Lyra: Caught In Crystal Part 7

aI would rather keep the children with me,a Kayl said. aAnd Iad like to know why Iave been called here.a aI believe it has something to do with checking some old records,a the woman said. aI donat think these two would find it very interesting, do you?a aChecking records?a Kayl asked. aAre you sure? The message sounded more urgent than that, and besides, Iam no scholar.a aIam sure it will all be explained to you. Itas the second door from the end, remember; make yourself comfortable while you wait.a The woman nodded a farewell at Kayl and guided the children out of the courtyard.

Kayl let them go, though she felt uneasy about the whole situation. She told herself not to be foolish; she was simply overreacting to this highhanded rearranging of her plans for the day. She would have a few things to say to Dalessi or Corrana or whoever had summoned her so peremptorily. Frowning, she went into the main building, through the atrium, and down the hall. She paused before the second door from the end, then entered without knocking.

The room was quite small; the two wooden chairs and bra.s.s brazier were almost the limit of the furnis.h.i.+ngs it could comfortably hold. A wide band of brown and cream tile circled the walls at shoulder height. On the opposite side of the room, a small woman in a light gray robe stood with her back to Kayl, staring out the window into the inner courtyard. Her dark hair was pulled back into a smooth, tight k.n.o.b at the nape of her neck.

At the sound of the door closing, the woman turned. Her eyes widened and she took a step forward. aKayl!a aBarthelmy?a Kayl said incredulously.

aWho else?a Barthelmy hesitated a moment more, then ran across the room and threw her arms around Kayl. aOh, Kayl, itas so good to see you!a Kayl returned the hug and felt a knot of tension dissolving in her mind. Tears stung her eyes. She released Barthelmy and stood looking down at her for a moment, then grinned.

aWhatas funny?a Barthelmy said, sniffling above her own smile.

aYour hairas coming down.a aBlast. I should have known better, but Cera was awfully persuasive.a Barthelmy frowned, then reached back and rummaged in her k.n.o.b of hair with her fingers. A moment later she shook her head, sending the ma.s.s of black hair flying in all directions.

aNow I know itas you,a Kayl said. Her grin broadened as Barthelmy looked around for a place to put the pins that had held her hair in place. aLeave them on the window,a Kayl suggested.

Barthelmy nodded absently and crossed to the window. When she turned back, her face was grave. aKayl, Ia"Iam sorry about that last night,a she said with difficulty. aI wouldnat really have let them blame Glyndon and Kevran, you know.a aI know. I should have known then.a aWhy? You didnat expect the Elder Mothers to plan it, but they did. And the way I was talking, I sounded as if I agreed with them.a aWe were both tired and hurt and confused,a Kayl said. aDonat blame yourself.a aBut I do,a Barthelmy said quietly. aIf Iad kept my mouth shut, I might have persuaded you to stay here.a aMaybe,a Kayl said. She remembered Barthelmy saying in a hard voice, aThe Elder Mothers are right! Why not blame the Varnans?a Had that really been the final straw, the last betrayal that had made her flee the Sisterhood into fifteen years of exile? Kayl shook her head uncertainly. aI donat know. I think I would have gone anyway. It would have been a little harder to leave, thatas all.a Barthelmy did not look convinced, but she did not pursue the subject. She motioned Kayl to one of the chairs and took the other herself, then said, aWhat did you do? After you wrote all those letters, I mean.a aI left Kith Alunel with Glyndon and Kevran. They were going to go back to Varna to see if there was a way of stopping Glyndonas visions.a Kayl smiled reminiscently. aKevran and I sort of got sidetracked along the way.a aI suppose thatas one way of putting it,a Barthelmy said with a grin. aBut why didnat you ever send word back?a aAfter the scene I made when I left? And then marrying a Varnan wizard? It would just have stirred everyone up again.a aIt might have been good for them.a aPossibly. But at first I didnat want to take the chance, and latera later I had other things to worry about.a Barthelmy nodded sagely. aTwo children, Corrana said.a aTwo children and an inn. Thatas enough to keep anyone busy!a aI wish I could have seen it,a Barthelmy said.

aIam surprised you didnat. Or is there some special reason the Elder Mothers sent Corrana looking for me, instead of sending you?a aDidnat Corrana tell you?a Barthelmy said, frowning.

