Incarceron Part 15

"Now pile it on. And don't try anything."

In the moment before the treasure began to be poured, Finn wiped sweat from his eyes. He swallowed again, trying not to breathe too hard, wishing desperately he had tied something over his mouth and nose. Faint, horribly familiar, the spots of redness began to swim before his eyes. Not now, he thought frantically. Please. Not now.

Gold was slithering and rattling. Rings, cups, plates, elaborate candlesticks. A bag was upended and silver coins cascaded out, forged probably from the ore smuggled by traders; then a deluge of delicate components robbed from dark and unfrequented parts of the Wing-broken Beetles, Eye-lenses, a Sweeper with its radar mangled. The needle began to move.

Watching it, the Civicry dumped a sack of ket and two small pieces of the precious ebony wood that grew somewhere in a stunted forest even Gildas had only-heard rumors of.

Keiro grinned at Finn.

As the red needle edged across, a heap of copper wire and Plastiglas went on, a handful of crystal filaments, a patched helm, and three rusted foils that would certainly snap at the first good blow.

The men worked hurriedly, but it was clear they were running out of goods. The Maestra watched tight-lipped, Keiro's knifepoint whitening the skin under her ear. Finn's breath was ragged. p.r.i.c.kles of pain sparked behind his eyes. He swallowed and tried to whisper to Keiro, but he had no breath and his oathbrother was watching the last sack-of useless tinware-being placed on the heap.

The needle swung over.

It stopped short.

"More," Keiro said quietly.

"There's nothing more."

Keiro laughed. "You love the coat you're wearing better than her?"

Sim tore the coat off and flung it on. Then, with a glance at the Maestra he tossed his sword and firelock after it. The other two men did the same. They stood empty-handed and each of them watched the needle quiver. It didn't quite make the mark.

"More," Keiro said.

"For G.o.d's sake!" Sim's voice was harsh. "Just let her go!"

Keiro glanced at Finn.

"This crystal. Is it there?"

Dizzy, he shook his head.

Keiro smiled icily at the men. He pressed the blade; a glistening trickle of dark blood edged it.

"Beg, lady."

She was very calm. She said, "They want the crystal, Sim. The one you found in the lost hall."

"Maestra ..."

"Give it to them."

Sim hesitated. It was only for a second, though through his nausea Finn saw it strike the Maestra like a blow. Then the man put his hand into his shirt and pulled out an object that caught a glimmer of light, so that a brief rainbow rippled in his fingers.

"We've found out something," he said. "Something it does ..."

She stopped him with a look. He tossed the crystal slowly down onto the pile. The needle touched the mark.

At once Keiro shoved the woman away.

Sim grabbed her arm and pulled her onto the second bridge.

"Run!" he yelled.

Finn crouched. Saliva welled in his throat as he picked up the crystal. Inside it an eagle spread wide wings. It was the same as the mark on his wrist. Finn.

He looked up.

The Maestra had stopped and turned, her face white.

"I hope it destroys you."

"Maestra!"

Sim had her arm but she shook him off.

Gripping the chains of the second bridge, she faced Finn and spat words at him. "I curse the crystal, and I curse you."

"There's no time," he said hoa.r.s.ely. "Just go."

"You've destroyed my trust. My compa.s.sion. I thought I could tell truth from lies. Now I'll never dare show kindness to a stranger again. For that I can never forgive you!"

Her hatred scorched him.

Then, as she turned away, the bridge lurched. The abyss swung crazily. In a second of frozen horror the Maestra screamed and he gasped, "No!" staggering one step toward her.

Then Keiro had hold of him and was shouting and something was cracking and as if the pain in his head had slowed them down he saw the chains and rivets that held the bridge snapping and jerking out, heard Jormanric's great howl of laughter and knew this was treachery.

The Maestra must have realized too. She stood upright. She gave him one look, her eyes to his; then she was gone, she and Sim and the others were gone, down and down, and the bridge was a crazy contraption slamming and shedding wrecked ironware in a clattering uproar against the side of the cliff.

Screaming echoes faded. Crumpling to his knees, Finn stared, appalled.

A wave of nausea shuddered through him.

He clutched the crystal, and through the roaring in his ears heard Keiro say calmly, "I should have guessed the old rogue would do that. And a lump of gla.s.s doesn't look much for all your trouble. What is it?"

Then Finn knew, in a second of sour clarity, that he was right, that he must have been born Outside; knew it because he held in his hand the one object that no one in Incarceron for generations had ever seen or would even guess the purpose of, and yet it was familiar to him, he had a word for it, he knew what it was.

It was a key.

Darkness and pain roared up and swallowed him.

He fell into Keiro's firm grip.

UNDERGROUND, THE STARS ARE LEGENDS.

8.

The Years of Rage are ended and nothing can be the same.

The war has hollowed the moon and stilled the tides.

We must find a simpler way of life.

We must retreat into the past, everyone and everything, in its place, in order.

Freedom is a small price to pay for survival.

-King Endor's Decree ***