The Gods Awaken

Coralean nodded, brow knotted in worry. 'Yes,' he replied. 'His plan was to bypass there and strike for the islands beyond, where he would take on water and replenish his provisions. His thinking was that there was so little known about Aroborus it wouldn't be wise, or safe, to tarry there.'

'I wonder why he stopped?' Eeda said.

Coralean shook his big head. 'There must be something wrong,' he said. 'And whatever that wrongness is-it has to do with Palimak!'

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

IRAJ'S SONG

The search for Palimak was stalled half the night by a swift-moving rainstorm that first reduced visibility to only a few yards, then became so strong they were forced to heave to and lay out a sea anchor to hold position.

As Brutar, the captain of the Nepenthe, said: 'If we let the blow take us, we'll never find the place where the lad went off.'

Biner took the airship above the storm, circling in the cold, thin air until just before dawn when the storm passed on to bedevil the lands beyond.

Then they resumed the search, retracing their path beyond the point where the battle with the tree-creatures had begun. Safar sent out two longboats to help scour the area, with Leiria and Jooli taking command of each of them.

Although he had little experience at sea, Safar was a skilled hunter-as were all Kyranians-and he used an old trick the mountaineers used to employ when speed was paramount-such as finding a lost child after a blizzard had passed, obliterating all trail signs.

But instead of human trackers he used the Nepenthe and the airship. The tall ship started in the center and circled outward, while Biner started at the most distant point and circled inward toward the center.

This way the same area was scoured twice in a very brief time period and there was little chance of missing Palimak if he were still afloat.

Although he didn't say anything, Safar could tell by Captain Brutar's dark expression that he thought the search was pointless after so many hours had passed. Like most sailors, Brutar and his crew could barely swim-if at all-and thought Palimak had most probably drowned not long after he had jumped from the ship to escape his pursuer.

Brutar's expression became darker still when he saw how infested the area was with sharks and sea crocodiles. Fins constantly criss-crossed the calm seas, while hungry reptilian eyes poked just above the surface, looking for opportunity.

Once they came upon an enormous crocodile fighting with two equally huge sharks over bloody remains.

Leiria and Jooli moved up in the longboats as the terrible fight raged. Then dispatched all three of the creatures with their longbows.

To Safar's relief, the remains proved to be not human but the corpse of a serpent whose body was twice the girth of a man's.

Finally, Captain Brutar made bold to approach Safar. Embarrassed, he hawked and spat over the rail.

Then he said, 'Beggin yer pardon, me lord, and it pains me somethina€™ awful to say this to a father what's boy has gone missin'. In this old salt's opinion the lad's a goner and that's for certain. We can hunt til the Hellsfires burn themselves out and we won't find nothina€™ but what we already found-which is nothin'!'

Safar shook his head. 'He's still alive,' he said. 'And if I have to, I'll turn the sea upside down and shake it out to find him!'

Brutar sighed. 'Dammit, man,' he said, 'yer talkina€™ like we was lookina€™ fer a worm in a biscuit.

Knock it a€?gainst a table and the worm falls out, real easy like.'

He made a wide gesture, taking in the long, empty horizon. 'The sea ain't no biscuit. And the lad, bless his soul, ain't no worm livina€™ and eatina€™ in its natural born home. This is the sea, man. Which means she'll even kill her own!'

The captain braced for an argument, but was prepared to stand fast. Personally, he didn't give a thin fishbone about Palimak, much less about Safar's tender fatherly feelings. He wanted to get on with the voyage and either collect his promised bonus or toss Safar and the Kyranians over the side if for some reason the bonus wasn't forthcoming.

Actually, it was his cherished dream to accomplish both-collecting the money and ridding himself and his crew of this pesky lot once and for all. And get back to honest pirating, instead of fighting another man's enemies for pay.

However, instead of arguing, Safar's eyes lit up. He slapped the captain on the shoulder, saying, 'Thanks, Captain! You may have just solved the problem!'

And he rushed away, leaving a bewildered Brutar staring after him. What in the hells had he said to be thanked for?

Safar burst into Palimak's ruined cabin and quickly found the doughmen as well as the two pieces of worm, which still showed faint signs of life. Then he sped to his own quarters where he dug out a wine jar, emptied the contents into a basin and knocked off the jar's narrow mouth with the blade of his silver witch's dagger.

Next, he waved the dagger over the worm parts and cast a regeneration spell. Sparks leaped off the point and each piece grew the part it was missing. A moment later there were two whole worms wriggling across the table. Safar imprisoned them with an overturned cup, then went on to the rest of his preparations.

After moistening the doughmen with wine, he formed them into a single ball. Then, with his skillful potter's fingers, he sculpted a single doughman of his own. Except, instead of Palimak's rather clumsy figures, this one looked like a tall, slender, broad-shouldered youth.

Using the dagger point Safar pricked in the features and in scant minutes Palimak's face appeared like magic-although it was art, not sorcery, that Safar used.

He slit the belly, pressed the worms inside, then smoothed over the wound. The Palimak doughman went into the wine jar, whose mouth was sealed with wax. He paused, taking in a deep breath to clear his mind. Now he was ready for the spell.

He went up to the main deck, the jar cradled in one arm. Leiria was already there, face pale as death, thinking the search had been called off. Jooli was just clambering on board from the longboat. Safar signaled the airship for Biner and Arlain to join him. And when all were gathered at the bow he asked their assistance in casting the spell to find the lad they all loved.

When he thought their minds were all fixed on the single goal he gestured, and burning incense appeared in his hand, filling the air with its heady scent. He heard murmurs from behind him, where Brutar and the crewmen watched, fearful of the wizardry he was about to perform.

Then, drawing on Asper for inspiration, he whispered:

'When in your mother's womb

You did dwell;

Tarrying between love's tomb

And life's Hell;

Did you ever wonder if the fearful Path

Where you tarried

Was close or distant from Fate's wrath?

Or were you carried,

Into this world not knowing

From whence you came

Or where you were going;

Bound for Nowhere on winds of pain?'