aApparently not. She wasnat exactly forthcoming about anything, frankly.a aOh. Well, the Elder Mothers wouldnat let me go out to look for you because we were at the Twisted Tower together. They think we know more about it than we told them, and theyare sure it has something to do with the problems the Sisterhood has been having with magic. Theyave been being very careful and secretive with everyone involved. Iam surprised they put us in the same room to wait for the Council meeting.a Kayl stared, then slowly shook her head. aBarthelmy, I didnat get more than a third of that. And whatas this about a Council meeting? Mother Dalessi said that wasnat for another two days!a aElder Mother Dalessi,a Barthelmy corrected. aYouave seen her? Thatas why they moved the meeting up, then.a Barthelmy nodded in satisfaction. aI was wondering.a Kayl took a deep breath. aBarthelmy, if I donat get an explanation of all this, and get it right now, Iam going to shake you until your teeth rattle.a Barthelmy grinned, and for a moment looked exactly like the impish girl Kayl remembered. aAll right, then, but itall take awhile.a aIave got time,a Kayl said, and leaned back in the chair.

aThe main problem,a Barthelmy began, ais the magic. The Elder Mothers noticed it first, about twelve years ago, as a kind of shadow interfering with their far-seeing. No one could discover a reason for it, no matter how subtle the spells they used. It was just a puzzle, at first, nothing serious. But it kept getting worse.

aIt started affecting more spells, not just the complicated ones the Elder Mothers use. It was very slow; it took almost five years to be a problem with anything really important. The Elder Mothers discussed it thoroughlya"you know how long that takesa"a Kay snorted.

aa"and eventually they decided to do a joint spell, with all the Elder Mothers cooperating.a aAll of them?a Kayl had never heard of more than sixteen Elder Mothers working together on a single spell, and that had been to counter the Varnansa magic during the Wizardas War.

aAll of them. They sent messengers all over the Alliance, even to the tiniest Star Halls.a Barthelmy shook her head, remembering. aI donat think thereas been a spell-casting like it since before the Wars of Binding, but it didnat work. The shadow or the interference or whatever it is was as bad as ever. And the thing hit back. Twenty of the Elder Mothers died before they could break out of the linkage, and all the others were sick for days.a aTwenty dead!a Kayl swallowed. aDid I know any of them?a aAnaya and Saret and Pa.s.salessa, I think. The thing killed mainly the oldest of the Elder Mothers.a Something in Barthelmyas tone made Kayl frown and ask, aBarthelmya when you say athe thing,a you donat meanaa Kayl let her voice trail off without finis.h.i.+ng the question.

Barthelmy looked away and swallowed hard. aThey brought me to look at some of the bodies, to make sure. They were just like the ones we pulled out of the Twisted Tower.a aThatas impossible!a aI saw them!a Barthelmy snapped. aDonat tell me itas impossible!a aIam sorry,a Kayl said.

aAll right, then. When the rest of the Elder Mothers recovered, they held a meeting and decided to send another expedition to the Tower.a aAnd Varna cooperated?a aThey didnat have to; the Alliance had settled the dispute by then. The Elder Mothers didnat have to worry about starting a war if there were no Varnans with them. They were very careful about everything else, though. They spent a long time choosing people and training them and so on. And they didnat go inside at all.a aThen what were they supposed to do?a aCheck to make sure the place was still sealed. And it was. They couldnat get even a whisper of a spell past the door, and they couldnat detect the smallest trace of magic leaking out. So they came back. That was about five years ago.a Kayl frowned. aI suppose thatas when they came looking for me. But why did it take five years for them to find me? I wasnat trying that hard to cover my trail.a aNo, they didnat start looking for you until last year. Iall get to that in a minute.a aAll right. Whatas been happening since this expedition?a aNothing,a Barthelmy said. aThat is, the interference with magic has gotten worse, but no faster or slower than before.a aHow bad is it now?a aNo one dares to do any but the simplest spells anymore, wardings and short-range seeking spells and so on.a aI can see why Corrana wouldnat want to say anything about that,a Kayl said. aIam surprised Glyndon didnat mention it, though. We traveled together from Copeham,a she added in response to Barthelmyas look of surprise. aAnd if something were interfering with magic, a Varnan wizard certainly ought to know of it.a aThereas no problem with most kinds of magic,a Barthelmy said. aOnly with the magic of the Sisterhood.a aWhat?a aThe shadow falls only on us,a Barthelmy repeated.

aAnd the Elder Mothers have decided it has something to do with the Twisted Tower.a aNot at first. When the expedition five years ago reported that there was no trace of magic coming out of the Twisted Tower, the Elder Mothers decided the problems with their magic must be caused by something else. Or someone else.a aMagicseekers?a Barthelmy nodded. aThe Circle of Silence may not be behind this, but theyare certainly doing all they can to take advantage of it.a aThat figures.a aUntil last year, the Elder Mothers were sure the Circle was causing the problem. Then one of the merchants in the Old Town found a cache of old scrolls sealed up in the wall of a building she was tearing down. There was a complete copy of the Book of the Seven Wizards, and one or two of the others seem to date from before the Times of Darkness. The merchantas daughter is one of us, a sorceress called Halisor, and something of a scholar. So the merchant got her to take a look at the find.a aAnd?a Kayl prompted.

