One Tree (51 page)

In spite of his impassivity, Ceer’s pallor revealed the extent of his pain. His bandages were soaked with the red of a reopened wound. Pitchwife’s injury was less serious; but it left a livid swelling on his right temple.

Then Linden found herself gaping at the First. She had lost both shield and helm; but in her scabbard hung her new falchion. Its grip was just beyond the reach of her chained hands. It must have been restored to her to taunt her helplessness. Or to mock Rant Absolain? Did Kasreyn mean to task the
gaddhi
for that ill-considered gift?

But the First bore herself as if she were impervious to such malice. While Rant Absolain stared his alarm at Honninscrave, she said distinctly, “O
gaddhi
, it is not wise to speak in the presence of these
hustin
. Their ears are Kasreyn’s ears, and he will learn the purpose of your coming.”

Her words pierced his stupefied apprehension. He looked away, staggered for balance, then shouted a dismissal in the
Bhrathair
tongue. The two Guards obeyed, leaving the door open as they departed.

Honninscrave fixed his gaze on that egress as he fought to break his fetters.

As soon as the Guards were gone, Rant Absolain fumbled forward as if the light were dim. For a moment, he tried to peer up at the First; but her height threatened his stability. He swung toward Linden, advanced on her until he was so close that she could not avoid breathing the miasma of his besottedness.

Squinting into her face, he hissed urgently, secretively, “Free me from this Kemper.”

Linden fought down her revulsion and pity, held her voice level. “Get rid of him yourself. He’s your Kemper. All you have to do is exile him.”

He winced. His hands plucked at her shoulders as if he wanted to plead with her—or needed her help to keep from falling. “No,” he whispered. “It is impossible. I am only the
gaddhi
. He is Kasreyn of the Gyre. The power is his. The Guards are his. And the Sandgorgons—” He was shivering. “All
Bhrathairealm
knows—” He faltered, then resumed, “Prosperity and wealth are his to give. Not mine. My people care nothing for me.” He became momentarily lugubrious. But then his purpose returned to him. “Slay him for me.” When she did not reply at once, he panted, “You must.”

An odd pang for his folly and weakness touched her heart.

But she did not let herself waver. “Free us,” she said as severely as she could. “We’ll find a way to get rid of him.”

“Free—?” He gaped at her. “I dare not. He will know. If you fail—” His eyes were full of beggary. “You must free yourselves. And slay him. Then I will be safe.” His lips twisted on the verge of sobs. “I must be safe.”

At that moment, with her companions watching her, Linden heard footsteps in the corridor and knew that she had a chance to drive another nail into his coffin. Perhaps it would have been the final nail. She did not doubt who was coming. But she had mercy on him. Probably he could never have been other than he was.

Raising her voice, she said distinctly, “We’re your prisoners. It’s cruel to mock us like this.”

Then Kasreyn stood in the doorway. From that elevation, he appeared commanding and indefeasible, certain of his mastery. His voice caressed the air like the soft stroke of a whip, playful and threatening. “She speaks truly, O
gaddhi
. You demean yourself here. They have slain your Guards, giving offense to you and all
Bhrathairealm
. Do not cheapen the honor of your countenance with them. Depart, I bid you.”

Rant Absolain staggered. His face stretched as if he were about to wail. But behind his drunkenness some instinct for self-preservation still functioned. With an exaggerated lurch, he turned toward the Kemper. Slurring his words, he said, “I desired to vent my wrath. It is my right.” Then he shambled to the stairs and worked his way up them, leaving the cell without a glance at either Kasreyn or the questers. In
that way, he preserved the illusion which was his sole hope for survival.

Linden watched him go and clinched herself. Toward Kasreyn of the Gyre she felt no mercy at all.

The Kemper bowed unkindly to his
gaddhi
, then stepped into the cell, closed the iron door. As he came down the stairs, the intensity of his visage was focused on Linden; and the yellowness of his robe and his teeth seemed to concentrate toward her like a presage of his
geas
.

She made a resolute effort of self-command, looked to verify what she had seen earlier. It was true: like Covenant, the Kemper’s infant was visible to her superficial sight but not to her deeper perceptions.

“My friends,” Kasreyn said, addressing all the company but gazing only at Linden, “I will not delay. I am eager.” Rheum glazed his eyes like cataracts. “Aye, eager.” He stepped over Covenant to stand before her. “You have foiled me as you were able, but now you are ended.” Spittle reflected a glode of light at one corner of his mouth. “Now I will have the white gold.”

