Wolves of the Gods tott-2

by Allan Cole

Suddenly there was a hiss and the case filled with smoke. The top of the case snapped open and the sides fell away and the room was filled with the smell of a heavy incense.

  The airship bloomed into life, tiny burners blazing, bellows pumping, twin balloons swelling, bigger and bigger until the ship lifted off the trunk.

  "By the gods," Biner breathed, "it really does work! We weren't crazy, after all!"

  Safar caught the model before it could float to the ceiling. Instantly it became lifeless again. He gazed at it, thinking this might just be the edge he needed against Iraj.

  He cradled the airship in his arms as if it were the woman who'd loved him enough to make him such a gift.

  And he whispered, "Thank you, Methydia. Thank you."

  Queen Hantilia smiled down at the scene-Safar cradling the model, Biner grinning at his friend, trunks stacked along the canvas walls of the storage room.

  "It's going exactly as we wished," she said to someone behind her.

  A red-robed assistant moved closer, peering over Hantilia's shoulder at a hand mirror lying on the Queen's makeup table. It was a magical stage, lit by five red candles, where Safar and Biner played out their drama in miniature.

  Safar's voice floated up, "Thank you, Methydia. Thank you."

  The assistant giggled. "How sweet," she said. "And right on schedule, too, Your Majesty."

  Hantilia waved a claw and the scene disappeared. "I'd rather allow things to boil a bit more," she said.

  "So let's give it another day. Make some excuse for the delay that won't arouse suspicion."

  "Yes, Majesty," the assistant said.

  "It shouldn't be difficult," Hantilia said. "Even though we've forbidden it, I know Lord Timura will be simply bursting with spells he needs to cast." She chuckled. "This will make it easier for him to hide his work."

  "Indeed, Majesty," the assistant said.

  "And that will give us time," the Queen said, "to be absolutely certain everything is ready for The Great Sacrifice."

  "All will be done as you command, Majesty," the assistant said.

  Hantilia sighed. "What a pity," she said, wiping an eye. "He's such a handsome young man."

  As Hantilia predicted, Safar was vastly relieved when news was delivered that the date with the Oracle had been delayed one more day.

  Leiria, on the other hand, was suspicious. "If it were a bargain sword in a smithy's shop," she said, "I'd pass it by, thinking the price was so cheap it'd be certain to shatter at the worst possible moment."

  The two of them were strolling along the riverbank, discussing Hantilia's message.

  "I don't know," Safar said, "it seemed reasonable enough. Something went wrong during the purification ceremonies. So certain steps had to be repeated. That sort of thing happened all the time to the priests in Walaria."

  "It still doesn't smell right to me," Leiria said. Then she eyed Safar. "And what about you?" she asked.

  "Why the big change? A couple of days ago you were worrying the bit to get on with it before Iraj showed up."

  Safar shook his head. "I'm still worried," he said. "But as things stand now, if he did show up we'd be chin deep in a temple privy on feast day. To start with, all our people are wandering around in a Caluzian pink cloud and it'll be at least two days before Palimak's spell is ready. Then they'll have to be organized.

  Soldiers whipped into shape as fast as we damn well can. Some kind of rear guard action devised so we can escape. The wagons packed and ready, animals fed and watered and everyone set to go at an instant's notice.

  "As it is now, most of the work is going to be on your shoulders, Leiria. I don't know what's going to happen when Palimak and I finally get to meet with the Oracle. Or how long we'll be away. Or, hells-let's face it-even if we'll make it back. So, it's going to be up to you, Leiria. Up to you-my dearest friend-and by the gods sometimes I think you must be crazy to put up with us all."

  Leiria laughed. "I'm here for the flattery," she said. "What else?"

  Then, more seriously, "Let's go back a bit on your list of to do's," she said. "I'm stuck fast on the part about escaping. And I have not one, but three questions. First, what escape? Second, how escape?

  Third, and most important of all, where escape?"

  She looked around her-the gurgling river, the idealized blue mountains beyond, the exotic city gleaming on the hillside overlooking the great stone turtle.

  "Hells," she said, "I don't even know where we really are!"

  "Think of it as a big bowl turned upside down in the Black Lands," Safar said. "Everything under the bowl is happy and safe-for the time being. Everything on the outside is just like it was before."

