“Right,” said Eynon.
He stayed quiet and watched for rocks as the boat was pulled briskly along by the magestone’s magic. Merry continued to lean forward. She focused on the crystal for a few more minutes, then sat up and stretched.
“It’s set now,” said Merry. “We can talk.”
“When were you going to tell me about this bit of magic?” asked Eynon.
“Probably never,” said Merry. “I’m only supposed to use it in an emergency, since Da doesn’t want to risk someone stealing it from me.”
“I’m beginning to see that your father isn’t the only one who knows more than he says,” teased Eynon. “I saw another boat using something similar to head upstream yesterday while you were sleeping, and had meant to ask you about it.”
“Several of the old families and merchant households have pull-stones,” said Merry. “So do royal courier boats. They’re not too uncommon, but they are valuable. I figured that our current circumstances counted as an emergency.”
“I think you’re right,” said Eynon. “At this pace, we’ll be at the Blue Spiral Tower in half an hour.”
“Less time than that, I think,” said Merry. “What should we do when we get there?”
Eynon thought for a few seconds then replied.
“Doethan said, ‘Find the dock in the rock.’”
“Uh huh,” said Merry.
“I think that means we need to search for some sort of opening in the rocks at the base of the tower,” said Eynon. “Maybe there’s an opening to some sort of chamber there with a place to tie up?”
“Perhaps,” said Merry, “but I’ve never heard of anything like that at the Blue Spiral Tower.”
“Do you have a better idea?”
“No,” said Merry. “Should we start the search on the upstream rocks or the downstream ones, do you think?”
“Upstream,” said Eynon. “It would be more convenient if boats could enter without fancy maneuvers.”
“That makes sense,” said Merry. “Let’s hope there aren’t any gamekeepers or fire wardens at the tower.”
“It’s been too wet for fire wardens to keep watch,” said Eynon, “and from what you said about the king’s army needing venison, I’d expect all the royal gamekeepers to be at that hunting lodge.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Merry.
The boat sped south and soon Eynon saw the top of the Blue Spiral Tower through a gap in the fog.
“We’re almost there,” he shouted.
“Shhh!” said Merry. “Sound carries. Use the listening spell.”
A few seconds later, after they’d both cast the spell, they could talk softly and still be heard along the length of the boat.
“I’ll stay in the fog as much as I can,” said Merry. “Once we get past the tower, swing us around and I’ll bring us close to the rocks at its base.”
“Understood,” said Eynon.
The warm feeling he’d felt the last time they’d been near the tower had returned. A few minutes later, they were staring at the pile of mostly gray rocks at the tower’s base. Most of them were huge—twice as tall as a man. Seeing them, Eynon could understand why the river hadn’t undermined the foundations. The gigantic rocks were a few feet from Merry’s face, though Eynon was farther back.
“I don’t see any entrance,” said Merry.
She turned back to look at Eynon.
“Your amulet is glowing.”
Eynon glanced down. Blue light was radiating from the amulet, giving his face an unhealthy pallor in the fog. He looked up to inspect the rocks again and saw one of the largest boulders, to the right of the tower’s base, had a thin blue line bisecting it.
“So it is,” he said. Somehow, Eynon was sure he knew what to do next. “Tap my staff against that one,” he said.
He pointed at the rock with the thin blue line. Merry gently tapped it with the end of Eynon’s staff where the pull-stone was tied. They were both surprised when the massive stone divided on the blue line and the two halves slid aside, revealing a watery passage into the tower’s foundations.
“Shall we?” said Eynon.
“What choice do we have?” asked Merry.
She used the pull-stone to direct their craft inside. As soon as the stern was past the entrance, the rock halves closed behind them. In the dim illumination filtering down from glowing balls of light on the high ceiling of the chamber, Merry could see stone docks on the right and left.
“Which side?” she asked, sounding less like her usual confident self.
“I don’t know if it matters,” said Eynon, “but if we have to choose one, let’s go left.”
“Right,” said Merry.
They both smiled, breaking some of the tension.
Between Eynon’s steering oar and Merry’s pull-stone, the boat was soon tied to stanchions at the dock on the left. Beyond the dock on the right, Eynon could see broad niches with access to the water. Storage for boats? he wondered. His amulet was glowing even brighter, giving them more light to take in their surroundings. Chee had returned to his usual perch on Eynon’s shoulder, but the little creature was uncharacteristically subdued.
“Well,” said Merry. “We’re in the dock in the rock. What else did Doethan tell us?”
“Take the west gate…” recited Eynon from memory. “It’s hidden well...”
“We’re on the west dock, anyway,” said Merry. “Good choice, earlier.”
“Thanks.”
A passage with a tall, wide, rounded arch entryway led farther west, away from the dock. It was big enough for three canvas-topped traders’ wagons side by side.
Eynon retrieved his hat, pack, water skin, crossbow, and some food from the boat. He hung the long, curved piece of shard across his back, blade down, attaching it to a leather cord using a pair of holes near the edge that might have once held rivets.
