The Seeker

  Her hand groped for the knife in her belt, and she held it up between us. “Stay back.” There was a loud noise in the street, and we both jumped. “What was that?”

  “The wind?” I said quickly, stepping forward again in my haste to distract her.

  She lifted the knife. “What’s going on?” she asked, suspicion flaring in her eyes. She backed to the door, holding the knife out menacingly.

  Unable to think of a way to stop her, I stood still, heart banging against my ribs. If she caught the others and gave the alarm, we would all be lost. Erin groped behind her back, opening the door without taking her eyes off me.

  My knees felt weak with relief. Blocking the hall behind her were Kella and Jik. I smiled at them in greeting.

  “That is an old trick,” Erin sneered. “Trying to make me think there’s someone …” She stopped abruptly as Kella’s knife pressed into her neck.

  Jik reached round and took the knife carefully out of her fingers.

  “Get inside the room,” Kella ordered, her face pale but determined. I was momentarily astonished to see a healer waving a knife in such a businesslike way. Erin obeyed, shock turned to fury.

  “You will all die for this. My father will burn you,” she snarled.

  “Did you bring the rope?” I asked Jik, ignoring her. He nodded. “Tie her up.”

  Erin stood rigidly erect as Jik bound her hands and feet. “What do you think this will get you?” she grated. “There are men in all the watchtowers and guards at the gate. And even if you did get out, my father will come after you. You will be caught, and then you will wish bonding was the only fate awaiting you.”

  I touched Jik’s arm, sending a swift thought. The next time she opened her mouth to speak, he thrust a ball of cloth into it, then tied another round her head to stop her spitting it out. It was a relief to have her quiet. I checked the ropes. They were tight, and I guessed Erin’s hissing threats had made Jik more efficient than he might otherwise have been.

  I forced myself to face her. “Daughter of Henry Druid, we are gypsy folk and not meant for staying in one place. My father waits for me in Arandelft, and I mean to meet him. I bear no ill will to the Druid, but I cannot stay. That is why you have to be tied up. To stop you raising the alarm too soon.”

  “Perhaps we should kill her,” Jik said, obeying my covert prompting.

  I pretended to consider it, gratified to see the first sign of real fear in Erin’s eyes. Slowly, as if reluctant, I shook my head. “I would be just as happy to kill her, but that might make her father annoyed. Besides, we will be long gone down the main road before they find her.” I had no doubt Erin would faithfully relay all I had said, sending her father off in the wrong direction.

  I nodded to Jik, and he opened a large chest under the window.

  Erin’s eyes widened with real horror. I did not like the idea of locking anyone in a trunk, even someone so detestable, but we had to make sure she was not found too quickly. If the Druid came home early, he was unlikely to think to look for his daughter inside a box in a spare room. With Kella’s help, we lifted her into the trunk, leaving the lid slightly askew so she wouldn’t suffocate. Then we went into the kitchen, where she would not be able to hear us.

  “Phew,” Jik said. “If eyes were knives, we’d all be dead.”

  Jik went to fetch Jow from outside. We gave the all-clear signal, and Jow came in the back door. “Where is she?” he asked in a low voice. I told him and, unexpectedly, he grinned.

  “Do her good,” he murmured. Then his face became serious. “Now, you know what you have to do?”

  I recited the route he expected us to take, and he nodded.

  “You’ll be a bit ahead of schedule now. You might have to wait in the wilds until the soldierguards leave their camps. I wish we could give you more help.”

  “We’ll be all right. Gypsies know a few things about hiding,” I said, sorry to be deceiving him.

  He opened a bundle and handed me boots, stout trousers, and a jumper and coat. I threw aside the silky red dress Rilla had made me wear, without regret. Fine clothes were no substitute for freedom.

  Outside, thunder cracked loudly.

  “This is an ordinary storm?” I asked Jow.

  He nodded. “An ordinary storm, but bad all the same. Worse for the armsmen who will have to track you.”

  I pointed to the dress. “You could use that to lead them astray.”

  Jow shook his head. “You can’t go in two directions at once. If he eventually found your tracks, the Druid would know for certain you had help.”

