The Darkest Hour | TheDarkestHour / StormWatchers browse

[continued from In the House of My Enemy]

After a brief carriage ride, Temnal and Raina reached the lonely chateau tucked away behind the imposing Castle Amber. A gardener glanced up from his work at their approach, cleaning his dirty hands off on a rag. He greeted their coach and informed them to talk to Jaenelle - the head hearth-witch. “So many visitors today,” he beamed and then returned to his other duties.

Before they could even knock, a woman opened the front door; grinning as if they were long lost family. “Welcome to the Chateau Lorraine! You are the Mistress' friend, are you not? Come to pay her a visit have you? She's just in the study."

"Yes, we..." Raina started to speak but...

"Actually, she's just right here," a voice called out from behind the woman. Gillian slid to a sudden halt and peered around Jaenelle's shoulder. She grinned. "Raina! Temnal! Come in! I am so glad to see you guys!"

"We're glad to see you too, Gillian," Temnal replied. "We were becoming increasingly worried about you -- especially when you didn't show up at the library."

Jaenelle rubbed her hands on her apron, grinning like a woman half her age. “I’ll get to making lunch, Mistress. And I’ll send up another pot of coffee right away.” She hurried off to whip the kitchen staff into action, positively floating down the hall.

Raina giggled. "She's very happy," she commented as she watched the maid bound away.

Gillian ushered her two friends inside and led them to the study she'd just vacated. She walked over and picked up a basket that held what looked like a sleeping Ginger and brought it over to a small grouping of comfy chairs by the unlit fireplace.

"Please, sit down," Gillian said as she plopped down into the nearest one. She set the basket on the floor beside the chair. "So much has happened that I'm not even really sure where to start. What has happened with you two? What did Seabhac tell you?"

"Only that you'd had an... incident... that left you and Ginger injured and that you would probably appreciate some company," Raina offered, "though I met he and Temnal mid-conversation. Did he say any more than that to you, Temnal?"

Gillian winced.

"He told me you'd had a brush with the Primal Pattern," Temnal said, with a half-curious, half-admonitory look at Gillian. He waited until Raina was seated before taking a chair himself. "Which does not sound like something you should be messing with. Unless..." His gaze on Gillian becomes searching, and he doesn't finish the sentence.

She stared back at him. "Goodness. A lot has happened. Yes, I....Joined. Um..."

Gillian paused and looked around.

"Seabhac's familiar was just here," she explained in a low voice, "and I don't feel entirely comfortable speaking freely. Unless one of you can help...? I have some spells pertaining to fire and air memorized, but not an eavesdropping spell."

"I know Windborne Secrets, which is an eavesdropping spell," Raina offered softly, "but I think we need an anti-eavesdropping spell. I'm not certain how to do the reverse."

Gillian clapped her hand on her face. "You're right, Raina. Anti-eavesdropping. Where is my brain?"

Temnal looked interested. "If you fiddled around with it, you might be able to make it work in reverse," he suggested. "But that usually takes research time."

"About the best I could do off the cuff would be Hermes' Voice," Temnal replies.

"Could you include a third person in that?" Gillian asked.

Temnal nodded. "It's just a matter of altering the definitions," he assured them both.

She sat back, looking more relaxed, her right hand idly resting on Ginger's flank. "Go for it."

Temnal concentrated briefly, setting the definitions, and then cast the spell.

<Can both of you hear me?> he tried.

<Yes. Raina, are you here too?> Gillian asked.

<Yes!> Raina replied silently, though her eyes registered her surprise and delight. <Can you tell us what happened now?>

Temnal also looked at Gillian expectantly.

<This time? You mean with Ginger?> Gillian sighed.

Gillian turned to take in Temnal's reaction to Suhuy's name.

The adopted Chaosian frowned slightly, his golden eyes thoughtful. The name seemed familiar, though he couldn't place where he'd heard it before. "Master of the Logrus" certainly meant something, though, as did "Dworkin's brother."

Guilt surfaced in Gillian's thoughts.

Raina gasped mentally. <That's what Seabhac meant then. Oh Gillian, how horrible! Is there anything we can do?>

Jaenelle entered the room with a tray full of tea, biscuits with jam, and finger sandwiches. She smiled at the students, but a slightly confused frown soon followed when she noticed the group in silent congregation.

Temnal glanced in the servant's direction, nodded and said "Thank you" before returning his attention to the silent conversation going on.

