known that Fjon would find Hrathen here, on the streets of Teod of all places? Fjon would probably never know; Lord Jaddeth moved in ways beyond the understanding of men. But Fjon had performed his duty. His period of penance was over.
With a merry step, Fjon went back to his inn and ordered breakfast.
ers.
'Stop whining.' Raoden said, drawing Aon Ten in the air above the wounded Lukel. He crossed it with the Chasm line, and the wound in the merchant's leg resealed instantly. Not only did Raoden know the proper modifiers this time, but his Aons had the power of Elantris behind them. With the resurrection of the city, AonDor had regained its legendary strength.
Lukel looked down, experimentally bending his leg and feeling where the cut had been. Then he frowned. 'You know, you could have left a scar. I had to go through an awful lot to get that wound-you should have seen how courageous
I was. My grandchildren are going to be disappointed that I don't have any scars to show them.'
'They'll live,' Raoden said, rising and walking away.
'What's wrong with you?' Lukel said from behind. 'I thought we won.'
We won, Raoden thought. but Ifailed. They had searched the city-there was no sign of Sarene, Dilaf, or Hrathen. Raoden had captured a straggling Derethi soldier and demanded to know where they were, but the man had pled ignorance, and Raoden had released him with disgust.
He brooded, watching the people celebrate. Despite the deaths, despite the near-complete destruction of Kae, they were happy. Fjorden had been cast out and Elantris had returned. The days of the gods had come again. Unfortunately, Rao-den couldn't enjoy the sweetness of his victory. Not without Sarene.
Galladon approached slowly, ambling away from the group of Elantrians. The mass of sliver-skinned people were, for the most part. disoriented. Many of them had been Hoed for years, and knew nothing of current events.
'They're going to be-' the Dula began.
'My lord Raoden!' a voice suddenly interrupted-a voice Raoden recognized. 'Ashe?' he asked anxiously, seeking out the Seon.
'Your Majesty!' Ashe said, zipping across the courtyard. 'A Seon just spoke with me. The princess! She is in Teod, my lord. My kingdom is under attack as well!'
'Teod?' Raoden asked, dumbfounded. 'How in Domi's name did she get there?'
Sarene backed away, wishing desperately for a weapon. The townspeople noticed Dilaf and his warriors and, seeing the Fjordells' odd twisted bodies and malevolent eyes, scattered in fright. Sarene's reflexes urged her to join them, but such a move would only put her directly in Dilaf's hands. The small monk's warriors quickly fanned out to cut off Sarene's escape.
Dilaf approached-his face stained with drying blood, his bare torso sweating in Teod's cold air, the intricate patterns beneath the skin on his arms and chest bulging. his lips curved in a wicked smile. At that moment, Sarene knew that this man was the most horrifying thing she would ever see.
Raoden climbed to the top of Elantris's wall, taking the steps two at a time, his restored Elantrian muscles moving more quickly and tirelessly than even those of his pre-Shaod self.
'Sule!' Galladon called with concern, rushing up behind him.
Raoden didn't respond. He topped the wall, pushing his way through the crowds of people who stood looking over the remains of Kae. They parted as they
realized who he was, some kneeling and mumbling 'Your Majesty.' Their voices were awed. In him they saw a return to their former lives. Hopeful, luxurious lives filled with ample food and time. Lives nearly forgotten over a decade of tyranny.
Raoden gave them no heed. continuing until he stood on the northern wall, which overlooked the broad blue Sea of Fjorden. On the other side of those waters lay Teod. And Sarene.
'Seon,' Raoden ordered, 'show me the exact direction Teod's capital is from this point.'
Ashe hovered for a moment, then moved to a spot in front of Raoden, marking a point on the horizon. 'If you wanted to sail to Teod, my lord, you would go in this direction.'
Raoden nodded, trusting the Seon's innate sense of direction. He began to draw. He constructed Aon Tia with frantic hands, his fingers tracing patterns he had learned by rote, never thinking they would do any good. Now, with Elantris somehow feeding the Aons' strength, lines no longer simply appeared in the air when he drew-they exploded. Light streamed from the Aon, as if his fingers were ripping tiny holes through a mighty dam, allowing only some of the water to squirt through.
'Stile!' Galladon said, finally catching up to him. 'Sule. what is going on?' Then, apparently recognizing the Aon, he cursed. 'Doloken, Raoden. you don't know what you're doing!'
'I am going to Teod,' Raoden said, continuing to draw.
'But sule,' Galladon protested. 'You yourself told me how dangerous Aon Tia can be. What was it you said? If you don't know the exact distance you need to travel, you could be killed. You can't go into this blind. Kolo?'
'It's the only way. Galladon,' Raoden said. 'I have to at least try.'
Galladon shook his head. laying a hand on Raoden's shoulder. 'Sule, a meaningless attempt won't prove anything but your stupidity. Do you even know how far it is to Teod?'
Raoden's hand fell slowly to his side. He was no geographer; he knew Teod was about four days' sail, but he had no practical knowledge of how many miles or feet that was. He had to work a frame of reference into Aon Tia, give it some sort of measurement, so that it knew how far to send him.
Galladon nodded, clapping Raoden on the shoulder. 'Prepare a ship!' the Dula ordered to a group of soldiers- the last remnants of the Elantris City Guard.
It will be too late! Raoden thought with sorrow. What good is power, what good is Elantris, if I can't use it to protect the one I love?
'One million, three hundred twenty-seven thousand. forty-two,' said a voice from behind Raoden.
Raoden turned with surprise. Adien stood a short distance away, his skin shining with a silvery Elantrian glow. His eyes betrayed none of the mental retardation that had eursed him since birth: instead they stared lucidly ahead.
'Adien,' Raoden said with surprise. 'You're…'
The young man, looking strikingly like Lukel now that he was healed, stepped forward. 'I… I feel like my entire life has been a dream, Raoden. I remember everything that happened. But. 1 eouldn't interact-I couldn't say anything. That's changed now, but one thing remains the same. My mind… I've always been able to figure numbers…'
'Footsteps.' Raoden whispered.
'One million. three hundred twenty-seven thousand, forty-two,' Adien repeated. 'That is how many steps it is to Teod. Measure my stride. and use that as your unit.'
'Hurry, my lord!' Ashe exclaimed with fear. 'She's in danger. Mai-he's watching the princess now. He says she's surrounded. Oh, Domi! Hurry!'
'Where, Seon!' Raoden snapped, kneeling down and measuring Adien's stride with a strip of cloth.
'Near the docks, my lord,' Ashe said. 'She's standing on the main road leading to the docks!'
'Adien!' Raoden said, drawing a line in his Aon that duplicated the length of the boy's stride.
'One million, three hundred twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and five.' Adien said. 'That will take you to the docks.' He looked up, frowning. 'I… I'm not sure how I know that. I went there as a child once, but…'
It'll have to be enough, Raoden thought. He reached up and wrote a modifier beside his Aon, telling it to transport him one million, three hundred twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and five lengths of the line.
'Sule. this is insane!' Galladon said.
Raoden looked at his friend, nodded in agreement, then with a broad stroke drew the Chasm line across his Aon.
'You are in charge of Arelon until I return, my friend,' Raoden said as Aon Tia began to shake. spewing light before him. He reached up and grabbed the center of the trembling Aon, and his fingers latched on to it, as if it were solid.
