Stalking Darkness (6 page)

“You are a Fair One of great magic and generosity, Meringil, son of Solun and Nycanthi, and a true biruk,” Retak proclaimed, clapping Seregil on the shoulder. “You shall be known as a member of my clan from this day. What can we offer you in return?”

“It is I who am honored by your excellent hospitality. My gifts are given in thanks for that alone,” Seregil replied graciously. “Though there is a matter in which you may be able to assist me.”

Retak motioned for the others to pay attention. “What has brought you so far to our valley?” “I’ve come seeking a place of magic spoken of in certain legends. Do you know of such a place?”

The reaction was instantaneous. The elders exchanged hesitant looks. A woman dropped a spit with a clatter. Overhead the children left off exclaiming over their new treasures and leaned farther over the hole to listen.

Retak motioned with his staff and an ancient little man wearing a coat decorated with sheep’s teeth shuffled forward. In the firelight he looked like an ancient tortoise, with a tortoise’s leathery, slow-blinking gaze. Kneeling slowly before Seregil, he held up a bone rattle in one tremulous hand and shook it in a wide circle before speaking.

“I am Timan, son of Rogher and Borune,” he said at last. “And I tell you that there is such a place in this valley. It has been the duty of my clan to watch over it since the time of the spirit’s anger. It is a spirit home, deep in the rock beneath the ice. How it came there no man knows. Sometimes the door is there and sometimes it is not there, according to the will of the spirit.”

“And this spirit has grown angry?” asked Seregil.

Timan nodded, shaking the rattle softly in time to his words. It was more of a chant than a story, as if he’d told it many times before, and in exactly the same words.

“The spirit made a chamber for men to dream in. Some had visions. Some did not. Some heard the voice of the spirit. Some did not. All was with the will of the spirit. When the spirit chose to speak, those who heard were called blessed, bringers of great luck to their clan. But many generations ago the spirit grew angry. Men came out maddened. They did deeds of terrible evil. Others never returned and no trace of them could be found. A man of my clan was the first to go mad, and so it has been the burden of my clan to guard the spirit home since that time.”

He stopped, wrinkled mouth moving in silence, as if he’d run out of sound.

“Why do you seek this place?” Retak asked.

Seregil stared into the fire for a moment, quickly weaving this new information into a usable form. “I’d heard legends of this place and was curious to see if they were true. You know that the Aurenfaie are people of great magic. I have shown you my powers already. If you will show me this sacred place, I will speak with your spirit and find out why it’s so angry. Perhaps I can even make peace between you again.”

A murmur of approbation went around the cramped room.

Old Timan laid his rattle at Seregil’s feet. “This would be a great feat indeed. Many times I have tried to placate the spirit, but it has been silent to me, or driven me out with terrible noises in my head. Truly, can you do such a thing?”

“I’ll try,” Seregil replied. “Bring me to the spirit chamber at first light tomorrow and I’ll speak to your spirit.”

The murmur changed to a roar of acclaim.

“The guest sleeps in my house this night,” Retak announced proudly, ending the feast. “The mountain nights are harsh for your kind, Meringil, but I have many healthy daughters to keep you warm,”

Overhead the children shouted with delight as the older girls craned for a better look at Seregil.

Seregil blinked, “What?”

“To get a round belly from a guest gives a young woman highest status,” Retak explained happily. “New blood brings new strength to the whole village. My own grandfather was a light-eyed Aurenfaie, as you can see. But not a great magician like you! Tomorrow Ekrid’s clan will offer you hospitality, and then Ilgrid’s and—“

“Ah, of course.” Seregil looked around to find mothers reckoning on their fingers their place in the hierarchy. Clearly, there were a few Dravnian guesting customs he’d forgotten about.

Ah, Nysander, he groaned inwardly, scanning the gaggle of moonfaced maidens, reading clearly enough the greedy gleam behind their modest smiles.

This had damn well better be the right valley!

Alec lowered himself from the villa window, then whirled in alarm as a menacing snarl erupted on his right.

There’d been no sign of a dog when he’d first climbed into the baron’s courtyard, but there was sure as hell one here now.

What he could see of it in the darkness was big, and the rising timbre of the growl was enough for him to imagine the beast closing in on him, ears laid back, teeth bared.

It was too far to the courtyard wall for a dash.

Racking his memory for the thief’s charm Seregil had shown him, he raised his left fist with index and little fingers extended. Snapping his hand to point the little finger down, he whispered hoarsely, “Peace, friend hound.”

The growling ceased at once. A cold nose thrust briefly against his palm, then he heard the dog padding away.

It had never occurred to Alec to ask how long the charm lasted. Taking no chances, he ran for the wall.

The top was studded with shards of glass and crockery set in mortar; in his haste he reached carelessly and caught his left hand on one of the jagged points, gashing the palm just above the wrist. Pain bloomed through his hand as a warm trickle oozed down into his sleeve. Hissing softly through his teeth, he slid down the far side and headed for home.

His route took him by Wheel Street and he halted a moment at the corner, holding his torn hand to his chest. It would only take a moment to duck in there, and he knew where Seregil kept bandages and salve.

The growing throb in his hand decided him.

Letting himself in the front door, he took out a lightstone and whistled softly to the dogs, making himself known. A huge white shape materialized at once. Marag padded out of the dining room, wagging a greeting as he sniffed Alec’s hand. His mate would be on patrol in the back court. Accompanied by the hound, Alec walked through the main hall to the kitchen.

The supplies he wanted were on the shelf by the door. Carrying the rags and salve pot to the table, he set his lightstone by them and examined the gash. It was jagged and sore, but no major veins or tendons seemed to be damaged.