She stared back at him direly. Her companions stood still, studying her and the Kemper—all except Honninscrave, who did not interrupt his exertions even for Kasreyn of the Gyre.

“I do not maze you.” His tongue quickly licked his lips. “Well, it may not be denied that to some degree I have slighted your true measure. But no more.” He retreated slightly to her left. “Linden Avery, you will grant the white gold to me.”

Clenching herself rigid—awaiting her opportunity—Linden rasped mordantly, “You’re crazy.”

He cocked an eyebrow like a gesture of scorn. “Am I, indeed? Harken—and consider. I desire this Thomas Covenant to submit his ring into my hand. Such submission must be a matter of choice, and there is a veil in his mind which inures him to all choice. Therefore this veil must be pierced, that I may wrest the choice I desire from him.” Abruptly he stabbed a bony finger at Linden. “You will pierce it for me.”

At that, her heart leaped. But she strove to conceal her tension, did not let her angry glare waver. Articulating each word precisely, she uttered an obscene refusal.

His eyes softened like an anticipation of lust. Quietly he asked, “Do you deny me?”

She remained silent as if she did not deign to reply. Only the regular gasp and clatter of Honninscrave’s efforts denned the stillness. She almost hoped that Kasreyn would use his ocular on her. She felt certain that she would be unable to enter Covenant at all if she were in the grip of the Kemper’s
geas
.

But he appeared to understand the folly of coercing her with theurgy. Without warning, he whirled, lashed a vicious kick at Ceer’s bloody knee.

The unexpected blow wrung pain through Ceer’s teeth. For a moment, his ambience faded as if he were about to faint.

The First sprang against her manacles. Seadreamer tried to swipe at Kasreyn, but could not reach him.

The Kemper faced Linden again. His voice was softer than before. “Do you deny me?”

Tremors built toward shuddering in her. She let them rise, let herself ache so that she might convince him. “If I let you persuade me like that, Brinn and Cail will kill me.”

Deep within herself, she begged him to believe her. Another such blow would break her. How could she go on spending Ceer’s agony to prevent the Kemper from guessing her intent?

“They will not live to lift finger against you!” barked Kasreyn in sudden anger. But a moment later he recollected himself. “Yet no matter,” he went on with renewed gentleness. “I have other suasions.” As he spoke, he moved past Vain until he was standing near Covenant’s feet. Only the Demondim-spawn was able to ignore him. He held the company in a grasp of horror.

He relished their abomination. Slowly he raised his right arm.

As he did so, Covenant rose from the floor, jerking erect as if he had been pulled upright by the band around his throat.

Kasreyn moved his hand in a circular gesture from the end of his thin wrist. Covenant turned. His eyes saw nothing. Controlled by the golden neckpiece, he was as blank as his aura. His shirt was stained with death. He went on turning until Kasreyn motioned for him to stop.

The sight nearly snapped Linden’s resolve. That Covenant should be so malleable in the Kemper’s hands! Whatever harms he had committed, he did not deserve this indignity. And he had made restitution! No man could have striven harder to make restitution. In
Coercri
he had redeemed the Unhomed Dead. He had once defeated Lord Foul. And he had done everything conceivable for Linden herself. There was no justice in his plight. It was evil.

Evil
.

Tears coursed hotly down her cheeks like the acid of her mortality.

With a flick of his wrist, Kasreyn sent Covenant toward her.

Fighting her manacles, she tried to fend him away. But he forced himself past her hands, thrust forward to plant a cold dead kiss on her groaning mouth. Then he retreated a step. With his half-hand, he struck her a blow that made her whole face burn.

The Kemper recalled him. He obeyed, as lifeless as a marionette. Kasreyn was still gazing at Linden. Malice bared his old teeth. In a voice of hunger, he said, “Do you see that my command upon him is complete?”

She nodded. She could not help herself. Soon Kasreyn would be able to instruct her as easily as he used Covenant.

“Then witness.” The Kemper made complex gestures; and Covenant raised his hands, turned his fingers inward like claws. They dug into the flesh around his eyes.

“If you do not satisfy me”—Kasreyn’s voice jumped avidly—“I will command him to blind himself.”

