by B. J. Beach
After graciously thanking Kimi for the blessing on her palace, Evalin hurried them through the corridors and down the long winding stairways. Activating the portal, she ushered Bardeen and Kimi into the chamber and sealed the portal behind them.
As Kimi moved slowly forward Evalin called softly to him. “Do not touch the crystal or enter the light.”
Kimi nodded his understanding and stopped. With his hands in an attitude of prayer he gazed reverently, first at the impressively large crystal, then at the golden light. Finally he looked up at Karryl’s recumbent form. The tattooed hill ranger spent long moments in silent contemplation. Then, his gaze still fixed on Karryl he started to slowly circle the chamber on silent feet.
His circuit of the crystal complete, he turned to Lady Evalin. “You have, please, the anti-venom?”
Evalin dipped into the embroidered pouch at her waist and produced a small tightly corked bottle. Without taking it from her, Kimi studied it carefully. With a brief nod, he sat cross-legged on the floor and unslung his own pouch from his shoulder. Reaching inside he removed a rectangular piece of white cloth which he spread out on the floor in front of him. This was followed by a bunch of soft, greyish-green leaves. These he crushed firmly, rubbing the resultant strongly scented juices carefully and meticulously over his fingers and hands, up to his wrists. After dropping the mangled leaves to one side Kimi then brought out a tiny carved stone bowl. He placed it on the cloth along with three slender sharply pointed objects, each about two inches long. Wordlessly he held up his hand to Lady Evalin.
Using one of the points, Kimi prised the tightly fitting cork from the narrow neck of the bottle. Slowly he dripped a clear liquid into the bowl then firmly replaced the stopper before standing the tiny bottle to one side of the cloth. He then reached once more into his pouch and produced a foot long finger-thick stick which appeared to be hollow. Taking up the ball of crushed leaves, he wiped them around one end to about halfway down. With one of the points held between the tips of forefinger and thumb, Kimi quickly dipped the sharp end into the bowl of anti-venom. With one smooth and practised movement he inserted it into the end of the tube.
Keeping the loaded pipe perfectly horizontal he rose fluidly to his feet and made his way across the chamber to the far side of the crystal. Choosing his position carefully, he took a deep breath. In one smooth swift action he raised the pipe to his lips, tilted his head back and blew sharply. Giving a brief nod of satisfaction, Kimi lowered the pipe as the loaded dart lodged in the side of Karryl’s neck, just below his ear.
In no apparent haste, Kimi returned to his cross-legged position in front of the cloth. Just as meticulously he dipped and loaded the second dart before standing up and repeating the procedure on Karryl’s opposite side. He then sat down on the floor facing the crystal, his dark eyes fixed on the sleeping Mage-Prime.
Bardeen crossed the chamber and crouched down beside him. “What happens now?”
Kimi replied without averting his gaze. “We wait.”
Evalin moved to stand behind them, and the three waited in gradually deepening silence.
Suddenly Evalin gasped. “The crystal! It’s stopped its humming!”
Bardeen and Kimi rose to their feet to stand beside Evalin, their hearts in their mouths as events took their course without any further intervention on their part. Its movement barely perceptible, the huge crystal sank lower, maintaining the distance between its shining curved surface and Karryl as the light surrounding it continued to diffuse its golden radiance.
The crystal finally settled on the smooth stone floor, Karryl still suspended above it but now within reach. The golden glow began to fade slowly downwards into the crystal before winking out, releasing Karryl’s weight as he opened his eyes to the soft blue-green of the cavern’s own light. Three pairs of eager arms reached out. Each drawing a little on their power to support him, they lowered Karryl carefully to the floor, Evalin dropping quickly to her knees to cradle his head against her thigh. As if having difficulty focussing, the young Mage-Prime squinted up at each of them in turn.
His waking comment struggled out on a dry croak. “Gods! I feel terrible.”
