‘What do you mean, whisk?’
‘Time to depart,’ said Assedrynn, and Losara realised the great fish had been slowly sinking into the sea. ‘Even at the world’s edge we cannot long remain. Lampet will eke out a few more moments. Goodbye, saviour child. Carry our futures wisely.’
Silently the gods sank into the sea, all except Lampet. Once they were alone, the serpent’s eyes flashed green. ‘Return to the Isle, and up,’ he said.
Losara swam towards the Isle and hauled himself out at the low end. As he walked up the hill, he noticed again the tiny blue flowers, growing not out of cracks but from the rocks themselves. Stooping by one, he turned its face gently towards him. Salt crystals glistened on dark petals, and it was so small and perfectly formed that it somehow seemed to stand out from reality.
‘It would die anywhere but here,’ came Lampet’s voice over his shoulder. ‘It is too used to salt and rock and hard and cold. If living were easy, this would die.’
‘It’s beautiful,’ said Losara.
‘First to go if the light triumphs.’
Losara continued to the top of the hill. In the sea surrounding were loops of Lampet’s great body, but no boat.
‘I don’t see the boat,’ he said.
‘No more boat for you, Shadowhand.’
‘How am I supposed to travel?’ Losara asked, but he almost felt he knew the answer.
‘Now that you are more shadow than flesh,’ said Lampet, ‘you need not anchor when you travel the shadowlines. You can simply go.’
Satisfaction suffused Losara at this confirmation – what freedom he now possessed. He could whisk anywhere in the entire world, and appear at the other side whole and complete. Unlike Battu, he’d never have to fear the path of shadows he travelled breaking or shifting behind him, cutting him off from his mortal body.
‘You understand,’ said Lampet.
‘I do.’
‘Anything more to ask? My time dwindles.’
Losara remembered his promise to Tyrellan to ask the gods about the butterfly. He described Tyrellan’s predicament to Lampet and the serpent’s eyes glowed red. There were answers given, but Tyrellan was not going to like them.
Lampet gave a great sigh and his eyes turned yellow. His head drifted backwards as his loops in the water began to sink out of view. ‘Blessings upon you, saviour child,’ he said. ‘If not first and only, then serve us as well as yourself and our people.’
‘As well as I serve any,’ said Losara, ‘that well I’ll serve them all.’
As Lampet disappeared into the depths, the last thing visible was the yellow of his eyes.
Losara Shadowhand leaped off the hill, dissolving into shadow to speed across the sea.
By the time he’d wondered how fast he could go, Losara found himself at the base of Skygrip Castle. Those parts of him that had physical substance whirled in the shadows, clinging to his core presence like moons circling a star. As he travelled up the outer walls, a patrol of Graka flew past. He leaped at one to land in the shade between its shoulder and wing. Riding with his unknowing host, he stayed for several passes around Skygrip, then sprang back to the tower. He reached the long throne-room window and slipped inside.
An unwelcome scene met his ethereal gaze. Battu was holding Lalenda aloft by a crystalline wing, his whitening fist threatening to snap it. His face was a twisted storm of anger, the black wells of his eyes expanding. Tyrellan looked as if he was trying to calm him, but the dark lord’s shouting drowned him out.
‘Why would I be walking through fields of grass?’ he roared. ‘Under the sun, by the Dark Gods! You must tell me, prophet – is it a dream, or will it transpire?’
‘I have no answers for my lord,’ said Lalenda, and Losara was surprised by a note of defiance in her voice. Battu began to shake her, making her wings rustle.
‘Master,’ said Losara. All eyes snapped to him. He hadn’t even realised he’d stepped from the shadows, and quickly checked himself to make sure he was all there – and he was. He moved forward from the window, clasping his shadowhands together. ‘I have returned from Assedrynn’s Isle.’
Battu dropped Lalenda and she fell without a sound. The wells in his eyes did not recede, and for a moment he looked like a cornered beast. ‘Apprentice,’ he said, and glanced at the window, clearly wondering how Losara had come to be standing there so instantaneously. His eyes fastened on Losara’s new hands and he faltered. ‘They have blessed you mightily,’ he said, attempting to force civility into his voice while everything else in his demeanour remained rabid. ‘Well done, my boy.’
Tyrellan, his orb eyes wider than Losara had ever seen them, fell to one knee and bowed his head. Battu’s anger flickered towards him, but was quickly contained.
‘Did they …’ Battu licked his lips. ‘Is there any message they wish passed to me?’
‘None,’ said Losara, and Battu scowled. The Shadowdreamer stalked forward, falling just short of looming over his Apprentice. Losara did not think Battu would strike out, not yet, and watched him calmly. ‘They only ask that you release me to a pilgrimage,’ he continued. ‘To travel Fenvarrow and know the land.’
‘Of course.’ Battu seemed relieved that Losara would be leaving again. ‘If the gods wish it done, so shall it be.’
Losara arched an eyebrow as if to say, ‘Oh, really?’
The expression was not lost on Battu. Not on Tyrellan either, and the Black Goblin’s head turned slowly from Losara to Battu, registering something of the exchange.
‘I am also in need of companions,’ said Losara. ‘The gods decree that I not travel alone.’
‘Very well,’ said Battu, his stance and face again completely contrary to the reasonable tone of his voice. Losara wondered if he even knew how he appeared. ‘Who would you take?’
Losara glided around Battu so he could see Lalenda. The pixie had not moved from where she’d fallen, but sat sprawled with her hands on the floor. Though muck and tears stained her, she did not seem as tremulous as he remembered her. She stared at his hands, and then his eyes. Now that he thought about it, they had all looked at his eyes.
He smiled, finding he was genuinely glad to see her. The next moment he felt overwhelmingly sorry that she’d remained so trapped and abused in this place, while he had managed to soar free. Why compare her feelings to my own? he wondered briefly. If I did that with everyone, I’d surely go insane.
‘Lalenda,’ he said. ‘I’ll take Lalenda.’
‘Lalenda?’ echoed Battu quietly.
‘Yes,’ Losara said, and the pixie’s eyes shone brightly. ‘In fact,’ he continued, ‘that has helped me decide our first destination. We will travel to Swampwild.’
She stiffened at the word and half-choked a gasp. Losara turned and found Battu standing very close, definitely looming now.
‘I will take Lalenda,’ he repeated. ‘It is the gods’ will.’
‘Yes,’ hissed Battu. ‘And who else will you take? Not Tyrellan, he is needed.’
He shot a meaningful look at Tyrellan, who returned his flat gaze to the middle distance. Losara frowned – he hadn’t thought this far ahead. Who else indeed?
‘My kind lord,’ came Lalenda’s voice, and he found her risen to her feet.
‘Yes?’
‘Might I suggest …’
‘Yes?’
‘Grimra, lord.’
Instantly the idea appealed. Grimra had also been trapped here too long.
‘An excellent choice,’ Tyrellan said. ‘The Apprentice will need protection and I can think of none better.’
‘Who’s Grimra?’ muttered Battu.
‘The Golgoleth Ghost,’ said Tyrellan, and Battu went very quiet.
‘I shall be making preparations immediately,’ said Losara. ‘Lalenda, please ready yourself for travel. If she may be excused, my master?’
‘Indeed,’ said Battu, and waved angrily at Lalenda. She shot Losara a thankful look and fled happily from the chamber. They all heard her exclamation of joy as she entered the tunnel, which made Battu flinch.