something set with a precious stone-ring, pendant, earring, necklace, or the like-something that is dear to Liaze, something oft in intimate contact with her.” Even as he instructed the boy, an ephemeral thought skittered ’round the edges of Luc’s mind, but ere he could capture it-
Malgan peered down at the floor and hissed, “Yes, yes, I know.” Then he looked at the youth. “Tell her, tell this Zoe person, to take it to the forge.”
“The forge, my lord?” asked the page.
“The forge, the forge, boy,” said Malgan, looking to his left where sat an empty chair at the table, one he had pulled out as if to sit in but then had chosen another.
The page looked at Luc, and he shrugged and nodded.
As the lad rushed away, Malgan glanced at Remy. “There is an anvil within, I take it.”
“Oui,” said Remy, frowning.
“And tools? — Hammers and such?”
“Oui.”
“Good,” said Malgan. Then he peered across the table and said apparently to no one, “I told you so.”
. .
Zoe had brought several pieces to the smithy. She held a pearl pendant up to her ear. “This one, my lord, is one of her favorites.”
“Here, here, put them all on the anvil,” said Malgan.
Zoe placed on the large bronze anvil the pearl earring and a ruby-set ring and a diamond on a silvery chain, as well as a fire opal set in a golden torque.
Malgan then muttered and whispered and pushed the jewelry about and finally said, “Yes, yes, I know: the diamond.” He took up a bronze hammer and, with a single blow, smashed the gem into powder.
Zoe shrieked and snatched away the remaining jewelry and protectively clutched it to her breast and turned her back to the seer, using her body to shield it from him. But Malgan did not seem to notice. Instead he peered at the resulting glitter casting its myriad glints unto the eye, and then turned to Luc and said,
“My lord, all I see, all we see, is a vast darkness.”
. .
Vadun and Michelle found the Wolves in a nearby snow-laden pine-tree glade, and Michelle introduced the voyant to them.
What she believed she said was:
What they read in her postures and growls was:
After they had surrounded Vadun and had snuffled and had taken in his scent and found it to be friendly and unafraid, though a bit plantlike and smelling somewhat of an eaten mouse, Slate pronounced him acceptable.
Vadun said, “Are they comfortable herein?”
“Oui.”
“Then please tell them that I will be touching them one by one.”
Michelle said:
Wolves interpreted:
Vadun then said, “Princess, as I touch each one, ask them to envision Borel.”
Michelle nodded, and when Vadun placed a gentle hand on Slate’s head, Michelle said:
Slate stepped away from Vadun and turned his head this way and that and lifted his nose in the air. Finally, he said to Michelle:
Michelle sighed in exasperation. “I am having trouble asking them to envison Borel. Let me see if I can think of another way to put it.”
Finally, she said to Slate:
Slate:
Michelle:
Slate whined in puzzlement.
Michelle turned to Dark:
Dark whined in puzzlement, but then said:
“Yes!” exclaimed Michelle. Then she turned to Slate:
Slate:
And the great Wolf stood still and slowly inhaled scents and tried to find the master, and Vadun laid a light hand upon Slate’s head.
“Non, my lady, he has not dreamt of Borel,” said the voyant.
“Dark. Here,” said Michelle, and the bitch Wolf came to stand beside the princess.
Michelle:
Vadun placed a hand upon this Wolf’s head, and then he shook his own.
Down through the pack they went in hierarchical order: after Slate and Dark came Render, then Shank, Trot, and Loll.
And as Michelle’s heart sank with each failure, at last they came to Blue-eye. Again Michelle repeated her command, and as Blue-eye stood still and took in the scent on the wind, Vadun said, “Ah, yes.”
Michelle gasped. “What? What is it, Vadun?” Vadun’s voice took on a low growl, and as if in a trance he began to move and posture, and Michelle interpreted.
Then Vadun shook himself as if becoming aware of his surroundings. “What did I say?”
“I know what you said in Wolfspeak, but I do not understand.”
“Tell me.”
“Well, literally you said: No moon. No stars. No smell. No see. Hear Borel in all big dark.”
Vadun frowned. “I do not understand either.”
. .
In the middle of the night, in Winterwood Manor, Michelle started up from a restless sleep, as did Luc in the Autumnwood.
Each knew with certainty just where their loved one was-
be it in the “big dark” as told by Blue-eye through Vadun, or in
“a vast darkness” as glitters of shattered-gem light and invisible companions had told Malgan.
Imprisoned
“No matter how many times you try it, my lord, you’ll not get out,” said Rondalo.
The tall and slender Elf lounged on the throne, one leg over the padded arm of the chair, and watched as again Valeray stepped through the shadowlight-filled archway and vanished.
Moments later, the king trudged out from a corridor above and paced down the stairs to return to the vast chamber.
Raseri raised up his head, and Duran, astride the Dragon, squealed in delight and held fast to the barbels as he was lifted into the air. Standing below, Alain caught his breath and remained ready to catch the youngster should Duran lose his grip.
Some three days and a night past, as near as they could reckon, Valeray and Saissa and their get, as well as Camille and Duran, had awakened in this place, borne here by Orbane’s black wind. When Camille had come to, she had looked straight into the sapphire gaze of the tilted eyes of Rondalo as he chafed her wrists in concern. His narrow face was framed in a halo of fair hair, and, upon her rousing, his features flooded with gentle affection. Blood rushed to her face, for the Elf had for a while travelled across Faery with her in her long search for Alain, and she at one time, overcome with loneliness, had kissed him with passion, and then had fled away in confusion, wondering if she could love two men at the same time. But that was nigh four summers ago and not now. Yet flustered, she had heard a soft sigh nearby, and had turned to see Alain lying unconscious, with Duran seeming
