This time Peter couldn't hide his astonishment.
"Whatever for?” he said lightly, but his heart was hammering. Merlin wouldn't buy an obviously very expensive animal for no reason at all. “She must have cost a lot of money."
"Yes. She's more valuable than that magnificent black stallion Bart rides. Argent has set Bart thinking that maybe he should breed some decent horses for the stables. Most of them are only hacks, but not all our customers are indifferent riders. Good riders, for instance, don't like a horse whose mouth has been hardened by careless or inexperienced riders. Neither do they care for hacks. Argent should certainly have beautiful foals provided we can find a good mate for her."
"Oh!” was all Peter could say. There's more here than meets the eye. What are Merlin and Bart up to? However, he said nothing. “Can I have another biscuit, please?” he asked, just to steer the conversation from the pony.
It was Susan's turn to be surprised. There's more to this boy than meets the eye, she decided. He did that on purpose, to change the subject. Why would he not want to talk about the pony?
"Help yourself,” she answered lightly. “Only make sure you don't spoil your appetite."
Peter grinned. I suppose most other boys are always hearing that from their mothers, he thought. But it's a long time since I had a mother to keep on at me like that. At this thought the grin disappeared as abruptly as it had come, leaving Susan pondering what was so unusual about this boy who on the face of things seemed so ordinary. Perhaps, she decided, he just had a volatile personality.
* * * *
THE VOICES woke Peter that night.
"Father, why go back yourself when you have me to do it for you? You're the Lord of Obsidian. It isn't fitting you should do such work yourself."
"How do I know I can trust you? You only want to go back to persuade that witch not to marry King Lot. If I do send you back it'll be after she's married. She's not good enough for my son."
Peter sat up abruptly. He was no longer in his bed in Bart Brown's farmhouse. It was pitch black and for some few seconds he sat straining his eyes trying to resolve his whereabouts. His heart jumped as he became aware of a pulsing sensation, something felt rather than heard, like a sound too low for human hearing to pick up. Even before the pulsing light manifested itself his heart told him where he was.
"Essence of Obsidian!” Then, remembering what he had just heard, his joy changed to apprehension. “Is something wrong?"
The Essence of Obsidian made no verbal reply. Instead, Peter found himself inside the bubble of time that he thought of as the crystal ball. The scene outside the sphere was dark. He was looking at two men facing each other at a table. A dim lamp stood between them and slightly to one side. Something stood in front of the lamp, obscuring some of its light. Peter gasped involuntarily—for the thing outlined by the lamplight was the Obsidian Orb. He didn't even need to look at the two men to know who they were.
"Father, please! You know you can trust me. If you can't trust your own son, who can you trust? You certainly can't send any of the motley collection of servants you've gathered about you. And I could kill two birds with one stone by persuading Morgause not to marry that dreadful king. You don't seem to understand that a sorceress like her in the family could only add to our power."
Sujad the Great suddenly seemed to change his tactics. “Look, Jadus, I've no quarrel with you and Morgause being lovers. But she's a princess and must marry where her father dictates. You belong to her time so you should be able to see that clearer than I do. Women in her position just don't have a choice when it comes to husbands."
"Okay, okay. But give me time. It's been a bit of a shock because I thought she intended to marry me whatever I was. By the same token, you must realise that I'm the best person to get the image for you. I can talk to Morgause and persuade her that only by giving it to me and letting me bring it back here can she hope to accomplish her revenge."
"Very well. What you say does make sense. I can't go myself because I'm too busy here, and you're certainly the only one I can trust."
Peter blinked as Sujad whisked the Obsidian Orb from the table, causing the lamplight to hit Peter straight in the eyes. Sujad stared over the table at his son—and even Peter could see the coldness in the eyes of the Lord of Obsidian.
"Do exactly as I tell you or I won't hold myself responsible for the consequences to you."
Was that a threat or a warning? Peter wondered.
Suddenly everything went black and Peter felt the throbbing that told him the Essence of Obsidian was about to manifest itself again. But the pulsing light didn't appear. Instead, Peter felt the spinning sensation that he had experienced before. The Essence of Obsidian is going to show me something else. His heart thumped with expectation as he wondered what it might be. When the spinning stopped and the pulsing light came in at him again, the Essence of Obsidian spoke, its deep voice lowered to a whisper.
