Part 3 (1/2)

aYou are a liar!a the girl snapped. aWhy are you playing this trick?a She was holding herself very straight. Her voice was filled with contempt. Her beautiful face was stern.

She has grown up very rapidly in the past weeks, thought Sharn, with something of a shock. How is it that I have not noticed? Oh, why did Doom have to tell her? I did not know he had seen her before he left.

aHas this man been left alone at any time since he arrived in the palace, Sharn?a Marilen demanded. aEven for a moment?a Sharn shook her head. aPlease leave us, Marilen,a she said in a low voice. aI must go downstairs now, but I will come to you as soon as I can.a Marilen hesitated, then nodded. aPlease hurry. I will be in the library,a she said. With another contemptuous glance at Jinks, she turned and stalked from the room.

aPoor young lady,a murmured Jinks. aMy news has affected her deeply, it seems.a aAll who fear the Shadow Lord must be deeply affected, Jinks,a said Sharn, struggling to keep her voice even. She left the room, the door closing with a soft click behind her.

The moment he was alone, Jinks threw back the covers and scrambled from the bed. He padded to the door on his bandaged feet and twisted the k.n.o.b.

The door was locked. He was a prisoner.

Jinks frowned. Here was something unexpected. Sharn, for all her soft words, did not trust him.

This did not suit his plans at all.

aYou think you have me where you want me, my lady,a he muttered aloud. aBut you will find that Jinks is not so easily outwitted.a Quickly he began to search the room.

7 - Truth and Lies.

Far away, in the secret sea, Jasmine leaned forward, peering at the land ahead. She murmured to Kree, who spread his wings and soared into the air. The companions watched as the bird sped low towards the dark, mysterious ma.s.s.

Suddenly, something shot upwards from the water. Kree seemed to stop dead in mid-air. And the next moment the boat was rocking violently as Jasmine leaped to her feet, shrieking. For Kree was plummeting, wings fluttering helplessly, into the sea.

aJasmine!a roared Barda. aYou will have us over!a Lights flared in the darkness ahead. There was the sound of shouting, and splas.h.i.+ng.

Jasmine threw herself down, seized her paddle and plunged it into the water. aLief, help me!a she cried. aMake haste! Kree will drown!a aNo!a Barda roared. aTurn the boat! Get us away!a But Lief paid no heed to either of them. He had dropped his paddle and was reaching for his sword. Dozens of long, pale forms were streaking through the water towards them, like enormous spears veiled with foam.

aBeware!a he shouted. And had no time to say more. For in seconds the attackers were upon them, surging from the water amid fountains of spray.

Lief gripped his sword, knowing that to use it would be fatal. The boat was surrounded by a ring of huge, sharp-fanged silver eels. Their wicked mouths gaped wide, streaming with water. And hunched on the neck of each one was a wild-eyed, dog-faced being clothed in grey animal skins. The beingsa hands, tattooed from wrist to fingertip, held long, thin spears of sharpened bone, poised to strike.

A dripping black bundle was thrown carelessly into the boat. It was Kree. The bird struggled pitifully at Jasmineas feet, one wing trailing. With a cry, Jasmine bent to him. The spear arms drew back.

Lief never knew where the words came from. Pure instinct brought them to his lips. aWe are the people of Doran the Dragonlover. Do not harm us, tribe of Auron,a he gasped.

The eels stared gla.s.sily, without understanding. But the strange beings on their backs stirred. Lief was conscious of pale, slitted eyes measuring him.

aDoran sent you to us from above?a one of the Aurons asked at last.

Her voice was like a song, like water rippling over stones. But there was warning in it.

Do not lie.

Lief swallowed, aware that at any moment a spear could plunge into his heart. aDoran is long dead, as you must know,a he said carefully. aHis words, written in an old book, led us to you.a aWhat do you seek?a asked another of the Aurons. And again the voice was full of melody, with an undercurrent of threat.

Tell the truth.

aMany of Doranas people are prisoners of the Shadow Lord,a said Lief. aTo save them, we need the Pirran Pipe.a There was a soft, sighing sound like a wind skimming over water. The spears were lowered a little.

aThe Pipe is in three parts,a said the first Auron to have spoken.

Do not lie.

Lief nodded. aWe already have one part,a he said quietly. aWe have come to beg you for the second, though we were told you would not give it.a The Auron glanced at her friends. Then she turned back to Lief. Her tattooed hands tightened on her spear, and slowly turned its point downward.

aYou were told truly,a she said. aCome with us.a As their boat was towed to sh.o.r.e, the companions saw, to their astonishment, that the aislanda was not an island at all. It was a ma.s.s of rafts, bound together to form one vast platform crowded with mud-brick dwellings.