aAnd one of the scrolls had a lot of information about the Twisted Tower in it. Itas a diary or a memoir of some kind, written by someone whose grandfather had actually been there. Thatas when the Elder Mothers decided the Tower had something to do with the problems the Sisterhoodas been having with magic.a aWhat did the scroll say about the Tower?a aI donat know.a Barthelmy looked away from Kaylas incredulous stare. aOnly the Elder Mothers have read the scroll; itas been kept secret from almost everyone else.a aYou must have some ideas, especially if this scroll is what started them looking for me again.a Barthelmy shook her head. aThey donat trust me.a Kayl blinked. She opened her mouth, then closed it without speaking. Finally she said baldly, aWhy not?a aPartly because Iam the only spell-caster in the Sisterhood who doesnat seem to be affected by the shadow,a Barthelmy said, not looking at Kayl.

aBarthelmyaa Kayl did not know what to say. No wonder her friend seemed more subdued than Kayl remembered!

There couldnat be a sorceress in the Sisterhood who didnat at least resent Barthelmyas unique power; many must be actively hostile and suspicious. It was a painful position for someone who cared as much about the Sisterhood as Barthelmy did; words seemed an inadequate comfort.

aThey also seem to think you and I ought to know some of the things they found in that scroll,a Barthelmy went on hurriedly, as if to avoid discussing the implications of her magical ability. Kayl took the hint and nodded; Barthelmy continued with less urgency. aSince we never mentioned them, some of the Elder Mothers donat trust us. Either of us.a aI see,a Kayl said grimly. This explained Corranaas secretiveness and Dalessias cryptic hints. aAnd when the Elder Mothers found out Iad been talking to Dalessi yesterdaya"a aThey moved their Council meeting up two days, so you wouldnat have time to do anything if you really were working against the Sisterhood.a aWhy didnat they just put both of us under guard the minute I arrived?a Kayl said sarcastically. aIt would seem to make as much sense.a Barthelmy shook her head. aThey donat all think weare against them. Dalessi doesnat, and there are others who believe us.a aAnd there are some who think weare no better than the Circle of Silence, arenat there?a Reluctantly, Barthelmy nodded.

aIn that case, I donat see any reason for me to stay.a Kayl rose as she spoke. She was tired of being lied to and manipulated, and angry as much on Barthelmyas behalf as her own.

aYou canat just leave!a Barthelmy cried.

aWhy not?a aKayl, please! We need you.a aCorrana said something like that, too, but she never really explained. How can the Sisterhood aneeda someone theyare half-convinced is an enemy?a aThe Elder Mothers are going to send another expedition to the Tower. Theyare desperate, Kayl! This time theyall be going inside. They want both of us to go along, if they can be convinced that we arenat enemies of the Sisterhood. Weare the only ones whoave ever been inside the Twisted Tower; they need our knowledge.a aWhy should I try to convince the Elder Mothers of anything?a Kayl said angrily. aI donat want to go anywhere near that tower! It wasnat even my idea to leave Copeham.a aBut the Sisterhood needsa"a aIam not a member of the Sisterhood anymore, Barthelmy. If the Elder Mothers want something from me, they can send someone by the inn with a full explanation. But I donat promise to listen.a Kayl pulled the door open with a jerk and went through it, then paused just outside the room. aGood-bye, Barthelmy. I hope weall see each other again under better circ.u.mstances.a She swung the door shut on Barthelmyas cry of protest.

CHAPTER.

SIXTEEN.

Kayl was three strides down the hallway when the door flew open again and Barthelmy came flying out like a small whirlwind. She grabbed Kaylas arm, forcing her to stop, and said, aKayl, you canat!a aNo? Watch me.a Kayl shook herself free and turned away.

aYouare doing just what you did the last time, and itas just as big a mistake!a Barthelmy cried in exasperation. aHavenat you learned anything in fifteen years?a Kayl stopped. aWhat do you mean?a aYouare furious with the whole Sisterhood, so youare storming off without thinking,a Barthelmy said bluntly. aOh, itas a fine show of righteous indignation, but all youall succeed in doing is to convince the Elder Mothers that you really are against them. And once youave done it, you wonat back down, and they wonat apologize, and youall never get the misunderstanding straightened out.a aMisunderstanding?a Kayl snorted. aHardly.a aHow do you know, if you donat give anyone a chance to explain?a aTheyave had plenty of chances. Particularly Corrana.a Kayl made her voice hard, but an inner voice reminded her that Corrana had told Kayl her true name. It was a profound gesture of trust; Corrana, at least, must not believe that Kayl was an enemy.

