I must do all I can to save it or die in the attempt.’
Which will show me, one way or the other, whether I’ve been right to associate myself with magic to fight magic.
Kheda changed the subject briskly. ‘Are you known to the courier-dove keepers?’
‘Yes, my lord.’ Tasu was too bemused to bow. ‘I shall want all messages from the fleet keeping watch on the western isles brought up to the observatory.’ Kheda crossed the room to a far stair leading up to the topmost level. ‘Could you do that for me?’
‘Yes, my lord.’ The old man nodded obediently. ‘Could you go and see if any news has arrived since this morning?’ Kheda asked courteously.
‘Of course, my lord.’ Tasu made his way to the stairs and began a cautious descent.
Dev followed Kheda up to the glass-walled observatory. ‘You’re not needing those messages before sunset, then?’
‘He won’t take that long.’ Kheda blinked in the sunlight pouring painfully bright through the twelve panes of glass. Earl was engraved with a reminder of the nature of portents to be found in that reach of the earth and sky. The black wooden pillars separating each window bore carvings of the augury stars that progressed around the compass, inlaid with white ivory and bright gold. Vivid enamel depicted the heavenly jewels here and there; Sapphire, Emerald, Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst, Diamond, Pearl and Opal. With the sun beating down on the black wooden roof above, it was stiflingly hot.
Dev went to look at the enamelled jewels. ‘These positions must mark when this observatory was built. We could work out when that was with a bit of thought and one of Sari’s star circles.’
‘I thought you said all Aldabreshih stargazing was just so much nonsense.’ Kheda tried to shake off the oppressive sensation of the still, stuffy air. ‘Open a window.’
Dev studied the catches for a moment, then threw open the little casements at the top of each window. ‘All your guessing and gazing after portents is nonsense,’ he convected. ‘Your measuring of the passing years is second to none for accuracy. So, are we hiding up here to avoid Janne Daish and, if so, for how long, because we still haven’t had anything to eat and it’s past noon.’
‘You can eat after you’ve found something to use for your speaking spell and discovered how your friend’s search for lore we can use against the dragon is going,’ Kheda ordered. ‘And quickly, before Tasu gets back.’
‘What will you be doing when he gets back?’ Dev started opening drawers in the twelve-sided table engraved to match the rest of the room.
‘As I told Tasu, finding the best days for attacking the beast.’ Kheda pulled up a stool and reached for one of the star circles in the centre. ‘Casting the heavens for all the possible days when Risala could arrive. Calculating how long it’ll take to reach the westernmost islands after that. Factoring in possible delay in finding the beast, and on account of the weather. The rains will be all but on us, if they haven’t actually started’
‘A fat lot of use that will all be,’ commented Dev as he took a brass base plate from a dismantled star circle out of a drawer and set a reed pen alight with a casual brush of a finger.
‘Only if you can’t come up with the means to defeat the dragon,’ challenged Kheda as he concentrated on aligning the star circle. ‘Where’s this woman of yours now?”She’ll blister your ears if you call her that when she gets here,’ Dev said absently. ‘And I don’t just mean she’s got a sharp tongue on her. Ah, there she is, asleep, isn’t that sweet?’ He chuckled.
‘Wake her.’ Kheda looked up, hearing the door at the bottom of the stairs opening. ‘As quick as you can.
Crossing the intricate floor carvings, he hurried down the stairs to find Tasu standing with one hand pressed to his bony chest, catching his breath. Kheda forced approval rather than irritation into his voice. ‘That was quick.’
‘Yes, my lord.’ Tasu took a deep breath and held out a handful of small silver cylinders. ‘One of the lads ran up to the lofts for me, my lord.’
‘Make sure he makes himself known to me.’ Kheda unscrewed the tops of the message cylinders with deft fingers and pulled out the frail slips of paper. ‘Let’s read these in here.’ He ushered the old man inexorably into the book-lined lower room.
‘May I ask what news, my lord?’ Tasu looked drawn and anxious.
‘Good news,’ Kheda said slowly, holding up the fine paper to read the tiny writing, ‘from the Mist Dove, at least. They’ve only seen the dragon once in the last ten days and it was killing the invaders. Since then our warriors have been clearing the westernmost isles of the vermin without its interference.’
‘Good news indeed, my lord,’ the old man echoed.
Kheda looked around the book-lined walls. ‘I want to be ready to deal with this beast if it shows its face around here, and when we can make a plan to kill it. Can you find me all the most recent records of portents that proved particularly significant for the domain? And anything from longer ago that you think might have some relevance to the days ahead. And there was a curious omen when we were out at the pearl reefs, an infant shark found alive inside its mother. Do you have any lore on sharks here?’
‘I can look, my lord.’ Tasu’s eyes brightened.
‘And could you do me one more service?’ Kheda smiled. ‘Could you go and find someone to take a message to Beyau, and to my lady Itrac. I’ve decided I’ll take my lunch up here.’
‘Very good, my lord,’ said Tasu dutifully, turning to go back down the stairs.
Kheda reached out and took a book from a shelf, apparently absorbed in it as the old man departed. As soon as he heard the door at the bottom of the stairs close, he ran up to the observatory, taking two steps at a time.
I should just have time to find out what news Dev’s got from this woman of his.
Chapter Eleven
Are you sure you won’t stay the night?’ The woman stood in the doorway, wringing work-hardened hands.
Velindre made sure her rope-tied bundle of blanket and food was comfortable on her shoulder. ‘Thank you all the same,’ she added as a stiff afterthought.
‘There’s scant daylight left and what with the promise of rain yonder, this is no time to be setting out,’ the woman persisted. ‘You could wait till tomorrow, go out with a full day ahead of you. I’m sure some of the men would go with you.’ She waved vaguely down the hill.
‘Thank you, but I don’t need your solicitude or their help.’ Velindre curbed her irritation. ‘Didn’t you understand what I meant when I said I was a mage of Hadrumal?’ The woman stood reluctantly aside and Velindre stepped out on to the muddy track that cut through a scatter of skulking huts. The village had been built from the mismatched plunder of rockfalls judging by the irregularity of the walls beneath the snow-caked wooden-shingled roofs. Most were single—or double-roomed dwellings, few boasting even an attempt at a garden or yard. The only sizeable building was down where the track widened to a trampled expanse that even the most optimistic would hesitaie to call a village square. It was twice the width of any other building and steam rose from a wing extending behind it to shelter a brew house. Velindre realised too late that looking at the rough-hewn tavern had been a mistake. The handful of dour-faced men lounging against the wall had been covertly watching the women emerge from the hut. Two pushed themselves upright with alacrity and began walking up the lane, the rest trailing behind, faces alight with curiosity.
‘Thank you for your hospitality.’ Velindre nodded to the woman. She turned to go, gathering her heavy fur cloak around her. ‘I think the horse is more than adequate recompense.’
‘Are you sure you don’t need him?’ The woman struggled with her unwillingness to reject such a gift. ‘This is hard country for travelling on foot and with you a lady from the south—’