Part 50 (2/2)
”Jagu?” Celestine turned and saw him coming slowly toward her out of the darkness. She stumbled toward him and he caught her one-handed, crus.h.i.+ng her close to him. His hair smelled of smoke and his face was rough with stubble but she didn't care, pressing her mouth to his, kissing him with all the desperate pa.s.sion and hunger that had built up inside her.
”I told you; you don't need me anymore,” repeated the Faie. Celestine unwound her arms from around Jagu. repeated the Faie. Celestine unwound her arms from around Jagu.
”But how can I set you free without my father's book?” she said sadly.
”A single drop of blood is enough.”
She started, hearing Linnaius's voice from the rus.h.i.+ng darkness. The old magus appeared as another gust of wind began to whine around them, tossing his white hair and beard hither and thither.
”Are you prepared, Lady Azilis?” he asked, holding out the gri-moire, the pages open, fluttering in the harsh wind.
The Faie leaned forward and kissed Celestine on the forehead. Celestine felt a last s.h.i.+vering tingle of aethyrial energy pa.s.s into her. ”Farewell, Celestine,” ”Farewell, Celestine,” said the Faie. said the Faie.
”Farewell, dearest Faie,” Celestine cried. ”I'll never forget you.”
”Rieuk?” said Linnaius. ”A single drop of blood to break the bond.”
Rieuk had been watching in a daze, holding Oranir, not wanting to let go of him for fear he might slip away and be lost to him forever.
Aqil knelt beside them and put his arms around Oranir. ”This is your task, crystal magus,” he said. ”Don't worry; Oranir will be safe with me.”
Rieuk stood up unsteadily. Estael came over to him and draped his cloak around his shoulders. He placed something cold and hard and smooth in his hand. Rieuk knew from the feel of it alone that it was the new Lodestar he had spent so long fas.h.i.+oning.
”Are you ready, Celestine?” he asked. She nodded. He raised his hand and revealed the new Lodestar in all its clear crystal purity. He pressed the pointed tip against her index finger and a drop of crimson blood fell onto the grimoire.
”Go; be free,” Celestine said. ”The bond between us is broken.”
”Father!” cried Azilis. Her slender figure burned like a candle-flame stirred by the wind, flaring up brightly, then suddenly dwindling, fading away into the facets of the Lodestar. cried Azilis. Her slender figure burned like a candle-flame stirred by the wind, flaring up brightly, then suddenly dwindling, fading away into the facets of the Lodestar.
Rieuk gazed down at the crystal and felt it come alive in his hands with vibrant, pulsing energy. It lit the darkness and confusion of the Rift like a clear beacon. And then sound began to flow from the Lodestar-that thin, high, celestial voice that he had first heard in Karantec all those years ago.
Then she had cried out to him of her urgent desire to escape the confines of the crystal, to be free. But now he heard a new sweetness, a joy, and a purpose in her voice.
Nagazdiel lifted his head and his eyes no longer burned so fiercely as he listened to his daughter's song filling the Rift with its luminous purity.
The shadowy outline of a great gateway appeared in the darkness. Nagazdiel turned and walked toward it, disappearing into the shadows. Azilis's song continued to fill the Rift, but as they watched, the gateway slowly faded from sight until there was no trace that it had ever been there.
CHAPTER 15.
Jagu had kept alert until now by willpower alone, ignoring the throbbing pain in his crushed hand. Suddenly a wave of faintness washed over him and he staggered, dropping to his knees.
”Jagu!” He heard Celestine's cry of alarm as if from very far away; the world around him seemed to be dissolving into mist...
Someone caught hold of him with a strong, rea.s.suring grip. A face, hawk-nosed, dark-skinned, hovered above his. ”Magus...”
”My name is Aqil,” he heard the magus say, ”and I am trained in the arts of healing. I can see that you've been badly injured. Perhaps there is something I can do to alleviate your pain.”
