air above the water, then slammed down again.
The water was not boiling, it was full of…of…
―Eels,‖ Drago said. ―Grown to gigantic proportions under the Demons‘ careful
nurturing.‖
The water roiled, and several heads appeared. Fully five paces long and two wide, the
eels had yawning mouths filled with razored, yellowing fangs. One of them had the remains of a
cloak caught between its teeth, and as Faraday watched a neatly severed human leg dropped from
the folds of the cloth and splashed into the water.
All three eels instantly lunged back into the water, fighting over the delicacy.
―There‘s a boat tied to the pier,‖ Drago said, apparently unconcerned by what he‘d just
witnessed. ―And large enough for our variety of furred and feathered companions as well.‖
Faraday pulled away from him. ―No!‖ She hugged Katie tight to her, and buried the girl‘s
head protectively in the folds of her skirts. Katie twisted her head about slightly to gaze quietly at Drago.
―We will never get across alive!‖ Faraday said. ―Do you want to kill this sweet child
before she has a chance to live?‖
Katie now twisted her face about so she could look at Faraday.
―Faraday—‖ Drago began.
― No!‖
―Faraday,‖ Drago‘s voice became firmer. ―Trust me. We can get across.‖
Faraday stared at him, her eyes panicked. She could not believe that Drago was prepared
to risk the live of Katie with such equanimity.
A movement to their right broke the stand-off. It was the feathered lizard—now, Faraday
observed, far larger than any of the hounds—climbing carefully into the boat. It settled itself at
the prow and began to preen, totally ignoring the glistening hump of an eel that had surfaced four
or five paces out into the Lake.
Sicarius, FortHeart as ever at his shoulder, leapt in after the lizard, and the next moment
the boat rocked as the remaining Alaunt and the cats all leapt in at the same time. The lizard
raised its head, its emerald and scarlet crest flaring, and hissed irritably at them.
There were three spaces left clear on the benches.
―Trust me!‖ Drago said, and held out his hand.
Faraday stared at him, then at the boat packed with sundry animals, then back at Drago.
She swallowed.
Drago gave a small smile. ―Faraday, the worst that can happen is a rapid annihilation, and
the best is an exhilarating ride. Will you risk it?‖
His hand waggled a bit.
Faraday lowered her eyes, and made as if to speak to Katie, but the girl pulled free from
her and ran to the boat, climbing in.
―Katie!‖ Faraday cried.
―I think,‖ Drago said, ―that you have been outvoted. If you do not wish to risk the
journey, I can always leave you here. No doubt Spiredore will keep you safe and warm.‖
Faraday‘s cheeks reddened, and she marched stiff-backed past Drago and climbed into
the boat.
His smile gone, Drago unmoored the boat and pushed it out into the water as he jumped
in. He settled down in the remaining space, placed the staff carefully under the bench, unshipped
the oars, and rowed strongly for the opposite shoreline.
Instantly the water came to life about them.
An eel reared out of the water, its huge head blocking out the sun, and lunged down at
one of the Alaunt.
But in the instant before it seized the hound in its fangs, its head fell off, glancing off the
side of the boat into the water.
The boat swung wildly, not only from the blow struck by the falling eel‘s head, but also
because a half-dozen other eels began fighting over the head and body of their fellow.
Gripping her seat tightly with one hand, and Katie as tightly with the other, Faraday
stared wildly about, trying to see from what direction the next inevitable attack would come
from.
―How…what happened?‖ she gasped.
―Watch,‖ Drago said, and pointed behind her.
Faraday twisted about, desperately trying to keep her balance, and saw that the lizard was
sitting alertly in the prow. Another eel reared just to her right, and Faraday flinched, but not
before she saw a shaft of brilliant light sear through the eel‘s head, sending it tumbling back into
the water.
Again an eel reared out of the water, and this time Faraday saw exactly what happened.
