'Can you read it now?' asked Osidian.
Carnelian was startled when he realized he was only touching a bead. He allowed his fingers to explore its landscape. They found the ridges, the sensuous curves. Cool regions, warm strips his mind told him must be narrower than a hair. 'I do not recognize it,' he said.
'Let me.'
Osidian's fingers resumed contact. Carnelian felt as if his skin was drinking from Osidian's. He let his hand climb down from one bead to another until it was a safe distance away.
'Untouchables,' said Osidian.
Carnelian could feel the vibration in the cord. Something was coming down it. His hand escaped further down, bead by bead.
'Removing the Blood… no, the Liver,' said Osidian.
A whole earthful of flesh brushed past Carnelian and set his entire skin quivering like a bell's.
Osidian had moved to the next title cord. 'Preserving the Viscera in Canopic Jars.'
Through the floor, Carnelian could feel the quake as Osidian moved further along the bench.
'Hooking out the Cranial Organs.'
'What?' said Carnelian.
'Peh!' said Osidian. These are nothing but manuals of embalming.'
'Is it a secret art?' asked Carnelian, with a sour taste in his mouth.
'One of the most secret.'
'Not something I desire to learn,' said Carnelian, not bothering to hide his disappointment. 'Nor I.'
Carnelian felt suddenly very angry. 'Is that it then?' he asked loudly. A fleshy door closed over his mouth.
'Hush!' whispered Osidian and took his hand away.
'If these are the most secret books in the Library of the Wise,' whispered Carnelian, 'then, my Lord, I am grown weary of their tame marvels.'
A heavy silence fell. He listened for and found the breeze of Osidian's breathing. 'Does my Lord challenge me to find for him a diversion that is less tame?' the darkness said through a smile.
'Well, if-'
Tomorrow, come to the usual place but wear warm clothes and heavy outdoor paint. Tell your people not to expect your return for three days.'
THE LADDER
I touched with eye
Right hand speaking
But all the while The left
Was sowing the whirlwind
(from the poem The Bird in the Cage' by the Lady Akaya)
Carnelian looked through the robes Fey had sent him. They were all flimsy, delicate silks, clothing suitable for wearing in his chambers, not for whatever expedition Osidian had in mind. And what was that? He was plagued with speculations. Outdoor paint? Where could Osidian be planning to go that required outdoor paint? For three days? It had to be some region of the Halls of Thunder exposed to the sun. That must be it. No need to worry that he was going against his father's wishes. Still, he was nagged by the thought that it was wrong to go.
'I must,' he said. He knew no way to get a message to Osidian to tell him that he was not coming. How could he just not turn up? He smiled thinking about him. There was still the problem of the robe. He knuckled his forehead. At last, with a sigh, he went to pick up the only outdoor robe he had. He shook out its scarlet mourning brocade, laid it out, then went to the door to call a servant. When the man came he sent him off to fetch body paint.
'Body paint, Master?'
'Body paint.'
The man was soon back with a jar and pads. Carnelian put up with the timorous painting. Once the paint had dried, he put on the mourning robe and finally, his mask.
Outside his chamber, he told his guardsmen that he would be spending three days away from them. When they sneaked glances at each other, he gave them assurances that he would be all right. He had to ignore the pleas in their eyes. After all, he himself did not know where he was going. Their looks of fear made him swear a silent promise that, should it become necessary, he would put himself between them and the Master's wrath. This did not stop him, as he walked away, feeling selfish and hazardous of their care.
Osidian was waiting for him. His eyes widened as Carnelian came closer. 'Is that a mourning robe?'
'It was the only one I had.'
'It is hardly the best omen for our expedition.'
Carnelian did not like Osidian's unfocused stare. 'Where are we going, then?'
Osidian seemed to come awake. 'Down to the Yden.'
Carnelian stared at him in disbelief. The Yden? Down the Rainbow Stair?'
Osidian shook his head. There is another, more ancient way.'
'Another stair?'
Osidian's lips formed an enigmatic smile. 'More a ladder than a stair. The descent is harrowing. Do you feel you have the strength?'
