bursting with spells he needs to cast.' She chuckled. 'This will make it easier for him to hide his work.'
'Indeed, Majesty,' the assistant said.
'And that will give us time,' the Queen said, 'to be absolutely certain everything is ready for The Great Sacrifice.'
'All will be done as you command, Majesty,' the assistant said.
Hantilia sighed. 'What a pity,' she said, wiping an eye. 'He's such a handsome young man.'
As Hantilia predicted, Safar was vastly relieved when news was delivered that the date with the Oracle had been delayed one more day.
Leiria, on the other hand, was suspicious. 'If it were a bargain sword in a smithy's shop,' she said, 'I'd pass it by, thinking the price was so cheap it'd be certain to shatter at the worst possible moment.'
The two of them were strolling along the riverbank, discussing Hantilia's message.
'I don't know,' Safar said, 'it seemed reasonable enough. Something went wrong during the purification ceremonies. So certain steps had to be repeated. That sort of thing happened all the time to the priests in Walaria.'
'It still doesn't smell right to me,' Leiria said. Then she eyed Safar. 'And what about you?' she asked.
'Why the big change? A couple of days ago you were worrying the bit to get on with it before Iraj showed up.'
Safar shook his head. 'I'm still worried,' he said. 'But as things stand now, if he did show up we'd be chin deep in a temple privy on feast day. To start with, all our people are wandering around in a Caluzian pink cloud and it'll be at least two days before Palimak's spell is ready. Then they'll have to be organized.
Soldiers whipped into shape as fast as we damn well can. Some kind of rear guard action devised so we can escape. The wagons packed and ready, animals fed and watered and everyone set to go at an instant's notice.
'As it is now, most of the work is going to be on your shoulders, Leiria. I don't know what's going to happen when Palimak and I finally get to meet with the Oracle. Or how long we'll be away. Or, hells-let's face it-even if we'll make it back. So, it's going to be up to you, Leiria. Up to you-my dearest friend-and by the gods sometimes I think you must be crazy to put up with us all.'
Leiria laughed. 'I'm here for the flattery,' she said. 'What else?'
Then, more seriously, 'Let's go back a bit on your list of to do's,' she said. 'I'm stuck fast on the part about escaping. And I have not one, but three questions. First, what escape? Second, how escape?
Third, and most important of all, where escape?'
She looked around her-the gurgling river, the idealized blue mountains beyond, the exotic city gleaming on the hillside overlooking the great stone turtle.
'Hells,' she said, 'I don't even know where we really are!'
'Think of it as a big bowl turned upside down in the Black Lands,' Safar said. 'Everything under the bowl is happy and safe-for the time being. Everything on the outside is just like it was before.'
'Except, maybe worse,' Leiria said.
Safar nodded. 'Except, maybe worse.'
Leiria chuckled. 'What kind of leader are you?' she said. 'Where's the cheery words? Where's the lies that things will surely be better?'
Safar pretended to be hurt. 'You should have more faith in me,' he said. 'Next you'll be doubting that I have a plan.'
'Do you?'
Safar grinned. 'Actually, no,' he said. 'But I'm working on it. Which is the main reason why I'm glad Hantilia gave us another day. Intended or otherwise.'
'Oh, my!' Leiria said. 'Coming around full circle and attacking my flanks, are we? Cutting off my argument with sneaky logic. Now, is that fair?'
'I never promised fair,' Safar said. 'I only promised a plan.'
'Seriously,' Leiria said. 'Do you even have an inkling?'
'A few glimmers,' Safar said. 'To begin with Iraj will most certainly come through the same gate we used.' He pointed east to the high shale cliffs that divided Caluz from the pass. 'So we can't run in that direction.'
'We could delay him at the gate,' Leiria pointed out. 'A small force could hold him there while the rest escaped.'
'I like that,' Safar said. 'The first thing we should do then, is to take the airship as high we can and get a peek on the other side of the cliffs. That will give us an idea of how close Iraj is getting and how much time we have.'
'But how do we get out of here?' Leiria said. 'Which way do we run?'
Safar pointed north, toward a low range of mountains marked by two high peaks. 'Through those peaks,' he said. 'Somewhere beyond those mountains is the Great Sea. If we bear a little west we ought to hit Caspan, where we can hire some ships to take us to Syrapis.'
Leiria grimaced, saying, 'Yes, but how far away is it? A week's journey? A month? And another thing, what's between us and the sea? More of the Black Lands? Rough trails or a broad caravan track?
Coralean's maps aren't any help. The ones for this area are too old to trust.'
'If we have time,' Safar said, 'we can use the airship to find out.
'Assuming you can figure out how to turn that model into a real airship, that is,' Leiria pointed out.
'Exactly,' Safar said. 'Which is another reason we need time. With luck I'll have it worked out before I go. But chances are, once again, it'll be you-with the help of Biner and Arlain-who will be doing the looking. And mapping the escape route.'
Leiria nodded. She was quiet for a moment, then she said, 'I have to ask this. What if you don't return?
What if you and Palimak don't make it?'
'Then you make it, Leiria,' he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. 'And, please, get as many of my people as you can out of harm's way.'
'Should I go on to Syrapis?' Leiria asked.
'It's the only place I know of,' Safar said, 'that will be safe for awhile.'
'And after that?'
Safar face darkened momentarily, then he suddenly brightened. 'What the hells' the difference?' he laughed. 'To misquote a good friend of mine, the 'journey will probably kill you anyway.''
Palimak eyed the cable doubtfully. It stretched from the platform he was standing on to another platform about ten feet away.
'Go ahead, my thweet,' Arlain said, 'We won't let you hurt yourthelf.'
The cable was only about six feet off the ground, but to the boy it seemed much higher. Arlain was posted on one side of him, Kairo on the other.
'I don't know,' Palimak said, 'it looks kind of scary.'
'Yez done jus' fine when she were lower, me boy,' Kairo said. 'Matter of fact, old Kairo's never seen anyone take to the wire so quick like.'
'Letthon number one in wire walking,' Arlain said, 'ith that height doethn't matter. Anything you can do at ground level ith no harder than when you're all the way to the top of the tent.'
Palimak giggled nervously. 'Are you sure?'
'Thure, I'm thure,' Arlain said. 'I thtarted out the thame way you did. And tho did Kairo. Firtht you put the wire on the ground and thee that it really ithn't that thmall. It only lookth that way to the audienthe when it'th high up. Then you raith it off the ground a little wayth tho you can get uthed to the way it thwayth back and forth when you move.'
'We gots yez up to six feet already,' Kairo said. 'After this-why, the sky's the limit! And that's a fact, me boy, not smoke blowin'.'
Arlain glared at Kairo. 'Pleathe!' she said. 'Thome of uth are thenthitive about that word.'
Kairo winced. 'Sorry!' Then to Palimak. 'But yer gets me point, right?'
Palimak eyed the distance again, gathering courage. Licked his lips. Nodded. 'Right.'
'Lovely!' Arlain said, waving her tail in excitement. 'Let'th go, then. Thout out when you're ready!'
