Soon it dipped. It dipped more steeply. Then Lightning launched himself like a toboggan and went sweeping off with Eleal screaming, “Zappan!” on his back and T'lin shouts of warning fading in the distance. She was too scared even to close her eyes. Cold wind rushed past, peppering her face with gritty snowflakes. Faster and faster, and she had heart-stopping visions of hurtling out over a precipice.
She did not. The crafty old dragon seemed to know what he was doing. He came to rest in a flat snowfield far below, belching contentedly to himself and twisting his long neck to watch the others follow the trail he had laid out.
"When we get to Sussland, lizard,” Eleal said grimly, “I shall take off these accursed leggings and strangle you with them."
Going down was usually faster than going up, but Eleal—as an experienced traveler—knew that this descent would take longer than the climb, because Sussland lay so much lower than Narshland. Yet soon the snow had been left behind and what had seemed to be more snow ahead turned out to be the tops of clouds. Mist crept in on every hand, transforming the sun to a glowing silver disk and the world itself to a circle of rock no larger than the amphitheater at Suss. Always the dragons headed downward; the air grew steadily warmer and damper. The dragons had a discerning eye for the easiest path, although several times Eleal found herself leaning on the pommel plate and staring straight down while Lightning negotiated a near-vertical face. Once he turned around and descended backward, as Starlight had at the temple.
Grass appeared and eventually straggly shrubs, silvery with dew. It was still not yet noon when the first blighted trees emerged from the fog and T'lin called Starlight to a halt. The other dragons closed in, scales shining wetly, breath cloudy.
"Looks like a good spot for lunch,” he said. “Strip off the tack and let them graze, Wrangler. Food's in that pack. Wosok!"
T'lin was in a good mood. He helped Sister Ahn dismount. She was probably too stiff to have managed by herself, although she did not utter as much as a wince. He retrieved her sword and attached it to her belt; then he escorted her over to the little stream where Eleal was already gulping ice-cold water.
With both men thus occupied, Eleal slipped off into the rocks to make some necessary adjustments. Already she was far too hot, and in Sussland itself the heat would be stifling. She removed her wool sweater, replaced the smock and coat, and headed back to see what Gim was unpacking.
With the suddenness of a cock crow, the sun's disk brightened. The sky turned from white to blue as if the gods had drawn back curtains. The mist dispersed and Sussland was laid out far below like a painting, framed between two massive cliffs. Gim was kneeling with a loaf of bread forgotten in his hands, staring openmouthed.
"There it is,” Eleal said cheerfully. “Green, isn't it? Suss itself is over there. I don't suppose you can make out the city, but that bright spot is sunlight on the roof of the temple. It's gold, you know. The gap in the mountains beyond is Monpass, to Joalvale. I've been over that one lots of times. The place in the middle with all the trees is Ruatvil, but that's mostly ruins. I know—I've been there. The Thargians still call this Ruatland, did you know that? The gorge is Susswater. It's a much bigger river than Narshwater, and it flows west, not east. There's only two places you can cross it. Filoby is over there.” She pointed to the right, although she suspected that Filoby itself might be behind the mountain.
Gim nodded, then sprang back into motion as T'lin came striding over. Eleal turned to him.
"We're coming down right on top of Thogwalby, Dragontrader."
"Or will do, if we can find a way through the forest.” He flopped down on the grass and produced his knife. As he reached for the bread, Eleal sat down also.
"Aren't you going to say grace?"
T'lin shot a penetrating green glare at her. “No. I earned this. You can thank the gods or thank me, as you prefer."
Even Eleal was surprised by that, and Gim looked truly shocked, but he said nothing. Sister Ahn was hobbling over to them, leaning on her staff and weighted down with her ridiculous sword.
"What's at Thogwalby?” Gim asked. He was apparently waiting for the nun to arrive before starting to eat.
Eleal bit into a peach. “A monastery."
"Not much else,” T'lin said with his mouth full. “Green brothers. Don't allow women near the place."
"Not even these two?” Gim grinned shyly.
Dragontrader shook his head.
"Garward Karzon, god of strength,” Eleal explained. “Men go there to train for the festival.” She had never been to Thogwalby and was annoyed to hear that she might miss it this time. “Some of them stay there year after year!"
"And never see a woman,” T'lin agreed. “Lot of sacrifice for a miserable flower in their hair, if you ask me."
Gim bristled. “The principle is that all mortal achievement is transitory, sir, and the roses fade after—"
"I know the principle, lad. It's the practice that would bother me."
Gim clenched his lips and did not reply.
Sister Ahn settled awkwardly to the ground, clasped her hands in prayer, then helped herself to a slice of bread and a piece of cheese. Apparently she considered the cost of food to be included in the fare, because she did not offer additional payment. Her face was gray with fatigue.
T'lin chewed for a while, studying her. Finally he said, “Sister? We're going to come down somewhere near Thogwalby. Where do we deliver our Maiden of Destiny?"
The nun blinked her faded, filmy eyes at him. “I am not familiar with the geography, T'lin Dragontrader. The prophecies do not specify a location. I am sure the gods will provide."
"One way or the other? According to our little Toast of the World, there are at least two reapers skulking around Sussia now, and at least one of them knows her and will kill her on sight."
"Two reapers?” Sister Ahn turned her head stiffly to look at Eleal. “Tell me, child."
All the taste had gone out of the food. Eleal recounted the tale of Dolm Actor again.
The nun frowned as if worried, but did not comment. There was a long silence while everyone waited for her to finish chewing, but she just kept on and on. Dragons crunched grass in the background.
"Why don't you mention his name?” Gim asked. “You didn't last night, either."
"Because if you know a reaper, he will know you know him! I am trying to spare your life, that's all."
Gim gulped, and looked at the other two for confirmation. The nun was still chewing, staring at the ground. T'lin was frowning. After a while he said, “The convent at Filoby will take you in, Sister."
The old woman nodded, not looking up.
"And the girl also."
"Zappan to that!” Eleal said. “I did not escape from the red just to be trapped by the blue. To be a priestess is not my ambition, T'lin Dragontrader!"
"No self-respecting goddess would have you anyway, minx. You want to go to Suss and join your friends?"
"Er, no.” One of those “friends” was a reaper, and from the glint in T'lin's eye he had guessed as much.
"The sisters will grant you shelter while the festival is on, I'm sure.” T'lin popped a last fragment of cheese in his mouth. “What happens after depends on what happens during. Maybe nothing."
Life, Eleal decided, had become very much like that journey in the mist—straight down with no clear future in sight. What happened after she had delivered that unthinkable baby? Would Tion reward her when she had fulfilled the prophecy? Would the Lady bear a grudge, so she would have to wander the world forever like Hoinyok in The Monk's Curse?