The Standing Dead

Reaching out with his free hand, Carnelian clasped Sil's hands and looked her in the eyes. 'If it is all as Fern says, then I have been a fool, an instrument in the Master's hand.' He let her go, freed himself from Poppy's grip and spun round looking at every face. 'He made you slaughter heaveners; can you not believe it possible / could be used without my knowledge?' . Carnelian saw with relief that even Fern was no longer certain of his guilt.

'Do you still believe the Master intends to attack the Standing Dead?' asked Whin.

'I'm sure of it, my mother.'

'You believe he cannot win?'

Carnelian considered the changes Osidian had wrought upon the Ochre. 'I have only one certainty; if he is not stopped, the Master will bring disaster on the Tribe.'

'How do we free ourselves from him?' said Sil expressing the general feeling. She caught a look in her husband's eyes and her face grew pale. She grabbed him.

'He'd kill you!'

Fern pulled himself free.

Carnelian understood. 'Listen to her, you'd never get close enough.'

Fern grew enraged. 'What do you suggest?'

Examining his friend's eyes, Carnelian knew there was only one way. 'I'll do it.'

Fern narrowed his eyes, judging him.

'What will you do, Master?' said another voice.

No one had noticed Ravan approaching. People looked at each other, fearing he had heard everything. Ravan frowned, sensing a conspiracy.

'Why've you come?' Whin asked, coldly.

'Because the Master wishes to see this one here.' He indicated Carnelian with his chin.

Fern gave his brother a look filled with contempt. 'I thought it was the young who now ruled the Tribe?'

Ravan found he was enringed by his scowling hearth-mates. He blushed and walked away. The Master doesn't like to be kept waiting.'

Carnelian saw Poppy forgotten, crying. He pushed her towards Sil. Receiving nods of encouragement, he went after Ravan.

Carnelian quickly caught up with Ravan. As he fell in beside him, the youth moved his head to one side but did not look at him.

'Now we have the power, everything will be much better. The Tribe will soon come to see we were justified in what we've done.'

'Your mother doesn't see it that way.'

'She's an old woman and should be glad to be free of the burdens of rule.'

Carnelian watched Ravan from the corners of his eyes. 'Fern was right, it is not the young but the Master who now rules.'

'What if it were true? The Master will make the Ochre great among the tribes.'

'You fool yourself, Ravan. You must know by now he cares for nothing but himself: Plainsmen are nothing more to him than savages. If it suited his purposes, he would care no more about the Ochre than he did the heaveners.'

Ravan turned on him, eyes flaming. Though you look like him, you're nothing alike. You don't know what he cares about. Because you've betrayed him do you expect everyone to be as treacherous as you?'

That barb struck home. Carnelian found he was remembering the love he had had for Osidian; the part he had played in bringing him to the Earthsky. He suppressed all guilt. Now he had to steel himself to murder him.

Young men standing with spears at the foot of the Crag steps moved aside to let Ravan and Carnelian climb them. Reaching the summit, Carnelian pulled his uba up over his nose so that only his eyes were exposed to the withering sun. Ravan led him across the burning rock to where Osidian stood massive, shrouded black with Krow and some other guards.

'Go and make the preparations for immediate departure,' Osidian said.

Krow gave a nod. As he passed Carnelian on the way to the steps, they exchanged grim greetings.

Osidian gave the iron spear he was holding to Ravan and beckoned. 'Come, my Lord.'

Carnelian fell in beside him and they walked together in silence. He was aware Ravan and the others were following. He watched Osidian gaze out over the plain and saw how close he was to the edge of the Crag. A lunge, then a push and he would be over.

'Have you nothing to say, Carnelian?'

Carnelian looked up and was immediately transfixed by Osidian's jade eyes. Was there sadness there?

'I betrayed you.'

'Yes, you betrayed me.'

Carnelian had expected anger, dissimulation, but not this sadness which struck at his heart. 'Stop pretending. I know you manipulated me as you have everyone and everything since we came here.'

Osidian looked up into the sky. 'Did your barbarian friends help you work that out?'

The contempt stung, but it was fear for Akaisha, Fern and the others that possessed him. To protect them, he must kill Osidian.

As Osidian walked away, Carnelian followed.

'The overthrow of the Elders has been an exercise which the Wise would probably consider trivial. Still, I have never presumed to achieve their level of mastery, though I have gleaned many techniques from their treatises on statecraft.'

Carnelian's mind was fixed on getting Osidian between him and the edge. He spoke hoping to disguise his manoeuvring: The Elders have wisdom of their own.'

'Whatever wisdom the old may have pales before the beauty, the youth and vigour of the young. This fracture is present in all peoples but cuts deeper into the tribes of the Earthsky than most. It was not overly difficult to hammer some wedges in and so cleave the young from the old.'

Carnelian clutched at one last hope to delay the act of murder. 'People? You concede then that they are people? They love each other, their children, as the Chosen do; suffer pain similarly, loss. Even they have pride and beauty and honour.'

Osidian turned fierce eyes on him. 'I have borne this predilection you have for these savages long enough! I cannot understand why you are unable to overcome the deficiencies of your upbringing.'

Anger rose in Carnelian. 'Do you still delude yourself they believe us angels? They have seen we become weary, that we sleep, that we bleed as they do.'

Wrath set Osidian's eyes alight. 'We do not bleed as they do. Forget your blood if you wish, but I will not allow you to forget mine. In my veins, blood runs infused with holy fire.'

Seeing him there unrepentant, Carnelian was about to run at him, not caring that they would tumble together from the Crag when, shocked, Osidian moved away from the edge. 'You would slay me?'

He pulled the uba from his face and stared, gaping. 'I cannot believe…' He motioned Ravan and the others away when they began voicing their alarm.

Osidian's desolation struck at Carnelian's heart. Osidian moved further from the edge, never taking his eyes off Carnelian.

'Have you forgotten when I said to you that my blood ran in your veins?'

Carnelian recalled the night when they had made their vows of love to each other. It was the same night they had been captured in the Yden, just before they were cast into the outer world. He saw the long agony of time that had brought him to this rock where he wished only to see Osidian dead.

Osidian looked close to tears. 'Never once has my love for you wavered.'

Carnelian hardened his heart. 'Do you believe that excuses what you have done?'

He saw Ravan's shadow moving in the corner of his eye.

‘I tested your love, you know?' said Osidian.

'You mean you baited a trap for me!' Carnelian spat back.

'It was your choice to take the bait.' Carnelian was seeing him through tears. 'What else could I do?'

Osidian shook his head again as if he could not believe what he was hearing.

'What would you have done if I had said nothing to the Elders?'

Osidian shrugged. The truth is, I never for one moment doubted you would betray me.'

Tears were running down both their faces.

‘I should kill you,' said Osidian.

'You should. I will not cease fighting you.'