before: still more conflict, as is shown by the Chariot, which placed as it is represents a triumph in the past. Mayhap in battle or war.”
“The Black Fortress?” murmured Aravan.
“Perhaps,” said Aylis, “though it could be the War of the Dragonstone or even triumph over Gyphon, or even any one of the many conflicts and struggles upon the Planes. It is unclear as to which triumph it represents, though given the number of swords, I deem it lies in war.”
“Say on, my love,” said Aravan.
Yet moving deasil, Aylis pointed to the card lying directly upcloth from the first two. “Justice is next, and, as it lies, it means possible loss, which could come into being.”
Brekk growled and said, “My Chakka warband will see that it doesn’t.”
“Wait a moment, now,” protested Binkton. “Your warband includes two Warrows and a Pysk.”
Brekk’s hawklike gaze swept to Binkton, then to Pipper, and finally to Lissa. Then he smiled at Binkton and said, “Forgive the omission?”
“Well, er, aye-aye, Armsmaster,” said Binkton, now mollified.
When none said ought else, Aylis moved to the next card. “The Knight of Swords follows, and in its reversed orientation it represents someone who is underhanded, perhaps an associate of the King of Swords. It lies before us.”
Lissa stood and stamped her foot. “But that’s the card I drew, and I’m not underhanded.”
Aylis smiled. “Nay, Liss, you are not. Yet this Knight of Swords represents someone else, someone who is not you. And in this spread and in the reverse orientation, it is perhaps the pawn of the King of Swords, who, as I said, is someone quite cruel.”
Somewhat placated, yet with a remnant of disgruntlement lying upon her face, the Pysk sat down once more.
Aylis looked about the table, and then pointed at the next card in the spread, the lowest of four lying in a vertical line to the right of the first six. “The Ace of Swords represents the negative, and in this reversed orientation it means the seeds of defeat are taking root and could come to fruition.”
Again Brekk growled, but otherwise said nought.
Aylis moved to the next card up the line. “The Wheel of Fortune reversed represents the feelings of all of us, and even in the face of apparent defeat we must remain strong and have courage.”
“Chakka shok. Chakka cor,” muttered Dokan, then adding, “Hai, Pyska; hai Waerans.”
“Is that our battle cry?” asked Pipper. “Me, I’d settle for Chakka shok, Chakka cor.”
“Dwarven axes, Dwarven might?” asked Binkton. “But we’re not Dwarves. Why that, Pip?”
“It’s shorter,” replied the buccan. “Easier to call out in the midst of battle.” He looked at Lissa.
She shrugged and said, “All right.”
Smiling to herself, Aylis touched the third card in the line. “Now we come to the Hermit upright. It represents positive actions, as of a door being opened, as of a seeking and finding. In the context of all the other cards, I think that even when things seem lost, still there is a way.”
“I can open doors,” said Binkton. “Do you think that means something I have to do?”
“Mayhap. Yet I deem it more likely it is something all of us must be aware of.”
“Oh,” said Binkton, disappointed.
“Finally, the tenth and last card,” said Aylis. “Here again we see the Tower, but this time it is upright. In this complete layout, it means things can change rapidly, whether for good or ill, I cannot say, yet change they will.”
Aylis then held out the remainder of the pack to Aravan and said, “And now one final trial: you, as our captain, must draw a single card from these, for it might tell us what the spread does not show, what we do not know; mayhap it will be the key to all.”
Aravan took the cards as Aylis muttered another arcane phrase. He cut the deck and looked about at the others, and Pipper and Binkton sat up straighter, while both Nikolai and Lissa got to their feet.
Aravan then drew out a single card and turned it face up.
“Thaimon!” hissed Nikolai, and he made a circle of protection upon his chest, even as Lissa blenched and turned her face away. Both Dokan and Brekk copied Nikolai’s gesture, and Dokan uttered several words in Chakur, “Elwydd” among them.
“What? What is it?” cried Pipper, leaning forward to see.
Aylis sighed and shook her head and said, “The Demon.”
44
ELVENSHIP
EARLY SUMMER TO MID AUTUMN, 6E9
“Demon?” blurted Pipper.
“Aren’t you listening, Pip?” snapped Binkton. “That’s what she “just said.” “Aren’t you listening, Pip?” snapped Binkton. “That’s what she
“No, no, Bink,” said Pipper. “What I mean is, does it have anything to do with Grygar?”
“The Demon Plane?” asked Binkton. “Why didn’t you say so? And what would that have to do with anything?”
“Well, if it does,” said Pipper, his voice quavering, “it means the reason the city was abandoned was because of a Gargon or such.”
Brekk and Dokan glanced at one another, being from Kraggen-cor as they were.
“I mean,” continued Pipper, “those Fearcasters are demons, or so it is I hear.”
“Oh, my,” said Lissa.
Both Warrows and the Pysk looked to Aylis for confirmation.
“Gargons are indeed Demons of a kind,” said Aylis. “But this card, the Demon, has little to do with such. Upright, and in relation to this layout, the card means an evil external force, a dreadful influence that one must take steps to break.”
“Oh, well, that’s better,” said Pipper, heaving a sigh of relief.
Aylis shook her head. “Take no solace in what I just said, for, given the import of the casting, still it could mean something just as vile as a Gargon, though more likely it is incorporeal.”
“Incorporeal?” asked Pipper.
Binkton groaned in frustration at Pipper, for he knew that his cousin meant to ask something else altogether instead of merely repeating a word.
“What I mean, Bink,” said Pipper, now glancing at his cousin, “is how can something incorporeal hurt us?”
“A Gargon’s fear is incorporeal,” suggested Lissa.
Pipper looked at the Pysk and nodded, saying, “Oh, right you are.”
“And fear that strong can burst a person’s heart,” said Binkton.
“There are other nonmaterial things that can do harm,” said Aravan.
“Oh, don’t tell me,” said Pipper. “It’ll give me bad dreams if you do. Won’t it, Bink?”
Binkton nodded. “Ever since I’ve known Pip, he’s been given to nightmares, especially when told some ghost story or tale about dreadful Dragons and such, or grisly doings.”
“Now I’ll dream about those things, Bink, just because you said them.”
“If you do, I’ll waken you, like I’ve always done.”
Nikolai said, “Ghost?”
“You mean as an incorporeal being?” asked Aylis.
Nikolai nodded. “Ghost, shade, like in poem.”
