Osidian rewarded him with a long slow nod.
'But if his warriors are here, what is to stop this prince usurping the position of power you now occupy?'
There are many reasons. For one, if he did so, his peers would not believe he had the power to cut the Ladder.'
'Because he would be destroying himself?'
That too, but to effect that, he would have to use his own people. Even if he had the desire to destroy his own world, do you think it likely his subjects would help him?'
Carnelian looked off to the dark island, then brought his gaze back to Osidian. 'And what he gets from you is salt?'
'My position here ensures he can safely defy the power of the other princes. With the salt I shall send down to him, he will become saviour and overlord of the Lower Reach.'
'But surely then he would be free to turn on you.' Osidian smiled again. 'I did say I had a serpent by the tail.'
Carnelian saw how it might all work. This is a desperate gamble.'
Osidian shrugged. 'I believe I can maintain the delicate balance of the forces.' 'And the Oracles?'
Brooding claimed Osidian. That is a darker matter. In some ways, they are very much like the Wise. For the moment, I have appeased them by giving them back their sacred grove, but they could yet become a foe more dangerous than the princes of the Lower Reach. It is always those who are accustomed to rule that one must fear the most.'
'And what of Morunasa?'
That one has ambitions to return power to the Oracles and that only I can give him, which is why, you see, you must take care I should not die.'
Carnelian saw now why Osidian had bothered to explain it all to him.
Osidian raised an eyebrow. 'Do you imagine the Oracles could allow the knowledge of this place to become widespread across the Earthsky? If the Plainsmen did not take it from them, the Commonwealth would. They would destroy the whole Earthsky rather than let that happen.'
Carnelian lost hope, seeing how tightly woven was Osidian's net. 'And the Ochre?'
'As long as they remain obedient, they shall be safe.'
'Let me return to the Koppie to make sure.'
Osidian laughed. 'Oh no, Carnelian. You will stay here and rule in my place.'
'While you conquer the tribes?'
Osidian smiled. 'You see how we are in perfect understanding.'
'Will you sleep among the Plainsmen tonight?'
Osidian shook his head. 'Among my Manila.'
He rose and Carnelian followed him. Carnelian watched him walk away, the Marula warriors in his wake. As he began crossing the river, they remained behind. Carnelian watched him for a while and then, weary and demoralized, he turned his face towards the knoll and the Plainsmen.
Carnelian found Fern in the camp and drew him aside to talk to him.
The Master knows we intended to kill him.'
Fern paled.
'You're safe unless you move against him.' 'Ravan too?' asked Fern.
The Master seemed unaware of him, but we should keep them apart.'
Carnelian saw Fern was looking down to where the Manila had made a camp around the anchor baobabs. He turned to look at Carnelian. 'Are more of them coming up?'
Carnelian gave a nod.
'The Master intends to use them against the tribes, doesn't he?'
They are more dependent on him than are the Plainsmen.'
Fern's gaze fell once more upon the Manila camp. 'We must attack them while we still can.'
Carnelian took hold of Fern's shoulder and pulled him round. 'Shall we do it now when they will see us coming or shall we wait until darkness when the Master will be with them and hope he does us the favour of not setting a watch?'
Fern backed away from Carnelian, upset. 'Why can't we surprise them at night as you did at the koppie of the Darkcloud?' And when Carnelian gave no response, 'Would you have us help him lead us all into ruin?'
Carnelian frowned. The best we can do now is pray that a chink opens in his armour that will allow us to strike.'
'And what if that never happens?'
Carnelian had no answer to that.
'My brother was right,' said Fern, bitterly. 'We should have destroyed the Ladder and taken our chances in the Earthsky when the Master came at us with Manila.'
Carnelian did not want to reveal how right Ravan had been. If Fern knew what chaos the Lower Reach was in, it might encourage him to go through with the ruinous attack on the Marula. The failure would be bad enough; far worse would be Osidian's reprisals.
Fern looked at Carnelian with pleading eyes. 'We must do something, Carnie.'
'We can stay alive. As long as we live, there is hope.'
Fern became suddenly weary. 'At least tomorrow we'll be leaving this accursed place.'
Something about Carnelian's silence made Fern regard him with narrowed eyes. 'You're staying behind.'
Carnelian had to nod. 'He wants me here.'
Fern's eyes grew fierce. Then I'll stay with you.'
'No. You must go. Together we are a danger to each other: apart we will still have a chance.'
The screaming from the Isle of Flies made it impossible to sleep. Intermittendy, it would come trembling through the blackness. Each stuttering, tortured sound forced Carnelian to imagine what was being done on the island. The silence following was almost worse; a long suspense of waiting for the next scream. Pressing his hands to his ears made no difference. He rose and paced about. Others were suffering too, with moans, turning, sitting up. Someone stirred a fire to blazing life. Carnelian huddled round it with others seeking blind oblivion in the flames. Attempts were made to tell stories, but it was impossible to listen to anything other than the cries. 'Accursed,' groaned Fern.
Ravan turned on Krow. 'Do you still adore your precious Master?'
Krow drew his knees more tightly to his chest.
Ravan turned his rage on Carnelian and Fern. 'If you'd listened to me, none of this would have happened.'
Carnelian felt ashamed. There was a wild look in Fern's eyes he could not bear. He sank his head between his knees as he had done in the funeral urn, pressing them hard against his ears, trying not to hear his inner voice telling him that all this was his doing.
Eyes kept turning from the fire to peer past the utter blackness of the island, yearning for dawn. Ravan was the first to see the trail of light snaking across the river to the shore. Soon everyone was staring, possessed by the fear that the Oracles were coming for them.
They're… they're on the riverpath,' said Ravan.
Men were rising all around him and Carnelian joined them.
'Let's go now,' someone pleaded. 'Let's not wait for morning.'
'We'd lose our way in the darkness,' said Fern.
'Our spears…' said a voice edging on hysteria.
Sparks began appearing at the corner of the baobab forest. As more and more torches came from the river-path, their glow became bright enough to cast monstrous shadows from the trees towards the knoll.
The impaled man,' groaned Ravan.
They watched tall shapes weave in among the torches and then the screaming began again, but this time it was nearby, coming from the heart of the torchlight. That close, the Plainsmen could hear every ragged note. Some began to whimper. Horror gripped Carnelian's mind. The shrieking took on a panting, shrill, animal sound
