Lyra: Caught In Crystal Part 13

aRocks donat have fish in them!a Mark said scornfully.

aThey do too!a Xaya retorted. aSometimes, anyway. Father showed me one once, that the old Prefect was having him make into a scroll-weight. Theyare inside, and you have to smash the rocks open to find them.a On Kaylas other side, Dara stopped talking to Glyndon to listen to Xaya. aIs that true, Mother?a she asked.

aYes, it is. Iave seen the kind of thing Xaya means. They arenat common, but if Alden says the stream ahead may have some, it probably does.a aLive fish?a Mark said, still skeptical but willing to be convinced.

aNo, silly,a Xaya said. aBones and things. Like somebody made a clay cast of a fish, only in rock.a aThatas weird,a Mark said.

aWhy would a wizard want to wrap a rock around a fish?a Dara asked Glyndon.

aWhat makes you think a wizard did it?a Glyndon said.

aWell, how else could it happen? But it doesnat sound as if it would be any use.a aWizards are always doing things that arenat any use,a Mark said before Glyndon could answer. aWhen they do anything at all.a aWhy donat you see if you can find a couple of these rocks?a Kayl said quickly. aMaybe you can figure it out for yourselves.a aCan I go too, Mother?a Dara asked.

Kayl looked at Glyndon, who nodded. She gave her permission, and the three children scrambled up the hill almost as fast as Xaya had come down it. Kayl watched them go, then turned to Glyndon with an inquiring look.

aSheall be able to absorb things more quickly if she gets a break now and then,a he said. Then he smiled. aAnd so will I.a aWhat do you mean by that?a aI have to find out how much Dara knows, how sheas been taught,a Glyndon said. aThe Sisterhoodas approach to magic isa very unusual.a aWhy donat you talk to Barthelmy about it?a Glyndon blinked. aBecause I hadnat thought of it,a he confessed. aExcuse me.a He scanned the string of Sisters above them in search of Barthelmy, then began to climb more rapidly.

Kayl did not try to follow him. She finished the climb alone, feeling glad he had not stayed and yet wishing he had. She wanted someone to snap at or quarrel with in order to relieve the mounting pressure of her worries about Dara, about the crystal, about the Sisterhood, about the Tower. The realization made her feel ashamed, but it did not lessen her irritability. She set her teeth and tried to empty her mind of everything but climbing.

The technique was only partially successful; the incline was not really steep enough to demand such concentration, and she had nearly reached the top. The descent on the other side was just as frustrating. It required enough attention that she could not ponder her troubles deeply enough to resolve them, but it did not occupy her mind fully enough to allow her a respite from worry. When they stopped for lunch beside the stream at the foot of the mountain, Kayl felt like a bear just out of hibernationa"hungry, cross, and ready to tear the arms off anyone who got in her way.

Her first act was to check on the children, whom she found happily smashing fist-sized rocks against larger rocks by the side of the stream. She withdrew without interrupting them and went to collect her ration of cheese and journey-bread. She saw Glyndon and Barthelmy, deep in conversation, and waved at them but did not stop. After a brief search, she found a place a little apart from the rest of the expedition and sat down to eat.

The day was relatively warm, though Kayl could still see snowcaps on the tops of the mountains around them. The sun was high enough for its rays to reach even to the bottom of the canyons between the mountains; the stream sparkled like a flow of diamonds. Kayl stretched her legs out into a patch of sunlight and let her cloak fall open to enjoy the warmth.

aMay I join you?a The deep voice was unmistakable.

