spine.
With a great groan theTammerland again settled into her cradle. For a few moments the cradle ribs and spine creaked loudly in protest as they bore the massive weight for the first time, and the earth beneath them shuddered. Then all was still.
They did it! Tristan realized as he stared up at the wondrous sight. The huge Black Ship and her cradle were motionless, awe-inspiring. Soon theTammerland ’s massive stern door lowered and Adrian made her way to the ground, followed by the several thousand warriors who also served aboard.
Letting go a deep breath, Faegan looked at Wigg and Abbey and smiled. “It seems that we’ve done it, old friends!” he said. “Let’s go down and take a look!”
Wigg landed the litter near where the Conclave members were waiting. As they touched down, the thousands of warriors who had worked so tirelessly on the great project erupted into raucous cheering, their sudden outburst so deafening that no one could hear himself think. As the ruckus went on, the three mystics triumphantly exited their litter and were quickly engulfed by the throng. Soon the joyful warriors saw theJin’Sai and the other Conclave members approaching, and they dutifully formed a pathway through their midst.
Running ahead of her brother, Shailiha grabbed Wigg up in a great bear hug and kissed him on the cheek. As Wigg’s face reddened, Faegan and Abbey chuckled at the First Wizard’s expense.
“Well done!” the princess shouted. Soon Tristan and the other Conclave members joined them.
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Tristan said. “Well done indeed.” He looked up to see theEphyra, theIllendium, and theCavalon still hovering in the sky.
“But this is no time to rest on your laurels,” he added with a smile. “There’s still work to be done.”
Tristan turned to look at Traax. “Have your warriors start loading theTammerland, ” he ordered. “Given how many are available to do the job, it shouldn’t take long.”
Traax clicked his boot heels together and hurried off to carry out his orders.
Faegan turned to look at Wigg. “Shall we go for another ride?” he asked.
Wigg pursed his lips and placed his hands into the opposing sleeves of his gray robe. “And once we have cradled all three ships?” he asked. “Do you still intend to try to shrink theTammerland?”
“But of course, my dear fellow!” Faegan exclaimed. The crippled wizard’s mischievous smile reappeared. “Only he who attempts the ridiculous can ever achieve the impossible! Follow me!”
Without further ado Faegan levitated his chair high over the crowd to soar back to the litter. Wigg took the jar from Abbey, then wended his way through the crowd to join him. Soon they were again soaring through the sky to approach theEphyra.
Two hours later all four ships lay safely nestled in their new cradles. Each time, the process went more smoothly. Tyranny and Scars came to stand beside Tristan and Shailiha. Now that theTammerland had been loaded, the time for the more complex experiment had come. The Conclave privateer looked more worried than ever. Touching Tristan on one arm, she bade him walk with her.
“What is it?” he asked, as they left the crowd to stride across the grass.
For a time Tyranny said nothing as she walked beside herJin’Sai. Then she stopped and searched his face with a deeply worried expression. As though she didn’t know how to start, she sighed deeply.
“I know that I don’town those ships,” she said. “And I will never be able to repay you for all your kindnesses. But…”
Pausing for a moment, she looked back at the massive vessels that she so loved. For her, seeing the ships cradled on dry land seemed unnatural, almost a travesty. But her seafaring nature found what the wizards planned to do next even more blasphemous. She turned back to look into Tristan’s eyes.
“Those ships are my life,” she said quietly. Then one of her wry smiles appeared, only to vanish as quickly as it came. “I suppose that my well-known sense of pride would never allow me to say that to anyone but you. Must we try this thing?”
Tristan nodded. “Although I hold the same misgivings as you, my mind is made up,” he said. “I know that it’s risky. Whenever I get these feelings, I put my trust in Wigg, Faegan, Aeolus, and Jessamay. It’s all that we can do. What will be will be. Besides, if the worst happens and theTammerland is destroyed, we will still have the other three ships.” He gave her a crafty smile. “I’ll even make a deal with you,” he added.
“What sort of deal?” she asked skeptically.
“If theTammerland is wrecked, I will order that another be built,” he said. “You can have a hand in outlining her specifications.”
“Agreed!” Tyranny answered.
Just then they heard the crowd roar, and they turned to look. An azure glow was settling over the mastheads and the crow’s nests of theTammerland. Wigg and Faegan’s litter hovered above the great ship like a tiny fly badgering some great beast. Then the haunting glow moved lower, engulfing the entire ship. As Tristan watched, the breath caught in his lungs. It has begun! he thought.
Their hearts in their throats, theJin’Sai and the privateer ran back toward the spectacle as fast as their legs could carry them.
CHAPTER XX
AS KHRISTOS LOOKED AROUND HE REALIZED THAT EVEN his lost love Failee could not have created such an exquisite place. Silver staff in hand, he turned and ordered his thousands of hungry servants to wait behind.
Walking on, he crossed the ornate portal that granted him access to the magnificent chamber waiting beyond. As he entered, he found the room to be every bit as stunning as Gracchus had told him. Several hours ago, Khristos and his servants had not only entered the Caves of the Paragon, but with Gracchus’ help had found their way into its lower regions. These were sacred places that were once known only to a privileged few. Excepting the newly arrived Viper Lord, all the other mystics who knew of this place had taken their knowledge to their graves.
After killing the Night Witches in Tanglewood, Khristos had used the remaining darkness to herd his creatures south toward Hartwick Wood. Because he assumed that more of theJin’Sai ’s flying patrols were searching for him, traveling across open ground during daylight was unacceptable. But if he could enter the forest before sunup, his forces could hide amid its dense cover as they continued toward the caves. Pushing his servants hard, he and his vipers reached the forest’s edge just as dawn arrived.
Gracchus had unexpectedly reached out to touch Khristos’ mind once more, soon after the last of the female Minions had died. ThePon Q’tar cleric told him much-including how to safely navigate the labyrinthine caves. Most of what Gracchus told him sounded too fabulous for words. Even so, Gracchus’ guidance had brought Khristos to this place of places. As his servants hissed and writhed behind him, Khristos walked deeper into the room.
Like the many chambers and passageways that led him here, this magnificent underground room had been hewn from living rock. Measuring several hundred meters in both directions, the room’s walls and floor had been clad with light green marble shot through with streaks of black. It shone beneath the light of hundreds of enchanted sconces and chandeliers lining the seemingly endless walls; each light source had been enchanted by its maker to burn forever and without smoke. Despite the great size of the room, the air was stifling and the temperature was warm, even hot.
But even more amazing were the contents of the room. On the floor, stretching as far as Khristos could see, lay countless rows of huge, broken eggshells, their thin white sides translucent in the light. Just as Gracchus had predicted, what remained of the eggs’ contents still glowed brightly with the color of the craft.
It’s true, Khristos realized. Nicholas’ spell still lives. Taking several more steps, he looked closer at the shells.
Each of the broken, slimy eggs dripped a thin azure fluid down the outside of its shell. The fluid seemed fresh-perhaps as fresh as when Nicholas had first conjured these treasures of the craft three years ago. The stinking fluid from the many eggs had pooled on the floor, adding to the fetid odor pervading the room.
Singling out one shell for examination, Khristos levitated his body so as not to step into the stinking fluid. As he glided closer, he became even more impressed by Nicholas’ gifts.
Standing about five feet high and four feet wide, the shell had been pecked open at its top, showing how the
