Part 21 (1/2)

The Skraeling grinned. ”He has no idea.”

The other Skraelings did not share his amus.e.m.e.nt. ”Then what are we to do? The One has gone, we have no direction. No one to tell us where to go and what to do. Should we go home? Home to the frozen northern wastes?”

A great murmuring arose among the Skraelings.

Home to the frozen northern wastes.

”No,” said the Skraeling. ”We wait a while, and watch, and see. I think . . . ”

”What?”

”I think there is something coming.”

Chapter 8.

Elcho Falling.

”The last thing you need to do,” Georgdi said as he rubbed a little more dirt into the lines of Axis's newly shaved face, ”is to look like the StarMan setting off to save the world. The Lealfast are sure to see you wandering along, so you need to look as much like a shepherd as possible.”

Axis did not reply. He was already in a foul mood, and the fact that Georgdi remained resolutely cheerful was driving him even further into ill-temper. He'd had his hair dirtied and dyed so it looked a faded brown, his beard was gone, he'd been forced to dress in clothes that bore more than a pa.s.sing resemblance to rags, he had no weapon apart from a small eating knife, and Inardle was leaning against the far wall watching him with an expressionless face that Axis was sure hid amus.e.m.e.nt.

”You do realise you won't be able to use your power, don't you?” she said.

Axis glared at her.

”Any Lealfast within a league will feel it,” Inardle said. ”Don't use your power, don't touch the Star Dance.”

”I understood you the first time,” Axis said. ”But I still am not sure how you can hide us from the Lealfast. I thought you could still see each other when invisible.”

”There are two ways of invisibling,” Inardle said. ”The second way will also hide us from Lealfast sight. It is difficult to accomplish; thus, the reason I can only take one other with me.”

Axis gave a small shrug, as if indifferent to her response.

”Be careful, Axis,” Georgdi said, the humour gone from his face and voice.

Axis nodded. ”And you be careful of Elcho Falling, Georgdi. Don't take any nonsense from your underlings.”

The others in the room -- StarDrifter, Egalion, StarHeaven and Insharah -- managed to smile at that, although their humour faded quickly in the tense atmosphere.

”Travel down the coast to begin with,” said Georgdi, ”then strike inland. Hopefully, you will run across Isaiah and his army soon enough.”

”And, hopefully, it is before you run into Kezial,” Insharah said. ”Maybe stick to the coast for four or five days, Axis. Kezial will be inland.” He looked at Inardle. ”You will stay invisible?”

”For the most part,” she said. ”I can hide myself better from my fellows that way . . . materialising to walk with Axis would be catastrophic.”

Thank the stars for that, Axis thought. At least he'd be travelling virtually on his own. There would be little opportunity for them to ever speak, let alone look into each other's eyes.

”It is dusk,” Georgdi said, glancing at the window. ”Time to go, soon.”

”The Strike Force are ready with a diversion to take the Lealfast's attention from the entrance to Elcho Falling and its causeway,” StarHeaven said.

”Just remember that it can't look like a diversion,” Axis said. ”Otherwise the Lealfast will be ignoring you and feeling their way along the causeway with their fingertips to discover what is trying to escape from this d.a.m.ned tower.”

Axis had not felt this edgy for an extremely long time. Trying to escape Elcho Falling under the noses of the Lealfast was a ma.s.sive risk, and one which could easily see him dead.

He didn't care a jot about Inardle. If it came to it, Axis knew he'd have no problem tossing her to the Lealfast and escaping while she was being torn apart.

That made him remember how his daughter Zenith had died, and he looked at his father, knowing that the connection with StarDrifter was so close that StarDrifter would catch his thoughts.

StarDrifter gave a small nod, then came over and embraced his son. ”Stars s.h.i.+ne on you, Axis.”

”I have talked to Josia,” Axis said, ”and he will contact Georgdi or you if there is anything you need to know.”

StarDrifter nodded. ”I have got used to the idea of having two sons, Axis. Make sure you do come back.”

Axis and Inardle stood just inside the great arched entrance to Elcho Falling. They were very close, and Axis was extremely tense. He hated that all he could think about was Inardle when all he should be thinking about was how to survive the next few minutes and then hours.

Egalion and Georgdi stood to one side. The Strike Force were due to stage a distraction in the next few minutes -- but as none of the Enchanters risked using their mind voices lest the Lealfast pick up their thoughts, Axis needed to depend on others to let him know the best time to leave.

He looked at Georgdi, who looked toward one of his men positioned on the great staircase.

”Not yet, StarMan,” Georgdi said, looking back to Axis.

Axis repressed a sigh, s.h.i.+fting the pack he had on his back. It didn't contain much -- a bit of food, a rough bridle, a bed roll, a few coins, flints to make a fire should he be fortunate enough to find fuel .

Nothing else to aid him or to identify him.

Suddenly the man on the staircase looked upward, then turned to Georgdi and gave a signal.

”Now!” said Georgdi.

Axis wanted to say something, share one last moment with Georgdi, but Inardle grasped his wrist and Axis gasped as frost penetrated deep into his arm until it felt as if the bones had been frozen.

”Now,” Inardle whispered, and pulled Axis forward.

Axis found it difficult to do anything but think about the pain in his arm. He stumbled slightly, then found his footing.

Everything about him seemed grey. Even Georgdi, staring in his general direction with a surprised expression, seemed cloaked in grey hues. Axis looked at Inardle, and found that he could barely make her out. There was a faint gleam from her eyes, and he thought he could see the rime of frost on one shoulder, but if it had not been for her painful grip around his wrist, Axis thought he'd miss her completely with any stray glance.

”Move!” she hissed, and Axis started forward.

They slunk out a side door set deep into the arch -- not even the keenest eye would see it open briefly before closing again. There was a sound from high above, some mocking laughter, the beat of wings, which Axis a.s.sumed was one or two members of the Strike Force hovering close to the boundary of Elcho Falling's protection zone and taunting the Lealfast.