The challenge fired Carnelian up. 'If I do not, then at least I shall have the long pleasure of falling into the Yden like a star.'
Osidian's brow darkened. This is not a children's game, Carnelian. You speak lightly of what you do not know.'
Carnelian was stung to anger but before he could say anything Osidian threw his hands up in appeasement. 'Forgive my tone.' He grinned. Carnelian could not help grinning back. Osidian lowered his head and looked enquiringly at Carnelian.
Carnelian forced solemnity into his face. 'I am certain I have the strength.'
'Well then, let us make haste. When night falls it will not bode well for us should it find us on the Ladder. First we must put on our disguises.'
'Disguises?'
'It would be unwise' – he smirked – 'to go deep into the chambers of the Wise as ourselves.'
Osidian slipped out of the lantern light and returned carrying two packs. As he offered one, Carnelian remembered the Tower in the Sea and his father's anger at him carrying burdens. He realized that Osidian was angry too.
'Does my Lord consider it shameful to bear a pack when I did not consider it so to bring them both here?'
'No, not at all.' Carnelian grabbed one and swung it round onto his shoulder. He was adjusting its straps when Osidian threw him a bundle. Carnelian turned the thick purple silk in his hand. Osidian had already unrolled his and flung it over his back, concealing the pack under it. Carnelian followed his lead, but worried about the hump the pack made. He shrugged when he saw Osidian was unconcerned and pulled the cloak round him, securing its bony hooks. Smoothing it, he touched beadcord. He looked down and saw the panels. He closed his eyes and began to read with his fingers, out loud. The Heart of Thunder is the locus of the rain-heavy sky. It translates along the ritual axis, from the sea. It can be-'
These cloaks are reserved for near-Sapient acolytes. They are a study aid,' said Osidian. 'Come.'
'Our masks?'
Osidian shook his head. 'We must be free of their encumbrance.'
He led them through the moon-eyed door into the library. He opened the lantern, blew it out then put it on the ground, out of the way against a wall.
'Will we not need it further on?' asked Carnelian.
'No,' replied Osidian. Carnelian reached out to take a grip of Osidiah's cloak. He felt his hand being disengaged.
'It will be faster for you to follow your feet,' said the darkness.
Carnelian felt Osidian's cold foot nudging his across the floor to where it was embossed. 'Read it,' said Osidian.
Carnelian used his toe to feel around the shape. 'A face… a horned-ring above… a circle below… bisected thus a sky glyph, thus Sky God.' He returned to feel the face. Its eyes were closed, its mouth open. 'Blowing,' he said. 'It reads as, wind’
'Indeed,' said Osidian, his voice fading into the blackness.
Carnelian followed the wind glyph trail blindly through the library. For a while he had been hearing a whistling up ahead. He bumped into Osidian who gave a groan.
'Hide your face deep in your cowl.'
Carnelian was doing so when a smudging brightness opened in front of them. As he stumbled after Osidian, a gale took hold of his cloak. Carnelian squinted both ways. They were standing near the edge of a ravine. On its further side a smooth heart-stone wall rose up into blackness. Sky
light flowed in from the right, where the ravine turned a corner. Left, it narrowed off to a ragged eye-aching blue hole. Here and there narrow bridges arched the drop.
With his hand, Carnelian clamped his cowl onto his head. 'What is this?'
The Windmoat,' cried Osidian and turned into the blast.
They strode leaning into the wind. On their left the stone was as pierced as a sieve. Light blinked through the holes as they walked past. A murmur came through as if from a crowd at prayer. Carnelian paused to glue an eye to one of the holes and saw a tunnel running off into the distance. All the way down one side it was peopled from floor to ceiling with squatting, tallow-faced ammonites. He found the angle to see the tunnel's other side. Stone sloped up to a ledge on which something was sitting in a chair. He could make out a voice, a homunculus, droning, 'Compare cords twenty-five to thirty, Ba-Ta process result spindle for five computations…' He pushed his cheek into the stone, trying to see more. The mummified face of its Sapient master hung above the homunculus, his fingers operating its throat.