Turning to one side he was then promptly and violently sick. While Karryl lay limp and gasping, Kimi reached over. Using his fingernails he pinched the short lengths of dart left protruding from Karryl’s neck and carefully drew each one out. After dropping them onto the white cloth, the Ingali prince took a small pot of salve from his pouch and smeared a little on the tiny puncture wounds left by the darts. He then began to wrap everything he had used, returning each item to his pouch.
The unused anti-venom in the bowl was dripped back into its tiny bottle then stoppered tightly and handed to Evalin. “He will recover, but slowly. Now he must rest and take nourishment.”
Evalin nodded as she looked down at Karryl’s wan face. “Then I think we’ve been in this place long enough.” She looked up at Kimi and Bardeen. “If you’ll help me get him to his feet we’ll get through the portal. Then we can form a link and transport him upstairs.”
Bardeen hesitated. “Do you think he’s strong enough? I know it will be a bit tricky but I think it would be better if we physically took him up the stairs.”
Evalin’s look held a challenge. “Do you realise how many steps that is?”
Crouched beside Karryl, the magician gave her a flat look as he prepared to lift. “No, but I’ll be sure and count them on the way up. Now, shall we try and get him to his feet?”
Karryl forced his eyes open again. Taking a deep ragged breath, he tried to focus on Bardeen’s face. “Would you all mind…if I had some say in the matter, instead of talking round me…as if I was dead?”
Holding out an arm, he groaned as Bardeen pulled him up into a sitting position. He sat for a few moments, legs outstretched and hands on his knees, before pushing himself slowly and awkwardly to his feet. He felt as if he had been pummelled in the washtub and then wrung out. Every joint in his body ached and his head seemed full of feathers. Kimi moved into his line of vision and the young Mage-Prime’s mouth twitched in a semblance of his familiar grin. With a hand on Bardeen’s shoulder, Karryl took another deep breath and blinked his eyes to finally clear them. He turned to Evalin as she placed her hand gently on his arm.
His words came out between short gasps. “It would seem…I’ve already caused you…enough trouble.” Swallowing hard, he straightened his shoulders and looked about him. “So, how many of these…blasted steps are there to…wherever we are?”
Evalin smiled, quickly placing her arm round him as he swayed slightly. “There are more than enough, but we can help you. To be sure it may take a while, but it won’t be a bad thing for you to get your legs moving. As to where we are, I’ll tell you everything later when you’re settled. Are you ready to try?”
Karryl nodded. As Evalin began to steer him towards the cavern wall, he felt a trickle of power enter his body. The pressure eased from his joints and he felt as though he was standing on a thick, soft carpet. He watched as the shining oval of the portal shimmered into view in front of them.
The climb was long and slow with a few stops while Karryl sat on the stairs to catch his breath. With Evalin leading, Kimi bringing up the rear, and the constant and reassuring touch of Bardeen’s hands against his back, he finally stepped out into the secluded corridor which accommodated the hidden doorway. With a sigh of relief he sank onto a nearby chair and leaned his head back against the wall.
Evalin gestured along the broad, tapestry-hung corridor to her right. “Not much further now. There is a comfortable room waiting for you here on the ground floor. You will be my guest until you are fully recovered.”
Easing himself to his feet Karryl ran his fingers through his dark hair and gave her an appreciative smile. “Sounds good to me.”
As Evalin showed him into the large, bright and airy room, she tugged once on a thick tasselled cord near the window. Karryl knew that somewhere a service bell would be jing
ling. Deciding that for the time being he was not going to worry about a thing, he found just enough strength to remove his boots before toppling onto the bed. He sank deeply into another sleep, softer, warmer and free of disturbingly alien and tantalising dreams.
31 - Reunion in Arinel
The ashes in the grate were cold. A plate lay alone and unwashed in the kitchen sink, while the remnant of bread in the crock played host to a thriving colony of greyish-green growth. Metamorphosed into an unappetising acidic-yellow slurry, the milk stared sourly back at him from its jug. All around him lurked the stale air of vacancy.
