He had been hard to convince, especially after the early trouble with Agwaine. But at least he had found friends. Maeg sat by the bedside for a while, then moved to the window.
The moon was high, the mountains silver, the valley at peace. Behind her, Gaelen stirred and opened his eyes, seeing her silhouetted against the sky. ‘Maeg,’ he whispered.
She returned to the bedside. ‘Yes?’
Thank you.’ ‘For what?’ ‘For caring.’
Leaning down, she kissed his brow. ‘Sleep well, young warrior,’ she said.
Caswallon strolled up towards the cave, aware that the old man was watching him. Oracle’s sunken blue eyes looked hard at the clansman. ‘You look tired, man,’ said Oracle as Caswallon sat beside him in the cave mouth.
‘Aye, I am tired. And hurt by the suffering of those poor boys.’
‘A bad day,” agreed the older man. For a time they sat in silence, then Oracle spoke again. ‘It is always good to see you, my boy. But I sense there is something on your mind, so spit it out.’
Caswallon chuckled. ‘As always, you miss little. Taliesen told me to speak to you; he said it would please him for you to tell the story of what happened beyond the Gate.’
‘Aye, please him and shame me.’ Oracle stood and wandered back into the cave, sitting beside the glowing fire. Caswallon joined him. Oracle filled two clay cups with watered wine, passing one to the younger man. ‘I have told no one else this tale in twenty-five years. I trust you not to repeat it while I live.’
‘You have my word on it,’ Caswallon assured him.
‘I wanted to be High King,’ said Oracle. ‘I felt it was my right after the battles I had led – and won. But the people rejected me. This much you know already. I took my followers and we overpowered the druids guarding the Vallon Gate. We passed through. At first it seemed that nothing had changed; the mountains remained the same, High Druin still stood sentinel over the lands of the clans. But it was different, Caswallon. In a land beset by war, a woman had become High Queen. Her name was Sigarni. For reasons which I cannot explain now – but which you will understand later -I shall say no more about her, save that my men and I helped her in her battles with the Outland army. We stayed for two years. I still wanted to be a king, to found my own dynasty. I returned, with the survivors of my men, to the Vallon Gate, and passed through once more. It was the biggest mistake of my life.’
The old man drained his wine and refilled the cup, this time adding no water. Looking at Caswallon, he smiled grimly. ‘Cursed is the man who achieves his dreams. In this new land – after ten blood-drenched years -I did become King. I led my armies to victory after victory. Great victories, Caswallon. Great victories.. .’he fell silent.
‘What happened?’ asked the clansman.
‘Failure and flight,’ responded Oracle, with a sad smile. ‘I was betrayed – but then I deserved to be. Just because a man desires to be a king, it does not necessarily follow that he will make a good one.’ He sighed. ‘But this is not what Taliesen wanted me to tell you. While I was fighting for my kingdom I made an alliance with a butchering killer named Agrist. I told him the secrets of the Gateways. After he had betrayed me, and plundered his way across my kingdom, he led his army through another Gate.’ Oracle licked his lips. ‘They arrived here forty years ago; they are the Aenir, Caswallon. I brought the Aenir to destroy us all.’
‘They haven’t destroyed us yet,’ Caswallon pointed out.
‘They are demons, Caswallon, unsurpassed in violence and terror. I have seen them fight. I told Gaelen the clans were strong, like wolves. It’s true. But the Aenir will outnumber us by twenty to one. They live to conquer and kill.’ Oracle looked up. ‘Did Sigarni speak to you before she died? Did she mention me?’
‘No, but she knew me, Oracle. Can you tell me how?’