The Tenth Power

by Kate Constable

  ‘Thank the gods! You all right?’

  ‘I’m not infected.’ Darrow stepped back. ‘But my luck could not have held much longer. Come on!’ He led the way, pelting down the steps, stumbling slightly on legs stiffened by the cold.

  They were quick, but not quick enough. At the foot of the stairs a group of Protectors was waiting. The tip of a whip flickered through the air.Tonno cried out; his hand flew to his cheek and came away stained with blood. Darrow threw back his head and with fierce energy, growled out a song of ironcraft. Instantly, the whips twined in the air like searching snakes, tangling the arms and legs of the Protectors, writhing into knots. The guards yelled, and swarmed up the steps. Tonno unsheathed his knife with a roar and strode down to meet them. Halasaa kicked out and sent the nearest Protector sprawling back on top of his fellows.

  Step by step the three friends fought their way forward, down the stairs, then out onto the terrace. It was sleeting hard. Darrow sang fiercely; his chantments tripped the Protectors’ boots beneath them, made gloves fly up to hit their owners in the face, and twisted whip-handles from the grip of those who held them. An icy wind blasted across the terrace, driving everyone back against the wall.

  Slowly, slowly, Darrow and the others struggled across the slippery flagstones. Sleet stung their faces. One by one the Protectors fell, tangled in the lashes of their own whips, or slumped on the stones. ‘This way!’ cried Darrow. The wind tore the words from his lips as he beckoned his companions toward the edge of the terrace.

  Tonno gripped Darrow’s arm. ‘Have you lost your wits?’ he yelled, his thick black eyebrows crusted with ice. Darrow shrugged off his hand and bent forward into the wind.

  Look out! Halasaa called a warning. Another group of guards had burst from the building behind them, a mixture of Protectors and lazar-guards with their chequered armbands. Darrow glanced over his shoulder. He mouthed to the others, Come on! and fought against the wind toward the precipice. Tonno and Halasaa followed through the driving sleet.

  The yells of the guards and their drumming footsteps were lost in the screaming wind. Darrow was close to the cliff; he launched himself forward and slid on his stomach to the edge. With a howl, one of the lazar-guards leapt after him and gripped his ankle just above the boot. Darrow kicked wildly, but couldn’t shake him off; his trousers ripped, exposing bare skin, and the lazar-guard wrapped both hands around Darrow’s shin.

  A big, dim shape loomed like a bear out of the sleet.Tonno grabbed the lazar by the shoulders and wrenched him aside. Darrow wriggled forward and disappeared over the precipice.

  Come, my brother, come! Halasaa was at Tonno’s side, tugging him onward. Tonno screwed up his face, then plunged.

  An arm’s-length below the edge, the cliff angled back steeply into the red rock; somehow the three managed to cling with fingers and toes to clefts and crevices, their cheeks pressed against the icy stone. For a few moments they hung there; above their heads the guards scanned the drop, shook their heads, and, unable to see the fugitives, let themselves be driven back, whipped by the wind, into the shelter of the Lazar-House.

  Stiffly, Darrow moved one limb, then another, groping for handholds.Where he could, he used chantment to deepen the cracks in the rock where the others clung, or carved out new ones. Little by little they eased their way down, until they came to a narrow ledge where they could rest for a time, buffeted by the freezing wind. After that, the going was easier, and they crawled down, aching all over, but alive, to the foot of the cliff where the frozen bodies of the lazars lay tumbled.

  TONNO HAMMERED ON the door of Matifa’s house. Behind him, Darrow and Halasaa stamped and shivered, their hair dusted with snow. The afternoon’s storm had helped to conceal them; the streets were almost deserted, with people forced inside by the driving snow and sleet.

  ‘Open up, for pity’s sake!’ Tonno roared, and his fist was raised to strike again when the door opened a crack and Matifa’s emerald eye peered out. At once Tonno shouldered his way inside. ‘We need blankets – hot soup – a fire!’

  He shoved past her and up the stairs into the stuffy, overcrowded parlour, with its garish wall-paintings and fat-bellied stove. Halasaa whisked the striped blankets off the couches and threw one to Darrow. Matifa stood in the doorway, her hands pressed to her mouth, her cheeks flushed beneath their rouge. ‘Didn’t you hear me?’ barked Tonno, tugging off his grime-caked boots and throwing them into a corner. ‘We need hot soup, something to warm us. We’re frozen through!’

