“I know what memory this plate contains,” she said. “It holds a memory to do with the
opening, or raising, of Elcho Falling. Yes?”
“Yes.” He explained to her precisely what the memory meant, and what was its message,
and the small frown cleared from Ishbel”s brow.
“How did I know that?” she said. “I knew the general gist of it, but not the particulars,
which you needed to explain. But now that you have explained…” she turned the plate over, then
returned it to its place on a table. “I know I will never forget it. But how did I have the basic knowledge, anyway?”
“That”s your Persimius blood,” said Maximilian. “We all have the basic
understanding—we just need to have someone guide us through and restore to us a full and clear
understanding of the memory of each object.”
“Ah,” she said. “I was being tested again.”
“Not at all. I knew you would know each object, and that you had the memories within
you.” Maximilian hesitated. “In the same way that you knew the basic memory in that plate, so I
knew the instant I touched you that you were of strong Persimius blood.”
They looked at each other, remembering that night when Maximilian had first come to
Ishbel, and had seduced her.
“It is why I wanted you so badly that night, Ishbel,” he said. “I had come merely to say
hello.” His mouth quirked. “I ended up doing far more.”
Now Ishbel felt uncomfortable, and a little irritated at the idea that he might now be
trying to seduce her all over again. “I”m tired, Maximilian. It has been a long day. Perhaps we
can go now?”
“Of course. Do you know how to leave?”
“Yes, I think so. I just need to twist my consciousness back the way it has come and—”
Ishbel”s head jerked in Maximilian”s hands and she opened her eyes with a start.
“Oh,” she said, staring at the inside of the tent.
Maximilian smiled. “Very good.”
He was very close, and Ishbel again felt deeply uncomfortable. She tensed her head,
ready to pull it out of his hands, but he moved them first.
His left hand dropped away completely, but his right…the fingers of his right hand trailed
down behind her left ear, then continued in soft, lilting movement down her jaw until they, too,
finally dropped away.
Ishbel froze, staring at Maximilian.
That had been a signature movement of his when they had made love, a tender conclusion
that he had almost always employed.
Ishbel had loved it, and always turned her face into it.
Now she sat rigid, unable to think or move.
Maximilian sat back. “You can find your own way into the Twisted Tower now,” he said.
“You may go whenever you like.”
Ishbel ran her tongue about her mouth, trying to will some moisture into it, and finally
managed to find her voice. “You don”t mind?”
“Not at all. I might join you sometimes, and show you the meaning of more of the
objects.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because it doesn”t hurt to have two of us with the knowledge.”
“Oh. Maxel, if you have the basic memories of all the objects already within you, then
why can you not remember the ones that were lost?”
“Because we need to touch the object, see it, to spark the memory carried deep within us.
Did you know of that segment of the raising ritual of Elcho Falling before you touched the
plate?”
“Oh,” Ishbel said again, and felt foolish. “I think I will say good night now, Maxel.”
“I have kept you far too late. I”m sorry.”
Ishbel rose, but Maximilian spoke once more as she reached the door.
“Ishbel, you may go whenever you wish into the Twisted Tower, but I shall demand a
price from you.”
She turned back to him, her expression wary.
He grinned. “A flower. Give me a flower for every time you visit.”
“A flower?”
He gave a little shrug.
Ishbel looked at him, let out her breath in exasperation, then left.
After Ishbel had gone, Maximilian remembered that he should have reminded her of the
Weeper. It was growing more insistent now, calling Ishbel”s name many times while Maximilian
was about.
Maximilian sighed. Never mind. Doubtless he would find time soon.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Sky Peaks Pass
Axis paused just outside his father and Salome”s tent. Very gently he used a little of the
Star Dance to sense inside.
He smiled.
StarDrifter lurched up from Salome”s body as Axis entered the tent.
“By the stars, Axis, did you not think to announce yourself before your entry?”
Axis sat down in a chair and stretched out his long legs. He smiled lazily. “I thought
you”d be interested in what I know about the Lealfast. Forgive me, is this a poor time?”
