ã€ŠThe Hammer - Cor Series Book Iã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Corvan jolted awake, gasping as if he''d been trapped underwater. Cold sweat trickled past his ear. The nightmare had returned, and each night the monster pursued him through the dark caves; the fierce hatred in its eyes was coming closer.

    Rolling onto his back, Corvan stared at the cracked plaster overhead. He had no doubt the dream was directly connected to a time when this was his grandfather''s room. Although the man had mysteriously vanished on the day before Corvan''s second birthday, Corvan recalled sitting on the bed with his grandfather, looking out the window, and listening to stories of monsters and caves.

    Swinging his shaking legs out of bed, he crossed to the window, sat on the wide sill, and leaned against the jamb. A cool breeze, fresh with the scent of approaching rain, raised goose bumps on his skin. Beyond the golden sunrise on the green of the aspen trees that bordered his back yard, the gentle wind was stirring his family¡¯s crop of golden wheat into waves that swept in to run ashore against a massive mound of granite¡ªhis favorite place in the entire world. The rounded sides of the rock climbed thirty feet above the sea of grain in an unbroken curve until it reached Castle Rock, Corvan¡¯s name for the ring of boulders crowning the summit. From his bedroom window, the protective circle of stones looked like the beginnings of another Stonehenge or the ruins of an ancient island citadel. The fort he had built inside the rocks was his personal fortress of solitude, a refuge from the realities of his complicated life. Unfortunately, unlike his comic book hero, his hideaway was within earshot of his mother¡¯s call from the back porch.

    Leaning his forehead into a well-worn bulge in the metal window screen, Corvan searched the outline of each rock, but nothing moved. The new creature he had caught a glimpse of the previous week had completely vanished. It wasn¡¯t anywhere near the size of the monster in his nightmares, but the timing of its appearance along with the secrecy surrounding his upcoming fifteenth birthday added to his apprehension.

    Sitting back, he tipped his head against the window frame and watched the fingers of clouds caress the blue sky. His father believed that his coming of age in the year 1952 was of great importance. So far, the only part of the year that held any personal significance was when Mrs. Barron, the owner of the corner store, had given him a science fiction book her son had picked up in the city but didn¡¯t like.

    ¡°Consider it an early birthday present,¡± she had said, her eyes holding a sympathetic glint. ¡°Your mother tells me this is an important birthday for you, and I know things are a bit tight right now with the mine closed down and all.¡±

    The book was entitled, A Star Man¡¯s Son, and each time he read it, he found himself identifying more strongly with its mutant hero, Fors of the Puma Clan. Fors was also bullied and mocked for his appearance, but at least Fors was able to escape his situation with his loyal companion. Corvan could relate to living as an outcast on the great plains. He hoped that one day he too would break free of the constraints that were holding him back.

    The whistle of the kettle in the kitchen below his room interrupted his thoughts. Corvan sighed. He would rather go back to bed and face the nightmare than get ready for another day of school. At least with the monster, he would eventually wake up and the fear would fade. In real life, at least for the past year, his problems at home and at school clung to him like burrs on his woolen socks.

    ¡°Corvan!¡±

    He jumped from the window ledge to find his mother standing in his doorway. Her blonde hair was pressed up against the unusually short door frame.

    ¡°I should have known you¡¯d be daydreaming again. Didn¡¯t you hear me call you down to breakfast?¡±

    ¡°I was sleeping.¡±

    ¡°I heard you holler,¡± she said with a frown.

    Corvan shrugged. ¡°I must have been dreaming.¡± He walked behind his bed and pulled on his patched jeans.

    ¡°No doubt you were.¡± She stepped through the doorway, then she straightened to her full height. ¡°I met Miss Thompson at the store yesterday.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart dropped at the mention of his teacher.

    ¡°She says you¡¯ve been coming in after class has started this past week. I told her you must be dawdling on the way. You certainly leave home in plenty of time.¡±

    Corvan tugged his threadbare T-shirt over his head. He did not want her to see the guilt written across his face. The truth was, he wanted to be late for school¡ªfor the rest of the year if possible. His head poked out as the horn of their truck honked twice in the driveway.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later. Your father has been called to a meeting at the mine ,and I¡¯m going along to sell my cider at the farmer¡¯s market.¡± She shot a warning look his way. ¡°Be on time today.¡±

    He nodded, and she retreated down the stairs.

    Corvan waited until their truck pulled up their driveway before making his way to the kitchen. Whisps of steam rose lazily from the kettle¡¯s spout. A pot of oatmeal sat on the counter next to the woodstove. With a heavy sigh, Corvan poked at the sticky lumps. He was used to oatmeal every weekday morning, but for the last few months there had been no brown sugar and often they were out of milk. Unless the coal mine reopened soon, there wouldn¡¯t be much of an improvement, at least not before his birthday came around.

    A dog barked in the lane. Corvan snatched up his lunchbox and ran to the front door. There was no one there, just a mangy stray slinking through the trees along the dirt track.

    Every morning since the start of grade eight, when Kate and her mom had moved to town, she had picked him up on her way to school. But last week she informed him she wouldn¡¯t be walking with him anymore. She wouldn¡¯t say why, and he didn¡¯t like that Kate could be so secretive and stubborn at times. Her distance made for a hard week.

    The morning breeze had died down, and the dust from the passing of his dad¡¯s truck hung over their tree-lined driveway. A red-tailed hawk perched on the weathered gate post at the end of the lane. Its dark eyes followed his every move. The intense gaze reminded him of the bullies at school, always watching for an opportunity to swoop in and pick him to pieces.

    Picking a stone from the road, he tossed it at the post to scare the hawk away. The large eyes blinked in disdain, then it rose into the air with its distinctive screech and soared along the road into town. Corvan ran his dusty hand over his crew-cut hair as he trudged on toward the school. If only he could fly above the world and go wherever he wanted.

    The sound of playing children grew louder as he poked his head around the final clump of saskatoon bushes. His one-room schoolhouse had seen better days. It was new when his father attended, but now its faded red paint hung from the rough boards in brittle strips.

    Corvan stepped into the gate and scanned the playground. Billy Fry, the biggest bully at school, was nowhere in sight. He breathed a sigh of relief. Billy¡¯s frequent truancy was one of the few things that made school days bearable. Whenever Billy showed up, Corvan could count on being harassed the entire day.

    Checking the perimeter of the playground, he spied Kate sitting against the picket fence by the ball diamond. The bangs of her red hair were flopped over her eyes. He didn¡¯t think she noticed him until she jerked a thumb toward the boys¡¯ outhouse. Billy must be inside. He looked across the playground to the school door. This time, rather than hiding out until after the bell rang, he could make a run for it. He would not only impress his teacher with his early arrival, but also be safe inside¡ªat least until lunch.

    Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and headed toward the school. Kate and the others would be watching. He couldn¡¯t let them think he was afraid.

    The outhouse door sprang open, and Billy stepped into the sunlight as he was looping the strap of his patched coveralls over his broad shoulder. He stood on the outhouse stoop and surveyed the playground like a wolf looking for the weakest member of the herd. His eyes locked on Corvan. A cruel grin spread over his face.

    Corvan froze and glanced at Kate. She remained sitting, biting her lower lip, and looking hard in the other direction. He didn¡¯t expect her to always fight Billy for him, but her presence usually curbed the bully¡¯s attacks. In fact, all the boys kept their distance from Kate¡¯s lightning fists. Her light frame hid a feisty fighter who could blacken an eye and get away before a larger opponent could even try to pin her down. If only he could be so brave.

    Not to be deprived of his prey, Billy lumbered over to Corvan, glanced at Kate, then dropped his voice to a menacing growl. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you on time cause I gots something to tell ya.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± Corvan replied, attempting to disarm Billy with a grin.

    ¡°I can see that.¡± Billy flicked the lobes of Corvan¡¯s left ear until he winced in pain. ¡°The way these things stick out, you look like Dumbo.¡±

    Corvan tried to pull away, but Billy stepped hard on his toes, pinning him to the ground and forcing him to look directly into the boy¡¯s broad chest. He tried to squirm free from the humiliation, but his shoes might as well have been nailed down with the boy¡¯s weight crushing his toes.

    Kate voice cut through the tense air. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pick on someone your own size?¡±

    Billy stepped away and turned to face her. Corvan was free, but he couldn¡¯t let Kate face Billy alone. The other children were running over to see what might happen next.

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    ¡°Didn¡¯t ya notice, Kate? There is no one my size in our school.¡±

    He laughed over the heads of the gathering crowd, and then he looked back down at Corvan. ¡°Maybe Corvan¡¯s dad could fight me.¡± He spread out his hands out in pretend shock. ¡°Oh, yeah, I forgot. Corvan¡¯s dad is a shrimpy chicken too.¡± He took a measured step away from Kate. ¡°And you don¡¯t even have a dad.¡±

    The other children gave Kate room. She squinted through her bangs for a long moment. Her jaw was working as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Her eyes flickered to Corvan, lingered on his face, and then she spun around and marched away.

    Billy watched her leave with a relieved smirk. He then turned his attention to Corvan. ¡°My dad says your kind don¡¯t belong in our school. Everyone in town knows your dad¡¯s just a no-account half-breed that can¡¯t even keep a job.¡±

    Corvan stared at the ground and let his arms hang limply at his sides. This was not the first time someone had talked about his father this way. His dad said if Corvan ignored them, eventually people would move on. His father was wrong. Ignoring the comments had only intensified the attacks.

    The bell rang, and children scampered around Corvan and Billy to beat each other into the building. He tried to follow, but Billy slapped an open hand the size of a baseball glove on Corvan¡¯s forehead and shoved him to the ground. ¡°Best just stay away from school, Dumbo, ¡®cause you ain¡¯t gonna like this one as long as I¡¯m around.¡±

    Corvan got to his knees. Looking through Billy¡¯s legs, he could see Kate watching him from next to the school door with her fists tightly clenched.

    A plume of dust exploded in Corvan¡¯s eyes as Billy¡¯s heavy boot skimmed past his head. ¡°No use lookin¡¯ for Kate to save you.¡± He bent closer. ¡°My dad told her mom about Kate fighting at school, and now she ain¡¯t gonna let Kate help you no more.¡± The bell fell silent, and Billy¡¯s footsteps faded toward the school.

    Corvan knelt and blinked with his head down. He allowed his eyes to water and rinse the dust away. Gritty tears slid down his cheeks as his eyes cleared. Oh great! Now the other kids would think he¡¯d been crying. Grabbing the bottom edge of his t-shirt, he pulled it up to wipe his face clean. The hem tore open.

    Getting to his feet, he poked a muddy finger through the hole in his shirt. He slapped the dust off his pants. Now he really did look the part of Billy¡¯s taunts. He glanced back to the open gate. This would definitely be a good day to skip school. Then again, with his mother and teacher comparing notes, it would not be the best idea. His shoulders drooped as he trudged to the building and slipped quietly through the door.

    Miss Thompson stood at the chalkboard with her back to the class; the words ¡°Oral Report¡± were printed neatly over her head. He eased the heavy door closed.

    ¡°Corvan¡¯s here, ma¡¯am.¡± Billy Fry¡¯s voice broke the silence like the brash call of a raven. Corvan¡¯s jaw clenched as he headed toward his assigned seat.

    Miss Thompson did not turn around. ¡°You¡¯re late again, Corvan. This time you will stay after school to write lines.¡±

    Corvan headed toward his desk at the back of the room. Normally, the shorter kids sat closer to the front, but Miss Thompson had agreed to let him sit at the back with the older children, one row behind Billy. As he walked up the aisle between the desks, the bully sneered at him. One row over, Corvan caught a flicker of sympathy in Kate¡¯s eyes.

    Miss Thompson¡¯s voice pulled him up short. ¡°Since you¡¯re already standing, Corvan, you might as well be the first to give your oral report about what you did this past summer.¡±

    Oral report? She must have given that assignment on one of the days he came in late. Corvan racked his brain for a topic as he dragged himself to the front of the class. It had been a boring summer as there was not enough money for gas to go camping in the mountains. The weather had been unusually hot and dry, and his father had stayed in the cellar most days or had gone to the caves by the river.

    But ¡­ something significant had happened the past week, something the others would find interesting. Coming alongside Miss Thompson¡¯s desk, he turned to face the class and found everyone was looking intently at him. Straightening his shoulders, he cleared his throat. This was his time to impress them with a fantastic tale, and this one was completely true.

    ¡°This past summer,¡± Corvan said, pointing out the side window, ¡°I discovered strange tracks around the big rock in our field. The tracks were of three toes with claws and sometimes a tail dragging behind. The tracks would come and go at night from our rock into the fields and sometimes even lead into town. I had to find out what it was up to.¡±

    Kate frowned at him, and Corvan paused. He was going to tell Kate about the tracks when they were alone, not here in front of the whole class. The rest of class, however, were fully engaged and waiting for him to go on. A few of the younger children at the front began to fidget nervously, and the ones at the back were leaning forward to hear more. He¡¯d never had the entire school so intent on what he was saying. He took a step to the front of Miss Thompson¡¯s desk and lowered his voice.

    ¡°Last week, I finally saw it up close. I was hiding inside our outhouse and looking out a knothole when it crawled out of our woodpile. It was a lizard, this high!¡± He held a hand up past his waist. ¡°There were dark blue markings around its chest and face, and it walked like this, upright on its hind legs¡ª¡±

    Miss Thompson¡¯s ruler smacked her open hand, and Corvan whirled around. ¡°Corvan, the assignment was an oral report about your summer vacation, not another of your tall tales.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You know as well as I do, there are no three-foot-high blue dinosaur-like lizards around here. This is the 1950s, not the Mesozoic era. After school, you will write that out on the board one hundred times.¡±

    She continued talking to the class, reassuring the students that dinosaurs went extinct a long time ago and were not roaming through their town at night.

    Could she be wrong? Corvan thought. In a recent story in one of his favorite science fiction magazines, the Mad Scientists club had hatched a dinosaur egg. His own town was close to one of the largest deposits of dinosaur bones in the world. Was it possible for an egg to be preserved deep underground and then hatch when it was pushed to the surface by the spring thaw? Was that why the lizard was so large and walked on his hind legs?

    ¡°Corvan!¡± Miss Thompson¡¯s sharp voice pierced his mental fog. ¡°How many times do I need to tell you to sit down?¡±

    Corvan flinched as the words yanked him back to rows of laughing classmates. His face burned as he walked dejectedly past the younger children to the back of the class. True to form, Billy Fry stuck his foot out. Corvan jumped over it, stumbled against his own desk and scattered his pencils across the back of the room.

    Easing himself into the seat, he opened his desk and hunched down to hide behind the lid. At a touch on his shoulder, he looked up. Kate was leaning back to him from the next row, one of his pencils in her hand. Corvan smiled her and mouthed ¡°thanks.¡± Closing his desk, he took the pencil and unwound a narrow piece of paper wrapped around it.

    We need to talk. Meet me at the rock after supper.

    Corvan looked up and nodded eagerly to Kate. Now he could tell her all about the lizard and get her help in finding out where it might be hiding.

    He was about to write back when the thin strip of paper disappeared into Billy Fry¡¯s grimy hand.

    ¡°Billy, what are you up to now?¡± A weary Miss Thompson walked up the aisle.

    Billy grinned at Corvan, then he turned around. ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am, but Corvan¡¯s writin¡¯ notes in class.¡± He held the strip of foolscap up to the teacher.

    She took the paper from Billy. Corvan slouched further into his chair.

    Miss Thompson checked the handwriting and turned to Kate. ¡°Miss Poley, you will also stay after school today and write one hundred times on the blackboard, ¡®I will not pass notes in school.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Miss Thompson,¡± Kate pleaded, her voice trembling. ¡°I have to clean the house before my mom gets home.¡±

    Miss Thompson¡¯s posture softened, but Billy Fry twisted to face Kate and mouthed a few nasty words about Kate¡¯s mother behind the teacher¡¯s back. Kate¡¯s eyes blazed, and Miss Thompson¡¯s back stiffened. ¡°Then today you will eat your lunch inside with the younger children and write your lines.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart sank. Kate never ate lunch with anyone else, as she rarely brought any. He always made sure that the second sandwich his mother put in his lunch box found its way into Kate¡¯s hand.

    Pink crept up Kate¡¯s cheeks as she pushed her shoulders back.

    A smug grin spread over Billy¡¯s face. ¡°I bet her mom spent all her money for lunch at the bingo hall,¡± he snickered.

    Miss Thompson whirled about and the crack of wooden ruler breaking over Billy¡¯s head brought everyone to attention, except Kate. Kate was halfway up the aisle before the pieces hit the floor.

    ¡°Kate!¡± Miss Thompson¡¯s voice brought the girl up short at the classroom door. ¡°You do not have permission to leave class.¡± Her tone eased. ¡°Please take your seat. We can talk about this later.¡±

    Kate¡¯s lower lip quivered as she pulled the bangs even farther over her eyes. She had cried only once in front of Corvan. There was no way she would let the class see her tears.

    Kate put her hand on the doorknob. ¡°I don¡¯t need permission to leave because I¡¯m never coming back.¡± In a flash, she was gone, leaving the students in stunned silence.

    Corvan ground his teeth while staring at Billy as the boy rubbed his head. What right did Billy have to make fun of Kate¡¯s home life? It wasn¡¯t like living alone with his father on their run-down farm was any better. If he had the strength of one of his comic book heroes, he¡¯d make Billy pay for all the misery he caused others.

    But he was no hero. He hadn¡¯t even stood up for Kate and taken the blame for the note. He slumped deeper into his desk and put his hands on his knees. Once again, he had given in to his fears. Billy was right; he was a chicken, a runt, a pathetic excuse for a human being.

    A dark cloud hung over Corvan for the remainder of the day. Fortunately, Billy left at lunch, complaining of a headache. To avoid taunts about his ¡°blue lizard,¡± Corvan ate by himself in the dugout of the ball diamond and forced himself to listlessly eat both the sandwiches.

    After lunch, Miss Thompson announced that she would be gone the following day, so there would be no school that Friday. With Kate wanting to meet up again, the long weekend was looking much brighter.

    As soon as classes were over, Corvan wrote his assigned lines on the chalkboard with fervor. He did not want to waste precious moments of freedom. By the time he was finished, his fingers were cramped into a claw. On his way out, Miss Thompson called him to her desk.

    ¡°Corvan, I know some of the boys pick on you. I will do my best to see that it stops, but you add fuel to the fire when you tell the class an outlandish story about a giant lizard.¡± She leaned toward him. ¡°Honesty is a basic building block of a successful life. Think of your father, Corvan, and try to follow his example.¡±

    Corvan nodded but couldn¡¯t look her in the eyes. Mumbling an apology, he turned away and dragged his feet out the door.

    On the walk home, he turned her words over in his mind. If he were honest, he didn¡¯t believe it paid to be truthful. People took advantage of his father¡¯s integrity and mocked his dad behind his back. A surge of anger bubbled up in Corvan. His father was a good man, but some nicknamed him Tonto, referring to the Lone Ranger¡¯s sidekick. Others made jokes about his height; he was the shortest man in town, most likely the whole county.

    Unfortunately, Corvan had inherited his father¡¯s skin tone and stature. He was a good ten inches shorter than any of the other kids in his grade, and that gave the larger boys ample opportunity to make his life miserable. In the past, he had tried to win their respect by telling fantastic stories, but now that had earned him a reputation as a liar.

    He kicked a stone up from the gravel road. By tonight, the whole town would be laughing at his description of the lizard and talking about his lie.

    Stopping at the top of their lane, he put a hand on the fencepost and looked back toward the schoolyard. His parents had told him that turning fifteen was when he would leave boyhood behind. If telling the truth only brought more mockery, then it was time to stand up for himself and not back down from what he knew to be real.

    I¡¯m going to catch that lizard and prove I was right all along.

 Chapter 2

    Climbing over the gate at the end of their lane, Corvan spied his dad¡¯s rusty pickup slouched on its broken springs in front of the house. His heart dropped. Now his mom would want to know why he was late.

    There was nothing worse than getting in trouble at school and then again at home when his mom found out. If she grounded him, he wouldn¡¯t get a chance to meet Kate and ask her to help him search for the lizard. It would be best to sneak around to the back porch, climb the maple tree to his room, and pretend he had been napping.

    As he veered to the left side of the house, the front screen door squeaked open, and his mother stepped out. Here was living proof that opposites attract: unlike his father, she was tall, and her skin remained pale no matter how much time she spent outdoors.

    ¡°About time you got home,¡± she said wearily. ¡°You can help me carry the cider jars back to the pantry. I only sold three and traded a few more for some baking supplies.¡± She opened the tailgate and slung a half empty crate of jars at him with an ease that denied its weight. Grasping the wooden box, Corvan barely managed to stumble his way through the front door. If he had his mother¡¯s strength, he could knock Billy Fry clean across the school yard.

    Entering the kitchen, he found his father staring out over the field at the sink. A pair of sunglasses stuck out from his hand. As his deeply lined eyes scanned the horizon, there was a deep furrow across his brow.

    As Corvan scraped the crate onto the table, his father jammed his sunglasses onto his head and went out the back door without saying a word.

    Corvan desperately wanted to stop him and ask what was going on, but he knew it was no use. His father had become increasingly reclusive the past year. He missed his job at the mine and detested farming. The summer heat sapped his energy even though he covered up, wore a wide brimmed hat, and kept his sunglasses on whenever he was outside.

    Corvan gazed helplessly at the hunched figure walking across the yard. He missed happier days when his dad would come home from the mine and play games with him after supper. With the mine closed, his dad spent most of his days and nights down in the cellar, pounding away on his metalwork projects. He was glad his father didn¡¯t get drunk like Billy Fry¡¯s dad, but withdrawing to the cellar didn¡¯t seem like a great way to deal with problems either.

    His mother entered and slid two more full crates onto the kitchen table. She stared at her husband as he disappeared around the rock and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve no time to make supper tonight. Grab yourself some jerky and a piece of bread. I¡¯ll dig you a few carrots before I start weeding the garden.¡±

    His mother¡¯s response to problems was to spend more time in her garden, but Corvan didn¡¯t mind. He liked eating the fruit of her labors, and her obsession with gardening usually meant he would be left alone to pursue his own interests.

    After stuffing three long strips of dried meat from the stoneware crock into his pocket, he sauntered outside, where he found his mother on her knees in the dirt, the dilapidated scarecrow watching silently over her. Picking up the bunch of carrots by the water pump, he began working the long iron handle.

    The pump squeaked as he washed the dirt off, and his mother stretched her back and admired her handiwork. He avoided eye contact, hoping she wouldn¡¯t ask him to help weed. He hated that chore, and right now he needed to get out to the rock to meet Kate.

    The water ebbed to a trickle, and his mother went back to her weeding. Creeping from the yard, he headed out to the Castle Rock.

    It was a steeper climb behind the outhouse and up the southeast side of the rock, but Corvan knew every small foothold like the stairs to his bedroom. Reaching the top, he stepped into the widest gap between two stone crenelations and leaned onto one of the boulders, like a king surveying his domain.

    Their home was one of two farms that lay just outside the main streets of their small town. Corvan¡¯s home was directly north of town at the end of a long, tree-lined lane that thrust the house far out into an open field of grain. His father liked being separated from the town and always kept his gate closed and latched. A larger farm to the east side of town belonged to Mr. Fry.

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    Their yard and garden were bounded by twin rows of trees, a line of tall aspens and a shorter screen of spruce. In the center of this living wall of green was their home¡ªthe Guard Tower, as his grandfather had named it. It was a fitting name, for it was a small square structure, two stories high, and it was the only home in town made of heavy stone blocks. The structure had been built long before the surrounding area was settled. A history professor from the college in the city asked to see it, but his dad wouldn¡¯t let him past the front gate.

    The rest of the homes were clustered along three wide gravel roads that ran parallel to the railway tracks. All in all, their dusty town had one grain elevator, one corner gas station, two vacant lots, and 76 houses of various sizes. The total population was 257 residents, but worked in the city of Fenwood, fifteen miles past the railway crossing, or in the river valley at the coal mine.

    Crunching the last bite of carrot, he tossed the green top over the side of the hill. He should be helping his mother in the garden instead of imagining himself as the king of the world, but Kate was coming. He eased the feelings of guilt by walking around to the north side of the ring of rocks and looked out over the fields.

    His father, now a stick figure in the distance, disappeared into the tangle of brush-filled coulees that marked the edge of their property. Beyond that boundary, the land dropped off steeply to the river and caves that laced the sides of the river valley. His father loved to explore the caverns and could be underground for days at a time.

    Corvan turned away and stepped into the depression in the midst of the ring of rocks that crowned the hill. The large rock that used to be in the gap facing his house was in the very center circle. At some point in the distant past, it had been broken off and relocated. He had learned not to ask why.

    On the eastern side of the Castle Rock, he and Kate had built a fort from old lumber they had pillaged around town. It wasn¡¯t much to look at, but it provided a bit of shade and protection from the prevailing winds. From here, they had explored the surrounding area all the way out to the caves at the river¡¯s edge.

    The area in front of the fort was normally a muddy pond. Rainwater would gather and then overflow into a channel cut into the western slope and rush out into the field. The past summer, however, had been far too hot and dry. The pond water had long since evaporated and left salt-crusted shards of mud behind.

    Corvan continued past the central boulder to the western side. The slope was gentler here, and the dry water channel was a comfortable resting spot. From here, he would have a clear view of Kate coming from her house.

    A smile spread across his face. It had been a relief to find out it wasn¡¯t Kate¡¯s idea to stop hanging out with him. Her mother was not well accepted in town, and Billy¡¯s father was a mean-tempered man known for pushing people around to get his way. Most likely, he was embarrassed that his son had been put in his place by a younger girl.

    The sun was setting and Corvan¡¯s hopes faltered. Kate usually followed through on her plans, but at times Kate¡¯s mother returned from work in a bad mood and would refuse to let Kate come over after supper. After a week of not seeing her and exciting news about the lizard, this would be the worst time for her to be grounded.

    The cradle of rock beneath him radiated its stored heat into his body. He lay back and closed his eyes to block out the setting sun.

    The bell on the back porch was ringing! He sat up to find the last sliver of sunlight behind a thin band of cloud on the horizon.

    Walking down the channel, he stopped in at the outhouse before going into the kitchen. His mother was drying the dishes and stacking them on the cupboard. A bowl with a few strawberries was waiting for him on the table.

    ¡°There¡¯s not many left, and they likely aren¡¯t the sweetest, but I thought you might enjoy them.¡± She stepped off to one side of the sink. ¡°You need to wash your hands first. I saw you come out of the outhouse.¡±

    Corvan stepped beside her, dipped his hands in the warm water, and looked out the window past the Castle Rock.

    ¡°Is dad coming back tonight?¡± He dropped his head. His mother had enough worries.

    She looked down at him. ¡°Your father needs some time to think things through, but don¡¯t let all this worry you.¡± She put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve been through tough times before ,and we¡¯ll make it through this one too.¡±

    Corvan wiped his hands on the towel that hung next to the sink, sat at the table, and finished off the berries.

    His mother picked up his empty bowl and pushed it into the soapy water. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, and I¡¯ll be going to bed soon. You should do the same and get some rest.¡± She smiled at him over her shoulder, but the lines about her eyes remained sad and drawn. ¡°Hopefully you have better dreams and don¡¯t wake me up in the night.¡±

    He gave her a quick hug. ¡°Goodnight mom.¡±

    As he climbed the stairs, he muttered to himself, ¡°I sure won¡¯t have a good night if that stupid nightmare comes back.¡±

 Chapter 3

    The nightmare monster lurked in the darkness, waiting for him to move and betray his location. The shadows shifted to reveal a hulking shape swaying from side to side at the far end of the tunnel.

    His grandfather said to get out of the maze of tunnels, he only needed to climb a rope and find a blue light.

    Another passage opened beside him, and he inched forward to where a jagged fracture broke the cavern floor. Musky fear filled his mouth as he searched the darkness overhead. At least the dream was consistent for once again a translucent green rope dangled over the void, just out of reach.

    The clicking of claws on rock set his heart pounding. A glance over his shoulder revealed the massive bear-like creature sweeping toward him with its red eyes piercing the dark.

    Corvan whirled about, leapt off the edge, grabbed the rope, and climbed furiously. A roar filled his ears as the creature''s fetid breath rolled past him, propelling him toward the rock shelf and a blue glow just overhead.

    His breath came in ragged gasps as his sweaty hands slipped on the rope. He heaved himself up higher, but the rope stretched and grew thinner.

    He gripped the rope even tighter, but it squished like jelly between his fingers. Once again, he plummeted toward the open jaws with a strangled scream trapped in his lungs.

    Corvan sat bolt upright in his bed and wiped the sweat from his brow. A shiver crawled up his spine. The green rope and the search for the blue light were connected to stories his grandfather used to tell before he vanished. No doubt those same stories were also connected to his upcoming birthday. He had overheard snippets of conversation about his grandfather in the hushed discussions and arguments his parents were having as the day grew closer. No wonder the nightmare was coming more frequently.

