Into The Dark Flame (Book 4) (23 page)

   Could he be bluffing? Issul studied him closely. He was a fine actor, if he was. Still, she was not ready to rule it out. 'You gave this 'ornament' to a child beside a pond. You have already confessed as much.'

   'Yes. Majesty, believe me, that is just how it happened!' Shenwolf's eyes and expression declared him wounded by her tone. 'For three days and nights I walked on, following a woodland path pointed out to me by the folk of Arklie Hollow. At a certain point I was forced to leave the path, as I came upon a family of grullags and felt it wise to give them the widest possible berth. As luck would have it they spied me almost at the same moment that I spotted them, and came in pursuit. I fled rather than face them, and ran for perhaps half a league deep into the forest before finally losing them. It was some hours afterwards that, plying my way in the direction in which I hoped Enchantment's Reach lay, I broke out beside the pond where the old woman, Arene, was with the child and its warden.'

   'And that is it?
A simple chance encounter?'

  
'Just that.'

   Issul looked sceptically at Orbelon,
then thrust her hand at Shenwolf again. 'Then why did you give this to the Child?'

   'I was charmed by him, pure and simple. He was fair, bright-eyed and bonny; I took an instant liking to him and was prompted on the spur of the moment to give him a gift of some kind. This was all I had. But it was a gift, from a stranger to a child, nothing more.'

   Issul peered hard at him. Could this be so? Sheer coincidence and nothing more? It was extraordinary, most especially in the light of Pader Luminis's having identified the talisman as originating within Enchantment, and Orbelon subsequently linking it to his ancient adversary, Urch-Malmain. If Shenwolf were making it up, then it was a most audacious tale, for on the surface it appeared designed to arouse her doubts. But if it were true . . . Issul was almost too thrown by it to gather her thoughts.

   Shenwolf stood forlorn in the dancing fireglow. 'Majesty, I am unsure of what I am being accused.'

   Orbelon glided forward and spoke softly to Issul. 'I think we should discuss this.'

   She nodded. To Shenwolf she said, 'Orbelon and I must confer. Excuse us, please.'

   'I’ll wait outside.'

   'No!' It came out quickly, more staccato than she had intended, and there was no disguising her meaning. She softened her tone, but could do nothing to diminish the force of her message. 'Take yourself off that way, into the cave. Take a torch to light your way.'

   Shenwolf self-consciously lit a brand in the flames of the fire and moved off into the depths of the cave. Issul watched as his silhouetted figure diminished. Lit by the flames of the torch, she saw him seat himself somewhat stiffly upon a low shelf of rock some distance away. She and Orbelon then spoke closely, in undertones.

   'What am I to make of this?' Issul sighed, almost bereft.

   'It is an extraordinary tale,' Orbelon agreed.

   'Do you believe him?'

   The bundled figure shifted. 'It is hard to know what to make of it.'

   'Is it plausible that his meeting with the Legendary Child came about by pure hazard? Can this - ' she held up the little talisman ' - really be without significance?'

   'I would not go that far,' said Orbelon. 'The talisman almost certainly originated from Urch-Malmain, after all, though it may have been many places since. Shenwolf's tale has a ring of convenience, and yet it is imbued with a naivete that makes it almost persuasive, for who would think of making up a tale like this? In himself he is most convincing, also. You have never spoken to him of the Legendary Child, I take it?'

   Issul gave a shake of the head.

   'Well, let us consider the evidence. Shenwolf has rescued you from danger and possible death more than once in recent weeks. Myself also, now. He has placed himself at great risk in doing so. If he acts with ill-intent he has a strange way of showing it.'

   'Even so . . . . And if he truly knows nothing of his past, what might be hidden there? Is he Urch-Malmain's creature?'

   'It may be so,' Orbelon said. 'And if it is, then it is also possible that he genuinely knows nothing of it. Such manipulations are consistent with my recollection of Urch-Malmain's methods.'

   'But his cheerful disposition, his decisiveness, his skills,
his acts of heroism - these are not the actions and attributes of a muddled and dispirited amnesiac.'

   'Were this a case of a man rendered memoryless by shock, a blow to the head or some form of disease, I would expect sluggishness, befuddlement, acute anxiety, yes. But if, as I suspect is the case, Urch-Malmain has refined his techniques of old, he will be more than capable of modifying memory, instincts, urges and even perception, without truly deranging the innate personality.'

   Issul threw a troubled glance across to where Shenwolf sat. 'Then Shenwolf is not truly himself?'

   'It is hard to say precisely what he is, as things currently stand. But let us not leap to conclusions. His story, combined with his being in possession of this talisman, leads me to infer a connection in some form with Urch-Malmain, but I can be no more precise than that. Strange,
though. Very strange. More than ever I feel Urch-Malmain's presence; more than ever he works himself upon my mind.'

   'What would be Urch-Malmain's likely goal?'

   'He is, as you know, one of the Highest Ones of Enchantment. Hence his goal is ultimately that of the others: to maintain conflict so that Enchantment may sustain itself and grow; to overwhelm the formed world. The strategies by which he plans to achieve this remain unknowns.' Orbelon paused, then said ruminatively, 'In regard to Shenwolf, there is something else I have noticed.'

   'What is that?'

   'His dedication to you. The very way he looks at you. I don't count myself an expert in these matters, but I think the high regard in which he holds you may extend beyond a soldier's simple desire to serve his queen.'

   Issul lowered her eyes. 'I have felt that, too. That is, I had until this morning. Now, though . . . ?'

   'What of you, Issul? Until this morning you trusted him utterly. You confided in him; in a literal sense you had placed him in physical proximity to you, after a relatively short acquaintance. You had become very close to him, had you not?'