Kayl turned and found Ferianek Trone standing behind her, looking unusually grave. aIf you wish,a she said.

aThank you.a Ferianek seated himself. Kayl began eating her lunch, wondering what the scholar wanted. After a time, Ferianek said, aI heard about your girl and the crystal.a aIam not surprised,a Kayl said, struggling to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. aI think everyone knows the story by now.a aProbably.a Ferianekas head turned toward the stream, where the sounds of shouting and laughter were still occasionally punctuated by the sharp cracking noise of one rock hitting another. aI think I owe you an apology,a he said.

aFor what?a Kayl said. aDonat tell me youave been teaching Dara as well!a aNo,a Ferianek said, smiling. The smile faded and he said seriously, aIn a way, thatas the problem.a aI donat suppose you could be a little clearer?a Ferianek sighed. aI feel responsible for what has happened to your daughter, and to your friends as well.a aYou mean Glyndon?a aAnd those who died at Glenduraas Tomb, yes.a Ferianek sighed again, and held up a hand to forestall Kaylas objection. aI know. I know. I wasnat there. Thatas the whole point.a Kayl stared at him. aFerianek, if youa"a aNo, listen to me. My family have been Watchers of the valley for over a thousand years; thereas a binding between us and the place you call the Twisted Tower that keeps us here, in these mountains, close to the valley. It serves little purpose, now, for most of the spells we once knew have been lost or forgotten. But the binding goes on.a His voice deepened further, and the bitterness in it was evident. aI am tied to the Windhome Mountains. For more than thirty years I have been searching for a way to break that tie.

aI knew of the Sisterhoodas search for the Tower, so I came to you sixteen years ago and told you how to find it. I hoped that you would destroy it, or at least change somehow the spells that hold me. But I did not tell you all that I could have; I did not speak of the sealed doors or the crystal that powers the Toweras spells. I could not ask you to harm the Tower, nor help you do so, but I could hope. Unwarned of what lay within, you might have smashed the crystal or abolished the spells on the Tower or taken its power to use for yourselves.a aYou were willing to wager all our lives on the hope that we would accidentally set you free?a Kayl said incredulously.

aI was desperate. And I did not know there was danger in the Tower beyond the spells that guarded it. I did not know the black creature was there, and alive! I thought all you had to fear was magic, and the Sisterhood has a good reputation for that. So I let you and your friends find a way inside, without telling you what you might find. And from that error, the rest has followed.a aAnd the second expedition the Sisterhood sent?a Kayl asked. aDid you know about it, too?a Ferianek nodded. aI knew, and again I did nothing. I shirked my duty as Watcher of the Tomb and let them come; I betrayed my oath as a follower of the Way of the Third Moon and let them die. And all because I wanted to be free of the obligations that hold me here.a aAnd now you are trying to redeem yourself by helping us?a aI wish I could say yes,a Ferianek said, speaking with more bitterness than Kayl had ever heard in his voice before. aBut this time there are Magicseekers on the road to the Tower. Their reputation is as bad as the Sisterhoodas is good; I have no choice but to try to find some way of stopping them. So, again, I use you for my own purposes.a aI see.a Kayl was surprised to find that she did see. Ferianek was a scholar at heart, not a man of action. His desire to leave the duties he had never wanted was easy to understand; so was the desperation that had led him to clutch at the unlikely possibility that the Sisterhoodas first venture to the Tower might, somehow, free him. His guilt over the consequences of his inaction was almost too familiar. But how much would really have happened differently if they had heard Ferianekas tales before they entered the Tower that first time? Kevran would not have broken the crystal, true, but they would surely have tried to take it with them. And if Glyndon was right, and the black thing was guarding the crystal, the results might well have been the same.

aItas easy to blame yourself for might-haves and might-not-haves,a Kayl said at last. aItas easy, and itas human. Itas also stupid.a Ferianek looked at her in surprise, then laughed. aYou sound like the Adept who taught me the Way of the Third Moon.a aHe must have had children.a aShe did,a Ferianek said, smiling.

They ate in silence for a moment, then Kayl asked, aWhat would you do if you could leave the Windhome Mountains?a aIad go to Kith Alunel,a Ferianek said promptly. His eyes lit with longing for a dream long denied, and his voice was eager. aThere are scrolls in the Queenas Librarya. I could spend years there.a aYouad spend the rest of your life in a library?a Ferianek laughed sheepishly. aNot all of it, I hope. Iad like to visit the Waywalker settlement on the Island of the Moon, too.a aIs that the colony you told Bryn and Alden about?a Ferianek nodded. aI would like to have a hand in building it. From here, I can only send others to help.a He smiled. aMy daughter and my eldest son are already there.a Kayl realized with a slight shock that this was the first time, in over two weeks of traveling together, that she had heard Ferianek speak of anything personal. She was about to question him further, when a shout echoed through the trees.

