StarMan (50 page)

Axis felt a shiver of premonition crawl down his spine and he berated himself silently; how can you call yourself a great warrior to be so terrified of two small babes?

Imibe straightened and Axis tipped his head toward the door; she curtsied silently and left, closing the door behind her.

Then, as Azhure had done two months before, Axis walked slowly over to the cribs to greet his children. And, as Azhure had, he reached his daughter's crib first. A daughter. Axis tried to conjure up some joy at this thought, for she was indeed a beautiful child, but she lay there and gazed at him with such studied lack of interest that Axis found he could not summon even a single spark of enthusiasm.

He reached down a hand and stroked her cheek. Why couldn't she love him? Why couldn't he love her? But all there was between them was indifference.

"Welcome RiverStar SunSoar, into the House of the Stars. My name is Axis, and I am your father."

Much that you care, he thought, almost nauseated by the cold apathy that rose from her flat stare. "May you learn charity and tolerance," he said suddenly, "for your beauty will be nothing without them."

Then he put Caelum down and picked up his daughter, raising her to his face and kissing her brow gently. "I want to learn to love you, RiverStar," he whispered. "Please, let me love you."

But the baby turned her head away, and Axis, his mouth thinning, put her back in her crib and lifted Caelum back into his arms. "And now," he said, "your brother."

If he had felt apathy from RiverStar, then Axis was met with such a torrent of hatred from DragonStar that he took a shocked step back as soon as he looked into the crib.

"By the Stars!" he whispered, and Caelum whimpered, clinging close to his father. "What have I done to deserve this much revulsion?"

DragonStar twisted in the crib and glared at his father and his elder brother. His tiny fists clenched in rage and frustration; he'd hoped his father would never,
never,
come home.

"Why?" his father asked, leaning back over the crib.

"Why?"

Because of what you did to my mother.

"There must be more to it than that!" Axis said, trying to control his temper. If that was all that lay between them, then why did DragonStar harbour so much ill-feeling toward Azhure as well?

The baby was silent, but his fists twitched, and Axis suddenly understood that if DragonStar was grown, he would have physically attacked him. As it was, Axis was stunned by the power the baby demonstrated.

/
should be first,
DragonStar said suddenly. /
should be your heir. With my power, my potential, I
deserve
to be your heir. Make me first and I will love you.

Now Axis was even more shocked, and he saw that Caelum had lost most of his colour. "No-one chooses when or to whom they are born," he tried to explain in as moderate a tone as he could manage, then he repeated what he had said to RiverStar. "I want to love you. Let me love you."

DragonStar narrowed his eyes into tiny slits. /
want to be your heir! I must be StarSon, not that
sop-eyed tot you carry in your arms! What quirk of fate seeded me SECOND into Azhure's used
womb?

Utterly appalled, Axis lost his temper.
How can you lie there and berate me for what I did to
Azhure, when you tore her almost to shreds in your efforts to be born! You do not deserve her for
your mother, and I, at least, am glad that you are not my eldest son! I have
every
reason to be glad
you are not
my
heir, DragonStar. And I will not welcome you into the House of Stars until you
have learned both humility and compassion!

He took a huge breath, his eyes wide and furious, then he strode from the room.

DragonStar stared at him through the gaps in the wickerwork as long as he could, watching his father stride away, Caelum cuddled tight against his chest, and hated.

/
will be your heir,
he thought with malevolence surprisingly focused for one so young,
for none
deserve it more than I!

Axis had managed to control his temper by the time he found Azhure and Belial conversing quietly outside Roland's chamber,

but anger still coursed through him. Azhure looked up as he approached, and she paled at what she saw on his face.

"I want DragonStar out of our apartments," he said tightly. "I do not want him near Caelum or his sister. If she is indifferent, then it is because of his influence."

Belial opened his mouth, appalled. "Axis? He is but a baby. How can you -"

Axis rounded on him, his temper out of control again. "But a baby? He hates enough for a battalion of Skraelings, Belial! I do not have to live with that, and I do not have to expose my other children to it!"

Azhure placed a hand on his arm, and Axis turned his eyes on her, sharing the memory of what had gone on in the room.

