He thought she needed to urinate. “Not precisely. Take me there. It won't be long."
“There's a place to the side, here,” he said. “Behind that rock. Let me check it to be sure no predator is close, then I will leave you."
They started to the side. Nonce started to follow, but Aspect held her back. Nonce was not telepathic, so missed some things. But she quickly caught on.
They came to the rock and went behind it. Crow lifted his nose and sniffed. “It is safe, for now.” He started to go back around the rock.
She caught his arm. “No fault,” she murmured.
Crow licked his lips, though evidently not quite daring to believe it. “Serious?"
“Affirmation.” She removed her shirt, then her skirt, conscious of his eager gaze. She liked being a compelling woman; she hadn't been one long enough for it to become stale. She spread her clothing on the ground and lay down on it. She spread her legs, just enough to be enticing. “As you said, best not to delay unduly."
“Agreement!” He hastily dumped his own clothing.
He was on her in a moment, and in her, erupting instantly. “Oh Lady!” he gasped. “Gratitude!"
Oh, the ardor of virile youth! “Welcome.” She held him close until he had drained, then released him. Once again she had succeeded in climaxing at a man's pace, despite not being able to get into his mind telepathically. The ikon made it possible. She hadn't thought to remove it from her mouth, but he hadn't thought to kiss her, so it was all right.
They did spot cleanup and quickly dressed. “But Lady—why? We made no trade."
She wished she knew, apart from feeling sorry for him, and the warning buzz of the dragon seed. Naturally she couldn't say that. Now she had to come up with a rationale. “It is a taste of what I—and my friends—offer. If we make a deal with you, you will know that we are worthwhile."
“Known!” he agreed. The wonder of it remained in his expression.
They returned to the others. Aspect and Nonce saw them and resumed travel. Evidently Aspect had updated Nonce, who was now ready to do her part when necessary.
“Negation!” Crow shouted, diving forward.
Things happened rapidly. Aspect, slightly ahead, paused, startled by the shout. Something erupted from the ground just ahead of her. Crow landed on his shoulder, and did a forward roll between Aspect and the eruption. He righted himself and kicked with his boot, knocking aside a strange point that projected from the ground.
“Question?” Aspect asked in confusion.
“Thorn tree root,” Crow gasped. “Poison."
Now it came clear. The root, foiled, disappeared into the ground. Ennui saw that there was a tree nearby that had large thorns. Evidently its roots were thorny too, and it used them to stab unwary prey. Crow had saved Aspect from an ugly encounter.
Actually the ikon probably would have made her invulnerable to the stabbing, but the man did not know that. He had done what he thought he had to do.
And it had happened because he had been approaching from the side, and recognized the tree and its access to the path. He might have missed it, had they not had their brief diversion. That explained the dragon seed's buzz. It wasn't pro sex, but anti-danger. Ennui would have been walking where Aspect was.
But it wasn't over. Crow was baring his teeth in pain.
Ennui kneeled beside him. “Question."
“Grazed,” he gritted, showing his leg. Gray blood was flowing from a scrape on the calf. There would be poison in that wound.
Your ikon, Aspect thought. Havoc's the Glamor of Trees.
That was right. That meant that he drew his power from trees, and had power over them. Maybe his ikon did too.
Ennui spit the ikon into her hand and held it concealed in her fist. “I have some healing ability,” she said. “Allow.” She reached for his leg.
“Can't heal,” Crow said, wincing. “Gray Poison—gray magic can't stop. Same as my wife."
“Negation.” Ennui put her fist right up against the wound. She could do this because she was wielding it; it would have stopped him from touching her on his own initiative.
The bleeding stopped. “The pain is fading!” Crow said in wonder. “Your touch is healing me!"
“Travelers have some magic,” Ennui said. “So as not to be vulnerable.” That explanation would have to suffice. She continued pressing her fist against his calf, impressed by the speed of the effect. Aspect was right: this was Tree magic, effective against tree poison. It could prevail in a situation other magic would not; trees responded to their own.
