The Prophecy of the Gems (7 page)

At last the councillors dared to look up at their leader. His towering form loomed in the dim light. In the darkness that concealed his face, only his eyes could be seen, piercing eyes that gleamed harshly.

“That is all. You will be informed of further developments.”

With these words, he left the chamber.

AMBER ADMIRED JADE
: she seemed thoughtless and spoilt, but had just shown them that she could also be quite shrewd. She had quickly guessed what Amber would never have imagined: “If the voice threatens to find you in Nathyrnn,” she’d said with cool assurance, “it’s certainly because it hopes you won’t go there.” Opal had been hard to convince. Her pretty pale face was distorted by fear and she was shaking all over. Each step that brought her closer to the city cost her tremendous effort. At first she had begged Jade not to go on. She had shrieked with such despair that she had
succeeded in terrifying herself even more. Jade had lost her temper and ordered Opal to follow them, and when that failed, she had finally grabbed Opal’s arm and given her a resounding slap. Jade was not given to patience or moderation, and Opal was suffering the consequences.

“You’re not yourself! On any other occasion, I would have had no qualms about leaving you here, but as it seems you’re at the mercy of any old telepathic enemy with nothing better to do than terrorise young girls, you’re coming with us, whether you want to or not.”

Reluctantly, her cheek burning, Opal finally gave in to Jade.

“Opal, are you feeling better?” asked Amber after a while.

Opal refused to talk about it. She felt more humiliated than frightened now, and the last thing she wanted was pity.

“I’m fine,” she said in a steady voice.

“You’re sure?” insisted Amber.

“Yes.”

“Jade,” asked Amber, “how far is it to Nathyrnn? Opal is still rather weak.”

“I feel fine,” repeated Opal, who was finding Amber’s concern rather annoying.

“We’re an hour or two away from Nathyrnn,” announced Jade.

“You’re sure we’re on the right road?”

“Absolutely,” snapped Jade.

“I’m hungry,” announced Amber. “We hardly touched our supplies this morning. We should stop again, to rest and have another meal.”

“No,” said Jade.

“We’re stopping!” declared Opal.

Jade glanced at her more in astonishment than irritation — she hadn’t expected any argument.

“Looks like we’re stopping,” said Amber.

“All right,” sighed Jade.

They sat down beside the path, surrounded by dry grass and wild flowers. Amber smiled to see the sun shining with all its might, and began eating ravenously. She looked at Opal, who, since receiving the strange telepathic message, seemed like another person. There was dismay in her big blue eyes, and all the colour had drained from her face. Amber was secretly hurt by the fact that Opal hated Amber fussing over her. Amber
needed to be liked by others, and she wished Opal were more friendly, but she understood that Opal was on her guard and that she considered both her companions potential enemies.

“I’m not hungry,” said Opal, pushing back the basket Amber was offering her.

“Let’s try the Stones again,” suggested Amber.

“That doesn’t help,” said Jade, but she undid the drawstrings of her black purse anyway, and took out the Stone.

Amber and Opal did the same. This time, the effect was instantaneous. The three girls became queasy, and felt as if they were caught up in a whirlwind. They were seized with a nameless dread. The Stones seemed to be vibrating, and the girls were shaking. The sensation stopped as suddenly as it had begun, leaving the girls reeling on their feet. Amber and Jade felt utterly exhausted, but all Opal’s anxiety had vanished, and she seemed like her old self again. She was ashamed of the weakness she’d shown, and wanted to make up for it.

“Let’s head for Nathyrnn. It was stupid of me not to want to go with you. I was under the spell of that
message and I was talking a lot of nonsense. Just forget what I said.”

She wanted Amber and Jade to understand that the emotional girl of before, who had spoken under the influence of the voice, wasn’t really her. She was furious with herself for the frightening ease with which she had let the voice overwhelm and disorient her.

“Jade,” said Amber as they all walked along, “when we’re in Nathyrnn, you ought to sell your gown and your jewellery so you can buy more ordinary clothing. The way you’re dressed, people will notice us.”

“I like being noticed,” Jade shot back, exasperated. “And I don’t want to look like a peasant! If you can’t afford to buy jewellery and a dress from the county of Tyrel, just shut up and let me wear what I want.”

