by Shannah Jay
Then blackness whirled them away across the Touchpoint.
***
Nezrim left his men to curse and search the area in vain. He knew magic when he saw it. Those three had vanished, simply vanished. Who knew where they were now?
He hurried back to his chamber and wrote a message on thin paper which he fitted to a carrier bird’s leg. These birds didn’t fly at night, but at dawn the creature would fly swiftly to Azaray.
He turned to his son, who had just been helped in by two of the men. Garrill was looking pale and clutching his bloody head. ‘They hit me from behind,’ he muttered. ‘That brat couldn’t even fight fairly.’
‘It’s time you knew the whole story,’ Nezrim said grimly. ‘You see, Ronan isn’t really your brother . .
.’
***
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In Azaray, Pavros quickly sensed that something else had gone wrong, something related to the sword.
Since the spell the Halishi had cast over him so long ago had nearly worn off now, he was beginning to wonder why he’d ever allowed the three children to live.
‘They must have cast a spell on me while I was weakened,’ he muttered as the pieces of information fell into place in his mind. ‘They must have acted while I was still weak from defeating and scattering the sword.’
Angry at being tricked, he sucked in air deeply, then let out a long, slow breath as he continued to think it through. ‘Well, those children have only got hold of the scabbard so far. I’d have sensed it if they’d done anything else. I’ll make very sure they don’t win their way to the hilt, let alone the blade—
and I’ll also make sure they’re killed as soon as they’re caught.’
He took out his books of magic and spent the rest of the night putting together a spell even stronger than the one already in place around the three parts of the famous sword. Once this spell was cast, no one but he would be able to reach the sword, whoever they were, unless their powers were greater than his.
As dawn broke across the city with a thunderstorm that made the houses shake and sent heavy rain pelting down from a leaden sky, Pavros finished creating the rhymes and gestures that would set the new spell in place. Then he called his apprentice to prepare things, went to stand in the centre of his magic circle and began to intone the words in his deep voice, hands stretched out in front of him.
Thunder boomed out so loudly it destroyed the necessary rhythms and blotted out even the sound of the words, which must be pronounced just so and then be carried away by the air. Pavros tried several times, then gave up and resigned himself to waiting until the storm had passed before casting his new spell.
This setback put him in the foulest of moods, for which his poor apprentice suffered greatly.
The storm continued for much longer than the wizard had expected, however, much longer than was natural, in fact.
‘More of their cursed magic,’ he growled, staring out of the window at the lashing wind and rain. ‘But no one can keep this up for ever, not even the Halishi. Weather spells take a lot of effort. They won’t save THE MAGIC SWORD Shannah Jay 67
those children. I’ll make very sure of that. No one is going to reunite the sword and its hilt with the scabbard. I defeated them once and I’ll defeat them again.’
THE MAGIC SWORD Shannah Jay 68
14 SHAYLA’S WORLD
The three youngsters tumbled out of the swirling darkness to find themselves once more lying on the black rock in the moonlight. No one else was in sight.
‘We got away,’ Ronan murmured, sighing in relief.
For a moment they lay there panting then Kerril, always the impatient one, jumped to his feet. ‘Which world are we in?’ He went to stare down into the valley. ‘Not mine.’ Relief filled him that he didn’t have to confront Lord Bezroll yet.
Shayla came to stand beside him, studying the shadowed valley floor. ‘This is my world and it’s nearly dawn.’ In the valley below the rock, the grass looked like rippling grey silk and the trees cast darker shadows here and there. For all its mystery, it was still a place of beauty. ‘Don’t you wish we could go down there?’ she murmured.
Then she yawned, so blinked her eyes several times in an effort to force herself to be more alert. ‘It’s been a long night, but I don’t know whether we have time to go and search for the sword hilt now. The servants will be getting up soon.’
‘Is there somewhere we could hide and rest. They won’t know where we are unless someone spots us.’
Kerril yawned even as he spoke.
