slipped inside the book.
Another one followed, then another, and soon score after score of frogs were emerging
from Isaiah”s braids and moving over his shoulder and down his arm to vanish into the book.
Eventually, it was done. Isaiah closed the book and slid it back close to Hereward.
It was very dark by now, and he did not think that the Skraelings had seen the frogs
crawling over his arm and hand into the book.
He hoped not.
Isaiah and Hereward slept.
There was a movement at the edge of the river. A rat, unbelievably, crawled out from the
glass river as if it had been mere water. He crept close to the sleeping couple, his eyes keeping
careful watch on the encircling hordes of Skraelings, even though he was certain they could not
see nor otherwise perceive him.
The rat did not pause to study either Isaiah or Hereward. Instead he moved straight to the
Book of the Soulenai. The rat paused as he reached the book, then reached out a forefoot and
touched the cover gently.
A moment passed, then the rat edged up the cover and, with a wriggle, slipped inside the
book.
The cover of the book sank back down flat, and all was still.
To the south the One strode out, drawing closer to Isaiah and Hereward.
His face was set directly north, but his thoughts were elsewhere—to the northeast, where
he could sense the Lealfast aiding Isembaardians to flee through the Salamaan Pass.
Bingaleal. It was Bingaleal who led the Lealfast contingent at the Salamaan Pass.
Good. The One knew that Bingaleal was the most committed to the idea of abandoning
the Lealfast”s loyalty to the Lord of Elcho Falling. Whatever Bingaleal decided, the rest of the
Lealfast would accept, sooner or later.
Once he”d had his fun with Isaiah, then Bingaleal awaited and the trap for Maximilian
Persimius could be set.
How long did the last of the Persimius mages have to live? A few weeks at the most.
And then…then everything on this land—every animal, every flower, every soul—could
be absorbed into Infinity.
The One began to sing, his rich voice echoing over the landscape, and he sang of the
nightmare of Infinity.
[ Part Three ]
CHAPTER ONE
The Central Outlands
Do you know what I believe, Axis?” Georgdi said as they rode their horses eastward in
an easy loose-reined amble. “I think you are enjoying this freedom so much that you are secretly
pleased the Lealfast haven”t spotted so much as a general”s whisker in the days since we”ve left
Maximilian.”
Axis grinned. “As are you, Georgdi. You Outlanders are never happier than when
roaming your country”s vast plains with no destination in sight.”
“It would be better,” said Georgdi, “if there were no Isembaardians in sight, either.”
He suddenly realized what he”d said, and looked at their companion in some
consternation. “Present company excepted, of course, Zeboath.”
“No offense taken,” said Zeboath. The young physician had been traveling with the
Isembaardian army ever since it had left Sakkuth so many months previously. He”d not had
much to do, apart from splint the occasional broken bone from campfire brawls, and now reveled
in the chance to travel in a much smaller unit with Axis—as once they had when they”d escorted
Ishbel from the FarReach Mountains down to Aqhat.
“It cannot be easy for you,” Zeboath continued, “to see such vast numbers of foreigners
suddenly move through your land.”
“I don”t have much say in the matter,” Georgdi said.
The conversation lagged, and the three men rode in silence for a while. Their men rode in
a loose column behind them, relaxing in the late winter sunshine.
The Lealfast had seen nothing of the generals in the days since Axis had left the main
army. There had been a single incident a few days previously, one of the Lealfast being slightly
injured by a collision with a bird while investigating a small column of Isembaardian soldiers,
but no sign of the generals.
Well, no physical sign, but there were signs that they were active. The Lealfast had
reported to Axis that troops were massing near Margalit, which was almost certainly due to one
or more of the generals” influence. Axis had sent word back to Maximilian, but until he could see
for himself—and he was at least a week away from the larger troop congregations—he wanted to
take no action.
Axis was also having some doubt about the Lealfast.