"We're now back in the domain of Sujad the Great. Sujad has just decided he should consult the Book of Obsidian to help him with the spells for sending Jadus back to his own time. He will notice my absence, so I thought it best to return. He must never know I am able to leave at will, though, because he may find a way to keep me prisoner. Seeing that you're closely involved in what he's doing, I thought you might like to be with me."
"Thank you,” Peter whispered. It was so good to know he had a friend and powerful protector, someone—or something—who wasn't afraid of Morgause. Nevertheless, his heart hammered as he waited for whatever was to happen next.
It seemed a long time in coming. In fact, Peter realised he had drifted back to sleep as, for the second time that night, voices woke him.
"Jadus! I've been expecting you. It's so nice to see you!"
The voice that answered was fierce and hoarse with jealousy. “Why did you have to marry that man? You don't need the title of queen to elevate you above all other women."
Morgause's voice was deceptively meek and plaintive. “A woman in my position with a king like Uther for a father must marry where she is commanded. Would you have the kingdoms of these islands all at war with each other?"
"Ah, my love! My dear love! I do understand. I forgive you—as long as our love may continue."
It was only as these words were spoken that Peter found himself in the crystal ball looking into another world.
The winter during which Morgause had married King Lot had passed. It was springtime—that time of the year in which Morgause seemed to thrive. The splendor of her clothing had increased with her status as queen. As was her wont, she wore a shade of green that challenged all the budding leaves to equal her in brightness and beauty. She walked through a woodland arm-in-arm with her lover. They came to what looked like a tumble-down old cottage.
"Oh dear! Must we meet in such squalid surroundings—and you a queen?"
Morgause gave a secret, self-satisfied smirk. “It is said to be haunted. I know better, of course. It's not what it looks, my love. Just wait till we get inside."
The inside was indeed splendid. It surpassed Morgause's apartments in her father's castle in the luxury of its appointments. Morgause had turned the interior of the cottage into one large room fitted out as a bedroom-cum-sitting room.
"Well? Is it not a fitting bower for my dear love?” Peter had only to look at Jadus's face to see that he was impressed. Morgause's smirk showed that she noticed it, too. “No one will disturb us here. The place looks too tumble-down for anyone to want to use it. Besides, they wouldn't be able to get in because I've put a spell around it."
Not strong enough to keep the Power of Obsidian away, though, Peter thought grimly as the crystal ball in which he floated followed them into the cottage.
He noticed that Jadus looked uneasy. Morgause also picked up the emotion.
"What is it, my love? Is something troubling you?” She gently touched his cheek.
Jadus cleared his throat. “My father says that he and you have an enemy in comm
on.” Interest and enquiry lit Morgause's cat-like eyes. “As you know, my father is Lord of Obsidian, but there's a boy who's in league with Merlin the Enchanter and who is helping Merlin in his efforts to get the Obsidian Orb back for the Earthlight."
Morgause's lovely features hardened briefly. She turned away from her lover, affecting the pose of a wronged and wretched woman. “Ah yes.” Peter saw the familiar glitter in her eyes before she turned back to face Jadus, her face now full of entreaty. “Can your father help me, Jadus? He is so much more powerful than I am. I should be so grateful for his help."
Peter sensed the inward sigh of relief from Jadus. “That's why my father sent me back. Because he is Lord of Obsidian he knows that you've made a wax image of this—this boy."
Morgause raised her eyebrows as though surprised. “He must be very powerful to know that."
"Yes. The extent of his power can be almost frightening for someone like me. But you yourself could never be intimidated—"
"Why should I be?” Morgause interrupted coldly. “The Lord of Obsidian is not my enemy, and you must make sure he never becomes yours."
Jadus looked faintly shocked. “But he's my father, dearest!"
Morgause lifted her eyes to his. It was one of the rare times, Peter reflected, that he had seen genuine, serious concern showing in them. In her own way, Morgause did care for Jadus. “One's father can be the very worst enemy to have. Especially if that father is in a position of power.” Deliberately she led him to draw the wrong inference from her words.
