to him in a low voice, his eyes intense. After a moment Axis nodded curtly and stood up.
―I am going to ride north until I can face this Destroyer in battle,‖ he said, his voice
harsh, his eyes hard and cold, ―and then I will tear him to pieces for what he has done here
today.‖
21
INSIDE THE ENCHANTER-TALON’S TOMB
Faraday awoke, her head throbbing, every muscle and joint in her body aching. Someone
held a hand close over her face.
―Mphh,‖ she muttered, trying to brush away the irritating hand.
―I‘m only wiping the dirt from your face. There. Can you open your eyes?‖
With a great effort Faraday slowly opened her eyes. She blinked, trying to focus. Jack‘s
concerned face swam above hers and she blinked again. Gradually his face came into focus.
―I hurt, everywhere,‖ she muttered, trying to sit up.
―We came down more heavily than I had foreseen,‖ Jack said, his worried face easing a
little as Faraday began to move. ―I didn‘t realise the Barrow would collapse so badly. Yr and I
escaped the worst of it, but you and,‖ his face hardened, ―that Axe-Wielder were hit by some
loose stones.‖
―Timozel!‖ Faraday sat up straight, too quickly for her aching head to adjust, and
groaned, catching at her head with her hands.
―Quietly,‖ a woman‘s soft voice said behind her, and Faraday felt cool and soothing
hands run gently across her brow. ―You must not move so fast yet. Here, let me massage your
head for a moment.‖
The woman‘s hands felt wonderful and for a few minutes Faraday sat, her eyes closed,
letting the marvellous hands take away the worst of the throbbing.
―Thank you,‖ she whispered eventually, opening her eyes and turning to thank the
woman who had relieved her head of so much of the pain. ―That feels…‖ Faraday‘s eyes
widened in astonishment. Squatting behind her was a completely naked woman with long
straight white-blonde hair hanging to her waist.
―Why, Lady Faraday, do you not know me? I am Yr, and this is my human form.‖
Faraday‘s eyes widened even further. ―You can change?‖
Yr laughed, a low and throaty sound, ―It is hard for me, for any of us, to change, and we
need a little assistance to do so. This place,‖ she waved her hand about, ―still contains so much
residual enchantment that the transformation was made easier for me.‖ She laughed again
merrily and winked at Jack. ―Jack did not always approve of the cat. He thought
it…inappropriate.‖ She shrugged a little. ―But a cat can go where no woman can, and can listen
to conversations that any other man or woman would be killed for overhearing. I have stalked the
corridors of Carlon for many years, sweet girl, and I have heard much.‖
―Enough,‖ Jack said shortly. ―Faraday, can you stand?‖
Yr and Jack helped Faraday to her feet. Her head swam a little, then she looked about.
They were standing at one end of a dimly lit rectangular stone chamber, perhaps forty paces by
fifteen. In the centre of the chamber stood a table-shaped solid block of stone, as high as a man‘s
waist and pure white, almost gleaming in the poor light. Two copper lamps, one at either end of
the chamber, glowed softly. Turning around Faraday saw that the wall behind them was half
obscured by tumbled masonry and dirt.
―The landslide has blocked the passage down here completely, Faraday. No-one can
follow,‖ Jack said softly. ―As far as those above are concerned we are dead, entombed in the
mud and the rocks.‖
Faraday shivered. Axis thought she was dead. Well, it was for the best. She gasped
suddenly as she saw Timozel‘s motionless form stretched along the floor immediately behind
her. She stepped over and bent down by him. ―Timozel!‖
Yr and Jack looked at each other. It would have been better if Timozel had died in the
landslide, but he had been largely protected by the magical aura of the staff as they fell down the
chasm. His presence was a complication that they did not need. Still, as Ogden and Veremund
were bound, so were they. They could suggest and advise, and sometimes they could manipulate
events if they served the Prophecy, but they could not go so far as to interfere with life itself.
Jack sighed and bent down by Timozel. ―Faraday, move your hand. I can help him as I
did you.‖
Faraday watched as Jack moved his hand over Timozel‘s face, a faint green light
emanating from the tips of his fingers. Gradually the colour seeped back into Timozel‘s cheeks
and after a few minutes he shifted slightly and began to moan.
