Part 45 (1/2)

But if he gave it to Vithis, and he was able to make fliers of all his constructs, the Aachim would be all-powerful. Once the war against the lyrinx was won, he could turn on humanity and take Santhenar for his own. How to decide what to do? The wrong decision might lose the war, and Nish his head. He wished the flier had never been discovered. His mind was whirling, calculating possibilities, scarcely hearing what the Aachim was talking about. Minis shook him by the arm.

'I beg your pardon?' Nish said.

'You have done so much, Nish. If anyone can find Tiaan it is you. Will you take it on?'

'I have had my share of disasters. And of course,' Nish gave a short laugh, 'you must make allowances. I may have exaggerated my tale.'

Minis shrugged. 'Our spies have been busy. I know more about you than you imagine. I also share my father's talent my late father. He was an excellent judge of a man and, so I believe, am I. I will pin my faith in you.' His eyes showed that faith; a new experience for Nish.

Nish was touched. He liked Minis. For all his awkwardness and his silly ways, there was no artifice about him.

'I'll try,' said Nish, 'once I've delivered Yara and the children safely. That duty '

'I understand duty. You do not need to explain.' Minis held out his hand and Nish took it. The wrap-around handshake felt strange, but it also felt right.

'How will I find you again?'

'I will find you, my friend.'

Back at the camp, Nish joined Yara, who sat warily with Tyara and Vunio. She held herself erect and her hand was never far from the knife on her belt. Nish sat down. Minis shook Yara's hand, and the hands of the twins, to their giggly amus.e.m.e.nt.

'I must go,' Minis said. 'I too have my duties and they are pressing.'

He bowed, the other Aachim did too, and they went back to the construct. It whined away. The second machine, which had remained in the trees all this time, followed some distance behind.

'What was that about?' Yara demanded. 'Why did you sneak off with him so I couldn't hear what was going on?'

'I didn't sneak sneak off. He asked to speak to me privately.' off. He asked to speak to me privately.'

'Why?' she said imperiously. 'What did he have to say that could not be said out in the open?'

'The poor fellow is quite besotted with Tiaan,' said Nish, meeting her eye. 'He hoped I might be able to tell him where she was hiding. '

'And could you?' Yara demanded.

'I did not know her that well,' said Nish. 'She loathes me, as it happens.'

'Why is that?' Yara said sharply.

'I did her a bad turn, I'm ashamed to say. The Nish of those times was a callow, selfish youth. I've grown up since then.'

'Really? In that case, your callowness must have been truly prodigious.'

'I'm sorry if you don't find my service satisfactory. I'm doing my best.'

'I have no doubt you are but for whom?'

THIRTY-NINE.

'Tell me about this place,' Nish said to Yara the following day.

They were riding side by side through tall forest. The canopy was so high and dense that there was little undergrowth, and it was easy riding, as well as delightfully cool. They frequently had to cross rivers, the only hazard they had faced in days, though all proved to be sluggish and the horses were adept at swimming them.

Yara had not thawed. She still watched him every minute, as if she thought he was leading them into a trap, though that was absurd. She was the only one who knew where they were going. He hated being mistrusted. He liked Meriwen and Liliwen, and felt a bond with them from the attack on the way to Kundizand, but whenever he was near them he felt Yara's eyes on him.

'The Worm Wood is one of the greatest forests of Lauralin,' Yara said, checking ahead and over her shoulder. 'Perhaps the the greatest. From here it stretches unbroken a hundred and twenty leagues to the edge of the Great Mountains. It runs south and north for as great a distance, save for the bite out of it which is the fertile land of Borgistry. Even that is closing up at the southern end, near Clew's Top. Many civilisations lie within the forest, and many ruins. The south-western part of the forest, the uncanny Borgis Woods, surround a high range of white rock, the Peaks of Borg. Not many days' ride from here lies an even stranger place, Booreah Ngurle, the famous Burning Mountain. It is the greatest of many volcanoes that run along either side of the Great Chain of Lakes.' greatest. From here it stretches unbroken a hundred and twenty leagues to the edge of the Great Mountains. It runs south and north for as great a distance, save for the bite out of it which is the fertile land of Borgistry. Even that is closing up at the southern end, near Clew's Top. Many civilisations lie within the forest, and many ruins. The south-western part of the forest, the uncanny Borgis Woods, surround a high range of white rock, the Peaks of Borg. Not many days' ride from here lies an even stranger place, Booreah Ngurle, the famous Burning Mountain. It is the greatest of many volcanoes that run along either side of the Great Chain of Lakes.'

'I've heard of them,' said Nish.

'The lakes are so long and deep they seem to split the world apart. Warde Yallock is the best part of eighty leagues long, but only five wide. The first city in the world was built there, more than ten thousand years ago, before the Histories began. At the other end of the forest lies Parnggi, almost as long and even deeper, it is said. And certainly stranger it is a dark, wild, haunted place.'

'And the place we are going to?'

'It is called Morgadis.'

'Is it your family home?'

'Morgadis is the home of my sister, Mira, and she is a woman you will not want to offend.'

'I don't want to offend anyone,' said Nish. 'What is her trouble?'

'She lost her man and all three sons to the war. When the conscriptors came for her youngest she refused to give him up, and he was taken with violence. Since his death she has been bile piled on bitterness.'

'Why are you taking your daughters there?'

'She is my sister,' Yara said simply. 'And Morgadis is the safest place I know. Mira can take care of herself. She is ... Well, you will see. Just don't mention the war.'

That night they stopped by the ruins of a great monastery. The gra.s.s was close-cropped inside the walls by grazing deer. Outside, the forest had obliterated all signs of the farms and vineyards that had once flourished here, apart from a broken stone well that Nish, intent on what lay ahead, almost rode into.

Fortunately the horse was watching its step. Nish yelped, and behind him heard Liliwen's tinkling laughter. He smiled. They had left danger well behind and the surroundings could not be bettered.

'What is this place?' he asked Yara as they dismounted and prepared to make camp in a long roofless hall. A grapevine, so old that its trunk was the size of a tree, scrambled over the walls, covered in tiny bunches of grapes which, unfortunately, would not be ripe for months.

'A monastery that belonged to the Thongi sect, a pacifist pastoral order who wors.h.i.+pped their strange G.o.ds here for two thousand years, until not so long ago.'

'Why did they leave?'

'The scrutators burned them out.'

Nish had never heard of such a thing. 'Why?'

'The Thongi questioned the authority of the Council and refused to send their young men to war.'

'That's all?'

'The scrutators like to show their power by making examples. Not a single monk remained. Don't go out of sight, girls,' she called as they wandered in the ruins.