“Farewell, beloved.”
His response came softly, receding along the wind. “There’s no need for that. I’m part of you now. You’ll always remember.”
At the edge of her heart, he stopped. She was barely able to hear him.
“I’ll be with you as long as you live.”
Then he was gone. Slowly the gulf became stone against her face.
Light swelled beyond her eyelids. She knew before she raised her head that she had come back to herself in the ordinary dawn of a new day.
The air was cool. She smelled dew and springtime and cold ash and budding trees. And blood that was already dry.
For a long moment, she lay still and let the translation complete itself. Then she levered her arms under her.
At once, a forgotten pain labored in the bones behind her left ear. She groaned involuntarily, slumped again to the stone.
She would have been willing to lie still while she persuaded herself that the hurt did not matter. She was in no hurry to look at her surroundings. But as she slumped, unexpected hands came to her shoulders. They were not strong in the way she had learned to measure strength; but they gripped her with enough determination to lift her to her knees. “Linden,” a man’s care-aged voice breathed. “Thank God.”
Her eyes were slow to focus: her sight seemed to come back from a great distance. She was conscious of the dawn, the blurred gray stone, the barren hollow set like a bowl of death into the heart of the green woods. But gradually she made out Covenant’s form. He was stretched on the rock nearby, within the painted triangle of blood. The light stroked his dear face like a touch of annunciation.
From the center of his chest jutted the knife which had made everything else necessary.
The man holding her repeated her name. “I’m so sorry,” he murmured. “I never should’ve gotten you into this. We shouldn’t have let him keep her. But we didn’t know he was in this much danger.”
Slowly she turned her head and met the alarmed and wearied gaze of Dr. Berenford.
His eyes seemed to wince in their sockets, making the heavy pouches under them quiver. His old moustache drooped over his mouth. The characteristic wry dyspepsia of his tone was gone: it failed him here. Almost fearfully, he asked her the same question Covenant had asked. “Are you all right?”
She nodded as well as the pain in her skull allowed. Her voice scraped like rust in her throat. “They killed him.” But no words were adequate to her grief.
“I know.” He urged her into a sitting position. Then he turned away to snap open his medical bag. A moment later, she smelled the pungence of antiseptic. With reassuring gentleness, he parted her hair, probed her injury, began to cleanse the wound. But he did not stop talking.
“Mrs. Jason and her three kids came to my house. You probably saw her outside the courthouse the first day you were here. Carrying a sign that said, ‘Repent.’ She’s one of those people who thinks doctors and writers just naturally go to hell. But this time she needed me. Got me out of bed a few hours ago. All four of them—” He swallowed convulsively. “Their right hands were terribly burned. Even the kids.”
He finished tending her hurt, but did not move to face her. For a while, she stared sightlessly at the dead ash of the bonfire. But then her gaze returned to Covenant. He lay there in his worn T-shirt and old jeans as if no cerements in all the world could give his death dignity. His features were frozen in fear and pain—and in a kind of intensity that looked like hope. If Dr. Berenford had not been with her. she would have taken Covenant into her arms for solace. He deserved better than to lie so untended.
“At first she wouldn’t talk to me,” the older man went on. “But while I drove them to the hospital, she broke down. Somewhere inside her, she had enough decency left to be horrified. Her kids were wailing, and she couldn’t bear it. I guess none of them knew what they were doing. They thought God had finally recognized their righteousness. They all had the same vision, and they just obeyed it. They whipped themselves into a tizzy killing a horse to get the blood they used to mark his house. They weren’t sane anymore.
“Why they picked on him, I don’t know.” His voice shook. “Maybe because he wrote ‘unChristian’ books. She kept talking about ‘the maker of desecration.’ When he was forced to offer himself for sacrifice, the world would be purged of sin. Retribution and apocalypse. And Joan was his victim. She couldn’t be rescued any other way.” His bitterness mounted. “What a wonderful idea. How could they resist it? They thought they were saving the world when they put their hands in that fire.
