The Echolone Mine (37 page)

There was no
keeper and there was no code. She had failed. The young woman who
helped her stared at her sadly. Jimini smacked the shrine in ire,
and gasped when a part came loose. A small metal box was wedged
between two cracked stones.

She removed it with trembling fingers and lifted the lid. At
the bottom there was an engraving and it read in the common
tongue,
They throw stones at me now and
thus it is time to leave. For the one who comes to use this site
upon the net, this is the code …”
A series
of symbols followed.

Jimini
swallowed, dried a tear and sent confirmation.

Sanctuary

Even in summer
mist swirled around the scrap of land.

Now, on a
winter’s day, it was entirely shrouded. Lowen and Tianoman
transported in and tramped all over, finding nothing but low shrubs
and two giant trees. In spring and summer, perhaps, birds nested
among the bushes, but now there was no evidence.

Averis Lake
was grey slate through the mist, a more comforting presence than
the land they were on.

“Funny place,”
Tianoman muttered.

They stood
beneath the two trees. Lowen looked up in a manner that suggested a
nest of vipers was about to fall on them.

She shivered.
“You claimed it as a node.”

“It’s still
odd.”

“Torrullin
shied away,” she murmured, forcing her thoughts from the imaginary
vipers.

“He never came
here?”

“He came, you
know him, but once he had the place in a niche, he stepped
away.”

“Did he say
anything?”

“Vibrations.
Wait … ah, Caballa confirmed.”

“So it has
begun.”

“You don’t
sound happy.”

“I am not. Not
only is this dangerous, but Teroux is against it and that doesn’t
sit well.”

“He’s
afraid.”

“Of?”

“Losing
Torrullin.”

She had
surprised him. “Why would he be afraid of that?”

“Not
physically, Tian - emotionally. Torrullin’s regard and
respect.”

“Then he’s
going about it the wrong way.”

“Actually, he
might be the only one going about it the right way.”

Again she had
surprised him.

She gave a dry
laugh. “You live with Torrullin the way I have and you work with
him the way I have, and you’ll know he despises interference. No
matter how we justify what we’re doing here, it remains
interference, and he won’t thank us for it. Teroux, bless him,
subconsciously understands, but can’t put it into words. He thinks
we would ridicule him.”

Tianoman was
silent and then, “Are you suggesting we shouldn’t do this?”

“We must, for
Saska and Declan.”

“But there
will be hell to pay.”

“He’ll get
over it.”

“I think I
know Elianas better and I have only really spoken with him once.
What do you think of him?”

Lowen made a
sound in her throat, but did not answer.

Tianoman was
quiet. “You are attracted to him.”

“Only because
of what he means to Torrullin.”

“And what does
he mean to Torrullin?”

“Everything.
Torrullin could lose Saska and recover, but to lose Elianas would
kill him. I mean Torrullin as we know him,” she elaborated. “We
wouldn’t recognise him if Elianas went missing.”

Tianoman
frowned. “Love?”

“If only it
were that simple.”

“Tristan seems
to think …”

“Tristan
hasn’t seen them together the way I have,” she said with finality.
She inclined her head, listening. “Speak of the devil, Tristan
checked in, and Cassy. It will be a long wait. Why don’t you rustle
up food and drink, and something soft to sit on? And talk to Teroux
while you’re at it.”

He nodded a
few beats later, and left, leaving her with her thoughts on the odd
scrap of land.

And imaginary
vipers.

Teroux stood
over the abandoned universe chart when Tianoman entered.

Tianoman spoke
first. “I don’t want this between us.”

“I don’t
either.”

“I forget
others require more politeness than a Vallorin would give in his
territory,” Tianoman went on. “This isn’t an insult to you, Teroux.
It’s a disadvantage I have unfortunately gotten used to. I am
sorry.”

Teroux
shrugged. “I’ve known you since you were born, and it shouldn’t
faze me how you come waltzing in. Family needn’t ask anyway.”

Rose had been
at him. Good. “Can we move on?”

“If we can be
honest.”

