Long, Dark Road

by Bianculli, Susan

  “Wait! Wait! I didn’t mean for you to go to war over this!” I exclaimed. “I just wanted you to talk to them about releasing Arghen! You know, like a hostage negotiation but with you operating from a position of informational strength!”

  The Conductivus looked at me as he waved a hand, and all of us were set free. “Know this—we are not going to rescue your Arghen for you,” he said. “Your friend is not our concern. However, neither will we stop you from traveling with us and rescuing him while we parley with the Chirasnivians.”

  That made me feel a little better. At least we were going to get escorted to Chirasniv. Sort of.

  “Parley?” asked Dusk for the first time. “‘Parley’ to Bascom meant dealing with the Under-elves and getting a price for his slave Surfacers from them. Surely you do not mean that?”

  The Conductivus frowned again. “No. Our parley is to remind the Chirasnivians of what it means to be an Under-elf and get them to divest themselves of lingering taint—which includes getting rid of the Surfacers and any items that can commit abomination. I will demand to speak to their Conductivus and ask her to assist me in getting the Chirasnivians back into covenant.”

  I shook my head slowly. “I’m not sure speaking with her is going to work,” I told him.

  “Why not? Do you somehow know her?” he asked, white eyes wide with astonishment.

  “Well, I wouldn’t say I know her,” I said, “but I’ve seen her. She looked pretty tired, so I somehow don’t think that she cares too much about the wider world of Chirasniv. Otherwise, them dabbling in magic never would have happened in the first place, right?”

  The Conductivus frowned again. “She was the first of us all. She would care most of all!”

  Hesitantly, Auraus spoke up for the first time. “Unless she has been one too long,” the Wind-rider said, readying to shy away if an Under-elf lifted a hand in her direction.

  That seemed to hit him where he lived, and the Conductivus stood staring at Auraus for a moment or two. Then he said, “Perhaps that could be why. But we will never know until she and I talk.” He turned peremptorily to Councilor Skorvus. “These six Surfacers are remanded to another’s care until I call for them. Their needs are to be seen to until such time as contact is made with Chirasniv.” He raised the finger of one hand as if he had an idea, and he whipped about and pointed at Quorik, who hadn’t left the platform during the entire proceedings. “Quorik! You are hereby temporarily raised to the rank of Captain and are detached from all duties except the care of these Surfacers. You will find them housing in the Leadership ring. There are empty suites reserved for visiting dignitaries not far from my quarters. Take them there. Now.”

  The newly made Captain looked embarrassed, like he’d wished that anything else could have happened to him. But all he did was sigh and say, “Yes, Conductivus.” He turned to the six of us Surfacers with what sort of passed for a smile on his face and said, “If you will follow me, please.”

  The relief that we were going to live and that we were going to get a chance to rescue Arghen, not to mention still being lightheaded from hunger and the recent oxygen deprivation, hit me all at once. I passed out.

  I woke up lying on something soft with the aroma of something savory tickling my nose from somewhere nearby. Opening my eyes, I found I was lying in a big bed in what looked like a bedroom. I turned my nose in the direction of the smell and saw a small bedside table that held a tray with a steaming bowl of something and a ceramic cup. I also saw a recently bathed Jason smiling at me.

  Again? I wondered. How does he keep getting a bath before I do?

  “Hey, chica, I’m glad you’re finally awake!” said Jason, relieved. He leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going to sleep all Brightening!”

  I tried to sit up but nearly fell back onto the pillows because I was still a little dizzy even after my impromptu nap. Jason helped me up and positioned the tray on my lap so I could start eating the stew in the bowl. The only part of it I recognized were the mushrooms, but it smelled good. After a bite I found it tasted even better and finished the meal in a hurry, washing it down with the clear water in the cup. I was relieved to find the fuzziness in my head lifted with the last swallow.

  “So what’s the overall plan?” I asked, putting the tray back on the night-stand.