“They didn’t snap out of it until you interrupted them.”
Linden understood his dismay, his anger. But she had passed the crisis. Without turning, she said, “They were like Joan. They hated themselves—their lives, their poverty, their ineffectuality.” Like my parents. “It made them crazy.” She yearned with pity for the people who had done this to Covenant.
“I suppose so,” Dr. Berenford sighed. “It wouldn’t be the first time.” Then he resumed, “Anyway, I left Mrs. Jason in Emergency and got the Sheriff. He didn’t exactly believe me—but he came out to Haven Farm anyway. We found Joan. She was asleep in the house. When we woke her up, she didn’t remember a thing. But she looked like she had her mind back. I couldn’t tell. At least she wasn’t violent anymore.
“I made the Sheriff take her to the hospital. Then I came looking for you.”
Again he swallowed at his distress. “I didn’t want him with me. I didn’t want him to think you were responsible for this.”
At that, she looked toward him in wonder. His concern for her—his desire to spare her the conclusions which the Sheriff might draw from finding her alone with Covenant’s body—touched the spring of something new in her; and it opened as if it were blossoming. His face had sagged under the weight of his baffled care: he appeared reluctant to meet her gaze. But he was a good man; and when she looked at him she saw that Covenant’s spirit was not dead. Without knowing it, he showed her the one true way to say Farewell.
She placed her hand on his shoulder. Softly she said, “Don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known what would happen. And he got what he wanted most. He made himself innocent.” Then she leaned on him so that she could rise to her feet The sunlight felt warm and kind to her weariness. Above the bare slopes of the hollow stood trees wreathed in the new green of spring, buoyant, ineffable, and clean. In this world also there was health to be served, hurts to be healed.
When the older man joined her, she said, “Come on. We’ve got work to do. Mrs. Jason and her kids weren’t the only ones. We have a lot more burned hands to take care of.”
After a moment, Dr. Berenford nodded. “I’ll tell the Sheriff where to find him. At least we can make sure he gets a decent burial.”
“Yes,” she answered. The sun filled her eyes with brightness. Together she and her companion started up the barren hillside toward the trees.
With her right hand. Linden Avery kept a sure hold on her wedding ring.
Here ends
“The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.”
GLOSSARY:
ak-Haru: a supreme Haruchai honorific
aliantha: treasure-berries
Amith: a woman of Crystal Stonedown
Anchormaster: second-in-command aboard a Giantship
Andelain, the Hills of: a region of the Land free of the Sunbane
Appointed, the: an Elohim chosen to bear a particular burden; Findail
Arch of Time, the: symbol of the existence and structure of time
arghule/arghuleh: ferocious ice-beasts
Atiaran: former woman of Mithil Stonedown; mother of Lena
Bahgoon: character in a Giantish tale
Banefire, the: fire by which the Clave wields the Sunbane
Bannor: former Bloodguard Berek
Berek Halfhand: ancient hero; the Lord-Fatherer
Bern: Haruchai lost to the Clave Bhrathair, the: a people who live on the v
erge of the Great Desert
Bhrathairealm: the land of the Bhrathair
Bloodguard: former servants/defenders of the Council of Lords
Brinn: Haruchai; former protector of Covenant, now Guardian of the
One Tree
caamora: Giantish ordeal of grief by fire
Cable Seadreamer: a Giant; member of the Search; brother of Honninscrave; possessed by the Earth-Sight; slain at the One Tree
Caer-Caveral: Forestal of Andelain; formerly Hile Troy
Caerroil Wildwood: former Forestal of Garroting Deep
Cail: Haruchai; former protector of Linden Avery; now protector of Covenant