Ferianek looked up. aTime to go.a Kayl pushed herself to her feet with a groan. aI thought Iad gotten back into shape after ten months of traveling.a aClimbing mountains uses different muscles from ordinary walking,a Ferianek pointed out. aThe tops of the thighs, for instance.a aI know, I know,a Kayl said. aBut knowing doesnat make them any less sore.a Ferianek laughed and went off to collect his pack. Kayl shook the crumbs out of her cloak and started down the hill toward the stream.

The three children accosted her excitedly as soon as she came in sight, and proudly displayed their finds. Mark had found a smallish rock which, when broken open, revealed a star-shaped skeleton. He also had two larger rocks, one containing the impression of a twisted leaf, the other showing the skeleton of a fishas tail. Dara had found the pattern of a delicate, fernlike leaf, and Xaya had a large rock which had split perfectly in half, showing a complete fish on either side.

aVery impressive,a Kayl said. aHave you eaten? Good; leave the rocks and go get your packs. Itas time to go now.a aLeave them!a Mark said indignantly. aIam not going to leave them.a Kayl studied him for a moment. aAll right, if you want to walk around with a pack full of rocks, you can. But if you take them, youall have to carry them until we camp tonight, and I donat want to hear any complaints about how heavy they are, either.a aI wonat,a Mark promised, and immediately began gathering up his three pieces. Dara looked thoughtfully at her own find, as though wishing it were smaller, but finally she picked it up. Xaya had already fitted both halves of her fish-rock back together and was cradling them protectively in her arms.

Kayl went with Mark and Dara to help them find room for the rocks in the bundles they carried. She was reasonably sure that the rocks, however interesting, would not be carried past the first rest stop, so she made sure that they were easily accessible. By the time they finished, Ferianek had started out along the bank of the stream, with the first of the Sisters just behind him, and Kayl had to hurry to catch up.

The afternoonas march provided Kayl with even more time to think than had the morningas journey. She had more than enough to think about; her conversation with Ferianek had shaken her. She could not help seeing parallels between his situation and her own, but it was the differences that disturbed her most. She had been trapped by circ.u.mstances into coming on this expedition, and she resented it fiercely. But Ferianek, who was bound to this task far more surely than she, and with less consent, did not seem to feel resentment or anger toward anyone. Kayl had been laying her troubles at the door of the Sisterhood, blaming them for their interference in her life. Ferianek blamed no one but himself.

Kayl was quiet and thoughtful for the rest of the day and into the evening, but she came to no conclusions and found no way around her worries. Finally she forced herself to let her tired body sleep, but even her dreams were troubled. The next morning she felt almost as tired as she had when she lay down. She tried to suppress her irritability during the dayas travel, with only partial success.

So absorbed was Kayl in her thoughts that she did not at first realize that the late-afternoon rest halt had become the end of the dayas journey. When the various activities of setting up camp finally registered on her mind, she went looking for Javieri.

aFerianek says that we are less than an houras walk from the valley,a Javieri said in response to Kaylas question. aI am sending the scouts to make certain the Magicseekers have not reached it ahead of us. Besides, after what you and Barthelmy have told us, I have no desire to spend a night in that place. We will go on in the morning.a Kayl looked up at the mountains and shivered.

CHAPTER.

TWENTY-SEVEN.

Demma Jol, Bryn and Alden returned to the camp before dark with word that the valley around the Twisted Tower was deserted. Javieri nodded and summoned those most immediately involved to her tent for a final conference. Kayl followed Glyndon in. Barthelmy and Corrana were already present; so, to Kaylas surprise, were Ferianek Trone and the Wyrds. Kayl sat down on the ground just inside the door of the tent. Glyndon followed suit, and Javieri began.

