Part 38 (1/2)

As soon as the stone left his fingers, he appeared to faint.

Too late, Linden s.n.a.t.c.hed at his slumping form. But Bhapa was quicker. He caught the old man and lowered him gently to the rug.

Obviously the Cord had known what to expect. All of Linden's friends had known.

”Liand?” she asked in chagrin. ”Is he-?”

Liand continued to cradle the orcrest in his palm as though its touch gave him pleasure. ”We have spoken of this,” he answered quietly, gazing at Anele. ”We discern no lasting hurt. He will slumber briefly. When he wakes, he will be as he was. In some form, his madness is kindly. It s.h.i.+elds him. In its absence, his bereavements would compel despair.” When the young man looked up at Linden, his compa.s.sion for Anele filled his eyes. ”This we have concluded among ourselves, for we know not how otherwise to comprehend either his pain or his endurance of it.”

Mahrtiir nodded; and Pahni rested her hand on Liand's shoulder, sharing his sympathy.

Linden's knees felt suddenly weak. ”G.o.d,” she breathed, ”I need to sit down.” Unsteadily she moved to the nearest chair and dropped into it. Then she covered her face with her hands, trying to absorb what had just happened.

Oh, Anele. How much more of this will you have to suffer?

-that doom awaits you- Sunder and Hollian feared intentions which Linden had not revealed, even to the Mandoubt. She had hardly named them to herself.

And behind them stands Thomas Covenant Now she believed absolutely that it was her Covenant who had spoken in her dreams; who had warned her through Anele in the Verge of Wandering; who had addressed her friends on the rich gra.s.s of the plateau. No one else would have spoken as he did.

-who craves only that I a.s.sure you of his love.

For a while, her friends waited for her in silence. Then Stave said firmly, ”Chosen, we must speak. We recognize that you have suffered much. But you propose to combat the Land's foes. You speak of betrayal. And it appears that both the Unbeliever and your son have been lost, when their proclaimed intent was the Land's redemption. Such matters require comprehension.”

”Also we are bewildered by the Mandoubt,” added Mahrtiir, ”who has shown herself able to pa.s.s through stone. She is absent from these chambers, though she was not seen to depart. Her role in your return pleads for explanation.”

Linden did not lower her hands. When her friends had come to her door, she had believed herself ready for them. Now she knew that she was not.

”Manethrall,” Stave countered, ”if you will heed my counsel, we will not consider the Mandoubt until other concerns have been addressed. I do not desire concealment, either from you or from the Chosen. But I deem that the Mandoubt's strangeness is less than urgent. The ur-Lord's fate, and our own straits, hold greater import.”

As you will.” Linden felt Mahrtiir's nod. The mistrust which he had once displayed toward Stave was entirely gone. ”I am content to speak of her when you find it condign to do so.”

Promptly Stave continued. ”Then I will say to you, Linden Avery, Chosen, that you have been absent from Revelstone for half a moon-”

”Thirteen days, Linden,” put in Liand.

”-and have slept for two days more,” the Haruchai went on. ”In that time, we have feared for your life. And now that you have returned, we fear for the life of Land. Your words give us reason to conceive that the Unbeliever has failed.”

Still Linden covered her face; hid from her companions. The spectres of Sunder and Hollian distrusted her. How could she tell her friends that she had come within a few heartbeats of giving the Despiser exactly what he desired?

Gallows Howe demanded a greater champion than Linden Avery.

”Linden,” said Liand, prodding her gently, we did not know how to hope. When you had disappeared, Esmer likewise vanished. The ur-viles then dispersed, leaving no sign of themselves-or of the Waynhim. And the Ranyhyn had departed among the mountains, suggesting that you had no more need of them-” His voice tightened momentarily. That you would not return. Yet the Demondim besieged Revelstone furiously. The loss of you filled our hearts with dread.”

”It was Thomas Covenant who took you from us,” Pahni added as if she feared that Linden might doubt Liand, ”the first Ringthane. Now he is gone. Through Anele, we have been promised travails rather than relief. How then should we hope?”

Linden sighed. They were right, of course, all of them. She had to tell them what had happened. Still she was reluctant to answer them. She did not want to reveal what she had become.

Anele's warning scared her because she already knew that she would ignore it.

Soon, she commanded herself. Soon she would face the risk of her story. But she would postpone it a little longer.

Slowly she lowered her hands.

Her friends stood cl.u.s.tered in front of her. Pahni's hand remained on Liand's shoulder, gripping him for support or comfort. Bhapa waited near Anele, ready to help the old man when he woke. The older Cord kept his gaze averted from Linden's as if to show that he asked nothing of her; that her mere presence was enough for him. But both Mahrtiir and Stave studied her, the Manethrall avidly, the Haruchai without expression.

Clearing her throat, Linden asked carefully. ”How often has Anele been sane?”