Osidian pulled him away.
'What…?' Carnelian said, pointing at the fretted wall.
Ammonite arrays, signed Osidian's hand. Calculating the approach of the Rains.
They passed one of the bridges, a simple arch without a parapet only wide enough for a single man. It crossed over to a postern gate sunk deep into the heart-stone wall.
Carnelian glanced up and saw, high above the gate, a few isolated holes that might have been windows. It was like a fortress or a prison.
He pulled Osidian's sleeve. He pointed at the gate. Where does that go? he signed.
The forbidden house.
Carnelian stared up at the windows and then pulled his cowl down and held it tight over his face by pressing his chin into his chest. He had a silly fear that Ykoriana might be up there looking down.
They went along the ravine edge as it widened to sky. Carnelian glimpsed the blue spread of the crater and then he saw Osidian had found some cracked ledges that led down into the ravine and begun to descend. Carnelian peered down to where its sheer edges were snagging morning light. For the first time he considered the reality of where they were going. He remembered the long climb of the Rainbow Stair, and that Osidian had described this Ladder as being harrowing. He shrugged. There was no turning back now. Chewing his lip, Carnelian started down the precarious steps.
The ravine squeezed down to a narrow cleft. The steps continued out through its end seemingly into the sky. Osidian had wedged himself between the walls. His cloak flapped desperately in the wind as he scrunched it into a ball and trapped it between the small of his back and the rock. He swung his pack round into his embrace and inserted his hand into it. He looked away with narrowed eyes as he rummaged. With a triumphant grin, he brought forth ajar that he gave to Carnelian, who could only look at it. Osidian fished out another. Carnelian watched his friend open the jar then pull up the corner of his robe and run it round inside. It came out white and oily. Osidian bent his knee to bring his foot towards him, leaned over and began to rub it with the paint. After a few strokes he looked up, holding his foot with one hand, the robe's whitened corner with the other.
'Are you just going to stand there watching?' he cried over the wind.
'Are we going barefoot?' Carnelian accented his words with gesture.
'Naked feet provide suction as well as a sensitivity to the movements in the rock.' Osidian resumed the daubing of his feet.
Carnelian wriggled himself into a stable position. Tentatively, he lifted one foot and kneaded his toes, rubbing dust from between them. 'And the paint?' he shouted.
'It will not come off. It will protect the paleness of your feet.'
Carnelian dipped a corner of his robe into his jar and rubbed some on. The paint reeked of turpentine. It was sticky and gleaned coldness from the wind. He began to apply it over his foot up to the ankle.
Take it higher, at least up to your knees.' Osidian hoisted the skirt of his robe. His long strong legs were so white they made the paint seem yellow.
When his feet were done, Carnelian began to spread the stuff up his legs.
'It is only paint,' cried Osidian, grinning. 'By your face one would think it was dung.' He made a lunge with the corner of his robe. Carnelian grazed his arm trying to dodge it, but it landed anyway. 'You had missed a bit,' said Osidian. 'Now do the soles.' He folded his feet up one at a time as he painted them. When each was done he waved it in the wind to dry.
'You look ridiculous.'
Osidian's eyebrows rose, making Carnelian look at himself. They both laughed. Osidian touched his foot gingerly to the floor as if he feared the paint might glue him to the rock. When he was standing firmly on both feet, he began to wriggle out of his robes.
Carnelian stared in amazement as Osidian pulled layer after layer over his head and pushed them under his feet. The last two robes were merely a mist concealing his body. Soon, he was dazzling, naked against the rock. Carnelian looked away.
'You too,' cried Osidian, through chattering teeth.
Carnelian tried to turn his back on him but the effort threatened to tumble him into the crack of the ravine. He cursed as he began to struggle out of his robes. He winced when his elbow struck rock. 'Is this really necessary?' he cried.
Osidian jabbed a finger out towards the sky. 'Out there, these robes would make us kites.'
'Could you not have found a better place to change?'
'Would my Lord prefer to expose himself above to the eyes of the forbidden house?'