Instantly contrite for reminding her of her supposedly forced marriage, Jadus put his arms around her comfortingly. “My poor love—"
But Morgause interrupted him, clearly trying not to show her impatience. “You said your father could help me."
"Yes. He said you have made a wax image of this wretched Earthlight child. Even you know that the type of spell you used can't be effective while you live in one age and the boy lives in another."
"Yes. But I'm not stupid, Jadus. I've been working on it. Why do you think you are here—apart from my pleasure in seeing you? Why do you think the Lord of Obsidian has sent you?"
Jadus held her away from him, looking at her in astonishment. “You? You allowed him to see in the Obsidian Orb what you were doing?"
She smiled sweetly at him. “Of course. You'll soon learn, Jadus, that I do nothing without a purpose."
"That includes getting herself involved with Jadus Castirio,” Peter muttered with biting irony.
A deep chuckle answered him. “You sound like the Great One himself.” The Essence of Obsidian chuckled again.
They turned their attention back to Morgause and Jadus. Morgause now had something in her hand. She held it out to Jadus. Jadus looked reluctant to touch it. She pressed it into his palm. Peter caught a glimpse of it before Jadus's fingers closed over it. It was the little wax doll. But it was different from when he had last seen it. Something black stabbed the image through the heart—something that looked like a replica of the Obsidian Dagger.
Chapter 11
The Obsidian Dungeons
THE WORLD reeled around Peter. He felt as though he was about to black out. Through the whirling darkness the thumping of his heart was like a drum beating out its own death sentence.
It isn't true! It can't be true! Sujad failed to kill me with the weapon he made for that purpose, and now his life is forfeit to me by virtue of the Absolute Law. Surely Morgause can't succeed where the Lord of Obsidian himself failed? Or is her sorcery designed to reverse the Absolute Law? Will her spell allow Sujad to use the Obsidian Dagger for my destruction?
"Calm down, Peter; calm down,” a slow deep voice exhorted, and Peter felt the Essence of Obsidian's soothing fingers of power reach into his mind.
He found he had closed his eyes against the turmoil enveloping him. He now opened them, breathed deeply, and instantly felt his heart return to normal. The familiar pulsing light of the Essence of Obsidian was with him once more.
"You're quite correct, Chosen One. Morgause's spell is indeed fashioned to reverse the Absolute Law that makes Sujad's life forfeit to you. Sujad couldn't do it on his own, and likewise neither could Morgause. But together they are a force to be reckoned with, even by the Absolute Law, which is normally unchangeable."
"What can we do?"
"At the moment nothing but wait. We'll know what to do when the time comes."
"What Morgause has done—isn't that voodoo?"
"Well, yes I suppose you could call it that. It's a very ancient and well-known form of black magic."
"Doesn't it rely on the victim actually believing in the curse?"
"Sometimes. If the perpetrator of the spell is very skillful it doesn't matter what the victim believes. The curse will still work. But don't worry, Peter. Everything will be all right—I promise you."
The throbbing light of the Essence of Obsidian went out and Peter felt the spinning sensation again. When it stopped he was in the familiar crystal ball, looking out at a changed scene. It was dark, but all around him he felt the presence of evil shifting shapes—the gremlins serving the Lord of Obsidian.
He appeared to be in a murky underground hall with black walls that were still rough-hewn in parts. They seemed to absorb most of the light from the torches set into them. Peter wondered where the hall was. Could it be somewhere in the terrain surrounding Bart Brown's farmland and the forest? Was it even on the earth at all but rather in some vacuum outside the universe? Then he noticed a huge black throne on a dais at one end of the hall. It was heavily carved with ugly snarling and writhing monsters. In it sat Sujad the Great.
A figure was approaching the throne. Only as it drew near could Peter see it was Jadus Castirio. He had something in his hand. Peter flinched as he sensed what it was.
Sujad, looking extremely pleased, he held out his hands for Jadus's gift. “Well done, my son!"
Obviously glad to be rid of it, Jadus dropped the thing into his father's hands. Sujad gloated over it.