She set the tray down and retreated with practiced efficiency.

Gillian had straightened when Janelle entered, but now she slumped back in her chair.

<Not on Ginger's account> Gillian replied. <After Ginger intervened, I blacked out. When I came to, I contacted Seabhac--Cybelle helped me create a trump--but the effort was too much and I passed out again. When I came to the second time, I found out that Seabhac had sent Ginger to his uncle, who he said was more qualified to help her than he was. I don't know if you're aware who Seabhac's uncle is, but his name is Lord Mandor. Temnal probably recognizes the name.>

Temnal nodded. <The Emperor's brother. But speaking of names and recognition ... 'Cybelle'?> he inquired of Gillian.

<She's the Amberite I'm Joined with. She's very good with trumps. Remind me sometime to show you the deck she created.>

Temnal promised, then added <You have joined with your Other, then. I'm glad to see you standing, so to speak.>

She impulsively reached down and pulled the still sleeping Ginger onto her lap, needing the comfort of her physical proximity.

<Anyway, Lord Mandor and I had a chat, and I agreed to a few things he proposed and in turn he agreed to heal Ginger. He doesn't know about the Dark Hour, and I'm not sure it would be a good idea to tell him. Amber's continued existence is important to Seabhac, but I'm not sure how important it is to Lord Mandor.

Temnal definitely looked interested. <Books? Certainly! What subjects do you need help on?>

Raina perked up visibly. <Of course.> she nodded eagerly.

She paused. <I'll remove from the pile the lab book with the image of the Broken Primal Pattern on it. It's in code, anyway, and will take some extra effort to decipher.

Temnal nodded. He paused, then went on, <He's one of us.>

<Oh? I've heard of him, I believe> Raina added.

Temnal looked at her interestedly. <You have? From whom?>

<Oh, not in the sense of being 'one of us.'> Raina backpedaled. <Merely from classes. Someone mentioned a Malachi of Karm and it's not a common name.>

Gillian smiled. <Another member to add to our country club, huh? What's he like?>

Raina smiled as well.

Temnal chuckled. <In a way you might almost say he's my complement. Country boy, a vassal of the Lady of Karm I gather. Definitely a big-sword type of person--or big-spear, anyway.> His expression grew more thoughtful. <He claims he died ... and that 'Bob' and Mirelle gave him another chance.>

<Died?> Gillian perked up. <Did he say how or when? Or anything more about his conversation with those two?>

<It was certainly since we met them,> Temnal replied, <because it was after he arrived in Amber, and he said he wasn't at the opening ceremonies because he missed the train. Although I don't know if time sequence as we experience it here,> he waved a hand vaguely, <has any relation to time as those two experience it.>

<I've often wondered if there were others,> Raina mused. <Just because they weren't at the opening ceremonies doesn't mean they don't exist. I thought I met another one as well, but he... well, he had a coffin.> She seemed disappointed about this.

<Cynwyd wasn't with us at the opening ceremonies either,> Temnal pointed out. <In fact ... from what he and Malachi said to each other, he may have spent the time having an encounter with same pair who Malachi says killed him.>

<Temnal, I missed the meeting last night. Did anyone else Join?> Raina asked.

<Joao did,> Temnal told her. <It was a near thing, though. Delwin almost took control, but among the three of us -- Joao, Malachi, and me -- we managed to subdue him. As much by luck as anything else,> he added ruefully.

Raina bit her lip worriedly - or perhaps a little guiltily - but remained silent.

<Are we any closer to having a plan, or knowing what to do?> Gillian asked.

Temnal sighed. <Malachi wants us to become more methodical, and he may have a point about that. He also seems to want to march us on Castle Amber, which I don't think we're ready for. But it's becoming increasingly obvious that those of us who haven't Joined yet had better do so. We're not going to be able to stand up to the strain of combat otherwise. As little as I like the idea.>

Raina confessed. <I cannot do that again. We need to form some kind of a plan and we'll need all our skills and those of our Others to accomplish anything. I still don't know for certain what it is that we need to accomplish.>

<Bob said to do what was required. Unhelpfully> Gillian remembered. She was subdued, thinking about "combat" and what that might entail. she added.

Temnal's expression lightened. <Well, I do think we accomplished part of what we're supposed to be doing last night,> he told them. <We managed to kill this ... thing ... that came after Cole and Cynwyd, and when it died ... you could sense all the, I don't know, spirits it had been composed of escaping. Being freed. I think that may have been one of the twelve Greater Shadows we're supposed to slay.>

<Freed? Then maybe I can get Jonathan back,> Gillian thought.

