Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 2 – Enchanter

Axis glared at her, but the traders took the hint. They bowed low at Rivkah, exceptionally handsome tonight in a gown as black and as revealing as Azhure’s, and murmured their farewells. But just as they started to move, one of them slipped a sealed letter into Axis’ hand. “For your eyes only,” he whispered, and then disappeared into the throng.

Axis’ heart thudded as he saw the seal. It was Priam’s personal seal, and could be from only one person. Judith.

Axis slipped a finger under the seal and flicked the parchment open. Axis, Our relationship has hardly been cordial thus far, and for that blame myself and Priam. As you have no doubt heard, Priam is dead, and his death was hardly blameless. Before he died Priam was considering allying himself with you. He had heard of the Prophecy, and it made sense to him.

Axis’ eyebrows shot up. Priam had been considering allying Achar with himself? No wonder the man’s life had been cut short.

Axis, I consider you the rightful heir to the throne of Achar, and I will do everything in my power to support your claim. But I am a widowed woman, marginalised and ostracised, and far from the centre of power. Nevertheless, I will do what I can. I have one lady-in-waiting left for my comfort – Embeth, Lady of Tare. I rest quietly and comfortably at her house, and should you decide to visit, I do not doubt that we shall both welcome you warmly.

I hope that I can further your cause, and already I speak to two men whose names I dare not commit to paper. Your name and your fame spread. Many that you may have thought turned against you now think to join you.

Take heart.

With a quick flick of his wrist Axis threw the letter into the fire and watched it blacken and burst into flames. Rivkah was looking at him anxiously, but Axis did not dare tell her what the letter contained, or who it was from. Judith had risked a lot sending the missive on a journey hundreds of leagues north into Ichtar. Axis’ eyes flickered through the crowd before him, but the trader had long gone, and was probably on a horse and well into the road down HoldHard Pass by now.

At the bridge, a dark man limped forward, holding a tattered cloak tight about him.

“Are you true?” the bridge asked, distracted by the revelry in the Great Hall.

“Yes, I am true,” the figure replied.

“Then pass, and I will see if you speak the truth,” the bridge replied perfunctorily.

“As you wish,” the dark man replied, and stepped onto the bridge.

The Icarii Enchanters had moved from light background music into songs and revels that invited the feet to skip and dance and the body to sway in rhythm. Seven or eight couples danced the Hey-de-Gie, a merry dance between two opposing lines of males and females, and the rest of the crowd had stood back to make room for them, laughing and clapping as the dancers bent and swayed to the music floating down from above.

Rivkah turned at a touch on her shoulder.

“It has been a long time, Princess,” Magariz said, “but I wonder if you still remember?”

“My memory remains clear on the important issues, my Lord Magariz, and the Hey-de-Gie remains, after all, one of the more important issues of life.”

Magariz laughed and held out his hand. “Then, Princess, I wonder if you would do me the honour of accompanying my halting footsteps one more time through the dance.”

Rivkah took his hand. “It would be my pleasure, Lord Magariz.”

Axis took a healthy mouthful of wine, and watched his mother dance with Magariz. For a man with a pronounced limp, he managed to manoeuvre his way through the intricate dance with particular grace. Where was Azhure? He looked about the crowd, and finally spied her moving towards him, Caelum in her arms.

Axis kissed her cheek as she joined him, then lifted his eyes. “Ah, here are Belial and EvenSong.” Axis smiled com-panionably at Belial, then narrowed his eyes at his sister. EvenSong blushed, and both Axis and Azhure smiled knowingly.

“Axis,” Belial said. “I was talking to Roland about Burdel. It reminded me that we must move soon.”

Axis instantly sobered. Yes, it was time they moved. Gorgrael still waited, and the GateKeeper would be counting the days off on her thin-fingered hands, waiting for Axis to fulfil his side of their contract before the year and a day expired. How long had he spent here at Sigholt? Axis quickly calculated. Five months?