  ‘I’ll fetch some tea,’ said Matifa, her bright eyes gleaming with excitement. ‘And something better: a surprise!’ She winked mysteriously and whisked from the room, with a busy rustle of her layered skirts.

  ‘Just the tea will do!’ growled Tonno, then, turning to Darrow, ‘Come on, man.Take off your coat before it freezes to your back.’

  Darrow had let the blanket fall unheeded from his shoulders. In a low voice, he said, ‘The fellow who grabbed me on the terrace.Was he a Protector? Or – ’

  Tonno shook his head. ‘A lazar.’

  ‘I see.’ Darrow’s face was expressionless. ‘Halasaa, can you tell if I – if he’s given me the sickness?’

  Silently Halasaa stood, and laid his hands on his friend’s head. Darrow’s hair was plastered to his skull, dark as wet straw. I am sorry, my brother. Halasaa’s words were infinitely gentle.

  Darrow let out a harsh breath and dropped his face into his hands.

  Halasaa gripped his shoulder. I can help to ease the outward pains, the cold in the hands and feet. And I can slow the disease. Your powers will not fade for a long time.

  ‘But you can’t heal him!’ said Tonno bitterly. Halasaa had helped several afflicted chanters since their arrival in Gellan, but he had not succeeded in curing anyone.

  Halasaa looked troubled. I have never known a disease that the Power of Becoming could not heal. And I thought, because I am no chanter, that the illness could not touch me. But perhaps my own gifts have been weakened by this plague.

  ‘You think so?’Tonno snorted. ‘Come and test your powers on this.’ He indicated the slash on his cheek from the Protector’s whip. Halasaa touched it with his lithe brown fingers and began the swift complex movements that made up the dance of healing, tapping and soothing the hurt skin. When he lifted his hands away, the cut had vanished as if it had never been. ‘You see?’ grunted Tonno. ‘Nothing wrong with you.’

  Darrow turned away, and pushed some sticks into the crackling stove.

  The door creaked open, cups rattled on a tray, and there was a self-important rustle of skirts and draperies as Matifa came in. ‘Here I am!’

  There was a brief, stunned silence, thenTonno choked out, ‘You – !’

  Darrow was so astonished that for a moment he forgot what he had just learned; he could only gape.

  There stood Keela, once the Third Princess of the Merithuran Empire, half-sister of Samis. The year before, Darrow and Calwyn and their friends had thwarted her attempt to seize the throne of the Empire for herself and her half-brother. But even before the Republic had been properly established, she’d escaped. They had guessed that she’d fled to Gellan to join Samis, but there had been no news of her since her disappearance.

  She was dressed in Matifa’s colourful clothes, but the huge turban had vanished, revealing smooth golden hair scooped back into a simple bun. She had scrubbed away the mask of thick Gellanese face-paint, and her own large, ice-blue eyes gazed out with an expression of cool, arrogant triumph.

  ‘Gellanese sorcery!’ muttered Tonno.

  Keela gave a trilling laugh. ‘Not at all, darling! Let me show you.’ She bent over her cupped hand.When she straightened up, her eyes were a brilliant emerald-green: Matifa’s eyes. ‘Simply paint, and a turban, and chips of coloured glass, and behold! Your sympathetic friend! Isn’t it delicious?’

  Keela clapped her hands together. She was so beautiful, and so childishly delighted, that for a moment even Tonno was tempted to indulge her.
He could scarcely believe that they’d been fooled so easily, by eye-colour and costume and paint. Admittedly, all their contact with Matifa had taken place in darkened streets, or windowless rooms, shrouded with draperies, but that was usual in Gellan. He stepped toward her, fists clenched as if he could only just restrain himself from strangling her.

  ‘In the name of all the gods, what game are you playing?’

  Keela pouted. ‘Aren’t you pleased that we’re all together again? Tonno, Halasaa, and of course Darrow. Such an extraordinary man! If only dear little Calwyn were here! But I must content myself with having the Lord of the Black Palace in my parlour.What an honour!’

  ‘That’s enough,’ said Darrow coldly.

  Halasaa shook his head. You cannot expect us to be happy to see you.

  ‘But I’ve been terribly helpful! Didn’t I tell you how to rescue dear Darrow? Didn’t I lend you my lamp?Where is my lamp, by the way? You don’t mean to say you’ve lost it?’

  ‘Was that your idea of a joke?You sent us crawling through the sewers like rats!’ roared Tonno.