<We need to slay twelve Greater Shadows?> Raina thought with a gasp.

<Eleven, now,> Temnal noted.

Gillian flashed him a gallows smile.

[Raina] blew out a breath, composing herself. <We'll need to be deeply in touch with our Others then> she determined. <Sand was a great warrior princess, and most likely a sorceress of some prowess. I've only begun to learn about her life and her skills. I don't know how much you know about Cybele, Gillian, or your Other, Temnal, but we need to find out. We'll need to channel everything they are - or were - into what we can do now.>

<Yes,> Temnal mindwhispered, his golden eyes haunted, <and it falls to me to leash the Destroyer. I found that out for certain last night.>

Gillian blinked. <Brand, then? I'm...sure Bob wouldn't have matched him up with you unless he thought you could handle him.>

An image of Bob cackling and going on about butterflies came to Gillian's mind.

<Well, probably not,> she amended.

Raina paled. <Brand. That's... frightening. Do you think it would help to know more about him before you try to join? What his weaknesses are, or were, perhaps?> she asked.

Temnal mused. <Not only weaknesses, or even strengths, but who he was. Is. As a person, not an icon. What drove him to do the things he did, and what might persuade him now.>

Gillian was silent for a moment, musing on all that had been said as her fingers idly stroked Ginger's fur. <Are we meeting tonight?> she finally asked.

<That's the plan,> Temnal replied, <if you think you're up to it.>

She nodded. <I'd like to be there. I want to meet this Malachi... In the meantime, is there anything else either of you wants to discuss while the spell is active?>

<Just this,> Raina said. She leaned forward and pulled a locket out from under the neckline of her uniform. As she allowed the others to look at it, she continued, <It belonged to Sand. It contains a whole myriad of trumps, but I haven't dared try them yet. Sand could draw trumps, you know. She... showed me how.>

The moonstone pendant glowed with an inner power. Gillian recognized the Trump imprint immediately, and even Temnal sensed something ‘more’ about the silver jewelry - his Other taking tired interest.

Cybele shifted uncomfortably inside Gillian’s head, a ball of snakes rousing to spring thaw. <Well, well, well. She’s definitely taken a different path in Trump construction. The Construct is simple enough, but the Trumps within are. . . altered. I’ve not felt that particular imprint since I traveled in Tir-na Nog'th. I believe these could be used on sleeping subjects. Very clever.> A bile-churning knot of jealousy settled in Gillian's stomach like a tapeworm.

Annoyed at her Other, Gillian clamped down on Cybele's negative reaction as best she could and turned her attention back to Raina. she stated, studying the pendant. <How do you access them?>

<Um, it's not a very scientific method,> Raina thought back, somewhat apologetically. she explained, demonstrating what she described and leaning forward so they could see if anything happened.

<Oh! Are you trying to activate a trump?> Gillian asked, eagerly leaning forward as well.

Temnal also bent closer to watch, sharing his Other's interest.

Raina felt the pendant cool in her hands. In her mind, she could see faces and locations flicker by, as if she were shuffling a deck of playing cards. Both Gillian and Temnal noticed images on the stone itself, slightly indistinct and murky like gazing through a heavy fog.

Most of the locations were unfamiliar, but they all knew the Royal Family from their studies. Everyone was accounted for, including several they did not know or who had died.

<Could you see them?> Raina gushed excitedly when they finished, as much as one could while still silent.

<Fascinating> Gillian commented. <If you just bring one person to mind, say, Sand, will it focus in on her trump?>

Raina nodded. <Sand and I used it when we first found it. There are place trumps as well as people. Perhaps Seabhac would know some of them.>

Temnal couldn't help wondering if his Other ... not to mention Gillian's and Raina's--or even Malachi's--was pictured there.

Temnal did notice a flashing image his Other; the sullen, red-haired face unmistakable. He also noticed Malachi’s Other, her somber, dark beauty eye-catching. But by the time the rotation looped, he had not noticed Gillian’s Other. Nor had he seen Sand.

Since they were still communicating by thought, Raina picked up on Temnal's musing. <I'm sure they are> she offered, <but I would hesitate to try him unless we were fully prepared, especially since you haven't joined yet.>

<I'm sure you're right about that,> Temnal agreed.