aThen stay and tell them why theyare wrong. You wonat convince anyone of anything by running off again.a Kayl hesitated. Her anger still simmered strongly, but it was no longer the boiling rage and hurt that had driven her out of the room. And despite herself, Kayl recognized the truth in Barthelmyas words. aWhere did you find out so much about me?a she said finally, in a voice that sounded sulky even to her own ears.

aIave had a long time to think about the way you left the Sisterhood,a Barthelmy said seriously.

Kayl nodded reluctantly. aI supposea"a A tall woman with the silver-blond hair and slanted green eyes of a Shee came around the corner behind Barthelmy and stopped short. Kayl broke off in midsentence, and Barthelmy turned. The Shee woman frowned slightly, which was as fl.u.s.tered as Kayl had ever seen a Shee get, and said to Barthelmy, aYour Virtue, I had expected to find you in the first waiting room. Alone.a aYour pardon, Mother Lorea, but I was not told that I was to be isolated,a Barthelmy said.

aI mistook the directions I was given,a Kayl put in. aBarthelmy came out here to set me straight.a aIndeed.a Mother Lorea studied Kayl for a moment. aYou must be Kayl Larrinar, formerly a warrior of the Sisterhood.a aI am.a The Shee woman looked from Kayl to Barthelmy and back in cool appraisal. aCome with me, then, both of you.a Barthelmy gave Kayl a sidelong, questioning look. Kayl hesitated, then nodded. Barthelmy was right; she should not make impulsive gestures that it would be impossible to back away from. As she fell into step beside Barthelmy, she berated herself for consistently overreacting to the Sisterhood. She seemed to s.h.i.+ft from longing for them to wis.h.i.+ng never to see a Silver Sister again. She hadnat felt so off-balance since her training years.

The Shee Mother turned down a narrow hall whose floor was covered in deep blue mosaic. Kayl stared down at the tiles as she walked, forcing her emotions back under control. Pretend this is a meeting with Islorranas caretakers about a new tax, she told herself. It wouldnat be pleasant, and she was certain to disagree with most of what was said, but Kayl had learned over the years that she could find out a good deal about Islorranas true intentions if she listened calmly and patiently and did not commit herself during the meetings.

Kayl smiled suddenly at the image of Islorranas servants in the silver robes of Elder Mothers. She felt better now that she had decided what she was going to do and how. She looked up and found Barthelmy watching her with eyes full of concern.

aIall be all right,a Kayl whispered. Barthelmyas answering nod did not convey much conviction.

They reached one of the doors that led into the Court of Stars. Their guide entered without pausing to knock. Kayl followed the woman in, then stopped in the shadows to scan the courtyard. Her eyes widened in surprise.

The huge courtyard was over half-full. Elder Mothers in silver robes filled the ambulatory on three sides of the Court of Stars and spilled out between the slender columns into the roofless center of the Court. The fog of their breath hung above their heads in the wintry air. They must have come from every Star Hall in the Estarren Alliance, Kayl thought. Her eyes searched them, looking for Dalessi, but she was lost somewhere in the sea of silver.

The Court of Stars seemed strange and unfamiliar, and not simply because of the crowd. After a moment, Kayl decided it was because she had seldom seen it in daylight, and never in winter. She noted with detachment that the reflective pool in the middle of the Court was coated with ice; someone had swept the snow from it and from the flagstones that paved the courtyard.

The Shee woman motioned them forward. A rustle of surprise ran through the silver-robed women as Kayl and Barthelmy came into the open. A querulous voice from somewhere on Kaylas left said, aWhat is this, Lorea? We summoned only the Elder Sister; that other one was to wait.a aI found them together in the hallway, Your Serenity,a said the Shee woman who had brought Kayl and Barthelmy to the Court. aKayl Larrinar claims she was misdirected, and that Elder Sister Barthelmy was correcting her. Under the circ.u.mstances, I thought it better to bring them both to you.a aQuite so,a said a thin woman on the other side of the frozen pool. aAnd what does Elder Sister Barthelmy claim?a aI was certainly correcting Kayl,a Barthelmy said, and Kayl caught the faintest quiver of amus.e.m.e.nt in her voice.

aIs that all? You are sucha old friends.a The womanas voice was level, but the pause held a wealth of insinuation.

