Eyes of the Alchemist (23 page)

The northern lands were sparsely wooded, but it was tough, hilly country. Tenacious shrubs and grasses clung to the rocky hills and dales, which attracted grazing animals and game. Streams pounded down the hills, filled the lakes and fed the marshlands. Fresh water fish were in abundance.

Half of the seasons were spent in darkness and snow, the other half in constant light, when biting insects made a meal of any exposed flesh. When the rift was joined and the wobble on the axis corrected, the days and nights would be uniform with the rest of the world. His people would have a lot of adjusting to do over the next few generations. 

The population of North Cabrilan consisted of wild clans who constantly warred with each other. The main task of his troopers was to keep the clans under control and act as mediators in disputes. Out of need, several of the troopers had married into the clans, which was making integration easier. He grinned at the thought of the fastidious Javros at the mercy of the tough, northern women. Most of them smelled of the animal fat they used to keep out the cold. “His mother will complain.”

“Not if the alternative’s execution. She wouldn’t dare.”

“See to it, Torma. Make sure Javros understands that his reprieve is due entirely to the intervention of Tiana.”

Torma grinned. “He already wears his heart on his sleeve for her.”

 “He and several others, I suspect.”

Torma gazed out of the window with a show of nonchalance. “How long are you going to leave her up there without food and warm clothing?”

“Once she comes to her senses she’ll be down. She’ll receive no help this time. I’ve recalled the wishing dish and the watchers have gone to ground and won’t emerge until spring. She must learn to heed me.”

Torma nodded. “What about the alchemist’s spirit?”

“He’s in the chimera world with his new apprentice for company.” He slanted a smile at Torma. “The only companions Tiana will have are the remains of the alchemist and the apprentice youth who was entombed with him.”

“Neither of whom will be of much company.”

“My guess is she’ll only stick it out for the night.” Which was a pity, because Tiana had been a delightful surprise the night before and he’d been looking forward to many such loving interludes. Still, he thought, not having her available would enable him to concentrate on the task at hand.

Later, he was glad of it because he found a flaw in his calculations that could have been catastrophic if left uncorrected.

Two days later, after working non-stop without sleep Kavan wearily trained the telescope on the fall. Preoccupied with the mathematics of the joining of the rift, he hadn’t noticed it had frozen solid.

Worry pricked at him as he ran his hand over the stubble on his chin. If Tiana was sealed inside the cave she’d run out of air. She’d already been punished too long. Raising the meditation tablet he settled himself and concentrated on the icy curtain. At first, it was hard to penetrate, and then he discovered a weakness at one side and managed to gain access.

 The cave was dark except for the glow from the tomb. Right at the back a small figure huddled against the alchemist’s tomb, as if seeking comfort. His heart flew into his throat.

“Tiana?”

Her head lifted. “Kavan . . . I’m so cold.” 

“There’s a weakness in the ice that you can break through. Come down. I promise I won’t punish you.”

“I’m too weak from lack of air to summon up the energy and my muscles are too numb from the cold to carry me. The spirit has rendered me near to death.”

Fear speared through him. “Why would the spirit of the alchemist want to harm you?”

“The spirit isn’t the alchemist. He’s the apprentice, Finn. He lives through the alchemist’s eyes, which he stole from the body.”

“Are they the eyes I seek?

“Aye, and without them he’ll die.”

“With them he’ll also die - as will we all.”

“No, Lord. He intends to possess the body of Santo and travel to other worlds, leaving us to perish.”

 Kavan swore. “This Finn seeks to take the place of the god-child and rule the universe, then.”

She fell silent.

“Tiana?”

She didn’t answer, and he sensed her life-thread was so fatigued that it hardly registered.

“Tiana,” he said again, his voice almost a sob.

She still didn’t answer.

Breaking the link, he drew the wishing dish towards him and sent a warm, fur cloak to cover her body. If the air in the cave had not been so depleted he’d have sent a fire to heat her as well.

Grabbing up his cloak, his sword and a couple of axes he shouted to his bodyguard, “Seek out Torma. Tell him I’ve gone to the alchemist’s tomb. I want a warm bed prepared for my lady, and a physician standing by on my return. See to it.”