Returning cheerful refreshed and rejuvenated from his recuperation in the realm of the wood-sprites, this was not what Symon had been expecting. Feeling more deflated than annoyed, he wandered back into the sitting room and tugged half-heartedly on a bell-pull before picking up his bag and carrying it into his bedroom. The gleaming spring sunlight flooding through the window helped to restore his spirits, and he began unpacking. Things were methodically tucked away in wardrobes and drawers, while a few mysterious packages of various shapes and sizes were placed aside on a small table. The doorbell jangled.
His expression inscrutable, Jobling folded his hands behind his back as he gave a slight but respectful bow. “I have taken the liberty of answering your bell myself, my Lord. Allow me to say how pleased I am that you have returned safely.”
Symon took a step backwards and looked up at the major-domo’s bland expression. The little magician tried unsuccessfully to suppress a smile. If this was how Jobling looked when he was pleased, Symon was hard pressed to imagine what bad news would do to his countenance.
He turned away. “Er…thank you Jobling. Do come in and close the door.”
As the manservant followed him into the small ante-room, Symon paused with his hand on the knob of the connecting door. “Tell me Jobling. Where is everybody? This apartment looks positively abandoned.”
From an inside pocket Jobling produced a sealed folded piece of vellum and handed it to Symon. “I was asked by the Lady Evalin to ensure that you received this on your return. I believe the contents will make everything clear, my Lord.”
Symon’s round face betrayed the briefest flash of irritation as he took the proffered letter. “How long have you known me Jobling?”
Straightening his shoulders, the major-domo’s reply was proudly confident. “Since I was a youth, my Lord.”
Symon nodded and pushed open the door into the sitting room. “Then I think it’s about time you stopped using that title I’ve been saddled with, don’t you? If you insist on being formal, Master Symon will suffice admirably. Now, let’s see what we have here.”
Breaking the thick dark blue seal as he went, Symon scuttled across the room to the window and held the letter towards the bright daylight. He read it through twice, his expression becoming more and more abject as he read Evalin’s words.
Sitting down heavily on the window-seat, the little magician listlessly waved the letter in the air as he stared unhappily at Jobling. “Well. This certainly explains everything, but I can’t say that knowing has brought any comfort. It seems that no sooner have I arrived than I find myself having to depart again.”
He stood up and looked around as if uncertain what to do next, then nodded and turned to Jobling. “You couldn’t find me a discreet and reliable domestic could you, just this once.” He took a few steps closer and lowered his voice. “I’m afraid there are one or two …er…unsavoury things in the kitchen that need attending to. I’ll probably be gone by the time she gets here, so perhaps you’d make sure the door is locked afterwards?”
Jobling made another slight bow. “I will attend to it immediately my…Master Symon. I’m sure that when you next return you will find everything to your satisfaction.”
Symon patted his palms together. “Good, good. Then that will be all Jobling, thank you. I have one or two things to collect then I’ll be off.”
As Symon hurried towards his study, Jobling turned about and exited the apartment, closing the door quietly behind him.
* * *
As far as the location of Evalin’s palace was concerned, Symon had a distinct advantage over Bardeen. He had been there many times. He was tempted to take a detour through the breathtakingly beautiful city of Bolduin, perhaps spend an hour or two enjoying the peace and tranquillity of its wooded parks or the botanical gardens, even perhaps browse in its famous library. Regretfully he pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind. Hitching a small, tooled leather satchel onto his shoulder he quietly and clearly uttered the spell which would take him swiftly through the aether to Evalin’s palace, hidden in its secret valley somewhere beyond the snow-dusted mountains of Runamaur.
Secure in the knowledge that Karryl could be in no safer hands, Symon decided it probably wouldn’t hurt to indulge himself a little. He materialised at the edge of a small stand of birch trees. Discovering his weight was crushing a clump of emerging bluebells, he stepped quickly to one side. Clusters of fattening birch catkins danced in the gentle breeze. In this seemingly magical land, the seasons delayed their emergence for almost a month behind those of Albita. Symon looked around and smiled in quiet appreciation, before leaving the peaceful shelter of the softly whispering trees, and strolling up the long gentle slope of rabbit grazed turf. In the distance he could see the rear entrance of Evalin’s small and unpretentious palace.