aIndeed we are,a Kayl put in smoothly. aAnd we had quite a lot of catching up to do. But I didnat think anyone else would be particularly interested in the details.a aPerhaps not,a the thin woman said. aWe, however, are.a aYou may be interested, Stennis, but some of us have more serious concerns,a another woman said. She looked a few years older than Kayl; a little young for an Elder Mother, but only a little. Her hair was a rich, dark brown. aIf theyave talked, theyave talked; itas too late to do anything about it now. I donat see any reason to waste time hearing about it.a aI hardly thinka"a aIad noticed.a aStennis! Javieri! Enough.a The speaker was a small, bright-eyed woman whose face was a ma.s.s of wrinkles beneath snow-white hair. aIt is time to proceed.a aVery well, Mika,a Stennis said stiffly.

Javieri nodded agreement; as her head came up, she winked at Kayl.

aThen I think you may go, Mother Lorea,a Elder Mother Mika said. aThank you for your service.a Lorea bowed and left. As the door closed behind the Shee woman, Mika swept the a.s.sembly with an imperious gaze. aAll three of the ones who have yet to speak to us are now present. I propose that we dispense with the separate questioning nonsense; itas a waste of effort and time, and at my age Iam not willing to waste either.a There was a murmur of amus.e.m.e.nt, but Stennis frowned. aYou arenat in charge of this meeting, Mika!a she said.

aSomeone ought to be, or weall never get anything done,a Mika retorted. aWhat say you, Sisters?a The discussion that followed was relatively brief. Kayl watched it with interest. She could see tempers fraying beneath the veneer of cordiality. The Elder Mothers were accustomed to working in much smaller groups, four or five to a Star Hall, where consensus was easier to reach. Dealing with so many equals had many of them slightly off-balance. They are a lot like Islorranas councilors, Kayl thought, and felt a touch of sadness.

In less than half an hour, the a.s.sembled Elder Mothers had agreed to let Mika order their meeting. aGood,a Mika said briskly when the decision had been reached at last. aWhereas the other Sister? Bring her out here and let us begin.a Kayl had time to wonder who the third person could be; then Corrana appeared out of the crowd on Kaylas right. Kayl nodded, half in greeting, half in sudden understanding. Corrana inclined her head to Kayl, then bowed to the Elder Mothers and came to stand beside Barthelmy.

aWe will begin with you, Elder Sister Corrana,a Mika decreed. aTell us your part in the search, and what you have learned. You will not be interrupted,a she added pointedly as Stennis stirred.

Stennis scowled but did not speak. Kayl saw the corners of Corranaas mouth quirk, and concluded that Corrana did not like Stennis much. Then Corrana bowed again and began.

aI am a sorceress and Elder Sister of the Star Hall of Kith Alunel. Six years ago, the shadow that stands between us and the stars first affected my spells. For three years I continued to work as best I could despite it; then I was forced to turn to scholars.h.i.+p to serve the Sisterhood, for my spells no longer had power. Yet I continued to practice them, hoping that a remedy for the shadow might be found.a Stennis stirred again, her expression a combination of boredom and irritation. Mika gave her a sidelong glance and she subsided.

aAmong the scholars was one called Halisor,a Corrana went on. aShe and I became friends. And when the ancient scrolls were found and brought to her, she asked me to help her unravel their intricacies. So I learned of the contents of the scroll that deals with the Twisted Tower. Because I knew, and because I had not completely abandoned the practice of magic, the Elder Mothers of Kith Alunel chose me as one of those they sent to seek Kayl Larrinar.

aThe Elder Mothers advised me to travel alone, and not to wear the robes of the Sisterhood past the borders of the Estarren Alliance. In this way, we sought to mislead the spies of the Circle of Silence. We succeeded only in part; the Circle is more active outside the Alliance than we knew.a A murmur of dismay rose from the listeners. Kayl s.h.i.+fted her weight and wrapped her cloak more tightly around her body. She was glad there was no wind in the courtyard; it was cold enough as it was. She wondered how the Elder Mothers managed.

Corrana waited until the murmur had died away before she continued. She skipped over much of her search for Kayl and went quickly on to her arrival in Copeham. She covered events from then on in great detail, including descriptions of Kaylas dealings with the villagers, her children, Utrilo Levoil, Bryn saMural, and Jirod. She spent several minutes on Glyndon shal Morag, reporting his visions, warnings, and behavior with scrupulous accuracy and careful neutrality.

Kayl was surprised and disturbed to discover just how much Corrana had noticed. Kayl mulled over the implications while Corrana summarized the escape from Copeham and the trip to Kith Alunel. Then the sorceress finished her tale, and for a moment the Court was silent.

aAn interesting narrative,a Stennis said coldly. Her narrow eyes s.h.i.+fted to Kayl. aWhat is your opinion of it, Your Justice?a Her voice held a sarcastic, mocking undercurrent, particularly on the last two words.

