WingRidge thought about observing that the Charonites had managed to miss the Maze
Gate, as well as any evidence of Noah‘s occasional ramblings through the waterways between
the craft, but decided not to spoil SpikeFeather‘s moment of excitement.
―There is much in the Underworld that lay hidden in deep enchantment even from
Charonite eyes,‖ SpikeFeather went on. ―I think that the entrance to Sanctuary must be in the
Overworld somewhere—for the peoples of Tencendor to have easy access to it—and leads down
to a completely hidden region of the waterways. I think the door to Sanctuary must be
Fernbrake‘s Keep—what else can it be—and we must only find it, and then—‖
―And then I suppose every one of Tencendor‘s problems will be instantly at an end,‖
FreeFall said, with more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
―At the least,‖ StarDrifter said, ―you may find shelter and food for the Icarii, FreeFall,
and room enough also for the Acharites and Avar, should the forests ever fail.‖
―You are right, StarDrifter.‖ FreeFall looked at SpikeFeather. ―I apologise for my tone,
SpikeFeather. What needs to be done?‖
―Well,‖ WingRidge said, ―we need to search the shoreline of Fernbrake Lake for
evidence of the Keep, and we must do it fast. I need willing legs and eyes to help in that. At the
moment the majority of the Lake Guard are busy aiding the population of Sigholt and Lakesview
into hiding within the Urqhart Hills, for surely the TimeKeepers will be there any day now. Then
the Demons will turn for Fernbrake, aided by the gods know what increase in their power. We
need to get as many people into Sanctuary before then—and all must be secreted before the
TimeKeepers manage to resurrect Qeteb completely.‖
―Surely Caelum will have acted by then,‖ FreeFall said, but he was not the only one who
heard the doubt in his voice.
WingRidge fixed him with his stare. ―We must needs act fast,‖ he repeated. ―Who will
aid me?‖
In the end, WingRidge and SpikeFeather led only a small party of some eight Icarii,
including StarDrifter, and Zenith, who‘d flatly refused to be left behind in the gloomy chambers
of the Icarii palace, towards Fernbrake Lake. They had not food to spare for a larger group.
SpikeFeather thought ten should be enough. The Lake and its surrounds were not so
extensive that they couldn‘t search the entire area, and besides, he knew where the Keep had
once stood.
StarDrifter, although cheered by SpikeFeather‘s enthusiasm, nonetheless wondered if it
was misplaced. It was only sheer hope, after all, that saw SpikeFeather put his entire trust in this single idea, and if he was wrong, then would they have time enough to canvas other possibilities?
And if SpikeFeather was right, and they found the entrance to Sanctuary—what if it was guarded
by wards and enchantments? None of them had the ability left to work them. StarDrifter
remembered the enchantment in the carved rockface that covered the entrance of the stairwell
leading down to the waterways at the junction of the River Nordra and the Icescarp Alps. Then
StarDrifter had entranced Rivkah and Azhure with his power to open the stairwell—but he could
not do that now. So what if—
―Peace, StarDrifter,‖ WingRidge said by his side, a smile on his face. ―Your shoulders
alone cannot carry the weight of Tencendor.‖
StarDrifter grinned, liking the birdman, although they‘d hardly passed more than a
half-hour in conversation previously, and put his effort back into the path ahead.
They had climbed out of the Minaret complex about half a league below the crest of the
ranges. Minstrelsea rose above them, for Faraday had planted it not only up to the rim of the
crater that housed the Lake, but right down into the crater as well.
―I will be glad,‖ StarDrifter said, his breath now short as the pathway steepened, ―when
we can finally take to the sky again without fear of the Demons striking us down. Gods! To be
virtually deprived of flight as well as of power!‖
They reached the rim of the crater by late morning, and stood a while to catch their breath
and look down. It was a beautiful sight.
The centre of the crater was filled with a vast circular emerald lake, surrounded not only
by trees, but by thick ferns that in places rose higher than a man‘s head. Birds chirruped and
cavorted among the fronds, safe within the shadows and the nearby magic of the Lake.