aTomorrow we will reach the Twisted Tower,a the Elder Mother said. aI have decided that the entire expedition will accompany us to the valley.a Barthelmy made a surprised noise. aAll of us? I thoughta"a aAccording to Ferianek, there are twenty Magicseekers somewhere between the edge of the Windhome Mountains and the valley of the Twisted Tower,a Javieri said patiently. aWe know they have not yet reached the valley; we have no guarantee that they will not arrive while we are there. If they do, we will need every sword we have. And every spell, no matter how feeble.a aIf it really is the Tower that is interfering with your magic, do you think it wise to use even weak spells so close to it?a Glyndon asked.

aPerhaps not,a Corrana put in dryly. aBut I, for one, think it better than being killed by Magicseekers.a aThe scouts will, of course, check once again to be sure that the Magicseekers have not arrived before we enter the valley,a Javieri said. aBryn and Alden have proven matchless at finding traces in the woods. They will cover the forest on the slopes around the valley. Demma Jol and Forrin willa"a aNo,a said Kayl.

Javieri looked at her with narrowed eyes. aWhat?a aShe means you should have asked us before you made all these plans,a Bryn said. aWe arenat members of your Sisterhood, remember?a aI beg your pardon.a Javieri had the grace to look uncomfortable. aYou have been so helpful I had forgotten.a aFlattery will do nothing for you,a Bryn said. aAfter what weave heard about that Tower, this is as close as we want to come to it.a aBesides,a Alden added, aI donat think you wish to leave any of your swords behind to watch the children.a aAnd Iam not letting Dara and Mark get any closer to the Tower than this,a Kayl finished. aI know Bryn and Alden feel the same way about Xaya. Theyave already agreed to watch my two so I can go to the Tower with you; we discussed it yesterday.a aYou seem to have arranged everything,a Javieri said in a tightly controlled voice. aBut what if the Magicseekers come upon this camp while we are away?a aThatas unlikely,a Glyndon said, and flashed Kayl a brief smile. aWeare coming at the valley from almost due north; if they followed the path we took the first time, the Magicseekers will be coming from the southwest.a aKayl,a Barthelmy said in a low voice, aare you sure Mark and Dara wouldnat really be safer in the valley, with more of us around to protect them?a aIt is not only Magicseekers that Dara Kaylar has to fear,a Corrana said in a cool voice before Kayl could answer. aYou are forgetting her link to the Crystal. Since we do not understand the nature of that link, it seems unwise to expose the girl more than is necessary.a Barthelmy stiffened and glared. Javieri gave Corrana a look of angry dislike. Corrana gazed back at them with the same unruffled, enigmatic expression that had so frequently irritated Kayl. aI agree,a Kayl said quickly. aBut even if Dara had never had a link with the Crystal, I wouldnat want her any nearer to the Tower. If the Magicseekers do get through Ferianekas traps, theyall be at the valley, not here. And if they donata well, the Tower isnat a safe place for anyone, much less a child.a aYou have an answer for everything,a Javieri said. aEverything but the Twisted Tower itself.a aThe Twisted Tower is my affair,a Kayl said. aMine and Glyndonas and the Sisterhoodas. Itas not my childrenas concern, and not Brynas or Aldenas either.a aVery well,a Javieri said. She looked at the Wyrds. aYou are determined?a aWe arenat going any closer to the Tower, if thatas what you mean,a Alden said.

aThen there is no reason for your further presence here,a Javieri said. aYou may go.a Kayl found Javierias tone annoying, but the Wyrds seemed simply amused by their lordly dismissal. They rose and picked their way around people to the door of the tent. Bryn paused and said with a fierce smile, aThe luck of the Tree to you, Sisters.a Then they were gone.

aIf your Wyrd friends will no longer help us, Demma and Forrin will have to scout the forest as well as the valley.a Javieri gave Kayl a cold look, as she resumed her speech. Then she looked at Corrana and her eyes narrowed. aI think enough of your skills remain that you should a.s.sist the scouts, Elder Sister. Magic may find what others miss.a Corrana inclined her head. aI am honored by Your Serenityas trust,a she said, and Kayl heard the smooth irony in her voice.

