Ilse Of Illusion Part 3

aYou are a liar!a the girl snapped. aWhy are you playing this trick?a She was holding herself very straight. Her voice was filled with contempt. Her beautiful face was stern.

She has grown up very rapidly in the past weeks, thought Sharn, with something of a shock. How is it that I have not noticed? Oh, why did Doom have to tell her? I did not know he had seen her before he left.

aHas this man been left alone at any time since he arrived in the palace, Sharn?a Marilen demanded. aEven for a moment?a Sharn shook her head. aPlease leave us, Marilen,a she said in a low voice. aI must go downstairs now, but I will come to you as soon as I can.a Marilen hesitated, then nodded. aPlease hurry. I will be in the library,a she said. With another contemptuous glance at Jinks, she turned and stalked from the room.

aPoor young lady,a murmured Jinks. aMy news has affected her deeply, it seems.a aAll who fear the Shadow Lord must be deeply affected, Jinks,a said Sharn, struggling to keep her voice even. She left the room, the door closing with a soft click behind her.

The moment he was alone, Jinks threw back the covers and scrambled from the bed. He padded to the door on his bandaged feet and twisted the k.n.o.b.

The door was locked. He was a prisoner.

Jinks frowned. Here was something unexpected. Sharn, for all her soft words, did not trust him.

This did not suit his plans at all.

aYou think you have me where you want me, my lady,a he muttered aloud. aBut you will find that Jinks is not so easily outwitted.a Quickly he began to search the room.

7 - Truth and Lies.

Far away, in the secret sea, Jasmine leaned forward, peering at the land ahead. She murmured to Kree, who spread his wings and soared into the air. The companions watched as the bird sped low towards the dark, mysterious ma.s.s.

Suddenly, something shot upwards from the water. Kree seemed to stop dead in mid-air. And the next moment the boat was rocking violently as Jasmine leaped to her feet, shrieking. For Kree was plummeting, wings fluttering helplessly, into the sea.

aJasmine!a roared Barda. aYou will have us over!a Lights flared in the darkness ahead. There was the sound of shouting, and splashing.

Jasmine threw herself down, seized her paddle and plunged it into the water. aLief, help me!a she cried. aMake haste! Kree will drown!a aNo!a Barda roared. aTurn the boat! Get us away!a But Lief paid no heed to either of them. He had dropped his paddle and was reaching for his sword. Dozens of long, pale forms were streaking through the water towards them, like enormous spears veiled with foam.

aBeware!a he shouted. And had no time to say more. For in seconds the attackers were upon them, surging from the water amid fountains of spray.

Lief gripped his sword, knowing that to use it would be fatal. The boat was surrounded by a ring of huge, sharp-fanged silver eels. Their wicked mouths gaped wide, streaming with water. And hunched on the neck of each one was a wild-eyed, dog-faced being clothed in grey animal skins. The beingsa hands, tattooed from wrist to fingertip, held long, thin spears of sharpened bone, poised to strike.

A dripping black bundle was thrown carelessly into the boat. It was Kree. The bird struggled pitifully at Jasmineas feet, one wing trailing. With a cry, Jasmine bent to him. The spear arms drew back.

Lief never knew where the words came from. Pure instinct brought them to his lips. aWe are the people of Doran the Dragonlover. Do not harm us, tribe of Auron,a he gasped.

The eels stared gla.s.sily, without understanding. But the strange beings on their backs stirred. Lief was conscious of pale, slitted eyes measuring him.

aDoran sent you to us from above?a one of the Aurons asked at last.

Her voice was like a song, like water rippling over stones. But there was warning in it.

Do not lie.

Lief swallowed, aware that at any moment a spear could plunge into his heart. aDoran is long dead, as you must know,a he said carefully. aHis words, written in an old book, led us to you.a aWhat do you seek?a asked another of the Aurons. And again the voice was full of melody, with an undercurrent of threat.

Tell the truth.

aMany of Doranas people are prisoners of the Shadow Lord,a said Lief. aTo save them, we need the Pirran Pipe.a There was a soft, sighing sound like a wind skimming over water. The spears were lowered a little.

aThe Pipe is in three parts,a said the first Auron to have spoken.

Do not lie.

Lief nodded. aWe already have one part,a he said quietly. aWe have come to beg you for the second, though we were told you would not give it.a The Auron glanced at her friends. Then she turned back to Lief. Her tattooed hands tightened on her spear, and slowly turned its point downward.

aYou were told truly,a she said. aCome with us.a As their boat was towed to sh.o.r.e, the companions saw, to their astonishment, that the aislanda was not an island at all. It was a ma.s.s of rafts, bound together to form one vast platform crowded with mud-brick dwellings.