To his surprise he found the area in front of the single rear door protected by a strong warding just wide enough to prevent him from reaching the bell-pull. Quickly he drew a little power and assessed the warding, estimating that it would take him no more than a few minutes to dismantle. In a whimsical moment he decided against it. Instead he mischievously laid garbled fragments of a counter-spell onto the warding and waited. The result was not quite what he had expected. Without any kind of warning he found his arms pinned to his sides as he was instantly levitated to a position about four feet above the ground. Unable to move anything except his head, the little magician gave a delighted chuckle as he surveyed his surroundings from this very different perspective and unaccustomed altitude. Hearing the sound of running footsteps and the clatter of bolts being drawn, he grinned. The door flew open. At the same time, a brace of halberdiers raced towards him along the flag-stoned footway at the rear of the building.
Waving the guards to a halt, Evalin stepped forward, hands on hips. With one slender and quizzical eyebrow raised she contemplated her captive. “I’m thinking Master Symon that I should be leaving you up there for an hour or two.”
Symon would have patted his palms together but his arms were still being pressed firmly against his sides. Instead he gave a surprisingly boyish giggle. “And I’m thinking, ma’am, that it would probably be a most enjoyable experience, were I facing in the opposite direction. Up here I am no weight at all, and the ingenuity of your little trap is certainly cause for at least an hour of reflection.”
Throwing up her hands in mock despair, Evalin tried very hard to stop her old friend’s deceptively casual and incorrigible manner bringing a smile to her face. With a tiny gesture she lowered Symon gently until his feet were firmly on the ground. Bending at the knees, she gave him a brief hug of welcome before ushering him indoors and dismissing the guards.
As Evalin fastened the door behind them, Symon asked the question which had been uppermost in his mind from the moment Jobling had handed him the letter. “How is Karryl?”
Evalin folded her hands inside her wide sleeves and smiled warmly. “Far better than we could have hoped. Anti-venom was administered yesterday afternoon. Now he is resting comfortably, but I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you later on. He’s already briefly met our two other unusual guests. Shall we join them?”
She favoured him with a sidelong glance as she led the way down a broad corridor hung with tapestries and paintings of magical beasts and beings. “I scuttled them into the library when you triggered the alarm. No doubt they’ll be relieved to disc
over it was only you, up to your shenanigans.”
The two occupants of the library stood up as Evalin and Symon entered. The little magician smiled and nodded in response to Kimi’s traditional gestures of welcome. A little frown of query creased his brow as a white haired man wearing the traditional and distinctive cap and robes of master magician, stepped forward, hand outstretched. The man looked familiar. Symon quickly searched his extensive memory as he too took another step forward and held out his own hand. The hand-clasp of welcome lingered. Then Symon’s grip tightened as he realised whose blue eyes sparkled warmly back at him.
His own eyes wide with disbelief, Symon pumped vigorously at the other’s hand. “Bardeen? This is incredible! Is it really you?” Releasing the hand of his erstwhile apprentice, Symon spread his arms wide as if to welcome a long-lost brother. “This is indeed a wonderful surprise! I’m almost lost for words!”
Bardeen chuckled. “I find that hard to believe, Master Symon. What I do believe is that you are looking surprisingly well.”
Symon’s grey eyes shone as he tapped the side of his nose with a forefinger. “I have just returned from a rest-cure in the realm of the wood-sprites, thanks to our gracious hostess. You should try it sometime.”
Evalin gracefully crossed the room, leaned forward and studied the water-clock before gesturing towards the door. “Shall we go to the dining room gentlemen? Then you can all reminisce and exchange amazing tales over lunch.”
She turned and looked thoughtfully at each one of them in turn. “You will find I have a few other house-guests, but I trust them implicitly, so anything you choose to discuss will be treated in confidence and will remain within these walls. Now let us enjoy a long and well earned refreshment.”
As they left the library Symon paused and turned to Evalin. “Would it be possible to look in on Karryl before we eat?”