  "Except, maybe worse," Leiria said.

  Safar nodded. "Except, maybe worse."

  Leiria chuckled. "What kind of leader are you?" she said. "Where's the cheery words? Where's the lies that things will surely be better?"

  Safar pretended to be hurt. "You should have more faith in me," he said. "Next you'll be doubting that I have a plan."

  "Do you?"

  Safar grinned. "Actually, no," he said. "But I'm working on it. Which is the main reason why I'm glad Hantilia gave us another day. Intended or otherwise."

  "Oh, my!" Leiria said. "Coming around full circle and attacking my flanks, are we? Cutting off my argument with sneaky logic. Now, is that fair?"

  "I never promised fair," Safar said. "I only promised a plan."

  "Seriously," Leiria said. "Do you even have an inkling?"

  "A few glimmers," Safar said. "To begin with Iraj will most certainly come through the same gate we used." He pointed east to the high shale cliffs that divided Caluz from the pass. "So we can't run in that direction."

  "We could delay him at the gate," Leiria pointed out. "A small force could hold him there while the rest escaped."

  "I like that," Safar said. "The first thing we should do then, is to take the airship as high we can and get a peek on the other side of the cliffs. That will give us an idea of how close Iraj is getting and how much time we have."

  "But how do we get out of here?" Leiria said. "Which way do we run?"

  Safar pointed north, toward a low range of mountains marked by two high peaks. "Through those peaks," he said. "Somewhere beyond those mountains is the Great Sea. If we bear a little west we ought to hit Caspan, where we can hire some ships to take us to Syrapis."

  Leiria grimaced, saying, "Yes, but how far away is it? A week's journey? A month? And another thing, what's between us and the sea? More of the Black Lands? Rough trails or a broad caravan track?

  Coralean's maps aren't any help. The ones for this area are too old to trust."

  "If we have time," Safar said, "we can use the airship to find out.

  "Assuming you can figure out how to turn that model into a real airship, that is," Leiria pointed out.

  "Exactly," Safar said. "Which is another reason we need time. With luck I'll have it worked out before I go. But chances are, once again, it'll be you-with the help of Biner and Arlain-who will be doing the looking. And mapping the escape route."

  Leiria nodded. She was quiet for a moment, then she said, "I have to ask this. What if you don't return?

  What if you and Palimak don't make it?"

  "Then you make it, Leiria," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "And, please, get as many of my people as you can out of harm's way."

  "Should I go on to Syrapis?" Leiria asked.

  "It's the only place I know of," Safar said, "that will be safe for awhile."

  "And after that?"

  Safar face darkened momentarily, then he suddenly brightened. "What the hells' the difference?" he laughed. "To misquote a good friend of mine, the 'journey will probably kill you anyway.'"

  Palimak eyed the cable doubtfully. It stretched from the platform he was standing on to another platform about ten feet away.

  "Go ahead, my thweet," Arlain said, "We won't let you hurt yourthelf."

  The cable was only about six feet
off the ground, but to the boy it seemed much higher. Arlain was posted on one side of him, Kairo on the other.

  "I don't know," Palimak said, "it looks kind of scary."

  "Yez done jus' fine when she were lower, me boy," Kairo said. "Matter of fact, old Kairo's never seen anyone take to the wire so quick like."

  "Letthon number one in wire walking," Arlain said, "ith that height doethn't matter. Anything you can do at ground level ith no harder than when you're all the way to the top of the tent."

  Palimak giggled nervously. "Are you sure?"

  "Thure, I'm thure," Arlain said. "I thtarted out the thame way you did. And tho did Kairo. Firtht you put the wire on the ground and thee that it really ithn't that thmall. It only lookth that way to the audienthe when it'th high up. Then you raith it off the ground a little wayth tho you can get uthed to the way it thwayth back and forth when you move."

  "We gots yez up to six feet already," Kairo said. "After this-why, the sky's the limit! And that's a fact, me boy, not smoke blowin'."

  Arlain glared at Kairo. "Pleathe!" she said. "Thome of uth are thenthitive about that word."

  Kairo winced. "Sorry!" Then to Palimak. "But yer gets me point, right?"

  Palimak eyed the distance again, gathering courage. Licked his lips. Nodded. "Right."