Amber felt like snarling back at her, but she controlled herself. It was best not to aggravate Jade. It was true that her dress, delicately made by skilful artisans, suited her perfectly. Carried away by her imagination, Amber pictured Jade as a woman warrior, holding a sabre dripping with blood, riding a wild-eyed stallion as white as sea foam. Then she thought of Opal, whom she saw as a storybook
princess wearing a golden diadem nestled in her curly blonde hair and a pearl-grey dress to set off her pale skin and light blue eyes — which were demurely downcast, as always. This last thought made Amber smile.

She finally woke from her reverie when Jade cried, “Here is Nathyrnn!”

The three girls had arrived without incident outside the city. Along the way they had met only country people, who’d been surprised to see them and had not dared to look at them openly. Now fields and meadows had given way to the impressive ramparts that completely surrounded Nathyrnn.

“How do we get into the city?” asked Amber in dismay.

“I hadn’t thought about that,” replied Jade with a wry smile, attracted by the prospect of danger and the unknown.

The walls of the city were guarded by Knights of the Order, and three of them were there, bearing sharp swords, wearing grey uniforms and mounted on horses of the same colour. They were fearsome and pitiless: they were merciless in their pursuit and
punishment of the guilty, enforcing the dreaded law of the Council of Twelve everywhere they went.

Signalling her companions to follow her, Jade went up to one of the knights. Amber and Opal stood warily behind her.

“What do you want?” demanded the knight rudely. He was an imposing figure, with a coarse and unattractive face. His voice was cold.

“We must enter Nathyrnn,” replied Jade boldly, not in the least intimidated.

“Your pass!”

“What pass?” said Amber without thinking, and earned a stinging look from Jade.

“Don’t listen to her,” she told the knight with a flirtatious smile. “She’s one of my servants, and she’s not quite with it.”

“Hand over your pass,” repeated the man. “No one enters Nathyrnn without a pass issued by the Duke of Divulyon, who governs this territory by decree of the Council of Twelve.”

“I know that,” said Jade promptly.

She’d been going to add that she was the daughter of the Duke of Divulyon, but caught herself: she was
not to reveal her identity to anyone. She smiled at the knight again. The man seemed rather disconcerted by her appearance; he could tell she was rich and belonged to an influential family. He had his orders, however, and could not let anyone enter without a pass.

“The Duke of Divulyon is my uncle; my name is Coralie of Mordorais, and these two girls are my servants.”

Jade had a cousin of that name, the daughter of the duke’s sister, a girl of about her own age.

“I have heard of your illustrious family, Lady Mordorais,” replied the knight in a more gracious tone. “But without a pass, I may not allow you to enter.”

“You will feel the wrath of my father,” declared Jade calmly.

“The Count of Mordorais?”

“The very same. You must surely be aware that he is under the command of the Duke of Divulyon. He has great influence with him, and thus with the Council of Twelve as well.”

“I do not doubt it.”

“My father asked me to come to Nathyrnn to see someone, a certain Jean Losserand. He is to return an object belonging to my father, a book of great value.”

“Why did the Count of Mordorais not send a page on this errand, or else have you accompanied by an escort?” asked the knight doubtfully.

“I wanted to see Nathyrnn, and I do not like to saddle myself with an escort. My father did indeed give me an entry pass, signed by the Duke of Divulyon, but I seem to have mislaid it. He will be seriously vexed if I return empty-handed.”

The knight was very suspicious, and said nothing.

Jade spoke coaxingly. “How can you doubt my words when you see my jewels? Aside from me, the only person in this entire dukedom who may wear such gems is the daughter of the Duke of Divulyon. They prove that I am Coralie of Mordorais and that you should let me enter the city.”

“I cannot.”

Now Jade lost her temper.

“Let me enter Nathyrnn immediately or I swear that my father will drag you through the mud until you beg for mercy!” she hissed, her eyes spitting fire. “He’ll have you tortured in the public square like a common criminal, and you will suffer a horrible death. If you do not open this gate right now, you will regret it!”

“I … I really cannot, Lady Mordorais.”