―Faraday,‖ Jack looked at her as she crouched on the other side of Timozel. ―You must
persuade him that Yr and I pose no threat. As you can see, the boy is fully armed with sword and
axe and Yr and I are as vulnerable to steel as you or Axis. As Axis must not die, neither must
we—for then all is lost.‖
Faraday nodded, her green eyes grave, and leaned one restraining hand on Timozel‘s
chest.
Unlike Faraday, Timozel leapt from unconsciousness to full alertness. His eyes opened,
both angry and indignant, and he lurched into a sitting position, brushing aside Faraday‘s
restraining hand, his knees bending to rise. His hand gripped his sword, half unsheathing it from
its scabbard. Both Yr and Jack flinched involuntarily at the sound of the steel sliding free from
its prison.
―No!‖ Faraday cried, trying to wrap her arms around him. ―Timozel, it‘s all right. We‘re
safe!‖
Timozel sat rigid for a moment, his hand still clenched about the hilt of his sword.
―Faraday?‖ he said, puzzled, ―What happened?‖ He turned to look at her, his eyes losing
some of their aggression.
―Shush, it‘s all right, Timozel.‖ Faraday ran her fingers soothingly through his brown
curls.
―Where are we?‖ he asked, turning to look around him. ―What happened?‖ His face
tightened as he saw Jack and remembered him trying to abduct Faraday; then his cheeks stained
red as he fully realised that the strange woman standing next to Jack was completely naked. Yr‘s
lips parted a little in a smile. She shook her hair back from her face and squared her shoulders
slightly, leaning back against the stone block, her skin almost as white as the stone itself.
Timozel slid the sword back into its scabbard, his eyes still on Yr, and rose slowly to his
feet.
―Yr.‖ Jack rebuked gently. ―This is not the time nor the place.‖
―But what can I do, Jack? I have no clothes,‖ said Yr.
Timozel continued to stare at Yr, his eyes wary. ―Here,‖ he said finally, his face returning
to its normal colour. ―You can have my cloak.‖
He slipped it from his shoulders and took a step towards Yr. Yr paused, teasing, then she
languidly stretched forth a hand. ―Ugh,‖ she said disapprovingly, ―it‘s wet.‖
―Take it!‖ Jack snapped, irritated by Yr‘s behaviour. He wished she had retained her cat
form; she could be infinite trouble in her womanly guise.
Yr sighed and slipped the cloak about her shoulders. ―It will no doubt dry quickly
enough,‖ she said. ―Thank you, Timozel.‖
Timozel was more relaxed now that Yr‘s nakedness was covered, and he sketched a
courtly bow for her. ―My lady,‖ he smiled.
Faraday placed a gentle hand on Timozel‘s arm. ―Tim, this is Jack and Yr. They are…‖
Faraday stopped, confused. What should she tell him? She looked at Jack for guidance.
Jack interrupted. ―Timozel. Do you remember the Prophecy that you heard at the Silent
Woman Keep?‖ Timozel nodded. ―Well, Yr and I are two of the Sentinels mentioned within the
Prophecy. We are part of the Prophecy, we are bound to it and serve it.‖
Timozel‘s eyes narrowed. The line of the Prophecy mentioning the Sentinels ran through
his head, ―The Sentinels will walk abroad‖, then he remembered its darker companion. When the
Prophecy had been simply an abstract riddle Timozel had found it amusing if puzzling; now that
it was taking flesh and blood form before him he did not think he liked it as much. Like all
Acharites, he had been taught from a child in arms that all magic or enchantments were evil and
used only by the Forbidden in order to harm Artor-fearing Acharites and undermine their faith in
the Way of the Plough. His unease grew. The Prophecy also mentioned the remade dead and
dark powers. Were these magical creatures now a threat to Faraday and himself? Timozel‘s hand
crept a little closer to the hilt of his sword again.
―Timozel,‖ Yr said, her voice soft and reasonable. Her eyes had lost their challenging
look and were now reassuring. ―Jack and I, as are our comrades, devote our lives to preserving
this land, and to finding and supporting the StarMan, the one who will be able to stop Gorgrael