   Issul stood quickly, her cheeks growing warm. 'You are impertinent, Orbelon.'

   'I apologize.'

   'I- I did trust him, yes. He had proven himself over and over. I found his counsel useful and even sometimes wise. He was gallant and personable. He carries with him an air of mystery which is intriguing, I admit. He is also a superb weapons-master and a natural leader who others willingly follow. But that has been the sum total of my regard for him.'

   'I understand.'

   After a brief silence, during which she avoided looking at
either Shenwolf or Orbelon, Issul said in a vexed tone, 'But what now? He may yet be my enemy. How am I to proceed?'

   'You carry on, as before. You must. Nothing has changed.'

   'But Shenwolf . . . ?'

   'If he is willing, he should accompany you still.'

   'Orbelon, I’m not sure about this.'

   'If he is your enemy, would you rather have him at your side or trailing you somewhere out of sight? Or do you intend to execute him here and now? I suspect he will raise objections to that.'

   'But do we let him continue with us now to the Farplace Opening?'

   'Can we afford not to? He has been there before, after all.'

   Issul regarded the bundled god pensively. 'You believe in him, don't you, Orbelon.'

   'I think I do. But I think we should talk to him some more.'

ii

   Little more was said that evening. Orbelon, needing no sleep, offered to keep watch through the night. Issul spread her blanket on the ground to one side of the fire, Shenwolf to the other. In the darkness, as the fire dwindled to embers, Issul lay awake, thinking. Quickly, though, her tiredness overcame her, her thoughts drifted and slid, and before she knew it she was awoken by the sounds of movement inside the cave and birds singing outside.

   Shenwolf had built the fire up and was preparing a breakfast of porridge and fruit. He flashed Issul a wide grin as she sat up blearily. 'Majesty! Good morning! I hope you slept well. There is a little stream fifty yards beyond the cave entrance, if you wish to wash.'

   Issul had slept solidly, despite her concerns, and felt the better for it. She rose now and, accepting Shenwolf's
advice, went out to find the stream. The morning was cool but bright, the sky streaked with a few wisps of high white cloud. The sun had not yet risen fully above the trees, so the forest was held in a penumbral light. Issul walked a little distance into the trees and came upon the stream, which flowed without hurry and to a reasonable depth, and could not resist the temptation to bathe. She quickly removed her clothes and immersed herself in the cold water, washing the sweat and grime of travel from her limbs. It was too cold to stay for more than a few moments, and she soon made her way back to the cave. The food was ready. Orbelon waited silently to one side as Issul and Shenwolf ate. Issul gathered her thoughts, but it was Shenwolf who spoke first.

   'Majesty, I understand that you may have doubts about me. I can only assure you that I’ve told you the truth. But if you feel at this time that you would be more comfortable dismissing me, I will agree to leave now and trouble you no more.'

   Issul shook her head. 'I prefer for you to accompany me, Shenwolf. I need your assistance still.'

   'I am glad of that.' He brightened,
then his gaze became thoughtful. 'May I ask something?'

   'Do.'

   'The Legendary Child - what is this?'

   'It is yet another factor that menaces us. More I can’t say, for I know far too little.'

   'Then, what was happening at the poolside when I arrived?'

   'You do’nt know?'

   He shook his head.

   'Arene was about to kill him.'

   'The Child?'

  
'The Child. She had been sent here to do just that. At that time none but she and a few of her people knew what he was.'

   Shenwolf's face fell suddenly. 'And I prevented her.'

   'That’s how it appears.'

   'What will this mean?'

   'We cannot yet say. It’s complex, and too much is unknown.' Her mind flashed back to the battle in the forest. 'Yesterday, when the grullags attacked, did you see the Child?'

   Shenwolf shook his head.

   'He was there. He came with the grullags to free Grey Venger, who is his disciple.'

   'They must have followed me back when I reconnoitred Ghismile.'

   'I thought so, but have since discounted it. They attacked on more than one front. There was no time to have organized themselves so well had they come in your wake, for it was literally moments after your return that they struck. I think rather that Moscul - the Legendary Child - had been following us, anticipating our movements. Did you see what became of Arene?'

   'She was on the ground. I couldn’t tell whether she was alive or dead. Phis
was also wounded, but he lives to fight another day.'

   'I have wondered about going back, trying to locate the survivors of my company.'

   Orbelon interposed sharply: 'That is inadvisable.'

   'I know. Gordallith is between us and them; perhaps the grullags too. But I am concerned that when we reach the old
Karai camp we will find it bristling with Karai.'

   'It’s likely,' Orbelon said. 'But we must face that when we come to it. We can’t go back.'

   'Gordallith?' queried Shenwolf. 'Is he the bandit-leader who captured you?'

   'Those men were no bandits. Gordallith is Fectur's man.'

   'Fectur?' Shenwolf was astonished. 'He had you abducted?'

   'And no doubt worse, had you not altered their plans. Remember I told you at Enchantment's Reach, he is an enemy perhaps more vicious and determined than any I may face.'

   They finished eating and Shenwolf rose. 'I’ll take the horses to the stream to drink. Then, if you wish, we will move on.'

   When he had exited the cave, Orbelon said, 'You seem surer of yourself after a sound night's sleep. And am I wrong in thinking that you feel a greater confidence in him?'

   'I don't know. I want to. Yes, I think I’m drawn to believe him. It saddens and disturbs me, though, to think he may yet be Urch-Malmain's servant and possibly not know it. I don't know how to tackle that.'

   'As I said, I think it is best to have him close so that we might observe him and be alert should anything reveal itself.'

   Issul hesitated. 'Orbelon, something very strange happened yesterday.'

   She told him quickly about the phantom horse-warriors, and her feeling of Leth's proximity. 'Can these be the Reach Riders, Orbelon?'