  "Lovely!" Arlain said, waving her tail in excitement. "Let'th go, then. Thout out when you're ready!"

  Palimak gulped. "Rea-dy!" he said, voice quavering.

  He took his first step. The cable gave slightly under his weight, but remained steady.

  "Keep yer toes pointed out," Kairo reminded him.

  "Got it!" Palimak took another step. "Toes out and eyes aimed at where I'm going."

  He took several more steps, gingerly at first, keeping his outstretched arms steady, resisting the natural but wrong-headed temptation to wave them about and overbalance himself. Arlain and Kairo paced with him, ready in case he should fall.

  "Very good, my thweet!" Arlain said.

  Taking heart, Palimak picked up the pace and to his immense surprise it suddenly became much easier to keep his balance.

  "That's it, me boy," Kairo said. "When it comes to wire walkin' the sayin' is-'briskly does it … and slowly goes the fool.'"

  Palimak had no wish to be a fool-or a "rube" in his growing vocabulary of circus words. A "rube," he gathered was lower than low. An ignorant, "cud chewing civilian"-another circus disparagement.

  He blanked the surroundings from his mind and instead imagined himself strolling along a garden path.

  Before he knew it he found himself stepping onto the opposite platform. Palimak spun about, gaping at what he'd done. Then the gape became a bright beam of pride.

  "Ta-da!" he shouted, raising his arms high in victory.

  Arlain applauded, shooting a sheet of smoky flame into the air, while Kairo lifted his head high above his shoulders and cheered.

  "Ithn't that wonderful?" Arlain crowed. "Lookth like we have a new member of the thircuth!"

  Palimak goggled at her. "Really?"

  "Abtholutely," she said. "And it couldn't come at a better time, ithn't that tho, Kairo?"

  Kairo let his head fall into hands and pumped it up and down in an exaggerated nod. "That's the truth, me boy," he said.

  Palimak giggled at the strange sight-the face grinning at him from its nest between Kairo's palms-long tubular neck snaking up to his shoulders. His body jerked and the head snapped back into its proper place.

  "We've been short an act for months, now," he said, looking quite normal again.

  Palimak clapped his hands in glee. "Wait'll my father hears the news," he said. "I'll be a circus man, just like him."

  Then he looked at them, suddenly shy. "But maybe I'd better practice some more," he said. "If it's all right."

  "Sure, yer can, me boy," Kairo said.

  "Great," Palimak said. "But let me announce it first."

  "Announthe away," Arlain said.

  Palimak threw his hands wide, in imitation of Biner's ringmaster pose. "Ladies and gentleman!" he shouted. "Lads and lasses! Beings of all ages! Methydia's Flying Circus now proudly presents…

  "Half boy, half demon, half fly and that's three half's rolled into one. Brought to you at … Enormous Expense!

  "Palimak The Magnificent! Ta-Da!"

  Then without warning he bolted out on the wire.

  "Wait!" Arlain shouted, but it was too late.

  In a blink of the eye Palimak was already at the midpoint of the wire while she and Kairo raced on either side of the cable trying to keep up. The boy nearly overbalanced in the center, swaying for a moment, almost looking down and losing it, but then he remembered to fix his eyes and mind on his distant goal and he kept moving, pushing through the momentary clumsiness, until he regained his balance, practically sprinting along the wire until he reached the other side.

  Once again he shouted, "Ta-Da!" and made a flourishing bow to even greater cheers from his new friends.

  "What'd I say?" Kairo cried. "The boy's a natural!"

  "Let's go higher!" Palimak crowed, jabbing a finger at the dim heights of the circus tents. "All the way the way to the very, tip, tip top!"

  "Thlow down, thweetneth," Arlain laughed. "You're going too fatht for uth."

  "She's right, me boy," Kairo chuckled. "Besides, before we go any higher yer gots to learn the next most important thing about wire walkin'."

  "What's that?" the boy asked.

  "Yer gotta knows how to fall," Kairo said. "Because if there's one thing that's certain in this life, me boy, it's that someday, somehow, a body's gotta fall."

  "The trick," Arlain added, "ith to not get killed when you do."

  Gundaree bounced up and down on his chest, chanting, "Palimak's in luu-uve. Palimak's in luu-uve!"