    Pulling his knees in close, he wrapped his arms around them and gazed out the window. An owl hooted in the trees. A shadowed figure running on its hind legs moved past the southern gap between the boulders of Castle Rock. It crossed back again.

    The lizard!

    Slipping quietly from his bed, he quickly pulled on his jeans and t-shirt. A nighttime hunt for the mysterious reptile would be far better than facing dreams of caves and monsters back in bed. Besides, there was no school tomorrow; he could sleep in.

    Creeping down the stairs and through the kitchen, he eased himself out the back door. Swirls of dust rose between his toes as he moved past the outhouse and onto the worn path leading to the rock. A lone coyote barked at a moon ringed by dark clouds.

    Cutting away from the outhouse path, Corvan circled the base of Castle Rock just inside the tall stalks of ripening grain. Approaching the water channel cut into the west side of the rock, he dropped to all fours and crawled forward inside the smooth walls. The lone coyote barked again, closer this time. Corvan flattened himself against the cool stone. He could handle a single coyote but had no wish to encounter a pack alone in the dark. He listened intently, but there was no answering call.

    Instead, he heard the scratching of claws heading directly toward him.

    Corvan lifted his head above the edge of the channel in time to see a shadow detach itself from the protection of the rocks and dart toward him. The lizard! It was trotting alongside the water channel on its hind legs. Its eyes were glinting in the moonlight as it looked out over the field.

    Very close now, the lizard ran alongside the worn channel leading down to Corvan¡¯s hiding place. It was almost upon him when it abruptly veered off and disappeared into the wheat. A swath of stocks swayed with its passage.

    He had nothing to catch it in. What was he thinking? Slipping out of his t-shirt, Corvan tied the neck shut with the sleeves. The improvised sack didn¡¯t look big enough to catch the large reptile. What if it ripped the thin cloth to shreds? What if it ripped him to shreds?

    He wanted to run to the house to find something stronger, but this might be his only chance to prove he was not a liar. Flattening himself into the water channel, he peered into the darkness where the lizard had disappeared.

    Time crawled by. The dark shadows from the clouds overhead moved across the rock and then launched out into the sea of grain like an armada of pirate ships sailing away in the night. They all vanished momentarily as a single brilliant flash illuminated the open prairie. Thunder rumbled overhead, and in the deep silence that followed, Corvan heard a sharp hiss.

    Rolling on his side, he found the bright eyes of the lizard watching him intently from the lower edge of the channel. Dropping a small bundle, it moved intently up the slope toward him with its gaze fixed on his face.

    The lizard was close enough for him to see the blue marks on its chest and a black collar around its neck. He hadn¡¯t noticed that before. Was it someone¡¯s pet?

    Its claws scraped across the rock as it hissed and clicked in angry tones, but then it stopped, raised its nose, and sniffed the air.

    Out of the darkness, a coyote bounded up from the field. Corvan shouted a warning, and the reptile twisted and ducked to evade the attack. The coyote skidded to a halt in front of Corvan, whirled about, then pounced on the lizard. The lizard rolled to one side. Its front claws raked the coyote''s lean face. The wounded animal yelped and stopped to wipe a paw over its torn nose. The lizard sprinted up the slope and disappeared into the circle of rocks. Shaking its head, the coyote leapt after it.

    Corvan jumped to his feet and darted inside the ring of boulders while waving his arms over his head and yelling at the coyote, which was now digging furiously in the dirt next to the central stone. It turned to him, snarling and weaving its head from side to side. Bubbles of saliva dripped from its black lips. Rabies!

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    Resisting the urge to run, Corvan waved his hands over his head to make himself appear larger. The angry growl gave way to a whimper, and fear shone in the animal¡¯s eyes. Rabid animals were more aggressive. The wounded animal put its tail between its legs and stumbled out of the ring of rocks to disappear in a brilliant flash of lightning. An blast of thunder rolled across the darkening prairie. The storm had arrived.

    Drops of warm rain fell on Corvan¡¯s bare torso as he walked back to where he¡¯d dropped his shirt. Lightning crackled again, illuminating a small bundle of wheat on the ground. When he picked it up, he discovered a dozen or so short stalks neatly tied with a leather thong.

    ¡°Animals can¡¯t tie knots,¡± he whispered. ¡°Where did it get this from?¡± To examine the strange bundle more closely, he made his way up to the rocks and set it down while he untied his sleeves and tugged his shirt over his head. A spatter of rain fell on his upturned face as black clouds boiled in the sky overhead. The storm might turn into hail, maybe even a tornado. It was time to get back to the house.

    He turned to pick up the strange bundle of wheat, but it was gone. Whipping around, he saw a shadow slip beneath the large boulder where the coyote had been digging. The lizard had returned for its prize, but why would it want a bundle of wheat so badly?

    Powerful gusts of cold wind rushed past him. A blast of freezing rain pummeled the back of his head and sent a shiver through his body as he made a dash past the central rock and into the fort he and Kate had built on the other side. He squinted out the doorway at the light bulb swaying on his back porch. He was about to make a run for it when the clouds burst. Sheets of driving rain obscured his view.

    The tattered tarp roof whipped up in the wind and water dripped water on his head. Corvan backed away from the door and hunkered down to watch. A prairie storm this hard never lasted long.

    The rain pounding on the roof of the fort began to mix with the intermittent patter of hailstones. The walls of the fort swayed in gales of wind that whipped the hail through the open doorway. Huddled in the corner, Corvan watched as the water falling inside the Castle Rock gathered around the central boulder.

    Before the water could reach the channel heading down the western side of rock, it began to leak into the hole the coyote had dug into the soft dirt. The mound collapsed, and the muddy water rushed in and dropped away. The drain opened even wider, and a whirlpool formed, sucking the water away under the Castle Rock. A column of bubbles shot up through the whirlpool, and something bobbed to the surface of the water, swirling amid the hailstones. Corvan jumped to his feet and peered out the door. It was the sheaf of wheat.

    Splashing into the pond, he tried to grab the wheat, but it shot past his fingers and disappeared down the water funnel. Dropping to his knees in the freezing water, Corvan thrust his hand in to get it back. It was gone, but below the surface, the water was flowing into an empty space between two slabs of rock. He was just about to pull his numb hand out when he came up against a slender rock with a series of angular edges. It had to be a large quartz crystal, the perfect addition to his rock collection.

    He tugged, but it did not come free. He tried pushing down on it, but his hand slipped off the crystal and he fell hard, painfully jamming his arm between two slabs of stone and trapping his face under the water. Freezing water rose over the back of his head. His lungs screamed for air. He twisted his arm frantically and pushed against the bottom with his free hand. Finally, his trapped arm came free. He scrambled to his feet and stood looking down the whirlpool, gasping, and shivering in the cold wind. Where was all the water going? Were his grandfather¡¯s stories about a tunnel under the rock real?

    Lightning crackled, and the entire mound of rock shuddered with him as the rumble of thunder echoed through the stone below his feet. The whirlpool vanished, replaced by a rapidly rising tide of freezing water around his legs that were tightening the muscles in his calves into excruciating knots. The water washed out into the western channel, and Corvan followed it down the slope and home. Another flash of lighting, and the lightbulb on his back porch and all the lights in town winked out. Repeated flashes and peals of thunder followed him up the stairs and into his room, where he stood by his bed, dripping and staring through the gray curtain of rain at the Castle Rock.

    The numbness in his injured arm gave way to a growing warmth. He looked down and realized that under a coating of sticky mud, he was clutching the crystal. It grew warmer, and an intense wave of heat made the muck between his fingers steam. His fingers prickled as if tiny spiders were crawling between them.

    Was this still part of the dream? The rock grew hotter, and he flung it into the corner, where it thumped off the wall and landed with a dull clank in his metal wastebasket. He pinched his sore arm and winced. This was not a dream. The lizard was real; the space beneath Castle Rock was real; and he had almost drowned to retrieve whatever was in the can.

    Pulling the wastebasket over to his bed, he sat on the floor and looked over the edge.

    Whatever it was, it now lay below the dirty crumpled papers. In the panic of being under the water, his mind must have been playing tricks on him. He¡¯d likely just picked up some old bone a dog had buried. Moving the papers aside, he peered into the wastebasket.

    This was no dog bone.

    The mud that had coated the angular object had dried to form a halo of gray crumbs around a small hammer that was so black it seemed to absorb the light around it.

    He pulled the wastebasket closer. Over the drum of rain on the metal roof, he could hear a low hum. The noise was emanating from the hammer and being amplified by the tin walls of the can. As he reached inside, it fell silent. Wrapping his hand around the polished handle, he lifted it out.

    It was so beautifully balanced; he could hardly believe it was in his hand. Smoothing out a spot on his bedspread, he laid the hammer down. It sank deeply into the quilt. Against the yellow and white triangles, it looked like a velvety black hole cut into the cloth.

    The hammer was all one piece of black stone, and the head had seven distinct sides¡ªa heptagon. Miss Thompson would be proud he remembered the name of the unusual geometric shape. He picked it up again and examined it carefully. There were faint markings on the bottom of the handle. He would need his magnifying glass.

    As Corvan stepped past the window toward his shelf, an odd sensation washed over him¡ªit was as if the hammer was tugging on his hand and turning his body like a magnet around to the north.

    ¡°It will need to go back.¡± The sound of his own voice startled him, and a dizzying surge of fear overwhelmed him. Turning away from the window, he dropped the hammer onto his washstand and stumbled to his bed.

    The nausea passed, and Corvan stared at the ceiling overhead. A shiver ran the length of his body, and he pulled the side of his quilt over to get warm. The words he had just said were not his own¡ªit was something his grandfather had said to him before Corvan had even learned to walk.

    A final soft flash of lightning pulsed through the room. Corvan closed his eyes to allow the distant memory to surface. He had held the hammer before! He was on his grandfather¡¯s lap in this very room when the man had wrapped his small hands around the smooth handle and had told him that it needed to go back. Back to where? Inside the Castle Rock? Maybe his grandfather had already fulfilled the task, but then, where had the man gone and why had he left Corvan behind?

    The rain drumming on the roof overhead slowed his racing thoughts.

    In the morning, he would ask his father what this might all mean.

 Chapter 4

    A foggy dawn was swirling through the aspen trees when Corvan opened his eyes. The screen door banged, and he could hear his father singing as he washed up on the back porch over the hum of the rain. The song floated into Corvan¡¯s room and filled the misty air with images of ancient battles and long-lost civilizations. After his father went back into the house, the refrain, like the chant of prisoners in chains, continued to cycle through Corvan¡¯s mind.

    The smell of bacon wafted up the stairs. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed a real breakfast. ¡°Corvan,¡± his mother called from the foot of the stairs, ¡°food¡¯s getting cold. Make sure you wash your hands.¡±

    ¡°Coming!¡± Corvan called back as he was already throwing off the quilt and stepping over to the washbasin.

    The black hammer lay in the shallow water of the basin where he had dropped it as he stumbled back to bed. After the strange events of the night before, he had no desire to pick it up and see what it might do. He needed more time to figure things out. Dipping his fingers into the water, he wiped his hands on his jeans then shut his bedroom door firmly behind him.

    His father waited at the table with a mug of steaming coffee in his hands. He looked up at Corvan. ¡°You sure are getting hard of hearing these days. Must come from being outside in a thunderstorm.¡±

    ¡°That makes two of you,¡± his mother said as she brought a plate of pancakes to the table.

    His dad patted her arm as she sat down. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to stay inside on a night like that. I might even enjoy farming if I could do it in the dark.¡±

    He passed the pancakes to Corvan. ¡°Do you remember running past me last night by the outhouse?¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he tried to look nonchalant. For the time being, he wasn¡¯t going to share his discovery with anyone else. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    ¡°I was right by the path when you came bolting by.¡± His father¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You looked like you¡¯d been wrestling some poor creature out of a mud hole. What did you find this time?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I just needed to get the mud off my hands.¡±

    Corvan shoved another piece of bacon into his mouth. Why was his father always so interested in everything that happened out at the rock? The Castle was his special place, and his father rarely went there. He looked intently at his plate and speared another piece of bacon onto his fork. ¡°It was just the mud. I didn¡¯t find anything this time.¡±

    Corvan kept eating, but it seemed like forever before his father spoke to Corvan¡¯s mother and suggested they go into the city to pick up a few things.

    ¡°Would you like to come along?¡± his mother asked. ¡°Maybe you could pick out something for your birthday. I¡¯ve saved a bit of money, and it¡¯s just over a week until your big day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d better stay here,¡± Corvan said. ¡°My fort fell apart in the storm, and I need to fix it up.¡± It was partly true, but what he really wanted was to be left alone to find out more about the hammer and where the water had been flowing under the central rock.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to come along, but if you stay home, remember to stay out of the cellar,¡± his father said. ¡°It¡¯s not your birthday yet.¡±

    As soon as his parents began to discuss the trip to the city and what they could afford to pick up, Corvan took the opportunity to mumble a quick, ¡°Thanks for breakfast, Mom,¡± grab his rain jacket off a peg, and exit out the back door.

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    The rain had tapered off into a light mist. The dull sky mirrored his feelings as he passed under the dripping trees and skirted the mud puddles on the path. He cut out toward the steep side of the rock beyond the outhouse. He wanted to get to the top and out of sight as soon as possible.

    As Corvan stepped into the ring of stones, the screen door squeaked. He crouched down behind the nearest rock.

    ¡°Corvan,¡± his mother called out, ¡°we¡¯re ready to go if you want to change your mind.¡±

    He was sure she knew where he had gone, but he stayed low and still. A few minutes later, he heard the truck bumping down the lane. As soon as the sound faded away, he headed back toward the house and sprinted up the stairs to his room.

    He stood a long while at the washbasin, just admiring the hammer¡¯s cold beauty. His grandfather had intended to give it to him from an early age, and it contained some sort of power. If he learned how to use it, he could change how people viewed him. He leaned in closer, glad now that he had not told his father about it. Lately, his dad was only interested in him when he was pressing him for information about the Castle Rock. If he needed to lie to his father to keep the hammer a secret, so be it.

    He reached into the basin, and a blue glow lit up the markings on the bottom of the shaft as his fingers touched the handle. Mesmerized, he lifted the hammer from the water. A sense of power flowed up his arm and into his chest. He held it higher. Strong emotions surged, and he spoke fiercely. ¡°This hammer belongs to me now. I won¡¯t let my father or anyone else take it away.¡±

    A flash of electric blue light shot out from the end of the handle, twisted down his arm, over his shoulder, and toward his face. The crackling shaft of light shoved him away from the washstand. He fell hard against the wall next to his bed.

    Sagging to the floor, Corvan thought it sounded like a swarm of bees buzzing around his room. He shook his head and blinked his eyes until they cleared. The sound came from his washstand, where a column of steam was rising from the basin.

    Crawling along his bed he grasped the bedpost, pulled himself upright, and peered into the basin. The water was gone. The sides of the basin were scorched and warped. Small flakes of enamel had cracked from twisted edges to created a speckled ring on the washstand.

    The hammer must be radioactive. It was the only logical explanation. And now that he had brought it inside, his family would get sick and maybe even die!

    Corvan shook his head. That didn¡¯t add up. The hammer had been stuck under the boulder in the center of his fort for years, and it had not made him or Kate sick from playing over top of it. He moved closer. The water was gone, and the last wisp of steam melted away. The hammer lay inside the bowl, and there was no glow on its base.

    Where had his grandfather found it? Could it be from his grandmother¡¯s side, the native people of the area? His father had collected a lot of native artifacts by the river caves, but none of them looked like the small hammer or had any sort of internal power.

    Could it have been left on the rock by people from outer space? Some believed that Stonehenge was built by aliens, so maybe they had also created the Castle Rock and had left the hammer behind as a gift for mankind? When his grandfather said it needed to go back, he may have meant to its home world? Maybe the lizard was an alien who had been left behind to keep the hammer safe?

    There were so many possibilities, but regardless of where it came from, it had both warmed his hand when he was cold and then shocked him when he was angry with his dad. The hammer must be able to sense his emotions and was defending itself.

    He took a deep breath, and he moved squarely in front of the basin. ¡°I know the hammer is not mine,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I will put it back on the Castle Rock where it belongs.¡±

    The memory of the searing blue light made his heart flutter, but as his hand hovered over the handle, he sensed that it was not going to hurt him this time.

    As he closed his hand around the shaft, he first felt a tingling sensation and then only the warmth of the stone. Corvan carried it to his bed, lay on his back, and held it overhead. The warmth flowed down his sore arm. The pain melted away.

    He drew it down to his chest, and a sense of peace wrapped itself around him like a warm blanket. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, exhausted from the long night and everything that had happened.

    As he faded into sleep, the nightmare tunnels returned, but this time, as he wandered through the caves, he felt strangely at home in the darkness. The monster and green rope were nowhere to be seen. Instead, a rectangular opening appeared in the cavern wall up ahead. It was a wooden window frame, complete with a screen.

    As he drew closer, a shadow fell across the rusty metal mesh.

    A razor-thin claw thrust in near the top and shredded its way down to the bottom.

 Chapter 5

    The bang of the screen door startled Corvan out of a deep sleep. His parents had returned, and, judging from the light coming in his window, it was almost time for supper. At least there was no jagged rip in the window screen. The lizard was out there on the rock, maybe even waiting for him to return.

    Rolling out of bed, he grunted as the handle of the hammer jabbed his ribs. He pulled it from under the quilt and checked it over. There was no glow or warmth, just cold stone. Things had changed. It was time to talk to his father and find out where his grandfather was taking the hammer on the night he disappeared.

    He pushed it under his pillow. He would wait until he could talk to his dad in private. No use in alarming his mother with a story of being attacked by a wild animal out at the rock. She didn¡¯t like his special place much and might tell him not to go back. He closed the door quietly and head down the stairs.

    ¡°Did you play on your rock the whole day?¡± his mother asked as he entered the kitchen. ¡°You didn¡¯t fill the wood box, and I¡¯ll be baking bread tomorrow for the next farmer¡¯s market.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it in a bit. I need to ask Dad something.¡±

    ¡°What about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I just need¡ª¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s nothing, it can wait until you fill the wood box.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it later.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve heard that?¡± she asked.

    Corvan nodded. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I really will do it as soon as I talk with Dad.¡±

    Mother stopped what she was doing, looked at him for a moment, then nodded. ¡°He¡¯s working out front.¡±

    His father was by the hood of his truck, where he was wiping off the dipstick. ¡°Hasn¡¯t lost a drop since the last oil change. I think the old girl will still be going when you take her over.¡± He smiled at Corvan.

    Corvan leaned on the fender. His father took the air filter apart and wiped the inside. He was seemingly oblivious to the tension his son was feeling.

    ¡°I lied to you.¡± His words hung in the air.

    ¡°I know.¡± His father straightened and looked at him. ¡°Would you like to talk about it?¡±

    Corvan nodded just as the dinner bell rang on the back porch.

    His dad pushed the hood shut. ¡°After supper then. I¡¯ll meet you at the firepit on the rock.¡± Their eyes met briefly, then they walked together in silence to the back porch to wash up.

    As soon as supper was over, Corvan filled the wood box while his father helped with the dishes. His dad nodded at him to go ahead without him. No doubt he wanted to talk to his mother about what was going on.

    The long shadows of the aspen trees were creeping across the yard. The North Star shone out in the darkening sky, but the warmth of the day still clung to the autumn air.

    Leaving the yard behind, he approached the rock. It appeared much more mysterious in the muted shadows of twilight, as if it were the grave of an ancient warrior king waiting to arise and lead his people into battle. His father said the rock was a sacred place to the people who once lived in the area. They believed the rock had the power to protect them from their enemies, but in the end, they had been defeated and vanished from the area.

    Corvan climbed to the top, entered the gap, and turned back to look across into his bedroom window. At one point, he heard that it was his grandfather who had cut the stone out of the circle and had rolled it into the center. Corvan¡¯s father said that the boulders around the rim had all been cut out of the crown of the hill. He asked Corvan to keep it a secret because he didn¡¯t want the people from the university poking around again.

    Corvan¡¯s fort had been reduced to a muddy pile of broken boards. The water had completely drained from the center of the rocks and left a soggy patch where he¡¯d found the hammer. The only water left was a muddy puddle inside the ring of stones they used for a firepit.

    His father¡¯s song rose strong and clear on the breeze as he strode up the western slope. He was carrying a box wrapped in an old blanket and an armful of firewood. He wasn¡¯t wearing his sunglasses, and he looked more like his old self. He smiled warmly at Corvan. ¡°How about getting a fire going up by your fort while I go get a bit more wood?¡±

    ¡°We might have enough if we use the broken boards from our fort,¡± Corvan said, pointing up the slope. ¡°It got knocked flat in the storm, but the firepit is full of water.¡±

    Setting the firewood and the strange long bundle down, his father climbed up to take a quick look. ¡°I see what you mean. Let¡¯s build our fire out here instead. I¡¯ll pick some of this up while you get the firewood ready.¡±

    Corvan arranged the kindling and firewood his father had brought. As his dad came through the gap in the castle rocks with a few short boards, the last golden rays of the day captured a noble look on his face, like a warrior king about to embark on an important quest.

    His father placed a few broken boards to one side and retrieved a pack of matches from his pocket. A moment later, flickering flames lit the craggy features of his face. The wood crackled and they sat watching the flames in silence for a long while before his father spoke.

    ¡°I am proud of you for letting me know you did not tell the truth. You grandfather would be pleased as well for it is a sign that you understand what it takes to be a leader.¡±

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    Corvan¡¯s chest swelled with pride. He¡¯d done something right for a change. Perhaps there was hope for him after all.

    His father leaned back and looked into the sky. ¡°Can you imagine not seeing a single star in your lifetime? Never enjoying the vastness of a night sky or feeling the pull of a full moon?¡±

    Corvan shook his head as his father continued, ¡°There was a time when our people didn¡¯t see these things.¡± He leaned forward, put his palm flat against the rock beside him ,and stared at it. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure where I should begin or how much I¡¯m supposed to tell you.¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t know what to say. He had been expecting his father to ask him about what he¡¯d found out at the rock.

    His father stared into fire, deep in thought.

    Corvan moved closer to break the chill of the breeze that had flowed in on the heels of the setting sun.

    The nearby hooting of an owl broke the silence. His father reached beside him and pulled the blanket-wrapped object onto his lap. Pushing the coarse fabric aside, he revealed a long wooden box. Firelight flickered across the polished ebony surface as if the box itself were on fire. Was this an early birthday present his parents had picked up in town? He glanced up to find his father studying him.

    ¡°Your grandfather left this with me, and he made the case to keep it safe. I¡¯m definitely not as good with wood as he was.¡±

    ¡°But you can make just about anything out of metal. Sometimes when I was in my fort, I could feel you pounding on stuff down in the cellar.¡±

    His father¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You can feel that out here?¡±

    Corvan nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± his father said, more to himself than to Corvan. ¡°The cellar is connected. It is the same rock.¡±

    ¡°I really felt it the night of the storm,¡± Corvan interjected. ¡°It was like you¡¯d set off an explosion underground.¡±

    A mischievous smile crinkled the corners of his father¡¯s eyes. He looked like a boy caught stealing apples. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on something down there at night. I¡¯ll show it to you after your birthday, and no using the dumbwaiter for a peek ahead of time.¡± His father smiled at him, and Corvan grinned back. The dumbwaiter was a small elevator that connected the kitchen to the cellar below. Exactly why his grandfather had built it was a mystery, but Corvan could easily crouch inside and move himself up and down without having to go outside.

    ¡°Your grandfather was supposed to be here on your fifteenth birthday to tell you everything you needed to know.¡± He looked up into the sky for a long moment. ¡°He and I never talked that much even when he was around. I failed to recognize the danger he was in and that I might never see him again.¡±

    His father¡¯s eyes glinted softly in the firelight. ¡°All he told me was that you would need this someday.¡± He tapped a finger on the black case. ¡°¡®He must have it,¡¯ he told me, ¡®When he is ready, for this one is the Cor-Van.¡¯¡±

    The way his father said his name, pausing in the middle and stressing the last syllable, made Corvan¡¯s skin prickle. It seemed the shadows of the trees grew darker, and he put another board on the fire.

    ¡°It was he who named you,¡± his father said over the crackling of the wood. ¡°Your mother chose a different name, but he insisted on Corvan. If he was right, you will know soon, for your day is almost here.¡± He looked intently into Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you remember the story of this rock?¡±

    ¡°The betrayal and final battle?¡±

    Father nodded. ¡°There are always those who want power over others. The old ways leave no room for that, but, in the end, our people were outnumbered and wiped out, except for one warrior.¡±

    ¡°The one who built the castle, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. That part of the legend is not true. The circle of rocks goes back much further than him or his tribe. It started eons ago, back with the lost people.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    His father frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure of that history.¡± He stared beyond the fire at the castle, and then he turned back to look intently into Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°The one thing I have been told is that your future is tied to that circle of stones.¡±

    The dinner bell on the back porch rang urgently, and his father glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Something is up. Your mother must need to talk to me.¡± He wrapped the blanket back around the wooden case. ¡°I¡¯ll have to show you this another time. Your grandfather made me promise I would give it to you before your fifteenth year began. He said you would be old enough to choose between fear and duty by then.¡± He stood. ¡°You proved him right today.¡±

    His father was trying to make him feel better, but instead he found his stomach churning. The thought of becoming an adult held no attraction for him. The future held many more worries. The only positive part about turning fifteen was being allowed to grow out his hair. He hoped that without a crew cut he would look a little less like a child and some of the teasing would end.

    They left the dying fire and returned to the house. On the porch, Corvan looked back. The flickering embers and wisps of smoke gave the rock the appearance of a volcano teetering on the edge of an eruption.

    Inside the house, they paused at the foot of the stairs. His father put a hand on his shoulder as if he had more to say, but instead he just nodded, entered his own bedroom, and shut the door.

    Back upstairs, Corvan closed his door, sat on the bed, and pulled his pillow away to expose the hammer. ¡°So, how are you connected to what¡¯s in black box?¡± he whispered. ¡°My grandfather must have rolled the middle stone over to keep you safe.¡± He touched the handle and the soft glow from the strange markings on the base of the handle sprang to life. He leaned in closer. The light was from an insignia on the bottom of the handle, a ring within a ring, with strange figures between the two. He knew that design! The markings on the hammer were identical to those on the oak chest in the corner of his room!

    Hammer in hand, he rolled off the side of the bed just as the phone in the kitchen rang with their distinctive party line code. There was a short, muffled conversation before his father hung up. His mother spoke and chairs scraped across the floor. His parents were settling in at the table for a talk.

    The glow from the hammer filled the room with waves of blue light that washed over the large oak chest against the far wall. As his feet touched down, the floorboards groaned under his weight. He pulled back onto his bed. There was no way he could make it to the chest without his parents hearing him. He listened carefully. There was a pause in their conversation, and then the back screen door squeaked and banged.

    Jumping back into bed, Corvan pushed the hammer under his pillow. One of them must be heading for the outhouse, and he couldn¡¯t have them see his room full of blue light. He would need to wait for them to go to bed before checking out the chest.

    The moon crept out from behind a cloud and its light landed squarely on the oak chest. In the pale white light, the large chest looked like a stone coffin, or like the sarcophagus that King Arthur was buried in, with its thick lid hanging out over the edges.

    The rings and the strange markings from the hammer were highlighted on the front of the chest. The insignia was larger, and there was a hole in the center that appeared to be about the same size as the handle of the hammer. Since his grandfather had made the chest, the stone hammer was some sort of key that should reveal a secret compartment.

    Reaching under his pillow, he wrapped his hand around the hammer. Blue light leaked out the side, and he lay his head down to cover it up. Once again, the comforting warmth from the hammer ebbed up his arm along with a growing weariness. He tried to fight it off and to stay awake until his parents went to bed. He wanted to test out his theory with the chest, but the sleepy calm spreading through his body and mind could not be pushed away. He tried to let go of the hammer, but it was too late.

 Chapter 6

    When Corvan woke up, he was lying on his back. The hammer was on his chest with both hands folded over it. He had finally slept peacefully through a night without any bad dreams.

    Hammer in hand, he rolled out of bed and tiptoed across the floor to his grandfather¡¯s oak chest. It was over four feet wide and so heavy it had never been moved from the place where it rested. If his theory from the previous night was correct, when he inserted the hammer¡¯s handle into the hole in the front of the chest, a secret compartment should open inside the chest.

    Gently propping the thick lid against the wall, he checked inside. Each of the sliding trays was filled with treasures he had collected over the years: bottle caps, agates, arrowheads¡ªanything he could scavenge around town and the area around their farm.

    Kneeling in front of the chest, he examined the design his grandfather had carved into the front panel. It looked identical to what he¡¯d seen glowing on the end of the hammer¡¯s handle, only the carved version was twice the size. In its center, there was a shallow hole exactly the size of a half dollar. He knew this for a fact as a year ago he¡¯d pushed the fifty-cent piece he received for his fourteenth birthday into the hole. It got stuck, but since it seemed as good a place as any to save it, he had left it there.