aWhen we are sure there are no Magicseekers near, the rest of us will join the scouts at the base of the Twisted Tower,a Javieri went on after a final sharp glance at Corrana. aElder Sister Barthelmy and Glyndon shal Morag will remove the spells that seal the Tower, as they have done before; the magicians among us will give them what aid we can.a aRemove the spells?a Ferianek said, frowning. aIs that wise? If the creature of the Tower is still present, as you saya"a aIf we do what we did last time, we wonat be removing any spells,a Glyndon said. aItas more like making a door-sized hole in them, and the hole closes again as soon as we stop holding it open.a aBut that means whoever goes inside the Tower wonat be able to get out again!a Ferianek said, startled.

aNeither will the black thing,a Barthelmy said. aAnd we can open the hole again quickly, once itas been made.a aFurthermore, I intend that Glyndon and Elder Sister Barthelmy remain outside the Tower,a Javieri said.

aWhat?a Glyndon sat up, startled and angry.

aYou can re-open the Tower door as easily from outside as from inside, can you not?a Javieri asked.

aYes, buta"a aThen you will do so. You are the keys that let us into and out of the Twisted Tower; if one or both of you should be killed inside the Tower, those of us inside would indeed be trapped. We will all be safer if you are outside.a And you still donat trust either of them, Kayl thought. Even after whatas happened on this trip, you donat trust them.

aWho will be going inside the Tower, then?a Barthelmy asked.

aMyself, Elder Mother Miracote, and Mother Siran,a Javieri replied. Then she looked at Ferianek and said carefully, aWe would be pleased to have your company as well.a Ferianek shifted uncomfortably. aI am not sure that is possible,a he said, and looked down.

aNot possible?a Javieri said, raising both eyebrows. aWhat do you mean?a aI am bound in certain ways, particularly regarding the Twisted Tower. I do not know whether entering the Tower is one of the things I am forbidden; the opportunity has never arisen before.a Ferianek looked up. aI will try, but that is all I can promise.a aWe can ask no more,a Javieri said. She paused. aThe final member of the first group to go inside the Tower will be Kayl Larrinar, for we shall need a guide who has been there before.a aSo thatas whya"a Kayl began.

aNo,a Glyndon said loudly.

aAnd what is your objection?a Javieri said with barely concealed exasperation.

aIf Kayl is going inside the Tower, I am going with her,a Glyndon said firmly.

aBut you have to stay outside, Glyndon!a Barthelmy said. She put a hand on Glyndonas arm, and Kayl felt an unreasonable surge of anger. aI canat open the seals alone.a aYes, you can,a Glyndon said. aOnce the spell is set, either of us can use it. Kevran did it last time, remember?a aI remember,a Barthelmy said. aBut I donat know anymore whether I can trust my memories of the Tower. Or have you found some way of separating the true memories from the false?a Glyndon paled slightly. aIa"no.a aLeave him alone,a Kayl said angrily. aHeas had more trouble because of that Tower than any of the rest of us.a aThen he should prefer to remain outside it,a Javieri said.

aNo.a Glyndonas voice was firm, but he still looked whiter than he should have. aIf Kayl goes inside, I go too. That, or youall have to find some other way of getting in.a aI can take care of myself, Glyndon,a Kayl said irritably.

aI know. Thatas not the point.a aOh?a aI believe Glyndonas point is the same one you made a moment ago regarding the Wyrds,a Corrana put in. aHe was not consulted when these plans were made.a Javieri cut off Kaylas reply. aAre you all determined to see this venture fail?a she said in a tone of cold fury. aIf I did not need your skillsa"a aBut you do need us,a Kayl said. She was angry herself now: angry at Barthelmy, angry at Javieri, and, most of all, angry at the Sisterhood that had taught them to act in such a highhanded manner. aYou could have asked us weeks ago whether we agreed with these plans of yours.a aIt seemed wiser to me to wait,a Javieri said stiffly.

