home to the Lord of Elcho Falling,” and suddenly, again, I was happy. It has been a long
imprisonment, Maximilian Persimius, but it gives me a little comfort to realize that my father
was right, and that I am needed.”
He gave a wry smile. “I do not think I could be as joyous had I arrived back to find the
Twisted Tower as complete as the day I had left it.”
“I could always throw a few more objects out the door, if that would lift your spirits even
more,” said Maximilian, and Josia laughed.
“You cannot leave here, can you?” Ishbel said.
“No,” Josia said, “I have no physical body left. The Twisted Tower, in its own way,
imprisons me as much as did the weeping bronze.” He gave a little smile. “It is a happier prison,
though.”
“Well,” said Maximilian, “I am glad to discover you, Josia. To be frank, I think the
Twisted Tower a more serene world than that which exists beyond its walls. Are you aware of
what has happened in these lands?”
“Yes. You are in a pickle, Maximilian.”
“Then you shall need to help me.”
Josia gave another slow smile. “Tell me, Maximilian—”
“Maxel, please.”
“Maxel, then. Tell me, how far have you explored the tower?”
“I have climbed all the way to the top chamber. Everything above this chamber is
empty.”
“Yes. Ishbel, how far have you climbed?”
“No further than this chamber, Josia,” she said. “I have been to the tower only rarely.”
Josia nodded, as if digesting this information. “Maxel, how many times have you been to
the top chamber?”
“Once, when I was a boy, and once since I have been a man.” His eyes glinted with
humor. “It is a long climb, and a depressing one.”
“True enough,” said Josia. He paused for a moment. “Maxel, have you ever looked out
the window in the top chamber? It is, after all, the only level that has a window.”
Maximilian opened his mouth, then hesitated. “No, I don”t think so.”
“Just as well,” said Josia, “for if you had then you would have been dead.”
Maximilian looked startled, but before he could comment, Josia continued.
“I know something of Ravenna”s vision,” he said. “Tell me, Maximilian Persimius, how
much do you trust Ishbel? Is she worth Elcho Falling”s betrayal and destruction?”
Maximilian looked directly at Ishbel as he answered. “I trust her completely, Josia, and I
do not believe her to contain Elcho Falling”s betrayal and destruction, whatever vision Ravenna
summons.”
Ishbel took a very deep breath as Maximilian spoke.
“Are you certain, Maximilian Persimius?” Josia said in a soft voice.
“Absolutely certain,” said Maximilian, and Ishbel gave him a small smile.
They stayed within the Twisted Tower until dawn. Maximilian came back to
consciousness slowly, still sitting in the chair by Ishbel. He struggled to sit upright, looking at
her.
She was awake, watching him.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For trusting me.”
He gave a nod, not knowing how to respond.
Then she gave a little smile. “I am afraid I do not have a flower to hand for your payment
this morning.”
“Then I shall take my payment in other currency,” Maximilian said, and leaned forward
and kissed her.
He meant to keep it brief, but somehow he did not quite lift his mouth before the kiss
deepened, and he was leaning down to the bed, and she had the fingers of one hand soft against
his neck.
“My lord?”
Maximilian pulled back.
Serge had entered the tent. “BroadWing has returned,” he said. “He needs to speak with
you.”
Maximilian sank into his chair in his tent. “I cannot believe it,” he muttered.
“It was a slaughter, my lord,” said BroadWing. “Axis was furious.”
“And now Axis undoubtedly is in the hands of Armat because of those fools,”
Maximilian said, and muttered a curse. He paused. “Where are the Lealfast now?”
“Axis said they”d eventually come to me for some training, but for now he has sent them
off to lick their wounds. They will be rejoining you once they”ve had time to think. It cannot be
enough time for me.”
Maximilian grunted. “I cannot for the life of me believe them capable of learning any
skills. You shall need good luck and some inspiration, my friend, once they join you. Well, I for
one don”t want to see them just yet.” He paused. “Damn them, BroadWing. I cannot afford to
lose Axis for any reason, let alone their stupidity.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The Outlands
Eleanon did not lead the remainder of his fighters north into the Sky Peaks.