    A board creaked on the stairs up to his room. Jumping to his feet, Corvan closed the chest, and dove back under the covers, thrusting the hammer under his pillow. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

    The door open, and his mother spoke. ¡°You won¡¯t get a proper rest if you stay up so late you need to sleep in.¡±

    Corvan pulled his head back under the covers like a shy turtle. He was hoping she would think he was too tired and let him be.

    ¡°You need to get up, eat your breakfast, then clean up the rest of the dishes. Your father was called to another meeting at the mine, and I¡¯ll be baking bread and canning peas. You¡¯ve got five minutes.¡± Her footsteps echoed down the stairs.

    Corvan hoped his father¡¯s meeting at the mine meant it would reopen and he could get back to work. Personally, he wouldn¡¯t like to be underground all day and only come up at night, but his dad thrived on it. He spent as much time underground as possible and was always reading about mines and caves. He repeatedly told Corvan that the continental crust of the earth was more than twenty-five miles thick, but most mines and caves were less than a mile deep. ¡°There¡¯s a whole world below us waiting to be discovered,¡± he would say.

    Under the covers, the hammer¡¯s blue insignia was glowing softly. He turned it around until the letters were in the same orientation as on the front of the chest. If the hammer was a key to open the chest, then whatever was hidden inside must be a special fifteenth birthday present.

    Throwing the covers off, Corvan dropped to his knees in front of the chest. He didn¡¯t have much time, and his hands trembled as he lifted the hammer toward the hole. A loud thump almost made him drop it. His mother banged again on the kitchen ceiling with her broom handle. Corvan groaned. If he didn¡¯t move fast, she would come up and make sure he was awake and washing up. Placing the hammer inside the chest, he covered it with his stamp collection book and closed the lid. He moved silently down the stairs as he was getting dressed.

    The scene in the kitchen caught him off guard. His mother was at the sink, and a dishcloth hung limply in her hand as she stared into the backyard. She was singing his special song in a quiet, broken voice.

    Backing out of the kitchen, he made his way back up to the landing. What was going on? His parents were both acting strange. After crouching at the top of the stairs for a few minutes, he heard his mother putting dishes away in the cupboards. Corvan bounded down the stairs, this time humming loudly. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, the screen door banged shut behind his mother.

    Two pancakes smeared with a thin coating of raspberry jam sat on the table. He rolled one up and slurped the jam that squeezed out the center. Maybe he should show the hammer to his mother. He shook his head. Not yet. First, he needed to see what was hidden in the chest. After finishing off the second pancake, he sunk his plate into the soapy water. He didn¡¯t mind washing dishes¡ªthe warm water from the tank on the side of the woodstove was comforting, and as he worked, he could look out the window toward the Castle Rock and let his imagination run wild.

    As he was drying the last plate, his mother came around the corner of the house to the back porch with a basket full of pea pods at her hip. She smiled at him through the window, and he hurried to the door and took the basket from her.

    ¡°Thanks for finishing the dishes.¡± She patted his back as he set the basket on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll need all the kitchen space to shell and process the peas.¡±

    Corvan detested shelling peas, but it seemed he should at least offer to help. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡±

    His mother laughed. ¡°Before your father left for his meeting, he said I should give you a break from your chores since it¡¯s almost your birthday. You could spend the day out at that rock of yours if you like.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you like the rock?¡± The question came out before he could stop himself, and he winced.

    She retrieved a blue ceramic bowl from under the cupboard and returned to the table. ¡°Why would you say that?¡± she asked. Her fingers flew with practiced ease as shelled peas rolled inside the chipped bowl.

    Corvan took a handful of pea pods and sat across from her. ¡°I never see you come near it, except on my birthday.¡±

    Mother¡¯s fingers slowed. ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t like to think about what might happen out there.¡± She dropped an empty pod into the pile at her side. ¡°It¡¯s not the rock or your fort, Corvan. It¡¯s . . . it¡¯s so much more. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m supposed to say to you ¡­¡±

    He hunched over the peas. ¡°That¡¯s what Father said last night.¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Your father is trying to do what he thinks is best for you.¡± She stopped shelling and looked at him. ¡°If what your grandfather told us is true, then things will unfold in their own time. I don¡¯t even understand how it could open when the key piece is missing.¡±

    Corvan thoughts went to the hammer sitting in the chest. Was that the key?

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t true,¡± she said, ¡°or it¡¯s not the right time, why should we burden you with what might never affect you?¡±

    Corvan dropped a few peas into her bowl. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least tell me something about what might be coming?¡±

    His mother came around the table to hug him from behind. Corvan dropped his head and stared at the pods in his hand. She leaned in close and spoke quietly in his ear. ¡°If what your grandfather said is true, we will see you grow into a great leader.¡±

    Corvan frowned. A great leader? How could the shortest, skinniest, most picked-on kid in the school ever be a great leader?

    His mother smiled down at him. ¡°I¡¯m sure things will open up in due time. I¡¯m just not ready for those changes and saying good-bye to my only one.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart lifted. He liked it when she called him ¡°my only one.¡± It was a name she used only when no one else was around. The words were from the special song she had sung to him ever since he was little.

    ¡°So, are you going to shell peas all day or is there something else you want to do?¡± Her amused smile suggested she already knew the answer.

    ¡°You¡¯ll finish the peas faster if I am not here to distract you with my questions.¡±

    Mother laughed as he headed for the stairs. ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a choice.¡±

    Corvan climbed the stairs to the sound of peas hitting the growing pile.

    After he closed his bedroom door, Corvan retrieved the hammer from inside the chest and knelt on the floor. His mother¡¯s cryptic words about saying goodbye had startled him. What if this was like Pandora¡¯s box and bad things would start to happen? He cradled the hammer in his hands. It did not feel dangerous. He took a deep breath before he grasped the head of the hammer like an oversized key and fed it slowly into the hole.

    A loud humming filled his ears, and excitement rose in his chest. The sweet smell of burning oak filled his nostrils as wisps of smoke curled into the air. Sparks shot out from around the butt of the handle.

    The coin! He¡¯d forgotten the half dollar. He yanked the handle out of the hole and stuck his finger inside. With a yelp, he yanked it back out while wincing in pain at the sight of his blistered fingertip.

    He scrambled to the washstand before he remembered that the charred bowl was completely dry. He needed something cold to ease the pain! The smooth handle of the hammer in front of the chest beckoned to him, and he ran back to press his stinging finger against the cool stone. Instantly, the pain eased, and then it melted away.

    Corvan finally released his breath. He pulled his hand back and examined his finger. It was a little red, but there was no welt; the blister was gone. He looked in amazement at the hammer. First, it seemed intent on killing him. Now, it was healing him. It appeared to have a mind of its own.

    Turning his attention back to the chest, he found the wood around the hole charred and cracked. The blackened coin was still stuck inside. He opened the lid of the chest to dig out his grandfather¡¯s carving set. Choosing the smallest chisel, he pried gently on the edge of the coin.

    The blackened circle of warped metal flicked out of the hole and skittered across the wood floor along an erratic path toward the washstand. Corvan crawled after it as it wobbled to a halt and fell flat. When he touched it gingerly, he found it cool enough to pick up.

    One side still showed a man¡¯s head, but the other now carried the imprint from the design on the bottom of the hammer¡¯s handle. He sliding the coin into his pants¡¯ pocket and crawled quickly back to the chest. Holding his breath again, he inserted the handle. He thought he heard a whispering buzz, but it was only a bee at the window. He tried again and turned the head of the hammer as he held it in place. Nothing happened. He pushed harder, twisting it around in circles. Still nothing.

    That stupid coin had wrecked it! He would never know what the hammer was supposed to do. He stood up and let the heavy lid fall back into place. He was turning away when, as it banged down, a thin panel of wood on the very top of the lid flew up a few inches on a hidden hinge and then snapped back down into place.

    Corvan stared for a moment, and then he stooped to grasp the front lip of the lid. He pulled gently, but, as usual, the entire heavy lid rose from the chest. He let it drop again, but nothing happened.

    Falling to his knees, he fumbled to get the handle of the hammer back into the keyhole. This time, he was sure the faint hum was coming from inside the chest. Holding his breath again, he gripped only the topmost edge and a thin panel lifted away to reveal a gray cloth lining. He smiled. His grandfather would have laughed at all the times he lifted the heavy lid to look for a secret compartment somewhere inside the chest.

    He pulled the cloth. It stretched but didn¡¯t come free. Feeling along the edges, he discovered five black buttons holding the cloth in place. After he released them, he pulled the gray material onto his lap. The shallow compartment had been separated into niches of various shapes and sizes. His grandfather must have spent a lot of time on this part of the chest, but most of the indentations were empty, including a set of matching curved ones running along the top.

    A coil of green rope caught his eye. He poked at it: it was soft and pliable, more like a living vine than a piece of rope. This was the rope from his dreams and the stories his grandfather had told him.

    In a nearby compartment was a small metallic book. Finally, he''d get some answers.

    Bound in thin metal covers, the book¡¯s top was etched with the hammer¡¯s insignia, but when he tried to pick it up, he discovered that the book, like the other items in the lid, were held into their softly padded indentations with a set of silver metal clips. His attempts to twist one off to the side only resulted in a broken fingernail.

    Grabbing up the chisel from the carving set, he carefully slid it under the clip and pulled up. Nothing budged. He leaned in close to add more pressure, and the chisel snapped, leaving a thin scratch across the cover of the book.

    Annoyed, he whirled around, grabbed the hammer, and then spun back to the chest. ¡°When all else fails, give it a smack,¡± he said, rapping on the clip. All the clips holding the book in place popped up and swiveled 180 degrees.

    ¡°Now, that¡¯s cool,¡± Corvan said with a grin. He picked up the book and crawled over to lean back against the end of his bed. It was a small book, about five inches square and no thicker than his index finger. Despite its small size, it was heavy, as if he were holding the history of the entire world in his hands. Thick pages lay between the covers, but the covers would not open. There was no latch like the one on his mom¡¯s diary.

    He retrieved the hammer and placed the end of its handle in the center of the insignia etched into the front of the book. Without a sound, the covers separated to reveal pages that were soft and flexible, more like cloth than paper. The first page contained only the original insignia and what looked to be a signature at the bottom. Corvan¡¯s hands trembled. He turned the next page, and then another, and another. The entire book was full of pictograph figures, sketches of odd creatures, and a few detailed maps of locations that made no sense at all.

    As he fanned through the last pages, a yellowed paper fluttered to the floor. It was a folded section of a newspaper printed on September 19, 1939. Tucked inside was a scrap of lined note paper written on in English. The first words leaped from the page.

    My dear grandson, Corvan,

 Chapter 7

    The letter was written in a scrawling hand that slanted steeply across the page.

    I must return tonight, so I will miss your birthday.

    I don¡¯t know how I missed it, but it is clear to me now. The Cor-Van must be from both sides; it is the only way we will defeat him. I know he will never be content until he conquers everything.

    When I complete my task, I will return both to you. You are the Cor-Van, and they must come back to your hand.

    I am looking forward to the time we will have together as you grow. I will do a much better job of explaining this in person, and I can hardly wait to begin your training.

    Keep them close by at all times. Learn their differences and remember that all three must be used together.

    Three? Corvan looked down at the hammer on the floor. That had to be one of them, but what about the other two? One might be the book, but he couldn¡¯t read it. Was the third one in the long black box? How could he keep them close if he didn¡¯t even know what they were? He looked back to the letter.

    Do not trust the dark-eyed ones, and, whatever you do, never mention the hammer to anyone, not even those you think are with us. Do not use your title until all is ready. Use only the name your mother calls you.

    You will be in constant danger, so make sure that you also take along ¡­

    The letter ended with an inch of space left, and the back side was blank. Yet his grandfather had taken the time to fold the letter up inside the piece of newspaper.

    A sense of helplessness overwhelmed him. Something was about to happen to him, and he was entirely unprepared. His grandfather¡¯s letter was unclear, and it didn¡¯t sound like his father would be much help. The hammer was obviously the key to everything, but beyond that, the letter was nonsense. He folded it back inside the newspaper and tucked it back in the book. Maybe something else in the chest would provide a clue. He pressed the book into its niche, and the clips pivoted and snapped into place.

    He turned his attention to the coil of rope. His suspicion that it was the same one from his reoccurring nightmare was confirmed when he pinched it and the thin strand squished flat between his fingertips.

    His head came up quickly, and he stared at his bed. A clear memory of playing with this rope on what was then his grandfather¡¯s bed came to mind, and in it he was laughing hysterically. Why would he think a rope was funny? Picking up the hammer ,he released the clips holding the coils in place, but before he could lift it out, the squeak of the landing stair outside his room threw him into a panic. He yanked the lid of the secret compartment down into place, jammed the hammer into his back pocket, and shoved the chisels under his bed.

    His mother stepped inside the door and shut it behind her. ¡°Kate is downstairs, and she¡¯s not happy,¡± she whispered. ¡°Did you promise to help pick berries this morning?¡±

    Corvan shrugged, and she shook her head at him.

    ¡°Because you didn¡¯t show up, she did it herself, but she wants to know if you will help clean them.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s face flushed. He had told Kate he would help her with that chore, but that was before she quit talking to him. How was he supposed to know she still expected him to show up? As he was getting to his feet ,the gray cloth fell into a pile at his feet. He tried nonchalantly pushing it under the bed with his toe.

    ¡°You need to get downstairs and make things right with Kate.¡± She turned to leave and looked back at him. ¡°By the way, kicking that quilt under your bed does not constitute cleaning your room. Fold it and put it back into the chest.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Do it now, so I know it¡¯s been taken care of.¡±

    As Corvan collected the cloth, his mother stared at him with a frown on her face.

    ¡°It took me hours to sew those quilt pieces together. I don¡¯t like to see it tossed on your dirty floor.¡±

    Corvan looked from her face to the cloth. Was she joking? How could his mother mistake the gray cloth for his brightly colored winter quilt?

    ¡°Fold it neatly. And don¡¯t make Kate wait any longer, or you¡¯ll get an earful.¡± With that she left the room. The door clicked shut behind her.

    Corvan waited until he heard the squeak of the landing step before he pulled the hammer from his back pocket and unlocked the secret compartment. Spreading the gray cloth back over the inside of the lid, he buttoned it down, made sure the lid was locked, and then hurried downstairs.

    He found Kate sitting at the kitchen table, where she was finishing off a piece of bread with raspberry jelly. Two full pails of berries sat on the table, and, judging from the twigs and leaves stuck in her tangled red hair, Kate must have worked hard to pick them so quickly. As Corvan entered, she gave him a withering look from behind her bangs.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Sorry, Kate, I was ¡­ ¡±

    Kate waved him off. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me any of your excuses. I know how much you hate picking berries. Trust me, it¡¯s not my favorite chore either, but my mom needs these and all the pastry ready when she gets home tonight.¡±

    Kate¡¯s mother baked the best Saskatoon berry pies for miles around and made extra money selling them to the caf¨¦ where she worked. Unfortunately, she often lost it all playing bingo.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Kate,¡± Corvan¡¯s mother said while giving him a disapproving look. ¡°I¡¯ll mix up the pastry for you to take home.¡±

    Kate¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m sure my mom will appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°How many pies is she going to make, dear?¡±

    ¡°She said only six. They aren¡¯t selling as many now that summer vacation is over.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll fix the pastry while you two clean the berries.¡± She smiled at Kate as she passed her a clean pail.

    Corvan picked up the other pail of berries and followed Kate out to the back steps. As he sat down next to her, the sweet aroma of lilacs rose about him. The lilac bush in the yard bristled with seed pods, however, and its flowers had long faded and blown away. Kate tossed her head and a fresh wave passed.

    He leaned closer and sniffed. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing perfume, are you?¡±

    Kate bent over her pail of berries, and a pink blush touching her freckled cheeks. ¡°My dad sent it for my birthday.¡±

    Shoot. He had forgotten her birthday. He caught another whiff of her perfume. It reminded him of their recent spring nights on the front porch swing looking at the stars together. ¡°I lick likelacs. I mean, I lake laclicks.¡± He stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°It smells nice.¡±

    She looked sideways at him from the berries with a smile tugging at her lips. ¡°Thanks, I like lilacs too.¡±

    Corvan face was getting warm. ¡°I found something out at the rock,¡± he blurted out. He was desperate to change the subject.

    Kate rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were trying to catch your imaginary lizard.¡±

    ¡°I have to prove¡ª¡±

    ¡°The kids will laugh you out of town if you don¡¯t drop that story. I couldn¡¯t believe you used it for your oral report. That was your tallest tale yet. My mom even heard about it at the caf¨¦.¡±

    Corvan focused on sorting the berries. He had expected Kate to be more supportive.

    ¡°So, what was it?¡± Kate looked at him.

    ¡°What was what?¡±

    ¡°The thing you found that you couldn¡¯t tear yourself away from to meet me on time.¡±

    His grandfather¡¯s letter came to mind. Whatever you do, never mention the hammer to anyone, not even those you think are with us. ¡°Nothing.¡± Corvan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡±

    ¡°Fine, keep it to yourself. It¡¯s better that way.¡±

    They cleaned quietly for a while. ¡°These are nice berries,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Where did you find them?¡±

    A sly smile stole over Kate¡¯s face. ¡°Fry¡¯s pond.¡±

    Corvan almost spilled his pail of berries. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to go on his property! Remember those two boys that tried fishing on that pond? He shot over their heads with his shotgun to scare them off.¡±

    Kate¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°The bushes aren¡¯t even on his land. His property stops at the edge of the pond.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but his shotgun doesn¡¯t stop at the edge of the pond. It¡¯s not very smart to go there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, if someone showed like they promised, I wouldn¡¯t have to take such ¡®stupid¡¯ chances.¡±

    Flustered, Corvan looked out across the yard, and then he stood to shake the twigs from his lap. He hated it when Kate was annoyed with him.

    There was a sharp tug on the back of his jeans. When he turned around, he found Kate holding the hammer with a puzzled expression on her face.

    ¡°Give me that,¡± Corvan whispered. ¡°It might hurt you.¡± He held out his hand, but Kate pulled the hammer close to her chest and stared vacantly past him. Corvan knelt on the bottom step. ¡°That¡¯s what I found. It was buried near our fort. It belonged to my grandfather.¡±

    Kate blinked, and her eyes focused his face. She nodded slowly and looked down at the hammer. ¡°Your grandfather must have been a great man.¡±

    ¡°My dad said he was descended from a mighty warrior.¡±

    ¡°It feels like something a king would own.¡±

    She slowly released the hammer into his opened hand, and Corvan slipped it back into his pocket.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I walked to school without you.¡± Kate said, wiping a sleeve over her eyes. ¡°I get so mad when Billy Fry starts picking on you. I¡¯m not afraid of him, but my mom said if I were in one more fight, she¡¯d make us move away.¡± She blinked back tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move again, but I don¡¯t know how to help you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± Corvan said, sitting back down. ¡°I hate being so short.¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯re a boy¡ªyour dad won¡¯t mind if you got in a fight once in a while.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if your dad was around, he wouldn¡¯t mind you fighting either.¡±

    She turned away, and Corvan chided himself for bringing up her father¡¯s absence.

    ¡°What happened when you held the hammer?¡± Corvan asked.

    She looked across at him. ¡°It¡¯s a bit silly, but I felt better about myself ¡­ like it¡¯s okay that I get mad at the bullies. But it was scary too, like I was the one in charge of making things right, like a judge or a ¡­ a queen.¡±

    Corvan nodded. The way she put it made sense. He had felt something similar.

    Corvan¡¯s mother came out the screen door. She was holding a cloth-covered bowl in her hands. ¡°Here¡¯s the pastry, dear. You¡¯d better get it home and put it in the fridge right away.¡± She shot an accusatory glance at her son. ¡°Corvan will carry it for you.¡±

    As he stood to take the bowl, his mother shook her head in disappointment. ¡°Did you have to smear berries all over your pants? As soon as you get back, throw them into the washing machine. Let¡¯s hope they aren¡¯t permanently stained.¡±

    Kate kept busy pouring the cleaned berries back into her pails, all the while hiding an amused grin.

    Corvan turned away to the side of the house to hide his own smile.

    It felt great to be back with Kate and to share the secret of the hammer with her. Together they would figure out the mystery of the lizard and the Castle Rock.

 Chapter 8

    Kate and Corvan walked down the back lane to her house with the late afternoon sun creating a canopy of light overhead. Placing the pastry bowl down in the grass, Corvan held the gate open for Kate.

    A voice drawled from the deepening shadows.

    ¡°Looks like you got yourself some real good berries there.¡± Bill Fry emerged from behind a stout maple tree and sauntered over with a shotgun cradled haphazardly in the crook of his arm.

    ¡°The berries are for my mom to make her pies,¡± Kate said as she stepped away from Bill¡¯s advance.

    ¡°I seen your footprints in the mud out by our pond, so those are my berries. You can have Corvan pick you some more.¡± He laughed. ¡°Maybe he can get his three-foot high lizard to pick the ones he cain¡¯t reach.¡± He grabbed the handle of one of the pails. Berries sprayed into the dirt as Kate hung on.

    Corvan let go of the gate, and it swung shut on its spring, slapping the hammer stuck in his back pocket and knocking it halfway out. Corvan shoved it back in, and as his hand touched the smooth stone, the back lane seemed to grow brighter. He looked at Bill, and for the first time, he wasn¡¯t afraid of him.

    ¡°Leave her alone, Bill.¡±

    The large boy jerked back in surprise. He stared at Corvan for a second. Then the wicked smirk returned to his face. Pushing Kate aside, he moved to stand toe to toe with Corvan with his bulk blocking out the light. ¡°Did I say you could speak? Mind your own business. I don¡¯t need any advice from no half-breed.¡±

    Corvan tightened his grip on the hammer and looked into Bill¡¯s narrowed eyes. ¡°When you bully Kate, it is my business. I¡¯m telling you to leave her alone.¡±

    Bill blinked, then laughed. ¡°And if I don¡¯t, what are you going to do about it?¡± He jabbed a thick finger at Corvan¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Whatever it takes.¡±

    Billy snorted as confusion flickered across his broad face. ¡°Well, looky here; Stumpy¡¯s got hisself a girlfriend, got to show how brave he is. Well, short stuff, you can have her. She¡¯s white trash, just like her mother.¡±

    Kate whirled to face Bill. Her cheeks were bright red. The boy stepped back.

    ¡°Why do you have to be so mean?¡±

    Bill¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he gestured with the barrel of his gun. ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ to be taking them berries, Kate Poley, so I suggest you hand ¡®em over.¡±

    The sun glinted off the barrel of the gun. Fear gripped Corvan¡¯s chest, but he took a deep breath and stepped between Bill and Kate.

    ¡°Leave us alone, or you¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble for pointing a gun at people.¡±

    Bill turned to look at Corvan. ¡°Yeah? Who¡¯s gonna tell?¡±

    Corvan steadily returned his gaze but didn¡¯t answer.

    Bill hesitated and then turned back to Kate. ¡°Go ahead, keep the berries. Everyone knows your mom¡¯s a rotten cook. I¡¯d rather eat a cow pie than the soggy mess she cooks up.¡± He turned and hollered over his shoulder as he swaggered off down the lane, ¡°When you two get married, your kids will be so short, people will mistake them for gophers and shoot ¡®em.¡± He gave a loud guffaw and continued on his way.

    Corvan let out a sigh of relief. His shoulders relaxed, and he released his grip on the hammer. He turned to find Kate gazing at him with admiration. His face flushed as he picked up the pastry bowl from the grass.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that,¡± Kate said.

    She put the berry pails down on the other side of the picket fence and reached for the heavy stoneware bowl. For a moment, her hands wrapped around his, and the scent of lilacs filled the air as a breeze rippled between them and flicked a lock of hair across her eyes. She smiled at him. ¡°Thanks, Corvan. Thanks for standing up for me.¡±

    Stammering out a good-bye, Corvan stepped quickly through the gate and trotted up the alley. Over the years, he had endured a lot of teasing about Kate. If he had a dime for all the times he had heard that stupid rhyme about Corvan and Kate sitting in a tree and kissing, he would be rich.

    Kate, however, always stated emphatically that she would never have a boyfriend, that they weren¡¯t worth the trouble.

    He thought about it as he walked along, draping one hand loosely over the hammer sticking out of his back pocket. Truth was, he wouldn¡¯t mind kissing Kate. The problem was that she might punch his lights out if he tried.

    He smiled. Maybe someday he would give it a whirl anyway.

    Back at home, Corvan stopped at the outhouse and then washed up on the porch. The blue stains on his hands reminded him of his dirty pants, and he peeled them off and dropped them into the tub of the old washing machine. A pair of patched coveralls lay draped over the threadbare armchair. He pulled them on and stepped into the kitchen.

    His mother was carrying her sack of floor back into the pantry and turned to look at him. ¡°Those fit you pretty well considering they belonged to your grandfather.¡±

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    Corvan ran his hands over the faded cotton. ¡°He was as short as me?¡±

    ¡°Shorter.¡± She laughed and pointed at his feet. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re expecting a flood.¡±

    He looked down to where the pant legs rode high over his ankles.

    A glass of water and a piece of bread waited at the table. Corvan sat and looked up at his mother. ¡°You¡¯ve never told me much about my grandfather and why he left.¡±

    She closed the panty door. ¡°We don¡¯t really know for sure. He left without saying a word to anyone.¡±

    ¡°So maybe he¡¯s still alive?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. There¡¯s nothing in this world that could have kept him away from you. You¡¯re what he lived for. I could never understand why he left the day before your birthday.¡± She shook her head gently. ¡°He was so looking forward to it.¡±

    As she turned to the stack of pots and pans by the sink, Corvan grabbed his slice of bread and slipped from the room.

    In seconds, he was sitting on his bed and unfolding the newspaper from around his grandfather¡¯s letter. His grandfather left the day before his second birthday. That would have been September 20, 1939, the next day after the newspaper clipping wrapped around the letter was printed.

    He scanned the front side of the paper. There was a long article about the beginning of the war in Europe. The other side was all advertisements except for one short article.

    New Evidence Comes to Light at IPC

    Representatives from the Industrial Power Company confirmed today that last Saturday¡¯s explosion, which resulted in the deaths of three miners, may have been intentional. The explosion took place during the boring of an experimental shaft.

    At first the mine operators claimed that the machinery overheated, igniting dust raised by the drilling. Investigators now report that footprints were discovered around the test bore. They claim someone was trying to tamper with the evidence, although it is unclear how anyone could have reached the site before the shaft was cleared.

    One member of the investigation team, who has asked not to be identified, says he saw a figure retreating down the borehole. This claim has been rejected by the mine officials as there are no levels below the test site.

    Corvan recalled his father talking about the disaster of ¡¯39. A few days after the shaft was cleared, another massive explosion had collapsed the main shaft and forced the closure of the mine. IPC went bankrupt. Only the smaller Red Creek Mine was still in operation.

    The thump of his mother¡¯s broomstick interrupted his thoughts. After stuffing the newspaper and letter under his pillow, he returned to the kitchen. His mind was whirling.

    ¡°I need you to run to the Barrons¡¯ and get some baking soda. Make sure you let Mrs. Barron know we¡¯ll pay our bill as soon as we can.¡±

    The Barrons owned the local corner gas station, and although it was long past closing time, they were always available to open the store and get something a neighbor needed. Corvan didn¡¯t mind going to the store. Mrs. Barron often gave him a chocolate bar or licorice cigar the mice had nibbled on. ¡°Can¡¯t go selling that to my customers,¡± she would say as she cut off the nibbled edge and handed him the treat.

    The sun had slipped over the horizon. The sky was painted in swaths of orange and pink above the low hills to the west. Corvan whistled as he walked down the center of the road and a few birds called in response.

    By the time Corvan returned home with the taste of a Cuban Lunch chocolate bar still lingering in his mouth, his father was sitting at the supper table. While they ate, mother tried chatting about her day, but father didn¡¯t respond. Normally on a Saturday night, they¡¯d sit at the table after supper and play games, but mother said since it was getting late, she¡¯d do the dishes and let Corvan get washed up for bed.

    Corvan went out to the washstand on the back porch. Looking in through the rusty screen door, he saw his father staring at his half-eaten supper.

    ¡°We¡¯ve managed through hard times before,¡± his mother said, ¡°and we can make it again. If he¡¯s old enough at fifteen for what your father was planning, he¡¯s old enough to understand that we¡¯ll have to celebrate his birthday another time.¡±

    His father¡¯s voice responded in tones too low to catch, and then he left the table and vanished into the bedroom. Corvan washed up and returned to the kitchen while wiping his hands on his shirt.

    His mother shook her spatula at him. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to dry your hands on a towel? What good does it do to scrub your hands and then wipe them on a dirty shirt?¡±

    ¡°But this one¡¯s clean.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not clean now that you¡¯ve wiped your dirty hands on it, is it?¡± She raised her eyebrows as if to dare him to respond.