“Soon,” he agreed, and pushed the GateKeeper’s contract into the back of his mind. Gorgrael was the more pressing problem. “My friends, I fear greatly the prospect of Gorgrael pushing further south while I am mired down in Arcness or Tarantaise. He could reach Carlon before me.”

Axis stopped abruptly. Gorgrael reach Carlon before I? Reach Faraday before I? For the very first time Axis wondered about the identity of the Lover mentioned in the third verse of the Prophecy — Faraday or Azhure? Which one?

“Neither is the news from Jervois Landing good, Great Lord.” Ho’Demi had joined their circle, and the four stared at him.

“No. No, it is not,” Axis conceded.

Spies, both Icarii farflight scouts and ground spies, had reported in the past few days that Borneheld was building his forces at Jervois Landing. With the Skraeling attack deflected, Borneheld appeared to be concentrating his forces for an attack on Sigholt. Not only had further reinforcements from Coroleas arrived, but Borneheld had apparently conscripted every able-bodied man within fifty leagues of Jervois Landing. “It would be best to move before Borneheld does, Axis,” Belial remarked quietly.

“And before Gorgrael has bred up an army of these newly armoured and fleshed Skraelings,” Axis said.

The dark man reached the Keep. He was cold, despite the balmy air surrounding the Lake of Life, and he missed his shadowed habitat. Would he ever see it again?

The guard at the entrance to the Keep eyed the approaching cloaked figure warily, not liking the closely drawn hood, nor the strange gait of the man. “Your business?” he demanded, as the figure stepped closer.

The man threw back the hood of his cloak, and the guard stiffened in surprise and more than a little shock.

“I have come to join Axis SunSoar and Azhure, the woman who carries the Wolven,” the man said. “I need to travel south with them.”

Though the man had managed to cross the bridge, the guard was still wary. But, just as he was about to bar the entrance and turn the man away, he heard a step behind him.

“I will vouch for this man,” Ogden said softly. “He is true, and he is a friend to both Axis and Azhure.”

“And I will vouch for this man,” Veremund echoed. “He is a good man, and vital to the cause of Axis SunSoar and the Prophecy.” So, it had begun.

Axis waited until the dance was over, then motioned Rivkah to his side. She was breathless, her cheeks red and her eyes sparkling.

“I have not danced the Hey-de-Gie for over thirty years, Axis. I could hardly remember the steps.” She laughed at Magariz as he joined her. “And neither has my Lord Magariz, if his fumbles were any indication.”

“A fighting man soon loses courtly skills, madam,” Magariz said. “I claim my stiff leg as adequate explanation for my lack of skill here tonight.”

Axis regarded them dryly. Their words regarding Magariz’s fumbles were artificial – he had clearly been the best dancer on the floor, and Rivkah seemed to have no trouble remembering any of the steps.

Axis refilled his glass, then signalled to the Icarii musicians. They stopped instantly, and conversation in the Hall ceased with the music. All knew that Axis had called them together tonight to speak to them. Most thought they knew what he wanted to announce.

Axis stepped forward. He made an imposing figure, golden and blood-red, and as he halted at the front of the dais he turned and held out his hand for Azhure. He wanted all to know that she stood at his side as his equal. Azhure hesitated a moment, then stepped forward to take his hand. He smiled at her before addressing the Hall.

“Tonight is a special occasion,” he said clearly. “We have come together to celebrate several events. It is my mother Rivkah’s nameday, and I would like to use this occasion to welcome the Princess Rivkah back home to Achar after so long in exile. Welcome home, Rivkah.”

Rivkah inclined her head gracefully at his words. “Princess Rivkah,” the crowd murmured politely, raising their glasses.

“I would also like to thank you, my friends,” Axis said, “for your work on my and on Achar’s behalf, this past winter. If Achar owes its current liberty from Gorgrael’s creatures of frost and ice, then a large part of the reason why rests with the commanders in this room, particularly with the Icarii Strike Force. I thank you.”