"Axis!"

Belial looked between the two of them, wishing he could understand. "Axis," he said, "do not let this night ruin your relationship with your son." He thought quickly. "If you like, Cazna and I will take him, give you time to think things over. I'm sure that Cazna would like to have a baby to croon over."

"Better to give her one yourself!" Axis snapped, but he nodded curtly after a minute. "As you wish.

You can take the boy. But keep him out of my way!"

And with that he was gone, Azhure hurrying after him.

ChoicesThey fare welled Roland at dusk the next day, sending him on his journey into the AfterLife with a great pyre on the shores of the Lake of Life. Almost everyone attended, for Roland had been loved among the people of Lakesview as well as among most of the soldiers in Axis' army. Even the remainder of the Strike Force were there, forming an honour guard as Roland's body was carried from the Keep to the pyre.

The bridge wept as Roland passed over her for the last time, for they had spent many a long hour talking compan-ionably together, and the bridge had come to respect him very much.

Cazna was there too, the baby boy in her arms, still faintly surprised at finding herself so precipitously cast into motherhood. But she smiled and crooned over the baby and remained totally insensitive to the fact that DragonStar directed a constant stream of malevolence towards his parents and elder brother.

When it was done, Axis waved SpikeFeather TrueSong over to him and Azhure.

SpikeFeather saluted smartly, then stood ready.

"SpikeFeathe^" Axis began, "we are worried."

Azhure took over. "Few Icarii have come this way, have they, SpikeFeather?"

"No, Enchantress," SpikeFeather said. "There were some here when we arrived, but most of them had been here since well before the StarMan locked Sigholt in her enchantments.

Anyone else coming from Talon Spike would probably be unable to find the place."

"Have you heard word of any movement south from Talon Spike?"

SpikeFeather smiled. "Enchantress. You know how isolated Sigholt has been. If Icarii fly south then they would go through the Avarinheim, then directly south from the Nordra."

Azhure exchanged a worried glance with Axis. "Spike-Feather, you may not know this, but two months ago I sent word to RavenCrest to evacuate Talon Spike. I feared attack by Gryphon - Gorgrael still has many at his command - and you know Talon Spike is almost defenceless."

SpikeFeather's face darkened. "I could fly the Strike Force there within -"

"No," Axis said, raising his hand. "No. SpikeFeather, Gorgrael has over seven thousand Gryphon left..."

SpikeFeather blanched so badly Azhure thought he would faint.

"And I don't want you, or anyone else, to pretend that what's left of the Strike Force could protect Talon Spike against the Gryphon."

"We thought we could send you, perhaps with a Wing, north to Talon Spike," Azhure said, her eyes locked onto Spike-Feather's face. "Find out what's happening, help if you can."

Azhure could go herself, but she was reluctant. She knew that Faraday would need her within six or seven weeks, and she didn't think she could get to Talon Spike and back with enough time to spare; her instinctive powers did not permit travel between sites as Axis' Enchanter powers did. Her instinct, however, did warn her that to attempt to confront the Gryphon now would be fatal; she still needed to grow further. And Azhure didn't want to leave Axis. Not when she'd just found him again. Or Caelum.

"It will be hard, if not impossible, to evacuate Talon Spike," SpikeFeather said. "There are the young children ..."

"I sent word that RavenCrest should use the waterways to get the children to safety," Azhure said. "I can see no reason why Orr should refuse them."

SpikeFeather glanced at Axis; he had met the Ferryman two years ago, and he did not think the cantankerous Charonite would accede to anything without great persuasion. The Charonites did not think very highly of the Icarii, and if RavenCrest had gone down there personally and imperiously demanded that the Ferryman take the children . . . SpikeFeather shuddered, and his reaction did not go unnoticed by either Axis or Azhure.

"SpikeFeather," Axis said. "We need to know that the Icarii in Talon Spike are safe. Make sure they are flying to the Avarinheim, or even further south into Tencendor, but make sure that they are out of there!"

SpikeFeather nodded, saluted, and turned away.