―I hope,‖ muttered a young birdman by the name of JestWing BlueBack, ―that
SpikeFeather does not expect us to crawl all through that bracken!‖
―I sincerely hope I won‘t have to ask it of you,‖ SpikeFeather said, then waved the party
down the path.
The air was milder within the crater, but whether because of the sheltering height of its
walls, or the influence of the magical water itself, StarDrifter did not know. Whichever, the extra
warmth was welcome and invigorating. For the first time in many days he felt the muscles of his
wings and shoulders relax, and he shook out his silvery white feathers and walked down the
gravel path with confident strides.
For her part, Zenith looked about in wonder, distracted for once from her own thoughts.
She had never previously been to Fernbrake Lake. Although magical and sacred, the Lake was
more important to the Avar than the Icarii, and figured in none of the Icarii‘s religious rituals.
Zenith had heard her mother speak of the Lake, and Faraday had mentioned it once or twice
(hadn‘t something happened to Faraday in these waters?) but nothing prepared her for the sheer
beauty of the Lake.
The water was a deep emerald in hue, yet nevertheless it remained beautifully
translucent. Pausing at the edge of the waters, Zenith stared into depths that appeared to go on
forever. Down to the very mysteries of the unknown, she thought, and then jumped, for she
thought she saw the reflection of a stag in the water.
Zenith straightened and looked behind her, but there was nothing, and she shrugged
slightly and hurried to catch up with the others.
―Here!‖ SpikeFeather proclaimed as they reached a semi-circular grassy area between a
stand of trees and the water. The clearing extended some sixty paces, in an almost perfect
crescent about the edge of the Lake. ―The Keep stood here.‖
―The grass is smooth and flat,‖ StarDrifter said. ―There is no rubble, or evidence of
foundations.‖
―It was here,‖ SpikeFeather insisted, ―but it must have collapsed into the earth hundreds,
if not thousands, of years ago. Naturally, the grass will have grown smooth over it.
Now…‖ and he proceeded to instruct his companions in the manner of search they should
undertake.
Zenith glanced at StarDrifter, then dropped her eyes as he sent her a small smile to share
his amusement at SpikeFeather‘s bustle.
WingRidge noticed StarDrifter‘s expression and smiled wryly himself. ―Is this what I
have spent my entire life training for?‖ he murmured. ―Crawling about on my hands and knees in
a grassy clearing looking for pebbles?‖
―Well,‖ StarDrifter said, ―at least you shall have the joy of watching two of the vaunted
SunSoars doing the same.‖
WingRidge burst into laughter, and SpikeFeather shot him an irritated glance.
Zenith grinned despite herself, then sank to her knees. If it was here, then they would find
it.
In the end, it took less than an hour. JestWing, disinclined to crawl about on his hands
and knees, had taken a sturdy branch he‘d found lying under its parent tree, and searched the
grassy flat by poking the jagged end of the branch down through the soil. For almost an hour, he
sank the branch again and again into the soft earth, encountering no other obstacles than the roots
of the grass carpet.
This time, as he probed into the earth, the branch slid only a handspan in before it hit
stone.
The force jarred JestWing‘s arm, and he frowned. He lifted the branch out of the earth
and stepped forward a pace, sliding it down again.
It slid only a handspan before it stopped.
Another pace, and then five or six more, with the same result, and JestWing knew he‘d
found an extensive flat stone surface just under the grass.
He opened his mouth, meaning to shout his discovery to the others, but as he turned
about, JestWing saw all were standing silently, watching him.
―Sanctuary,‖ Zenith whispered.
By late afternoon they had cleared the grass and soil away from the flat stone surface.
Situated halfway between the edges of water and trees, it formed a massive circle some
twenty-five paces across. The large cream flagstones were laid out in the form of a twisting
maze.
―WingRidge?‖ SpikeFeather said, raising his eyebrows at the captain of the Lake Guard.
Like everyone else, he was tired and dirty, soil smudging his face and dappling the skin of his
hands and arms.
WingRidge did not raise his eyes from the circular maze. ―I do not know it,‖ he said, the