‘My son seems taller than when he went away,’ Tirral said.
‘He has grown in more than stature,’ Barda answered. ‘He has a great heart.’
‘When I am a little older—old enough to wear a leech-gatherer’s cloak in comfort—I am going to be an explorer like Doran,’ Emlis said shyly. ‘I will explore and map the caverns. I will travel the seas of the Plumes and the Aurons, and unknown seas as well.’
‘Seas of soft purple,’ murmured Lief. ‘Black seas filled with stars. Caverns that glitter like diamonds.’
‘How do you know?’ Emlis asked in surprise.
But Tirral put her hand inside her cloak and brought out something that gleamed in the magic light. She passed it to Lief. He stared down at it, almost as if he had forgotten what it was.
‘I return the Belt of Deltora to you,’ Tirral said formally. ‘In exchange for the Pirran Pipe.’
‘Thank you.’ Lief hesitated. There was more he wished to say, but he decided it would not be wise. Very aware of Barda and Jasmine’s eyes upon him, he fastened the gleaming thing about his waist, and kept silence.
At last, in the golden cavern of the topaz, it was time to say farewell.
‘We have brought you to the place where the signs of life above are strongest,’ Penn said to the companions softly, as the fleet gathered around them. ‘From here, all your people can travel home.’
‘Lief! Barda! Jasmine!’
Lief turned and saw Emlis waving to them, not far off. He was still holding the Pirran Pipe.
The companions waved back. ‘And what of the Pipe, Penn?’ Lief asked. ‘Will it be separated into three parts once more?’
‘No,’ said Penn. ‘The Kerons will keep it for now. It was decided, before you returned, that if it should ever come back to us, it would remain complete. It will stay with each tribe for one full year, to be played morning, noon and evening by the Piper as is the Pirran way. Then it will be passed on, in a great festival organised by the tribe who is giving it up.’
Her eyes twinkled. ‘I daresay there will be much competition,’ she added.’ The tribes will try to outdo one another, and every festival will be greater and more exciting than the last. But I, at least, will not complain. Festivals are far better than war. And no-one enjoys a feast better than I do. Well—are you ready?’
Lief swallowed and nodded. ‘Farewell, Penn,’ he said. He took Barda and Jasmine’s hands in his own and closed his eyes.
‘Farewell,’ he heard Penn whisper. And the now familiar darkness closed in around them.
They opened their eyes on the light of Deltora. It was just past dawn. The grass on which they lay was still wet with dew. The sky was palest blue, faintly streaked with pink. A breeze stirred the trees and brushed their faces, fresh and sweet.
Lief felt he had never seen such beauty.
He saw that they were in the gardens of the palace, near the stairs to the great entrance hall. Two palace guards were standing at the doors.
For an instant the guards stared, astounded, at the crowd which had appeared on the palace lawn from thin air. Then they turned and raced inside, shouting the news at the tops of their voices.
Jasmine raised her face to the sun. Kree took flight, stretching his injured wing, screeching joyously. Barda gave a great sigh.
All around them people were opening their eyes, sitting up, staring in unbelieving joy. In the blink of an eye, it seemed to them, they had been swept from the Shadow Arena to this beautiful place that looked and smelled like home. Most were convinced that they were dreaming.
But there, slowly climbing to their feet, were the three strangers who had stood on the Arena platform before them. One was the boy who had played the strange Pipe. Around his waist he wore something that glittered and shone. A belt of steel, studded with seven great gems.
The slaves who were no longer slaves stared in wonder, gradually accepting the truth.
Deltora had not abandoned them. They had never been forgotten. They were free. And it was their king who had brought them home.
The doors of the palace flew open. People began to stream down the stairs, many still heavy-eyed with sleep but all shouting and opening their arms. The people on the grass stood up and stumbled to meet them. The two crowds met and mingled, loved ones and strangers alike embracing, weeping and laughing for joy.
The palace bells began to ring, calling to the people of the city below. Jasmine touched Lief’s arm. He looked down at her, his heart very full. She murmured something, but he could not hear her over the noise of the bells. He bent closer.
‘I said, it is shame to me that I ever doubted you, Lief,’ Jasmine repeated awkwardly. ‘But Faith seemed so real. And she said—’
‘The fault is mine,’ Lief said quickly. ‘I was a fool to refuse to speak of the crystal, to pretend it did not exist. I did tell you and Barda of it once, after I saw it in a dream in the Valley of the Lost. I thought you would remember.’
Jasmine looked puzzled. ‘I think I did, at first,’ she said slowly. ‘But then I looked in the crystal, and forgot everything but the lie I saw there.’ She looked down. ‘I should have known that you would never deceive me.’
Lief hesitated. This was the moment he had been dreading. He glanced at Barda, who was stolidly pretending not to listen. He cleared his throat. ‘I have deceived you, Jasmine,’ he said loudly. ‘You, and Barda too. There is something—’
He broke off. Jasmine’s hand had slipped from his arm. She was looking towards the palace.
A small group of people had appeared at the doors, looking eagerly out into the crowd. Sharn and Doom stood to one side, supporting Josef between them. On the other side was Stephen the pedlar, beaming, arm in arm with a strange, tall woman whose shaved head was painted with swirling designs. But in the centre stood Ranesh, his face expressionless, Zeean of Tora, and a graceful figure wrapped in a long cloak.
Marilen.
17 – Secrets
His heart in his mouth, Lief took a step forward. Marilen saw him. With a final glance at Ranesh, she gathered up her cloak and walked slowly down the stairs, her head held high. Lief felt Jasmine and Barda drawing back from him as she approached.
The celebrating crowd seethed around them, but the four—the three companions and the approaching girl—had eyes and ears only for one another. It was as though they were on an island in time and space.
Her face glowing with relief and welcome, Marilen held out her hands. Lief took them.
‘Oh, Lief, how I have longed for your return!’ Marilen murmured. ‘How I wished I could tell you… All is well, Lief! All is well. We are safe.’
Lief bowed his head, overwhelmed by thankfulness. He felt the girl’s hands move away from his. He glanced behind him. Barda was looking straight ahead, but Jasmine met his eyes with a determined smile.
Lief had a moment of confusion. Could it be that his companions already knew the secret he had kept from them so long?
But there was no time to think any longer. Marilen was waiting. The moment had come. He put his hands to his waist, unfastened the glittering belt, and let it fall. He heard Jasmine and Barda gasp.
Marilen pushed back her cloak. There was a flash of gleaming colour. Then she was taking something from her own waist and handing it to Lief. Smiling with relief she moved quickly away to stand at a little distance.
The great jewels of the Belt of Deltora shone like stars under the morning sky. The exquisite links of steel gleamed warm in Lief’s hands. He put the Belt on, felt its familiar weight, straightened his shoulders and turned to face Barda and Jasmine.