Crow gazed at her with continuing amazement. “First you give me fantastic sex. Then you heal me. What are you—a Glamor?"
He was closer than he could be allowed to know. Ennui forced a laugh. “Considerably less than that. I have an amulet.” She paused, but the seed did not buzz. She opened her fist, showing the little tree ikon. “Just a healing stone, effective for such an injury.” That was a lie, or at best a quarter truth, but her seed did not buzz. She was allowed to be untruthful; the seed reacted only to others she encountered. He did not recognize the ikon's true nature, and that was best.
“Love."
“No fault,” she reminded him.
“Of course.” He was embarrassed again. “I meant—"
That he was passionately grateful for what she had done for him. “Understood."
Soon Crow's injury was gone as if it had never been. He got to his feet, testing the leg, shaking his head in amazement to find it sound.
They resumed travel. Now Crow was ebullient, perhaps affected in another way by the healing contact of the ikon. He sang, with a fair voice and considerable enthusiasm. It was “The Crow,” a song that associated with his name.
There once was a farmer a-traveling to town
Hey boom fa-le-la, sing fa-le-la, boom fa-le-la lay!
Saw a crow in a fir tree, way up in the crown
Hey boom fa-le-la, sing fa-le-la, boom fa-le-la lay!
They joined him in the refrain, augmenting the luster of the melody. He smiled, loving their support, for they had been recognized in the village as minstrels. Ordinary villagers normally loved to join in with minstrels; it lent brief excitement to their routine lives. Ennui had known that was true for nonChroma folk; it seemed to be true for Chroma folk too. There really wasn't much difference between the two, other than the magic.
The sling from his shoulder he quickly brought down
He hit that black crow and it fell to the ground.
He had changed two of the words to fit his situation; that was common, as many of the ancient Earth terms did not relate well to Charm society.
That black crow was useful in numerous ways
The keel-bone was sailed over oceans and bays.
The feathers were made into featherbeds neat
And pitchforks were made from the legs and the feet.
More things were made from this wondrous crow
You may all doubt this story but it really is so!
They applauded themselves at the conclusion, laughing, their fingers crossed in open denial of the claims of the song. Children loved such games. They were bonding, and it was a pleasure. Ennui made a mental note: it was easy to relate to a man sexually, but better overall to relate to him in friendship. Perhaps she had known that once, but her dreary life (before Havoc) had erased it.
Meanwhile she had learned more about the ikons. They were turning out to be anything but inert tokens. They had powers akin to those of the Glamors themselves, albeit smaller and more subtle, because they were filtered through the people who held them.
The gray countryside gave way gradually to nonChroma. “But Death Valley is weird,” Crow said. “It's mostly nonChroma, but I have seen Chroma vents here and there. That's part of what makes it dangerous."
This was interesting. “NonChroma vents?"
“Like tiny volcanoes. Little patches of color, and magic. I know of no other region like it."
But they did.
Augur and Aura had described a huge impact crater with exactly such vents. That suggested that this was the right place.
“We shall have to observe those,” Aspect said, as if dubious."
“Agreement,” Crow said. “But it will help if you tell me what you are looking for. Death Valley is not a place to wander aimlessly."
“We hope we know it when we see it,” Ennui said.
“I do not mean to pry into what is not my business, merely to get you where you are going,” he said, a trace defensively.
“Pause,” Ennui said. Then she took him by the face and kissed him, her ikon safely away from her mouth. “We are not being secretive at the moment. We merely are ignorant of what we seek. Fortunately No has a sense of direction that may enable us to find it."
“Persuaded,” he said, somewhat faintly. As Ennui had suspected, the kiss had impact. Oh, what fun to be beautiful!