  "Shut up!" the boy snarled, pulling the pillow around his ears.

  "Don't say shut up, Little Master," Gundara admonished. Then, to his twin, "Stop teasing him! It isn't nice!"

  Gundaree giggled. "But it's the truth!" He wrapped his arms about himself. "Ooh! Arlain," he mocked. "I luu-uve you so much!"

  At that, Palimak lost his temper. His eyes suddenly glowed demon yellow. He pointing a finger at the Favorite, who gleeped as a sharp claw emerged.

  "I don't like that!" he said.

  Gundaree's little demon face drooped into infinite sorrow. Even his horn seemed to sag. Big tears welled into his eyes. "I'm sorry, Little Master," he sobbed.

  For a change Gundara didn't gloat over his brother's misery. From the look in the boy's eyes he thought it best not to draw attention to himself.

  Gundaree sniffed, wiping his nose, and Palimak's anger dissolved. He felt ashamed of himself for frightening the Favorite.

  "I'm sorry first," he said. "You were just playing. You didn't mean it and I shouldn't have gotten so mad."

  The small crisis past, both Favorites brightened considerably. "Who cares?" Gundaree said. "We're back in the circus again, that's the point."

  "The point indeed, lesser brother," Gundara sneered as only he could sneer-little human features elevating into high snobbery. "Instead of teasing our poor master, we should be instructing him." He turned to Palimak, face rearranging itself into something more respectful. "We learned some excellent circus tricks when we toured with your father. If I do say so myself."

  "You always say so yourself, Gundara," his sibling mocked, hands on narrow hips. "And that's because you're only talking to yourself because you're so stupid no one is listening."

  Gundara sighed. "I'm only glad our poor mother isn't alive to see what her son has come to."

  "Don't talk about our mother!" Gundaree shouted. "You know I hatefttuh…" The rest was lost as Palimak clamped his pillow over both Favorites, shutting off the quarrel.

  Palimak laughed at the muffled sounds of protest. "I should have thought of this before," he said. Then,

  "You have to promise to quit arguing, or I won't let you out."

  He bent an ear close
and heard mumbles of what sounded like surrender. "Good," he said, lifting the pillow away to reveal two very rumpled Favorites. "Now it's my turn to talk."

  Gundaree, a stickler for tidiness, brushed himself off. "That wasn't nice," he said. "Pillows have feathers.

  And I hate feathers. They give me a rash."

  Gundara plucked here and there, restoring a semblance of dignity. "If you wanted to speak, Little Master," he complained, "all you had to do is ask!"

  "Then I'm asking," Palimak said. "You were talking about teaching me some circus tricks. And I wanted to ask, were they magical circus tricks? But you kept arguing and arguing until I thought I was going to go crazy because you wouldn't let me talk."

  Gundaree shrugged. "Of course, they're magic. That's what we do, right? Magic. We're not sweaty acrobats, or jugglers, for goodness sakes."

  "We do not like to perspire," Gundara sniffed. "Call it a fault, if you like, but we were made for royalty and perspiration and royalty don't go together at all."

  "But you like to eat, right?" Palimak asked, rummaging around in his blankets.

  Both Favorites eyed his fumbling, then licked their lips as the boy drew out a greasy sack of treats, saying they certainly did like to eat.

  "Here's the deal," Palimak said, shaking the sack. Both Favorites slavered at the smell of good things wafting out. "I'll trade you a treat for every trick you teach me. All right?"

  Gundaree and Gundara made enthusiastic noises of agreement and before very long they were stuffing their mouths, while stuffing Palimak's brains.

  He worked them hard and he worked them late and before they were done both Favorites were fat, full and happily perspiring.

  Palimak was so absorbed he didn't sense the dark figure that crept close to his tent to listen. Gundara and Gundaree noticed, but there was no danger so they didn't mention it. Especially since the figure was Safar. He stood there for nearly an hour, face a portrait of fatherly pride at the boy's newly discovered circus talents. Arlain and Kairo were right. He was a natural.

  Then a light dawned in his eyes and his smile widened. The boy had just given him an idea. An idea that might solve two problems with one blow.

  "Step right up, my friends," Safar shouted. "Don't be shy. Admission is free today, ladies and gentlemen.