by Garth Nix
"That's not the way, Brightstar! Hasn't your Lumenor told you where to report? We're clearing out everything from Indigo down!"
Tal didn't answer. He tried to look vacant and staggered across the traffic, which had resumed going the other way. He earned some angry cries, but by the time he'd threaded his way through, the Brightblinder was lost in the sea of fleeing Chosen.
After that, Tal took lesser-known ways down to the Orange levels. The Brightblinder had obviously known what he was talking about, as the lower Tal went, the more deserted it was. There were still Guards and irregular groups of Chosen with them heading down, but Tal stayed out of their way or pretended to be resting before continuing on up. In any case they were always in too much of a hurry to pay any attention to him.
Finally, he came to the familiar Orange levels that had been home for most of his life. They did not feel like home now. Tal realized he didn't really feel like a Chosen anymore, either. Certainly he had no desire either to join those fleeing upward, or the fighters heading down.
At the corner of the corridor that led to his family's rooms, Tal paused. He looked down it and saw the familiar door with his family's sigil. The orange Sthil-beast leaping over a seven-pointed star.
His eyes misted as he remembered rushing home when he first got the news of his father's disappearance. He had tried not to cry then, not wanting anyone to see his sorrow and fear. Sushin had been waiting inside.
It was unlikely Sushin was waiting inside now, not with the Icecarls attacking. But Tal was sure he would have left traps, and perhaps free shadows, to guard Graile. He had almost caught Tal before in a similar way, by using his brother, Gref, as bait.
"You see the door with the Sthil-beast?" Tal whispered to Adras. "Can you slide under and have a look around? Be careful. There might be traps, or enemies."
"Adras will break traps and tear enemies into three," declared the Spiritshadow.
"In half, I think you mean," corrected Tal. "No, three. One piece left, one piece right, one piece to trample on," said Adras. "It is the Storm Shepherd way. That's what Odris is doing now."
"Odris?" asked Tal. His voice sort of squeaked, in either nervousness or excitement. "She's in the Castle?"
Adras nodded and pointed one massive thumb at the floor.
"Down below. Fighting. I hear the wind tell me." "And Milla?" Tal asked eagerly. "Is she still alive?"
"Don't know," said Adras.
"Wind speaks only of Odris. But wind would not know Milla anyway."
"Maybe Milla's showing the Icecarls the way in," Tal said quietly. "They would need a guide, and she's the obvious choice. Maybe they wouldn't let her go to the Ice because she was needed."
Adras shrugged. He didn't know. He was happy to know Odris was close. He would see her soon.
Tal felt happier, too. He'd never really believed that Milla was dead, but he'd feared that she was. But if Odris was here, and fighting with the Icecarls…
"Do I go now?" interrupted Adras.
"Yes, yes!" said Tal. "But be careful. Unlock the door if it's locked, and don't touch anything suspicious."
Adras drifted down the corridor. Tal watched anxiously as he slid under the door, every sense alert. But he didn't hear anything, and there was no sign of any alarm or trap.
Minutes passed. Adras did not return. Tal stayed crouched at the corner, tension mounting inside him. What had happened to the Spiritshadow?
Another minute passed. Tal stood up, crouched down, stood up again.
Another minute passed. Tal pushed his Sunstone ring up and down his finger nervously. Surely Adras would have opened the door by now? Something must have gone wrong.
Tal started to sneak along the corridor, his Sunstone hand held ready. Red light started to billow to the surface of the stone, as Tal prepared a Red Ray of Destruction.
He was almost at the door when it suddenly swung open. For a split second, Tal was about to fire the Red Ray at whatever came out. But he didn't, because it was Adras.
"What are you waiting for?" asked the Spirit-shadow. "I unlocked the door ages ago. There's no one here anyway. Just one of your lot, sound asleep in a funny hot room at the back."
"That's not 'one of my lot," Tal said angrily. "That's my mother!"