The edge of the platform was thronged with people. Many held torches that smoked and flickered, giving off an oily, fishy smell. Small children, yawning and rubbing their eyes, hid behind the adultsa legs. Older children stood in groups, very upright and stern, short bone spears at the ready.

Behind the crowd rose a low tower open on all sides. At the top of the tower stood two shadowy figures. One of these was wearing long robes and a tall headdress.

The Piper of Auron, Lief thought. Keeper of the stem of the Pirran Pipe. He watched as the Piper turned and spoke. He saw the companion hesitate, then finally bow. An instruction, it seemed, had been given and accepted.

aThis is Auron?a Barda muttered, as they clambered out of the boat.

Lief looked about him. Everywhere there were signs that the people had been woken by the intruders. The newly lit torches. The heavy-eyed children. The doors of the dwellings hanging open, as if the inhabitants had rushed out in alarm.

aIt is certainly a place where Aurons live,a he murmured back. aBut it cannot be Auron itself. The map makes it clear that Auron is a true island.a aThen where are we?a Jasmine demanded. She had climbed up beside them and now stood looking around warily, Kree cradled in her arms.

aI think this platform is the dotted outline on the map,a Lief whispered. aDoran used a broken line to show that its position is not fixed. It is anch.o.r.ed now, but no doubt it moves around when the people wish it.a aWhy do they not live on their island?a Jasmine demanded fiercely, not troubling to lower her voice. aAre they so savage and careless that they have made it unfit to support life?a Lief nudged her violently, but it was too late. Many in the crowd had heard her, and were frowning and muttering among themselves.

Jasmineas eyes flashed green fire. aI do not care what they think!a she spat. aThey struck Kree down for no reason. Who would do such a thing to a creature who meant no harm?a aThose who did not know he meant no harm,a said a quiet voice beside Lief. aThose who have never seen a bird in their lives, and who have learned, through bitter experience, that what is unknown may be deadly.a Lief swung around. A pair of shrewd eyes met his own. Instinctively, he knew that this was one of the figures he had seen in the tower. The Piperas companion.

aMy name is Penn,a the Auron said. aI am the history-keeper of the rafts. The Piper has appointed me to be your host.a aOur gaoler, you mean!a flashed Jasmine.

Penn smiled, showing two rows of chipped, pointed teeth. aWhatever I am, I am all you have,a she said simply. aIt would be wise for you to follow me, now, to a safe place. The crowdas mood is growing ugly.a As Lief, Barda and Jasmine followed Penn through the narrow pathways of the rafts, Jinks ran on tiptoe through the hallways of the second floor of the palace.

The long, strong hair pin he had found at the back of a drawer had helped him escape from his own bed chamber. Now it was time to carry out his plans.

He knew he had plenty of time. Even if Sharn came upstairs again, she would not stop on the second floor. She would go straight up to the library to see what that Toran spitfire, Marilen, wanted.

There was no doubt in his mind that Marilen was Liefas bride-to-be. How exciting it had been to see the message on the slate that old fool had been holding up in the kitchen!

And now Jinks had seen the girl for himself. A pert little minx she is, too, he thought resentfully. How dare she call me a liar? As it happens, I am lying. But for all she knows, I am telling the honest truth!

He reached the last door in the hallway and began to work on the lock with his hairpin. Lief probably is dead by now, in any case, he thought. But whether he is or not, my pleasant life in the palace is over. It is very unfair, but there it is.

He closed his eyes, jiggling the lock, as his thoughts ran over familiar ground. Yes, Jinks, he told himself, you must face facts. If Lief is alive, he will return and tell everyone that you abandoned him. Then you will be finished. And if Lief is dead, the Shadow Lord will come, and the palace itself is finished.

With satisfaction, he heard the lock give way with a gentle click. He entered the room, carefully closing the door behind him.

A blue cloak hanging on a hook in one corner told him that the room was Sharnas. Good! Rapidly Jinks began to go through shelves and drawers.

I will search all the rooms and take what I fancy, he thought. By the time the losses are discovered I will be riding west on a stolen horse, my saddlebags stuffed with valuables. And in the west I will find a nice, safe hiding place where a rich acrobat who is not too choosy about his friends can enjoy a well-earned retirement.

Closing the last of the drawers, he saw with annoyance that his search had yielded only a few coins, a topaz brooch and a gold chain upon which hung a locket containing a tiny portrait of King Endon, Liefas father, as a young man.