    Corvan could see this would be one of those circular arguments he could never win. ¡°I¡¯d better head to bed.¡± He leaned forward to kiss his mother¡¯s cheek, but she pulled him in close and gave him a tight hug.

    ¡°Mom, are we going to lose our home?¡± Corvan asked.

    His mother¡¯s shoulders sagged as she released him. ¡°We¡¯ll lose everything if your dad doesn¡¯t get the call to go back to the mine. This crop of wheat will only pay off what we owe the bank this year, never mind our debt from the past.¡±

    ¡°Is that because Old Man Fry has been talking to the bank?¡± He couldn¡¯t hide the bitterness in his voice.

    His mother shook her head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t refer to Mr. Fry that way.¡±

    ¡°But why is he always trying to make trouble for our family?¡±

    She looked out the kitchen window at the castle rock. ¡°Your father says Mr. Fry holds a grudge against your grandfather.¡± She turned back to him. ¡°But I don¡¯t think he¡¯s behind the letters from the bank.¡± She waved him on. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up all night reading. If I see a light under your door after ten o¡¯clock, I¡¯m going to take your lightbulb away for a week.¡±

    Corvan grinned. She couldn¡¯t put a book down herself and would often reading until all hours of the night.

    Back in his room, Corvan undressed and settled into bed. He wanted to get the rope out of the chest, but he couldn¡¯t take the chance of being discovered. He would wait until he was sure his mother was in bed.

    The crickets outside were tuning up for their nighttime symphony. The screen door banged as his mother went out on the back porch to set their ancient wringer washer into action. Soon its rhythmic swish and bump drowned out the crickets. Corvan closed his eyes and let his breathing fall into sync with the familiar sound.

    The cave dream returned, but this time he was in pursuit through the damp tunnels. Just when he caught up and was reaching out to grab them, the person ran away and called out to him. ¡°Who? Who are you?¡±

    He woke to the repetitive hooting of an owl on the maple tree outside his window. ¡°Whoo-hoo,¡± he called back, and it swept out across the yard on its nightly hunt.

    A gentle breeze wafted the scent of rich earth and moist wheat into his room. The house was silent. This would be a good time to check out the mysterious rope inside his grandfather¡¯s secret compartment. Picking his grandfather¡¯s pants off the floor, he tiptoed to the chest and searched through the pockets.

    The hammer was gone.

 Chapter 9

    Corvan searched frantically through the dirty clothes he had kicked under his bed, but the hammer was not there. The last time he held it was when it was in his back pocket at Kate¡¯s house and then up the back alley. It must have been in his pants when he changed clothes on the back porch.

    His mother was doing the wash when he fell asleep. If she put his pants through the wringer, the hammer would make a real mess of things. Two years ago, he¡¯d left some marbles in his pockets that had jammed the rollers and ruined the gears. His only hope was that she had gone to bed without wringing out the wash. Checking out the window, he saw his pants swaying gently on the line. ¡°Oh great,¡± he muttered.

    Making his way quickly down the stairs, he forgot about the step just below the landing and put his foot in the middle. The stair let out its customary low groan. Holding his breath, he waited for his mother¡¯s snoring to resume. Then he crept out to the back porch.

    The wringer washer grinned at him from its corner. It always reminded him of a robot from a science-fiction story, with its wringer head hanging over its squat body and rollers like two rows of yellowed teeth in an oversized mouth. He inspected the rollers. Everything looked fine. Either his mother had found the hammer, or it was still down in the rinse water she always saved for her garden.

    After rolling up his sleeve, Corvan plunged his hand into the cool water and felt around the groove at the bottom of the round tub. All he found was the scorched half dollar from the chest, which he dropped into his pocket as he looked back through the screen door into the kitchen. If his mother had found the hammer, she might have put it in the secret hiding place where she kept the family cash.

    He remembered to pushing down firmly on the screen door handle to avoid any squeaks from the hinges. He went to the pantry and pressed on a knot in the wall, from which a small door popped open to reveal a shallow alcove. Grandfather had built the hiding spot for his mother, but Corvan had found it one day while searching for the chocolate chips. This time, it contained nothing: no chocolate, no cash, and no hammer. Corvan clicked the hidden door shut. Maybe it had slipped out of his pocket when he used the outhouse.

    The path was warm on his bare feet, and the moonlight illuminated his footprints from earlier that afternoon. The wooden latch on the outhouse had been left open, which meant he was the last one to use it. Corvan pulled the rough plank door wide on its leather hinges, and that familiar rank odor wafted out. He crouched to search around the wooden platform and behind the stack of old newspapers.

    The hammer wasn¡¯t there, but then where could it possibly be? He shut and latched the door.

    As he was retracing his steps, Corvan glanced up the path that led to the steep side of the rock. A set of marks were outlined by the moonlight. He bent low. These were animal tracks that had been partially wiped out, as if the animal had been dragging something along. Maybe a predator¡¯s successful kill? But there was no blood on the ground.

    The tracks led out to the edge of the rock, and Corvan heard pebbles rolling and clinking together overhead. Hugging the rock, he climbed on all fours until he reached the crown of rocks silhouetted against the night sky.

    Crawling quietly forward, Corvan peered around one of the boulders. A shadowy figure was crouched near the solitary rock in the center. Then dirt and pebbles sprayed out as the animal dug furiously at the base of the lone boulder. When the creature stopped digging, it stood up on its hind feet.

    The lizard!

    Corvan watched in fascination as the reptile picked up two strips of cloth from the ground and wrapped them carefully around its front claws. It held them up to inspected them, and in the soft light, it looked as if it were wearing mittens. Corvan stared, transfixed by the bizarre sight as it then stooped to drag something back to where it had been digging. The hole in the ground appeared to be too small for the large creature, but its body seemed to melt and flow down inside until only its cloth-wrapped claws remained in view holding up a black object.

    The hammer! The lizard had taken it from the outhouse.

    The cloth-wrapped claws abruptly disappeared into the hole. The hammer stood upright for a moment before it toppled to the ground.

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    Corvan rushed forward and was reaching for the hammer as an explosion of dirt shot out of the hole into his face. Blinded, he sat back to shake his head and clear the grit from his eyes.

    A guttural screech snapped his head up, and a dark blur hit him so squarely in the chest that he was knocked onto his back. The lizard jumped on him while raking its cloth-bound claws across his face as it screeched in frustration. Corvan yelled and knocked it off his chest.

    Rolling onto his knees, Corvan tensed for another attack, but now the lizard was unwinding the cloth from its claws. Its keen eyes burned with hatred. Corvan frantically felt around him for a weapon, but there were no rocks or sticks within reach.

    The lizard leapt toward him and landed with its front claws outstretched and its back legs straddling the hammer. It hissed, but it didn¡¯t try to pick up the hammer. It couldn¡¯t touch the hammer with its bare claws? If he could grab it, he could use the hammer to keep the creature at bay.

    It inched forward, staying between Corvan and the hammer, with its pointed front claws extended to drive him back. Its hind feet scraped on the muddy piece of tarp Corvan had ripped off the fort. If he yanked the tarp out from under its feet, he¡¯d have a chance to grab the hammer.

    The lizard pulled its thin lips back to expose pointed teeth. Its hate-filled eyes bore into his as it took another step toward him.

    Corvan inched his hand toward the loose end of the large canvas sheet. The lizard¡¯s eyes darted down, and Corvan yanked as hard as he could. The lizard¡¯s tumbled back past the hammer. Corvan jumped forward, threw the heavy canvas over the creature, and scooped up the hammer. He retreated to the ring of boulders as a flurry of claws tore the old tarp to shreds.

    The lizard emerged with eyes blazing. It took two quick steps toward him, but when it saw the hammer in his hand, it stopped.

    Glaring through narrow slits, it snarled in a low, hoarse voice. ¡°You will never be the Cor-Van. You could not survive the wrath of my master.¡±

    Corvan blinked. It could talk?

    ¡°You are only a child,¡± the lizard rasped. ¡°Return the hammer to me, and I will spare your life.¡±

    Fear constricted Corvan¡¯s throat. All he managed to croak out was, ¡°Go away.¡±

    The lizard fell back as if it had been kicked, and its eyes widened in fear. Corvan held the hammer higher and took a step forward.

    The creature retreated before him. Its eyes were flickering from one side to the other. With a hiss, it gave him one last angry glance, and then melted into the dark hole it had dug.

    Grabbing the biggest rock he could lift with one hand from the firepit, Corvan dropped it over the hole. He stuffed the hammer into his back pocket, and then he piled on more rocks until he couldn¡¯t lift any more. His sides heaved. He fell to his knees and retched. Shaking uncontrollably, he crawled to the western side and collapsed against one of the outer rocks. Never in his life had he been so afraid. People like Bill Fry were mean, but this thing was so ¡­ evil.

    Corvan shook his head. The lizard said it had a master. That must be why it wore a collar, but his couldn¡¯t be happening. Animals didn¡¯t talk. Was the hammer messing with his mind?

    When he pulled it out, an overwhelming awareness of great danger flowed through him, but something much more powerful was holding it at bay. He felt a unseen force that was flowing around and through him.

    A shadow flickered past his feet, and Corvan scrambled through the western gap and stood by the drainage channel. An owl hunting for prey on silent wings swept past him. He let out a long breath, but then recalled that gophers always had a second entrance to their holes. The lizard could be watching him even now. Or maybe it had left to bring back more of its kind.

    Cold sweat broke on his forehead as he scanned the circle of rocks. The shadows could easily conceal the vicious creature. He backed out of the rocks, bolted down the water channel, and headed for home. As he ran, he thought he heard an entire pack of lizards bearing down on him. With a final burst of speed, he reached the safety of the porch and turned to look back. The owl hooted again, but the backyard was still.

    The lizard had retrieved the hammer from the outhouse, so it obviously knew where he lived. If it came back with reinforcements, or even worse, its master, the only thing that could save his family would be the power of the hammer.

    Corvan stared out the porch door at the outline of the Castle Rock and held up the hammer. The lizard was afraid to touch it and had wrapped its claws. He put his other hand to his face. It felt sore, but at least there were no bloody scratches.

    Corvan moved deeper into the shadows of the porch and sank into the moth-eaten armchair. Tonight, he would keep guard over his home. With the hammer firmly in his right hand, he stretched his arm out on the armrest, like a king with his scepter on a royal throne. The hammer gave him a sense of authority, and he envisioned himself holding an entire legion of lizards at bay.

    A rooster crowed, and Corvan shook off the sleep that had been dodging him all night long. The gentle light of early dawn was in the east. His home was safe. Every muscle in his body ached as he pushed himself out of the armchair. Creeping back up to his room, he slipped the hammer under his pillow.

    As he undressed, the blackened half dollar fell out of his pocket and rolled under the bed. Too tired to chase it, Corvan crawled under the sheets and fell asleep.

 Chapter 10

    By the time Corvan woke up, the sun was directly over the house. His parents never let him sleep this late. Bees buzzed past his window, but the house below him was silent.

    ¡°Mom,¡± he called out, ¡°what¡¯s for lunch?¡± There was no answer. Had the lizard attacked while he slept? Leaping out of bed, he tugged on his pants, then moved cautiously down the stairs with the hammer held out before him.

    The bed in his parents¡¯ room was not made, and a few of the dresser drawers hung askew. Corvan ran to the front door. The truck was gone. Retreating to the kitchen, he searched for a note. Nothing.

    Kate called into the house from the back porch, and Corvan crossed his arms over his bony chest. He hated being seen without a shirt.

    She shook her head in disgust as she was entering the kitchen. ¡°Are you just getting up? Must be nice to sleep in half the day. My mom had me up at six to take the pies out to the station wagon.¡± She placed her hands on her hips. ¡°You should get a shirt on.¡± She nodded to the laundry basket by the back door.

    ¡°Have you seen my parents this morning?¡± Corvan asked, grabbing a T-shirt.

    ¡°I saw them drive past our place earlier. They were headed out of town.¡± She looked out the window as he pulled his shirt on. ¡°So, what are you doing today?¡±

    Corvan was relieved that his parents were okay. They must have needed something from the city, maybe a surprise for his birthday.

    ¡°I went out to the rock,¡± Kate said. ¡°What a mess! Our fort¡¯s ruined.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the storm flattened the fort.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the pile of rocks from the firepit? How did that happen?¡± Kate asked, looking intently at his face.

    ¡°That was me.¡± Corvan looked out the back door to escape her steady gaze. ¡°I was making a¡­ monument. Like a pyramid.¡±

    Kate scowled. ¡°When are you going to start telling people the truth instead of making up silly stories? If you don¡¯t want to say what you were doing just say, ¡®Kate, I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡¯¡±

    Corvan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t think anyone will believe me if I tell the truth. This one sounds crazier than any story I ever made up. I¡¯m not sure I even believe it yet.¡±

    ¡°Try me,¡± Kate replied as she sat on top of the kitchen table.

    His grandfather¡¯s note had said not to trust anyone, but this was Kate. Besides, she¡¯d already seen the hammer.

    Pulling the stone hammer from his back pocket, Corvan placed it on the table in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s all connected to this.¡±

    Kate stared at it as if she were seeing the hammer for the first time. She touched the handle with one finger and then pulled her hand back. ¡°You never did tell me where it came from.¡±

    ¡°I thought my grandfather made it for me, but now I¡¯m not sure. Last night, the hammer was stolen.¡±

    Kate hopped off the table. ¡°Bill Fry took it?¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t Bill. It was ¡­¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Aw, forget it. I get enough mocking from the kids at school.¡± Snatching up the hammer, he swept around her, pushed out the screen door, and slouched on the porch steps.

    Kate followed and stood behind him. ¡°You¡¯re talking about that lizard again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Corvan checked to see if she was teasing, but her face was serious.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I made fun of you about that story,¡± Kate said, sitting next to him. ¡°It sounded a bit far-fetched, and besides, no one but you has seen it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But I guess not seeing something doesn¡¯t mean you should doubt someone who says he has.¡±

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    Corvan stared at the rock. He had definitely seen it. His stomach churned at the memory.

    ¡°Why would a lizard need a hammer?¡± Kate asked.

    Corvan dropped his gaze to the ground.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Kate nudged his shoulder. ¡°I said I was sorry.¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll tell you what happened. But if you start to laugh, I¡¯m not telling you anymore.¡±

    ¡°If the story gets funny, it¡¯s not my fault if I laugh,¡± she teased.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that kind of story. Just do me a favor¡ªlet me get to the end before you ask questions.¡±

    Kate nodded, and Corvan told her about the lizard taking the hammer and the fight to get it back.

    Kate listened intently, but her frown deepened as the story progressed. When he got to the part where the lizard spoke, she interrupted him.

    ¡°Wait a minute. I could imagine a wild animal trying to bury your hammer, thinking it was a bone or something, but everyone knows animals don¡¯t talk. That¡¯s just crazy.¡±

    Corvan jumped to his feet. ¡°You¡¯re right. I am crazy. Crazy for thinking I could share this story with someone like you.¡± He stomped off.

    ¡°What do you mean, like me?¡± Kate hollered after him. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me?¡±

    Corvan rounded the corner of the house and broke into a run. He should have known she wouldn¡¯t believe him either. Bounding up the front stairs, he shut the door behind him and peeked out the living-room window. Kate hadn¡¯t followed. Hopefully she¡¯d go home, and he¡¯d have a chance to look through his grandfather¡¯s chest in peace.

    He waited a bit longer then went up in his room and unlocked the secret panel. Draping the soft cloth over the footboard of his bed, he checked out the various items, but his attention kept returning to the green rope. Plucking it from its shallow depression, he examined it carefully. One end was squashed flat and wrapped securely around the coils. Small flaps were keeping the rope fastened in tight loops. Corvan tugged at the flaps, but they wouldn¡¯t budge. He pulled as hard as he could on the free end, but the rope only stretched slightly.

    A low whistle escaped his lips. How could something this light be so strong? It wasn¡¯t even woven like a braided rope; it was all one thin strand except that the free end was a thicker, like a short handle. On the end of the handle was a round button¡ªlike an eyeball with a black knobby pupil staring out from the center. Corvan pressed on the dark bump: the flat flaps holding the coils opened, and the loops fell to the ground.

    Letting the soft rope play through his hands, he picked up the flat end that had been wrapped around the coils. It was a wider disk shaped like the head of a cobra. He held it flat in the palm of his left hand and then pressed his thumb against the dark eye on the end of the handle with his other hand.

    An intense prickling sensation snapped his left hand tightly closed around the flat disk. In a panic, Corvan tried to open his fist, but it was as if the green disk was suddenly coated in thick glue. He tried harder, and the prickling increased. His fingers were shifting about of their own accord. Dropping the eyeball handle to pry his hand free, it bounced off the open chest and his left hand sprang open. The flat disk spilled to the floor.

    Red dots of blood blossomed across the surface of his palm where tiny needles had punctured his skin. Wiping his hand on his pants, Corvan picked up the disk by its tail, like a dead mouse, and set it on his bed. Retrieving the handle end, he ran a thumb over the black knob. The flat disk came alive and began twitching and burrowing into his blanket. He leaned closer and watched a thousand miniscule fingers thrusting out from the disk, grasping, and bunching up the cloth. With trembling hands, he flicked the black button again, and they vanished. The disk lay still once more.

    Corvan turned the disk over and pressed the button. The tiny tentacles leapt out, waving and seeking something to grasp. The rope itself grew thicker and recoiled on itself like an angry snake, slithering toward his forearm. Letting out a yelp, Corvan dropped it to the floor, where it spread out wide on the wooden planks.

    He pulled, but the flat disk wouldn¡¯t budge. He tried harder, and the floorboards flexed and creaked. Working the small button, Corvan released the disk from the floor and picked it up. Activating the fingers, he instead tossed the flat disk at the wall. It stuck fast, and tiny flecks of paint fell as the tentacles found the tiniest cracks.

    Corvan examined the black knob and then tried pushing it to one side. In front of him, the disk crawled in the same direction like a round centipede across the wall. He released the sideways pressure, and it froze in its place. While sitting on his bed, Corvan discovered he could control not only the direction but also the speed of the disk end of the rope. The farther over he bent the knob, the faster it moved.

    A grin spread across his face as he directed the flat head up to where the ceiling met the wall. It made the transition smoothly and slipped across his ceiling. The dislodged plaster rained onto the bed around him. He laughed as he sent it in circles around his light bulb. Letting his thumb off the controls, it fell onto his legs and sent him scrambling back with a startled yell.

    Leaning back against his headboard he laughed again as the memory of the rope and his grandfather came clear. He had been allowed to play with this rope when he was very young, and he remembered laughing as his grandfather ran it around him on the bed.

    He picked up the disk. How would it work on something smooth? He went to the window, held it up to the glass, and activated the button. The disk spread out even flatter and was like a small lily pad floating on the water. He worked the controls, and it moved slowly across the smooth surface.

    A desperate scream from outside tore his gaze past the windowpane.

    Out on the rock ,someone was madly swinging a long stick. The person shouted, the stick rose high, and then they vanished behind the central boulder.

    Kate was being attacked by the lizard!

 Chapter 11

    Corvan scrambled into the castle to find Kate sitting in the dirt. The thick body of a large garter snake was stretched out toward her. A long stick from the ruined fort lay next to its crushed head. Relief flowed over Corvan as he knelt beside her.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°You know I hate snakes,¡± Kate said, shaking her head.

    Corvan grabbed the dead snake by the tail and carried it over to the edge of the castle rocks. It was a real beauty, one of the largest he¡¯d ever seen. He tossed its long body into the field down below. A coyote or owl would soon make a meal of it.

    Turning back, he found Kate already on her feet and brushing the dust off her jeans.

    ¡°I thought the lizard was attacking you,¡± Corvan said, instantly wishing he hadn¡¯t mentioned it again.

    Kate nodded. ¡°I came here to prove that the lizard was just in your imagination, but ¡­¡± She pointed to where his pile of rocks had been. Kate had moved them to one side, and the dark hole through which the lizard had disappeared gaped at him.

    Corvan tugged the hammer from his back pocket and held it out. ¡°Did you see it?¡± he asked without taking his eyes off the spot.

    ¡°No. You said the lizard only comes out at night.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± Corvan muttered as he was edging closer. ¡°Did the snake come out of the hole?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kate replied, pointing at the rock. ¡°The snake was on the other side. I was following the lines, so I could see the rest.¡±

    ¡°The rest of what?¡±

    ¡°The door. See how flat the stone is in front? That lone hole is just a gap between the rocks that are holding two slabs apart. It¡¯s like the two sides of an elevator door, except its flat on the ground.¡±

    Corvan crouched by the large rock with the hammer in hand. Where Kate had scraped away the dirt, he could make out two parallel lines about 6 inches apart. Between them were the bumpy outlines of rocks under the mud. The two lines vanished under the large rock.

    ¡°It¡¯s likely just a big crack the rain has washed stuff into,¡± Corvan said while glancing up at Kate.

    Kate pointed with a grubby hand. ¡°You need to look on the other side.¡±

    Corvan crawled around the large rock and found the lines continued a short distance before each bent out at precisely ninety degrees.

    Corvan traced the lines with a finger. ¡°This must be something the first people carved,¡± he said. ¡°Like the rock paintings in the caves by the river. My father says this hill was a sacred place to them.¡±

    Kate knelt beside him. ¡°You could be right. I had just found some strange carved symbols when that snake slithered out.¡± She brushed a pile of dirt away from the base of the boulder. ¡°I think we need to move this big rock to see the rest. I hope there¡¯s no more snakes under it.¡±

    Kate moved back as Corvan inspected the cleared area. The marks cut deeply into the stone weren¡¯t strange at all, they were like the glowing marks on the hammer and carved into his chest. If Kate was right and this was a door, the hammer might open up a cave under Castle Rock. He stood up to push with all his might against the boulder. Kate joined him, and it rocked slightly.

    ¡°We need a pry bar,¡± Corvan said. ¡°My father has some long pipes in the cellar.¡±

    Retreating down the rock, Kate spoke over her shoulder. ¡°I saw some tracks when I was moving the dirt.¡±

    Corvan caught up to her. ¡°Three toes with claws?¡±

    Kate nodded. ¡°Are they from your lizard?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Those are the tracks I saw this summer.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s three feet tall?¡± Kate asked.

    ¡°Maybe not quite that high, but it¡¯s almost up to your waist when it¡¯s next to you.¡±

    Kate stopped in the field at the bottom of the water channel and looked up at the rock. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see it that close.¡± She looked closely at his face. ¡°What happened after ¡­ after it talked to you?¡±

    ¡°I told it to go away and held the hammer up in front of me. It¡¯s really scared of the hammer. It won¡¯t even touch it without cloth wrapped around its paws, so I think we¡¯re safe if we have the hammer with us.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    As they were approaching the house, Corvan heard gravel crunching in the driveway out front and the slam of the truck door. ¡°Sounds like my parents are home. Do you think we should show my father the cracks and carving in the rock?¡±

    ¡°It might be best. He knows a lot about the history of this place,¡± Kate said.

    Corvan stopped and touched Kate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°For now, maybe we should keep the hammer a secret. Just between us.¡±

    Kate nodded silently.

    They met Corvan¡¯s mother at the corner of the house. She was walking slowly with her head down. Once she saw them, she wiped tears from her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, mom? Where¡¯s dad?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside the house,¡± she replied. ¡°I need to sit a minute.¡±

    They followed her in, and mother sat at the kitchen table. ¡°Kate, can you get me a cup of cold water.¡±

    Kate filled a glass and joined them at the table.

    Corvan¡¯s mother lifted the cup but didn¡¯t take a drink.

    ¡°We got a call from Fred Simpson this morning. He arranged for your dad to start a job up north at the Langdon mine, but he had to go right away, so I took him into the Fenwood bus station.¡± She stared into her cup for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s a long way from here. We won¡¯t see him for a least a month, but we need the money if we¡¯re going to make it through the winter.¡±

    Corvan frowned. ¡°Why can¡¯t he keep working here at the Red Creek mine?¡±

    ¡°At the meeting, the owners told the miners they are shutting that mine down for a while. They breached an underground river, and the lower shafts are filling up with water. The owners are telling the men the ground is too unstable around here and they have lost too much money. They might close the Red Creek mine for good.¡±

    Kate slid her chair away from the table and quietly made her way toward the door.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave, dear,¡± Corvan¡¯s mother said. ¡°Fred gave us a fresh chicken for supper. You¡¯re welcome to join us.¡±

    ¡°That would be great,¡± Kate said with a nod. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mother stood. ¡°I¡¯ll get it ready. You two go ahead and enjoy the outdoors while we still have nice weather.¡±

    Kate left quickly. Corvan rose slowly to his feet, and his mother gave him a hug.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my only one,¡± she said, pulling away and putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Things will work out. We¡¯ll miss your father, but we¡¯re fortunate that he found work so quickly.¡± With a gentle push, she directed him toward the back door. ¡°Supper will be done in about an hour. I¡¯ll ring the bell when it¡¯s ready.¡±

    Kate sat on the porch steps looking up at the Castle Rock. Corvan jumped past her. ¡°Wait here a minute. I¡¯ll grab a pipe.¡± He headed around the house to the steep ramp that ran down to their cellar. It would take a pretty strong pipe to move the heavy rock, but there was bound to be something on the rack in his dad¡¯s shop. At times, his dad would back his truck down the ramp and unload heavier pieces of metal.

    Descending the stone ramp, he pushed one of the cellar doors open. A shaft of light pierced the dusty air and fell on the pipe racks against the far wall. He took a step inside, then remembered his dad saying he was not to go into the workshop until after his birthday. But if he went straight ahead to the far wall and grabbed a pipe without looking around, surely his dad wouldn¡¯t mind. He wouldn¡¯t even turn on the light. Besides, they wouldn¡¯t be celebrating his birthday for a long time with his dad gone.

    Walking between the slender columns and arches that supported the cellar ceiling, he was reminded again of a small cathedral he had seen in a travel magazine. When his grandfather had built their home, he had cut the stone blocks for the walls of the house from below it. He even cut the workbench from the bedrock, complete with storage spaces and tool racks. Corvan went straight ahead and lifted a long, heavy pipe from the rack. Gripping it with both hands, he intentionally turned away from the workbench to avoid seeing his father¡¯s work.

    Instead, he saw a door.

    Ever since he could remember, the north wall of the cellar had been completely covered with a set of high wooden shelves. Now, the center section had been pulled aside to reveal a metal door. It was at least four feet wide and reached almost to the ceiling. Was this something new or had it always been behind the shelves? Three sturdy metal bolts locked it from this side. What could his father be locking in ¡­ or out?

    As he stepped forward to check it out, the end of his pipe banged on the door. He jumped back. From the sound of it, the door hid a large room. He could hear it echo a long way inside.

    ¡°Did you find one?¡± Kate¡¯s voice floated down from above.

    Corvan gave the door one last glance and climbed up the ramp. Dropping the pipe into the grass, he ran back and eased the cellar door closed. ¡°Don¡¯t let my mother know I was in there.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°My dad said I was supposed to stay out of there until after my birthday.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have gone in.¡±

    ¡°I forgot.¡±

    Kate shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re very good at making up excuses.¡±

    Corvan grunted and picked up the pipe. She was right, but why did the truth hit so hard the last few days?

    By the time they reached the top of the hill, the evening shadows from the rocks were halfway across. The last wedge of sunlight was highlighting the dark hole next to the central boulder. It would probably be a good idea to block it up, but he was anxious to see what was under the boulder. Slipping the pipe under it, he used a small rock to create a fulcrum and then leaned on the end of pipe.

    The rock began to tip back. Kate stepped in beside him to add her weight. The rock slowly lifted, then suddenly rolled back and dumped them onto the ground. Kate scrambled to where the rock had been sitting and swept away the dirt.

    ¡°If this is a door, then this must be the keyhole.¡±

    Corvan crawled up beside her and stared in amazement. The shallow hole had two circles around it just like the keyhole in his grandfather¡¯s oak chest.

    Kate picked up a rock and tapped on the symbols. A dull knock sounded from inside. ¡°It¡¯s hollow down there.¡±

    Kate knocked again, and Corvan clearly heard the rustling of scales on rock in the silence that followed.

    A shadow flitted across the hole below them.

 Chapter 12

    Corvan¡¯s blood ran cold. Without a second thought, he yanked Kate to her feet and away from the hole. Eyes wide, she dropped her rock and stumbled along to crouch with him by the ring of outer boulders.

    ¡°Was that the lizard?¡± Kate asked.

    ¡°Yes, I need to block up that hole.¡± Pulling the hammer from his pocket, he crept forward.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Kate whispered.

    He chose a good-sized rock from the pile and pulled it to his chest with one hand. It slipped free, and he jumped back to save his toes from being crushed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± Kate bent to pick up the rock, but Corvan stopped her.

    ¡°Here,¡± he said, holding the hammer out to her. ¡°If the lizard comes out, point this toward it and tell it to go away.¡±

    Kate hesitated before reluctantly taking the hammer from his hand. Her face was tight with fear.

    Corvan heaved the rock to his chest, stepped cautiously forward, and held the rock out as far as he could directly over the hole.