  Jason said, “Seems we have to hang around here until the Kelsavaxian Conductivus has had a talk with the Chirasnivian one.” He waved a hand around the room and added, “At least if we have to cool our heels a while, we’re doing it in comfort.”

  The room reminded me a little of any hotel room back in New York except it was done in a dull color scheme: there was a decent-sized bed, an armoire, a pair of bedside tables, a side table with a large planter of colored mushrooms, and a pair of pillowed chairs, one of which was currently pulled up so Jason could sit by my bed. The far end of the room was empty of furniture but was filled with an intricate design of air moss and lichen on the wall that went from corner to corner and ceiling to floor.

  “Outside this room are two other bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathing room. You girls have been put here. Ragar, Dusk, and I have been put next door in an apartamento that looks pretty much like this one,” Jason finished.

  I swung my legs over the side of the bed to get up because I wanted to see it all for myself.

  “You sure you’re okay now?” he asked with dubiousness.

  “Yes, yes, I’m fine now,” I reassured him.

  A tapping on the bedroom door announced Auraus. She came in, saw me getting up, and came over to hug me.

  “Lise, I am so glad you are awake!” she said in my ear. Stepping back to hold me by the shoulder an arm’s length away, she continued, “We were worried when you dropped, but a quick examination just showed me that you had been overextended. It was not at all surprising, considering what we all have gone through recently. We are just waiting on word for what is going to happen next.”

  “Which just might turn out to be the beginning of a war,” I said, depression hitting me as that memory came rushing back. “I never meant for that to happen!”

  “It might not,” soothed Auraus. “Conductivi seem to be reasonable, and through being who they are, can force their reasonableness on their people. I am sure it will turn out just fine.”

  It turns out that the communication between Under-elven cities, never explained by Arghen, was done soul-to-soul through the Conductivi if there was one in each city-state. A couple of souls who looked to the Kelsavaxian Conductivus apparently had already left to talk to the souls surrounding the Chirasnivian Conductivus to arrange the parley. When they returned they would bring back word of the travel routes being arranged, and the Shifting Tunnels of both Chirasniv and Kelsavax would be frozen for the duration of the parley. Each side would meet in the neutral cavern that was closest to Chirasniv.

  “Wait a minute. What do you mean, meeting in a cavern? I thought we were going to go to Chirasniv?” I broke in.

  “This is where it gets complicated,” Auraus said, twisting her long, slender fingers together. “The Kelsavaxian Conductivus has said that he is not here to help us, remember? But with the tunnels being frozen open for the parley as a sign of trust, we have the chance to slip into Chirasniv.”

  I goggled at her. “We? Slip into Chirasniv? I know that’s been kind of the plan all along, but the circumstances around it are vastly different now. Before, we were hoping to do it sort of inconspicuously because of a natural cavern disaster. This time however, with everyone on a knife’s edge of violence because of the parley and possible, you know, WAR, I don’t think the ‘slipping in’ part will work so good.”

  “It just means we’re going to have to make different plans now,” Jason said.

  “Yes,” said Auraus. “So now that you are up, why not come out to the table and we all can discuss what our next course of action needs to be?”

  “Let me take a bath first
!” I pleaded.

  Auraus smiled as Jason waggled his eyebrows. I blushed.

  Later, with me clean and in fresh clothes, I sat with Dusk, Ragar, Auraus, Heather, and Jason around the dining room table of the girls’ apartment. Since none of us had been given any information, we had to do the best we could to come up with a plan. Eventually we settled on trying to mix ourselves into the Conductivus’ train in hopes that he was going to have a large one, slip around the meeting while it was being set up somehow so as to avoid notice of the Chirasnivians, and then sneak down the no longer shifting tunnels and slip somehow into the city-state with our disguises on and head for the Art section, and Arghen.

  Dusk said solemnly, “I honestly do not see the Chirasnivians agreeing to stop using magic just because the Kelsavaxians say they should. That means the parley will go badly, and so the Chirasnivians will leave the gathering to return to their city-state.”

