage of the gold basket, Emily sometimes glimpsed the orange flash of Kato dashing through the trees below on her way to Storven. She was in awe at the speed of the giant Fire-Tigress, and disappointed she could not join them in the city-of-air. Kato had warned them to be alert to attacks, from land and sky.
Emily glanced across at Rupurt’s paws gripping the woven basket. His whiskers blew madly in the wind. Emily laughed at her loyal companion. The other Circle of Six members had resisted involvement in such a dangerous venture, but not Rupurt. She rubbed his long blue ears affectionately and said, “Still not comfortable with flying?”
“Rabbits are not made for the air. We love being under the ground, not above it.”
But Emily was relieved to be in the air. “I feel I am back at home in my own body again, almost.”
“How long before we arrive?” Rupurt asked, pulling his head out of the stream of wind.
Lupi said, “We should arrive just before the noon sun.”
“But you said that before,” Rupurt said.
Lupi growled and flew off into a cloud.
Emily had noticed during their flight of the past two days that Lupi was increasingly distant. Her carefree ways had slipped away. She often snapped her answers or avoided conversation. Emily would have thought the opportunity for Lupi to return to her home town would excite her.
Emily had tried to connect and Thoughtspeak her as she and Noogie had done, but the opaque crystal door to Lupi’s mind was covered in cloud and refused to open. Emily put it down to the passing of the Professor.
Emily could communicate with Arun, her new eagle companion. She thought it funny that on Earth, the eagle was her natural predator. All brood birds like Emily feared them, but now she was an equal, a partner. She thought her papa Bijou would love to see what she was experiencing.
Arun, can I see what you see? Emily reached out.
You may, Eama.
Emily connected gently to the young eagle’s mind and pushed through until her vision became one with Arun’s.
Emily caught her breath. The breadth of the resplendent scenery transformed around her. The horizon of clouds, mountains and rivers bent to the wide angle vision of this elusive bird. With a small change of will Emily narrowed her focus of vision like an angry beam of sunlight. She uncovered animals large and small, even through the canopy of trees, eating, playing and killing. She saw a large gold-scaled fish flopping in the river below. It was similar to her bird-sight on Earth, but with a greater range and a more deadly focus. She saw why these animals were the reigning predators of the sky.
Emily began to withdraw from Arun’s mind when she saw, through a veil of mist and clouds, a large island in the sky.
Lupi had bobbed up and landed on the eagle’s shoulder, her short black hair resisting the rush of the wind.
“Lupi,” Emily squealed, “I saw Thilameth using Arun’s vision. I saw it, a land in the sky!”
Before Lupi could respond, Arun turned his mighty head and released a long scream. They saw four red streaks racing across the sky behind them, bobbing through the clouds, their frenzied faces fixed on Emily. The Faoir! Three balls of fire flew past Emily’s head, the heat from one nearly singeing her ears.
“Some scoundrel alerted them to our presence,” Lupi yelled.
“Faster,” Emily screamed to the giant eagle.
“Ssh.” Lupi waved her silent. “Arun cannot go faster. It is delicate entering Thilameth. Only an Agramond can gain approval to land. Let me do my job.”
Emily felt her fur rise in fear again as she now made out the smiling teeth and pointed nose of the Faoir leader.
“How can I slow them down?”
“Check my pack,” Lupi said.
Emily rifled through the veined, winglike pack and found a handful of coloured crystal balls.
”Just throw them,” Lupi screamed.
Emily wondered which she should throw first. Were they different? She threw a red ball as hard as she could at the leader. He was surprised at the missile whistling past his head, but deftly swerved to miss the ball. He threw another red fireball at Emily. She ducked behind the basket. Emily hurled the rest as fast as she could. One by one they all missed the leader. The second-last caught the other male hard on the shoulder, exploding in a cloud of yellow. Dust paralysed his long red wings. He screamed and tumbled out of the air like a stone. His two closest companions dropped from the chase as they dived to s
ave the fallen fairy’s life.
Emily and Rupurt were excited at the victory but their joy was short-lived as the lead Faoir had almost reached them from beneath.
Emily had an idea. Fumbling with her paws she strapped Rupurt into the basket and yelled, “Hold on tight.” She connected with Arun’s mind and told the giant eagle to slow right down to a glide. The angry Faoir quickly closed the gap with the eagle. He gleefully reached out, almost touching the Fistur’s golden legs.
Emily held onto the basket with all her might and asked the eagle’s mind to roll, mid-flight. “Hold on!” she said to Rupurt.
As the giant white Exotic heaved upside down on its axis, Emily fell and hung from the basket. She was face to face with the surprised flaming eyes of a young Faoir. Lupi fell from the basket, her wings buzzing in surprise. Emily gripped the basket with her left paw and threw the remaining blue crystal hard into her attacker’s face. The fire-fairy grabbed his eyes and fell away in pain, large sores erupting on his cheeks.
Rupurt’s little paws and ears dangled from the basket.
The eagle rolled upright. Emily and Rupurt fell back into the basket.
“Quick thinking, Emily,” Lupi yelled.
“Glad I was a bird once,” Emily said, with her chest heaving. “What were those crystals?”
“They come in handy in a pinch. Got them from a trader in Sinoth.”
“I’m sick, Emily,” Rupurt moaned, holding his blue furry belly.
“You’ll feel better, soon,” Emily laughed.
Still panting, Emily said to Lupi, “I didn’t know they could throw balls of fire.”
“They are keepers of the Fire Lore, after all,” Lupi said simply.
“Are we there yet?” Emily asked.
Lupi seemed not to hear Emily as she stood on the eagle’s shoulder and pointed ahead. “We are here.”
Chapter 31
Sabina’s Trial
SOMEWHERE OVER THE WESTERN RANGES,
ANNWYN
“Stop touching that,” Bevan said. He pushed Daimon’s hand away from the control bar of the flying carriage. “You’ll drive us straight into the mountains.”