    A claw appeared. Kate screamed. Corvan lost his grip, and the rock dropped. A screech of pain erupted at his feet as the rock bounced and rolled away. From below the hole, there was a scrabbling of claws and then silence.

    He had to find something else to push over the entrance to the lizard¡¯s den and fast.

    Corvan looked to the ruined fort. If he could cover the hole with a large board, he could stand on it while Kate found rocks to pile on top. Keeping his eyes on the hole, he picked up a wide plank, but it was too heavy and dipped down toward the hole. Corvan fell to his knees to stop its descent, but it kept falling and rapped sharply on the door.

    The lizard shot out of the hole and sank one of its long claws deep into the wood. It glared at him. Its mouth, flecked with foam, muttered something. Corvan couldn¡¯t understand what it said, but a gasp from Kate told him that she heard it clearly.

    The angry creature yanked its claw from the wood, took a step forward, and locked its fiery eyes on Corvan. One foreleg and claw were extended toward him, the other hung at its side. Blood was dripping from the end of a crushed paw.

    It stopped and stared at him through narrow slits before the dinner bell on the back porch shattered the silence.

    The lizard turned toward the house, and its eyes fell on Kate. It moved toward her. With a shaking hand, Kate lifted the hammer toward it. ¡°Stop!¡± she commanded.

    The creature collapsed to the ground as if she¡¯d shot it. Covering its head with its good claw, it whined and writhed before her. Its wounded claw was dragging about in the dust. Hammer held out before her, Kate moved in closer.

    ¡°Stay away, Kate. It¡¯s a trap!¡± Corvan shouted.

    Ignoring his warning, Kate kept her eyes focused on the lizard as she continued her advance on the injured creature. Corvan had seen animals feign death and then attack. Kate needed to back away.

    The lizard stretched out prone. Kate stood directly over it and was raising the hammer high above her head. The creature lay perfectly still, as if waiting for the fatal blow. Corvan watched in horrified silence as Kate brought the hammer swiftly down and then gently touched the lizard on the back of its neck. With a low metallic groan, the black collar around its neck quivered and fell into the dirt.

    The lizard rose slowly, bowed its head to Kate, and backed away. Kate bent to examine the black band, and the lizard shook its head while rattling off a string of clicks and hisses. Kate sank to her knees, and, as she picked the band up, the lizard, hissing and gesturing toward Kate with its healthy claw, ran toward Corvan. What was it saying?

    Kate glared at the lizard and thumped the hammer on the ground. The rock shivered beneath them. ¡°Be quiet and go away.¡±

    The lizard glanced at Corvan with a helpless expression on its narrow face.

    ¡°Now!¡± Kate commanded.

    The lizard scuttled away and retreated down the hole.

    Kate picked up the lizard¡¯s black band and stood with it draped limply over her palm like a glistening black leech. She looked between it and the hammer as if weighing both objects in her hands.

    The dinner bell rang again, louder and longer. ¡°We¡¯ve got to go,¡± Corvan croaked. ¡°I¡¯ll put a rock over the hole.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± Kate said. ¡°It won¡¯t come back now that I¡¯m holding the hammer.¡±

    Corvan stepped toward her. ¡°How did you know what to do to get its collar off?¡± He held out his hand. ¡°Let me see it.¡±

    Kate shook her head and stuffed the black band into the front pocket of her jeans. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Hammer in hand, she strode down the western trail.

    Corvan sprinted to catch up to her. ¡°Kate, the hammer.¡±

    Kate shoved the hammer into her back pocket and sped up. Now she was slipping and skidding down the incline.

    ¡°I need that back.¡± Corvan shouted as he raced after her and grabbed at the back of her shirt, but she was too fast. The fabric slipped from his fingers.

    As soon as Kate reached level ground, she broke into a run toward the house hollering, ¡°Race ya!¡± over her shoulder.

    Corvan didn¡¯t even try. Kate always beat him in a foot race. Why was she acting so strange? He watched her disappear into the back porch.

    She was already washed up and inside the house when he arrived. His mother came out to pour the potato water into the washing machine and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. ¡°What was all the hollering up there?¡±

    His face and neck were hot and prickling, so Corvan concentrated on his soapy hands. ¡°We were cleaning up the mess from when the old fort blew down. Didn¡¯t want that old tarp blowing out into the field.¡± It was another lie, but his mother would never believe the truth. Right now, he wasn¡¯t so sure he even knew what it was.

    Kate met them at the door. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was so late. My mom will be home in half an hour, and I haven¡¯t finished the dishes. She¡¯ll be furious.¡± She went to move past them, but Corvan¡¯s mother put a hand on the door frame.

    ¡°You can take along some of the chicken dinner for your supper. That will make her happy.¡± She hurried into the kitchen and dished hot food into a tin pie plate.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Corvan tried to catch Kate¡¯s eye, but she just stared at the floor. There was no way he would let her leave without getting his hammer back and getting a look at the black band.

    Mother wrapped the plate in a tea towel and held it out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll carry it for her.¡± Corvan took the dish from his mother¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Then come right back,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll wait to eat with you.¡±

    Kate slipped out the door and Corvan followed.

    As soon as they were out of earshot, he caught up to her. ¡°What happened with the lizard?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It was frightened,¡± Kate said. Her face was tight¡ªalmost angry. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you see that?¡±

    ¡°But what did it say?¡±

    Kate walked faster and did not answer.

    ¡°You did hear it talk, didn¡¯t you?¡± Corvan said, his irritation rising.

    Kate stopped but did not turn to face him. Instead, she looked straight ahead. Her voice was low and mysterious, ¡°It said it could not stand against me. That I had the power to destroy everything. Then it begged me to let it live. It said I was the only one who could set it free from the band. All I needed to do was touch it with ¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to see the black band,¡± Corvan insisted.

    ¡°Not now. I¡¯m too tired,¡± Kate snapped back.

    ¡°It¡¯ll just take a second.¡± He stepped around her and blocked her way into the back alley behind her house.

    Kate snatched the plate from his hands. ¡°I said I¡¯m tired,¡± she huffed. ¡°And I¡¯m not a child who needs to be walked home in the dark. I can take care of myself.¡± She pushed past and left Corvan alone in the alley.

    He watched her go through her gate before he turned for home. Not only did he not get to see the black band, but also Kate still had his hammer. Why was she acting so strange? One minute she was his best friend, and the next she was chewing his head off.

    The screen door banged shut behind him, and he slumped down at the table. Mother¡¯s eyebrows arched as she retrieved their supper from the oven. Corvan began to eat as she filled him in on the details of his father¡¯s new job. He was one of the fortunate. There were ten or more families affected by the mine closure, and few of the men would be able to find a job. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a difficult winter,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to help as many people as we can.¡±

    Corvan barely caught what she was saying. His mind was still trying to sort out what had happened with Kate and the lizard.

    After supper, they washed the dishes together. His mother suggested they play Scrabble. He agreed, but he found it hard to concentrate. Finally, his mother said they should get to bed, although she seemed pleased that for once she was winning the game. Corvan returned the game to the pantry.

    As he turned for the stairs, his mother looked up. ¡°Did you see the letter your father left?¡±

    Corvan looked blankly at her.

    ¡°He left it on your washstand when he went up to say good-bye. He didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡±

    Corvan tore up the stairs and burst into his room. Sure enough, a folded piece of paper with his name printed across the front was propped against the water pitcher. He nearly ripped it in his haste to get it opened.

    There was only a short note.

    Corvan,

    I¡¯m sorry I must leave without saying good-bye. I will come home just as soon as I can.

    The next four words were crossed out. Contact me if anything. Below the scribbled-out words, he had written,

    You will turn 15 and be a man by the time I get back. If anything out of the ordinary happens, use your judgment, and do what you know is right.

    Take care of your mom while I am gone.

    Love, Dad.

    Corvan sat on the edge of his bed. He wasn¡¯t ready to be a man, and his mom was a whole lot stronger than he was. Still, it felt good that his dad trusted him to look after things.

    There was a knock at the front door and then an agitated woman¡¯s voice. It must be one of the wives of the men at the mine.

    As the voices moved into the living room, his mother called from the bottom of the stairs. ¡°Corvan, can you please come down here for a moment?¡±

    Corvan went slowly down the stairs wondering what could possibly be going on. As he entered the living room, Corvan stopped and stared. Kate¡¯s mother was on the couch, and her cheeks were streaked with tears and mascara. He had never seen her look so sloppy. She took great pride in her looks and that she once had a small part in a movie.

    Corvan¡¯s mother entered from the kitchen with her teapot and two cups on a wooden tray. She nodded at the armchair, and he sat on the edge while his mother poured.

    ¡°Mrs. Poley believes you might know where Kate has gone.¡± She fired a warning glance at him from beneath her eyebrows. ¡°When you were walking her home, did she say anything to you about going somewhere?¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart sank. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Did she say anything about me?¡± Mrs. Poley asked.

    Corvan¡¯s jaw tightened. Every time he met Kate¡¯s mom, the conversation was about her. ¡°She only said she was worried that you¡¯d be mad about the dishes not being done.¡±

    Mrs. Poley shook her head. ¡°I was only a little annoyed with her.¡± She turned to Corvan¡¯s mother. ¡°I get so tired from working those long shifts, you know, and it¡¯s not easy to raise a child on your own.¡± She paused and dabbed at her eyes. ¡°She told me she had been busy too and had made me a chicken dinner. But as soon as I saw the plate, I knew she was lying because the towel matched the one on the bowl of pastry you sent over.¡±

    She blinked her long lashes, but no more tears fell despite her efforts. ¡°Kate¡¯s never lied to me before, but before I could say anything, she ran to her room and slammed the door. I left her alone while I watched my TV.¡± She paused, probably expecting them to be impressed that she owned the only TV set in town¡ªit had been an extravagant present from the movie director. ¡°When I checked on her, she was gone. Just took the blanket from her bed and left out the window. She didn¡¯t even take her shoes from the front door, so now she¡¯s running around out there in her bare feet!¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mother patted her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure Kate will come back soon. She just needs time to cool off.¡±

    ¡°She had better do it quickly.¡± Mrs. Poley pouted. ¡°I¡¯m tired of phone calls about her fighting and her bad attitude. I¡¯ve always been there for her, but now she keeps saying she is old enough to take care of herself.¡± She stood up and looked out the living room window. ¡°Dave wants me to move to Las Vegas with him. If Kate is so sure she can make it on her own, I have half a mind to just leave her here and go.¡±

    Corvan found himself wondering if there even was half a mind under the dyed blond hair. She could be quite mean to Kate, and Kate had run away twice in the past and spent the night in the fort.

    Kate¡¯s mom turned around. ¡°She even took my outhouse flashlight from beside the back door,¡± she complained. ¡°She knows I hate going out there in the dark.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mom gestured for him to leave, and he headed for the stairway. He wouldn¡¯t go to sleep though. As soon as Mrs. Poley was gone, he was going to slip out and see if Kate was at the Castle Rock.

    Mrs. Poley called after him. ¡°Corvan, do you know who gave Kate that lovely black bracelet?¡±

    He froze. His blood ran cold.

    ¡°She was wearing a shiny bracelet, but she wouldn¡¯t let me look at it. You didn¡¯t give it to her, did you?¡± She studied his face intently as if she would be able to read his mind.

    Corvan shook his head.

    ¡°She said that even though I didn¡¯t want her, there was someone who did, and I thought ¡­¡± She cocked her head to one side. ¡°Did she say anything about hearing from her father?¡±

    Corvan stared blankly at Mrs. Poley and shook his head again. His mind was racing. Why would Kate put that black band on after the lizard wanted so badly to be set free from it?

    Mrs. Poley crossed the room and went down on one knee, so her eyes were level with his. ¡°Corvan, I know I haven¡¯t been keen on you and Kate playing together. It¡¯s just that I know all too well what can come of a boy and a girl spending too much time together.¡±

    Corvan felt his face flush. Mrs. Poley took his hands in hers. ¡°If she goes to find her father, her feelings will be hurt much worse than if you break her heart. Please don¡¯t let her go to him.¡± The way she said the words and tossed her hair made it sound like Mrs. Poley was acting in another movie.

    His mother ushered the woman back to the couch and then turned to Corvan. ¡°Run along to bed, son. We¡¯ll sort this out in the morning.¡±

    Corvan looked at Mrs. Poley¡¯s tear-stained face. Despite the way she treated Kate, he felt sorry for her. ¡°I¡¯ll find Kate and bring her home,¡± he blurted out. ¡°I promise.¡±

    Mrs. Poley smiled at him, and Corvan left the living room to slowly climb the stairs. That bracelet must be doing something strange to Kate. He should never have let her hold the hammer in the first place.

    After lacing up his tennis shoes, he sat and waited by his window. As soon as his mother was in bed, he would find Kate and roll the boulder back over the door. He would wait for his father to return and help him figure out what to do next.

    A beam of light from the rock played past his bedroom window, and Corvan pressed his face against the screen. The shadows shifted as a flashlight flickered around inside the Castle Rock, shot straight into the air, then went out.

    A chill raced up his spine.

    The hammer was the key to the door in the rocks, and Kate had gone to open it.

 Chapter 13

    Corvan pushed up the window screen and slipped over his windowsill onto the porch roof. Tiptoeing to one side, he grabbed the overhanging branch of the maple tree and was on the ground in seconds. Crouching low, he cut wide around the back porch and through the trees. The light in the porch went out and plunged the backyard into darkness. Glancing back through the kitchen window, he saw his mother turn toward her room.

    Running full tilt past the outhouse path, he leapt onto the rock and stumbled as the stone beneath his feet shuddered and knocked him to his knees. Before he could get to his feet, an abrupt scream pierced the night air.

    Corvan scrambled to the top and was bolting into the circle just as the two stone slabs crashed together. Splinters of shattered rock exploded into the air and rained around him as he fell to his knees and pounded on the stone. ¡°Kate. It¡¯s me, Corvan. Open the door!¡± He shouted at the ground.

    He hammered on the stone slab with a loose stone, but the only answer was faint echoes from below. He reached for a larger rock and bashed on the door until it fell from his scraped and bleeding hands.

    Sitting back, he noticed a piece of cloth caught in the top corner where the slabs met. Corvan tugged, and it came loose, neatly snipped off. It was the edge of Kate¡¯s flannel blanket.

    Kate was gone. And without the hammer to open the doors, there was no way he could get her back. He sank to his knees. Tears of frustration shrouded the cloth in his hand.

    The clouds shifted. Moonlight poured into the circle of rocks to reveal footprints in the long piles of dirt pushed up by the opening doors. Some were from Kate¡¯s borrowed runners; the rest were made by the lizard. Corvan traced the progression of the tracks. The lizard must have been hiding behind the large rock because he could see deeper prints where it had jumped out when the door opened. After that, the prints left in a hasty retreat toward the north side of the hill. That must mean the lizard was still out there, and it might know a different way to get inside. Slowly making his way to the bottom, Corvan searched the soil around the base of the rock until he located tracks heading toward the loose pile of dead tree limbs and firewood behind the outhouse.

    A bank of clouds enveloped the moon, and the tracks vanished in the dark. Corvan looked up. There were only a few small breaks in the sky overhead. It was going to be a long, black night.

    A singular patch of moonlight slipped toward the woodpile and moved over the jumbled logs. He caught his breath as the silhouette of the lizard appeared briefly at the very top of the pile.

    Easing himself lower among the stalks of wheat, Corvan crouched onto the soft, warm soil. He needed a weapon to defend himself. The lizard was too quick and vicious.

    He crawled through the wheat until he reached the outhouse path. As soon as he was hidden from the log pile, Corvan scurried up the path to the house. Creeping up and into his room, he left the light off and retrieved his slingshot and pouch of marbles from inside the chest. The Wham-O slingshot had been a tenth birthday present from his dad, and it was a beauty with a solid ash handle. As its name implied it made a great sound when it hit its mark. Corvan could hit the knot on the outhouse door from his bedroom window, but his mother was not as impressed when it turned out she was inside.

    From his bedroom, Corvan studied the deep shadows of the back yard. If he stayed downwind and came in from the front side of the outhouse, he should be able to catch the lizard unaware. If he pulled back on the slingshot only halfway, the marble should stun the creature long enough for him to capture it.

    Using his maple tree escape route again, Corvan dropped to the ground and searched around the base of the tree for a forked stick. He needed one like those he used for catching snakes, but there was nothing large enough. He was making his way toward the cellar to find something there when he saw his mother¡¯s garden scarecrow standing like a mute watchman with a broken pitchfork in its hand. That would work perfectly as it only had the two outer tines remaining.

    After picking his way through the rows of plants, he pulled the pitchfork from the scarecrow¡¯s hand. He jumped back nervously when its head flopped sideways. He was turning away when he noticed bare footprints in the soft soil hilled up around his mother¡¯s potato plants. Kate had just been here, and she had taken the worn out sneakers that had been placed at the bottom of the scarecrow¡¯s empty pant legs.

    Leaving the footless scarecrow watching with its cockeyed stare, he crept across the yard and crouched down behind the outhouse. Overhead and to the west was a large open patch in the clouds; the moonlight would arrive any minute.

    Moving deeper into the shelter of the trees, he tucked in close to the darkness around their weathered trunks. The plowed soil muffled his approach to his vantage point. Leaning into one of the outer spruce trees, Corvan pulled three marbles from the pouch. Two went into his mouth and one into the slingshot.

    The moonlight swept towards him, lighting the prairie in a silver arc. Corvan focused on the woodpile and waited. As the light passed over the ragged pile, there was a flicker of movement before a familiar shape leaned out.

    Corvan quickly pulled the leather pouch back to his elbow, felt the tension build in the rubber bands, then let the marble fly. It struck the lizard high on the side of its head, and the creature slumped forward. Its body was now draped over a log.

    Busted pitchfork in hand, Corvan scrambled over the loose wood toward the reptile. It rolled over, and its eyes sprung wide with fear as the points of the pitchfork dropped past its face. Adrenaline surged through Corvan, and he pushed the two tines firmly around the lizard¡¯s neck to pin it against the tree bark.

    It gurgled and coughed as its eyes were begging for mercy, and he eased up on the handle to let it breathe. ¡°Where¡¯s Kate!?¡± Corvan demanded while choking on the marbles still in his mouth.

    The lizard blinked and hissed out what seemed to be words.

    Spitting the marbles away, Corvan leaned in closer to the reptile¡¯s lean face. ¡°Where¡¯s my hammer? Does Kate have it?¡±

    The lizard shook its head as much as the pitchfork tines would allow.

    ¡°Do you know where the hammer is?¡± Corvan asked, this time speaking slower, so it could understand him.

    The lizard tried to talk and its healthy claw was pushing on the shaft of the pitchfork.

    Corvan returned the creature¡¯s gaze. Its dark eyes had lost the venomous anger of their previous encounter. It appeared more frightened than vicious.

    Corvan eased up on the pressure. ¡°Can you open the door, so I can find her?¡±

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    The lizard slowly nodded. Corvan tugged the points free of the wood and held the pitchfork ready at his side. What choice did he have but to trust it?

    The lizard sat forward, rubbed its neck as it looked around the jumble of logs, and then slipped down to disappear into a gap between the chunks of wood.

    Corvan groaned, dropped the pitchfork, and plopped down on the end of a thick log that jutted out from the pile. The lizard had tricked him, and now he might never find a way past the doors. He buried his face in his hands. His stomach churned at each thought of Kate trapped inside the rock.

    At the sound of movement on the pile of logs behind him, Corvan turned to find the lizard struggling to pull something over a log. The creature gave a yank with its good claw, and a pink pencil case bumped down over the logs and fell into a pile of dead leaves at Corvan¡¯s feet. The lizard followed it down and crouched. Its sides were heaving from exertion.

    Picking up the soft case, Corvan realized he had seen this pencil case on Kate¡¯s desk last year, but only for a day. She had told him her father had sent it to her in the mail. At lunch, two boys grabbed it and tossed it back and forth over her head until she had given one a bloody nose. She had never brought it back to school.

    At his feet, the lizard¡¯s head was bobbing as it gestured with its good claw towards the case. Corvan tugged the zipper open and stared inside. Nestled inside the pink vinyl was the missing hammer. When he touched it, the insignia glowed brightly and turned the entire case a pastel purple. As he lifted it out, the handle grew warm, and a sense of calm flowed through him.

    ¡°She was going to take the hammer to the master of the black band,¡± the lizard stated. ¡°That would not have been good.¡±

    Corvan stared at the creature.

    ¡°When you possess the hammer,¡± the lizard said, ¡°you are able to understand my speaking. That is why I could warn your counterpart about the black band. But she did not listen to me and has willingly accepted the rule of the master.¡±

    ¡°Her name is Kate. What master are you talking about? Did she see someone down below?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, but she will in time. It is the command of the band that compels her to seek him,¡± the lizard said.

    ¡°The band?¡±

    ¡°The black collar that was around my neck. I begged her not to touch it, but she wanted it for herself. I saw that she was wearing it when she went through the doors. She is now under its command. That is why she put the hammer in the pink case. When I had the band on, I could not touch the hammer.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t she take the band off?

    The lizard solemnly shook its head. ¡°She has accepted the band of her own free will. Now it will call her to him, to serve him.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mind whirled. ¡°Can I use the hammer to set her free?¡± He gripped the handle tightly.

    The lizard thought for a moment. ¡°Only if she desires to be set free, and only if we find her before she gets back to him. Once he sees her, he will not allow her to go free lest she destroy all his plans.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s words were confusing and frightening. ¡°Then I¡¯ve got to go after her.¡± Corvan jumped to his feet and scrambled down off the pile onto the soft dirt. As he ran toward the rock, the lizard caught up to him on its swift hind legs and ran alongside like a well-trained dog.

    ¡°She will be inside the labyrinth by now, and you will not be able to follow without a guide.¡±

    Corvan slackened his pace, and then he stopped at the base of the rock. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    The lizard stopped too. ¡°Below the door is an intricate maze. Only those who are called from within can find their way through. The band on the girl will guide her, but you will most certainly be lost.¡±

    ¡°Will you guide me?¡±

    The lizard firmly shook its head. ¡°I no longer have the band, so I cannot make my way through the labyrinth. We would be lost together and trapped inside until we perished.¡±

    Corvan held out the hammer. ¡°What about this? Can it guide me through?¡±

    The lizard stepped back. ¡°Perhaps ¡­ if you have been trained in its use? Have you studied the writings?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about writings,¡± Corvan said, ¡°unless you mean my grandfather¡¯s book. It¡¯s metal, and the hammer unlocks it.¡±

    The dark eyes of the lizard widened as it drew in a hissing breath. ¡°Have you discovered what it says?¡±

    The urgency in the lizard¡¯s voice caught Corvan off guard. Maybe all this was just a trick to get the book. His grandfather had said not to trust the dark eyes. Was he referring to this lizard?

    ¡°Put your hand on the hammer,¡± Corvan said. His gaze fixed intently on the lizard.

    ¡°My hand?¡± the lizard asked.

    ¡°I mean your paw. Place it on the hammer.¡±

    The lizards stepped away. ¡°Oh no, I cannot touch it. I tried once when I wanted to take it to him, but it hurt me badly. I had to wrap cloth around my paws.¡±

    ¡°But that was before Kate released you from the black band,¡± Corvan said.

    The lizard nodded as its good paw caressed the welts around its neck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the hammer will hurt you now unless you are not telling the truth. It seems to know when you¡¯re lying.¡± Corvan extended the hammer.

    The creature shrank back. ¡°I fear it will hurt me again.¡±

    ¡°I need to know if I can trust you. You need to decide if you¡¯re willing to trust me.¡±

    The lizard closed its eyes and edged its paw toward the head of the hammer. There was a moment of silence as it made contact, then a long sigh. ¡°It is not angry with me now.¡±

    ¡°Try the other paw, the injured one,¡± Corvan suggested with sudden inspiration.

    The lizard attempted to lift its bloody paw and let out a low, painful hiss. Crouching lower, Corvan touched the hammer to the damaged paw. A look of astonishment crossed the lizard¡¯s face.

    ¡°Does it feel better?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Look, I can lift it now, and the pain is almost gone. Oh, thank you, sir, thank you.¡±

    Watching the creature bobbing and bowing before him reminded Corvan of the old man who used to be the caretaker at the mine. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me; it was the hammer. If you lie, it hurts you, but when you tell the truth, it heals you. I don¡¯t know how it knows, but it does.¡± He pointed the handle at the lizard. ¡°So be sure you always tell me the truth.¡±

    The lizard nodded vigorously. ¡°I will, sir. But we must hurry if we hope to get through the door before daylight.¡±

    Corvan looked to the eastern sky. ¡°Is there anything else I should bring? Will I need a flashlight?¡±

    The lizard squinted at him. ¡°I do not know the word flashlight.¡±

    ¡°You touch a switch and light comes out.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s face wrinkled in thought.

    ¡°Kate had one at the rock.¡±

    The lizard nodded eagerly. ¡°Oh, yes, the short fire stick. No need. I have much larger ones in the entry.¡±

    Corvan wanted more information, but time was passing quickly. ¡°Is there anything else I should get?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you think you will need for a long journey,¡± it replied with a shrug.

    ¡°A long journey?¡± Corvan¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°How long will it take?¡±

    ¡°Many of your days, sir.¡±

    ¡°Days? How far down does your cave go?¡±

    ¡°It will take days just to get through the labyrinth, after which there is another long descent before we will arrive in the Cor.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mind reeled. How could he go into this maze of tunnels unprepared? He needed more time, but there was no time. He would have to just step through the doors and see what happened, despite how crazy it seemed. But then, who am I to say what¡¯s crazy when I¡¯m having a conversation with a lizard?

    ¡°Looking on the bright side,¡± he said with a wry smile, ¡°it will mean missing a few days of school.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, sir. I¡¯m afraid you do not understand. The cycles of your moon affect the passages.¡± It scanned the predawn skies. ¡°Once we have passed through the labyrinth, the opportunity to return to this sphere will not come again for at least one of your months.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be gone for a month,¡± Corvan exclaimed. ¡°My dad is away, and my mother needs me here to help her.¡±

    The lizard looked up at Castle Rock. ¡°The first passage into the labyrinth will be sealed at sunrise. If you do not wish to go, that is your choice. We can wait.¡±

    The inside of Corvan¡¯s mouth felt like sandpaper. ¡°But what will happen to Kate?¡±

    ¡°Once she meets the master, she will never return.¡±

 Chapter 14

    The matter-of-fact tone of the lizard¡¯s voice shocked Corvan. There was no way he would leave Kate under the control of the black band and lost in the caves underneath the Castle Rock.

    ¡°We must help her, no matter what it takes.¡± Now his own voice gave him pause; it sounded more like his father was speaking.

    ¡°If we do not try,¡± the lizard stated, ¡°all will be lost. If you stay here to protect your world, you may lose it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s going to happen to my world?¡±

    The lizard studiously scratched at the dirt with one of his claws. ¡°It will depend on our success in rescuing the Kate. It is best now to focus on that task.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to bring food, but I could never carry enough for a month.¡±

    ¡°There will be food once we reach the boundaries of the Cor, but there is none in the labyrinth. I think you will only need enough for six of your days.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the Cor?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°That is where the Kate is going, but we must get inside the doors quickly to follow her. Will it take much time to pack your food?¡±

    ¡°Not long. Wait for me up on the rock.¡±

    The creature glanced to the east. ¡°You must hurry. I cannot be outside once the sun is in the sky, and we waste time talking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Corvan sprinted toward the house. Should he wake his mother to let her know what had happened? His pace slackened. She would never believe a story about a talking lizard. It would be best to leave a note telling her he¡¯d gone to find Kate. That would cause her the least amount of worry when he didn¡¯t return right away.

    Once he reached the familiar outline of his home, he paused with one foot on the porch steps and looked back at the rock. He was not ready to leave his home, but Kate was in great danger. He had to save her.

    The interior of the house was deathly silent; even his mother¡¯s snore was missing. He stood still, waiting until he heard faint measured breaths from her room. She never slept well when his father was away. He would need to be especially quiet.

    Retrieving the hunting packsack from the front entry, he shut himself inside the pantry, lit a candle, and dropped the pack of matches into the front pocket of his jeans. He filled one of the side pockets of the pack with jerky, and he stuffed tinned food, bread, and candles into the main section of the pack. Moving a box of Corn Flakes, he discovered a reused plastic bread bag that was half-full of oatmeal raisin cookies. It fit neatly into one of the side pockets. An unexpected bonus was finding a package of chocolate chips inside an empty tin of baking soda. His mother knew better than to leave those out in the open.

    Sneaking up to his room, Corvan set the pack on the bed, opened the chest, and pulled the gray cloth off onto his lap. There was a longer empty cavity at the very back of the tray he had not noticed before. It was about the length of the wooden case his father had shown him on the rock. If that item was now inside the box, it was likely stashed under his parents¡¯ bed. He couldn¡¯t go looking and risk waking his mother. Hopefully it was not important.