Crow led the way up the slope of a hill. There was no discernible trail, which was one reason they needed a guide. He looked constantly about, alert for danger. Once a six-legged panther crouched beside a stream. Crow waited for it to drink, then lifted his sling so that the animal could see it. The panther considered, then loped away. Ennui knew it might not have done so had the women been alone. It evidently recognized the weapon, and respected it. The man was competent in the wilderness.
Which made her wonder why he preferred to avoid Death Valley. He had to have good reason. Should she inquire?
“I see you wondering,” Crow said. “There are only so many times a man can go into danger and emerge unscathed. That thorn tree—I could have been caught, but it's a calculated risk. But there are things in Death Valley I don't understand, and that makes the odds worse. I can't afford to die or be incapacitated while my wife is ill."
“Persuasion,” Ennui said. “When we finish here, we will visit your wife. Perhaps my amulet will help her."
“Hope!"
“Intention."
He looked at the stream. “This is the last water before the Valley. All the creatures here share it. You must take what you need now, lest you be thirsty."
Good advice. They drank, then filled their water bags. They had not discovered whether their ikons protected them from hunger and thirst. They had remained mostly in the city, in the palace, where all physical needs were served. Now they were learning much more about their ikons.
They continued up the slope. “Observation,” Crow said. “You ladies walk well."
“Sexily?” Ennui inquired.
“That, too,” he agreed, embarrassed.
He had expected them to tire. The ikons made them virtually tireless. “We have had to walk before,” Ennui said.
“Yet you look so—” He faltered. “Delicate."
“We have good legs."
“Agreement!” Then he blushed again.
The man is a delight, Aspect thought. Today he is yours. Tomorrow mine.
That seemed fair.
At length they crested the hill and saw a circular valley ahead. Surely an impact crater. There were small patches of color scattered across it.
“Necessary to go into it?” Crow inquired warily.
Ennui looked at Nonce. She nodded.
“Affirmation. What we seek is there."
He led the way down. “There are few predator animals in the Valley itself,” he said. “But those vents are tricky. Winds can shift erratically and sweep Chroma vapor across new sections without warning. They can contain Chroma pollen and insects. Their magic can be awkward."
“Awkward?"
“There are stories, and some are true. Insects can paralyze animals, so as to make living food for them. Or cause a person to become ravenous so as to become fat for the larva. Pollen seeks not only flowers, but places for new plants. It can rot the flesh to make rich soil. Or cause a person to sneeze violently and continuously, so as to better spread it. And since Death Valley is extremely dry, everything seeks water. They can rapidly suck it out of a body. So it is best not to get caught by the magic."
His reasons for avoiding this region were becoming sensible. “We have some magic defense,” Ennui said carefully.
“Unsurprised. Still, best to remain no longer than necessary."
“Agreement."
They wended their way down into the valley. Crow selected a route that took them well wide of any Chroma vents, but it was not possible to avoid them all, because some were tiny. Ennui looked down to see a dish sized cloud of blue around a small crack in the ground. A tiny Chroma zone.
As they reached the roughly level floor of the valley, a breeze sprang up. “Annoyance,” Crow said. “Retreat is best."
Ennui was about to agree, but her dragon seed buzzed. “Negation. We must press on.” She looked at Nonce.
“This way,” Nonce said. She forged on into the valley.
“Alarm,” Crow protested. “Dangerous."
“Still, we must proceed,” Ennui said. Still, she wondered; the dragon seed had never been wrong, but this did indeed seem dangerous.
The Chroma zones smeared out in the wind, becoming elongated streamers. Some were low enough to jump over; others high enough to duck under. They jumped and ducked, following Nonce.
She led them toward a low mound. “Nothing here but Chroma,” Crow called. “I have been all around this region. We must get out of the valley."
But Nonce continued. And suddenly came to a hole in the ground, just beyond a yellow Chroma vent. It was big enough to allow standing entry. “Caution!” Crow warned, but Nonce dodged by the vent and forged on into it. Ennui followed, and Aspect and Crow had no choice but to do the same.