Jinks snorted in disgust. Why, the kingas mother still dressed like a blacksmithas wife! Where were the jewels, gold rings and ropes of pearls he had expected to find?

Shaking his head, he hurried out of the room and moved to the next door.

Do not fret, Jinks, my boy, he told himself, inserting his handy hairpin into the lock. The girl Marilenas room must be here somewhere.

The gossip was that Lief had chosen the finest of the royal jewels for his bride. But Marilen had not been wearing anything of value when Jinks saw her. So the jewels must be hidden away in her room. What a prize they would be!

The lock clicked under the pressure of his fingers, and he entered the second room.

It looked almost as bare as the first. But on a low table by the fire was a tray holding a bowl of stew, a salad, some bread, and, best of all, a small golden-brown cake in a silver paper case.

Jinks hurried to the table, reached for the cake, then drew back. A folded paper was lying beside the tray. Clearly it had not yet been read, for its wax seal was only partly broken. Eyes sharp with curiosity, Jinks opened it.

Jinks grinned in delight. So he had stumbled on Marilenas room already! He should have realised it at once, because of the tray. The spoilt wench had stormed off to find Sharn, leaving her meal untouched.

He grabbed the cake and gobbled it down with relish.

Now, to find the jewels! He looked around, enjoying the moment. Then, with shock and disbelief, he felt a stab of pain, agonising pain, in his stomach. Gasping, he doubled up, clutching his belly as the pain stabbed again, and again. He tried to call out, but could manage only a croaking whisper.

Agony gripped him. He fell writhing to the floor, his fingers clawing on the thin rug, his heels kicking at the table.

The table tilted. The tray slid over the edge.

By the time it hit the ground, Jinks was dead.

8 - The House of Penn.

Thoughts of Del had again begun nagging at Lief as he followed Penn through the maze of narrow walkways that ran between the crowded dwellings of the rafts. But they were driven from his mind the moment he, Jasmine and Barda entered the history-keeperas hut.

The hut was small but pleasant, despite the strong smell of fish oil that drifted both from the stove burning in one corner and the sh.e.l.l lamp fixed to a wall.

A sleeping hammock covered with a patchwork rug of grey skins hung from hooks fastened to the low ceiling. There was no other furniture at all, but the floor was covered with a beautiful mat woven in soft sea colours.

Three of the smooth, pale walls were covered with hanging baskets in which rolled parchments, clothes and other belongings were neatly arranged. The door wall was bare except for a hook upon which Penn invited Lief to hang his cloak, a curtained window and a small wall hanging woven in a strange, bold pattern.

Below the wall hanging was a large blue bowl filled with water. Inside the bowl, two small, upright sea creatures swayed amid fronds of silver weed. They were very like sea horses in shape, but glittered with every colour of the rainbow.

aMy companions, Tresk and Mesk,a said Penn, leaning over the bowl. Plainly, by the way she cooed and smiled at the little creatures as they bobbed up to nuzzle her hand, bubbling eagerly, they were very dear to her.

She looked anxious as Filli crept out from under Jasmineas collar and ran down to the edge of the bowl to investigate.

aFilli would not harm them,a Jasmine a.s.sured her. But Penn did not relax until Filli was safely back on Jasmineas shoulder again, nibbling at a dried berry from Jasmineas pocket.

After that, Penn busied herself in making her guests welcome. She could not have been more helpful, or more agreeable.

She took down the hammock and stored it away, to make more room. Then she supplied Jasmine with everything necessary to care for Kreeas injured wing. All the while she asked questions about Deltora and the companionsa present journey, listening alertly to their answers.

Finally, once Kree was resting comfortably, she brought large snail sh.e.l.ls of strong, oily soup to her guests.

aIt is not to your taste, perhaps?a she asked anxiously, as she watched them drink.

aOh, no, it is very good,a Lief a.s.sured her, trying not to wrinkle his nose. He felt something hard on his tongue and removed it. It was a shrivelled claw. He stared at it with repulsion, wondering what horrible creature it had come from.

Penn looked grave. aYou would be wise always to speak the truth on the rafts,a she said gently. aAs a keeper of history, who has read much of what Doran taught our ancestors, I am familiar with your peopleas ways. But in this I am different from most. Even politeness, which in the world above, I believe, is thought good, is no excuse for lies here.a She gestured to the wall-hanging which had fascinated Lief ever since he entered the hut.