Kayl almost smiled. Stennis was very like Islorranas steward, though the steward had been far more blatant in his attempts to bludgeon Kayl into acting rashly. aI have no major disagreement with Elder Sister Corranaas account,a Kayl said calmly.

aIs that all you have to say?a aFor now, yes.a Stennis turned away, a baffled expression on her face. Other Elder Mothers began questioning Corrana about various details of her story, chiefly those regarding Glyndon or the Magicseekers. Mika let them go on until they began repeating themselves, then cut the discussion short. aTwo questions more, Elder Sister. Did you find it difficult traveling with the Varnan, Glyndon shal Morag?a aDifficult at times, but hardly impossible,a Corrana said carefully. aThere is little love between us, yet I think there is some respect.a aAnd what is your opinion of Kayl Larrinar after your travels in her company?a aMy opinion of her is unchanged,a Corrana said in a steady voice, without so much as glancing in Kaylas direction. aShe is honest, strong-minded and fair, loyal, somewhat impulsive, and inclined to be hot-tempered.a Kayl felt her face grow hot. Stennis gestured impatiently. aBut you do not trust her,a she said.

Corrana smiled. aI trust Kayl now as I trusted her when we met. I have given her my name.a Astonishment rippled through the Elder Mothers, and Stennis frowned in chagrin. Elder Mother Mika only smiled slightly. Still looking at Corrana, she said, aThank you, Your Virtue. You may leave now, if you wish.a Corrana bowed and stepped back. Mika turned to Kayl. aNow, Kayl Larrinar, I think we will hear you next. Many years ago, you gave an account of the journey your Star Cl.u.s.ter made to the Twisted Tower in the Windhome Mountains. All of us here have, I think, read the record of that account. Indulge us, please, and tell us again what you found there.a aAs you wish, Your Serenity,a Kayl said. She paused to collect her thoughts. aExactly where do you want me to begin?a aWith your arrival at the valley.a aVery well. We found the valley late in the day. It was a dry, barren place, very unpleasant looking. The Tower is in the center of the valley, and itas just as grim looking as the valley. Itas black and bent, and there are grooves here and there in the walls, running slantwise in a kind of spiral. I think Varevice Tamela was the first of us to call it the Twisted Tower, but the rest of us picked the name up quickly. It was so appropriate.

aWe camped on the hills; n.o.body wanted to go down into the valley for the night. In the morning, we all went down to the Tower. We had some trouble getting inside. The wizards said there was some sort of sealing spell on the door. Varevice and Evla and the three Varnan wizards all had to work together to get through it, and it took them all morning.a aWhy was that?a Stennis demanded.

aI a.s.sume it was because it was difficult,a Kayl replied. aI really canat say for sure; magic isnat my specialty.a aGo on,a Mika said, directing a quelling look at Stennis.

aBeshara insisted on sending her sklathranasy slave, Odevan, inside first, to make sure it was safe,a Kayl continued. aHe looked around, then came out and told us the Tower seemed to be deserted, so the rest of us decided to go in together.

aThere was a little room just inside the door of the Tower, with a stone staircase on the other side. Beshara left all of her slaves except Odevan in the room, and we started to climb the stairs. Beshara had Odevan climb first, right in front of her. Varevice and Glyndon came behind Beshara, then Evla and Kevran. Barthelmy and I went last.

aThe staircase was a large spiral, so Odevan and Beshara were out of my sight much of the time. We came around a curve and Beshara was opening a door at the top. My memory gets a little confused after that.a Kayl paused and took a deep breath, hoping she could keep her voice steady. aThere wasa something on the other side of the door.a aSomething?a asked a voice from the crowd of Elder Mothers. aCan you not be more specific.a aIt was a dull, dead black,a Kayl said. aIt must have been huge, because it filled the stairwell when it came after us. It didnat seem to have any particular shape, but it moved as if it were alive.a aContinue.a aThe black thing came out in a kind of wave that engulfed the top five or six stairs, and then started oozing toward the rest of us. I remember Odevan shoving Beshara out of its way, and then he was buried up to his waist in it and screaming. Beshara tried to pull him out, but it got her, too. I think Varevice shouted for everyone to get back, buta"a Kayl broke off, shuddering. A kaleidoscope of memories whirled through her mind, distorted fragments set in a background of horror. She took another deep breath, and shook her head to clear it. When she looked up, Elder Mother Mika was looking at her with sympathy.