He”d had gnawing doubts ever since Eleanon and Inardle had shown him the origin of
their people, mainly centered about the why of the Lealfast”s apparent devotion to Maximilian.
Added to these doubts were now grave reservations about their fighting ability. He”d tried to talk
to Eleanon about the Lealfast”s experience, with no luck. He”d tried to draw out the Lealfast man
on tactics.
With no luck.
Whatever Axis tried to discuss, Eleanon evaded. Axis thought that evasion was what the
man was best at.
Axis felt as if his hands were tied. If he pushed, he was afraid he might alienate the
prickly Lealfast so greatly that they would abandon Maximilian altogether, and Axis was not
sure Maximilian could afford to lose them.
Well, at least he was riding with them now, if a day or two behind their forward units.
At least he was closer, if something should go awry.
Eleanon drifted with his fighters, looking for Armat, although in truth his heart was not in
the search. As each day, almost each hour, passed, Eleanon grew more resentful at Axis” attitude,
even though it was little more than he had expected from the StarMan. Axis kept probing and
jibing, and Eleanon just withdrew deeper into his defensive arrogance.
He communicated a little with Bingaleal. As yet Bingaleal had heard nothing from the
One, but he had met some of the roving parties of Skraelings who told him that the One was a
great god who thought the Skraelings his true servants and would reward them, once he had
consolidated his power over all lands, by making them his favored counselors. Naturally riches
and much free meat also featured in the Skraelings” tales of just how the One would eventually
reward them.
It irritated Eleanon that the Skraelings had such contact with the One and the Lealfast as
yet did not. The dark spire was too dangerous to use while Axis watched Eleanon so closely and
while the marsh witch Ravenna was out scrying for power to fuel her own ambitions.
The One surely understood that the Skraelings were vile creatures, useful only for the
mass terror they could generate, while the Lealfast could be much better partners in the One”s
quest for power.
Surely.
Eleanon wished he were in Isembaard. This entire journey north to Maximilian Persimius
had been all but useless. Maximilian was weak and could not give the Lealfast what they needed.
He should be south.
South was almost certainly where lay the Lealfast”s future.
CHAPTER TWO
Isembaard, and the Outlands
Isaiah?”
He woke, springing almost instantly into full wakefulness. How had he slept so long? It
was midmorning already.
“What is it?” he asked.
“The Skraelings aren”t looking at us anymore.”
He blinked at her, not understanding, then looked at the Skraelings.
They were all staring south.
“Shetzah!” Isaiah muttered.
“What is it?”
“The One comes. The pyramid made…well, made of whatever flesh it is, I suppose.
Hereward, I don”t know what will happen. I will do my best for you.”
Hereward”s eyes welled with tears, surprising Isaiah.
He hesitated, then rested a hand on her shoulder, only to have her shrug it off.
“I just want to get out of here, Isaiah. I just want…”
She didn”t finish, but she didn”t need to.
I just want to live.
“I will do my best for you,” Isaiah repeated, wishing he had something better to say.
Hereward wiped her eyes, then nodded at the Skraelings. “Look.”
The Skraeling throng was slowly shuffling apart by the glassed river, opening up an
avenue to the south.
Isaiah glanced at the book—it was lying by Hereward”s feet—then looked down the
newly formed avenue.
Something was coming.
It was still a few hundred paces away, but Isaiah could just make it out.
A man-shaped figure, but one formed by what appeared to be gleaming blue-green glass.
Hereward took a step closer to Isaiah, and he thought she must truly be scared to want to
stand so close.
Strangely, given their mutual dislike, he was very glad of her presence. Hereward would
be useless in any confrontation between the One and himself, but at least she was there,
providing the comfort of another warm, living person.
The Skraelings had begun to whisper, a low, hissing, undulating mumble of adulation.
A shiver ran down Isaiah”s spine.
The One drew closer, and Isaiah could make out its features. It had assumed the form of a
handsome man with a strong nose and piercing eyes, and Isaiah recognized its features instantly.