And once the proto-Gate was anchored for the night, it actually seemed that either there was something protecting it, or Falconsbane had not found a way to move it.
He paused for a moment, as that thought triggered a memory. Protecting it...He shook his head, and continued on his way. Had he seen what he thought he'd seen this morning, when he and Firesong and Elspeth took the first shift together? Had there been two shining, bright-winged vorcel-hawks flitting away silently through the gray mist of the notworld?
And had they, a moment before, been standing guard over the proto-Gate?
In the end, it didn't matter-except, perhaps, to Firesong. If the Adept knew that Tre'valen had survived in some form, he would be much comforted. Although Firesong hid most of his deeper feelings beneath a cloak of arrogance and flippancy, Darkwind was better at reading him now. The young shaman's death still grieved him.
Then again, it could have been a trick of the not-world, a place where illusions were as substantial as reality, where nothing was to be trusted until you had tested it yourself. It could even have been a specter of his own half- formed hopes.
There was no denying the fact that someone was trying to steal the proto-Gate, however, and Darkwind was going to assume that it was Falconsbane until he learned otherwise. That meant that some of the nebulous plans the 'war council' had discussed before and after the destruction of the Heartstone were going to have to be put into motion.
Darkwind was not certain what Falconsbane intended to do with the proto-Gate, or where he planned to anchor it, for that matter. Presumably on something like a Heartstone, somewhere deep in his own stronghold.
If he did that, it would give him access to something that had the potential to become a full permanent Gate. If he knew how to effect the rest of the spell, that is. Firesong did, or at least Darkwind suspected he did. Not too many did, except for Healing Adepts-and not many of those. No one had had the secret in k'sheyna for as long as Darkwind had been alive.
But even if Falconsbane didn't know the trick, having the proto-Gate in his control would give him access to a great deal of power.
Nor was that all; unless Firesong freed himself first, access to the proto-Gate meant access to the Adept.
Darkwind did not want to see Firesong-or anyone else, for that matterin Falconsbane's hands. Firesong might be able to defeat Mornelithe in a head-to-head battle. He might be able to hold Falconsbane off long enough for someone to help to free him.
Darkwind was not prepared to bet on either of those possibilities.
Dealing with Falconsbane had taught him this: it was much safer to overestimate the beast.
He could take over Firesong the way he took my father, and have the power of a Healing Adept to pervert. With that-he could undo anything any Vale has accomplished.
Horrible thought.
If he had a permanent Gate, he could bypass our shields and send his creatures straight into the mouth of the Vale at no cost to himself. That was another unpleasant scenario.
So it was time to consult Nyara who alone of all of them was an expert on her father.
Nyara had always liked Darkwind; now, with the pressures of her body and of her father reduced or gone altogether, she had discovered it was possible to simply be his friend. Over the past few days she had found him to be kind, courteous-and oddly protective, determined to keep his people from snubbing her or making her feel uncomfortable.
That was not to be expected, particularly not with the pressures that were on him now.
She and Skif were actually working on sword practice; although Need had been putting her through exercises, this was the first time she had ever had an opponent to practice with. She welcomed the physical activity as a release from direct thinking. She did not want to consider what she would do when the time came that they both must leave the Vale.
She wanted to go with him, but at the same time she was afraid to. It was much easier to lose herself in the hypnotic dance of steel and footwork.
Darkwind must have been standing at the edge of the practice circle for some time before she and Skif realized he was there. She spotted him first, and signaled a halt; only then did he enter the circle.
'You two look very good,' he said quietly. 'I hated to interrupt you, but I think we're going to have to figure out exactly where your f-Falconsbane is after all.' She wiped sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, and nodded. 'Did you find those maps you were talking about?' Strange; not so long ago, even thinking of her father brought her to the verge of hysteria. Now-well, she was afraid, only a fool would not fear Falconsbane, but she could face that fear. in my ekele,' Darkwind replied, with a nod. 'Could you even by Vale standards. Together he and '-'in maps out of their leather cases kap mere interest. They ad first encountered as she puzzled her ointing to an otherwise oi e not had much training d apologetically, 'but I fortress to be.' rolled up the thick sheets aj I t/e is being pulled, so that jo he said. 'And it confirms Vol.
worit cc j k proto-k,~ QNI b In the -4:7 (U
I4 Nknew that 0. 'I, comforted. AQ' cloak of arrogai. now. The young Then again, it cot~ illusions were as subst~ my guess as to who is behind this. Firesong is trying to second-guess our would-be Gate-thief, but I don't think at this point that there could be much doubt about motivation. If it's Falconsbane, then there is only one real answer. He wants what he's always wanted; power.'
'The proto-Gate would be irresistible to him,' Nyara agreed, then widened her eyes as something occurred to her. 'You know-it is rather odd, but he becomes more predictable under stress, had you noted that?
I do not know why, but it is true. I have seen this over and over again, when I was still with him. The more he is forced to react to the surprises sprung upon him by others, the more likely he is to act as he has always acted, and think it is a clever new plan.' Darkwind nodded, as if what she had just told him confirmed something he had thought himself. 'What do you think he's planning on doing with the proto-Gate when he captures it?'
'oh, he will install it in his stronghold,' she said immediately. With no effort at all, she could picture him