“We can do
that.”

Teroux gave a
lopsided smile. “How old are you - twenty-eight? You’ve grown more
in three years than I have in ten. I think I envy that.”

“I envy you
your freedom.”

Teroux stared
at him. “Really?”

“Yes. I am
bound to the fates of the Valleur now, whereas you are free to come
and go as you please. I always wanted to be Vallorin, Teroux, which
neither you nor Tristan were certain was for you, and now that I am
… yes, well, I am Vallorin, aren’t I?”

“It’s hard?
The Throne?”

“Indeed.”

“Does it
protect you from afar as you said?”

“Yes.”
Tianoman shrugged ruefully.

“Handy.”

“And
constricting.” Tianoman grinned. “No brawl between cousins would
ever be a fair fight, huh?”

Teroux barked
a laugh.

Tianoman
closed in. “Torrullin won’t like what we are doing, I think I get
that, but we can’t not try. Please understand. It’s not just about
his well-being; it is about our own.”

Teroux gazed
at the chart.

“I will tell
him you thought we were wrong.”

Yellow eyes
lifted.

“You are
braver than we are in holding out. He would not want us to
interfere.”

“Gods, Tian, I
don’t know what to do.”

“Torrullin
would say follow your instincts.”

“Instincts get
us into trouble.”

“Yes, and him
too, no doubt.”

Teroux grinned
and then, “I won’t stop you, but know I abstain from this.”

“I can live
with that. What I cannot live with is you and I at odds.”

“Likewise.”

Tianoman
extended his hand and Teroux clasped it. “That island is spooky.
Lowen sent me to get food and drink.”

Teroux
laughed. “I finally mustered the courage to pay it a visit a week
ago and stayed all of thirty seconds. Come, let’s find Rose.”

Hour
Twenty-One

The hours of
daylight ticked by infinitely, relieved only by the confirmations
sent in.

The hours of
dark followed and so did the strangeness of the island by night.
The vibrations Lowen mentioned came on, a low, earthquake type
rumble as if a machine had been switched on underground. Lowen and
Tianoman bore it stoically.

A sense of
urgency set in as both Erin and Jimini failed to check in as the
twentieth hour closed, followed by grateful release when both did
so not long after. The net was activated and ready. The time to use
it approached.

Lowen, her
face stiff with tension, could no longer speak or think. She paced
endlessly, repeating her duty at centre over and over in her
mind.

Tianoman, as
tense, stood nearby hoping he lent her the support she
required.

The minutes
ticked by at an ever-slower pace.

The Path of
Shades

Darkness.
Soundless. No sensation.

They fell
without sound, sight or feeling, except the terror within.

Smack
!

Elianas
crashed into something solid, and his leg snapped. He screamed, and
released his hold on the Siric.

Declan slid
away and came to a motionless stop, a pool of blood under his
close-cropped head.

Smack
!

Torrullin
collided nearby and yelled as his arm broke, crushed under him.
Saska landed on top of him and he gargled, and then ignored the
agony to grip her with his good arm.

She rolled,
lay still and barely breathed.

Blue vagueness
everywhere.

They were in
the colour of sky upon a transparent ellipse as hard as rock;
below, above and all around was the blue … and nothing else.

Elianas’
whimper came, “Broke my leg.” Then, “Declan is dying.”

Torrullin
managed to sit. He surveyed the great space and glanced at Elianas,
lying with his right leg at an odd angle. He gaze flicked to
Declan, noting the blood and pallor of the Siric. He gazed down
upon Saska and saw how her life-force seeped away.

He cradled his
broken arm and shouted, “WHY?”

Chapter 29

One should not
catch a butterfly in a net.

Unknown

Sanctuary

T
he sky lightened and the pressure
inside Lowen reached maximum strength.

As the new sun
tipped the eastern mountains, she met it with every sense and wit
she possessed within.

Tianoman stood
behind her counting down to the moment of output. She barely heard
him and yet her senses kept time to it.

As one, came
the shivers of a living force from many worlds, many sites, many
minds. Lowen drew a shuddering breath and sent it out at the Path
of Shades.