He left at dawn the next morning, a Wing behind him, and flew as hard and as fast as he could. They rested six or seven hours each night in the Avarinheim itself, with one of the Clans if they could find one, and the Avar reported that there had been no large-scale movement south since Yuletide.

One Clan leader had shrugged. "Daily flights of about two hundred for several weeks before Yuletide, and groups of fifteen to twenty every few days since, Crest-Leader, but that's all."

Stars! SpikeFeather cursed, tens of thousands must still be in Talon Spike. That night he gave the Wing only four hours rest before he hustled them back into the sky.

When they finally arrived at Talon Spike they found the mountain still crowded with Icarii, a discovery that sent SpikeFeather spiralling as close to depression as he had since the virtual destruction of the Strike Force at the Azle.

They had been spotted approaching the mountain, and RavenCrest himself met SpikeFeather at the flight balconies at the very apex of Talon Spike.

"Talon," SpikeFeather said, spreading his wings behind him as he bowed low.

RavenCrest's mouth quirked in grim humour. "Crest-Leader I see, SpikeFeather, by the insignia you wear. Next you'll be telling me that you command the Strike Force itself."

SpikeFeather rose from his bow, and in his dark eyes was such great sorrow that RavenCrest recoiled. "No," he whispered. "It cannot be!"

"Talon," SpikeFeather began, but RavenCrest ignored him.

"I had heard," he said as he half turned away, "that the Strike Force had been devastated by the Gryphon, but FarSight? HoverEye? SharpEye? SpreadWing?"

At SpikeFeather's compassionate look, RavenCrest groaned.

"I had not thought it to be so bad," he said. "Spike-Feather?" He looked back at the birdman. "Is it so desperate?"

SpikeFeather shook his head, wishing RavenCrest would lead them inside out of the wind, "No, it is not. I believe there is still hope. But, sire, you
must
order the evacuation of the mountain. No-one can defend this mountain!"

RavenCrest finally motioned him inside. "Send your Wing for some refreshment, SpikeFeather, and we will talk."

"Sire," SpikeFeather said urgently, "we spent the night with the Avar, and we are not tired. My Wing can get the evacuation under way. But by the Stars, sire," SpikeFeather could restrain himself no longer,

"why is anyone here at alii"

"You presume, SpikeFeather!" RavenCrest snapped, drawing himself to his full height and glaring at the birdman from under beetling black eyebrows.

But SpikeFeather was not daunted. "I presume nothing, sire," he said. "I merely ask why you are so lax regarding the survival of the Icarii."

Everyone within hearing distance froze and RavenCrest took a deep, astounded breath.

"Crest-Leader," he said, "I will see you in my apartments
now\
As for your Wing, they may await your...or my...orders in the antechamber."

SpikeFeather could not mistake the threat in RavenCrest's voice, but still he did not back down.

"Talon," he said, "I am here on orders from the StarMan and the Enchantress. They believe, rightly, that Talon Spike is facing an imminent threat. I am under their orders to hasten the evacuation any way I can."

If RavenCrest had any doubts concerning his place in the new order, then he was left in no doubt now. "I see, Crest-Leader," he said softly. "But I would still request that we speak privately in my apartments."

SpikeFeather inclined his head. "As you wish, Talon. But I have a great deal to do here and will not have time for an extended chat."

RavenCrest stared at him, then turned on his heel and stalked towards the closest shaft, stepping into the void and spiralling down on wings stiff with affront.

"Sire," SpikeFeather said when they were alone, "I did not mean to offend. But time is critical."

"SpikeFeather," RavenCrest sighed, "I do understand the danger. But evacuation has been fraught with so many difficulties."

SpikeFeather shuffled in impatience, but RavenCrest ignored him. "I had to take advice from the Elders, and I had to call the Assembly."

Oh, for the sake of the heavens! SpikeFeather thought, you called the Assembly on this? Couldn't you take the initiative just this once?

RavenCrest shrugged. "We were undecided on the matter. Many do not want to go -"

"Then they will die," SpikeFeather said, hoping to shake RavenCrest into some action.

"And I cannot blame them!" RavenCrest retorted, his violet eyes snapping. "We have lived here in safety for over a thousand years, and we do not know what awaits us in the south!"