Carnelian grumbled. He turned when he was wearing only a single robe. It was almost transparent. He could see his pimpled legs and the dull, discolouring paint. 'It is cold. Perhaps I should keep this on.'
Osidian made a face at him. 'I promise you that feeling the cold will be the least of your problems. Take it off.'
Carnelian pulled the last robe over his head. Osidian was looking at him. Carnelian blushed. Osidian pulled neatly folded bundles out of his pack and threw them at Carnelian. They turned out to be a padded tunic and close-fitting trousers. He put them on as quickly as he could. This is hardly the attire of the Chosen.'
Osidian flashed a smile and then shouldered the pack.
They stepped out of the ravine into a blinding churn of wind and sun. Carnelian clung to its cracked lip until he could see again. He clung harder when he realized how narrow was the shelf they stood on. Beyond was a world of air remotely floored by the turquoises of the crater. The ground was impossibly far away. His fingers tried to force their way into the rock to anchor him.
'How long will it take us to go down?' he shouted, stunned. He looked up when there was no answer. Osidian was standing away from the rock leaning into the wind with his back to him, his head up and very still. Carnelian released his hold and carefully moved to his side. The wind roared in his ears. Osidian looked so solid that he had to fight a desire to grab hold of him. Osidian's eyes were piercing the south-west. Carnelian shaded his eyes and squinted. Dazzling blue sparked off to a dip in the Sacred Wall. Above, the pearl sky tainted darker.
'What is it?' cried Carnelian, swallowing wind.
'Rain,' cried Osidian, not looking round.
Carnelian looked again. It made him remember his father organizing the Rebirth. What if his father had need of him? He put the thought out of his head. He had made his decision.
Osidian was saying something. Carnelian turned and saw him mouthing sounds. He shook his head and pointed to his ears. Osidian took him by the shoulders and leaned in towards him. 'Do not worry. We have time.' Carnelian felt Osidian's lips brush his face and was aware of the hands gripping his shoulders. 'It is still more than ten days away,' said Osidian in his ear.
As he was released, Carnelian put his hand up to stop the warmth of Osidian's breath from escaping. Slowly he relaxed the tension in his other hand and, daring to trust to the wind, braced himself against it to look down. He mastered his terror of that airy gulf. He was more dete
rmined than ever to follow Osidian down, whatever the consequences.
The steps were cracked, treacherous with scree, an uneven, narrow flight ablaze in the sun. On one side rose a chaotically jointed wall of slabs. On the other, a vision of falling. It was a height vast enough to daunt a hawk.
Carnelian felt Osidian looking at him and saw that he was frowning. We had better go back, he signed. The wind is too violent.
I do not fear, signed Carnelian, with shaky hands.
You are still weak from the sky sickness.
That was days ago.
The wind, the sun-
/ am fine, chopped Carnelian. He pointed at the steps. / will go first. I do not want to take you with me if I fall.
Try not to be a fool, flashed Osidian's hand. Do you know the way? He stormed off down the steps.
Carnelian watched nervously, terrified that he had stung Osidian into a perilous anger. But then he observed how carefully his heels were finding the angles in the steps and he decided that he would do better to worry about himself.
Carnelian was already struggling with the steps when they came to the first ladder. Osidian crouched on the edge. Carnelian snatched at him as he slipped over and out of sight. He leaned out with cold fear expecting to see him falling and saw instead Osidian's face grinning up at him. Carnelian's eyes lost their focus on that face. It became a speck in limitless blue. Carnelian wobbled, cracked to his knees. Clutching the edge made him feel that he was pivoting on his wrists, into flight. The vertigo would not even allow him to close his eyes.
'Carnelian.' His name cried by the wind. He took a deep breath and managed to wrench his eyes back into focus. Osidian was already some way down wedged into a crack like a lizard. His mouth was moving. Carnelian caught only the merest scratches of words. He shook his head then gaped as Osidian released a hand to sign. Carnelian slapped the rock repeatedly until Osidian resumed his hold. Osidian grinned then grew concerned.
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