aWhy? Were you hoping that if you sprang this on us at the last minute, we wouldnat have time to object? Or did you think that wead have to do it your way for lack of any alternative?a aIa"a aI thought you were put in charge of this expedition because you understood,a Kayl said. aI thought that was why you backed me up in Riventon two weeks ago. But that wasnat it, was it? You just wanted to make sure nothing endangered the expedition. And it didnat occur to you that the Sistersa att.i.tude toward Glyndon and me might do that until that scene at the tavern. Thatas why you didnat say anything earlier. Youare just like the rest of them; you donat trust us.a aHave you given me reason to trust you?a Javieri demanded, so fiercely that Kayl was startled. aThe help you give has been reluctantly offered, you make it clear that you refuse the authority of the Sisterhood, and you have hidden the crystal chip from us for months. Do you expect me to confide in you?a aI expected you to remember that some of us donat have to take your orders without asking questions,a Kayl said stiffly, unwilling to admit the justice of Javierias complaint.

aKayl.a Corranaas voice was quiet, and so unexpected that Kayl stopped short almost without thinking. aWhatever your opinions, we must face the Twisted Tower tomorrow, or chance the Magicseekersa arrival. Is this the time for such recriminations?a aI may not get another chance,a Kayl muttered, but she made herself sit back and look at Javieri with a semblance of control. aSo. Glyndon and I will be your guides inside the Twisted Tower. Whatas next?a Javieri gave her a dark look, but said, aWe will go directly to the room where Gadeironas Crystal is kept. Once there, you will keep watch for the black creature while the rest of us study the Crystal. If the stars will it, we will find the threads that bind our power and loose them; once that is done, we must make sure that the Crystal cannot be used against us again.a aYou will not destroy it,a Glyndon said, and his tone was a command.

Ferianek looked at him, startled, as though it had never occurred to him that the Sisters might contemplate such a thing. Javierias eyes locked on Glyndonas. aWe have never considered it,a she said, and Kayl knew she was lying.

aThe black thing appeared when Kevran chipped the Crystal,a Kayl pointed out. aIad rather not think about what might happen if someone shattered it.a Javieri gestured impatiently. aThe Crystal must be guarded so that it can never steal the Sisterhoodas magic again, and the Tower sealed so that the Magicseekers can never enter it. Until we reach the Crystal room, we cannot know how this may be done.a Kayl nodded, but she was not satisfied and she could see that Javieri knew it. aAnd if the thing comes?a aThen we will fight it.a Javieri looked over at Barthelmy. aIf we do not return in two hours, or signal from the Toweras top, you will let Elder Mother Alessa, Mother Lonava, and Elder Sister Corrana into the Tower to try their fortunes, and after two more hours a third group. If no one returns, you will seal the Tower as completely as possible and return to Kith Alunel with the news. Do you understand?a aWhat about the Magicseekers?a Barthelmy said.

aAlone, there is little you can do against them, and if we fail inside the Tower your fellow Sisters will have few spells to aid you. We will have to trust the spells that seal the Tower to defeat the Magicseekers, as they defeated us five years ago.a aI understand.a aAnd if we succeed?a Kayl said.

aThen we will withdraw to the slopes above the valley and keep watch on the Tower until the Magicseekers come,a Javieri said. aWith the full strength of our magic returned to us, we should have no difficulty in destroying them if they should breach the Tower.a Kayl doubted that it would be that easy, but she said nothing. She had had enough of arguing with Javieri this evening, and in any case the problem would not be hers. Once the expedition was finished with the interior of the Twisted Tower, she would consider her commitment fulfilled. She let Javieri, Corrana, Barthelmy, and Ferianek discuss the details of the proposed ambush, and rose with alacrity when they finished. aIf thereas nothing else, may I go?a she said to Javieri. aIad like to get a good nightas sleep.a aSo would we all,a Javieri said, but she nodded dismissal. Glyndon started to rise and join her, but Kayl shook her head. He hesitated. Kayl forced herself to smile, and Glyndon sank back to his place, rea.s.sured.

Kayl went out into the cool night air. The trees around the tent were old and tall; Kayl had to move a little way up the hillside before she found a place where she could catch a glimpse of the stars. She stood staring at them for a long time, but the twinkling points of light offered no answers, and no rea.s.surance.

CHAPTER.

TWENTY-EIGHT.

Early the next morning the expedition started for the valley of the Twisted Tower. Mark and Dara watched in glum silence as Kayl buckled on her sword and carefully slipped the crystal chip into a pocket in her belt. The two children were obviously far from pleased with her decision to leave them behind. Kayl stayed with them as long as she could, then gave them each a hug and left quickly.