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Milla danced a dance of death, the Talon's whip of light weaving around her like a razor-sharp ribbon. She mowed through the ranks of attacking Spiritshadows like a Merwin through a half-asleep herd of Wreska.
As the Talon cut, sliced, and choked through the Spiritshadows, it also deflected the rays of light and other magics that were sent against the War-Chief of the Icecarls. But quick as it was, faster than a Fleamite, the Talon could not fully deflect every Red Ray or Blue Burst the Chosen was firing from their makeshift barricade higher up the wide reaches of the Old Grand Stair.
Red light struck and Milla was lightly burned across both arms. But she did not fall back until the Spiritshadows were in full retreat. Even then, the
Talon tried to lash out behind Milla, and she only just managed to turn it aside as Odris grabbed her and dragged her back behind the Icecarls' own wall of partially reflective crystal panels, stacked against a breastwork of barrels, boxes, and anything else they could drag up from the Underfolk level at the end of the stair.
As Odris dragged Milla away, several Shield Maidens paused in their own retreat to raise their mirror-shields to guard the War-Chief. They did it not a moment too soon, as more Red Rays and an Indigo Cutter zapped down, blowing chips of stone out of the steps as they were deflected by the shields.
Momentarily safe behind the barricade, Milla and Odris hunkered down as about a dozen hunters stood up and hurled their glowing spears at the last few Spiritshadows.
Saylsen crept up to them, her head just below the level of the barricade. More Red Rays crisscrossed overhead as she approached.
"Well done, War-Chief!" exclaimed the old Shield Mother. "If only the cowards themselves would attack, instead of sending their shadows! Then we would show them!"
Milla set her teeth for a moment, as she began to feel the pain from her burns.
"They show good sense," she said grimly. "The Spiritshadows do not die easily, and their Chosen masters will survive their pain. I wish that we had Spiritshadows to die for us."
She looked around. They had been fighting on the stair for almost a Chosen hour by her Sunstone, and there had been many deaths and many wounded among the Icecarls.
"There is no honor here," Milla added. It was not like the old stories and legends. "There is only foul and unpleasant work that must be done."
She saw Malen tending to a dying Shield Maiden, and crawled down to her.
"What news of the main host?" asked Milla. Malen shook her head. Her hands were shaking, Milla saw.
"I… I don't know," Malen whispered. "I can't hear them in the middle of this. I can't hear them!"
"It doesn't matter," Milla calmed her. "Just do what you can for the wounded. I've sent runners back. They will bring up the others when they come."
When they come,
Milla thought. She hoped it would be soon enough. Even with the Talon, there was a limit to how many Spiritshadows they could stop. There had been six assaults so far down the stairs. Each time there had been more Spiritshadows, and each time they had been barely thrown back.
Milla looked across at the end of the barricade, where there was a considerable space after the main body of defenders. Everywhere else the line was packed tight with Shield Maidens and hunters, staying low until they had to confront the next attack.
The reason for the space was immediately clear. Jarek was there, staring through a slight gap between two panes of crystal. His vast blue-stained chest was rising and falling like a bellows, and he held his great chain of gold metal taut between two huge fists. Kirr was stroking the back of his neck and whispering in his ear. She had managed to get him to come back after each attack, a feat Milla would have believed impossible
after seeing his intense rage and the carnage he wreaked among the Spiritshadows with his chain. The golden metal, like certain types of light, was all too solid to Spirit-shadows.
As Milla watched, a Red Ray drilled through the gap and struck Jarek on the chest. Anyone else would have been killed instantly, but his skin, soaked in Norrworm blood, reflected the ray. It hit a barrel and sliced away a long wooden splinter.
The splinter flew through the air with an awful whir, and went straight into Kirr.
The Shield Maiden fell without a sound, crumpled over the next lower step. Milla ran to her, as fast as she could without exposing herself. Malen followed, her slim medicine pack in hand.