  “What are we waiting for?” Kella asked, looking round uneasily.

  “A signal from Peter,” Jow said. “He should have been here by now; I’ll go and look.”

  A cold blast of wind swept through the back door as he left. I shivered, less from the cold than at what lay ahead. I prayed Domick could do his part in freeing Matthew and the others.

  When the door swung open again, Jow had brought the older musician, Peter. With them, to my surprise, was Gilaine.

  She took my hands in hers. “The others did not want me to come, because I am known to have associated with you. But I wanted to say goodbye. I wish you did not have to go,” she sent wistfully.

  I squeezed her fingers. “We’ll meet again someday. I’m sure of it.” I leaned forward and kissed a cheek that smelled faintly of honey.

  “Come,” Jow said impatiently. “There’s no time to waste.”

  Gilaine gave me a gentle push and waved as we followed Jow and Peter into the stormy night. Looking over my shoulder, I saw her disappear round the corner of the house.

  It began to rain in earnest then, as if it had been waiting for us. To my consternation, the flashes of lightning lit up the streets. Anyone glancing through a window might see us.

  I trotted to keep up, trying to ignore the pain in my feet. We stopped to rest in one of the alleys running between the dark storehouses alongside the gate. Peter left at once with a terse farewell.

  “I live near, so it’s safest for me to be seen here,” Jow explained. “I’ve left two horses in the front yard nearest the gate. They’ve agreed to run the minute they’re let out.” Jow was a beastspeaker.

  “Your job is to break the latch on the yard gate,” he told Jik. “Wait until a crack of thunder and smash it with a rock. Then get out of sight. I’ll come out and call the gatewarden to help me catch the horses. They’re to run down to the other end of the camp. There’ll be enough noise to attract the attention of the posted guards in the corner lookouts. Even so, you’ll have to be quick. And don’t leave any tracks showing which way you’ve gone. There must be no doubt you’re making for the main road around the head of the river. Elspeth, you’re sure you’ll be able to relock the gate from the outside?”

  I nodded. “My powers aren’t blocked when there’s physical contact. If I’m touching the door, I’ll be able to lock it mentally.”

  Jow looked up as a flash of lightning lit the alley. “Count five and thirty once you’re in position, to give me time to get back to my hut. Then bash away,” he told Jik. Then he was gone.

  We stared at one another, frightened and excited. “Go on,” I prompted Jik after the time had passed. He darted off into the shadows, and Kella and I edged closer to the main gate. The whole aim of Jow’s plan was to give us a head start. Jow hoped no one would even realize we had gone until we were discovered missing at nightmeal. And even then, the locked gates would make them think we were hiding somewhere inside the camp.

  But everything depended on our getting away unnoticed.

  I jumped as a loud crash of thunder mingled faintly with the sound of splintering wood. Two horses thundered past us into the street, their hooves making a great clattering noise on the stones. We watched as Jow burst out of a door, shouting for help. Two other doors were flung open and men came out, wondering what was happening. A man poked his head out of the gatewarden’s hut, and Jow called him to help catch the horses befor
e someone was killed. He pulled on a coat and ran after the shouting group without looking back.

  As soon as they were all out of sight, we hurried across to the gate, Jik running up behind us. My heart beat loud enough to drown the thunder. We were completely exposed, and my hand trembled as I reached for the lock.

  But even as my fingers closed around the bolt, a hand shot out of the gatewarden’s hut and fastened on my arm. Kella screamed and jumped back, knocking Jik to the ground.

  Still holding my arm, the black-bearded man who had caught us in the first place came out into the rain, an unpleasant smile on his mouth. “What have we here?” His eyes ran over our bundles and dress. “Not running away, are we? And Relward so eager to have a maid in his bed.” He laughed, and rain shook from the wiry beard hairs under his chin. “What a pity, since runaways here end up as bonfire fodder.”

  Kella moaned in terror, snapping me out of my own trance. Anger flowed through me in a molten tide. If I did nothing, we would all burn. I gritted my teeth.