Merry put on her own pack and fashioned a similar sling for a smaller piece of shard, adding a bag with more food as well. She removed the pull-stone from Eynon’s staff and put it away carefully. Then she returned his staff and collected a jug of hard cider from near the bow.
“Can you help me secure this on top of my pack?” asked Merry. “You never know when we might need a gift.”
“Or a drink,” said Eynon. “I’d be glad to.” He lashed the heavy jug in place and admired his handiwork. “I hope you don’t fall over backwards.”
“So do I,” said Merry. She leaned forward to restore her balance.
“I’d be glad to…” began Eynon, but he stopped when Merry stared at him with a look that said it would be unwise to complete his statement.
Chee chittered softly, but the sound echoed in the empty space. The raconette pressed against the side of Eynon’s head and held on to his hair nervously.
“Easy there, fella,” said Eynon. “We’ll be careful.”
“To the west gate?” asked Merry.
“West it is,” said Eynon.
The three of them entered the arched passage. Glowing balls of light on the ceiling every twenty feet or so illuminated their path as they walked. The floors were surprisingly clean and there weren’t any cobwebs in odd corners. It wasn’t long before they reached a t-intersection. Huge, iron-banded oak double doors were directly ahead, while passages led off to the left and right.
“Where now?” asked Merry.
Eynon was surprised to see Merry deferring to him—he wasn’t any more sure of what he was doing than she was, he imagined—but he tried to do his best to lead them.
“We’re supposed to take the west gate,” he said, “and through these doors is west. See if they’re unlocked.”
Merry pulled on the right-hand door. It didn’t open, though it could have simply been too heavy to move.
&
nbsp; “Let me try,” said Eynon.
He tugged at the door on the right, then the door on the left, but they didn’t budge. There didn’t seem to be a lock and even if there was, they didn’t have a key. Eynon stepped back.
“I don’t see how we’re going to go west if these doors won’t open.”
He tapped the center of the doors with the end of his staff and a blue glow flared from the amulet around his neck. Eynon and Merry had to step back quickly as the doors opened of their own accord, fitting themselves flat against the walls on either side.
“Well,” said Merry. “I guess we’re on the right track.”
“I guess we are,” said Eynon.
They continued into a circular room on the same giant scale. It was lit by a much larger glowing ball in the center of its domed ceiling that stretched up three times as high as Eynon was tall. An animated broom danced past them as they entered, followed by a black circle on the floor the size of a dinner plate that trailed behind like a well-trained pet. The pair turned left and were soon out of sight.
Chee set off a series of high-pitched noises that were almost as disconcerting as the broom and its companion. Eynon stroked the little raconette with his free hand until the beast calmed down.
“At least now we know why the place is so clean,” said Merry. “I wouldn’t mind having a magical broom like that back at Upper Rhuthro Keep.”
Eynon filed Derry’s castle’s name away in his memory for later.
“I understand the broom,” said Eynon, “but what was the black circle, I wonder?”
Merry gave him a look that was easy to interpret as you’re an idiot.
“Don’t you see?” she asked. “It’s a dustpan.”
Eynon shook his head, accepting that he’d missed the obvious, and turned his attention to the room. It was about fifty feet across, and most of that was filled with a low circular stone wall enclosing a broad opening in the floor. With Merry by his side, he crossed to the wall and looked down to see a deep pit. Blue stone steps went around the opening in a spiral, like the stones that wound around the outside of the tower above them. There was a gap in the wall where the steps began.
“Want to bet we’re directly below the center of the tower?” asked Merry.
“I don’t know much about magic,” said Eynon, “but I’d agree. There’s a certain symmetry to repeating what’s above down below.”
“So where’s the west gate?” asked Merry.
“It’s hidden well,” said Eynon.
“Or maybe, it’s a hidden well,” said Merry.
“That seems like something a wizard would do,” said Eynon. “Down we go?”
“After you,” said Merry.
She extended her hand to indicate Eynon should go first down the stone steps. He didn’t want to disappoint Merry, so he began his descent. At least it wasn’t dark—the glowing ball on the ceiling gave off plenty of light and Eynon’s amulet was nearly as bright.
“Lean into the wall,” said Eynon. “There aren’t any railings.”
“Yes, mother,” said Merry.
Chee was back to clutching Eynon’s hair, but Eynon didn’t mind—he was focused on not falling.
After seven full turns of the spiral, they were at the bottom. A soft blue light from the lowest row of stones supplemented the light from above and Eynon’s amulet.
Merry had been right. There was a well—or at least a wide pool of water—at the bottom, enclosed by another low wall. There wasn’t any bucket or windlass, though. It would be a long walk back up seven turns of steps to haul water, assuming the tower’s kitchens were at the level of the docks.
“Now what?” asked Merry.
“I don’t know,” said Eynon.
He fingered the plain gold band on the middle finger of his left hand.
“Should we try to ask Doethan?”
“I don’t know if even magic can reach through all this stone,” said Merry. “Let’s rest and have a snack and think first.”