He took off at a run and didn’t stop until he stood beneath
The
High Place.
The hill towered over him. Snow capped its peak and the slope was in shadow. The fall was a sculpture of suspended motion, the lake an icy sheet, the ledge a slippery and dangerous step that would take slow and careful negotiation. The quickest route was to make footholds and to climb the frozen fall.

The spirit had threatened him with death if he set foot on the place again. He should have realized the true alchemist would not have flown into a fury over a solved enigma. So be it, he thought grimly as he headed across the ice. He’d rather be dead than live without Tiana.

Halfway across he noticed something large and dark gliding under the frozen surface. Cracks starred the ice in front of him and a hole opened. As he backed away a dark head reared through, its slimy, open mouth displaying jaws of pointed teeth.

 “Banefire!” he yelled when the giant eel wrapped its length around his body.

Kavan struggled for breath when the eel’s coils tightened around his chest.

He fought to free an arm. If he could get loose he’d have to hack his way free of the creature’s coils. It was a risk, because once penetrated the skin of a sacred eel released deadly toxins. If the toxins rendered him comatose he’d fall through the ice and drown. At the moment, his heels couldn’t get a grip on the slippery surface and he was being pulled inexorably towards the hole.

The eels didn’t normally reach the size of this one and they hated light. They were usually confined to the forest bogs but how this one came to be in the lake didn’t take much working out. He wondered what other traps Finn had set for him whilst he strained to reach the axe in his belt.

Something roared past his head and exploded against one of the eel’s coils. It reared and relaxed its grip. Flicked aside, Kavan slithered at speed across the lake on his back. Some hero, he thought when he slammed hard against a pair of trooper’s boots. At this rate Tiana would never be rescued.

Torma grinned down at him and extended a helping hand. “Indulging in a spot of eel wrestling, Lord?”

“Could be,” Kavan grunted, “And if word gets out I’ll pull your miserable tongue out by the roots.” He slapped Torma on the shoulder and grinned. “Thanks.”

Torma hefted the stun gun from one hand to the other. “Handy little weapon. Why were they shelved?”

 Kavan grimaced. “They weren’t. Pannis was ordered to destroy them. They’re air-polluting relics from the past and employ the same unstable technology that caused the rift. Prolonged exposure to the emissions causes a disease of the genes. It decimated our early ancestors and several generations of descendants. Besides which, they’ve got a nasty habit of exploding unexpectedly when discharged.”

He grinned when Torma shoved it in his belt. “Watch you don’t end up a eunuch.”

Hastily, Torma palmed the weapon again. “How do you intend to gain access to the cave?”

“Straight up the fall.” He set off over the ice again, brandishing the axes. “I don’t think there’s a second beastie. To be on the safe side, you take the ridge. That way you can watch my back and keep an eye out for nasty surprises.”

Hand over hand Kavan progressed up the fall. By burying the axes in the ice he was able to use the handles to pull himself up. The exercise was exhilarating and set his blood pumping.

Torma skirted the lake then climbed the hill and picked his way carefully along the ridge that the fleet-footed Tiana had taken with the ease of familiarity.

By the time Torma joined him, Kavan was spread-eagled against the ice, his feet balanced in two footholds. Using both axes in tandem he chipped away at the weakness. His muscles worked smoothly, each blow sending shards of ice flying over his head.

“Close your eyes,” Torma said, “I can see the darkness of a tunnel behind the ice and should be able to blast it open with the stunner.”

Kavan had hardly closed them when a hissing blast and a blaze of heat hit him. White light filled the air and the surface under his feet began to shift and slush over. He cursed as his feet slid from under him. The ice was becoming water again.

Torma cursed louder and grabbed at his wrist. Dragged up through the current, Kavan was gasping from the icy force of the water when he finally got a finger-hold on the ledge. He clung to the ledge for a few minitix, and then hauled himself up and spluttered. “By my beard! I don’t know who’s proving to be the biggest liability, you with the stunner or Finn with his traps.”

