“Then speak it,” Axis snapped, “and earn your death sentence.”
Maximilian thought about reprimanding Axis, but decided that the man had good enough reason to be bitter. Inardle had truly played to all his weaknesses, as all his strengths, in gaining his trust.
He raised an eyebrow at Inardle. “And your secret is . . . ?”
“Elcho Falling is not secure,” Inardle said. “You know of the rose-coloured spires. But there is one other, made of pure magic and the power of Infinity, and perhaps beyond Infinity for all I know. It is what we know as the Dark Spire and it is a thing of great bleakness, of frightening potency. I believe that it is now somewhere within Elcho Falling. It is the only way the One could have gained access. Eleanon would have placed it here to aid and guide the One.
“And as long as it stays here, then we are all corpses walking. None of us can combat it.”
Eleanon and Bingaleal sat on the small hill north of Elcho Falling, arms resting on raised knees, chins resting on arms.
“There is nothing from the One,” Eleanon said. “Nothing. Whatever consumes his interest in Isembaard, it is not worry about us.”
“Do you mind overmuch?” Bingaleal said.
Eleanon’s mouth curved slightly. “No. But I’d like to know where he is and what he does. He’s moving south-west through Isembaard, probably to reach DarkGlass Mountain. Why, I wonder?”
“He feels safe there, perhaps,” Bingaleal said.
Eleanon grunted. “So he runs away, eh? Of what use is he to us now?”
“We do need to be careful, Eleanon.”
“We will be careful, brother.”
“What do you plan for the Dark Spire, Eleanon?”
Eleanon took a deep breath, and told him.
Bingaleal’s eyes widened progressively as Eleanon spoke. “Is this possible?”
“I believe so,” Eleanon said. “I do not know how I can get inside Elcho Falling again to do what I must . . . but if I can work that out, then, yes, it is possible. I have spoken to the Dark Spire, and it is ready. It has . . . grown.”
“The One will not object?”
Eleanon shrugged. “As I said, he appears to have lost interest in us for the moment. In any case, it will serve his purpose as well as ours.”
“And the Lealfast Nation?”
“They will need to come here. We seem to have acquired an empty encampment of thousands of tents for their comfort.”
“I will send word,” Bingaleal said, and Eleanon nodded.
“There is a prize sitting there,” he said, looking at Elcho Falling. “A portal into all the power we could ever want. A home that is more than we could ever want. The One had promised to achieve it for us, but now I doubt he could achieve the barbecuing of a small frog without someone holding his hand for the entire procedure. This is up to us, now, brother.”
Chapter 10
Elcho Falling
“Where is this Dark Spire?” Maximilian said, his voice edgy for the first time.
“I don’t know,” said Inardle. “I am almost certain it is here, but I do not know where.”
Maximilian was not sure whether to believe her or not. Did this Dark Spire exist? If so, did Inardle actually know its location? Did she think to amuse herself watching them panic?
She doesn’t know, Maxel, Ishbel said to him, and Maximilian gave a nod.
“Very well,” he said. “Georgdi, Eleanon, StarHeaven, organise a search. Inardle, what should they look for?”
“A dark, almost black, corkscrewed spire about so tall,” said Inardle, holding one hand above the other.
“Is it dangerous?” Maximilian said.
“They shouldn’t touch it,” Inardle said, “nor approach it too closely. If it doesn’t feel threatened it likely will not lash out.”
Maximilian looked at the three he’d entrusted with the search, already on their feet and by the door. “Be careful,” he said, and they nodded, and left.
His gaze returned to Inardle. “I didn’t need this, Inardle.”
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
“Is there anything else you think you should tell us?”
“No. Eleanon didn’t trust me enough to confide in me once I had become Axis’ lover. All I know is that he probably placed the Dark Spire within Elcho Falling and that he, and Bingaleal, and likely all of the Lealfast, are now much changed to what once they were.”
She gave a short, bitter laugh. “I think I must be the only original Lealfast remaining, the only one torn between her twin heritages.”
“Are we going to be able to remove the Dark Spire when we discover it?” Maximilian asked.
“No,” Inardle said, “none of you will be able to touch it.”
“What can it do?” Axis said.
“It can reach into Infinity, Axis,” Inardle said. “What can it not do? But . . . I do not know what its instructions are. I am sorry.”
Maximilian looked at Avaldamon, then to those remaining at the table. “It is time to introduce you to my friend, I think, and explain to you what I learned from the Twisted Tower. Ishbel,” he took her hand, “do you know this man?”
She smiled. “He is Persimius, and . . . familiar, but I cannot name him.”
Avaldamon rose at that, walking over to Ishbel. He dropped to a knee before her and took the hand that Maximilian relinquished.
“I am Boaz’s father, Ishbel. Your ancestor. Avaldamon.”
Ishbel stared at him, then her mouth moved in a broad smile. She leaned down and embraced him.
“What do you here?” she said. “Oh, what legends I have heard of you!”
“Really?” Avaldamon said. “From who? You have long been distanced from your real heritage.”
“From your daughter-in-law’s cup, the Goblet of the Frogs. It talked of you a great deal.”
Avaldamon laughed, kissing Ishbel’s cheek, then rose to take a nearby chair that Georgdi had vacated for him. “Do I have time to tell my story, Maxel?” Avaldamon said.
“Until someone returns with news of the Dark Spire’s location,” Maximilian said.
“You all know of Josia?” Avaldamon said to the rest of the gathering, and everyone nodded.
“Josia’s return was planned many thousands of years ago,” said Avaldamon, “and so also was mine. Let me tell you a little of my background. I am a Persimius prince, younger brother to one of the Lords of Elcho Falling.” His mouth twisted wryly. “As happens with many younger Persimius sons I think, I, like Josia, was given a task to accomplish that lay beyond Elcho Falling. Something that would have a great impact on the future.”
He sat back in the chair, crossing his legs. “News of the construction of Threshold had reached Elcho Falling. My brother and I, as our advisers, were deeply concerned about both the cult of the One and the rise of Threshold itself. The ability of the Magi to touch Infinity? It was a nightmare. So . . . I was sent on the long journey to Ashdod, what you now know as Isembaard. My task?” He gave a small smile. “To sire a son on an Ashdodian princess. This would combine the blood of Ashdod with that of Elcho Falling, in an effort, should it be needed, to secure the destruction of Threshold and the cult of the One. Marry a princess I did and sire that son I did also, on the first night of our marriage — then, disaster.
“Within days of our marriage, while I was stupidly cavorting on a river boat trying to make my new bride laugh, I fell overboard, and was consumed by one of the Lhyl’s great river lizards. It was not a pleasant death.”
He fell silent, and no one spoke.
“I was not supposed to die so soon,” Avaldamon continued after a time. “I was supposed to watch my son grow, to teach him and raise him in the skills of Elcho Falling. Instead, my son Boaz fell into the clutches of the Magi, and became one of their number, indoctrinated in the way of the One.
“Then Fate took a hand. A slave, bought in one of the foreign markets, came to Threshold as a glass worker. She was a Vilander and may even have had some long-distant glimmer of Elcho Falling within her, for she had powerful abilities. She was no plan of ours, nor of Elcho Falling’s. Tirzah, or Ygraine, as she was originally known, was simply Fate. She came to Threshold and, to cut this story short, for I fear we have not much time, she drew Boaz away from the way of the One and back into his elemental powers. Between them, they managed to stop Threshold from attaining its true power and to effect its dismantling.”
“Were you always meant to come back, like Josia?” Axis said.
“No,” Avaldamon said. “I am back because I had not finished my task. I was always going to be drawn back.”
“Not Boaz?” Maximilian said.