Even before they got there, they knew nothing could be done. The splinter was as long as an arrow, and by terrible mischance it had struck Kirr under the arm, where she had no armor.
Jarek looked down at his partner and touched her gently on the back. When she did not move, he rolled her over. Milla and Malen froze, seeing the madness in his eyes.
Jarek put Kirr down again. His head went back, and he gave the most terrible howl anyone had ever heard, Icecarl or Chosen. It was louder and fiercer than a Merwin's screech, deeper than the distant rumble of the Selski.
Time stood still. Even the Chosen stopped firing Red Rays over the barricade.
Jarek rose up and smashed his way through the barricade, whirling the great chain above his head. The awful howl continued, far longer than anyone's lungs could have sustained it.
Red Rays flashed and played across his body, but he did not fall back. A Blue Burst broke over him, but he did not falter.
Milla didn't need to think twice.
"Attack!" she yelled. "For Kirr! Attack!"
In an instant, every Icecarl was up, including many wounded. The barricade was pushed aside or jumped or bulled through, as every Shield Maiden and hunter stormed up the stairs in the wake of the Wilder Jarek's chain and War-Chief Milla's terrible Talon.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Tal advanced into the antechamber cautiously. Despite Adras's complacency, he was sure there was a trap. There was no way Sushin would have left Graile unguarded.
But he couldn't see anything. There were no strange Sunstones in the walls or ceiling. No shadows moving where they shouldn't be, no odd patches of darkness.
He checked the door to the sunroom. Adras had opened it, and it, too, seemed innocuous.
Tal edged through the doorway, ready for anything. As always, the heat hit him, and the humidity. The sunroom's walls and ceiling were covered in tiny Sunstones that constantly emitted light and heat. The humidity was explained by an onion-shaped dome in the corner, pricked with thousands of tiny holes that had steam wafting out of them. It was directly connected to one of the lesser steam pipes of the Castle.
Graile was lying on the bed, not moving. Tal felt a sharp pain in his chest as he saw her. She looked so gray and wasted. For a panicked second he couldn't see her Spiritshadow, then he spotted it under the bed. It, too, had faded, and was now only a sad remnant of the great shadow owl it had once been.
Tal stood absolutely still, looking at his sick mother. Was it water-spider venom that had made her like this? Water-spider venom given to her by Sushin? Or was it something else, something that the antidote he now clutched in his hand would be useless against? Tal took a deep breath and knelt down by the bed. He opened the vial of antidote, then gently lifted Graile's head, supporting her neck. She was breathing very, very slowly and infrequently, and she did not respond to his touch. Her skin was also very, very cold.
Tal poured the antidote into her mouth, closed it, pinched her nose, and shook her a little.
For a few seconds nothing happened. Then she suddenly coughed, an explosive cough that almost made Tal let go of her. He did release his pinch on her nose.
She coughed again, a racking cough that shook her whole body. Then her eyes opened. She couldn't focus at first.
Tal eased her head back onto the pillows. Her eyes grew sharp, and she smiled at him as he plumped up her pillows.
"Tal," she whispered. "You've grown."
Tal smiled back, and a single tear slid down his cheek. He wiped it away as Graile saw the ring upon his hand.
"You've got a Sunstone," she added, her voice so faint Tal could hardly hear. "A Primary Sunstone. We will be able to go to Aenir."
Her own Sunstone lay on her chest, suspended on a silver chain. It barely sparked. Tal wondered what Sushin had done to it.
"It's a bit more complicated than that, Mother," Tal said hastily. He looked around. He knew Sushin must have trapped the room somehow. "A lot has happened. A real lot. We have to get away from here, for a start."
Graile nodded, but when she tried to get up it was obviously beyond her. Her Spiritshadow, which was also looking a little better, tried to help her, but it still had no strength.
"Adras will carry you," said Tal. "My Spirit-shadow. Adras!" "Your Spiritshadow!" echoed Graile. She smiled again. "A lot has happened."
