Thats Gods own truth, Bevier agreed.
Youd better have a talk with him when you go up, Sparhawk, Vanion suggested. Find out if hes sick or something. Kalten never leaves anything on his plate.
Or anybody elses, for that matter, Talen added.
Sparhawk did not linger over supper. He ate quickly, said goodnight to the others, and went upstairs to have a talk with his friend. He found Kalten sitting on the edge of his bed with his face in his hands.
Whats the matter? Sparhawk asked him. Arent you feeling well?
Kalten turned his face away. Leave me alone, Kalten said hoarsely.
Not very likely. Whats wrong?
It doesnt matter. The blond knight sniffed and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. I want to get drunk.
Not until you tell me whats bothering you, we wont.
Kalten sniffed again and set his jaw. Its something Youd laugh at me.
You know better than that.
Theres a girl, Sparhawk, and she loves somebody else. Are you satisfied now?
Why didnt you say something earlier?
I just now found out about it.
Kalten, youre not making any sense at all. One girls been the same as another to you. Most of the time you cant even remember their names.
This times different. Can we go get drunk now?
How do you know she doesnt feel the same way about you? Sparhawk knew who the girl was, and he was quite certain she did in fact return his friends feelings for her.
Kalten sighed. God knows that there are people in this group who are brighter than I am, Sparhawk. Its taken me a long time to put it together. Ill tell you one thing, though, if he breaks her heart, Ill kill him, brother or no.
Will you at least try to make some sense?
She told me that she loves somebody else.
Has shed come right out and said it in so many words.
Alcan wouldnt do that.
How did you know it was Alcan? The big blond man jumped to his feet. Have you all been laughing at me behind my back? he demanded pugnaciously.
Dont be an ass. We wouldnt do that. Weve all been through exactly the same thing. You didnt invent love, you know.
Everybody knows, though, dont they?
No. Im probably the only oneexcept for Melidere. Not much gets past her. Now whats all this nonsense about Alcan loving somebody else?
I just put it together myself.
What did you put together? Try to make a little sense.
Didnt you hear her singing on the day we left?
Of course I did. She has a beautiful voice.
Im not talking about her voice. Im talking about the song she was singing. It was My Bonnie Blue-Eyed Boy.
So?
Its Berit, Sparhawk. Shes in love with Berit.
What are you talking about?
I just noticed it when we sat down to supper. Kalten buried his face in his hands again. I never paid any attention before, but when I looked into his face while we were talking, I saw it. Im surprised you havent seen it yourself.
Seen what?
Berits got blue eyes.
Sparhawk stared at him. Then, being careful not to laugh, he said, So do youwhen theyre not bloodshot.
Kalten shook his head stubbornly. His are bluer than mine. I know its him. I just know it. Gods punishing me for some of the things Ive done in the past. He made me fall in love with a girl who loves somebody else. Well, I hope Hes satisfied. If He wants to make me suffer, Hes doing a good job of it.
Will you be serious?
Berits younger than I am, Sparhawk, and God knows hes better looking.
Kalten.
Look at the way every girl who gets to within a hundred yards of him starts to follow him around like a puppy. Even the Atan girls were all falling in love with him.
Kalten.
I know its him. I just know it. Gods twisting His knife in my heart. Hes gone and made the one girl Ill ever feel this way about fall in love with one of my brother-knights.
Kalten.
Kalten sat up and squared his shoulders. All right, then, he said weakly, if thats the way God wants it, thats the way its going to be. If Berit and Alcan really, really love each other, I wont stand in their way. Ill bite my tongue and keep my mouth shut.
Kalten.
Kalten.
But I swear it to you, Sparhawk, the blond Pandion said hotly, if he hurts her, Ill kill him.
Kalten! Sparhawk shouted at him.
What?
Sparhawk sighed. Why dont we go out and get drunk? he suggested, giving up entirely.
It was cloudy the following morning. It was a low, dirty-gray cloud-cover which seethed and tattered in the stiff wind aloft. It was one of those peculiar days when the murk raced overhead, streaming in off the gulf lying to the west, but the air at the surface was dead calm.
They set out early and clattered along the narrow, cobbled streets where sleepy-eyed shopkeepers were opening their shutters and setting out their wares. They passed through the city gates and took the road that followed the north coast of the gulf. After they had gone a mile or so, Vanion leaned over in his saddle.
How far do we have to go? he asked Flute, who nestled, as always, in her sisters arms.
What difference does it make? the Child Goddess shrugged.
Id like to know how long its going to take.
What does how far have to do with how long?
Theyre the same thing, Aphrael. Time and distance mean the same thing when youre traveling.
Not if you know what youre doing, they dont.