    Corvan considered the metal book, but since he couldn¡¯t read it and the lizard was a bit too interested in it, he decided to leave it in the chest for safekeeping. He released the rope and tossed it into the packsack. In the next indentation, the slipper-like shoes were held in place with two stretchy cords. He pulled them out to find they were more like thick socks. Since his own socks were rather thin, he tossed them into the pack. Having warm feet was important, and it was likely cold under the rock.

    The gray cloth cover was warming his legs, and he rolled it up and added it to the pack. Closing the chest, he added three T-shirts into the pack and then jammed his slingshot on top. He tied the pack cover in place, and when he hoisted it onto his shoulders, he let out a groan. How would he ever manage to carry this much weight around in the caves? But how could he know what the journey would require? He would need the lizard¡¯s help to lighten the load as soon as possible.

    As he straightened up, the frame of the pack pushed hard against the hammer in his back pocket. He needed a better way to carry it, and he had the perfect solution.

    He set the pack on the bed and bent down to pull out his army ammo box. His mother insisted he keep anything that might cause a fire in the stout metal box. He dug past an unopened packet of Black Cat firecrackers, three stubby bottle rockets on short bamboo sticks, a roman candle, and a metal waterproof tube of matches before he found it: his Hubley Trooper cap pistol with the Texas star on its holster. He had quit wearing it years ago, after the other kids started calling him Tex and Billy mocked him by saying he should be carrying a bow and arrow instead.

    Putting the cap gun back in the box, he threaded the empty holster onto his belt. The hammer slid inside, handle down, as if it were made to order. Corvan snapped the top flap over the head of the hammer, stepped in front of the mirror, and in one fluid motion released the hammer and pointed it at his reflection. He had practiced that maneuver a thousand times with the pistol and was pleased it worked just as well with the hammer.

    He was going to put the explosives back in the ammo box, but you never knew when you might need a bright flash or a loud noise. He wrapped the gray cloth securely around the fireworks to make sure nothing went off accidentally.

    Tying the pack shut, he hoisted it onto his shoulder and glanced around his room. A strong sense that he might never return to his home struck him as he flipped the light switch and closed the door.

    This time, he remembered to avoid the noisy stair, but with the added weight of the pack, his evasive tactics still resulted in a muted squeak. His mother mumbled in her sleep, and the bed springs groaned as she rolled over. Seizing the moment, Corvan tiptoed down and scooted through the kitchen.

    After easing the back door open, he let it close softly behind him. As he turned, a voice spoke from the armchair.

    ¡°I watched you sit here through the night with the hammer in your hand, but I do not see the advantage of placing one¡¯s body in this.¡± The lizard pushed itself out of the chair. ¡°It seems designed merely to keep one awake. It hurts the tail.¡±

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    Corvan frowned. ¡°I told you to wait for me on the rock.¡±

    ¡°I was worried you might be late. I was considering coming inside to find you,¡± the lizard said.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t. The sight of you would have been too much for my mother to handle.¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± The lizard had a gravely wounded expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal. She just doesn¡¯t like snakes.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not a¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, but she¡¯s not fond of lizards either.¡± He pointed out at the rock. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±

    ¡°Gladly, sir,¡± the lizard said in a huff. ¡°It is well past the time to leave.¡±

    ¡°Just a minute.¡± Corvan crept back inside the kitchen and found a pencil and paper by the telephone. He jotted a short note telling his mother he was going to look for Kate and not to worry. At the bottom, he wrote his name, Cor-Van, with a tiny hyphen. That way his father might understand where he¡¯d really gone.

    Once he set the note on the shelf under the phone, he had to blink back the tears and force down the emotions that threatened to engulf him. He squeezed out the back door and descended the porch stairs with the lizard following close behind.

    ¡°I believe your belongings will be too large to fit through the labyrinth. Some of the openings are quite small.¡±

    Corvan kept walking. ¡°I grabbed everything I thought I might need. It will get lighter as we travel and eat the food.¡±

    ¡°Is it heavy for you?¡± the lizard asked.

    Corvan straightened his back. ¡°I¡¯ve carried more than this before,¡± he replied, but he couldn¡¯t think of when that might have been.

    The dark bulge of the rock loomed ahead. Corvan attempted to leap onto its steep edge but misjudged the added weight of the pack and crashed back to the ground. The lizard¡¯s head appeared above him with an ¡°I told you so¡± look on its narrow face.

    Corvan rolled over onto his knees. ¡°I guess it might be a bit too heavy,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Maybe once we¡¯re inside, we can go through it and decide what to leave behind.¡±

    The lizard didn¡¯t answer, but Corvan thought it rolled its eyes before darting up the rock and into the circle. Heaving himself to his feet, he clambered up after it and reached the top, where the lizard was waiting for him at the door.

    ¡°Light is coming, sir. We must get inside.¡±

    ¡°We have a few minutes.¡± Corvan put his pack down by the stone door. The circle of rocks around him appeared as mute sentinels against the thin gray light of the approaching dawn. A brighter light came on in the kitchen below him, and through the window, he saw his mother go to the sink. He lifted his hand to wave goodbye. She couldn¡¯t see him, but it made him feel a bit better. She turned away, and the kitchen light went out.

    He turned back to the lizard and found a questioning look on its face.

    ¡°Why do you raise your hand and shake it back and forth?¡± the lizard asked. ¡°I have seen others do this. What is the meaning?¡±

    ¡°We are saying good-bye.¡± The lizard looked at him, expecting more. ¡°When we are leaving someone, and we don¡¯t know how long it will be before we see them again, we wave.¡± He swallowed hard. ¡°It means that we love them and hope we¡¯ll see them again soon.¡±

    The lizard nodded. ¡°We do not wave.¡± It shook its head sadly. ¡°Love is not permitted when you serve the master.¡± The lizard studied him for a moment before he jumped over to the pack. ¡°We must go now. Once the light comes up, the first door into the labyrinth cannot be opened until the next phase of the moon.¡± It wrapped its claws around the strap of the packsack and tried to move it closer to the door, but the heavy pack refused to budge.

    Corvan stooped and slung it onto his back. It seemed significantly heavier this time.

    ¡°Sir,¡± a voice spoke at his back.

    Corvan turned around, but the lizard was gone.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, sir.¡± The voice came again and something poked Corvan¡¯s side. Twisting sharply, he found the lizard hanging above his waist.

    ¡°My claw appears to be caught in your belongings, sir,¡± the creature stated flatly.

    Corvan chuckled as he set the pack down and unhooked the lizard.

    Free from the pack, the lizard frowned at him. ¡°I do not understand that noise you just made. I heard it before when you and the Kate were together.¡±

    ¡°I was laughing,¡± Corvan said. ¡°You looked funny hanging there.¡±

    The lizard shook its head and looked over its shoulder at the growing light. ¡°Is the hammer ready?¡±

    Corvan slipped it from the holster. ¡°It should work when I put the handle in that keyhole between the rings.¡± He pointed the handle forward.

    ¡°Stop!¡± The lizard darted in front of him to bar his way to the door. ¡°The power of the hammer flows through your body. The door will open even if your feet touch the stone. That is what happened when the Kate stepped on the doors¡ªthey opened, and she fell, throwing her arms up, like this.¡± The lizard mimicked the motion. ¡°The small case with the hammer inside flew from her hand, bounced off the big rock to the doors, and they closed very fast. I grabbed the case and carried it away as you approached.¡±

    No wonder Kate¡¯s scream had been cut short. ¡°How long does it stay open once you touch it?¡±

    The lizard briefly pondered the question. ¡°I think until you touch it again. It shut when the hammer dropped on it from this side. The Kate was fortunate to not get hit. It closes swiftly.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s test it and see.¡±

    Corvan set his pack down before he tentatively touched the stone. A low rumble echoed below him, but nothing moved. ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t work.¡± As he leaned forward to test it again, the door sprang apart. The lizard pulled him back from the open hole.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible. Does it work the same to close it?¡±

    Corvan leaned forward and touched one finger to the exposed edge of the door. All was silent.

    The lizard was hissing and clicking. Corvan looked at him. He was pointing at the ground where the hammer lay dangerously close to the edge of the door in the dirt. Corvan¡¯s face flushed, and, as he picked it up, his free hand brushed the frame. The doors slammed back together with the ferocity of a massive stone mousetrap. He looked up into the wide eyes of the lizard. ¡°How can I possibly get inside without being crushed?¡± Corvan stammered.

    ¡°If you open the door and then drop the hammer inside, you will be able to climb in safely. I will go first, and you can follow. I suggest you toss your belongings in after me to avoid them getting caught on the door.¡± The lizard gave the eastern sky another quick glance.

    Pulling the pack in close beside him, Corvan exhaled slowly. He then placed his hand on the stone.

    The doors rumbled open, and the lizard leapt into the blackness.

    Corvan called, ¡°Heads up,¡± and threw the pack. It hit the ground below with a thud. Edging forward, Corvan held the hammer out over the hole. ¡°I¡¯m going to drop the hammer in now.¡± No response. ¡°Here comes the hammer.¡± Silence.

    Was this a trick to get the hammer inside with him still locked outside? Maybe if he held the hammer and jumped in without touching the sides, he could shut it from below. He brought his feet together with his toes just inches from the doorway, and it reminded him of the time he jumped off the high diving board at summer camp. That time he¡¯d ended up in the infirmary.

    Ignoring the warning thoughts, Corvan jumped forward and landed amid a pile of jumbled rocks. He stumbled, and his fingers touched the inside of the door frame. The massive slabs came back together with a resounding thunder that grazed the back of his head.

    Falling to the ground in the choking dust, his head came to rest against the coarse canvas of his packsack. It was so dark that he couldn¡¯t even see his empty hands in front of his face. Empty! Once again, he had dropped the hammer. He felt around on the floor with panic rising in his throat. What if the lizard was waiting in the darkness? Were its razor-sharp claws ready to tear out his eyes?

    ¡°Are you down there ¡­ lizard?¡± Again, there was no reply.

    He crawled, fumbling around the ground until his groping hand encountered a round handle, but it was just a short, thick stick. He needed light. He pulled the box of matches from his pocket and struck one. It sputtered to life.

    He tilted it down and waited for it to catch.

    As he held it aloft, he came face-to-face with the empty eye sockets of a human skull.

 Chapter 15

    The match sputtered and singed Corvan¡¯s fingers as it died out.

    In the darkness, the rhythmic click of claws on rock approached. A spark of light expanded to a dome of brilliant white flame. As Corvan¡¯s eyes adjusted to the harsh light, he saw it came from the end of a longer stick that the lizard carried. The creature cocked his head to one side and pointed a claw past Corvan.

    Corvan turned back to find the hammer lying amid the ribs of a human skeleton. The skull was looking directly at it in what seemed like wide-eyed disbelief. His first thought was that he was seeing the remains of his long-lost grandfather. Is this where his grandfather had died? Had the door closed on the hammer and trapped him under the rock?

    Corvan gingerly plucked the hammer from amid the bones and rotting garments. He had never been this close to death, and it unnerved him. A piece of mildewed cloth fell from the ribs to reveal the letters IPC embroidered in red thread. IPC was the bankrupt mine with deep bore problems in his grandfather¡¯s newspaper clipping. His grandfather had never worked at that mine, only for the Red Creek Mine. Who was this person? And how had they come to be trapped here? Was there a connection between the caves the lizard was talking about and the now abandoned IPC mine further down the river valley?

    A shiver ran up his spine. It must have been terrible to die so close to being free.

    ¡°How long has he been here?¡± Corvan asked in a shaky voice.

    The lizard tilted its head to study the skeleton as if seeing it for the first time. ¡°From since I have been guarding the door.¡±

    Corvan slipped the hammer back into the holster and fastened the snap. ¡°How long have you been guarding the door?¡±

    ¡°Before you were born. I have lost count. It has been a long assignment, and a tedious one.¡±

    Corvan looked back at the skeleton. It sounded like this person had died long before his grandfather had gone missing, but how would an IPC miner ever get all the way over to the Castle Rock?

    ¡°What was your assignment?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I am a Watcher.¡±

    ¡°What are you watching for?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s eyes darted about. ¡°For those who might try to enter our world ¡­ or leave it. I am to report anything I see back to him.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s him?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°No more asking,¡± the lizard snapped, but then immediately it bowed to the ground. ¡°I am sorry, sir, but my service is a painful memory.¡± He paused. ¡°I would prefer not to speak of it anymore. Please, come now, we must prepare to make our way through the labyrinth.¡± The lizard turned away and moved off down the low passage.

    Corvan followed, crawling over the rough floor and dragging the packsack. ¡°Are all the caves this small?¡±

    ¡°Most are larger, but sometimes the passages between them are smaller.¡±

    The ground slanted steeply down, and Corvan took to sliding after the lizard. If his sense of direction was correct, they were descending below the western slope of the Castle Rock. Soon the tunnel became less steep, turned back on itself, then opened up such that Corvan could stand upright. They had to be directly under the Castle Rock. With this much solid granite down below the field, it was no wonder their soil was so poor and rocky.

    The light from the lizard¡¯s stick bobbed away In front of him. Loose stones rolled under Corvan¡¯s feet, and he stumbled, cracking his shoulder against the craggy wall. ¡°Hey, slow down, I can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going.¡±

    The light stopped and came back. ¡°Sorry, sir. After all the times running through here in the dark, I forget there are obstacles in the way. Please, take my fire stick. I do not need it, but be careful not to touch the light. It will burn through anything, even the rocks.¡± He thrust the stick at Corvan and moved on. Corvan held the strange torch out in front of him hoping it would not drip and set his shoes on fire.

    The tunnel descended rapidly for a few hundred yards and then branched in two directions. A clear trail cut to the left, but a single set of shoe prints went right. He peered down the right-hand tunnel.

    ¡°It is no use to look for the Kate now,¡± the lizard said from behind him. ¡°The first shifting of the labyrinth openings has already occurred, and she is in the next room. We have some time before we can follow her. Come with me, and I will show you a place where you can rest.¡±

    Corvan turned to follow the lizard down a short corridor and into a small room.

    ¡°You can cover the fire stick, sir.¡± The lizard gestured to the torch. ¡°There is enough light here when your eyes adjust. Just put the cover back on top.¡±

    Corvan examined the stick he held. A small black cap hung from a silver thong just below the glowing end. He held his hand over the fire. It was not as hot as he expected.

    ¡°Do not touch it, sir. If it gets on your skin, it will burn right through to the other side.¡±

    Corvan recalled dripped burning plastic on his arm when melting one of his green army men. It had burned deep into his flesh before it cooled and solidified. This sounded infinitely more painful. He carefully slipped the black cap over the flame, and it went out.

    As his eyes adjusted, he found the cave was bathed in a blue glow from overhead.

    ¡°Not enough light for you, sir? Just a moment.¡± The lizard ran onto a low shelf and pushed a claw toward the light, which in turn became stronger and more pinkish in hue as it spread across the room. ¡°I heard that the lumiens would not grow so far from their source, but I kept tending them and they survived.¡±

    Corvan looked at the ceiling where long, silky threads hung in clusters around knobby globes that were the source of the mysterious light. Near his head was the largest, about the size of a small pumpkin. He gently brushed the soft tentacles that hung around it, and the bulb dimmed to a deep blue that fanned out like ripples in a pool to the other smaller bulbs scattered about the room. Corvan detected an electric smell, as if lightning had struck close by.

    The lizard grinned. ¡°Touch it again.¡±

    Corvan reached up, and waves of light spread from bulb to bulb becoming brighter until they were all the color and intensity of the brightest full moon.

    ¡°Be careful, sir. Mine are not as strong as those in the Cor.¡± The lizard raised a claw, and the globes dimmed back to a soft blue. ¡°They can expend themselves and never recover. We are not permitted to let that happen.¡± He pointed above Corvan¡¯s head. ¡°That is my best one. Not as splendid as those in the Cor, but a beautiful specimen nonetheless.¡±

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    Corvan inspected the large bulb and discovered that it was lower than the rest because it hung from metal holder that arched out from the cavern wall. The fixture ended in a metal ring, just like the one in his room but instead of an electrical cord, a gnarled stem was wrapped along the metal until it spread its roots out onto the rock.

    ¡°Are they plants?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Yes, like your vegetables, but much better tasting. Here, try one of these.¡± The lizard plucked a small globe the size of a cherry tomato from a patch that hung down the wall. ¡°Quick, eat the flesh while it is still blue; that is the nicest flavor, I think.¡±

    Corvan nibbled on the strange fruit. It tasted sweet¡ªlike a peach but tangier. The texture was smooth, and warmth flowed down his throat and into his stomach. He popped the rest into his mouth.

    ¡°Careful, sir.¡± The lizard approached him. ¡°Do not bite the seed. It is never permitted for us to consume the life of a lumien.¡±

    Corvan worked his tongue around the hard pit of the fruit. There was a tiny buzz of electric current as his tongue touched the pointy end of the seed, like touching his tongue against the terminals of a nine-volt battery. The tingle in his tongue spread through his head. It was much more pleasant than the shock from the battery.

    He spit the seed into his hand. It was teardrop shaped and had veins that pulsed as if a tiny heart were beating inside.

    ¡°Touch the pointed end to the ceiling, sir.¡±

    Corvan reached up and felt a small tug as the seed reattached itself to the rock. A translucent skin formed that obscured the patchwork of veins.

    ¡°You must plant it any time you eat the fruit. It is forbidden to eat the center of the lumiens. The penalty is death, for they are our source of light and life.¡±

    ¡°Do they only have one seed?¡±

    The lizard tilted its head. ¡°I have been told that there is a special mother plant that produces clusters of seeds, but I have never seen it. It belongs to the priests, but I think it must not produce many of the seeds because the Cor is darker each time I return.¡±

    A pale blue skin now covered the seed. It twitched and stretched as the fruit expanded.

    ¡°They grow quickly at first, but they won¡¯t glow until they are larger. If you pick them when they are brighter, they become too spicy for my taste. Would you like to try a brighter one?¡± He raised a claw toward the globes.

    ¡°I feel full. Maybe later.¡± The pleasant feeling from the seed had passed  and left behind a heightened awareness of his body, as if the electricity was trapped inside him. Corvan looked around the chamber until his gaze settled on an intricate sculpture created from bits of metal that hung on one wall. Looking closer, he could see pieces he recognized: a circular saw blade, lids from tin cans, a tie rod from a truck, and a rusty hand-cranked eggbeater. ¡°Did you make that?¡±

    A proud smile spread across the lizard¡¯s face. ¡°The hole into your world permitted me freedom that a Watcher normally does not receive. I did not have to go back to the Cor for supplies and was able to learn much about you and your world. This is something I made to help me pass the time. I use small fire sticks I grow to melt the pieces together. Do you like it?¡±

    Corvan nodded. He didn¡¯t know much about art, but it certainly looked as good as anything he had seen on his field trip to the art gallery in the city.

    Below the sculpture, a row of tall quartz crystals sprouted from the floor. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen rock crystals that big.¡±

    The lizard nodded. ¡°I have practiced a little over the years. It is one of the things that kept me from losing myself. Would you like to hear them?¡±

    ¡°Sure?¡± Corvan said, although he was uncertain how you would listen to rocks.

    The lizard stepped into the center of the tall crystals. After a moment of intense concentration, the creature caressed the angular shapes with the tips of his claws. A faint sound, like tiny glass wind chimes, filled the room. The sound felt like a liquid flowing around his head and into his ears. Corvan closed his eyes as the tempo of the music increased. He imagined a group of small creatures moving in a circle, bobbing rhythmically up and down. Abruptly the music stopped.

    The lizard looked up with glistening eyes. ¡°I have not played that one since before I accepted the black band.¡± He scurried up to Corvan. ¡°That was a song about my kind in the days before we became Watchers. Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°It was very nice.¡± Corvan¡¯s ears still rang with the tune, and his head felt fuzzy. ¡°I think I¡¯d better sit down,¡± he mumbled, dropping the pack from his shoulder and sitting beside it.

    ¡°Yes, you should rest. We have a short time until the first portal door opens into the labyrinth, and I need to pack. I am not sure what to take. I have more collected than I could ever carry.¡± He moved to the cave wall and pulled back a coarse curtain to reveal a small room carved into the rock. Hanging on the back wall were row upon row of skinned and dried gopher carcasses. No wonder their field was the only one in the area not full of gopher holes.

    Small sheaves of wheat were piled high in a roughly hewn stone bin. Shelves cut into the rock above it held a variety of glass jars full of dried fruits, nuts, and strange things that Corvan didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°So, that¡¯s where my mother¡¯s canning jars went. She always blamed me for taking them outside and losing them.¡±

    ¡°You did bring them outside, sir. So, in a way, she was correct,¡± the lizard replied.

    ¡°Why do you keep calling me ¡®sir¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Out of respect. Now that I am free, I am pleased to become your servant.¡±

    ¡°How can you be free and also be a servant?¡± Corvan asked.

    The lizard stopped picking items from his shelves and turned to Corvan. ¡°That is the best freedom of all. To know I can serve by my own choice and not from fear of pain. I was born to serve, but I only truly enjoy it when I freely choose my own master.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you freely choose to accept the black band?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s face wrinkled, and he caressed his neck. ¡°Yes. I made the choice of my own will, but once the bond was on me, I was not free to leave. My choice placed me under his control. But that is not how Tsarek was created to serve.¡±

    ¡°Is that your name, Tsah-reck?¡±

    ¡°It is the name I was given at emergence, but I have not used it for many years. He forbade us personal recognition. We were referred to only by the location of the portal we guarded.¡±

    ¡°What does your name mean?¡±

    Tsarek looked down at the ground. ¡°It means pretty face .. on account of these blue markings.¡± He pointed to the side of his face.

    The three lines of deep blue scales that swept off Tsarek¡¯s face and onto his neck seemed more visible than before, as if the lizard were blushing. Corvan felt a bit sorry for him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me ¡®sir.¡¯ You can use my name and call me Corvan if you want.¡±

    The lizard shook his head vigorously. ¡°Oh no! Were I to use your title when others may hear, that would be the end of us both.¡± His tone softened. ¡°Perhaps I may be permitted to use your personal name?¡±

    ¡°Corvan is the only name I have.¡±

    ¡°I refer to the name your mother used: Kalian.¡±

    ¡°My mother never called me that.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Tsarek said, ¡°But she sang it to you often in her song. Kalian means my only one.¡±

    Kalian. Was that the name Grandfather¡¯s letter referred to? He liked the sound of it. ¡°That will be fine. From now on, you can call me Kalian.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s eyes shone with honor. He crossed to Corvan, placed a slender paw on his knee, and looked into his eyes. ¡°Tsarek promises to serve Kalian and ¡­ Oh, sir, I am sorry.¡± His voice faltered, and his paw dropped from Corvan¡¯s knee.

    Tsarek, pulled back across the cavern floor. He leaned heavily against the crystals, and a discordant jangling filled the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I cannot serve you for you must kill me. You must take the right of family blood.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Corvan said.

    The lizard pulled something from a niche in the wall. He placed the object into Corvan¡¯s hand and then stepped away while bowing deeply.

    An old pocket watch with crudely scratched symbols over its back lay in his palm. He turned it over. The front cover was carefully inscribed with the same insignia as the hammer. He flicked the catch, and the watch popped open. The bezel was cracked, and the hands were frozen together at the top position. Tiny words had been engraved on the inside cover. Lifting it toward the largest globe, Corvan read aloud, ¡°To Grandfather, on the birth of Corvan, September 21, 1937.¡±

    His mother had told him about this watch. It had been a present from her. He wrapped his hand tightly around it. ¡°Where did you get my grandfather¡¯s watch?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I did not know who it was,¡± Tsarek said. ¡°It was dark, and I was afraid.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Did you meet my grandfather? Where? When?¡±

    ¡°The bones up above in the entry. I took it from the skeleton after ¡­¡± Tsarek fell prostrate on the floor. ¡°Oh, sir, my life is forfeit to you. You must now kill me; I am the one who took the life of your past-father.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Tsarek¡¯s words hung in the dense air of the small cave. Past-father could only refer to Corvan¡¯s grandfather. The lizard had lied about how long he watched the doors. He had murdered his grandfather to stop him from returning home!

    Anger blazed in Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why? Why did you kill my grandfather?¡±

    The lizard fell on its face on the floor. ¡°It was the task I was given by my master. I was under the band and had to obey.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse! You said you chose the band; you were responsible for your actions.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, it is true and that is why you must take my life for his.¡± Tsarek spoke into the dirt. ¡°It is the law of the Cor.¡±

    The scaly creature groveling at his feet only increased Corvan¡¯s frustration and anger. He wanted to punish it for what it had done, but he did not want to kill it. Corvan released the hammer from its holster and held it over the lizard¡¯s head. ¡°I am not your judge. The hammer will decide your punishment.¡±

    Tsarek rolled onto its back, and a guttural scream escaped its lips. Startled, Corvan stepped back, and the hammer smacked into the large globe. Warm blobs of blue light rained down around him. The room was plunged into darkness as they fizzled out on the floor.

    There was a rustle of movement, then a quiet voice spoke. ¡°Please, sir, do not use the hammer. I am afraid of what it might do to me.¡±

    The glow in the remaining smaller globes flickered back to life to reveal the pathetic form cowering against the far wall of the storage room. Corvan lowered the hammer. Tsarek had killed his grandfather, but the creature before him was different now that it no longer had the band around its neck.

    ¡°I will not take your life, Tsarek.¡± He slid the hammer back into the holster. ¡°I am not bound by your laws. You are free to go.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sir, please do not send me away.¡± Tsarek crawled back to Corvan. ¡°To send me away is to send me back to him.¡± He rested a paw on Corvan¡¯s right sneaker. ¡°Please, sir, I wish to stay with you. You will need me to get through the labyrinth. I freely desire to serve the Cor-Van and to help him rescue his counterpart and remove the black band. It makes you do terrible things.¡±

    Could Kate end up as angry and violent as Tsarek when he had worn the band? She was being drawn deeper into the darkness, and he needed Tsarek¡¯s help to find her whether he could trust him or not.

    ¡°I will let you be my guide until we find Kate and return.¡±

    Tsarek sat up and nodded vigorously. ¡°We cannot reach her now, and she can go no farther until the next shift of the labyrinth. That is also when the first portal will flow open. I must finish packing, and you need to rest. You can lie there.¡± He pointed to a low mound on the floor. ¡°It is my special sleeping place.¡±

    Corvan dragged the pack over and sat down. The weariness of the long day and night settled in as he leaned back against his pack. As he relaxed, the mound beneath him grew softer and conformed to his body. He desperately wanted to close his eyes but not with Tsarek nearby.

    Tsarek watched him with keen interest. ¡°There is a long journey ahead of us. I will wake you in time to repack your things. Although the first opening is quite large, the others may be too tight for all your belongings.¡±

    Tsarek turned away and began to pick through the alcoves cut into his storage room walls. Each hole contained something from the world above: a battered transistor radio with a piece of barbed wire stuck into the broken antenna, a carefully polished bent fork perched on a rock like a thin metal bird, a rusty adjustable wrench with only one jaw, and a scruffy baseball with Corvan¡¯s early attempts at a signature scrawled across it. The lizard was an organized packrat.

    Tsarek appeared to ignore Corvan, but from time to time the lizard¡¯s eyes would flicker in his direction. Was he waiting for him to fall asleep, so he could attack him and steal the hammer?

    He sat up and forced his eyes to stay open. He had to find out more about this creature.

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    ¡°Tsarek.¡±

    The lizard jumped. ¡°You must sleep, sir. Our journey begins soon, and it will not be an easy one. You will not find a soft sleeping place like that once we are inside the labyrinth, only cold rocks.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. Too much has happened in the last day. Or has it even been a day? I guess there¡¯s no way to know down here.¡±

    ¡°We know the passing of time, sir, for the glow of the lumiens ebbs and flows in a regular pattern.¡±

    ¡°Like the tide of the ocean?¡±

    ¡°I do not know the word ¡®ocean,¡¯ but just like in your world, we rest in the dark and work during the light¡ªalthough I have heard that the settlement workers must work longer if the production of fire sticks can keep up with their progress.¡±

    ¡°What do the workers do?¡± Corvan asked. There was something not right with people being forced to work in the dark.

    ¡°Each group has different tasks to perform. The lowest class are the gleaners. They tend the lumien clusters and the other plants people need for food.¡±

    Corvan pushed his pack away and stretched out. ¡°The people eat only plants?¡±

    Tsarek emerged from his pantry with his paws full of wheat sheaves. A dried gopher carcass hung by one leg from his teeth. He scurried over to drop his load by the growing pile. ¡°It is against the law, but some have taken to eating other creatures.¡±

    ¡°Like what, cows?¡±

    Tsarek grinned, exposing his pointed teeth. ¡°Oh, no, nothing like cows. Just a few small animals, like those.¡± He gestured to the gopher carcass. ¡°Just as in your world, there are those who take advantage of their position higher up in the eating order.¡±

    Was the lizard saying that the high-ranking people ate those in classes lower than themselves? He thought of his grandfather¡¯s bones in the entry above and decided he didn¡¯t really want to know.

