The Sword and the Stallion - 06 (20 page)

As if savoring its victory, the changeling moved slowly forward, raising its sword.

Corum felt a tugging at his left wrist. It was his silver hand and it had come alive of its own volition. He saw the straps and the pins loosen, he saw the silver hand rise up and travel swiftly to where Traitor lay, glowing in the moonlight.

"I am mad," said Corum. But he recalled how Medhbh had taken his hand away to put a charm upon it. He had forgotten, as, no doubt, had she.

Now the silver hand, which Corum had fashioned himself, took hold of the Sidhi-forged sword while the changeling looked wide-eyed at it and hissed, stumbling away from it, moaning.

And the silver hand drove the sword Traitor deep into the changeling's heart and the changeling yelled and fell and was dead.

Corum laughed.

' 'Farewell, brother! I was right to fear you, but you did not bring me my doom!"

The harp sounded louder now, coming from within the castle. Forgetful of his sword and his silver hand, Corum ran back into the castle, and there stood the Dagdagh, a youth all of gold, with sharp, beautiful features and deep, sardonic eyes, and he played upon a harp which seemed in some way to grow out of him and into him and was part of his body. And behind the Dagdagh Corum saw another whom he recognized, and it was Gaynor.

Corum wished that he had not forgotten his sword. He said:

"How I hate you, Gaynor. You slew Goffanon."

' 'Inadvertently. I have come to make peace with you, Corum.''

"Peace? You are my most terrible enemy and ever shall be!"

"Listen to the Dagdagh," said Gaynor the Damned. And the Dagdagh spoke—or rather he sang—and he said this to Corum:

"You are not welcome, mortal. Take your name-robe from the changeling's corpse and leave this world. You were brought here for one purpose. Now that purpose is achieved you must go."

"But I love Medhbh," said Corum. "I will not leave her!"

"You loved Rhalina and you see her in Medhbh."

Gaynor said urgently: "I speak without malice, Corum. Believe the Dagdagh. Come with me now. He has opened a door into a land where we can both know peace. It is true, Corum, I have been there briefly. Here is our chance to see an end to the eternal struggle."

Corum shook his head. "Perhaps you speak the truth, Gaynor. I see truth in the Dagdagh's eyes, too. But I must stay here. I love Medhbh."

^‘
1 have spoken to Medhbh,'' said the Dagdagh.
^’
'She knows that it is wrong for you to remain in this world. You do not belong. Come, now, to the land where you and Gaynor will know contentment. It is a great reward I offer you, Eternal Champion. It is more than I could normally achieve."

"I must stay," said Corum.

The Dagdagh began to play upon his harp. The music was sweet and it was euphoric. It was the music of noble love, of selfless heroism. Corum smiled.

He bowed to the Dagdagh, thanking him for what he had offered, and he made a sigh of farewell to Gaynor. Then he walked out of the old doorway of Castle Erom and he saw that Medhbh was waiting for him on the other side. He smiled at her, lifting his right hand in greeting.

But she did not smile back. There was something in her own right hand which she now raised above her head and began to whirl. It was a sling. He looked at her in surprise. Did she seek to slay the Dagdagh, in whom she had put so much trust?

Something left the sling and struck him upon the forehead and he fell down, but he still lived, though his heart was in agony and his head was cracked. He felt the blood pour down his face.

And he saw that the Dagdagh loomed over him, looking down on him with an expression of sympathy. And Corum snarled at the Dagdagh.

"Fear a harp," said the Dagdagh in his high, sweet voice, "fear beauty," and he glanced across the chasm to where Medhbh stood weeping, "and fear a brother
..."

"Your harp it was that turned Medhbh's heart against me," said Corum. "I was right to fear that. And I should have feared her beauty, for it is what has destroyed me. But I slew the brother, I slew the Karach."

"No," said the Dagdagh, and he picked up the tathlum which Medhbh had hurled. "Here is your brother, Corum. His brain she mixed with lime to make the only thing which fate would allow to slay you. She took the brain from under the mound, from the mound of Cremm Croich, and, on my instructions, she made it. Cremm Croich slays Corum Llaw Ereint. You did not have to die."

"I could not deny her love," Corum managed to rise to his feet and put his left hand to his cracked skull, feeling the blood flow over it. "I love her still."

"I spoke to her. I told her what I would offer you and what she must do if you refused that offer. You have no place here, Corum.''

"So say you!" Corum gathered his strength and he lunged at the Dagdagh, but the youth of gold made a sign and Corum's silver hand appeared, still clutching the moon-colored sword Traitor.

And Corum heard Medhbh utter a shriek before the sword entered his heart at exactly the same spot it had entered the changeling's.

And he heard the Dagdagh say:

"Now this world is free of all sorcery and all demigods." Then Corum died.

THIS ENDS THE THIRD AND FINAL VOLUME OF THE CHRONICLE OF CORUM AND THE SILVER HAND