Sparhawk had always admired Vanion, but never quite so much as in that moment. The silvery-bearded preceptor did not even raise his voice. All Im really getting at, Divine One, is that nobody knows were here. Shouldnt we keep it that way? I dont mind a good fight now and then, but would bashing our way through crowds of drunken Edomish peasants serve any real purpose right now?
You always take so long to get to the point, Vanion, she said. Why didnt you just come right out and tell me to speed things up?
I was trying to be polite. I think well all feel much better about this when Sparhawks got Bhelliom in his hands again. Its up to you, though. If you want the road from here to wherever it is youve got Bhelliom hidden awash with blood and littered with corpses, well be happy to oblige you.
Hes hateful, Aphrael said to her sister.
Oh, I wouldnt say that.
You wouldnt. Sometimes you two are worse than Sparhawk and Ehlana.
Sparhawk moved in rather quickly at that point. Aphrael was coming very close to saying things which she shouldnt be saying in the presence of the others.
Shall we move right along? he suggested quite firmly. Vanions right, Aphrael, and you know he is. If Rebal finds out that were here, well have to wade through his people by the score.
All right, she gave in quite suddenly.
That was quick, Talen said to Khalad. I thought she was going to be stubborn about it.
No, Talen, she smirked. Actually, Im sort of looking forward to hearing that vast cry of chagrin thats going to echo from every mountain in Daresia when our enemies hear the sound of Anakhas fist closing around Bhelliom again. Just lean back in your saddles, gentlemen, and leave the rest to me.
Sparhawk awoke with a start. They were riding along the brink of a windswept cliff with an angry sea ripping itself to tattered froth on the rocks far below. Sephrenia rode in the lead, and she held Flute enfolded in her arms. The others trailed along behind, their cloaks drawn tightly around them and wooden expressions of endurance on their faces. The wind had risen, and it pushed at them and tugged at their cloaks. There were some significant impossibilities involved here, but Sparhawks mind seemed somehow numb to them. Normally, Vanion rode protectively close to Sephrenia, but Vanion didnt seem to be with them now.
Tynian, however, was. Sparhawk knew with absolute certainty that Tynian was a thousand leagues and more away, but there he was, his broad face as wooden as the faces of the others and his right shoulder as functional as ever. Sparhawk did not turn round. He knew that another impossibility was riding behind him.
Their horses plodded up the winding trail that followed the edge of the long, ascending cliff toward a rocky promontory which thrust a crooked, stony finger out into the sea. At the outermost tip of the promontory stood a gnarled and twisted tree, its streaming branches flailing in the wind. When she reached the tree, Sephrenia reined in. Kurik walked forward to lift Flute down. Sparhawk felt a sharp pang of bitter resentment. He knew about Aphraels need for symmetry, but this went too far.
Kurik set Aphrael down on her feet, and when he straightened, he looked Sparhawk full in the face. Sparhawks squire was unchanged. His features were rugged, and his black beard, touched with silver, was as coarse as ever. His bare shoulders were bulky, and his wrists were enclosed in steel cuffs. Without so much as changing expression, he winked at his lord.
Very well, then, Flute said to them in a crisp voice, lets get on with this before too many more of my cousins change their minds. I had to talk very fast and even throw a few tantrums to get them to agree, and many of them still have grave doubts about the whole notion.
You dont have to explain things to them, Flute, Kurik told her in that gruff voice of his, a voice so familiar that Sparhawks eyes filled with sudden tears. Just tell them what to do. Theyre Church Knights, after all, so theyre used to following orders they dont understand.
She laughed delightedly. How very wise you are, Kurik. All right, then, gentlemen, come with me. She led them past the gnarled tree to the brink of the awful precipice. Even though they were very high above it, the roaring of the surf was much like heavy thunder.
All right, Aphrael told them, Im going to need your help with this.
What do you want us to do? Tynian asked her.
Stand there and approve.
Do what?
Just approve of me, Tynian. You can cheer if you like, but its not really necessary. All I really need is approvaland love, of coursebut theres nothing unusual about that. I always need love. She smiled at them mysteriously. Then she stepped off the edge of the cliff. Talen gave a startled cry and plunged after her. The Child Goddess, as unconcerned as if she were only taking a morning stroll, walked out across the empty air. Talen, however, fell like a stone.
Oh, bother. Aphrael exclaimed peevishly. She made a curious gesture with one hand, and Talen stopped falling. He sprawled in mid-air, his limbs straddled, his face pasty-white, and his eyes bulging with horror. Would you take care of that, Sephrenia? the little girl said. Im busy right now. Then she glared down at Talen. You and I are going to have a talk about this, young man, she said ominously. Then she turned and continued to walk out toward the open sea.