    Tsarek watched him intently, but when Corvan met his gaze, he bustled over to the cubby holes and began selecting more items. At times, he would hold something up to the light of the remaining lumiens, give a heavy sigh, and place it back in its cubbyhole. ¡°Such a wonderful collection,¡± he muttered. ¡°Some he has never seen before. There would have been a great privilege for bringing back such things.¡±

    Corvan stiffened. Tsarek must be referring to his former master. Was there also a reward for bringing him back?

    Tsarek chose three smaller items, wrapped each one in a scrap of cloth, and placed them by his row of supplies. He turned, and his eyes met Corvan¡¯s. ¡°Sir, you must sleep.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I have so many questions.¡±

    ¡°Then ask. I will try to help. I have been observing your world a long time.¡±

    ¡°You said above that you were guarding it before I was born?¡±

    ¡°Long before that. I was young myself when I was first sent here.¡±

    ¡°Were you expected to guard this portal all your life?¡±

    ¡°There is no returning unless the band calls you to report or another Watcher takes your place. We must keep the portal safe from all intruders. No one must be allowed to come into the Cor or to ¡­¡± Tsarek¡¯s voice trailed off, and he turned back to his packing.

    Corvan flicked the pocket watch open and reread the inscription. ¡°Did my grandfather say anything to you before he died?¡±

    Tsarek turned around. ¡°He did not have time.¡± A look of remorse crossed his face. ¡°When my kind are in a fight and kill, it is very swift.¡± The lizard lifted one claw and glared at it with the angry expression Corvan remembered vividly from the first encounter on the rock. Tsarek frowned at his claw, then the angry look returned. His dark eyes were smoldering with hatred.

    Corvan sat up and fumbled for the hammer.

    Tsarek¡¯s face relaxed, and the lizard moved his claw closer to Corvan¡¯s face. In the dim light of the small globes, he could make out a drop of yellow fluid forming at the tip of the longest claw.

    ¡°It just takes a scratch.¡± The lizard shook his claw, and the drip fell to the ground. ¡°It was much easier to produce with the band on because you need to get very angry to make it come out.¡± He pointed the claw at Corvan. ¡°Catching the rodents was simple. I would wait until they stuck their foolish heads out of their holes.¡± He made a slashing motion with his claw. ¡°They were dead before they could even pull their bodies back into their burrows. It is a little slower with larger animals, like that dog creature that attacked me. And I can make it even slower if I want them to live until I ¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tsarek,¡± Corvan said, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s all I need to know.¡±

    Tsarek nodded politely. ¡°I am glad to be of service. Are you able to sleep now?¡±

    Any hope of sleep had abandoned Corvan. He would need to keep an eye on Tsarek day and night.

    Tsarek stepped up to the crystals. ¡°I know what will help you rest. My mentor used to play a tune for me when I could not sleep. I am not sure I can remember it after all this time, but I will try.¡±

    Tsarek ran his claws over the angular rocks, and soft music swirled around the cavern to surround Corvan like a warm blanket, like his mother¡¯s song.

    Leaning back against the pack, he closed his eyes. Small lizards danced in his imagination. Their claws were clicking on the rocks. He forced his eyes open to watch Tsarek¡¯s poisonous claws caressing the crystals. Sleeping with this dangerous creature so close was not a good idea.

    Corvan¡¯s eyes grew heavier. Just before they closed, he thought he saw a line of yellow venom dripping down the luminescent surface of the largest crystal.

 Chapter 17

    A shadow fell across Corvan¡¯s closed eyes. Something sharp brushed his cheek. He rolled away, and pain shot up his elbow before his arm went numb. The lizard had scratched him with his poisonous claw!

    Tsarek stood over him with his head cocked to one side. ¡°I am so sorry to have to wake you, Kalian, sir, but it is time for us to go.¡±

    Corvan moved his arm tentatively. The numbness ebbed away, though his elbow ached fiercely. He had hit his funny bone on the rock.

    A faint tremor ran through the cavern walls.

    ¡°The first portal is about to open,¡± Tsarek said, jumping towards the entrance into his cave. ¡°I let you sleep too long. We will need to sort through your pack between the chambers of the labyrinth.¡±

    Corvan sat up and rubbed his sore elbow.

    The lizard gestured over his shoulder to a small bundle tied to the end of a few long sticks. ¡°I did not have enough room, so while you slept, I added a few of my belongings to your pack. I hope that is all right.¡±

    Corvan got to his feet and hefted the pack. It was much heavier. ¡°What did you put in here, rocks?¡±

    Tsarek grinned. ¡°Just one,¡± he said, pointing to the musical crystals.

    Corvan looked around. All that remained of the largest crystal was a broken stump.

    ¡°If it is too much for you, I can try to carry it in my bundle,¡± Tsarek said, shaking the slender sticks balanced on his shoulder.

    Corvan shook his head as he pulled on the pack. ¡°It¡¯s okay. When we go through my stuff later, we¡¯ll decide what we really need.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir. I have grown attached to my music. I believe it will keep our spirits up during the long walk to the lower levels, especially if we get lost.¡±

    Another tremor went through the rock.

    ¡°The first door is opening.¡± Tsarek tugged on Corvan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I am not sure how long we will have to get through.¡± The lizard hurried from the room with Corvan stumbling along at his heels.

    Tsarek was quickly lost to sight in the dark tunnel. ¡°Wait for me! I can¡¯t see anything. Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Right in front of you, sir. No time to stop. Follow my voice; the entry is not far. Watch out for the stones on the floor.¡±

    Watch? In complete darkness? Most likely the lizard could see in the dark.

    The lizard cried out in pain. ¡°There is a big stone in the middle of the path. Please be careful.¡±

    Nope, the lizard couldn¡¯t see in the dark either. Corvan shuffled his feet along to avoid stubbing his toes or twisting his ankle.

    An abrupt shift in air pressure caused Corvan¡¯s ears to pop. A moist breeze blew past that was heavy with the sulfuric odor of burning matches.

    ¡°It¡¯s just ahead, sir, and still open. The other entries all open at the same time, so the air from the Cor pushes toward the surface.¡± The lizard was fumbling with his bundle of sticks and presently a brilliant glow fluttered in the breeze.

    They were standing at the end of a roughly hewn tunnel. The source of the sour wind was before them: a hole in the wall about a foot off the ground and three feet in diameter. The rock around the edges rippled like melted blue glass. Wisps of smoke trailed from its edges. Corvan stepped closer and looked through, but there was only a black void on the other side.

    ¡°Do not touch it, sir. We must wait until it is fully formed, or it will close quickly and cut whatever is partway through to pieces.¡± The lizard shuddered. ¡°It is not a pretty sight.¡±

    ¡°Will Kate know not to touch them?¡±

    ¡°She will be moving forward, sir, as the black band calls her on. The next portal in the next cavern of the labyrinth will be formed by the time she gets there. See, now this one is ready.¡±

    Corvan noticed that the blue glass had turned a creamy tan color, and the smoke was gone.

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    The lizard leaped up through the hole. His head popped back through. ¡°You can touch the side now.¡± His claws clicked on the glossy surface as he jumped back through the hole to Corvan¡¯s side. ¡°It will be easier if you throw your pack in first. I will stay here and hold the light for you.¡±

    Corvan tossed the heavy pack to the other side of the hole, put one foot over the threshold, and stood straddling the gap in the wall. He gingerly touched the surface. It pulsed warmly against his fingers. Blue light rippled out from around each fingertip.

    Tsarek shouted and shoved him through the hole to land in a heap on the other side. The opening snapped shut. Its light vanished as if someone had switched off the lights. The smell of burning matches infused the still air.

    Corvan heard the lizard grunt. ¡°Sir, I need your help, please. You will find more fire sticks attached to my bundle on the floor. The one in my claws is no longer useful.¡±

    Fumbling around the floor, Corvan located the sticks. He untied them and then exposed the capped end on one. White light flared to reveal Tsarek hanging from the end of a stick that stuck straight out of a solid cave wall. He looked so funny with his short, thick legs dangling in midair that Corvan had to choke back a laugh. ¡°Was the portal supposed to close that fast?¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t in the past, but I believe that Kate found the next door very quickly. There is no other way to explain it.¡± The lizard shrugged, bobbing on the end of the stick like a jackfish on a willow pole. ¡°Could you help me down, sir?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not far. Just let go.¡±

    ¡°I would, sir, but when I get frightened my claws lock up on me.¡± Tsarek ducked his head and dropped his gaze to the ground. ¡°You will need to rub the spines on my back for me to relax enough to let go.¡±

    Corvan stepped closer. ¡°These little spikes?¡± He ran his hand up the lizard¡¯s prickly spine.

    ¡°The other way, please. That only makes me more tense.¡±

    Corvan ran his hand downward as if petting a cat.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s much better.¡± Tsarek dropped from the pole, and the stick twanged in the still air. Muttering a stiff ¡°thank you, sir,¡± the lizard scurried over to his belongings and bundled them back together.

    ¡°Will the next door be nearby?¡±

    ¡°Not always. The portals move each time they open and close. That is why we will need your hammer to guide us from here. It will be many hours until the next shifting. Let us find a comfortable spot to sort through your belongings.¡±

    Corvan hoisted his pack and grabbed the stick in the wall. ¡°I suppose we should break this off in case we need it later.¡± He pulled down and the stick shuddered in his hand. A dull boom thumped through the walls of the cavern.

    ¡°Oh, my, so fortunate it did not break on this side,¡± Tsarek exclaimed. ¡°To break a fire stick is to release all its energy at one time. Very dangerous. It is fortunate that the Cor shield is unbreakable.¡±

    Corvan stepped away from the stick. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°No harm done, sir. Though good for us that we are not deep enough for buraks. A vibration in their area would have them eating us before we could call out for help. One bite and you die even faster than my claws!¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t recall the lizard mentioning man-eating creatures lurking below. He peered over his shoulder into the blackness. Were buraks the monster from his recurring nightmare? A shiver ran through his body. Was it a burak he would have to escape from in the labyrinth?

    ¡°Not to worry, sir. The buraks cannot enter the labyrinth. They are much farther down. Let¡¯s move along the tunnel in case that fire stick breaks on this side. Sometimes, when they get as old as these, they can shatter on their own. Very messy if you happen to be holding one.¡±

    Corvan thrust the fire stick at Tsarek. Tsarek¡¯s short legs churned as he moved off, and Corvan followed closely. Were Tsarek wrong about the buraks, he didn¡¯t want to meet one alone in the dark.

    The tunnel opened into a cavernous room with a low ceiling. The sound of water echoed in the far corner, and Corvan¡¯s parched throat reminded him he¡¯d had nothing to drink since leaving his home.

    Tsarek ran to the pool and crouched down to lap at the water like a scaly dog. The pool was a good twenty yards across to where the water tumbling in from a fissure in the wall. No water ran out of the pool, so the drain had to be somewhere below the surface.

    Corvan stretched out on the ground and drank. The water was cool and refreshing but tasted somewhat of fish. He glanced to one side. Tsarek had waded into the pool beside him and was washing his scales. ¡°Do you mind, Tsarek? I was still drinking.¡±

    ¡°No problem, sir,¡± Tsarek chirped in response. ¡°You do not bother me. Please continue.¡±

    Corvan shook his head and got to his feet. He waded in until the water was below his knees, stooped over, and splashed water onto his dirty face. He should have taken off his running shoes first. They would take a long time to dry in the damp air.

    The water was cool, but Tsarek didn¡¯t seem to mind. His energetic splashes were sending ripples dancing across the pool in all directions. The small waves bounced off the rock wall on the far side and crisscrossed on their way back like many thin snakes swimming just below the surface. The ripples moved toward Tsarek and then suddenly changed direction to undulate directly toward Corvan.

    He pointed at them. ¡°Hey, Tsarek, why are the ripples¡ª¡±

    He was yanked underwater by his legs. Corvan grabbed at a thin rope wrapped around his ankles, but even more ropes whipped around to bind his arms and legs together. Panic raged through him as he was dragged like a hogtied calf deep into the dark water.

    A bright light bubbled past, and he caught a glimpse of a fire stick in Tsarek¡¯s claws. The water foamed angrily around him, and his ears thundered in pain as the light faded to a narrow point.

    The ropes pulled him down even faster, and his lungs screamed for air. He had to breathe. His head throbbed. Sparks swam before his eyes. He tried to hang on, but before he could stop himself, his lips parted. Water swept into his lungs.

    A peaceful calm unexpectedly settled over him. His body relaxed, and his arms drifted limply past his face. A bright light approached, and in that moment he knew he was about to die and Kate would be forever lost in tunnels of the Cor.

 Chapter 18

    ¡°Breathe, sir, please breathe. You are the Cor-Van, and you must live to set the Cor free.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s voice was hollow and distant. His body was heavy and unresponsive.

    ¡°Without you, the Kate will die.¡± The lizard rocked Corvan¡¯s body harder and pushed him onto his side.

    Water gurgled from the side of his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t pull in a breath. His heart fluttered, his body arched, and he coughed out streams of brackish water. Corvan managed to push up off the ground while gasping for air between bouts of retching and gagging.

    ¡°Thank you, sir, thank you.¡± Tsarek was patting his head.

    Finally, Corvan managed to raise to a sitting position and choke out a few words between coughs. ¡°What ¡­ happened? What ¡­ was that?¡±

    ¡°I think it is an offspring from the great water creature in the Cor, the Volisk. This one¡¯s arms were very long but smaller and easy to burn through. Even a fire stick is no match for the body of a large one.¡± He pointed to where a floating fire stick was casting its bubbling glow through the water.

    ¡°Was it your stick that I saw under the water?¡± Corvan fell into another fit of coughing.

    ¡°Yes. They burn well under water.¡± He dropped the pair of unlit ones and waded out to retrieve the glowing one in the water.

    A long, white tentacle rose to the surface. Tsarek gave it a poke with the burning end of the fire stick. The arm of the creature twitched horribly, and the lizard sprinted for the shore.

    Corvan heaved up water until his ribs and stomach ached.

    ¡°I burned through many of its arms, but they just kept coming,¡± Tsarek said as he was pushing the glowing fire stick in a crack in the floor. ¡°It was not until we came to this pool that I finally burned through that last one and it let you go.¡± Tsarek looked over his shoulder. ¡°I just wish I knew where we are now.¡±

    Corvan hunched over and was suppressing a new coughing fit as he checked out their surroundings. They were in a new cavern, one with a high ceiling and deep black walls. The pool was long and narrow, and there was no water coming in or going out. The surface was as smooth as a mirror. The limp arm of the water monster reflected in the shallows.

    Tsarek looked at him. ¡°I believe we are still in the labyrinth, but I am not sure how to locate the next opening or if the Kate is even nearby. I do not even know which level we are on or how many entries we skipped. This is not good, not good at all.¡±

    The air was much cooler, and Corvan shivered with cold, and fear. Would the rest of this adventure be this dangerous? They had just started out, and already he had nearly drowned.

    ¡°Oh, sir, I forgot you humans cannot tolerate the cold. I heard your mother say you might catch your death of cold.¡± He pressed his smooth, chilly nose up against Corvan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Are you dying?¡±

    Corvan tried to answer, but his teeth chattered too much to talk.

    ¡°You must not die. I shall get you warm.¡± He jumped over to Corvan¡¯s pack and yanked the top open. A clump of soggy clothes came free along with the slingshot. Tsarek tossed them to one side and dug deeper into the pack. ¡°Here is something that is still dry.¡± He shook out the gray cloth from the chest and the fireworks tumbled to the ground.

    Tsarek let out a long hiss as he lifted the cloth and stared at it with wide eyes. ¡°Only the master had one of these. He used it, so he could walk undetected through the Cor.¡± He turned to Corvan. ¡°When you wear it, others see it for whatever is in their mind or whatever surrounds you. Did it belong to your past-father?¡±

    ¡°Wear it?¡± Corvan leaned closer and touched the fabric.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tsarek stated. ¡°That is why it has a hood and buttons, like the yellow rain jacket you sometimes wore.¡±

    ¡°If it belongs to your master,¡± Corvan doubled over and coughed up more water, ¡°is it an evil thing?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, not evil, but highly valuable. He will surely want to find it and take it away from you.¡± He draped it over Corvan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You must wear it at all times, so he cannot find you.¡±

    Despite the cold fear in his heart, Corvan¡¯s body was immediately infused with warmth. Tsarek flipped the hood over his head, and Corvan breathed deeply.

    ¡°If you do not like it, I will look for other dry things.¡± Tsarek stuck his head inside the pack, and Corvan heard a muffled expression of surprise. The lizard emerged, holding the strange coil of rope in his claws. ¡°Most incredible. I have never seen one so long and thin. There are tales of such that used to grow in the farthest regions, but I did not think them true. Where did you acquire a krypin such as this?¡±

    ¡°It was my grandfather¡¯s. He left it for me in case he did not return.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s face fell. ¡°Most sorry, sir. I should not be touching such things.¡± Tsarek dropped the rope at Corvan¡¯s feet and moved over to the clothes. ¡°The air is drier here. We must be closer to the Cor. Perhaps I should lay your things on the rocks to dry?¡±

    ¡°I have a better idea.¡± Corvan grabbed the rope. Pushing on the dark button, he ran the sticky disk out to a wall and tied the other end off at a short pillar of rock near his pack. ¡°There, a clothesline. Just like at home. You can hang up the clothes while I empty out the pack. I need to check on my food.¡±

    Tsarek grimaced, and Corvan realized that the lizard¡¯s food supplies had been left behind at the upper pool.

    ¡°I should have enough food for both of us,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Do you like canned beans? We can lighten the pack at the same time.¡±

    ¡°I have never tried beans from a can. I could not make the thing you use to open it work with my paws, but I am grateful for your concern.¡± He began to hang up the wet clothes.

    A low stone slab the size of his kitchen table lay just beyond his clothesline. Grabbing his pack, he carried it to the stone table, set it down, and began to unpack the soggy contents. The beef jerky in the side pocket was a little soft, but it would dry out. Amazingly, the knot on the bread bag filled with cookies had kept the water out. He set it aside for later.

    He found Tsarek¡¯s wrapped bundles in one of the larger side pockets. Hopefully none of them would turn out to be a slimy gopher carcass. As he piled them by the pack, a small red Swiss Army knife tumbled out. His ninth birthday present that had gone missing when he left it out at the fort.

    He glanced at Tsarek smoothing out his clothes on the line. Finders keepers; losers, weepers. Wrapping the knife up, he placed it on top of Tsarek¡¯s pile. At the bottom of the compartment, he found Tsarek¡¯s musical crystal. Corvan stood it on the rock, stroked it lightly, and was startled by a soft, clear note.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Tsarek¡¯s head jerked up, and he rushed over. ¡°Thank you, sir, but please do not attach it to the rock. I do not want to break it off again or the tone will grow too faint to hear.¡±

    Corvan tipped the stone down, and the soft glow died away. Tsarek tried to gather all his bundles in his paws, but there were too many to carry. ¡°Do you need a hand?¡± Corvan offered.

    ¡°No, no, I am fine,¡± Tsarek stammered, ¡°I will move my things over by the wall and dry them there. You do not need to help me, sir. I will come right back.¡± Tsarek hurried to the far wall but kept glancing over his shoulder. He sprinted back to the table, loaded up the rest, then ran them back to the wall. With his back to Corvan, he pawed through his possessions. A sharp hiss escaped his teeth, and he ran back. ¡°One is missing.¡±

    ¡°Did you put something in another pocket?¡± Corvan said, turning to the pack.

    ¡°No. Please look again.¡± Tsarek leaped onto the table and poked at the pack.

    Corvan felt in the pocket. Sure enough, a flat circle of cloth lay on the bottom. It was warm to the touch. He pulled it out and the cloth unraveled slightly to reveal a silver disk with lines etched across its center.

    Tsarek snatched the object from his hands and tied it back up. ¡°Thank you, sir. That is the one I was missing.¡± He bounded off the table with the bundle clutched to his chest. With his back to Corvan, he unwrapped and carefully rewrapped all his things.

    Corvan shrugged. Crows and packrats carefully guarded their treasures, no matter how worthless they were.

    Tsarek finished fussing with his belongings and joined Corvan at the stone table. His eyes scanned the food laid out on the rock. Corvan picked out a small piece of jerky and held it out to him. ¡°Try this; you might like it.¡±

    Tsarek nibbled, nodded enthusiastically, then took a larger bite. ¡°That is very good. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Beef jerky. Dried strips of beef.¡±

    ¡°Much better than the small rodents. What is beef?¡±

    ¡°It comes from the large black-and-white animals in the field next to ours, the cows.¡±

    Tsarek bit off another piece of jerky, chewing and nodding. ¡°Do all cows taste this good or just the black-and-white ones?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re pretty much the same.¡±

    ¡°Had I realized, I would have eaten one of those instead of the small rodents.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve obviously never been chased by a bull.¡±

    ¡°Bull, sir?¡±

    ¡°A male cow. It¡¯s big and dangerous.¡±

    Tsarek raised a claw. ¡°One does not need to be big to be dangerous.¡±

    There was a drop of yellow on the end of the claw. Was Tsarek that upset about his missing silver disk? He leaned in closer to look.

    Tsarek dropped his claw and took another bite of the jerky. ¡°Thank you, sir, for sharing your provisions with me.¡±

    ¡°We could try some beans if you like.¡±

    ¡°Not yet. We need to be careful with the food. We do not know how long we will be here, where here is, or if there is a way out of here.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re trapped?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, sir. Permit me to see if there are any passages out of here. It will not take long.¡± Tsarek scrambled away and disappeared into the dim recesses of the cavern.

    Corvan nibbled at his jerky and opened one button of his cloak to get more comfortable. The clothes under the cloak were almost dry. Somehow, the special cloak was able to pull the moisture away from his body, although his feet were still cramped and cold.

    The soft slippers from his grandfather¡¯s chest lay beside the pack. Unlacing his sneakers, Corvan struggled to remove his wet socks, but he was glad he made the effort. Pulling on the slippers was like stepping into a warm bath after playing all day in the snow. The lightweight fabric contracted around his feet like a second skin, each toe showing distinctly through the soft material.

    Swinging his legs off the table, he walked about on the rough floor. He could feel every ridge through the smooth soles, yet the small pebbles and sharp rocks felt no different than going barefoot in the warm summer sand at Buffalo Lake.

    He followed over to where Tsarek had gone. The slippers gripped tightly on the rocky surface, and he ran ahead. He turned a corner, and the light from the torch behind him vanished. It was so silent he could hear water dripping off to one side. Something was rustling toward him. He slowed his pace as his knees plowed into something that sent him toppling to the ground, scraping his hands along the rocks, and slamming the air out of his lungs.

    ¡°Do not move,¡± a hoarse voice croaked in his ear and a sharp point pressed into his throat. ¡°In the name of the Chief Watcher, who are you and what are you doing here?¡±

    Corvan tried to speak, but no sound came out. The fall had knocked the wind out of him.

    ¡°Answer me,¡± the voice rasped, ¡°or I will kill you now.¡±

    Corvan managed to pull in a small bit of air, ¡°Cor ¡­ Cor ¡­ Kalian.¡±

    ¡°Kalian?¡± The voice changed as Tsarek¡¯s glittering eyes appeared over his shoulder. ¡°It is you! Oh sir, I am so sorry. I did not hear you coming. I thought I was being attacked by someone lying in wait for me.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s breath returned in a painful gasp.

    ¡°Are you injured? Can you stand?¡±

    Corvan croaked out a weak, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay.¡±

    The lizard helped him to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to the light and make sure.¡±

    Corvan followed Tsarek back to the burning fire stick next to the stone table.

    As they retraced their steps, Tsarek kept looking at Corvan¡¯s feet. ¡°Where did you get those shoes?¡±

    ¡°They were with my grandfather¡¯s things.¡±

    ¡°Have you listened to them?¡±

    Corvan held his breath, but all he could hear was the drip of water from the clothesline and the click of Tsarek¡¯s claws on the floor.

    They arrived at the table, and Corvan sat down wearily. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    Tsarek crouched and examined Corvan¡¯s feet while shaking his head in amazement. ¡°Your shoes make no noise at all. I have keen hearing and would have heard you coming, but I heard nothing until you bumped into me. These are very special shoes, sir. I have never heard of such a thing, but they must be a companion to your grandfather¡¯s cloak.¡±

    Corvan pulled one foot onto the table. As he reached to touch one of the shoes, a drop of blood fell from his fingertip to the table.

    ¡°You are hurt, sir. Please let me see.¡±

    Tsarek gently turned Corvan¡¯s palm up. A thick flap of skin had been torn back when a sharp stone had broken his fall. Bloody sand oozed out around the edges.

    ¡°We must clean it and bind it up. I will get a rag.¡± The lizard darted towards the far wall and unraveled a cloth from one of his objects. Running to the pool, he stooped to dampen it and then bounded back to Corvan. ¡°Let me see your hand, sir.¡±

    Corvan held out the bleeding hand. Tsarek dabbed tenderly at the loose piece of flesh. Corvan wanted to jerk his hand away but forced himself to remain steady as the lizard pushed his skin and tissue back into position.

    ¡°Please hold this in place while I get more cloth,¡± Tsarek said.

    Corvan¡¯s hand throbbed as he pressed it against the cloth. He winced. This hurt much more than burning his finger on the half dollar.

    Of course! Why didn¡¯t he think of that sooner? Freeing the hammer from its holster, he gingerly wrapped his wounded hand around the shaft. The end glowed and his palm stretched and pulled, as if ants were crawling out of the handle and using their pincers to close the wound.

    The pain eased. Pulling the hammer and rags away to discover only a faint line remained. Clenching his fist and opening it he discovered that although the skin felt a little tight in the center, the pain was gone.

    The lizard returned. ¡°Here you are, sir. I have enough now to wrap your¡ª¡± Tsarek stared at Corvan then looked at the hammer.

    ¡°It is very powerful, sir.¡±

    Corvan stood, but a dizzy rush caused him to sway and sit back down.

    ¡°You must rest while I keep looking for a way out. I shall awaken you if I find a path to follow.¡±

    Corvan nodded, pushed the pack to the floor, and curled up on the stone. Using the hammer had left him incredibly tired.

    In his dreams, Corvan found himself back at his home. He was lighting a fire in his backyard and could smell the matches. A pale white moon flickered behind him, bobbed along, and came to rest over the clothesline where his dripping T-shirts rippled in a cool breeze. The moon swung closer, but when he lifted his head to see it more clearly, it bounced away and disappeared. The smell of matches came again, the moon reappeared, turned blue, then oozed out of sight over the horizon.

    Corvan smiled dreamily to himself.

    How strange that the moon should have Kate¡¯s face.

 Chapter 19

    Corvan opened his eyes, blinked, then blinked again to make sure they were open. Absolute dark was an unsettling sensation. It felt like he was breathing the black into his head and it was seeping out his eyes.

    A faint glimmer appeared on the other side of the pool, and then a growing light pushed the shadows away. Tsarek walked toward him with the stub of a fire stick hanging limply at his side. Giving the pool a wide berth, he shuffled up to the stone table.

    ¡°Did you find a way out?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°No, I did not.¡± The lizard wedged the short fire stick into a crack on the table. ¡°I found one thin, twisting tunnel and followed it for a long way. It kept getting lower until it reached a narrow crack you cannot fit through.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a dead end?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tsarek scowled at him. ¡°There is a larger cavern after the narrow place, but as I just said, you can¡¯t fit through.¡±

    ¡°But it is the only way out of here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then we have no choice but to try.¡±

    Tsarek pulled himself wearily onto the rock. ¡°You are the master, but I will need to rest first. If you could let me eat one of your cows, I would be grateful.¡±

    Corvan handed a piece of jerky to the lizard. ¡°My fire stick must have burned out. It was pitch black in here before you came back.¡±

    Tsarek talked past a chunk of meat. ¡°You must have put it out before sleeping. It should have at least two full times of burning left.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I did.¡± Corvan said, leaving the table to check where it had been stuck in the rock. ¡°You must have come back for it.¡±

    The lizard stopped chewing and shot him a withering glance. ¡°And how could I do that and be far away down that very long tunnel at the same time?¡±

    Corvan pointed to the ground. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not here.¡±

    Tsarek was beside him and searching the spot in a flash. Dropping to all fours, he sniffed at the rocks and scampered from side to side. He groaned as he stood up. ¡°Not lost. It was stolen. The Kate has come through here while you slept. Her flower scent still lingers.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s head snapped up, and he searched around the cavern. ¡°Kate was here? Why didn¡¯t she wake me?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s short arms shot up over his head. ¡°Wake you? Be glad she did not kill you! The Kate is under the control of the band, but she must have sensed the hammer about you and dared not come close to you.¡±

    Tsarek bounded to the wall where he had carefully stored his possessions. ¡°Nooo! The thief! She has taken it from me.¡± The lizard stamped back to the rock table while hissing and muttering.