“That’s a very good idea,” said Eynon. “Exploring a wizard’s tower is hard work.”
“We haven’t even gotten into the tower itself, I expect,” said Merry. “We’re still underneath it.”
“Close enough,” said Eynon.
They took off their packs and Eynon helped Merry set out strips of venison jerky, two leftover fruit spirals from breakfast, and one of the Applegarth apples on the low wall around the well.
Chee finally relaxed enough to release his grip on Eynon’s hair and climb down to sit on his haunches next to the apple. Eynon was impressed that the raconette was patient enough to wait for them to share their food.
He pulled his knife from his belt and cut the apple in wedges, leaving a neat cylindrical core. Eynon put the core on the wall to deal with later. Chee got three apple wedges, but still looked hungry.
Eynon and Merry felt revitalized after having something to eat and taking sips of water from Eynon’s goatskin.
Merry was repacking her gear by the outer wall of the chamber, while Eynon, who had already shouldered his pack, was standing next to the well. He picked up his staff to see if the combination of his staff and the blue amulet would help him come up with a solution like they had at the oak doors above.
Chee eyed the apple core, and Eynon smiled. The raconette was welcome to it.
A loud bang from above startled them.
Someone must have opened the doors, thought Eynon.
A strong wind swirled down around them, tipping the apple core into the well. Chee followed, trying to intercept it. The little beast vanished into the water.
Without thinking, Eynon jumped in after him.
Then he was suddenly elsewhere.
PART TWO
Chapter 13
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
— Lao Tzu
To his surprise, Eynon wasn’t wet—but he was cold. There was thick snow on the ground where he had landed. White-topped blue mountains higher than he’d ever known rose on the near horizon. Four tall alabaster pillars striped with blue spirals stuck out from the snow, defining a large square around him.
Wizards must mean something different by the word “gate” than most people, thought Eynon as he stood and brushed snow from his legs.
He felt disoriented and a bit light-headed, like it was hard to catch his breath. Chee jumped up from a mound of snow and burrowed inside Eynon’s jacket, for warmth or protection or both, he wasn’t sure. The apple core sat abandoned on the cold ground. Merry was nowhere to be seen. Eynon called her name, but heard no reply.
One thing at a time, thought Eynon. It’s freezing here. I should probably get my cloak from my pack—and I have to find shelter before I can do anything to find Merry.
He surveyed his surroundings. Plumes of smoke rose in the distance from many points of the compass and there was a strange, unpleasant smell in the air. He considered what it might be—then it came to him.
“Rotten eggs,” he said aloud.
His breath condensed in puffs of cold when he spoke.
In the distant background was a sound Eynon couldn’t identify. It was something like wind through leaves, but the only trees nearby were pines and firs. The sound didn’t rise and fall like wind, though. It was steady. Chee stuck his head out of Eynon’s jacket. The little raconette wrinkled his nose and immediately retreated back inside.
Eynon stroked Chee through the quilted fabric of his jacket. He spotted something blue in the distance.
“There’s a lake to the east, beyond those trees,” he told his small companion. “Maybe we should try heading that way to find shelter?”
“Or you could follow me to get warm,” said a new voice.
Eynon looked behind him and sa
w an old man with a kindly face wearing a heavy coat of some sort of brown fur, thick gloves, and a hat that looked like it was made from a beaver pelt. He carried a gnarled walking stick and was much shorter than Eynon, with some odd constructions made from sinew and bent wood attached to his feet.
“Yes, thank you,” said Eynon. He rubbed his hands together to keep his fingers from freezing. “Warm would be good.”
“Excellent,” said the man. “You certainly don’t appear to be dressed for the weather.”
When Eynon looked at the older man’s eyes more closely, he could see well-hidden sadness. He wasn’t sure if he should be worried or reassured.
The man turned and set off to the north. Eynon moved slowly, noticing the attachments on the other man’s feet helped him walk on top of the snow instead of breaking through with every step. The man looked back.
“Come along, then,” he said. “I’m Damon. Follow me.”
Without any better options, Eynon stayed close behind, trudging his way through the snow for at least half a mile. Chee stayed safely snuggled inside Eynon’s coat, far warmer than he was.
“Where are we going?” asked Eynon. He kept his eyes on his path to find the best places to put his feet.
Damon looked up and pointed ahead. Eynon lifted his gaze and saw the upper portion of a castle larger than the earl’s fortress at Rhuthro Keep rising above the trees to the north. It had two tall towers—one broad and solid, the other thin and delicate—showing themselves above the castle’s imposing outer walls.
“Oh,” said Eynon.
One of the towers looked familiar. It was slender and gray, with a spiral of blue stones winding to its top.
“I’ve seen a tower like the slender one before,” said Eynon. “It looks like the Blue Spiral Tower on the Rhuthro.”
The man he was following sighed loud enough for Eynon to hear.
The Congruent Apprentice (The Congruent Mage Series Book 1) Page 16