After they”d left Axis, Eleanon took the Lealfast a little way north, then turned everyone
southeast instead, toward the FarReach Mountains and the Salamaan Pass.
What he had done sickened him. Eleanon had known it was more than likely Armat had
set a trap, but he deliberately led his fighters into it. Eleanon knew his force could probably have
defeated Armat had he approached with more circumspection and cunning, but had chosen
instead to approach directly, incautiously.
Thousands had died, but they had not died needlessly.
Axis now thought Eleanon—and every other Lealfast—an utter fool. That meant that
Axis and Maximilian would now severely underestimate Eleanon and his fighters.
Eleanon could use that.
The One could use that.
The disaster, and Axis” contemptuous dismissal of Eleanon, also meant that Eleanon was
now not only free to rejoin the Lealfast Nation waiting in the FarReach Mountains, but free to
seek out Bingaleal.
Something had happened in Isembaard. Bingaleal was now something “other” than what
he had been less than a day earlier.
Something more powerful.
Had he communed with the One?
All of the Lealfast with Bingaleal had transformed— evolved—and Eleanon needed to
know what had happened.
Quite desperately.
The final positive that had resulted from what might otherwise be construed as Eleanon”s
total madness was that Inardle was now with Axis. Her wounding was a piece of extraordinary
luck, and Eleanon had used it to best advantage.
She would be in Axis” bed within days, surely, and would prove another weapon against
Axis and Maximilian.
A weapon. Eleanon could feel what Bingaleal and the Lealfast with him had become, and
he wanted it, badly. The One could give them salvation, not the weakness that currently walked
as the Lord of Elcho Falling.
So Eleanon flew southeast, drawing behind him the Lealfast fighters, toward the Lealfast
Nation, toward Bingaleal and the One, and toward outright treachery against the Lord of Elcho
Falling.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The Central Outlands, and Isembaard
Insharah pulled his horse to a halt. It was close to dawn, and there was just enough light
to see the horsemen waiting for him ahead.
Forty or fifty men.
He motioned the eight men who rode with him to wait, then urged his horse forward.
When he got to within four or five paces of the group ahead of him, he reined in.
“Who goes there?” he called out.
“Perhaps we wonder the same thing,” said one man, now pushing his horse forward to
meet Insharah. “Ah,” he said as he rode up, “you are Insharah. What is this, have you been sent
out to scout for the rebellious generals? Or have you deserted with a few of your friends?”
“Neither, Risdon,” said Insharah, recognizing the man as one of Armat”s leading
commanders. “I bring the remainder of the army to Armat, to aid him in his quest to liberate
Isembaard.”
Risdon smiled, a brief glint of teeth in the dim light. “The entire army, Insharah?” He
peered dramatically behind Insharah. “What, eight men only? That”s all that”s left? Did
Maximilian eat the rest for his breakfast, then?”
“The rest follow an hour”s ride behind,” said Insharah. “I rode out ahead, as I knew
Armat must be close.”
“Why should Armat trust you?” said Risdon. “You are close friends with Axis, and thus
too closely allied to Maximilian for Armat to greet you easily.”
“I admire both men,” said Insharah, “but my loyalties are to Isembaard.”
“And to Armat,” said Risdon softly. “You forgot that important little bit.”
“And to Armat.” Insharah pulled out his sword, making the men behind Risdon draw
theirs as well.
Risdon continued to sit relaxed in the saddle.
Insharah rode forward a pace and held his sword out to Risdon, who accepted it only after
a long moment.
“You will be watched,” said Risdon. “You surely didn”t expect to be welcomed with
open arms into Armat”s camp.”
“I am Armat”s man,” said Insharah.
“We”ll see,” said Risdon.
Isaiah woke at dawn, stiff from a night spent on the ground. He sat up, stretching slowly
to unbend his muscles, and looked at Hereward.
He would not have been surprised to discover her dead. She”d lost so much blood, and
was so weak, that a night spent in the cold could easily have killed her.
But even though she was lying very still, Isaiah could make out the movement of her