'Shall we return empty-handed to our people?' It was Ravan who had taken a pace forward.
Osidian turned back and regarded the youth, his head at an angle. They examined each other. Carnelian was shocked to see that, even now, Ravan was hungry for Osidian to show him some token of love.
'What did you have in mind?' Osidian asked, as if Ravan were a stranger.
Carnelian saw tears of cold anger in the youth's eyes and could not believe Osidian did not notice them.
'Salt,' said Ravan, as if he were hurling an insult.
Osidian rolled his hand in the air even as he turned away. Take as much as you want.'
That easy concession served only to deepen Ravan's misery. As the Plainsmen began to creep away, the youth lingered, glaring at Osidian's back as if the pressure of his gaze might make him turn back to see him. Fearing for the youth's life, Carnelian was on the verge of himself going to force him to leave when Fern reached out and, gently, turned his brother. Carnelian's eyes meshed with Fern's for a moment before he began guiding Ravan away, leaving Carnelian alone with Osidian and the Marula.
Accompanied by Marula warriors, Carnelian followed Osidian, Morunasa and the other Oracles along the river-path. Soon a procession of them was winding its way across the rocks.
Osidian turned. 'Will you come to the Isle of Flies with me, Carnelian?'
'Why?' Carnelian asked in horror.
To witness certain rituals.'
At that moment another shriek of agony came from the island. Carnelian controlled an instinct to retch. Osidian seemed amused, then began to turn away.
'What's to happen here?' Carnelian blurted out.
Osidian turned back, frowning slightly. Carnelian bore his examination until Morunasa came up.
'Master?' he said, indicating the way across the rocks.
'I shall follow on in a while,' Osidian said without taking his eyes off Carnelian.
Irritation distorted Morunasa's face. 'How will the Master find his way across?'
'Easily.'
Morunasa waited for more, and then he gave instructions to some of the warriors in their strange language before striding off after his fellows.
Osidian's gaze intensified. 'How did you hope to profit from my assassination?'
'By trying to rebuild what you have destroyed.'
'You would have set yourself up in my place?'
'I do not have your lust for power.'
Osidian inclined his head. 'I know who it was who conspired with you against me.'
Carnelian tried to turn his face to ice.
Osidian lifted a hand. 'Nothing will happen to them unless they move against me.' His eyes bored into Carnelian. 'Be sure you understand that should they do so, I will be merciless.'
Relief at this reprieve made Carnelian reckless. 'Put me to death, then, for I have betrayed you more than once already.'
Osidian's laughter drove Carnelian into angry confusion. 'If I had killed all those who betrayed me, there would have been few of the House of the Masks still living. This is a princely game we play, Carnelian, which we shall laugh about once we return to Osrakum.'
The day when I laugh at the memory of so much suffering will never come,' said Carnelian, but this only served to make Osidian laugh again, so that Carnelian was left feeling foolish.
Osidian grew suddenly serious. 'I wish these plots against me to end. It is for this reason, my Lord, I shall deign to explain myself to you now.'
He crouched and drew something in the dust.
Carnelian stared at him, desiring to kill him there and then. The threat to his Plainsmen restrained him. Perhaps when they were safely away.
Osidian looked up. 'Shall I continue?'
Carnelian crouched, making an effort to be interested in the diagram in the dust. 'A serpent?'
'In a way; it is a serpent which I am holding by the tail.'
Carnelian looked at the loops writhing through the dust. Osidian pointed at it. This is their Lower Reach: a sluggish river meandering through a land of mud, hemmed in by jungle; choking, decaying…' Osidian looked into Carnelian's eyes. They fear its glooms above all else.' With his chin he indicated the Isle of Flies. They believe they have trapped their god in there. He is the Darkness-under-the-Trees which they appease by feeding the blood and souls of men.'
Carnelian knew enough to fear the malignant presence there.
They push the jungle back a little way from the river and, there, cultivate fields which are the source of abundant sustenance.'
They are farmers then?' Carnelian asked.
'Warriors.' And in response to Carnelian's look of incomprehension, They lure the pygmies out of the jungle, they bribe them, or buy them as slaves from their own kind.'
'With salt,' Carnelian said, understanding. Osidian nodded. 'With salt.'
'Do they get this from the sea?' Carnelian asked, already guessing the answer.
They know almost nothing of the sea.' Then it all comes from here.' Osidian gave a nod.
'But they cannot have had any salt for two years.' 'More than three.'
Carnelian had a sickening realization. Then they must be in chaos.'
Osidian looked into space and his eyes narrowed. 'Plague, war and famine consume them. The pygmies have melted back into the jungle. The fields lie untilled.'
Carnelian half-covered his face with a hand. They couldn't send another expedition?'
Osidian nodded.
'Which is why Morunasa took the risk of bringing us here.'
'And slew his masters who opposed him.' 'So if I had not repaired the Ladder -' Osidian smiled. 'I would most likely have died down there.'
The enormity of his mistake overwhelmed Carnelian.
'My life hung on your curiosity. I judged that seeing the saltcaves, you would imagine they were the whole purpose of my coming here.'
Carnelian looked round at the Marula. These were what you sought.'
'And many more like them. I need them to enforce my rule.' He opened a hand. 'Of course, given time, I could have welded the Plainsmen into the weapon I need, but I fear the Wise will not be so obliging.'
Carnelian saw in his mind the war Osidian was planning to bring down into the Earthsky. He shook his head free of it and looked around.
'So, whoever holds this Upper Reach is master of all the Marula.'
'Perhaps even their god.'
Carnelian was chilled by Osidian's smile. 'But by letting them come up the Ladder… Once the Plainsmen are gone…?'
Osidian frowned. There is more you must learn before you can have full understanding. The Marula are not one people undivided.' He rolled his hand in the air. 'Morunasa says there are nine tribes, each ruled by a prince. These princes have for generations been vassals to the Oracles, who have ruled all the river from here with salt and the terror of their god. With Morunasa's aid, I have made an alliance with one of these princes. The warriors we brought with us and more that he shall send me I have bought from him with salt.'
'But surely, now that he allies himself with you he will be destroyed by the others?'
'So he himself said,' Osidian smiled. 'But consider the tesserae a moment and see if you do not see another mosaic emerging.'
Carnelian sunk his head and thought about it, but could see nothing but the fragments. 'I do not comprehend what is to stop the others attacking him.'
Osidian smiled indulgently. They will not do so because I have commanded them to refrain.'
Carnelian stared at him. 'Why should they obey…' The mosaic formed in his mind. 'Of course.' He looked at Osidian appalled, but with grudging admiration. 'You threaten to destroy the Ladder.'