  He then looked grim. “Once they return, they will change the Shifting Tunnels as well as put the whole city-state on high alert, effectively locking us in.”

  Chapter 22

  “So we haven’t a lot of time to do what we need to, do we?” Heather asked.

  A brief knock on the door of the suite before it was thrown open heralded the arrival of the Conductivus of Kelsavax.

  “Ah! You are all gathered together. Good. My charges tell me you have questions about what happens next?” he asked, walking briskly into the room.

  He pulled up a chair to join Ragar, Dusk, Auraus, Heather, Jason, and me where we sat.

  The mountain-cat-elf looked a little put out that the Conductivus made himself at home without being invited. I also noticed while the Conductivus gave nods of greetings out, he didn’t give one to Auraus or Jason. I saw the Wind-rider’s lips curve in a wry little smile to herself at his dismissing her presence. I was annoyed at the Conductivus’ behavior but really wasn’t in a place that I could tell him off for it.

  Jason, however, scowled at the new addition. “You mean to tell me you’ve got spies listening to what we say?”

  The Conductivus didn’t look at him, nor answer him. Auraus, meanwhile, leaned over and whispered a few words in Jason’s ear. His mouth dropped open, but he didn’t make any reply.

  “Hey! Didn’t you hear the question? Do you have spies listening to us?” asked an annoyed Heather after the silence stretched out a couple of seconds.

  The Conductivus lifted one white-clad shoulder. “Would you do any different in my place?” he asked.

  She and Jason didn’t answer.

  “Let me give you some information you lack. Know that you are going to be allowed to travel with my entourage, so you need not worry about hiding in it somehow. All who travel with me from Kelsavax will be apprised of your presence. My group is not large, so your previous plans of hiding among the Under-elves there would not have worked—especially since you are not even Under-elves,” he said with a smile.

  “We are grateful that you are going to allow us to travel with you openly to the parley,” said Dusk, “but when we leave your group and try to slip into Chirasniv, we’d like to have the option of being able to get out again.”

  The Conductivus shrugged. “Your actions are not my concern. How they are accomplished is also not my concern. However, what is my concern is that I fear the Chirasnivians have fallen too far out of covenant that a simple parley will not bring them back within covenant. From what my charges have told me, it seems that the loss of a great deal of the Surfacers and magical items has caused much disturbance in that city-state.”

  “Good!” Heather interjected.

  The Conductivus looked briefly at her before going on, “It is in my mind that your going to Chirasniv may accomplish two things which will benefit both you and me.”

  “Two things?” I asked warily.

  “Benefit us and you?” added Heather.

  “Yes. You have the opportunity to get your Arghen back, and my agent has the opportunity to disable the Shifting Tunnels in case a war is needed. Thus both sides benefit.”

  I blinked. Agent? Disable the tunnel?

  “So you think it really will come down to a war, then? And you want our help?” I asked, focusing on the last question in my mind.

  He looked at me astonished, and then laughed. “Yes, Lise Baxter. I feel war is the most probable outcome of what is to come from this parley.”

  Dusk broke in. “What did you mean by ‘your agent,’ Conductivus?”

  “For the price of my allowing you to come as part of my delegation, you must take someone from Kelsavax with your group into Chirasniv. I thought I had made that clear.”

  “Great. A babysitter,” groaned Jason.

  Quizzical looks from everyone except me and Heather had him sighing, “Never mind.”

  “Why?” Ragar asked.

  “I have already said that I do not trust the meeting to resolve the differences between the two city-states. That will mean war. And if we are to war, then the Shifting Tunnels need to be frozen in place so we can march on Chirasniv.”

  “You can do that?” the mountain-cat-elf asked. “How?”