”Aqil?” The name was familiar but as Jagu wavered in and out of consciousness, it was a while before he was able to remember where he had heard it before. Hadn't Aqil been the magus who poisoned the water in the fort, forcing his regiment to retreat from Ondhessar? He came back to himself to see the magus binding his hand with fresh dressings.
”I will give you a salve to use twice a day to keep the wounds clean,” said Aqil, straightening up. ”I cannot undo the damage that's already been done, but I can use what skill I have to save your hand.”
The excruciating throbbing had eased at last and as Jagu stared at the clean linen bindings, he even wondered whether there might be some hope that he could play again, one day.
”Thank you, Magister Aqil.” Celestine helped Jagu to sit up.
”You brought Azilis back to us,” said Aqil, ”and for that we can never thank you enough.”
”The last time we met in Ondhessar, Aqil,” Jagu said, striving to find the right words to express his grat.i.tude, ”we were enemies. But I hope that this might be the beginning of a new understanding between us.”
”Perhaps,” said Aqil, with an enigmatic smile. ”Let us hope so...”
Celestine and Jagu emerged from the tower into the Hidden Valley to see the last rags and tatters of the darkness dispersing, and the clear blue of early twilight revealed behind, with the first star gleaming overhead as brightly as the Lodestar.
Celestine let her head rest on Jagu's shoulder and he put his arm around her, glad just to stand together, supporting each other.
Kaspar Linnaius approached them. ”I'm heading back to Lutece,” he said. ”Would you care to join me?”
Enguerrand entered the Great Hall at Plaisaunces and the a.s.sembled courtiers and councillors bowed as he walked up to the dais. He loathed the thought of having to go through with this ritual, much as he loathed most of the formal ceremonies of court life. But he had to make his will known in the presence of the n.o.bles and the council; Eugene had impressed that upon him during their recent discussions at Swanholm. ”Even if it means defying your mother.”
When the Emperor had come to bid him farewell, Eugene had embraced him before the court in a confirmation of the new bond between Francia and Rossiya. And Enguerrand had returned the embrace sincerely. ”I shall never forget that you came to our rescue. I am in your debt.”
Eugene had laughed. ”No talk of debts, please!” And then his expression had changed. ”In Artamon's time, the Drakhaouls divided the sons of Artamon, but in many ways our Drakhaouls have drawn us closer together. I believe that now we understand each other a little better.” And with a cheerful wave, he had gone out into the palace gardens, where Linnaius was waiting for him.
As the sky craft rose up above the wind-tossed trees, Aude came to stand by Enguerrand's side, slipping her hand into his.
”I wonder if we shall ever see Linnaius again,” he said to her softly.
”Banish Maistre Donatien?” Queen Alienor rounded on her son. ”I won't hear of it! I refuse to allow it. If you banish him, then I shall go too.”
Enguerrand stared at her through his new pair of spectacles, seeing all too clearly the defensive, stubborn look in her eyes. He sighed wearily. Her att.i.tude toward him was never going to change.
”Very well, dear Maman,” he said, knowing full well that she hated to be addressed so familiarly in front of the courtiers. ”You may retire from court to your estates at Belle Garde. But Messieur Donatien-and I remind you that I have stripped you of the t.i.tle and office of Grand Maistre-you will leave Francia and never return, on pain of death.”
Hugues Donatien inclined his head, saying nothing.
Enguerrand was not finished yet. ”Captain nel Ghislain, I understand that the Rosecoeur garrison at Ondhessar has been decimated by the Arkhan's forces.”
”According to the latest reports, your majesty.” Girim nel Ghislain stared straight ahead, not meeting Enguerrand's eyes. ”Though it seems that Arkhan Sardion perished in the attack.”
”It's time to hand the shrine back to the Enhirrans.” Enguerrand spoke quietly but placing emphasis on his words. ”And to restore the Azilis statue to its rightful place in the shrine at Ondhessar.”
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