“Obey me!” yelled Jade.

“Ja– uh, Coralie,” suggested Amber in a low voice, “perhaps you should offer one of your jewels to this knight so that we could enter…”

The knight’s eyes gleamed. “Your servant is not such an idiot after all, Lady Mordorais.”

“You shall have nothing!” fumed Jade. “I do not have to pay to enter.”

“Then you shall not enter,” concluded the knight.

“That’s what you think. Open this gate.”

“No.”

“Open it!” roared Jade.

The knight instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. That was when Opal stepped forward majestically, pushing aside Jade, who stumbled in surprise. Opal turned her icy gaze on the knight and addressed him in a determined voice.

“Enough lies. This girl is not Coralie of Mordorais, and I am not her maid.”

Taken aback and impressed by Opal’s self-command, the man asked her, “Then who is this so-called Lady Mordorais?”

“She is my own maid. We exchanged roles to ensure my safety.”

“Your safety?” exclaimed the knight, growing increasingly bewildered. “But who are you?”

“My family is too noble for its name to be pronounced before you,” replied Opal coolly. “The Council of Twelve has entrusted me with a mission of the gravest importance. I must keep it secret and travel with the greatest discretion.”

The knight gazed at Opal in admiration.

“Why do you not have a pass to enter Nathyrnn?” he asked. “And what is your mission?”

“Alas! We have come a long way and were travelling with a guide, who unfortunately betrayed us. He stole our pass and fled. By the time we realised this, it was too late to do anything about it. As for my mission, I ought not to speak of it, but since you have proved so understanding, I will reveal something to you…

“I’m listening,” replied the man eagerly.

“My mission concerns the Prophecy and three enemies of the Council of Twelve.”

A light dawned in the knight’s eyes.

“So it’s true? The rumours do speak of… the subject you mentioned.”

Opal shivered. So, her intuition had proved correct.

“You understand,” she continued, “that it is vitally important that you assist me in my mission. The Council of Twelve must not be thwarted in such an urgent enterprise!”

Opal had spoken solemnly, her big blue eyes staring without blinking at the knight.

“I understand completely,” he stammered.

He summoned the other two knights, and together they opened the gate of Nathyrnn.

Without a word of thanks, Opal walked with great dignity into the city, followed by Jade and Amber.

“Good luck!” the knight shouted after the three girls.

And the heavy gate of Nathyrnn swung shut behind them.

FOR TEN YEARS
, Jean Losserand had tried desperately to hold on to his thirst for life and adventure, but as time wore on, he became bitterly aware that he was losing interest in his quest for a perfect reality. He had long dreamt of escaping this city that was like a prison, but as his hopes faded, so too did the strength to struggle against his fate. Now and then, he thought sadly of his ageing mother and reflected that he would never see her again. His monotonous existence had stifled even his love of freedom, and his beloved books had finally lost their charm. Fairy tales, fantastic
stories, and all novels had been forbidden. Only biographies or technical works were allowed, because they did not offend the Council. Jean Losserand could no longer find comfort anywhere; he was under constant surveillance and now lacked the willpower to fight back in any way. His life had been reduced to an endless, helpless sigh. Until the day he heard a knock on his shop door.

Since he had few customers, he did not bother any more to take care of his bookshop, which looked neglected. Dusty, torn volumes were stacked everywhere in untidy piles, and the shop door was always closed, so he was surprised when someone came knocking. He shuffled slowly to the door, opened it, and stood gaping in astonishment at the three girls, who gazed back curiously at him.

“Are you Jean Losserand?” inquired Jade.

The bookseller studied her for a moment, noticing the liveliness and determination that danced in her eyes. “The colour of jade,” he thought…

“Excuse us for disturbing you,” said Amber softly, “but are you really Jean Losserand, the son of the old woman who lives in a remote farmhouse?”

“With a disgusting stable,” added Jade.

“I am indeed Jean Losserand,” said the startled man. “Do you know my mother?”

“Yes!” said Jade gaily. “She’s very hospitable.”

“My mother?” he repeated in disbelief.

“Yes,” replied Jade. “We’ve come here to ask you for help. May we come in?”