"Ah!” He touched it thoughtfully. “The only thing amiss with this is that the replica of the Obsidian Dagger isn't made from obsidian. But we shall quickly change that.” Sujad flung out his right hand commandingly. “Jadus, bring me the Obsidian Orb. We must do this at once before anyone of the Earthlight divines our purpose."
Jadus hurried to obey, at the same time ordering one of the gremlins to bring a table, and within moments Sujad had the orb in front of him. Jadus turned to the hordes of Sujad's followers and servants swarming below the dais.
"Clear the hall! The Lord of Obsidian wishes to call upon his powers! Any caught in this hall while he does so will be destroyed by the forces of the power he unleashes.” When the hall was empty of all but himself and his father, Jadus strode to the door, made sure the last slave had disappeared, and closed it with a crash that made Peter's ears ring.
Sujad placed the thing Jadus had given him on the table between himself and the orb. His hands hovered over the orb's surface without touching it. Sujad commanded the Obsidian Orb with hands and eyes. Little bolts of blue lightning sprang from it and hit his palms before bouncing back to the black surface. Suddenly the light vanished and Sujad sat cupping something in both hands.
He held it out to Jadus without speaking. Peter caught a glint of satisfaction in Sujad's black eyes as Jadus moved forward to have a look. At the same time dim light from one of the smoking torches in the room fell on the thing in Sujad's hands. For the first time Peter saw the wax doll clearly. Its amazing likeness to himself made him feel sick. The light caught the sharp object sticking out of the image and its polished surface glittered. He was looking at a perfect miniature copy of the Obsidian Dagger.
Sujad withdrew his hand and the dagger disappeared into the murky shadows of his hall.
Peter saw Jadus's face twist into a contemptuous sneer. “I've met that boy. He came with Merlin to see Morgause. He was such a miserable-looking specimen I found it hard to believe what Morgause sa
id. She called him Child of the Earthlight, Chosen One of the Earthlight, Son of Arthur and goodness knows how many other names, and said that he was as much her bane as Merlin the Enchanter."
Sujad snorted. “Miserable looking he might be, but Merlin himself is no oil painting. You would do well to remember the old cliché about not judging a book by its cover. The Earthlight delights in things that are other than what they seem."
Sound started to fade on Sujad's last sentence. Peter wasn't even aware of the change from Sujad's world to his own. The next thing he knew he was waking up in his bed to Dreyfus licking his face. The dog had clearly tired of waiting for him to waken and had jumped onto the bed.
Peter pushed Dreyfus away impatiently and hastily washed and dressed and went downstairs. To his dismay Bart had already had his breakfast and gone to work, but Susan was sitting at the table quietly enjoying a cup of tea.
She smiled broadly at him. “What would you like for breakfast, Peter? I haven't had mine yet. I like to be up and about a while before eating."
Peter settled for the porridge and scrambled eggs on toast that his hostess said she was having. Dreyfus was given some dog biscuits.
Peter didn't realise how preoccupied he was until Susan broke in on his thoughts. “Bart tells me you have two special friends who live not far from your uncle's place. He thought you might like to invite them over for a day."
Instantly the spectral visions that had been crowding Peter's mind vanished. “That would be great!"
"Good. We were sure you'd agree. Their mother is bringing them over after breakfast. Bart tells me you haven't met her yet. She says Jamie and John both like horse-riding."
Peter returned to his breakfast with renewed appetite. He could hardly wait to see his friends again. He had so much to tell them.
They cleared up the kitchen and Susan went back to her bookkeeping, leaving Peter to wait for his friends. The morning was well advanced before Jamie and John arrived with their mother. Her fair hair and blue eyes, together with her startling likeness to the twins, immediately declared her relationship to the boys. She and Susan seemed to take an instant liking to each other. The boys took the lunches Susan had prepared for them and left the women drinking tea in the kitchen while they raced out to the stables to saddle their horses. Dreyfus, catching the mood of excitement and expectation, ran barking at Peter's heels.
The Lord of Obsidian [Quest for Earthlight Trilogy Book 2] Page 12