Glyndon was waiting for her at the edge of the camp. The last of the Sisters had already gone; they had to hurry to catch up. A light mist veiled the mountains, making everything seem far away and ghostly. No one spoke much.

They reached the top of the saddle between two mountains and stopped. On the farther side, the mist thickened into a woolly fog, hiding the floor of the valley from sight. Kayl frowned. If the Magicseekers had found their way to the Twisted Tower, the scouts would have a hard time discovering it in this soup. She resigned herself to a long wait.

A figure broke away from the clump of Sisters just ahead and came toward Kayl and Glyndon; Kayl did not realize that it was Corrana until she was almost upon them. aGlyndon, Elder Mother Javieri would speak with you,a Corrana said in a low voice as she reached them.

Glyndon nodded and moved off into the fog. Kayl looked at Corrana and raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

Corrana gave her a small smile. aThe Elder Mother wants the fog removed,a she explained. aGlyndon and Barthelmy are the only ones who might be able to do so, and Javieri is afraid that the Magicseekers will notice if Barthelmy tries. They are more used to looking for our sort of spells than for Varnan wizardry.a aIf the Magicseekers are that close, theyall notice when the fog disappears no matter who does it.a aA good point, but a little late in coming,a Corrana said. aLook.a Kayl turned. Glyndon had stepped away from the group of Sisters and raised his staff. He stood motionless for a long moment, then gestured with his free hand. The staff began to glow a bright gold. Glyndon stretched it forward and said something that rumbled out into the fog like thunder.

The fog began to thin, slowly at first, then more and more rapidly. Glyndon lowered his staff and the glow died. Kayl stepped forward, frowning at the tired droop of his shoulders. Glyndon straightened as she drew nearer. aAre you all right?a she asked.

aMore or less. Itas been awhile,a he said apologetically.

aYou should have told Javieri to do it herself,a Kayl said. aYou shouldnat be exhausting yourself now, not with the Twisted Tower still to come.a aNow whoas trying to wrap whom in fleece?a Glyndon said. aI have time enough to recover; we have to wait for the scouts, remember.a aThen sit down and rest,a Kayl said crossly. aYouare as bad as Mark.a aOh?a Glyndon looked at her with a quizzical expression.

aAlways showing off.a Glyndon grinned suddenly. aI doubt that Mark would appreciate that a.s.sessment.a aStop chattering and sit down before you fall over!a aSmall chance of that,a Glyndon said, but he lowered himself onto a nearby rock. He sat half leaning on his staff, staring out over the valley.

The fog had cleared from the valley floor, leaving only a few stray shreds hovering ghostlike above the rocky ground. The forested slopes of the mountains, however, were still barely visible. The forest ended abruptly at the base of the mountains; the valley itself was barren, black, and dead. Kayl could see the Tower below, only a little way from the foot of the slope on which they stood.

The Twisted Tower was nearly as black as the floor of the valley, and warped and bent as if some giant had wrung it like a dishcloth. Kayl had seen trees twisted by whirlwinds that were straight by comparison. Deep, irregular grooves spiraled around the Tower, and here and there a streak of dull gold broke up the ma.s.s of blackness. Partway around, Kayl could just make out the iron door that was the only entrance to the Tower.

Someone moved behind Kayl, and she turned. Barthelmy had come over to join them. Her eyes, too, were fixed on the Twisted Tower. aIt hasnat changed,a she said. aI thought it would have, somehow.a aWeare the ones who have changed,a Kayl said.

aHave we?a Barthelmyas gaze did not waver from the Tower door. aWeare different, the expedition is different, but have we really changed?a aWhat do you mean?a Kayl said, but Barthelmy did not answer. Kayl did not press her, and they continued their wait in silence.

Finally the scouts returned and Javieri gave the signal to descend. The Tower was closer than it looked; in a matter of minutes the entire group stood in a rough semicircle before the iron door. Kayl found a place just inside the ring, near the others who would make up the first group to enter the Tower.