Cavewights: evil earth-delving creatures living within Mount Thunder
Ceer: Haruchai; slain in Bhrathairealm
Celebration of Spring, the: the Dance of the Wraiths of Andelain on the dark of the moon in the middle night of spring
Center Plains, the: a region of the Land
Chant: one of the Elohim
Chosen, the: title given to Linden Avery
clachan, the: demesne of the Elohim
Clave, the: the rulers of the Land
Coercri: The Grieve; former home of the Giants in Seareach
Colossus of the Fall, the: ancient stone figure formerly guarding the Upper Land
Corruption: Haruchai name for Lord Foul
Council of Lords: former rulers of the Land
Courser: beast of transport made by the Clave by the power of the Sunbane
croyel: mysterious creatures which bargain for power
Crystal Stonedown: village of the Land; home of Hollian
Dancers of the Sea, the: merewives
Daphin: one of the Elohim
Dawngreeter: highest sail on the foremast of a Giantship
Dead, the: specters of those who have died
Defiles Course: a river of the Land
Demondim, the: makers of ur-viles and Waynhim
Demondim-spawn: Vain
Despiser, the: Lord Foul
Despite: evil
dhurng: a Waynhim
diamondraught: Giantish liquor
Dolewind, the: wind blowing to the Soulbiter
dromond: a Giantship
Drool Rockworm: former Cavewight
During Stonedown: home of Hamako; former village destroyed by the Grim
Durris: Haruchai
Earthfriend: title given to Berek Halfhand, then to Covenant
Earthpower, the: source of all power in the Land
Earth-Sight: Giantish ability to perceive distant dangers and needs
eh-Brand: one who can use wood to read the Sunbane; Hollian
Elemesnedene: home of the Elohim
Elena: former High Lord; daughter of Lena and Covenant
Elohim, the: a faery people first met by the wandering Giants
Enemy: Lord Foul’s term of reference for the Creator
Far Woodhelven: a village of the Land
Findail: one of the Elohim; the Appointed
Fire-Lions: fire-flow of Mount Thunder
First of the Search, the: leader of the Giants who follow the Earth-Sight
Fleshharrower: former Giant-Raver; moksha Jehannum
Foamkite: tyrscull belonging to Honninscrave and Seadreamer
Fole: Haruchai
Forestal: a protector of the forests of the Land
Foul’s Creche: the Despiser’s former home; destroyed by Covenant
Furl Falls: waterfall at Revelstone
Gallows Howe: place of execution in Garroting Deep
Garroting Deep: a former forest of the Land
ghramin: a Waynhim
Giants: a seafaring people of the Earth
Giantclave: Giantish conference
Giantfriend: title given to Covenant
Giantship: stone sailing vessel made by Giants Giant
Woods: a forest of the Land
Gibbon: the na-Mhoram; leader of the Clave
Gilden: a maple-like tree with golden leaves
Glimmermere: a lake on the upland above Revelstone
Gossamer Glowlimn: a Giant; the First of the Search
Graveler: one who uses stone to wield the Sunbane; Sunder
graveling: fire-stones
Gravin Threndor: Mount Thunder
Great Desert, the: a region of the Earth; home of the Bhrathair and the Sandgorgons
Great Swamp, the: a region of the Land
Grey River, the: a river of the Land
Grieve, The: Coercri
Grim, the: destructive storm sent as a curse by the Clave
Grimmand Honninscrave: a Giant; Master of Starfare’s Gem; member of the Search; brother of Cable Seadreamer
Guardian of the One Tree, the: mystical figure warding the approach to the One Tree; also ak-Haru Kenaustin Ardenol
Halfhand: title given to Covenant as well as to Berek
Hall of Gifts, the: large chamber in Revelstone devoted to artworks of the Land
Hamako: former Stonedownor adopted by Waynhim
Harn: Haruchai; protector of Hollian
Haruchai, the: a people who live in the Westron Mountains
Hearthcoal: a Giant; cook of Starfare’s Gem; wife of Seasauce
Heft Galewrath: a Giant; Storesmaster of Starfare’s Gem
Herem: a Raver
Hergrom: Haruchai; slain in Bhrathairealm
