Part 31 (1/2)

The man turned pale and backed away.

But by then someone else was shoving a group of jinjas jinjas forward. ”Stop the magic! Stop it!” forward. ”Stop the magic! Stop it!”

The small green creatures stared at Caelan and did nothing.

Relieved, he turned his attention back to Pier. The screams stopped. When Pier sagged against the wall, Caelan took his sword away. Pier was as white as the limestone wall behind him. He looked at Caelan as though he would speak, then swooned.

Gently Caelan lowered him to the ground.

Men rushed closer, but Caelan glared at them. ”Stay back!”

”Monster!” one shouted back.

”Demon!” another cried.

”Will you eat him?”

”Lord Pier is dead!”

”He isn't dead,” Caelan said grimly, touching the rapid pulse in Pier's wrist. ”Not yet. Just stay back!”

But now the jinjas jinjas approached him. They bared their small pointed teeth and stared at him with bright eyes. approached him. They bared their small pointed teeth and stared at him with bright eyes.

”No fear, master,” one of them said. ”We protect.”

And they formed a ring around Caelan and Pier, keeping the others away.

Consternation seemed to flow through the crowd, but Caelan ignored it. He was grateful to have the creatures on his side.

Gingerly he tugged at the burned edges of Pier's tunic, parting the cloth to look at the wound. It was well cauterized, the bleeding stopped. Although burned and raw, the skin looked human. Caelan saw no more black blood.

Hardly daring to hope, he peeled back one of Pier's eyelids. Although the eye was rolled back, it looked a normal color.

One of the jinjas jinjas crouched beside Caelan and put its narrow hand on Pier's chest. ”My master,” it said. crouched beside Caelan and put its narrow hand on Pier's chest. ”My master,” it said.

Caelan frowned. ”Is the darkness in him gone?”

”Mostly. I will take the rest.” With that, the jinja jinja stretched itself across Pier's chest and began to utter an eerie whine that made Caelan wince. stretched itself across Pier's chest and began to utter an eerie whine that made Caelan wince.

Hastily he backed away from whatever spell the jinja jinja was weaving, for its magic was not compatible with his own. was weaving, for its magic was not compatible with his own.

Wiping off Exoner, Caelan slid the sword into its scabbard. The clouds closed over him again with a muted rumble of thunder, and it began to sprinkle.

Silence stretched over the courtyard. The crowd stared at Caelan in wonder and fear. He frowned back at them, not certain what they had seen. There should be something he could say, to rea.s.sure everyone and dissipate the tension that was like a wall against him. But no words came to his tongue.

Looking over their heads at the steps rising up to the palace, he saw a woman standing near the top, her full skirts billowing in the wind. His heart lightened at the sight of her; then he frowned again.

What would Elandra say about this debacle? He had not meant to alienate her people. Now they feared him, and soon that would turn them against her also. He had let her down, and he was sorry.

His gaze swept across the faces staring at him. ”Lord Pier is not dead. Let me pa.s.s.”

They parted for him and he walked alone, his head held high, his shoulders tense in expectation of an attack.

But no one dared move against him this time. He walked up the endless steps as the rain strengthened to a light patter, cleansing him of sweat and blood. The cut across his ribs stung, but it was hardly more than a sc.r.a.pe, and he ignored the discomfort.

A few steps short of the top, he stopped and stood there so that she could look down at him. A strange expression lay on her face. She seemed unaware of the rain pelting her, and her eyes held pain. He bowed his head to her, ashamed.

”I am sorry,” he said.

”Surely thou art a G.o.d,” she whispered.

His head snapped up. ”No! Elandra, do not blaspheme.”

”I saw everything. You were a column of light. He was a pool of darkness.” Her eyes s.h.i.+fted away, then met his again. ”It was a prophecy, Caelan. A prophecy of what comes.”

”Whatever possessed Lord Pier,” Caelan said thoughtfully, trying to pretend he felt no s.h.i.+ver of fear down his spine, ”I think perhaps it possesses Prince Tirhin as well. My sister is right. I must confront him without delay.”

She nodded, her frown deepening. ”We will go. But you must meet my father first.”

Only then did he remember the old man was dying. ”Beloved-”

”He has asked for you,” she said. Pleading filled her eyes. ”Please ... the physicians are such fools. Can you heal him?”

”No.”

Her breath caught audibly, and he realized she was fighting not to cry. ”You know more than they,” she said. ”You know many of the arts of healing. You do! At least try.”

He took her hand in his. ”Let us go in out of the rain. You're getting soaked.”

She shook her head, but he escorted her back under the portico.

”Try, Caelan,” she pleaded. ”At least try. We need him.”

”I cannot heal others, Elandra. That is not my gift.”

”Are you sure?” she asked him. ”Oh, please, please try. Have mercy and go to him. Please.”

He frowned, ready to protest further, but she was not listening to him. He remembered how he had grieved for his own father, whom he had not even loved as Elandra loved hers, and he could not refuse again.

”Let me clean up.”

She gripped his hand and drew him along. ”No delays. Come now.”

”But, Elandra, if you want his blessing, I would look better clean and clothed.”

She wasn't listening. ”I will have you go to him while the light still s.h.i.+nes a little on your skin. If you could save me within the realm of shadow, and if you have released Lord Pier from the grasp of darkness, then surely you can also save my father.”