Ronan came to join them, hitching his worn sword belt to a more comfortable position. ‘It’s dangerous to delay. Nezrim will know by now that we have the scabbard. He’ll send word to Azaray and it won’t be hard for them to guess where we are. After all, there are only three places we could go to from my world—the other two new worlds or Azaray itself. And when Lord Nezrim tells the king he saw the three of us, Sevris will send the castle owners back to each of the new worlds to look for us. How long do you think it’ll take them to get here from Azaray, Shayla?’
Her heart sank. ‘About six hours’ hard riding. Longer for Lady Alvyna, who hates travelling fast.’
‘They’ll have to get the news to Azaray first, though,’ Kerril said, chewing on one finger tip as he thought it over. ‘You always have to go to Azaray first. It’s the key world on this whole ring. You can’t THE MAGIC SWORD Shannah Jay 69
move directly from one new world to the other unless Hallie uses magic to take you across the Touchpoint. I read about that somewhere.’ He kept surprising himself at the things he was remembering.
‘The fastest way will be to send carrier birds to Azaray with messages,’ Ronan said thoughtfully.
‘They can travel far more quickly than even a man on horseback. But the birds can only make the journey in that direction. They won’t fly back to the new worlds, even if they were born there.’
They were silent as they thought about that, trying to estimate how much time they had.
‘Besides,’ Ronan went on, trying to think things our logically, ‘something must already have upset Lord Nezrim. He wouldn’t normally travel during the hours of darkness because he likes his comfort too much.’ He pursed his lips and stared first at Kerril then at Shayla. ‘I wonder what sent him hurrying back?’
Kerril bit his lip, reluctant to put it into words, then let the thoughts out, ‘Perhaps he was coming to find you, Ronan. Perhaps—’ just in time he remembered not to name the wizard, ‘ He sensed that we’d found one another. It won’t be hard for them to guess we’d be trying to put the sword back together. The magic spell guarding it must have been cast by him, after all. And—and he might be plotting how to kill us at this very moment. Or—he might have sent someone riding out to kill us. Who knows with a person like that?’
‘Things are changing in these worlds, though,’ Shayla said quietly, ‘and we’re changing, too. I don’t think they realize we have some small magic of our own.’
‘Our magic can hardly be strong enough to make the difference, though,’ Kerril muttered. ‘Not if we have to face that horrible wizard.’
‘Our magic was enough to help us break his spell and get the scabbard,’ Ronan said firmly. ‘And who knows what else we’ll manage together? Three in One, remember.”
Shayla murmured agreement, then turned away from the valley to look towards Weyridge House, a large sprawling building lying across the lower ground like a crouching grey animal. She stared at it.
‘There are a lot of servants down there and they’ll be stirring soon, so we have to get you two to a hiding place quickly. We can’t search while they’re awake, so we may as well try to sleep—or at least, you two can. I shall have to do my work as usual.’
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‘Can you manage to stay awake?’ Ronan asked.
‘I must.’
‘How strong are the fortifications? Shall we be able to get inside?’ He
tried to make out the details of the house, but it was too dark still.
‘There are no fortifications. It’s not a castle, just a large house. Lady Alvyna says there’s no need to build draughty castles in the new worlds. All she and Lord Beffris need do to protect themselves is station watchers on the road from Azaray and keep a few armed men at the gatepost. She says danger only comes from that direction and they can easily spot anyone approaching from the city, because there’s only one road.’
‘What about the Shadows?’ Kerril asked, frowning. ‘Couldn’t someone get through them?’
‘Since no one has ever walked out of the Shadows, she doesn’t see any need to worry about them.’
Shayla turned to her other brother. ‘What do you think, Ronan? Could anyone travel through the Shadows?’
He’d been listening with a frown on his face and when he saw them both looking confidently at him for an answer, he felt suddenly afraid of letting them down. ‘I don’t know what to think. I know I’m the true-born king, but I don’t feel at all like one. I mean—shouldn’t I know what to do next? Shouldn’t I have lots of ideas about how to save us?’