That was enough. She could not bear any more. Long quivers of fury ran through all her muscles. She was ready now.

Before she could acquiesce, a prodigious effort tore a howl from Honninscrave’s chest. With impossible strength, he ripped the chain binding his left arm from its bracket; and the chain cracked outward like a flail. Driven by all the force of his immense exertion, it struck Kasreyn in the throat.

The blow pitched the Kemper backward. He fell heavily on the steps, tumbled to the floor. There he lay still. So much iron and strength must have shattered every bone in his neck. Linden’s vision leaped toward him, saw that he was dead. The fact stunned her. For an instant, she hardly realized that he was not bleeding.

The First let out a savage cry. “Stone and Sea, Honninscrave! Bravely done!”

But a moment later Kasreyn twitched. His limbs shifted. Slowly, stiffly, he climbed to his hands and knees, then to his feet. An instant ago, he had had no pulse: now his heart beat with renewed vigor. Strength flowed back into him. He turned to face the company. He was grinning like a promise of murder.

Linden gaped at him, horrified. The First swore weakly.

The infant on his back was smiling sweetly in its sleep.

He looked at Honninscrave. The Giant sagged against the wall in near exhaustion. But his intent glare warned plainly that with one hand free he would soon be free altogether.

“My friend,” the Kemper said tightly, “your death will be one to surpass your most heinous fears.”

Honninscrave responded with a gasping snarl. But Kasreyn remained beyond reach of the Master’s chain.

Slowly the Kemper shifted his attention away from Honninscrave. Facing Linden, he repeated, “If you do not satisfy me.” Only the tautness of his voice betrayed that anything had happened to him. “I will command him to blind himself.”

Covenant had not moved. He still stood with his fingers poised to gouge out his eyes.

Linden cast one last long look at his terrible defenselessness. Then she let herself sag. How could she fight a man who was able to rise from the dead? “You’ll have to take that band off his neck. It blocks me.”

Cail surged against his chains. “Chosen!” the First cried in protest. Pitchwife gaped dismay at her.

Linden ignored them. She was watching Kasreyn. Grinning fiercely, he approached Covenant. With one hand, he touched the yellow band. It came away in his grasp.

At once, Covenant slumped back into his familiar emptiness. His eyes were void. For no reason, he said, “Don’t touch me.”

Before Linden could reach out to him in yearning or rage, try to keep her promises, the floor near Vain’s feet began to swirl and melt. With surprising celerity, Findail flowed out of the granite into human form.

Immediately he confronted Linden. “Are you a fool?” The habitual misery of his features shouted at her. “This is ruin!” She had never heard such anguish from any
Elohim
. “Do you not comprehend that the Earth is at peril? Therefore did I urge you to your ship while the way was open, that these straits might be evaded. Sun-Sage, hear me!” When she did not respond, his apprehension mounted. “I am the Appointed. The doom of the Earth is upon my head. I beg of you—do not do this thing!”

But she was not listening to him. Kasreyn stood grinning behind Covenant as if he knew he had nothing to fear from Findail. His hands held the golden band, the threat which had compelled her. Yet she ignored the Kemper also. She paid no heed to the consternation of her companions. She had been preparing herself for this since the moment when the First had said,
Why do we yet live
? She had striven for it with every fiber of her will, fought for this chance to create her own answer. The removal of that neck-band. The opportunity to make good on at least one promise.

All of her was focused on Covenant. While her companions sought to distract her, dissuade her, she opened her senses to him. In a rush like an outpouring of ecstasy or loss, rage or grief, she surrendered herself to his emptiness.

Now she took no account of the passion with which she entered him. And she offered no resistance as she was swept into the long gulf. She
saw that her former failures had been caused by her attempts to bend him to her own will, her own use; but now she wanted nothing for herself, withheld nothing. Abandoning herself entirely, she fell like a dying star into the blankness behind which the
Elohim
had hidden his soul.

Yet she did not forget Kasreyn. He was watching avidly, poised for the reawakening of Covenant’s will. At that moment, Covenant would be absolutely vulnerable; for surely he would not regain full possession of his consciousness and his power instantly, and until he did he would have no defense against the Kemper’s
geas
. Linden felt no mercy toward Kasreyn, contained nothing at all which might have resembled mercy toward him. As she fell and fell like death into Covenant’s emptiness, she shouted voiceless instructions which echoed through the uninhabitation of his mind.