“Amazement,” Crow said. “I never saw this hole."
It was dark below, but Nonce seemed to know where she was going, and the dragon seed did not buzz. In a moment the passage opened into a fair sized cave with another small Yellow Chroma vent. They hurdled this and landed within it, then looked around by the light of the Chroma fire.
“This is man-made,” Crow said in wonder. “But empty, with no other exit."
Ennui wasn't sure how he knew, because it looked natural to her, but trusted his judgment in this respect; he must have explored many caves. “This must be the place."
“This is the place,” Nonce agreed.
They explored it. There was an opening in the far side of the chamber, with another glowing Yellow Chroma vent, and beyond it was another chamber. Crow was amazed. “Illusion,” he said. “All I saw was wall."
This one had a hole in the center, and in the hole was dark liquid.
“And now we don't have to go back over the rim,” Ennui said, dipping her hand in it and tasting. It was good water.
“I couldn't see that either,” Crow said. “Just floor.” How is it that your ladies can see through illusion?"
Ennui exchanged glances with Aspect and Nonce. This had to be another attribute of the ikons: penetration of illusion. “We have had some experience with special places,” she said. “Things are not always what they seem, so we verify. Once we know what is there by touch, we are able to see it."
On the far wall of this chamber was an outcropping of crystalline rock, reflecting different colors. Aspect stroked it with her fingers, found a loose fragment, and took it down. She brought it to the light of the Chroma fire.
It was a bright blue crystal. “Do you suppose?” she asked.
“It does look like it,” Nonce said.
“And if it is—” Aspect said.
They left that thought unfinished, and explored farther. They found another passage and another chamber. In it was an altar. They immediately turned back, not speaking of this to the guide, who remained fascinated by the water he could feel but not see. Ennui knew they had to get him clear. She took the blue crystal and addressed him.
“Crow, we are not expert in crystals,” Ennui said. “Is there someone in Edge Village who can tell whether this is innocent colored stone—or a Chroma gem?"
“A Chroma gem!”
he exclaimed. “That would be incomparably valuable."
“Yes, this could be a gem mine. You need to return soon; we shall not. We must remain here for an indefinite time while we figure out exactly what we are doing here. We have enough for a while, but soon we shall need supplies—mainly food. Take this stone with you, find one who knows, and verify its nature. If it is Chroma, it is yours to keep or trade. If it is not, we shall try to find some other way to make another trip here worth your while.” She smiled at him. “In addition to our no fault acquaintance."
He was in doubt. “To leave you here, in this dangerous valley—"
She embraced him, pressing her bosom against him. “We must do what we must do. Perhaps we will find that there is nothing here for us, and will return to the village with you. We should know by the time you return with supplies. Shall we say three days?"
“But villagers will question—"
“It must be secret. Please, Crow.” She kissed him, and felt him giving way. It was almost impossible for a man to resist a beautiful woman's plea. She had seen it in her past life; now she was practicing it.
“If that's what you need. But—"
“This way.” She led him to the entrance passage, and they returned to the first cave. Aspect and Nonce remained behind.
Ennui removed her clothing, as before, and lay on it. The tacit nature of the deal was clear: if he had sex with her again, he was committed.
He couldn't help himself. In a moment he was with her. This time she held the ikon in her hand, away from her body, so that she could do everything with him. As before, he was on her and in her in a moment, eagerly jetting. This time she held him longer, kissing him and stroking his back with her free hand. “Oh, Lady, oh Lady!” he said.
She knew it was more than sex she was giving him. Sex was to an extent a pretext for him to clasp her and allow his emotion to show. Comfort his wife could not provide at the moment. “And first opportunity I will return with you and see if I can help heal your wife."
“For that alone I would do your bidding forever!"
“When you come in three days, it will be Speck's turn with you. You will find her as accommodating as I am. After that, No, who is closer to your age. We will take turns, as long as we are here. All we require is your silence, and supplies."