Lief, Barda and Jasmine stared at the bold symbols, and at last saw the word concealed within them.

aTruth,a Lief murmured.

Penn nodded. aBeauty is important to us, as befits followers of the Piper Auron,a she said. aBut we believe that nothing can be truly beautiful unless truth dwells within it. Lies and pretence have been the ruin of our people in the past. Now our children are taught from their earliest days that truth is all-important, and lying is the greatest sin.a She smiled slightly. aSo, tell me. Are you really enjoying the meal you have been given?a aWell, if you want the truth, while I am grateful for your kindness, I find it repulsive!a growled Barda, putting down his sh.e.l.l.

aAnd I,a said Jasmine, doing likewise.

Lief sighed. aTruly the most unpleasant brew I have ever tasted,a he agreed.

Pennas smile broadened. aIt is written that Doran felt the same at first,a she chuckled. Quickly she drained her own sh.e.l.l, crunching the dregs with relish.

aAnd now,a she said, with obvious reluctance, putting the sh.e.l.l aside, ait is my task to tell you why we cannot help you.a Lief leaned forward. aCould we not speak to your Piper? Our cause is just, and we would have your part of the Pirran Pipe for onlya"a Penn raised her arm, which was covered in complicated tattoos almost to the elbow.

aDo not waste your breath in argument,a she said bluntly. aThe Piper knows why you are here. The guards who were not needed for towing your boat landed long before you, and informed him.a She sighed at the expression on Liefas face.

aThe Piper wishes you to know that we would give you anything you asked, if we could. Your kinsman Doran spent much time on the rafts in ages past. He gave our ancestors many gifts, including the gift of fire, without which our lives today would be miserable beyond words.a Barda frowned. aThena"a Penn shrugged. aDo you think that we would live like this if our part of the Pirran Pipe was with us?a she sighed. aDo you think we choose to drift the seas, spending half our lives searching for materials to mend the rafts? Do you think we choose to live in darkness, when our souls long for light?a Lief struggled with warring feelings of disbelief and bitter disappointment. He knew the second part of the Pipe was near. He could feel it! Yet he knew also that Penn, whose people valued truth above all things, could not be lying.

aThe stem of the Pipe is lost, then?a he asked, in a level voice.

aLost to us,a said Penn. aIt is on the island of Auron. And that is lost to us, also.a aLost?a Jasmine shook her head impatiently. aHow lost? Has it sunk into the sea? Has it been overrun by the monsters you bred toa"a aMonsters we bred?a cried Penn. Pale eyes flashing, all stiffness forgotten, she jumped to her feet. aWho has told you this lie?a she thundered, looking down at Jasmine angrily.

Then her face changed. Her eyes narrowed, and her wide mouth hardened. aAh, of course,a she hissed. aThose accursed Plumes, who could not speak the truth if their lives depended upon it. Who would stop at nothing to smear our name to descendants of Doran!a aIf the Plumes were lying, they did not know it,a snapped Jasmine, refusing to be cowed. aThey told us only what they truly believed.a Penn glared at her for a moment. Then, slowly, her rage seemed to die, and her face relaxed. aI am sorry for my anger,a she said, walking to the window, pulling aside the curtain and staring out at the dimness. aI was wrong to blame you. The Plumes are clever deceivers.a Jasmine looked as if she was going to argue further, but Lief spoke quickly, before she had the chance. Hope was again flaring in his heart. For if the second part of the Pirran Pipe was on Auron, it could surely be won, whatever the danger that guarded it.

aTell us, Penn, I beg you, why you say Auron is lost,a he urged.

Strange, high, echoing calls began to drift through the window, filling the room, growing louder every moment.

Penn turned around. Her face was shadowed with weariness and something more. Despair, perhaps.

aDawn is being sung by the Piper,a she said. aThe time of sleep is over. Not that any of us have had our proper sleep, this night.a aI am sorrya"a Lief began, but Penn waved away his apology and walked to the hanging baskets on the back wall. She selected two small, ragged pieces of parchment, then moved to the door.

aCome,a she said. aYour boat may now leave the rafts with safety.a aWe cannot leave!a exclaimed Jasmine, glancing protectively at Kree. aKree must rest further. He is still weak.a aThe bird may remain where he is,a said Penn, her serious face relaxing a little as she regarded Jasmineas earnest face. aIn his condition he will not trouble Tresk and Mesk, and you will be back before the Piper calls down the night. To swim would be faster, but not for you, I suspect. I am taking you to Auron.a Liefas heart jolted with excitement. He glanced at Barda, whose face was bright with triumph.