High Lord: former leader of the Council of Lords
Hile Troy: a man formerly from Covenant’s world who became a Forestal
Hollian: daughter of Amith; eh-Brand formerly of Crystal Stonedown
Home: homeland of the Giants
Hotash Slay: flow of lava formerly protecting Foul’s Creche
Illearth Stone, the: green stone; a source of evil power
Illender: title given to Covenant
Infelice: reigning leader of the Elohim
Isle of the One Tree, the: location of the One Tree
Jehannum: a Raver; also known as moksha
jheherrin; living by-products of Lord Foul’s misshaping
Kalina: wife of Nassic; mother of Sunder; former woman of Mithil Stonedown
Kasreyn of the Gyre: a thaumaturge; former power in Bhrathairealm
Kastenessen: one of the Elohim; former Appointed
Keep of the na-Mhoram: Revelstone
Kemper, the: chief minister of Bhrathairealm; Kasreyn
Kemper’s Pitch: highest level of the Sandhold
Kenaustin Ardenol: a figure of Haruchai legend; paragon and measure of all Haruchai virtues
Kevin Landwaster: son of Loric; former Lord; enactor of the Ritual of Desecration
Kevin’s Watch: mountain lookout near Mithil Stonedown
Kiril Threndor: Heart of Thunder; chamber of power within Mount Thunder
krill, the: knife of power formed by Loric
Land, the: a focal region of the Earth
Landsdrop: great cliff separating the Upper and Lower Lands
Landsverge Stonedown: a village of the Land
Landwaster: title given to Kevin
Law, the: the natural order
Law of Death, the: separation of the living from the dead
Law of Life, the: separation of the dead from the living
Lena: former woman of Mithil Stonedown; daughter of Atiaran; mother of Elena
lianar: wood of power used by an eh-Brand
Lord-Fatherer, the: title given to Berek
Lord Foul: the Despiser
Lords, the: former rulers of the Land
Lord’s Keep: Revelstone
Loric Vilesilencer: son of Damelon; father of Kevin; former Highy
Lord Lower Land, the: region east of Landsdrop
lurker of the Sarangrave: a swamp-monster
Marid: a man of Mithil Stonedown; Sunbane victim
Master: Clave-name for Lord Foul
Master, the: captain of a Giantship
master-rukh: iron triangle in Revelstone which feeds and reads all other rukhs
Memla: a former Rider of the Clave
merewives: the Dancers of the Sea
metheglin: a beverage; mead
Mhoram: former High Lord
Mistweave: a Giant
Mithil River: a river of the Land
Mithil Stonedown: a village of the Land
moksha: a Raver; also known as Jehannum
Mount Thunder; a peak at the center of Landsdrop
na-Mhoram, the: leader of the Clave
na-Mhoram-in: highest rank of the Clave
na-Mhoram-wist: middle rank of the Clave
Nassic: a former man of Mithil Stonedown; father of Sunder, inheritor of the Unfettered One’s mission to welcome Covenant
Nicor: great sea-monsters; said to be offspring of the Worm of the World’s End
Nom: a Sandgorgon
North Plains, the: a region of the Land
Northron Climbs, the: a region of the Land
Old Lords, the: the Lords of the Land prior to the Ritual of Desecration
One Forest, the: ancient sentient forest which once covered most of the Land
One Tree, the: mystic tree from which the Staff of Law was made
orcrest: Sunstone; a stone of power, used by a Graveler
pitchbrew: a beverage combining diamondraught and vitrim, conceived by Pitchwife
Pitchwife: a Giant; member of the Search; husband of Gossamer Glowlimn
Prover of Life: title given to Covenant
Pure One, the: redemptive figure of jheherrin legend; Saltheart Foamfollower
Ramen: a people of the Land; tenders of the Ranyhyn
Ranyhyn: the great horses; formerly inhabited the Plains of Ra
Ravers: Lord Foul’s three ancient servants
Rawedge Rim, the: mountains around Elemesnedene
Reader: a member of the Clave who tends and uses the master-rukh
Revelstone: mountain-city of the Clave
rhysh: a community of Waynhim
rhyshyshim: a gathering of rhysh; a place in which such gathering occurs