There's a memory of her Other thrusting her hand into Gillian's body and the uncomfortable tightness as she snaked her way upward to cup Gillian's heart...then the sharp detail of Cybele's arm pulsing and rippling as her body deflated with a hollow sigh and she sucked herself inside with an unsettling slurping smack.

<Um...anyway...so I can't offer an informed opinion. But my opinion is to go with what's familiar to you.> Gillian finished.

<Eww!> Raina squirmed, cringing at the vivid image of Gillian's joining.

Raina thought back once she recovered. <I remember hearing in History how Prince Eric held Prince Corwin locked in a trump contact on the seas before the Battle of the Eastern Stair. I wonder if Sand and I would have the strength to hold Prince Brand in place while you joined. Or if it would even work because he's already dead,> she thought, inviting other speculations.

<The red-haired boy that clung too long to his mother’s breast? Yes, I can handle the wretched whelp.> Sand’s voice rang through the contact.

Somewhere Cybele laughed. Temnal’s Other was less amused.

Temnal found himself sharing his Other's feelings to an extent. He knew the stories ... all of them. With what the Destroyer had accomplished before he was defeated, he was certainly deserving of fear--but not of contempt.

<We're here to help in any way we can with whatever you decide> Gillian told Temnal quickly, not liking how involved their Others were getting in their conversation. She exhaled. <Anything else before we drop the spell?>

Temnal replied. <You've told us more or less what happened to you, and I know now that both you and Raina have Joined. Raina?> He glanced at the other girl.

Raina shook her head, looking a little unnerved that Sand had spoken so clearly in the connection. <No, I think that's all,> she thought back, tucking the locket back inside her uniform.

Somewhere, a bell chimed the hour and Raina started. "Oh! I have a lab with Professor Advocat this afternoon," she fretted as she jumped up and hastily gathered her things. "Gillian, please call on me if you need anything. Anything at all."

"I will, thank you. We'll see you tonight," Gillian replied.

Once Raina had left, she turned back to Temnal. "Still interested in helping with some research?" she smiled.

"Absolutely," he replied, smiling back. "Please feel free to load me down with books."

"That can be arranged," Gillian replied, her smile breaking into a grin. She replaced the still sleeping Ginger in her basket and led Temnal over to a study table on the other side of the room. It was piled high with books.

Gillian picked up a pen and a piece of scrap paper and started scribbling something while Temnal had a chance to peruse a few--some were printed and some were hand-lettered, of various sizes and thicknesses, a couple in different languages from Thari. The familiar seal of the Faiella University library was absent from the ones he handled.

"Here are the topics of interest I'm researching," she said, handing Temnal the paper. "I'm still a little wary of talking freely," she continued, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You-know-who reports back to Lord Mandor." She left the explanation at that, but gave Temnal a significant look. "Besides, that last name on the list shouldn't be spoken aloud."

Temnal returned her look and nodded his comprehension.

The scrap of paper said: Dworkin, contract, Blue Room, Dark Hour, and Suhuy, all in Gillian's flowery script.

"So which books go with which topics?" Temnal asked. "Do you know yet?" He was already mentally subtracting the volumes in languages he couldn't read.

"No. After I fatefully looked at this little lab book--" Gillian plucked a smallish journal out of the pile, made a face, and put it aside, "--everything went to hell. I just now have had the opportunity to really look at the others. I'd just grab something and start perusing. The one common topic that all these should have is Bob."

With a sidewise grin, Temnal commented, "Then maybe I should sort by which ones I can carry back to my dorm room without raising too many official eyebrows."

"Feel free..." She started gazing at the pile, but her attention was pulled back to the lab book. "I'm going top try to decipher that one, I think--it's all in code and that intrigues me."

"Good luck, but be more careful this time," Temnal advised her. For himself he chose half a dozen printed books in familiar languages, and sandwiched one of the hand-lettered ones in between them. He tucked Gillian's topic list inside the cover of the top book.

"This should get me started," he commented.

"Good luck," Gillian said cheerily. Since it looked like Temnal was about to leave, she added, "And thank you for coming to visit me. I appreciate it."

"It was our pleasure," Temnal replied, including the absent Raina. "Will we see you again tonight at the lab?"

Gillian nodded solemnly and saw Temnal to the front door of the chateau. "Take care. Be careful."

[continued in Sifting through the Ashes]