What Lies Within (Book 5) (27 page)

   The Karai troops' orders from their Prince, Anzejarl, had obviously been to secure the camp after its former garrison had lost it. Issul believed it likely that Anzejarl had no explanation for what had occurred here. Faced now with so many strange and inexplicable phenomena, she wondered whether the present force might be close to abandoning it.

   'Perhaps we can help to augment their confusion even further,' she whispered.

  Four Karai guarded the ramp-entrance to the bunker. Their stiff postures, nervous movements and quick, darting glances showed them to be ill-at-ease. Three more waited a short distance away, close to the passage leading from the camp. They too looked far from relaxed.

   More warriors were visible in those sections of the camp that could be discerned, but it was impossible to determine how many, if any, remained underground.

   Triune's seeking eye appeared before Issul - to her relief, for its presence reassured her that she had not been abandoned by Triune. She made a guess that it had been down into the bunker, and had probably scanned the camp itself. Hence Triune and Orbelon were aware of what awaited them in the bunker, even if she was not. Was the seeking-eye their signal to her that it was safe to enter?

   It was impossible to get within ten paces of the guards without being seen. To charge them from that distance would be certain to draw shouts that would summon others. Only Leth was armed with a bow, and by the same token could not hope to shoot more than one before reinforcements were called. With the children present, slowing them down, they could afford to take few risks.

   Shenwolf leaned across and whispered a few words to Issul and Leth. They both nodded, and he slipped away into the trees to where the horses and donkey were tethered. Silently he removed their baggage and saddles, then led them to the edge of the clearing, close to where Leth, Issul and the children waited. He removed the bridles, hesitated, then, at a signal from Leth, slapped the four beasts briskly upon their rumps, and drove them out into the clearing and straight towards the guards at the ramp.

   The guards turned in astonishment as the beasts burst from cover. Leth let his first arrow fly. He took a
Karai in the cheek, killing him instantly. Shenwolf propelled the horses hard towards the guards, keeping close and, as yet, unnoticed behind them. The guards scattered to avoid them, still unaware of Leth and Issul.

   The four mounts ran wildly among them. Leth loosed a second arrow, downing another
Karai. From among the horses Shenwolf sprang, sword flashing, striking a third warrior to the ground. Only one now remained at the ramp. The other three were running forward from the passage, issuing sharp shouts of warning.

   Discarding his bow, Leth leapt out to confront the lone guard. With Shenwolf coming at him from the other side the
Karai was undecided which way to turn, and was dead before he had made up his mind.

   Issul grasped the children's hands and ran for the ramp entrance. A
guard she had not spotted before stepped from the undergrowth into her path. He dodged her, and as she tried to swing past him he reached out and seized Jace, wrenching her from her mother's grasp. With a scream of fury Issul leapt at him, drawing her sword and swinging it hard as he turned away. The blade bit clean through his arm, which dropped heavily to the dirt. The warrior staggered, slumping to his knees, disbelief on his white face. Issul reached for Jace and pulled her away, grabbed Galry's hand again and ran on.

   Leth had forged on ahead of her, and Shenwolf brought up the rear, driving one of the horses into the three
Karai who charged at him from the passage.

    Leth ran into darkness, and was momentarily blinded. Issul careered down and arrived at his side. A blueish light shone from the end of the long chamber. To Leth's astonishment, as he blinked, three small children appeared, bathed in the glow. They stood before the door at the far end of the chamber, and beckoned.

   'It’s all right!' panted Issul. 'This is Triune!'

   She glanced around the chamber; it appeared to harbour no
Karai. Shenwolf bounded down and stopped beside her. She glanced back up and saw that the three Karai pursuing him had halted halfway down the ramp. They appeared reluctant to advance further, but were unslinging bows to notch arrows to strings. Others came at a run behind them.

   'Be swift!' urged Triune.

   They needed no further prompting. They raced up the central aisle. The tallest Triune child was holding out her hands. She held four small white ivory or bone pods, similar in size and form to Urch-Malmain's talisman worn by Shenwolf. 'Take these. They will protect you.'

    Issul grabbed them and gave one each to Leth, Galry and Jace.

   'It is good,' said Triune, smiling three identical smiles, her eyes aglow. 'Let us go now.'

   Unhindered, they passed through the antechamber and into the earthen chamber of the Farplace Opening. Leth and the children gasped as one when they saw the fabulous oval pulsing there.

   'This is where we go now, my love,' said Issul, smiling. 'To Enchantment.'

   She saw the wariness in Leth's eyes. She took his and Jace's hand, and Leth held Prince Galry. Together, with no more than a moment's hesitation, they stepped into the Farplace Opening.

   Behind them Shenwolf paused, briefly alone save for the tripartite god creature.

He watched with an unreadable expression as their forms dissolved in the
superordinary light. Then, with the three child-beings of Triune behind him, he too passed into Enchantment.

The concluding
part of the tale is told in:

Enchantment’s Reach 6