The lizard raised one of its claws and arced it through the air in a great cutting motion. As it did
so, its diamond talons flared with light, and the beam flashed through the space between lizard
and eel cutting off the monster‘s head.
Faraday looked back to Drago, absolutely astounded. ―I had no idea it could do that,‖ she
whispered.
―I told you to trust me,‖ he said, and his face relaxed into a wide grin.
Even Faraday could not resist that smile. Her mouth twisted, twitched, and then her
resistance crumbled and she smiled. Katie clapped her hands delightedly, and the lizard joined in
the fun by slicing off two eels‘ heads with a single flashing arc of light.
It was the last they were troubled by the eels. Whether the other eels had learned from the
fate of their companions, or they were too busy feasting on the remains of those others, the boat
sailed serenely across to the other side of Grail Lake.
As they neared the section of the city walls that rose directly from the waters, Drago
lifted the oars from the water and let the boat slow to a glide.
―Carlon is ringed thirty deep with the Demons‘ minions. We could fight our way
through—I am sure the lizard would prove more than useful—but I would prefer to arrive in a
slightly more anonymous manner. I remember stories of the night my father bested Borneheld in
this place. Did he not enter through a postern gate somewhere close to the water‘s edge?‖
―Yes.‖ Faraday did not particularly want to remember those eight days spent in the lie of
Axis‘ arms, but she could not avoid it. First Gorkenfort and memories of Borneheld, and now
Carlon and the shade of Axis‘ betrayal. What was Drago doing, dragging her to every site in
Tencendor bound to stir up unwanted and painful memories?
―Yes?‖ Drago prompted.
―Ah.‖ Faraday shook herself out of her train of thought. ―Yes, Axis told me about it, as
did Rivkah and Yr. It should be…‖ she twisted about so she could see the approaching sheer
wall, ―…it should be just beyond that corner there, tucked into an alcove that lies deep under a
rounded tower. Yes. There!‖
Drago leaned back into the oars, and the boat swung close to the tower. Five paces away
he shipped the oars securely, and clambered forward to the prow, pushing aside sundry hounds
and cats as he did so. A chorus of indignant grunts and yowls followed his pathway.
Once at the prow, Drago leaned over the form of the lizard, who had curled up and was
watching proceedings carefully with one of its light-absorbing black eyes, and caught the iron
ring by the door, tying the boat up with swift, sure movements.
Then he seized the door ring, and pushed.
The door swung inwards—
—and instantly Drago was knocked to his face, only avoiding falling in the water by the
most strenuous of actions, by the mad rush of lizard, hounds and cats for the open doorway.
Drago hauled himself back into a safe position, and looked back to Faraday. Both she and
Katie were bent almost double in silent paroxysms of laughter.
Drago grinned himself, shaking his head slightly, then he held out his hand and silently
helped Faraday and Katie, both still giggling, into the door.
―If you disbelieve me,‖ Theod spat. ―Then kill me now! I have nothing left to live for!‖
Zared again locked eyes with Herme, and then he sighed and placed both his hands stop
the table. ―I cannot believe you anything else but my friend. I am sorry for doubting you.‖
Theod‘s face did not relax. ―And so when do we ride north? Ride to save—‖
―My friend,‖ Zared said as gently as he could, ―we will not be riding north. By this time
there will be nothing left to save…and you know as well as I that we can‘t help those who have been—‖
―Coward!‖ Theod shouted, and stumbled to his feet. ―I will ride back myself if I—‖
He stopped, and stared at the door.
Zared and Herme turned to see what had quieted Theod. They, too, stilled. Sitting in the
doorway, its tail swishing softly to and fro behind it, was an enormous blue-feathered lizard
which had a brilliantly coloured plumed crest on its head.
Norden had somehow managed to escape beyond the doorway, and they could see him
edging slowly back down the corridor. He stopped and turned, as if he had seen someone. But
Zared‘s, Herme‘s and Theod‘s attention was now all on the lizard.
It hissed, and Theod took a step back from the table.