Orb Sceptre Throne

‘Oh?’ the man breathed, a dangerous edge entering his voice.

Rather belatedly Antsy glanced about for his crossbow. He saw it sitting to one side, uncocked. Damn. Gotta think these things through before I open my stupid mouth.

‘Yes,’ Orchid cut in quickly. ‘We’ve decided.’

The dark glittering eyes shifted to her. A scoffing smile now openly stretched his lips. ‘And where will you go?’

‘The closest way out. We’re going to get off this rock while we still have food and water and strength in our legs.’

‘You’ll never make it.’

Antsy cast a quick anxious glance to Orchid: that evaluation, so final, made her flinch.

‘That may be so,’ Corien said into the silence following Malakai’s comment, ‘but that’s our worry.’

The man seemed to make a show of considering the idea. He gave a great exaggerated frown while his hands brushed his belt. Antsy knew all the blades the man carried at that belt, and in other places. He ached to slip a hand into his shirt to the shoulder harness where he kept a munition in reserve, but he also knew Malakai would act the moment he saw him do that. ‘There’s still the matter of my investment in you two,’ Malakai said, and cocked an eye to Antsy.

Shit. Why didn’t I load the damned crossbow when I had the chance?

‘If I may …?’ Corien spoke up. Malakai gave the slightest dip of his head, his eyes fixed on Antsy. ‘Well. It seems to me that you are already of the opinion that you’ve a far better chance of achieving your goal — whatever that is — without us … yes?’

Both Antsy and Malakai turned to eye the lad. ‘Yes?’ Malakai prompted.

‘Well, then, cutting us free recoups your investment by improving your odds of success.’

Antsy glared his anger. What in Osserc’s dark humour is this?

But Malakai nodded thoughtfully. Something in the proposition seemed to touch on his own private evaluation and he slipped his hands from his belt. ‘Very well. On your heads let it be.’

‘Yeah — right,’ Antsy said, scratching his stubbled jaw, still rather puzzled.

‘We’ll part company here, then.’ Malakai bowed to Orchid. ‘I would wish you luck but I’m afraid your luck will run to the lad’s pull.’

‘We’ll see,’ she answered, firm, having regained her confidence.

‘Farewell then.’ And the man backed away into the darkness to disappear up a narrow side alley. Antsy listened for a time but couldn’t hear one betraying step or scuff. He thought the man had gone but looked to Orchid for confirmation.

‘He’s left,’ she said after a time.

Corien let out a long breath. ‘Thank the gods.’

‘He didn’t ask for any of the water or food,’ Orchid said, surprised.

‘Maybe he knows where he can steal any he needs,’ Antsy said.

‘So what now?’ Corien asked.

Antsy was silent, until it occurred to him that maybe that question had been asked of him. He cleared his throat. ‘Well … I suppose we press on. Keep an eye out.’

‘Good,’ Orchid said, emphatic. ‘I don’t want him to get too far ahead of us.’

Antsy blinked in the dimming light of the lamp. ‘Hunh? What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘I mean just that. I don’t trust him. He’s after something. And there are things here on Moon’s Spawn that mustn’t see the light of day.’

As if on cue the lamp guttered then, and went out. After a moment of surprised silence Corien laughed. Even Orchid joined in, though Antsy just swore. ‘Can’t see a damned thing!’ he complained, and started searching through his bags for more oil.

‘Would you like to see then, Red?’ Orchid offered from the dark.

‘Hunh? You can do that? Why didn’t you-’

‘I told you I don’t trust Malakai. I don’t want him to know what I can do. If I can, that is.’

‘Well, gods, yes! If you would.’

She crossed to his side. He heard her skirts rustling over the stones, felt the warmth radiating from her. Her cool dry hands touched his face. The touch pleased him.

‘I’m glad you managed that without violence, Red,’ she whispered. ‘You nudged him just the right way.’

Antsy resisted the urge to shrug, kept his head steady in her hands. ‘He’s been itching to drop us since we landed. I just handed him the moment. Anyway, it was Corien here who sealed the deal.’

‘I just helped out,’ Corien protested.

‘No. How’d you know he’d buy that argument?’

The lad grunted from the dark, sitting down. ‘Well … it’s a touch embarrassing to say, but my guess is that he didn’t want to face you down, Red.’

Antsy jerked his surprise in Orchid’s hands and she let out an impatient hiss. ‘Sorry,’ he murmured. ‘Lad, the man’s a killer. I think he just decided he didn’t want our blood on his hands.’

‘Is he a killer? Think on it, Red. We actually haven’t seen him use all that hardware, have we?’

‘In Pearl Town he knifed plenty.’

‘Certainly — scared unarmed men and women in the dark from behind. But you’re a veteran, Red. You wouldn’t flinch. You may not know it, but you’re a rather intimidating presence.’

Antsy snorted. Me? You haven’t met the scary Bridgeburners, friend.

Orchid’s long-fingered hands tightened on Antsy’s cheeks. ‘If you’ve quite finished?’

‘Sorry.’

‘Fine. Now hold still. Shut your eyes.’

He obeyed. She began speaking, singing really, in that smooth quiet tongue she’d used with the guardian. He was hearing Tiste Andii, he realized, and a sort of shiver ran up his spine. Been hunted too often by those strange people. The language seemed to hold more silence and pauses than sounds. It was as a whispering of a distant wind and seemed so suited to the dark. After a time she stopped, or the sounds drifted away to silence. The hands withdrew, warmed now by the heat of his cheeks. Antsy remained motionless; he felt profoundly relaxed, almost asleep. It reminded him of a trick Mallet used to pull on the wounded. A few low sounds, a steady touch, and the troopers calmed right down.

But nothing happened. A profound depression gripped his chest. Now he was doomed for sure. His last hope lost. How could he be any use, blind, a cripple? Then he realized that he was so relaxed he hadn’t opened his eyes.

He blinked and a world of vision jumped to life before him. He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t credit his eyes because what he saw was so alien. Monochrome, it was. All shades of deepest blue. As if he was looking at the world through a shard of blue-stained glass. The darkness of deep murky mauve even gathered in the distances, just like true vision. He looked up. There, almost directly overhead, was a stone set in the wall. It was carved in the likeness of an Andii face, feline, almost, and it gave off a lantern-like blue glow. It had been there all this time yet he’d had no idea.

He laughed. It was amazing.

‘So … it worked?’

He looked to Orchid’s anxious, glistening face. The girl had never looked so beautiful to him. He quelled an urge to kiss her. ‘Yeah. Worked just great. It’s just … amazin’.’

‘So you can see me then?’ Corien asked. Antsy turned to where the lad sat slumped higher up on the stairs. He was squinting roughly in their direction.

‘Yeah. It’s like the light of a full moon. You look terrible.’

‘Oh dear. What would they say in Majesty Hall?’

‘Can you do him?’ he asked of Orchid.

‘Yes, I think so.’

Corien raised a gloved hand. ‘No need. Time to see to myself.’ He fumbled at his waist-pouch and withdrew a tiny wooden box. ‘Now we shall see,’ and he chuckled. He pulled off one glove and dipped