“This must be my unlucky hand,” he muttered, rubbing his thumb over the shiny circular scar left by the cursed disk they’d stolen from Mardus. They’d both been branded by it—Seregil on his chest where it had hung, Alec on the palm of the hand as he’d grasped it during their strange struggle at the inn.

He bandaged the cut as best he could one-handed, then sat back and stroked Marag’s silky head. The thought of his own bedchamber upstairs was tempting. He was cold and tired and suddenly Blue Fish Street felt very far away. But there was always the complication of appearances; Sir Alec and Lord Seregil were not expected to arrive for several more days and it wouldn’t do to have untoward signs of occupation just yet. With a resigned shrug, he cleared away the evidence of his visit and set out through the dark, cold streets.

Within a block of Wheel Street he suddenly sensed pursuit. Stealth was difficult on the icy streets and whoever it was shadowing him was making a poor job of concealing their movements. When Alec slowed, they came on. When he increased his pace, so did they. It was too dark to see, but he could hear more than one set of feet. One of them had metal nails on the soles of his boots; in the silence of the street,

Alec could hear them scraping against the cobbles.

There was no question of returning to the house. Even if he could get back past his pursuers, he couldn’t risk leading them there.

Ahead of him, a street lantern burned at the intersection of Wheel and Golden Helm. A right turn would bring him to the Astellus Circle and the Street of the Sheaf. There was a chance of meeting with a Watch patrol there, but he couldn’t be sure of it.

A left turn would take him toward Silvermoon Street and the Palace.

At the corner he deliberately walked through the pool of light and swung sharply to the right. Once beyond it, he doubled quickly back toward Silvermoon.

His pursuers caught the trick, however, and charged after him, their boots clattering on the paving stones.

There was nothing left to do but run. Abandoning any attempt at stealth, Alec pelted down the center of the broad boulevard, cloak flapping behind him.

High garden walls presented an unbroken barrier on either side, blocking any hope of a quick sidestep. The pounding of his feet and those closing in on him echoed like the clatter of dice in a cup.

Tearing his cloak strings loose, Alec let it fall away behind him. A muffled curse rang out an instant later, and the sound of a man falling heavily.

Dashing past another lantern, he glanced back to see two swordsmen no more than twenty yards behind.

He veered into Silvermoon Street and saw the wall surrounding the palace grounds looming on his right. As he’d hoped, a watch fire burned in front of one of the postern gates. He dashed toward it, lungs bursting.

A cluster of soldiers of the Queen’s household guard were huddled around the brazier. At the sound of Alec’s approach, four came forward with swords drawn.

“Help!” gasped Alec, praying they didn’t attack as he barreled into their midst. “Footpads—chasing me—back there!”

Two men grasped him by the arms, half restraining, half supporting him as he skidded to a halt. “Steady, lad, steady there,” said one.

“I don’t see anyone,” growled another, squinting in the direction Alec had come from. Looking back, Alec saw no sign of his mysterious pursuers.

The first guard ran a skeptical eye over his fine coat and sword. “Footpads, eh? More likely an angry father or husband at this hour. Been up to mischief, have you?”

“No, I swear,” Alec panted. “I was coming home late from—from the Street of Lights.” The others grinned knowingly at this.

“Just the place to get your purse lightened, one way or another, eh?” the sergeant said with a chuckle.

“Well, it’s late for the nighthawks to be out, but they might just lurk around for you. Do you live close by?”

“No, across the city.”

“Then you’re welcome to tuck up here with us round the fire ’til first light.”

Alec gratefully accepted a spare cloak and a pull from a water skin, then settled down with his back to the wall, the warmth of the brazier warming his face and chest. All in all, he thought as he drifted off to sleep, it wasn’t the worst end to an evening’s work.

R
etak’s daughters bid Seregil a fond farewell as he and their father left to meet Timan at the council house early the next day. To Seregil’s dismay, a crowd had already assembled and many had snowshoes and poles ready.

Timan presented a young man to him. “I am too old now to make the journey, but my grandson, Turik, knows the place. He can guide you. These others will carry your belongings and gift offerings for the spirit.”

Seregil groaned inwardly. The last thing he wanted was an audience, but he was too close to his objective to risk offending the village. Amid much cheering and singing, they set off for the head of the valley.

The Dravnian youths marched along easily, talking and joking as they broke trail. Seregil toiled doggedly in their wake, struggling with the thin air and a poor night’s rest. One of Retak’s sons fell in beside him, grinning.

“You had good hospitality last night, eh? My sisters were happy this morning.” “Oh, yes,” wheezed Seregil. “I was kept very warm, thank you.” They reached the base of the pass just after midday. Turik called a halt while an older man named Shradin went ahead to scout the snow.

Turik pointed up the pass. “The spirit home is there, but it’s difficult going from here—fissures beneath the snow and avalanches. Shradin can read the snow better than anyone in the village.”

Squatting on their snowshoes, the others watched as the guide explored the pass. “Well, what do you think?” asked Seregil when Shradin returned.

The Dravnian shrugged. “It’s only a little dangerous today. Still, it would be better if just a few go on from here. Turik knows the way and I know the snow. The rest of them better go home.”

After some disgruntled grumbling, the others headed back to the village.

Shradin took the lead as they began their cautious ascent. Seregil and Turik following in single file. Seregil watched in silent admiration as the man probed ahead with his pole, leading them safely around deep fissures concealed just beneath the deceptively unbroken snow. Glad as he was of this, however, Seregil couldn’t help glancing nervously up at the tons of snow and ice clinging precariously to the mountainsides above.

As they neared the top of the pass, Turik took the lead. “We are almost there,” he said at last, pausing for Seregil to catch his breath.

Struggling up a last, steep face, Turik halted again and began casting around where the lip of the glacier met the rock face. After frequent sightings up at the peaks and much prodding with his pole, the young Dravnian raised his hand and waved for the others