“Then just tell it to me, Isaiah,” Maximilian said.
“The River Lhyl is dead,” Isaiah said. “Murdered by whatever that damned pyramid has
become.”
Eleanon and Bingaleal exchanged the briefest of glances.
“Oh no!” Ishbel said, sinking into a chair. “Not that magical river. Isaiah, I am so sorry.”
“If the River Lhyl is no more,” Axis observed, “then the Skraelings have full access to
Isembaard. The waters had held them back. Now…”
“All the more reason, then, for you to go back, Isaiah,” said Maximilian.
“And how much,” said Ezekiel, “do you think these frosted sprites and Isaiah can do,
Maximilian?”
Maximilian sent him a level look, but did not respond. Instead he turned to the three
Lealfast. “Eleanon,” he said, offering his hand, and finding himself somewhat surprised to
discover that the Lealfast man”s hand was warm. “Will you introduce your fellows?”
“My brood brother Bingaleal,” said Eleanon, indicating the other Lealfast male.
Maximilian thought that Bingaleal had a harder, more experienced air about him than Eleanon.
His entire manner had a cold edge to it, and, like Eleanon, he was watchful and alert.
Axis had recognized him instantly as the man who had tried to assassinate Isaiah in the
great audience chamber of Aqhat, and he locked eyes significantly with Isaiah.
Maximilian shook Bingaleal”s hand, then looked at the woman. She was very lovely, but
radiated a sense of distance that reminded Maximilian of Ishbel when first they had met. Of a
height with Eleanon and Bingaleal, the woman was slim and elegant, every turn of her head or
lift of her shoulder the movement of a dancer. Her long pale hair was braided so that it ran in two
twists from the center of her forehead to either side of her head, curving together again behind
her head to meet at the nape of her neck. The twists glittered with rime and framed her lovely
face as would a crown.
Maximilian glanced sideways, and saw that Axis was staring at her.
“My brood sister, Inardle,” said Eleanon. “She was Lister”s companion for a while, but
now is not.”
“An interesting manner of putting it,” Axis murmured.
“Axis SunSoar,” said Maximilian, deciding to move into his own introductions before
Axis could say anything else, “of whom you must have heard. Isaiah, of Isembaard, likewise;
Ishbel Persimius, again likewise; and Ezekiel, the senior of Isembaard”s generals.”
Cautious nods were exchanged all about.
“The rest of the social niceties shall have to wait,” said Maximilian. “As Isaiah has
pointed out, Isembaard is in crisis.” He looked at the Lealfast. “Do all three of you command
your fighting group?”
“Eleanon and myself,” Bingaleal said. “Inardle fights among us, but does not command.”
“Then why is she here?” said Axis.
Bingaleal looked at Axis, his entire manner chilly and aloof. “Because she stands for the
rest of the Lealfast, StarMan. And because she has always stood among the elite, and in Lister”s
inner circle.”
“Definitely within Lister”s inner circle,” Axis murmured, “if she was sleeping with him.”
“Axis,” Maximilian said, and Axis gave a shrug and turned aside a little, as if distancing
himself from the conversation.
“I need your help,” Maximilian said to Eleanon and Bingaleal. “I want to send perhaps
twenty-five thousand of your fighters, with Isaiah, to aid the Isembaardians to escape.” He gave a
little smile. “I may have preempted your agreement a little with my announcement to the army
earlier.”
“You are our commander, my Lord of Elcho Falling,” said Bingaleal. “You do not need
either Eleanon”s or my permission to use our force as you need.” A slight hesitation. “We shall
be glad to aid in Isembaard in any manner we are able.”
“Why?” said Axis, now turning back into the conversation. “Why so loyal to Maximilian?
There is no history between you, so far as I am aware.”
He looked at Maximilian at this, and Maximilian gave a slight shake of his head.
“As there is none between you and he,” said Eleanon, “and yet, here we all stand.”
“We have heard of Elcho Falling whispered in the winds of the frozen northern wastes
for all the centuries of our existence, StarMan,” said Inardle. It was the first time she had spoken,
and all the non-Lealfast studied her curiously. Her voice was very low, husky, but clearly audible
and underscored with strength.
“We yearn for Elcho Falling,” Inardle continued, “more than you can understand. We
know it, which is why we could describe it in the sky above you this day. Its lord is our lord.”