  There was nothing subtle in what I did next. The armsman’s bruising grip on me made him vulnerable, since the contact negated Lidgebaby’s static net. I simply lashed out with all the frustrated power in my mind. Even so, it was less effective than it should have been. He recoiled in shock and, instinctively, tried to let go of my arm. My other hand snaked out and caught his wrist, keeping the connection. He fought me in earnest then, and when I clung like a limpet, he struck me across the face. It was too awkward a blow to have full force, but my ears rang and I suddenly felt a long way from my hands. I could feel my grip weaken.

  Terrified of what would happen to us if I failed to get us away, I reached inside my darkest mind for the power I had once used to kill Madam Vega. I had not accessed it since the night we had taken Obernewtyn. I had tried to pretend to myself that it was gone. But it rose at my call like a great black snake, and only fear of that dreadful secret power gave me the strength to temper it. Even muted, the power of my attack on the armsman’s mind was terrible. His mouth gaped wide in a soundless shriek, and he slumped half-dead at my feet. I slid to my knees behind him, retching and coughing.

  Kella looked down at me, stunned. “What did you do to him?” Then her face changed. “Elspeth, you’re bleeding.”

  I shook my head and climbed to my feet. “No … time. We have to get … away before they find him.” I could taste blood and spat, but the taste persisted. Dazed, I wondered if it was my imagination that it was raining more heavily.

  Kella visibly gathered herself, unlocking the gate and pulling us through after her. I put my hands on the door and relocked it. With luck, the locked gate would still throw off the search, and the Druids would assume the unconscious armsman had been struck by lightning.

  We picked our way with careful haste across the spine of rocks Jow had said would hide our tracks. When we had gone some distance, I decided speed was more important. “Run!” I yelled over the noise of the rain. All around us, trees creaked under the weight of the downpour. It was like standing under a waterfall. I staggered after them, my head spinning and my feet hurting badly. I was too disoriented to know which way we should go and plodded after Kella, hoping she knew.

  Then, abruptly, we were outside Lidgebaby’s range. I sent a probe to Domick. Fortunately, he was waiting for me, because I had no strength left to fight his defenses or the interference of the rain. To my relief, Pavo was there already.

  I stumbled over an exposed tree root and fell to my knees hard. Kella and Jik helped me up. The healer’s hair was plastered to her head, and her face dripped with water. I struggled to stay conscious as they half dragged, half carried me between them. Crashing through the trees moments later, Domick ordered the other two to run and hefted me effortlessly over one shoulder. My teeth felt as if they were rattling round behind my eyes.

  We reached the clearing where Pavo waited with Gahltha and Avra. Like Domick, Pavo was still clad in the ragged remnants of the clothes we had worn from Obernewtyn that first day.

  “What’s happened?” the teknoguilder asked. “Kella says you killed a man with your mind.”

  Domick gave me a startled look.

  “Not killed … stunned,” I said groggily.

  “He hit her in the face. There was blood all over, but the rain’s washed it off. Wait …” Before I could stop her, Kella reached out and touched me, drawing my pain off into herself. At once the dizziness faded.

  “Hurts …,” moaned Kella, white-faced.

  I took her hands away. “That’s enough. I can think now. You’ve stopped the faintness.”

  Kella smiled wanly.

  We were all huddled under an eben tree, the only real shelter. Rain drummed down heavily on all sides.

  “Matthew and Louis are on their way back to Obernewtyn, and no one at the compound pursued them. Did anyone follow you?” Domick shouted over the noise.

  I shook my head. “No one will come after us until this storm is over. And even if they do, we’ll be long gone on the raft.”

  Something in Domick’s expression struck me.

  “You did make the raft?”

  Wordlessly, he pulled me to my feet and pointed through the trees to the water.

  My heart sank.

  Swollen by the phenomenal rains, the Suggredoon was a roaring torrent overflowing its banks, carrying whole trees and chunks of rock. Domick’s raft was fastened to the bank by a thick, twisted rope and bobbed like a creature mad to be set free. Only a lunatic would set off on such a river.

  Domick hauled the raft in and looked at me, panting. “What do we do?”