Glyndon and Barthelmy stepped forward, each grasping one end of Glyndonas staff. Together, they began to chant, repeating the same phrases over and over. After four repet.i.tions, their voices diverged; first the rhythm of the words changed, then the words themselves, until each of them was speaking a different chant. The door of the Twisted Tower began to flicker as if seen through a haze of heat.

Kayl watched in silence, fingering the lump that the crystal chip made in her belt. She wished this were over. She felt as if she had been waiting for days, for months, for years; waiting for the Sisterhood to find her, waiting for the Twisted Tower to come back into her life, waiting for everything and nothing to happen at once. She was very tired of waiting.

The chanting stopped. Kayl blinked and stared at the door. If her memories were correct, it should be ajar now that the spell was finished, but it had not moved. Beside her, Javieri started forward, but Glyndon held out an arm to bar her way. aIt didnat work,a he said.

Javieri stared at him, then shook herself. aWhy not?a aI donat know,a Glyndon replied. aBut something in the spell has changed. Perhaps your last expedition did it accidentally. In any case, we wonat be able to open the door until we find out what it is.a aI see.a Javieri pressed her lips together for a moment, then gave a sharp nod. aKeep trying.a Barthelmy and Glyndon held a low-voiced conference; a few minutes later, they resumed their positions and began chanting once again. This time the flickering at the door was more p.r.o.nounced, but when the two magicians finished, the door was still closed.

aThis is ridiculous,a Glyndon said, running a hand distractedly through his hair.

Barthelmy grimaced. aWhy donat we trya"a aMother!a The shout echoed around the silent valley. Kayl jerked and spun, staring back at the slope that led toward the camp. A small figure stood dangerously near the edge of a projecting rock, waving both arms. aMark!a Kayl shouted. She pushed her way to the outer edge of the Sisters cl.u.s.tered around the Tower door. aMark, you get down from there!a The figure waved and stepped back out of sight. A moment later, Kayl saw movement among the trees that covered the slope. aIt seems your son has ideas of his own about staying behind,a Corrana murmured from immediately behind Kayl.

aIt isnat just Mark,a Kayl said grimly. She could see at least three figures moving through the trees, and she had to force herself not to speculate about the reasons why they had come. It seemed an eternity before Mark burst out of the forest at the bottom of the slope. After a brief pause, Bryn and Dara followed at a somewhat slower pace.

aI thought I told you stay in camp,a Kayl said as Mark came panting up. aWhat happened?a aIt was the bees,a Mark said. He puffed, and added, aAnd Dara. Sheas coming.a aBees?a Javieri said incredulously. aYou came shouting through the mountains and interrupted a vital spell-casting because of bees?a aExcuse me, Your Serenity.a Kayl kept her voice frigidly polite. aMark did not interrupt; Barthelmy and Glyndon had just finished. And I would appreciate it if you would remember that Mark is my son, not one of the Sisters you command.a aThen find out what he means, so we can get on with our work!a Javieri said.

aHe means that we left the camp rather hurriedly because he injudiciously stirred up a hive of bees,a Bryn said. She had come up to the half-ring of Sisters during Kayl and Javierias verbal skirmish. She had one arm around Dara, who was looking at the Twisted Tower with a dazed expression.

aExplain,a Javieri commanded.

Bryn gave her a long look, then turned to Kayl. aThe bees were just beginning to get active after the winter, so n.o.body got too badly stung, but we didnat want to stay nearby. So the five of us came about halfway up the saddle, figuring wead meet you there on your way back. Then Dara starteda behaving oddly.a aWhat do you mean, behaving oddly?a Kayl snapped anxiously.

aShe was staring up the mountain as if she saw something there, and she complained that someone was shoving her,a Bryn replied. aThen she went stiff and wouldnat talk at all. After the fuss about the way she reacted to the crystal and the magic lessons, I thought Iad better bring her here.a aShe looked like a wood puppet,a Mark put in.

Bryn threw him a sidelong glance. aHe was supposed to stay with Alden and Xaya on the other side of the mountain.a aI couldnat. Daraas my sister,a Mark said, as if that excused everything.