The edge of the platform was thronged with people. Many held torches that smoked and flickered, giving off an oily, fishy smell. Small children, yawning and rubbing their eyes, hid behind the adultsa legs. Older children stood in groups, very upright and stern, short bone spears at the ready.

Behind the crowd rose a low tower open on all sides. At the top of the tower stood two shadowy figures. One of these was wearing long robes and a tall headdress.

The Piper of Auron, Lief thought. Keeper of the stem of the Pirran Pipe. He watched as the Piper turned and spoke. He saw the companion hesitate, then finally bow. An instruction, it seemed, had been given and accepted.

aThis is Auron?a Barda muttered, as they clambered out of the boat.

Lief looked about him. Everywhere there were signs that the people had been woken by the intruders. The newly lit torches. The heavy-eyed children. The doors of the dwellings hanging open, as if the inhabitants had rushed out in alarm.

aIt is certainly a place where Aurons live,a he murmured back. aBut it cannot be Auron itself. The map makes it clear that Auron is a true island.a aThen where are we?a Jasmine demanded. She had climbed up beside them and now stood looking around warily, Kree cradled in her arms.

aI think this platform is the dotted outline on the map,a Lief whispered. aDoran used a broken line to show that its position is not fixed. It is anch.o.r.ed now, but no doubt it moves around when the people wish it.a aWhy do they not live on their island?a Jasmine demanded fiercely, not troubling to lower her voice. aAre they so savage and careless that they have made it unfit to support life?a Lief nudged her violently, but it was too late. Many in the crowd had heard her, and were frowning and muttering among themselves.

Jasmineas eyes flashed green fire. aI do not care what they think!a she spat. aThey struck Kree down for no reason. Who would do such a thing to a creature who meant no harm?a aThose who did not know he meant no harm,a said a quiet voice beside Lief. aThose who have never seen a bird in their lives, and who have learned, through bitter experience, that what is unknown may be deadly.a Lief swung around. A pair of shrewd eyes met his own. Instinctively, he knew that this was one of the figures he had seen in the tower. The Piperas companion.

aMy name is Penn,a the Auron said. aI am the history-keeper of the rafts. The Piper has appointed me to be your host.a aOur gaoler, you mean!a flashed Jasmine.

Penn smiled, showing two rows of chipped, pointed teeth. aWhatever I am, I am all you have,a she said simply. aIt would be wise for you to follow me, now, to a safe place. The crowdas mood is growing ugly.a As Lief, Barda and Jasmine followed Penn through the narrow pathways of the rafts, Jinks ran on tiptoe through the hallways of the second floor of the palace.

The long, strong hair pin he had found at the back of a drawer had helped him escape from his own bed chamber. Now it was time to carry out his plans.

He knew he had plenty of time. Even if Sharn came upstairs again, she would not stop on the second floor. She would go straight up to the library to see what that Toran spitfire, Marilen, wanted.

There was no doubt in his mind that Marilen was Liefas bride-to-be. How exciting it had been to see the message on the slate that old fool had been holding up in the kitchen!

And now Jinks had seen the girl for himself. A pert little minx she is, too, he thought resentfully. How dare she call me a liar? As it happens, I am lying. But for all she knows, I am telling the honest truth!

He reached the last door in the hallway and began to work on the lock with his hairpin. Lief probably is dead by now, in any case, he thought. But whether he is or not, my pleasant life in the palace is over. It is very unfair, but there it is.

He closed his eyes, jiggling the lock, as his thoughts ran over familiar ground. Yes, Jinks, he told himself, you must face facts. If Lief is alive, he will return and tell everyone that you abandoned him. Then you will be finished. And if Lief is dead, the Shadow Lord will come, and the palace itself is finished.

With satisfaction, he heard the lock give way with a gentle click. He entered the room, carefully closing the door behind him.

A blue cloak hanging on a hook in one corner told him that the room was Sharnas. Good! Rapidly Jinks began to go through shelves and drawers.

I will search all the rooms and take what I fancy, he thought. By the time the losses are discovered I will be riding west on a stolen horse, my saddlebags stuffed with valuables. And in the west I will find a nice, safe hiding place where a rich acrobat who is not too choosy about his friends can enjoy a well-earned retirement.