aIt is painful to remember, even after so long,a Mika said. aTake what time you need.a aThank you.a Kayl waited for what seemed a long time, until she was sure her voice would not shake, before she went on. aI donat remember the thing getting to Varevice and Evla. Barthelmy and I managed to drag them along with us, but they must have been dead already. We didnat know that then.

aIam not really sure how we got down the rest of the stairs. The black thing followed us in short rushesa"it would take five or six steps in a single gulp, then inch down the next couple, then take another five or six at once. Thatas the only reason any of us got away. Besharaas slaves saw us coming and ran for the door. There was still some sort of sealing spell on it; all of them died as they went through.

aKevran and Glyndon were still trying to hold the thing off on the stairs. Kevran saw what happened to the slaves and yelled something to Glyndon. Then he jumped past Barthelmy and me and pointed his rod at the door. He shouted that it was safe to go through now, and the three of us dragged Varevice and Evla outside. Kevran and I went back for Glyndon.

aWe got to him just in time, and we barely made it back out before the black thing hit the door. The spell stopped it, thank the Stars. Evla and Varevice were dead; we buried them on a hill outside the valley before we came back to Kith Alunel. Glyndon had his first vision that night.a Kayl stopped. She had nothing more to say about the ill-fated trip to the Twisted Tower, and she felt too limp to bring the tale to a well-rounded conclusion. Let the Elder Mothers make of it what they would. She saw Stennis frowning at a small scroll, and wondered whether the Elder Mother had even been listening.

The silence in the Court of Stars was brief. aIs this the sum of your tale?a Mika asked.

aThe return trip was uneventful, Your Serenity,a Kayl replied.

aThen we shall proceed directly to your former companion, the Elder Sister Barthelmy.a There was a stir among the Elder Mothers, but Mika raised a hand and quieted it. aI have been given charge over this a.s.sembly, and I have reasons for what I do. You may argue with me later. Your story, Elder Sister.a Barthelmy nodded and began. Her story paralleled Kaylas up until Odevan opened the door at the top of the stairs inside the Tower. Her view of the retreat down the stairs had differed considerably from Kaylas, and her memory of it was at least as confused. Several times, Kayl saw Stennis glance down at the scroll she held, her frown growing deeper with each glance.

When Barthelmy finished, there was a buzz of conversation among the Elder Mothers. A sandy-haired woman turned and eyed Barthelmy for a moment, then said to Mika, aTheir tale makes no mention of the Crystal.a aThe Ri Astar Diary doesnat say which room it was in,a said the dark-haired woman who had winked at Kayl earlier. Kayl dug briefly at her memory and uncovered the name Mika had called hera"Javieri, that was it. Kayl wondered whether the Elder Mother had named the scroll deliberately, and decided she had. She wanted to grin, but she kept her face expressionless, hoping that the rest of the Elder Mothers would become involved enough in arguing to let slip a few more bits of information.

aNor does it mention this black thing,a another woman pointed out. aI, for one, think we have placed entirely too much emphasis on one obscure phrase in that scroll.a aObscure phrase?a Javieri raised an eyebrow. a aWhat other magic was used in its presence, the Crystal took unto itself, to bind forever.a That seems clear enough.a aAs a description of the Crystal, perhaps, but as the key to our difficulties? I am not so certain.a aI agree,a the sandy-haired woman said. aAnd I find it odd that both of these women are confused in their minds about certain parts of their tale.a aHave you a clear memory of any battle of your own?a Dalessias voice said gently. Kayl turned her head and finally managed to locate Dalessi in the crowd. She almost smiled, but caught herself in time. It would be better not to call attention to herself just now.

aDalessi has a point,a Stennis said smoothly. aFew of us could stand such a test.a She paused, and Kayl stiffened slightly. Stennis glanced around to make certain she had everyoneas attention, then held up the scroll she had been looking at and went on, aI find it curious, therefore, that the stories we have just been told match word for word the tale these two told on their return from the Tower some fifteen years ago. A prodigious feat of memory, is it not?a She tapped the scroll against her hand for emphasis.

Kaylas eyes widened as the implications of Stennisa statement hit her. If this were truea"and she had no reason to think Stennis would lie about something so easy to checka"then there was something wrong with her mind or memory. She forced her sudden fear aside and looked at the Elder Mothers, to see how they were reacting.

Heads were turning toward Kayl and Barthelmy, and distrust was clear on many faces. Stennis had timed her revelation well.

Mika looked from Kayl to Barthelmy and back. aHave you any explanation?a she asked.

aNo,a Kayl said with more calm than she felt. She wished she had time to think, to understand what had happened.