  I took a deep breath. “We’ll wait until daylight. Maybe the river will have calmed down by then?”

  Before he could respond, I heard a bark and turned to see Darga pelting into the clearing. “Many funaga coming.”

  I translated. Domick’s face hardened. “Then we’ve no choice. We’ll have to go now.” He pointed to the raft. “There are ropes. Tie yourselves down.”

  “Quickly,” I shouted when no one moved.

  I helped Kella tie herself, and Jik tied Darga and himself down. Avra stepped into the large space in the middle obviously reserved for the two horses, and Domick bound her gently. I sat next to Pavo, trying not to look frightened.

  My mind was reeling. How could anyone have followed so quickly?

  Domick’s cry broke into my thoughts. He was standing on the bank with Gahltha.

  “What is it?” I shouted.

  Domick waved his hand helplessly at the black horse. “He won’t move.”

  I tried to reach Gahltha’s mind, but it was as smooth and unassailable as a mountain of glass. I looked at Avra and sent an urgent query. Through the noise of the rain, I could hear men’s voices and shouts.

  “They come,” Darga sent.

  Domick threw his hands up and began to push the raft off the bank.

  “Gahltha,” I sent, forcing through his shield. He whinnied, a high quavering note, the whites of his eyes showing. But he made no move toward the raft.

  “He’s afraid!” Jik cried.

  Domick jumped into the raft just as the water dragged it from the bank. There was a hard jerk as it reached the end of the tether rope. Still Gahltha stood on the bank unmoving, staring out at us.

  “Gahltha!” I sent. “Go back to Obernewtyn.”

  He made no response. I saw figures running. “They’re coming. Cut the rope!” I cried.

  Domick lifted his small ax.

  “Gahltha. Go now, or the funaga will trap you!” I sent forcefully.

  He reared violently and plunged into the night. At the same time, Domick let the ax fall. It landed badly, and the rope was not severed. Several armsmen had reached the bank and were attempting to reel the raft in. Domick raised the ax again, and this time it fell true.

  At once, the roaring water carried us swiftly away from the bank. Lightning flashed, and in that moment, I saw Gilbert among those who stood watching us. I knew he had been out hu
nting and realized our poor luck—we had not been followed from the encampment but had been found out all the same.

  His eyes falling on me, Gilbert cried out something in evident dismay, but the sound of rain and rushing water made his words impossible to hear.

  Then the raft carried us from his sight, and within seconds, we were speeding toward the dark bulk of the mountains. For a moment, it seemed we would be smashed to pieces against the side of the mountain. Then the black gape of a cave opened up before us.

  I looked back and caught sight of Gahltha pawing at the raging water as if it were tongues of fire.

  “Here we go,” Domick said grimly, and we plunged into the heart of the mountain.

  13

  THE SUGGREDOON BORE US along its ancient course at the speed of a bolting horse.

  Domick stood up on the raft, slipping his feet into rope loops, and took hold of the paddle, which gave him rudimentary steering. I was surprised to find a dim light in the cavern instead of dense blackness. The walls glowed gently and eerily, and only when a cloud of insects stirred and rose did I see that the light came from their tiny bodies. A stiff, cold draft blew in my face from somewhere ahead, but I knew we had far to go before we would see the sky again.

  It was not long before the way narrowed and twisted, creating the first turbulent stretch of rapids. The water boiled savagely, sending the raft shuddering and careening through foaming torrents, barely missing jagged rocks. Luck as much as steering kept us from being overturned or having a rock smash the raft to splinters.

  And there were many such stretches. Each time we began to breathe easy, thinking ourselves lucky to have reached calmer waters, we would hear the familiar hollow roar ahead and would tighten our grips on the raft.

  At one point, the entire surface of the river seemed to tilt, and we were as much sliding as being swept by the current. The wind whistled past me, whipping strands of hair wildly in my face.

  We knew the Suggredoon flowed down to the lowlands, but I had been secretly afraid that the tunnel it had carved through the stone roots of the mountain might become too narrow for the raft to pass. My heart sank when the walls began to close in around us, and for a moment, the mountain seemed to throb with brooding malevolence.