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“We already have escort,” Arn murmured, as if for my ear alone.
“There are dangers you cannot imagine in the North, maiden-of-steel.” The play upon southron words must have delighted Caelgor, for he smiled again, still gazing at the silver orb, tilting it this way and that. “I will not dissemble; should you deny our aid we will simply follow as hunters. Aeredh means to take you to a hidden place wherein rests summat else our father wrought. We swore an oath to reclaim what was stolen, you see, and it will not let us do otherwise.”
They spoke of a jewel, a treasure, and of a weapon. It could not be a mere sword or axe, and in any case I could not touch either, nor spear, nor bow. Each fresh answer merely unveiled more riddles, crowding upon me like starving fleas in an abandoned stable.
“I have heard some little of your father’s saga.” I was glad to be upon my feet, and even happier to have the chair as a shield. Still, the thing in his hands was… tempting. An Elderseidhr, older than the Sun’s rising?
What might it teach me? And what might this “weapon” truly be, especially since “jewel” could be a term I did not know the proper meaning of? Even to gaze upon such a thing would be a powerful feat for avolva. Worthy of a song, at least.
“It is not a pleasant tale. Yet…” Caelgor’s tone softened. Whatwas he remembering, this ancient being who looked a little younger than Bjorn? “Were I granted the chance I would, I think, perform my part again.”
A curious thought struck me. If this small Elder thing did not open, would Eol and Aeredh—despite my lighting of their campfire, and what littleseidhraid I had rendered since—know me elementalist but not thisalkuine, and send us back to Dun Rithell? It would be deeply, ironically amusing if this entire affair proved simply an error of translation from the Old Tongue to the southron.
I could return home somewhat wiser, though not much older. “If I do this thing,” I said, slowly, “you will be as allies to Arneior and me? And if I am unable to, and our companions know I am not what they seek—will you and your brother give us safe passage and escort to our home in the South?”
“My lady.” Caelgor straightened, and the light in his eyes was fierce. “Do you open thistaivvanpallo, Curiaen and I will accompany you to your destination and guard you against all peril. We will even offer what apology we might to Aerith’s son, though he may not accept it. And should you be unable to alter this toy, swift passage homeward is a small matter easily accomplished.” He paused. “Even if the son of Aerith and his tame wolves wish to gainsay us.”
“Sol.” Arneior turned her head slightly, though she kept the Elder well within view. “You are weregild.”
So I was, offered in good faith though stolen with a lie. What was proper behavior in this particular situation? I could only hope my shieldmaid did not find me lacking in propriety.
“And yet.” I was loath to lay the entire tale before this lord, polite though he might be at the moment. These two of Faevril’s sons were arrogant as any petty warlord my father had defeated or my mother outfoxed; I liked neither the Subtle nor the Hunter. But more protection, and a chance to return home, was high inducement to at least hazard a single toss of the bone-dice. “Better we should know now if I am truly what they wish, is it not?”
“They all witnessed you…” She halted, her hornbraids glistening ruddy. One was slightly disarranged from her practice, and a trace of sweat showed upon her woad-striped cheek.
“What did they witness, my lady shieldmaid? I am most curious.” Caelgor turned his attention to Arn, though he still held the orb as an offering.
I did not think it wise for Arn to answer; fortunately, she did not deign to. My knuckles were not white as I held the chair’s back, yet the carved wood pressed harder into my fingertips. “Is it some insult you wish redress for, or some mischief you wish to do Lord Aeredh? I would not be used in either fashion, my lord.”
Nithraen’s hush surrounded us. The entire city seemed breathless, waiting; at any moment I expected the singing to start afresh.
“Nor would I stoop to such.” At least Caelgor met my gaze directly, and either honesty or its seeming lingered in the blue depths of his. “I make my offer plainly, my lady. Do you leave Nithraen with Aeredh and his fellows you will become a means of finding what was stolen from us, and we shall ride in pursuit. How much better to remove all doubt now, and gain our protection? Should you be unable to perform this one small thing, I cannot think it likely they will take you to the Hidden City.”
Hidden City.It was the first breath of our true destination I had heard, and it came fromthisquarter—if I could believe it. “I know not where we are bound,” I admitted.
His expression did not alter, though a glint of satisfaction lit his summersky eyes—like my mother’s and my own, and yet unlike. “Do you not think that strange?”
Oh, he was the more dangerous of Faevril’s sons in Nithraen indeed, for all his brother had attemptedseidhrupon me. I weighed my response carefully before setting it free. “A weregild does as they are bid, my lord.”
“And so you are thrall to the house of Naras forever now?” His eyebrows rose the barest fraction. “Forgive me, I am unfamiliar with the fine points of this particular Secondborn custom.”
“I was to be weregild for a year and a day.”’Tis is not thralldom or bond, and even an Elder unfamiliar with southron ways should know as much. I did not feel the urge to teach him the difference, though. “Then the debt is fulfilled.”
“Ah.” A studied nod, as if he thought deeply upon my words. Hisback was to the open doorway, yet he betrayed neither impatience nor unease. I wondered where our Northern wolf-guards were, and if they knew of his visit. How much time did I have before one or two appeared? “Did they not tell you any who find the Hidden City do not leave it, save by death or the leave of Taeron its king?”
Please, continue speaking. I will sift the truth from your words later.I held my peace. Arn shifted, her armor making a soft sound.
“And again I ask your pardon, my lady,” the golden-haired Elder continued, “but should you be able to use a stolen Jewel against the Enemy, do you thinkhisdefeat will be compassed within a single mortal year, and do you think they will let you return to your home before it is?”
Lady Hajithe had also asked much the same; it might please her to hear an Elder lord making the same point. Yes, Caelgor was more dangerous by far, though many held Curiaen’s temper in more dread. I could only wonder what Faevril’s other sons were like, and what their sire had been.
And now I knew something else. This “weapon” was indeed the jewel, and there seemed to be more than one of its make. Though that could have been another Elder riddle; there were plenty of them in this place.
“No,” I said. “I do not think so at all, Caelgor the Fair.” And though he was fair indeed, in many senses of the word, still I thought my Astrid fairer.
Arn perhaps knew my decision before I did. “Is it dangerous?” Her chin thrust forward, indicating the orb.
“Of course not.” The Elder looked mildly baffled, his eyebrows rising and his mouth softening. “Merely a small wonder, an amusement, but one analkuinemust unlock. Do you think me likely to harm a woman by guile, maiden-of-the-Wingéd?”