The ghost of a frown flickered across Stennisa thin face. aDo you understand what you are saying?a aQuite well,a Kayl said. aBut I can hardly offer an explanation for something I didnat know was happening. Nor do I see any reason why I should try.a aThen you forfeit any claim to our trust or belief,a Stennis said grandly. She turned to the other Elder Mothers. aClearly, we cannot send hera"a aOne moment, Stennis,a Javieri interrupted. aArenat you presuming a little, to make such a sweeping statement? I, for one, donat follow your reasoning, such as it is, and I certainly donat agree with it.a aSurely you cannot believe her!a aIf you mean Kayl Larrinar, yes, I do believe her. I doubt that Iam the only one.a aYou arenat,a Dalessi said from the other side of the frozen pool.

Several other Elder Mothers nodded, and a Shee woman said, aDo you seek to imply that they lie, Stennis? I think they would have found a cleverer way of doing so, had they wished.a aDoes it matter?a Stennis countered. aIt may be a lie, or it may be enchantment; in either case, we cannot trust their stories.a She glanced triumphantly in Kaylas direction.

Kayl let the exclamations die down a little. Then, pitching her voice to carry through the continued muttering, she said, aI donat really care whether you believe me or not.a aOh?a Stennis said skeptically.

aNo.a Kayl smiled. aYou seem to think I have to convince you of something. Actually, itas the other way around.a Mika raised a hand to still the muttering and said sharply, aWhat do you mean?a aIam not a member of the Sisterhood anymore,a Kayl said. aYou canat send me back to the Twisted Tower if I donat wish to go, and you canat keep me from going if I decide I want to. Unless, of course, you decide to chain me up in one of the waiting rooms.a aWhy are you here, then?a Mika demanded.

aI had to go somewhere, and I thought Iad listen to what you had to say.a aAnd that is all?a Stennisa voice dripped skepticism.

Kayl reined in on her temper. aAnd thatas all. You sent Corrana looking for me; I didnat come to you. Your interference in my life has cost me my home and my livelihood. I still havenat heard your reasons, and Iam not sure I want to anymore. Iave told you what I know about the Tower; itas no concern of mine if you donat believe me.a The buzz of conversation rose around the court as soon as Kayl stopped. Kayl looked around the courtyard, noting reactions. Barthelmy looked surprised, shocked, and pleased, all at once. The corners of Corranaas mouth were quirked upward in satisfaction or amus.e.m.e.nt; Kayl was not certain which. Stennis looked as if she were barely in control of her fury, while Javieri was nodding thoughtfully. Only the Elder Mother Mika showed no change of expression; she simply stood and looked at Kayl out of bright, unfathomable eyes.

Suddenly Kayl was desperately tired of the games. aI have no need to stay here and listen to veiled insults,a she said, bowing. aIf you want me again, send a message to the inn where your messenger found me this morning. But if Iam not satisfied as to exactly what you want and why, I wonat come back. Good day, Your Serenities.a She turned and brushed past Barthelmy and Corrana as she left the Court of Stars.

CHAPTER.

SEVENTEEN.

Kayl collected Mark and Dara and left the Star Hall. No one objected. The children were subdued at first, but the excitement of seeing Kith Alunel took over all too quickly. Soon they were arguing and running about as much as ever, despite the cold. Remembering her promise, Kayl took a route that led toward the center of the city, where the n.o.bility lived.

She let Mark and Dara chatter at each other while she considered what had happened at the Star Hall. She should have asked for a look at the records Stennis had been waving, she thought. No, that wouldnat have solved anything; she didnat believe Stennis had been lying anyway. Something must have affected her memory, hers and Barthelmyas. And Glyndonas?

Oddly, the thought was comforting. Kayl resolved to discuss it with him as soon as she got back to the inn, and forcibly turned her attention to the other things she had learned. She understood, now, the odd att.i.tude of the Shee drillmaster toward the magicians of the Sisterhood; without magic, what good was a sorceress or demon-friend? Poor Barthelmya Kayl wrenched her thoughts away from that fruitless and depressing line of thought, and went on. The Ri Astar Diary and the crystal it spoke of sounded fascinating. Kayl wished she had more than the few sc.r.a.ps of information the Elder Mothers had let fall. Still, it was not quite fascinating enough to persuade Kayl to return to the Twisted Tower, even if the Elder Mothers decided to ask her. She understood their desperationa"the Sisterhood must be falling apart, if magic was so curtailed! But it was their problem, not Kaylas. She squashed a tendril of guilt at the thought and repeated it firmly. She did not owe the Sisterhood anything. They would have to solve their problems themselves; Kayl had enough of her own.