”Once only,” Liand answered at once. And he retained himself only so that he might command us to grant him the orcrest stone when he beckoned. For ten days and more, he has not touched the stone, or spoken clearly.”

The Stonedownor's gaze encouraged her not to worry about Anele-or any of her friends. But his tone held a m.u.f.fled eagerness, a whetted admixture of relief, uncertainty, and excitement. He appeared to feel elevated by the Sunstone, raised to a stature which surpa.s.sed his expectations for himself.

And what about the orcrest7 Linden asked him. The Sunstone? How did you find it?”

In a general sense, she knew the answer. What you need is in the Aumbrie. You'll know what you're looking for when you touch it. But she wanted Liand's confirmation. She could not imagine why Covenant had urged him to go in search of power.

And she had never seen the Aumbrie of the Clave. She only knew that Vain had found the iron heels of Berek's Staff there while she was a prisoner in Revelstone.

But Stave intervened before Liand could reply. ”Chosen, I belittle neither Liand nor orcrest in saying that they do not outweigh our need for your tale. In the name of all that we have dreaded, I ask this of you. Speak to us, that we may know the truth of our peril.”

Linden did not glance away from Liand. ”Just this one, Stave.” To her own ears, she sounded as inflexible as the Haruchai. ”Please. I'm still trying to pull myself together. Hearing you talk-all of you-helps me.”

Their voices, and her concern, reminded her of the woman she had once been.

Stave glanced at Mahrtiir. When the Manethrall a.s.sented, Stave said stiffly, ”Be brief, Stonedownor.”

Pahni continued to hold Liand's shoulder; but she lowered her eyes as though she sought to mask the fact that where he felt excitement she knew only trepidation.

Abruptly Liand seated himself near Linden. Bracing his elbows on his knees, he leaned toward her; held his piece of orcrest like an offering or demonstration between them. His concern for her crowded against the surface of his attention. But his desire to speak of the Sunstone temporarily took precedence.

”In this matter, Linden, I am not formed for brevity. At your side, I have been mazed by marvels which surpa.s.sed all conception. But until I placed my hand upon this stone, and felt my spirit answer to its astonishment, I had not imagined that I, too, might find myself exalted.”

In life, Sunder had wielded his piece of Sunstone skillfully. But he had been educated by the Clave's Rede. Liand had no such instruction; no lore of any kind. Only the inborn resources of his Stonedownor blood might enable him to make use of orcrest.

You must comprehend,” he explained earnestly, ”that we were distraught to the depths of our hearts. The Unbeliever and your son had rent you from us, promising salvation. Yet the ur-viles opposed them-and were in turn opposed by Esmer, whose disturbed loyalties appear to s.h.i.+ft at every occasion. Also a voice had spoken to us through Anele, foretelling obscure needs and burdens. And the Demondim battered Revelstone heinously. The Masters responded valorously, but their losses were grave, and none knew how long they might deny the horde.

”It is your word that you have endured events which defy description. Our consternation also exceeded telling.”

Pahni's fingers dug into Liand's shoulder; but she would not meet Linden's gaze.

Liand continued to search Linden's face for an answer to his underlying apprehension. ”Galled by helplessness, we endeavored to busy ourselves. Daily we bathed in Glimmermere to banish the bale of Kevin's Dirt. The Ramen tended the mounts of the Masters. And Stave-as he later informed us-labored to acquire the secret of silencing his thoughts. But Anele and I were without purpose or relief.

”He remained as he was, compliant and mumbling incoherently. Of him I knew only that he misliked the nearness of the Masters. I, however-” Liand shrugged at the memory. ”I had no place in the defense of Lord's Keep. My presence merely hindered the Masters. The Ramen sought a use for my aid, but their skills eluded me, though I have cared for horses since boyhood. I could discover no trace or trail of the Demondim-sp.a.w.n. And Stave declined to guide me to the Aumbrie, declaring that the Masters would permit no approach to implements of Earthpower.

”Linden, the thought that I was barred from that which I had been advised to seek became anguish. In your company, I have encountered the greatness and import of the Land. But in your absence, I was no more than a foolish Stonedownor, superfluous and ignorant. Even the benison of Glimmermere gave me no solace. Were it not for Pahni's attentiveness and generosity'-he smiled quickly at the young Cord-”I might have flung myself against the Demondim merely to relieve my futility.”

With an aborted snore, Anele raised his head, peered blindly around the room. Then he appeared to catch the scent of food. Muttering, ”Anele is hungry,” he braced himself on Bhapa's prompt support, climbed to his feet, and went at once to sit near the tray so that he could resume his interrupted meal.

If his temporary lucidity had left any aftereffects, they lay beyond the reach of Linden's senses.

”Briefly, Liand,” muttered Mahrtiir in a low voice. ”The Ringthane's heart is sufficiently fraught. Do not dwell upon griefs which have pa.s.sed.”