  Keela tossed her head, and her frivolous manner vanished. Her face hardened. ‘Half the Guild is – how do the Gellanese put it? – in my coin-pocket. Luckily, I was able to bring a few jewels with me when I was forced into exile after your little rebellion in Merithuros, enough to buy some favours. My spies have been watching you since you arrived.’

  ‘I don’t believe you,’ snarled Tonno.

  ‘Wasn’t Darrow arrested as soon as I gave the signal?’ said Keela smugly. She snapped her fingers. ‘And then, of course, helpful Matifa was able to tell you the way into the Lazar-House. How could I resist such a delicious charade? I haven’t had so much fun since the Palace of Cobwebs!’

  Halasaa spoke quietly into Tonno’s mind. It is like Keela to send us through the sewers for her own amusement. And the guard in the dining hall pretended he did not see us, and those at the foot of the stairs did not fight back.

  ‘And all the time she was sitting here, like a spider in a web,’ growled Tonno. ‘Pity she didn’t tell all the guards about her little scheme. Then Darrow could have been spared the lazar-sickness – ’ ‘Oh dear!’ Keela clasped her hands together. ‘What a shame!’

  ‘You!’Tonno thumped his fist into the wall. ‘You did it on purpose – you planned it, you ordered them!’

  ‘No, no!’ protested Keela. ‘I swear it, on my father’s life.’

  Your father is dead. Halasaa was expressionless.

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Darrow dully. ‘No chanter can enter the Lazar-House without expecting to become infected.’ Automatically his hand moved to the place on his finger where the Ring of Lyonssar had been; but he had left that behind in Merithuros, so it could offer him no comfort. He held his hands to the fire, staring at them, front and back, as if he had never seen them before.

  Keela pulled a sympathetic face. ‘I’m so sorry. But your clever friend here can heal you.’

  ‘Your spies are not as well-informed as you think, Keela,’ said Darrow. ‘This is a sickness Halasaa cannot heal.’

  Keela flashed him a look, then lowered her eyelashes and toyed with the teacups. She might have been pretending to be surprised by this news, or pretending not to be surprised: it was impossible to tell.

  Tonno glowered at her. ‘And where is your brother? Or is he your lover? I never was sure about that.’

  Keela tossed back her head. ‘We of the royal blood do not live as you petty commoners do. Samis and I have a unique bond. You could never understand.’

  ‘Is that so?’ sneeredTonno. ‘If you’re so close, why didn’t he take you with him?’

  ‘He – he wanted to protect me from the rigours of the journey.’

  ‘What journey?Where’s he gone?’

  Keela’s eyes were cool and defiant, calculating. ‘I’ll tell you everything I know, on one condition.When you go after him – and I know you will go after him – you must take me with you.’

  ‘I’d rather take one of the rabid dogs from the market square,’ snarled Tonno.

  ‘Darrow? What do you say?’ Keela swung around with a swish of her skirts.

  Darrow did not look up. ‘Did Samis ever speak of a wheel? What do you know of the chanter, Tragg?’

  Keela sniffed. ‘That boring old man? Day after day, the two of them were shut up together, they never let me hear what they were talking about. But no, let me think, there was something about a wheel,’ she added hastily. ‘Yes, I remember, of course, there was a missing piece. It’s a magical thing, isn’t it?’

  ‘Don’t listen to her, Darrow.’ Tonno turned away in disgust. ‘She’s saying whatever she thinks you want to hear. I don’t believe a single word that comes out of that pretty mouth!’

  ‘Let Darrow make his decision.’ Keela pouted. ‘Will you let me help you?Will you take me with you?’

  Darrow stared into the fire. ‘It’s a ridiculous idea. Keela, your brother and I are sworn enemies. If we meet again, it must end in death for one of us.’

  ‘Oh, yes, I know.’ Keela brushed this detail aside. ‘And no doubt you believe you’ll be the one to kill him. But I know that he’ll never be defeated, certainly not by you, especially if you’re ill. So let’s agree to disagree on that point, and meanwhile, we can help each other. I’ll pay for supplies, for everything we need, if you’ll take me with you.’

  Darrow crossed to the window. Pushing aside the heavy curtain, he leaned his forehead against the cold stone. The sprawling warren of Gellan was laid out below: the narrow, winding streets with their overhanging buildings; the red-tiled roofs, wet with grimy snow; the blunt fingers of the watchtowers by the frozen harbour, and the tiny ships trapped there. With his back to the room, he said, ‘There is no reason for us to agree, and every reason to refuse.’