When they didn’t answer, he added despairingly, ‘If you want the truth, I don’t have any idea at all what to do next. I’m so tired I can’t even think straight. Fine king I’d make!’ His voice was bitter.
Kerril patted him on the shoulder, trying to offer comfort.
Shayla simply took their hands and began to pull her brothers downwards, away from the rock, not letting go until they’d both started walking beside her. ‘Come along, you two!’ she said bracingly. ‘We’re all exhausted. I’m so tired that when I try to think my mind goes round in circles and everything seems blurred. You’re not the only one to feel bewildered, Ronan. I mean, yesterday I was just a foster child of Lady Alvyna, training to be housekeeper here one day—and now,’ she had to take a deep breath before she could say the words, for the idea still amazed her, ‘now I’m the sister of a king. Doesn’t that make me a princess or something?’ She didn’t even know.
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‘I feel just the same,’ Kerril agreed. ‘Upside down, as if I don’t know myself any more.’
‘You’re a prince and princess in your own right now,’ Ronan said quietly. ‘And if anything happens to me, one of you might inherit the throne.’
Kerril couldn’t hold back a whistle of surprise. It seemed such a strange idea. Him, a prince! As for inheriting the throne, no! Somehow he knew instinctively that he could never rule a country.
Shayla stopped walking and put one arm round Kerril’s shoulders, as if sensing his need for support, then with a quick smile she put her other arm round Ronan’s shoulders. He might be king, but he, too, needed support and encouragement. She didn’t know how she knew that, she just did. ‘We’ll manage somehow. After all, we got back the scabbard when we worked together, didn’t we? Don’t forget that.’
Kerril relaxed against her with a smile. For a moment, Ronan stood stiffly, looking startled, as if he hadn’t expected her to hug him like that, then a slow smile lifted the corners of his lips and he gave them both a quick hug in return. ‘You’re right, Shayla. We’ve done well so far, but we’re too tired to think straight. Can you get us into the house? And do you know somewhere Kerril and I can hide until it’s safe to start searching?’
‘I can get you inside easily and I know a really good place to hide. I’ll even bring you something to eat as well.’
Both lads made sounds of vigorous approval.
‘You’ll have to stay in the hiding place all day, I’m afraid, but if you keep very quiet, no one will find you. I know they’ll be sending folk after us from Azaray, but we simply daren’t risk doing anything till later. Believe me, the house is full of servants during the daytime! Lady Alvyna likes things kept perfect.’
Shayla let them inside the house by a small side door whose key was hidden nearby on the branch of a thick creeper. ‘I slip out this way sometimes,’ she explained in a whisper. ‘I found the key quite by accident and I haven’t told anyone else about it.’
Locking the outer door carefully behind her, she hid the key in another hiding place on the inside then led the way to the kitchens, where she lit a lantern from the embers of the big fire. The place was deserted and she knew exactly where to find food no one would miss.
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After that she hurried her brothers up some back stairs to the third floor. It was eerie walking through the dark house, where shadows cast by dim watch lanterns seemed alive with menace and wall tapestries swung gently in the breeze of their passing. More than once one of them stopped with a quick intake of breath, thinking someone was following them or watching them.
Ronan had his hand on his sword hilt all the time, as if ready to defend them.
Each of them breathed a sigh of relief when they reached Shayla’s room and slipped inside.
The first thing she did was bar the door. This place was much larger than Ronan’s room and seemed huge to Kerril. However, the room was shabbily furnished with everything in it mended or badly scratched. Clearly Shayla was not an important member of the household.
‘The best thing about this room is the cupboard,’ she said, trying to sound cheerful, though she felt so tired she could have fallen into bed that very second and been asleep before five more seconds had passed.
Kerril looked at her in puzzlement. ‘What’s so special about a cupboard?’