StarDrifter muttered a curse and sat up in bed. Salome stretched languidly, not caring that
the sheet only covered to her thighs, and gave StarDrifter an amused glance as he tugged the
sheet higher.
Axis narrowed his eyes a little, watching Salome. She was as desirable heavily pregnant
as she had been when first he”d met her. That SunSoar blood. He turned over in his mind the
thought that he need not tell his father about the Star Dance, and instead could use it to win
Salome to his side.
She would be drawn to it irresistibly. StarDrifter could do nothing to hold her.
He could have a SunSoar woman back in his bed once more…
“Axis?” said StarDrifter. “Why are you here?”
Axis dragged his eyes back to his father. “May I tell you a story?”
“Oh, for the gods” sakes,” StarDrifter muttered.
“Shall it amuse us?” Salome said.
“Assuredly,” said Axis.
“Then go ahead,” said Salome, turning languidly over on her side to face Axis and
allowing the sheet to fall away from her breasts.
Their eyes met.
All he would need do was to keep the secret of the Star Dance to himself, and he could
have her.
Salome smiled. She was not able to read his thoughts, but she understood the expression
in his eyes.
“Axis?” StarDrifter said.
“When I was a young man,” Axis said, “learning the ways of the Star Dance and the
powers of the Enchanter, I spent some time with Orr, the Charonite Ferryman, who guarded the
waterways of the Underworld.”
“I know this,” said StarDrifter. “I don”t know why—”
“Salome has not heard this tale,” Axis said.
StarDrifter muttered another curse and cast his eyes up to the roof of the tent as if it
cradled salvation.
“I spent time with Orr, the Ferryman,” Axis continued. “He was a man, a being, of great
power and wisdom. He told me something about the waterways—I”m not sure if ever I told
you—”
StarDrifter made an impatient gesture with one hand.
“Well,” Axis said, “he told me that, as the Icarii Enchanters used music to mirror and
then manipulate the patterns of the Star Dance, the Charonites used the waterways in the same
way.”
StarDrifter suddenly shifted his gaze to Axis.
“Whenever the Charonites wanted to use the Star Dance for a purpose, to create an
enchantment, instead of singing a Song, they traveled a particular waterway. They used
movement— dance, if you like—to create the same effect.”
“The Star Dance was lost when the Timekeeper Demons destroyed the Star Gate,”
StarDrifter said.
“That is a myth,” Axis said, holding his father”s eyes. “We both know the Lealfast still
use it. We just lost the ability to hear it.”
“Axis,” said StarDrifter, now so tense he was almost rigid, “have the Lealfast told you
how to access the Star Dance?”
“No,” said Axis. “I think they rather hate us, StarDrifter. They wouldn”t give me the time
of day, let alone their secret to the Star Dance.”
StarDrifter”s body slumped once more against the pillows.
“Nonetheless,” Salome said, her eyes narrowed, “you are telling us this delightful little
tale about Orr the Ferryman for a reason, are you not?”
“Indeed,” said Axis. “StarDrifter, all we lost was the ability to hear the Star Dance. Look,
the Icarii were used to hearing the music of the Star Dance, yes? It filtered through the Star Gate
from the heavens and into our daily lives. It surrounded us always. But what if we were so used
to hearing it this way that we”d been blinded—and I use that word deliberately—to other means
of recognizing or of allowing the Star Dance to filter through us?”
“Axis,” said StarDrifter, “have you regained your connection to the Star Dance?”
“Yes,” said Axis.
StarDrifter literally leaped over Salome and crouched before Axis, his hands on his son”s
arms. “Tell me! ”
“You can”t see it yet?” said Axis.
StarDrifter”s grip tightened until his fingers dug into Axis” flesh. “Tell me! ”
“We can see it, StarDrifter,” Axis said, pulling his arms away from his father”s grip. “The
Lealfast can see it. And once you can see it, then suddenly you can hear it again—not as loudly as we were once used to, but hear it nonetheless. Salome.”