  ‘Pardon me,’ said Keela silkily. ‘I’m afraid, if you don’t agree, I will have you all killed.You can buy anything in Gellan, including assassins. You couldn’t hope to leave the city alive.’

  ‘And what makes you think you’ll be safe with us, princess?’ asked Tonno. He drew his knife and pointed the blade at her. ‘What’s to stop us slitting your throat, right here and now?’

  Keela smoothed her wide, garish skirts. ‘I know what manner of men you are. Put the knife away. You will not use it.’

  Tonno glared at her. There was silence in the room. Then Tonno swore under his breath and slid the knife back in its sheath.

  Suddenly, Keela launched herself across the room to clutch at Darrow’s sleeve. ‘You must take me, you must! No one else will do it, no matter how much I offer. Not in this winter. I could buy galley-slaves, but what use would they be? You are experienced travellers, by land and sea. You’ve travelled the Wildlands before. I’m stronger than Samis thinks, I’m not afraid. But I can’t go after him alone!’

  ‘TheWildlands,’ said Darrow in a tired voice.

  You think he is returning to the Lost City, to Spareth? asked Halasaa.

  Tonno said, ‘If he did have some thing – not that I believe her – that’d be the place to use it.’

  ‘If he goes to Spareth overland, he will pass close to Antaris,’ said Darrow.

  ‘Is that where little Calwyn is? I did wonder – you haven’t quarrelled, have you, darling? Well, she’ll be quite safe there. No need to involve her in all this.’

  ‘That’s for us to decide!’ growled Tonno.

  Darrow said, almost to himself, ‘I would like to be sure that he hasn’t harmed her.’

  Keela smoothed her hair with a sly look. ‘Well, isn’t it time for one of your famous votings?’

  ‘Your wits must be as scrambled as the egg I ate for breakfast,’ said Tonno. ‘I suppose you’ll want us to warm your boots, and curl your hair, and wait on you every step of the way! I’m not scared of your hired assassins.You’re not coming with us, and that’s flat.’

  Wait. Unexpectedly, Halasaa held up his slim brown hand. We should listen to her.

  T
onno rounded on him. ‘Did the fumes in the sewers turn your wits?’

  Halasaa’s dark eyes had a faraway look. The fate of Tremaris lies in the balance. And Keela…Keela is a part of the unfolding.

  Tonno shook his head. ‘So you can foretell the future now, as well as mending broken bones?’

  No, my brother. I do not have that gift. I see shadows and dreams, that is all. But part of what she has told us is the truth.

  Tonno snorted. ‘Which part?’

  Halasaa spread his hands apologetically. I do not know.

  ‘It seems the vote is yours, Darrow,’ purred Keela.

  Slowly Darrow turned around. He stared searchingly at Halasaa. ‘You are sure of what you say, my brother?’

  As sure as I can be.

  Darrow nodded. Abruptly he turned to Keela. ‘There is much to be done, and no time to waste. We are going to Spareth.We will stop at Antaris, and collect Calwyn and the others. You and Tonno and Halasaa can plan what we will need.’

  ‘And where are you going?’ asked Tonno, startled.

  ‘To rest.’ Darrow rubbed his finger over the silvery scar that marked his eyebrow. ‘Forgive me,’ he said in a low voice. ‘I am – very tired.’

  The three who remained in the room stared for a moment as the door closed behind him; they all heard the slow, heavy tread of his feet as he walked up the stairs.

  Tonno shook his head. ‘Seems we’re going, whatever I say. Well, if you’re paying, princess, there’s no need to hold back.’ He rubbed his hands together briskly. ‘We’ll need a new sled, food, tents and groundsheets, sleeping-furs. Can you remember all this, Halasaa?’

  ‘A hairdresser, my jewel-box, mirrors…’ Keela ticked off the items on her fingers. ‘Dear me, darlings, don’t look so horrified! Can’t you tell when someone’s making a joke? I fear this is going to be a very dull journey!’

  six

  The Frozen Forest

  AS SOON AS the gap in theWall was wide enough, Mica flew through it and straight intoTonno’s arms. ‘Calwyn were all set to leave tomorrow, hey, what’d you say then?This is Antaris, it ain’t like I thought – I got so much to tell you! Did you find Samis? Is he dead, oh, say he’s dead, go on!’