"Adras!" Adras came back into the room. He was holding a tiny, squirming fleck of shadow in two fingers.
"Look what I found. There were lots of them, but the others got away."
Tal stared at the tiny wriggling thing. It was the smallest Spiritshadow he had ever seen. He couldn't even clearly see what it was.
"It's the Spiritshadow of a Frox," explained Adras kindly. "This is what a swarm's made out of."
"It's speaking aloud," said Graile faintly. Tal thought she meant the Frox, until he realized she meant Adras. Chosen Spiritshadows never spoke in public. Only to their masters, in private.
"Adras is different," said Tal quickly. The Frox that got away were probably reporting to someone right now. They had to move quickly.
"Adras, please pick up my mother carefully," he said. "Her name is Graile. You must protect her as if she were me."
"Sure," boomed Adras. He bent over the bed and easily picked up both Graile and her Spiritshadow, which jumped onto her stomach at the last moment. In full health, the great owl was normally the same size as Tal. But it had withered to less than a third of his height.
"Where are we going?" whispered Graile. "How did you wake me?"
"You've been poisoned with water-spider venom," explained Tal quickly as he led the way out. "I got an antidote from… from Ebbitt… um… I'll explain… that is . ."
A sound from beyond the outer door saved him. Footsteps. Tal raised his Sunstone. All his anxiety and fear for his mother flowed into it. The stone took it in as raw power, and instantly shed its disguise.
Violet light filled the room. Graile let out a shocked cry.
"Violet!" Tal cursed. Someone tried the door.
"Back!" Tal whispered. They retreated swiftly back. Tal paused at the sunroom door, keeping it open a fraction. His Sunstone, now a vivid violet, shone ready. Once again, Tal didn't have a particular
Light spell ready. Just a violent anger that he let build in the Sunstone. The outer door opened. Two Guards crept in. They had their swords and Sunstones ready.
Sushin was behind them, his great bulk filling the door. He was wearing the robes of a Violet Shadowlord openly, and had even more Sunstones on his hands and body than ever before.
Tal didn't wait. He directed all his hatred through the Sunstone and out toward the three Chosen.
A terrible blast of raw violet light flew across the room. It blew furniture to pieces, picked up the Guards, and hurled them out into the corridor.
The blast sent Sushin reeling back, his Sunstones flashing as they absorbed the shock. Before Tal could loose another blast, Sushin threw something at him. A ball, about the size of a juice-fruit.
It hit Tal on the chest, and exploded everywhere exactly like a juice-fruit. Water flew up in Tal's face and dripped down his chin. But water tainted with something, something that smelled horrible and familiar. Tal couldn't place it for a moment. Then he knew.
It was spider venom!
A second later
, Tal felt it flow through his veins. It might be slower than when it was injected by a spider, but he probably had less than a minute before he would be unconscious.
He slammed the door and staggered back. Adras was putting Graile down on the bed, the big Spiritshadow already yawning.
"Mother!" Tal said, forcing the words out against the darkness that was descending inside his head. "Pretend to be sick still. When you can, go down to the Underfolk levels. Tell the Icecarls you're Tal's mother. Tell them to take you to Milla, if she lives. Tell her Lokar is released. Take the violet half…"
He tried to slip the Sunstone from his finger, but it was already too late. It was on too tight, and there was no strength in his hands. Then he remembered the last vial of antidote, still tied into his shirt.
Weakening fingers fumbled at the knot.
He almost had it undone when darkness claimed him.
Doom approaches. The Dark World is in danger, for the Veil is vulnerable. War is soon to come. On one side are Tal and the Underfolk rebels, struggling valiantly for freedom. On another side are Milla and the Icecarls, preparing to assault the Castle in order to preserve their world. And on a third side lies the most sinister force of all--a force of evil that has only now chosen to reveal itself--a force of such power that it could unleash the ultimate destruction.