It was a brief but powerful speech, and it was followed by a momentary silence.
“Thank you,” Ishbel said. She rose from her chair and inclined her head at Inardle. “That
was beautifully spoken. I think there must be much we can learn from each other.”
Beautifully spoken, perhaps, Axis thought, but did it truly answer my question?
“Eleanon, Bingaleal,” Maximilian said, “how long do your fighters need to rest? You
have already had a long journey to reach me.”
“We travel effortlessly in our snow form,” Bingaleal said, “and can return south again in
the morning.” Bingaleal slid a glance toward Isaiah. “Is it your wish that this man command us?”
“You will operate under his direction, yes.” Maximilian paused, looking between Isaiah
and Bingaleal carefully. He recognized the tension between them, but did not yet understand it.
“Is there a problem with this, Bingaleal? Isaiah knows both the land and the enemy well; you do
not.”
Bingaleal gave an expressive shrug. “I have no problems, my lord. I just thought that
perhaps Isaiah might feel uncomfortable about it.”
“Why—” Maximilian began.
“Bingaleal was the Lealfast that Lister sent to Aqhat to stage the assassination attempt on
Isaiah,” Axis said. “That was the attempt that created the chaos that allowed Ishbel to be attacked
and her child murdered.”
“And for that tragedy,” Bingaleal said, “I hold myself fully responsible.” He stepped
forward to Ishbel, bowing before her in the Icarii manner, wings spread out behind him in
deference. “My lady, I cannot tell you how badly I wish I could undo that action. The last thing I
wanted was for you to lose such a precious child, and with such horrific results.”
“It would have happened either way, Bingaleal,” Ishbel said. “It was no one”s fault. Fate,
only.”
The tent door opened, and Ishbel, who had been going to say something else, looked
over.
Ravenna had entered.
She smiled pleasantly, apologized for disturbing them, then looked at Maximilian.
“Should I go, Maxel?” she said. “Am I intruding?”
Yes, she was, Axis thought, watching Maximilian. The man was obviously irritated with
her presence.
He glanced at Ishbel.
She had turned very slightly, presenting her shoulder to Ravenna.
It was a clear but elegant rebuff, and Axis” mouth twitched with humor that the woman
who had to all intents and purposes been utterly rejected a few nights ago now held such a strong
advantage. He wished he”d witnessed the scene in the snow. It had patently been a turning point
in all three participants” lives, but in ways that none of them could have predicted.
He looked about the room.
Everyone, including the Lealfast, was watching with interest.
“I thought you might have need of my counsel,” Ravenna said to Maximilian.
Axis almost winced. That had been a bad move. If Maximilian had needed Ravenna”s
counsel, he would have ensured her presence.
Before Maximilian could respond, Ravenna turned to Eleanon, Bingaleal, and Inardle.
“Greetings,” she said, moving over and extending her hand. “My name is Ravenna, and—”
“Ravenna aided in my rescue from the Veins some years ago,” Maximilian said to the
Lealfast, taking Ravenna”s elbow just before she reached the Lealfast, “and she has been a good
companion in my efforts to find Ishbel. Ravenna, this is but a war council and would bore you. I
think—”
She looked him directly in the eye. “I have ever been ready at your side, Maxel. I have
risked my life for you. May I not have the courtesy of your ear?”
“Ravenna,” Maximilian said, his voice gentle, “this really has nothing to do with you.”
“And this child?” Ravenna said, her hand on her belly.
Maximilian”s expression hardened. She had pushed too far with that question.
Axis folded his arms and leaned back against one of the tent”s internal support poles,
more intrigued than ever.
“You should go back to your mother,” Ishbel said, “and your dreams of dark misshapen
creatures and betrayal.”
Axis could hardly believe he”d heard that. Maximilian had told Ishbel about Ravenna’s
vision? He looked to Maximilian to see if he looked surprised, but he continued to regard
Ravenna calmly.
Ravenna had gone white. She stared at Ishbel, then at Maximilian. “You have made your
choice, then,” Ravenna said, and she turned her back and left the tent with, Axis thought, more
dignity than he thought he”d be able to muster under the circumstances.
Ravenna”s brief interruption had left Axis astonished. Whether he had admitted it to