Massive sonic
booms were heard universe over.

The Path of
Shades

Torrullin
crab-walked to Declan.

Feeling
cautiously, he established the Siric had torn open a flap of skin
behind his ear on impact. It would not kill him; the Path of Shades
did so, as it was Saska. He had made her as comfortable as he
could.

Shuffling to
Elianas, he met glazed eyes. “Stay awake. We have to help each
other.”

Elianas
nodded.

“Sit, brother,
even if it hurts and get my tunic off, I need to see the
break.”

Elianas,
biting down, positioned himself until he could sit. He leaned over
and helped Torrullin. With swearing and groans, they had it at
last.

“Two places,”
Torrullin muttered. “Upper and lower arm. Fuck.” Using his teeth,
he tore the tunic into rough lengths. It took long, even with
Elianas helping. “Can you reach my sword?” he said when done.
Elianas manoeuvred behind him and removed the blade. “Good, now
straighten my arm.”

Elianas
blinked. “That’s going to really hurt.”

“Less than if
I leave it like this. Do it.”

Biting back
pain, Elianas took the arm and swiftly moved the bones.

Torrullin
passed out.

Grim, Elianas
laid the flexible arm upon the sword’s blade and carefully wrapped
the torn lengths of material tightly around it. He rested the
jutting hilt under Torrullin’s armpit with the pommel sticking out
past his shoulder blade.

The blade
would cut skin if Torrullin moved too fast or did not give heed to
its presence, but would certainly keep the bones moving too much.
About pain or healing, he was not sure.

He prodded.
Torrullin groaned. “Careful, your arm is bound, watch the
edges.”

Torrullin sat
up, bringing his stiff arm around to rest at an angle. “Thank you.
Gods, it fucking hurts.”

“My turn.”

Torrullin
clambered to his knees, jarring his arm. He swore and nearly passed
out again. Furious, he loosened his belt, manoeuvred his arm to a
position along his side and tightened the belt around the lower
section. It hurt more, but it ceased flapping like a useless wing.
He looked Elianas over.

“Get it off,
my brother.”

Elianas
managed a weak laugh. “I imagined this moment somewhat
differently.”

He undid his
breeches and pushed them down to his thighs, dragged his good leg
free and Torrullin helped him remove the other. Strips were torn
and Elianas took his sword out to lay it alongside his skewed left
leg, hilt facing him.

Pasty-faced
and sweating, Torrullin leaned over his leg, took it in hand,
gritted, and moved it into a more normal position. A moment later
Elianas was flat on his back, unconscious.

Torrullin,
swearing, managed to get that leg onto the sword, but could not tie
anything. He called out, but Elianas did not move. He hung his head
to breathe slowly, attempting to still the pain.

A few minutes
later he jarred the unconscious man until he sat up.

“You must
finish it,” he said breathlessly. “Then we can pass out.”

Elianas slowly
tied the strips, pulling them as tight as he dared.

They passed
out then, and time moved on.

One man lay
naked below a loincloth, sword strapped to one leg, one boot
discarded, and the other was naked from the waist up, sword
strapped to one arm, wearing a ragtag, shortened pants.

Nearby lay a
pale, white man and a woman with blue hair. It seemed, then, as if
no one would ever wake again.

As if time
would preserve them that way forever.

Sanctuary

“Anything?”
Lowen shouted over the buzzing in her ears.

“How would we
know?” Tianoman asked.

“I don’t know!
You’re the one with power!”

“Why are you
shouting?”

She pointed at
her ears. “Can’t hear!”

He raised a
hand and gestured she should wait, and transported away.

Rose, the one
he wanted, was in the garden. “Rose, do you hear results on the
chain?”

“A traveller
crashed on Xen, a power station blew up on Ceta and two hospitals
report a surge in heart failures among their patients, and that’s
only the first report.”

Tianoman
rubbed at his cheeks.

Rose looked
away. “Cassy reports the network reacted as expected.”

“Did it have
the result we hoped for?”