She led them to a narrow door in the wall and opened it. Inside were piles of clothes and a few cloaks and gowns hanging over a rail. ‘Watch carefully!’
Ronan moved across to stand behind her. He had come to the conclusion already that his sister was very clever. If she was bothering to show them this cupboard—now, when they were all so tired—she must have a good reason for doing so, though the cupboard wasn’t large enough for him and Kerril to hide in. He could see that at a glance.
Shayla pushed aside the clothes and then removed a pile of linen from the bottom two shelves. Getting down on her hands and knees, she lifted away the lowest shelf, then pushed the wood behind it which slid noiselessly to one side. She pushed the lantern into the hole behind it and began crawling through it with a quiet, ‘Follow me!’
Ronan nudged Kerril to go after her and took up the rear position. When he’d passed through the hole, he stood up and stared ahead in surprise, for he was in a tunnel and the other two were quite a long way down it. He could see a flicker of light from Shayla’s lantern. As his eyes grew used to the dimness, he smiled in relief. Was this a tunnel which led somewhere or just a space in the walls? Either way, it was a perfect hiding place.
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He fumbled behind him and pushed the panel shut then followed the others. It was a strange feeling to trust someone as he did Shayla. He had never trusted anyone before except Tevis and Nella.
After about twenty paces, he nearly bumped into Kerril, who had stopped moving. Shayla was a dim shape in front of them.
‘What is this tunnel for?’ Ronan asked in a low whisper. ‘Where does it lead?’
Shayla’s voice was so quiet they had to strain to hear her. ‘It’s not meant for anything. It’s a space left by the builders for mending the roof, I think.’
‘Where does it lead?
‘I’ll show you.’ She waited, as if listening for something, then whispered, ‘Go very quietly for the next bit,’ before moving on again.
The next part of the low tunnel was filled with the noises of people sleeping nearby and Ronan could understand why she wanted them to be quiet. It must be nearly dawn now, because the sleepers sounded restless, as if they were nearly ready to wake up. Someone was coughing and another was tossing around, making the bed ropes creak.
After a short distance, the tunnel turned to the left.
Shayla stopped again in a wider corner space, waiting until the two boys were close to her. ‘This part passes be
hind Lady Alvyna’s suite. I found it quite by accident. They’ll be coming to clean her chambers soon, so we can’t go inside, but later, if she hasn’t come back from Azaray, we can explore the place even before it gets dark. There’s another panel which lifts out in her cupboard here,’ she touched the wood with her foot. ‘The tunnel goes all round the top part of the house, but it doesn’t lead anywhere.’
‘Do you think she and her husband will have hidden the sword somewhere in their rooms, then?’
Ronan asked.
‘I’m sure of it.’ Shayla couldn’t prevent another yawn, which made Kerril yawn too. ‘Let’s go back now. I may be able to get a little sleep before the day begins. I just wanted you to know where the tunnel leads.’
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When they got back to her room, the two boys stretched and yawned. She frowned and looked round.
‘I’m worried someone might come in and see you. They don’t usually, but I can’t lock the door during the day. It’ll look strange.’
‘We’ll sleep in the tunnel, then,’ Ronan said at once.
Kerril sighed. He didn’t like the idea of spending the whole day in a dark space. But his brother was already leading the way back through the cupboard, so he could only follow and try to get comfortable on the uneven floor, with one blanket to share between the two of them. Behind them, Shayla pulled the panel back into place, shut the little door, then hid it again.
They could hear her sighing and getting into bed.
Kerril sighed, too, and muttered, ‘At least this tunnel isn’t full of water.’
‘It’s a very good hiding place,’ Ronan said quietly. ‘Now, try to get some sleep.’
‘Shouldn’t one of us keep watch?’
Ronan thought about this for a moment. ‘Even if I tried to keep watch, I think I’d fall asleep. A person can keep awake if there’s something to do, but if we’re just lying still, it’ll be impossible to stay alert.’