  “There is a room in each city-state that houses the controls that work the Shifting Tunnels. While you are going off to rescue your Arghen, my representative will be going to disable the tunnels if necessary. This benefits you as well as me, because with the tunnels disabled you will not get locked into Chirasniv as you had feared, and my Kelsavaxians will not be caught, crushed, or cut off one from another by rearrangements,” the white-eyed Under-elf explained.

  Hmph. That proves to me that the Conductivus really has had at least one soul listening to us, I thought.

  Auraus leaned over and whispered to Dusk.

  “If necessary?” Dusk then asked. “How will you be able to tell him or her whether to go through with it or not?”

  “You will see when you meet him,” the Conductivus replied.

  “When will we meet him?” he asked.

  “When we are ready to leave.”

  “Well, when are we leaving?” asked Heather impatiently.

  “In a Brightening’s time. Your equipment that you brought with you from the Surface will be restored to you at that time. Quorik will be bringing you refreshment momentarily. I suggest eating and drinking deeply because you will never get such hospitality from us again.”

  “Just let me clarify. If we are able to rescue Arghen, we will not be detained by any Kelsavaxian for any reason and be allowed to make our way to the Surface without hindrance?” Dusk asked him cautiously.

  “No, you will not be detained, or hindered, by my order or by anyone else’s. You are free to go for the service you have unwittingly done Under-elven-kind.” The Conductivus stood up abruptly. “I must go and finish preparations,” he said and swept out of the room.

  As if that had been some kind of cue, Quorik entered the room leading a couple of green-skinned Troglodytes bearing huge covered platters. When the platters were set down and their contents revealed we saw a variety of steaming dishes on them. They all smelled really good, and even though I’d finished a bowl of stew not long ago my stomach felt ready to try some more. It didn’t take for us long to polish off the platters.

  I turned to Auraus while we ate. “Why did you ask Dusk to ask your questions?” I asked.

  “And what did you whisper to Jason that made him go all bug-eyed?” Heather chimed in with curiosity.

  Jason scowled as the Wind-rider smiled that same wry smile again. “Because it was obvious that Jason and I were being shunned by him probably because I can commit what he calls abomination and because he thinks that Jason commits abomination when he handles iron.”

  Ah, I thought. Then we’d better not reveal that Heather and I can do what Jason can do.

  I touched Heather meaningfully on the shoulder and said, “Well, I guess JASON’s ability to handle iron is unusual down here,” while casting a sideways glance at Quorik.

  Heather understood wha
t I hadn’t said and simply nodded agreement.

  “All right, let us get this show on the road,” said Ragar, pushing his chair back after wiping his whiskers clean.

  Jason, Heather, and I smiled at Ragar’s adoption of the human phrase and moved to get up ourselves.

  Quorik, who’d been eating silently with us after waving the servitors away, said, “I will now take you to where we are meeting the Conductivus’ party.”

  The Captain led us from our suites through the tunnels of the Leadership Ring all the way out and into the Military training grounds. We finally reached the front gate, where an entourage consisting of the Conductivus and twelve other Under-elves waited. They were all seated on dranth, and they had six more saddled dranth with them that did not have any riders. Though Auraus and Jason were being snubbed, at least that didn’t extend to the Under-elves ‘forgetting’ rides for them.

  “There you are!” called the Conductivus. “We have mounts for you. Do not be alarmed, though. We will lead them on their reins for you.”

  Heather visibly shuddered.

  “Buck up, Heather. Close your eyes and imagine you’re riding on your horse, Mountie,” I whispered, well aware the Under-elves could hear us.

  “The other young female does not care for our dranth,” said one of the entourage with a derisive grin.

  “No, I don’t!” Heather burst out, unable to stop herself. “They look just like giant lizards with dinosaur heads, and I hate reptiles, and these things are like–like double reptiles!”

  Chuckles sounded among the Under-elves.

  “They are well-trained and will not harm you, young Surfacer,” said a tough-as-nails looking female veteran who looked like the leader for the expedition.

  Heather didn’t reply, but she continued to look nervous.

  “Where is your agent, Conductivus?” I asked.