Torma gave him a shamefaced grin,

Ordering Torma to wait outside, Kavan scrambled through the tunnel and into the cave. He’d taken but a few steps when instinct brought him to a halt. His sword sang and began to glow when he drew it from its scabbard.

Surprised by the phenomenon he nearly dropped the weapon. It must have been enchanted by the alchemist’s essence. Using its light his glance probed ahead. An arm’s length away a pit yawned. He gazed to the bottom, shuddering when needle-sharp points glinted. His face darkened when it occurred to him that his lady might have wandered into the trap.

“Tiana?” He called softly, but received no answer. At the back of the cave a huddled form emitted a faint glow. No more traps were sprung in his cautious journey to her side.

He gathered her up in his arms and sensing the life force inside her was almost extinct, he whispered. “Tiana, my own dear love.” Hugging her against his body he gently rocked her back and forth, breathing warm air through her frozen lips into her lungs. He kissed her sweet lips, her eyelids and her shorn hair, mourning its loss and mentally berating himself for treating her so cruelly.

Her eyes opened a chink and she made a tiny, protesting sound, so slight he had to place his ear against her mouth. There came another faint wisp of sound.

“Barbarian . . .you cut off my hair.”

“You have my permission to grow it again, Lady.”

She muttered something that sounded very much like a threat.
He threw back his head and laughed, but more with relief than amusement. In one fluid motion he rose to his feet and flopped her over his shoulder
.
Her hands pounded a feeble protest on his buttocks.

“That’s right, you fight me, my Tiana. It will help to keep you warm.”

* * * *

First there was hot broth, spooned carefully into her mouth by Athene. When Tiana would have pushed it aside Kavan took over the task.

“You’ll swallow every drop else I’ll hold your nose and pour it down your throat.”

She’d begun to learn that many of Kavan’s threats were empty. “You would not do such a thing.”

“Try me.”

The tone of his voice warned her he meant it. Her emotions plunged. “I’m not hungry, I just want to sleep.”

“After the broth you can sleep.”

Close to tears now, she turned her head away.

“Drink it for me, Tiana.”

 She had never thought to hear Kavan coax so prettily. “Why should I?” She knew she was being childish but she couldn’t help herself when she much preferred his arrogance. Her whole body ached from her ordeal, and it was his stubborn fault.

 The words creamed against her ear. “Because . . . I love you.”

The catch in his voice made her turn to stare at him. The expression on his face and in his eyes had not changed one iota. She must be hearing things! When he put the spoon against her lips she automatically opened her mouth and swallowed, all the time staring at him, waiting for the words to be repeated. Another spoonful followed, then another. Soon, the bowl was empty.

He smiled and kissed her on the end of the nose. “Now you can sleep.”

Such a silly, tender little gesture and it brought a lump rushing to her throat and tears to her eyes. What was wrong with her that she should feel so weepy? “Kavan?” she said tentatively, then hesitated when his purple eyes quizzed her. She could see herself reflected in their liquid depths. How could she ask him if he’d said those words? He’d laugh. A man like him would scorn such sweet phrases of love. Crossly, she said. “I don’t feel like sleeping now,” and turned her face into the pillow.

He turned her back and drew her into his arms. Cradled against his chest she saw Athene smile and creep from the room. His fingers stroked soothingly through her hair and his heart beat softly against her ear. Funny how safe she felt, how warm and contented. She yawned, cuddled closer against him and closed her eyes . . . she’d rest just for a little while . . .

* * * *

A smile edged across Kavan’s face when he lowered her to the pillow. The narcotic in the broth had worked quickly. If the physician spoke the truth Tiana would sleep until the morrow, giving him time to figure out how to enter the chimera world to go after Finn and the eyes.

He’d need to go into the great library of the alchemist first. It was sealed, but there was a secret way in. The entrance was in the cave that guarded the portal. It was a tortuous tunnel of some length that took time to negotiate – time he couldn’t afford.

He could always order the seal to be broken, he mused. It would mean calling a meeting of the council. Then he remembered most of the council members had been traitors and were now dead. He picked up an axe. He would act on his own initiative in this.