    ¡°What did she take?¡±

    ¡°She took the one I value most.¡±

    ¡°The silver disc?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s eyes blazed as it leapt onto the table. ¡°Who said you could look at my things?¡± He pointed a sharp claw at Corvan¡¯s face. ¡°Is that why you hid it in your pack? Because you wanted it for yourself?¡±

    Corvan took a step back. ¡°No. I saw the middle of it when I took it out for you. It was ¡­ warm.¡±

    Tsarek sank down onto the rock. ¡°Yes, it feels nice. All those years I would hold it to ease the weight of the black band.¡± His body sagged lower. ¡°Without it, I would have been completely lost to the darkness. When I held it close, the band would burn me, but I did not care.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Is that why you got so angry when I touched it?¡±

    ¡°I knew you would want to take it for yourself,¡± Tsarek pouted.

    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    Tsarek squirmed. ¡°Because it belongs to the hammer. It is the counterpart.¡±

    Corvan sat bewildered. Kate was a counterpart and now the hammer had a counterpart? ¡°How do you know it belongs with the hammer?¡±

    ¡°I saw the markings on the bottom of the hammer when you were going to punish me with it.¡± Tsarek said, then looked away. ¡°They are the same as the ones on the disc.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Tsarek stared at the ground and then nodded. ¡°I know it belongs with the hammer because,¡± he drew in a long breath, ¡°because it was in your past-father¡¯s hand when he died.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mind reeled. The disk had to be the third piece his grandfather had spoken of, the one he¡¯d said he would need to take with him. Instead, Kate was taking it to the lizard¡¯s evil master.

    Tsarek put a paw on his shoulder. ¡°I am sorry to bring up your past-father¡¯s death.¡± He spoke softly. ¡°I see it has hurt you greatly.¡±

    Corvan focused on the lizard¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not only his dying. I just don¡¯t understand why the hammer needs the disc. If he were here, then he would help me figure it out.¡±

    ¡°All I know is that the hammer tells me what I am,¡± Tsarek said, ¡°but the disk always gave me hope that I could be better.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why a hammer would be paired with a disc. It seems a hammer should be with another tool, like a saw, or else a large spike or nail.¡±

    Tsarek shrugged and then left the table to pull clothes from the line.

    Corvan slipped the hammer free of the holster. It was too small to be any good for building things; the handle was too short. It was more like a model you¡¯d see on a shelf or on a desk. A memory formed. At home, he had seen a small wooden hammer that was lying next to a round disk. Closing his eyes, he pulled the faint recollection forward.

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s it!¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± Tsarek scurried back to the table.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a hammer, Tsarek, it¡¯s a gavel, and the disk is what it pounds on.¡±

    ¡°Gravel, sir?¡± Tsarek came closer to the table. ¡°I thought that was your word for small rocks?¡±

    ¡°Not gravel, gavel. It¡¯s a ceremonial hammer that a judge bangs on a wooden disk to stop an argument. I saw one at the town council meeting when they tried to take our field away. Old Man Fry was shouting at my dad, and the mayor banged his gavel on a disk to get everyone to be quiet.¡± Corvan held out the hammer, and Tsarek backed away.

    ¡°With the band gone, you don¡¯t need to fear this anymore.¡±

    Tsarek slowly shook his head and then turned back to pulling the clothes from the line.

    Balancing the hammer in his hand, Corvan thought back to the council meeting and the injustice his father had suffered. He had been angry to see how prejudiced people were against his father. It was good to seek the truth, but there also needs to be some kindness. He nodded to himself and held the hammer higher. Maybe that¡¯s why the hammer needed a counterpart. The disk could ensure the truth was balanced with compassion.

    Tsarek called over his shoulder from where he was picking through his things. ¡°You will need to pack up your belongings. If it is permissible, I need to put a few things in your pack. I no longer have a way to carry them.¡±

    Corvan slid off the rock and pulled the pack closer. One of the side pockets hung open. The bag of cookies was gone. For a moment, he was angry at Kate for stealing them, but then he thought of her wandering alone in the darkness with nothing to eat. He wouldn¡¯t even mention it to Tsarek¡ªno use getting him more upset.

    The lizard approached as if he were in a funerary procession. His tail dragged limply on the rocks, and his crystal was cradled against his chest. ¡°There is nothing else I will need, except this.¡±

    Corvan wanted to say no, that the pack was too heavy, but the sadness in Tsarek¡¯s eyes would not let him. Adding the crystal to his pack, he retrieved the krypin and his clothes. The fireworks lay on the ground where they had tumbled out of the cloak. It was a good thing he had wrapped them inside it; they were still dry. He tucked them in along one side of the pack before he realized that his wet sneakers were missing. The old sneakers Kate had taken from the scarecrow were likely too big for her feet, so she had stolen his. At least he had the new slipper shoes.

    Tsarek pointed at the krypin. ¡°I have seen where people use the opening end to make a coil and attach it to their waist in case it is needed quickly.¡±

    Corvan nodded and did as he suggested. With his hammer and holster on one side and the coiled rope on the other, a renewed sense of confidence settled over him.

    ¡°Since the Kate has already gone through this level,¡± Tsarek intoned, ¡°the door will not open here again. I fear this cave will be our tomb.¡±

    Corvan pulled on his pack, ¡°Then we must take everything along with us and try the small tunnel that you found.¡±

    Tsarek did not respond and shuffled away around the pool.

    Corvan followed. He did not want to think of what would happen if Tsarek was right.

 Chapter 20

    A suffocating darkness pressed in on Corvan. Tsarek insisted they travel in darkness to conserve their last fire stick.  He claimed there were no rocks on the sandy floor, at least none that he could remember.

    Corvan was glad that the insignia on the hammer gave off a feeble blue light¡ªlike a flashlight with the batteries almost depleted. It was enough to keep him from stubbing his toes on the occasional rock that did show up. Tsarek stayed ahead of the pool of light as if he were afraid it would bite his heels.

    ¡°Is it much farther, Tsarek? We¡¯ve been walking for hours.¡± Corvan made no attempt to curb his growing frustration.

    ¡°Just a bit more. The roof is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Corvan exclaimed as his head scraped the ceiling.

    ¡°It is even lower up ahead,¡± Tsarek said. ¡°You might want to crawl.¡±

    Corvan got down on all fours on the sandy floor. ¡°How much farther to the tight spot?¡±

    ¡°Not far.¡±

    Corvan soon realized that not far likely meant something different to Tsarek than it did to him. After jamming the hammer under the strap of the pack, he rolled up the cloak under his belt to free up his legs. He was about to ask Tsarek if they could take a break when the lizard twisted around in the narrow confines of the passage and pointed ahead.

    ¡°This is the place where you will need to take off your pack and push it through.¡±

    Corvan pulled out the hammer and unbuckled the straps. He had to roll onto his side to remove the pack. ¡°If I push it in front of me. It might get stuck.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps if you tied it to your leg with the krypin and pulled it along behind you?¡± Tsarek said, but then he shook his head. ¡°No, that won¡¯t work,¡± he muttered. ¡°If the pack gets stuck, I could not get past you to release it from your leg. Then we would both be trapped.¡±

    Corvan shivered at the thought. His father told a story about a caver named Floyd Collins. In a tight crawl, a rock fell behind him and trapped his legs. His rescuers could see him, but they couldn¡¯t pull him free. They tried to tunnel around him, but he lost too much body heat and died from hypothermia.

    ¡°Then I guess there is no choice but to leave the pack here,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rope here as well. If I get through, you can bring me one end and I can pull the pack through from the other side. Is there enough space to turn around after the tight spot?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it comes out in a larger cavern. I believe it might be the outer limits of the Cor. The band of rock we call the Cor shield transmits light from deep inside the Cor. I saw a bit of dim light inside the crack. Either we are a long way out, or the Cor was in a dark phase.¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t understand all that Tsarek was saying, but there was at least some hope of getting through.

    Tsarek scrambled into the darkness, and Corvan followed with the soft glow from the hammer lighting the way. Soon the tunnel became so low that he had to wiggle snakelike along the floor.

    The sleeve of the cloak snagged on a rock. Corvan pulled on it, but he was unable to move forward or back. Panic welled up at the thought of the millions of tons of rock above him. The passage seemed to squeeze in even tighter. Everything in him clamored to thrash about to get free of the constricted space. Musky-smelling dust clogged his nose. He gasped and tried to pull in a breath, but the intense pressure on his chest cut off his breath. It was as if he were drowning once more, but this time in solid rock.

    The hammer cast the light of its circular words on the wall by his face. The script seemed more natural that way. He couldn¡¯t read them, but somehow the words reassured him that things would be okay. The soft glow calmed his mind, and he breathed slowly until his pulse returned to normal.

    Imagining his cloak and the jagged rock that had hooked it, he rotated his shoulder until the trapped sleeve slid free. Keeping the light of the hammer out in front, he wiggled on.

    ¡°Look this way, sir.¡± Tsarek¡¯s muffled voice came from Corvan¡¯s left, where two gleaming eyes looked at him through a narrow crack in the wall. ¡°This is the spot, sir. You must get through this hole to make it into the cavern I am standing in.¡±

    Corvan inspected the crack. The passage he was crawling through ran horizontally, but the crack ran vertically. Where the two met, a small trapezoidal opening had formed, but it was far too small. He lowered his forehead to the cold rock. ¡°My shoulders won¡¯t fit through there.¡±

    ¡°You must try, sir. There is no other way out. If you do not make it through, you will most certainly die in there.¡±

    Most certainly die ¡­ his stomach clenched at the thought of wriggling backwards through the tunnel to die of starvation and cold in that last cave. Kate would also die if he didn¡¯t find her. The memory of her face when she had passed through the last cavern had been haunting him. He was certain her eyes had been begging for his help, despite what Tsarek had said about her and the black band.

    Summoning his courage, he breathed in and out a few times to steady himself and then wiggled in closer to the small opening. ¡°There¡¯s more than one way to skin a cat,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°It is not worth the effort, sir. I have tried the creature called cat. They are tough and not at all tasty.¡±

    Corvan looked at the unblinking eyes. His mother had wondered what had become of her favorite tabby.

    ¡°It¡¯s just an expression,¡± Corvan said. ¡°It means there are always other solutions if you look hard enough and take the time to think things through. I¡¯m not going to die of hunger in the next ten minutes, so let¡¯s examine the problem carefully. My shoulders won¡¯t get any smaller, but maybe there¡¯s a way to make the hole larger. How about the hammer?¡±

    ¡°I do not think this hole is very stable, and there is a large overhang of rock above it on my side. It could crack off and collapse at any time. It may not be the best skinning of a cat to try the hammer. The risk is great and¡ª¡±

    ¡°All right, I get the picture. How about a fire stick? You said it could burn through rock.¡±

    ¡°Not this rock. This is the Cor shield. A fire stick will not burn it, and if we try, the stick will explode.¡±

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    Corvan held the hammer closer to the vertical crack. The rock around it was shiny and black, like the piece of obsidian he had in his collection at home.

    ¡°This is the main wall around the Cor?¡±

    ¡°I believe it is. At least this side smells like the Cor.¡±

    Corvan sniffed at the of air coming through the hole. It was damp and smelled of rotting compost. ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell very good.¡±

    The eyes blinked rapidly. ¡°It smells like home.¡±

    ¡°Then I must make it through. If I twist diagonally in the opening, that might give me a bit more room, but I need to take the cloak off first. It could bunch up and trap me.¡±

    As he squirmed out of the cloak, Corvan realized just how cold the cave walls were. Pulling his legs up behind him, he dug his toes into the soft sand and rotated his body around until he was heading toward Tsarek. He pushed into the crack and stopped. ¡°If this is a shield wall, will it close and squish me like the blue wall around your fire stick?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, sir. This one is black, so it is a very old crack. It¡¯s the new ones that can close up on you. Those ones are a lighter color with more light inside them.¡±

    Corvan gingerly touched the hard crystalline surface. Nothing changed. ¡°All right, then. Here goes nothing.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, sir? Where is the nothing and where will it be going?¡±

    Ignoring Tsarek¡¯s questions, Corvan extended his arms into the opening and pushed forward.

    Tsarek backed away from the hammer¡¯s glow. ¡°You are doing it, sir. Keep coming¡ªnot far now.¡±

    Corvan pushed until his feet no longer gripped in the sand behind him. Wriggling and squirming, his body moved into the crack.

    ¡°Your hands are through, sir. It¡¯s working!¡±

    The rock surface tore at Corvan¡¯s shoulders as if the Cor shield was doing its best to keep him out of the Cor. Panicked, he jerked erratically in the tiny space, banging his knees against the rocks behind him. He gained a few precious inches and his face emerged from the other side of the crack with the hammer held out awkwardly in front of him.

    ¡°You are here, sir. I am so happy,¡± Tsarek exclaimed.

    Tsarek¡¯s face was level with his and by the hammer¡¯s glow he could see lizard was standing on a narrow rock shelf. Below Tsarek, a scree slope of broken shards stretched away into the darkness.

    ¡°My head may be through, but my shoulders are stuck. I need to get one shoulder out and my body will follow.¡±

    Corvan wiggled his left hand. The lizard held out both claws and intertwined them so Corvan could wrap his fingers around them.

    ¡°Okay, Tsarek, lean back and pull.¡±

    The lizard leaned back. Corvan¡¯s shoulder moved an inch, then jammed tight. The folds of his shirt bunched and pinched at his flesh.

    ¡°I think my shirt is part of the problem. Can you climb up by my shoulder and pull some of the cloth through the opening?¡±

    The lizard scrambled up the wall and got in close to the trapped shoulder. A sharp yank was followed by the sound of tearing cloth.

    ¡°So sorry, sir. I have ruined your garment.¡±

    Cool air flowed over his arm as Tsarek reappeared with a piece of Corvan¡¯s shirt sleeve draped over a claw.

    ¡°I think we must remove the skin from a different cat, sir.¡±

    Corvan managed a wry smile. ¡°We¡¯ve got to free my shoulder. Take the hammer and carefully chip away at the rock lip that has it trapped.¡±

    Tsarek shook his head so vigorously his scales rattled. ¡°I cannot touch the hammer. It may kill me, and you will be stuck forever.¡±

    ¡°Then wrap my shirtsleeve around the handle, like you did on the Castle Rock.¡±

    ¡°That may work. Just a moment.¡± Tsarek bent to the ground, and Corvan heard the soft hiss of a fire stick. Brilliant light stabbed his eyes. ¡°Put out the light! Corvan cried out. ¡°It¡¯s too bright!¡± He clamped his eyes shut to push away the pain.

    ¡°Sorry, sir. There, is that better?¡±

    Corvan opened his gritty eyes. All he could see was milky white orbs. ¡°Is it still on?¡±

    ¡°No, sir, it is out.¡±

    Corvan recalled this happening when his father was welding metal and his goggles had fell off. His dad couldn¡¯t see much for almost a week.

    His cramped body tightened with fresh fear, and he forced himself to calm down. His eyesight should eventually return. For now, he had to find a way out of the crack.

    ¡°Move the fire stick farther away from me on the other side, then light it again. I will drop the hammer and you try to chip away the rock by my shoulder.¡±

    Tsarek scrambled out of the way as Corvan relaxed his fingers and let the hammer go. As it fell from his hand, a fresh wave of nausea coursed through him. Forcing himself to relax, Corvan focused on the white lights floating before his eyes. They had already faded slightly. That was a good sign.

    ¡°I am ready, sir. Please hold still.¡±

    A sharp crack was followed immediately by a deep gong and a rumbling whoosh past Corvan¡¯s ears. The air filled with dust. He choked and coughed, and his chest squeezed painfully against the rocks.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Corvan asked.

    The only reply was sliding rock and crashing boulders on the slope below.

    ¡°Tsarek?¡±

    Distant thudding echoes were mixed with the clatter of small rocks peppering down from above. The acrid taste of fear mingled with the dusty talc in his mouth.

    ¡°That was a close one, sir,¡± Tsarek said quietly in the dense air. ¡°I barely touched the black rock and the whole wall shook. A piece of the slab above you came down and just missed your head. The rest of the boulder hangs above and may come down at any moment.¡±

    A small rock clattered down, glancing with a sharp blow off Corvan¡¯s head and bouncing down the slope. A low grinding followed.

    ¡°The rock is sliding. Pull your head back!¡± Tsarek pushed frantically on Corvan¡¯s head, then stopped. The cavern was silent.

    ¡°Sir,¡± the lizard¡¯s tense voice whispered in his ear, ¡°we must push you back or pull you out now. That huge rock balances just over your head and soon we will both be crushed. We must make your shoulders smaller.¡±

    As soon as Tsarek said those words Corvan recalled a diagram in one of his dad¡¯s caving books. To release a trapped person, the rescuers would break one of the trapped person¡¯s collarbones and then push the shoulder in toward the body.

    He shuddered.

    The rock grumbled.

    Tsarek tensed.

    Pain would be better than death. ¡°Tsarek, you must use the hammer again.¡±

    ¡°Sir, if I touch the wall, the rock will surely come down on us.¡±

    ¡°Not the rock, Tsarek. This time you must hit me.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Sir?¡±

    It took a while to convince the lizard of the necessity of the operation and the method by which it had to be accomplished. At first, Tsarek argued vehemently against striking Corvan, but slowly he began to understand. In the end, Tsarek refused to use the hammer and went to find a smooth rock.

    Corvan was starting to have second thoughts by the time Tsarek came back. ¡°I am ready, sir.¡±

    ¡°Make sure you hit me hard enough. I don¡¯t want to do this more than once.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s claws caressed Corvan¡¯s skin, making sure of the placement of the long, thin bone. Corvan closed his eyes and waited.

    There was a long pause. Corvan was just about to ask Tsarek what he was doing when an intense jolt of pain ripped through his body. In a haze, he heard Tsarek talking in his ear, begging him to push with his legs. The lizard was tugging at his torn shirt and pushing in on his broken collarbone.

    Corvan tried to yell at him to stop, that it hurt too much, but no words came out. He thrust with his feet and a ragged cry escaped his throat as his body slid free of the crack. He tumbled painfully down the rocky slope until he came to rest against a large boulder.

    Tsarek was beside him. ¡°Are you still alive?¡± he whispered.

    Corvan groaned.

    Tsarek put a paw over Corvan¡¯s mouth. ¡°I know you are in much pain, sir, but you must wait here quietly while I get your pack,¡± Tsarek whispered. ¡°There are buraks in the outer reaches of the Cor, and they feed on anything or anyone they can find. They have the most excellent hearing and with all our noise they will come to investigate.¡±

 Chapter 21

    Tsarek was only gone a moment before he was back and laying something heavy on Corvan¡¯s stomach. ¡°Here is your hammer and piece of your shirt. I have put out the light to hide you from the buraks while I am gone. Try to watch for them,¡± he said before scampering off.

    Watch? Corvan could see only the white orbs. If the man-eating creatures arrived while Tsarek was gone, he would be defenseless.

    A rock rolled down the slope, and Corvan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He bit his lip and forced back a coughing fit. The boulder was still balanced overhead. He had to move out of the way, but when he tried to sit up, the searing pain from his broken collarbone pushed him back down.

    Raising his good arm, he wrapped his hand around the smooth handle of the hammer. His mind cleared with a renewed sense of hope. The hammer could heal cuts; would its power fix a broken bone? He had to try.

    Drawing the injured arm over his stomach, he winced as bone grated against bone. Gingerly, he traced the path of the collarbone with his finger. Yes, there was the broken spot. The bones were back in alignment.

    As he stroked the handle along his shoulder, the pain eased. He lifted his arm, and the ugly sound of bone on bone washed over him in waves of pain. Tears welled up. The hammer could not heal him. He wiped his eyes until the handle was slick with his tears.

    ¡°Stop it,¡± he whispered. ¡°Crying will solve nothing. You must take care of your arm a different way.¡± Blinking away the tears, he focused on flow of the hammer¡¯s words in his hands. It had not fixed his arm, but it had healed his eyes. The white orbs were gone. He could see clearly again.

    A pebble rolled down the slope. Slowly turning his head, he saw Tsarek picking his way down, the bulky pack balanced on his back. Corvan waited for the lizard to join him.

    Tsarek stopped a foot away and leaned forward as if listening intently.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    The lizard jumped straight up, and the weight of the pack dropped him onto his back against the slope. He looked like an upside-down turtle, legs and head churning in circles, trying to grab an advantage from the air. When he managed to get back to his feet he whispered, ¡°I could not see you in the dark, and with the pack on I could not smell you, so I did not know you were there.¡±

    ¡°But can¡¯t you see me now?¡±

    The lizard seemed to look right past him. ¡°Are you making one of your jokes?¡±

    Corvan looked down the cavern. Even without the fire stick on, he could still see, in a murky sort of way. The far end of the tunnel faded to blackness, but he could make out the end, where it turned the corner. He squinted into the gloom. Something was moving slowly in the shadows down there.

    ¡°Tsarek, what does a burak look like?¡±

    ¡°They are hard to see. They take on the appearance of the rocks in which they live.¡±

    ¡°What do they do?¡±

    ¡°They guard the far reaches of the Cor. Sometimes settlement workers try to escape to the outer edges of the Cor. The buraks prevent them.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°They are meat eaters, Kalian.¡±

    ¡°How big are they?¡±

    ¡°They are very large. They have a poor sense of sight, but they hear quite well.¡±

    Corvan swallowed. ¡°I think one is guarding the way into this cavern.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? With the fire stick out, I can¡¯t see anything.¡±

    ¡°I can see it,¡± Corvan whispered. ¡°The hammer healed my eyes.¡± He gripped the handle tightly. ¡°There¡¯s a large creature down by the far end.¡±

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    Tsarek stepped in the general direction of the entrance and stood in silence. ¡°You are correct, sir,¡± he said softly. ¡°I can hear something, and there is a faint rotten smell of burak in the air. Can you see only one?¡±

    A strong odor coming up from below reminded Corvan of when his father butchered chickens. ¡°Yes. Just one moving back and forth.¡±

    ¡°It is waiting for its partner. They hunt in pairs. They have heard our noise and have come to satisfy their hunger.¡±

    ¡°Can we get past this one before the other one arrives?¡±

    ¡°We could try. But when they sense a wounded animal, they move very fast.¡± He stepped back to Corvan. ¡°Let¡¯s get a little closer and see if we can find a way around it.¡±

    Corvan bent forward and groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t carry the pack with my broken collarbone.¡±

    ¡°I could drag it for you, sir, but we need to move quickly and quietly if we are to escape.¡±

    A low, rumbling grew to a grating shriek that echoed through the chamber.

    ¡°It is too late now,¡± Tsarek whispered. ¡°Its partner has arrived, and the hunt will soon begin. I think you must wait here and be very still while I draw them away.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t see them,¡± Corvan said quietly.

    ¡°No, but I can smell them and hear them. You cannot move fast enough to get away, but if I can sneak past them, they will pursue me instead. They do not know there are two of us here and they will not let a sure meal run away.¡± Tsarek touched Corvan¡¯s leg. ¡°As soon as they are gone, get away as quickly as you can.¡±

    ¡°What if you get caught? I need you to guide me,¡± Corvan urged. ¡°I will wait for you here instead.¡±

    Tsarek shook his head. ¡°If you wait here they will find you. You must leave and if I do catch up to you right away, just keep going down, always down. When you reach Kadir City, head for the large courtyard full of steps but do not go to the palace on the right side. You don¡¯t want to meet the chief of the watchers. You must go to the temple on the other side.¡±

    ¡°How do I know which one is the temple?¡± Corvan said. ¡°And who do I ask for?¡±

    ¡°The temple is the only dwelling in the entire city with a pointed roof.¡± Tsarek made his claws into a sharp point over his head. ¡°Ask for the High Priest or one of his children, Tyreth and Tarran. If you can¡¯t find them look for anyone in the green cloaks that only the priests wear. Never talk to the red cloaks, they are from the palace.

    A shriek shattered the air and Corvan grabbed Tsarek¡¯s paw. ¡°What if they catch you?¡±

    Tsarek pulled his paw free. ¡°It does not matter what happens to me. You must escape and save the Kate.¡± He touched Corvan¡¯s hand. ¡°I did not want to worry you, sir, but the Kate is not of the Cor.¡±

    Anxiety knotted Corvan¡¯s stomach. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    The lizard ducked his head. ¡°She cannot live long under the light of the lumiens. If you do not find her soon, she will fall into a deep sleep.¡±

    ¡°And . . .?¡±

    ¡°She will never wake up. But if he finds her while she is still alive, her fate will be worse than death.¡±

    Corvan wanted to ask what could be worse than death, but rumbling growl echoed off the walls. Tearing his gaze away from Tsarek, he peered back down to the floor of the cavern below.

    Movement caught the corner of his eye. One burak stood high on the slope to his right. He looked back down. The other one must be hiding among the boulders on the floor.

    A small form darted between a gap in the boulders, and then Tsarek, crying out in pain as he fell, tumbled down into an open space on the floor.

    Corvan sat up straighter, and a deep grunt pulled his gaze to the right. The hunting burak was close enough that he could make out the bulbous eyes on its flat, angular head. It stared at the cavern floor; its head cocked to one side. A series of clicks came from its partner below, and its head bobbed up and down. A wide mouth opened to reveal twin rows of jagged teeth.

    The creature¡¯s throat bulged out like a bullfrog¡¯s as it emitted a series of gulps and clicks. Corvan looked to the floor of the cavern. Tsarek was on his feet, moving slowly but dragging one leg.

    As Corvan watched in horror, a huge rock behind the lizard shifted slightly. It was not a rock. It was the other burak. Tsarek was heading directly into a trap.

    Corvan took a step forward. A pebble broke free under his foot. The burak to his right turned to face him, its flat face swinging from side to side.

    Corvan froze. If he moved, the burak would know he was there, but if he didn¡¯t, Tsarek would die. The beast stared sightlessly into the dark until a cry from the cavern below grabbed its attention.

    Tsarek was dragging an injured leg behind him as he floundered about on the rocky floor. He stopped and held both paws over his mouth as if trying not to cry out in pain. Turning his head in Corvan¡¯s direction and raised his claws over his head, touching them together.

    A dark shape loomed up behind him. For a fleeting second Corvan saw the outline of the lizard, and then he was gone.

    A moment passed in eerie silence. Then a slow, rhythmic throbbing sounded out. The large shadow on the floor rose on its hind legs and danced in a slow circle, pounding its feet on the ground.

    The burak on the slope rumbled a response and slid through the gravel toward the floor, responding to its partner with loud grating shrieks. The dancing creature below turned toward Corvan.

    From its clenched jaws hung Tsarek¡¯s lifeless body.

 Chapter 22

    Corvan cowered behind a boulder as the buraks left the cavern. One was still celebrating the successful hunt with more shrieks.

    Corvan slumped against the broad rock. The pain in his shoulder was overwhelmed by an intense ache in his heart. In the few short days he had known Tsarek, they had become more than just traveling companions. A soft sob shook his body and fresh pain shot through his chest. Tsarek had been his only connection to the grandfather he had never known and he could not believe his friend was gone. How could he possibly go on to rescue Kate without Tsarek¡¯s help?

    As the sound of the buraks faded away, the enormity of his situation sank in. He was far below the surface of the earth. No one knew where he had gone, so no one would come looking for him. Ever. He couldn''t go back through the labyrinth. He needed to go after Kate, but how would he find her? For the first time in his life, Corvan was on his own.

    Tsarek''s final words filled him with dread. Kate didn''t have long to live. If he was to save her, he had to forget about his fears and keep moving down to the Cor. His only hope was to locate the pointed roof of the temple priests.

    That must have been what Tsarek meant when he pointed his arms over his head. He knew he was about to be captured and was giving Corvan one last instruction. No, two, for the paws over the mouth was telling Corvan to be quiet, so he could escape the buraks. Tsarek had given his life to save him.

    A biting cold was penetrating his sweat-drenched clothes. If he didn''t get dry ones on and start moving, hypothermia would set in. Trying not to move his damaged shoulder, he managed to move his pack closer with his slippered feet. At least they were still warm. His cloak, however, was back in the tight crawl.

    The leather thongs that had tied the top of the pack down were cut. Why would Tsarek have done that? Pulling the cover open, he discovered that Tsarek had also retrieved the cloak and had stuffed it back into the pack. Slipping the cloak over his head, he carefully lifted the hood over his head. It was wonderful to be warm again.

    It took a while to fashion a crude sling for his arm with only one hand, but once it was in place, the pain began to subside. Pulling himself up against the boulder, he noticed that faint patches of purple light were showing up around the cavern. Tsarek must have been right; they had found a way past the labyrinth.

    Dragging the heavy pack down the slope, he entered the clearing where Tsarek had been caught. He needed to lighten his load, or he wouldn''t get much farther. He was able to lift the pack onto a flat stone with his good arm. As he pulled the rest of his clothes from the pack, the smell of wood smoke and beef jerky wafted out. His stomach growled. In this timeless world, there was no way of knowing when he¡¯d last eaten.

    The soggy labels had fallen off the tins, but he discovered it did not matter¡ªhe had left the can opener at home. If only Kate had not taken Tsarek''s Swiss Army knife. He picked up a familiar rectangular tin. A can of Spam, the kind with an attached key to open it. He flipped it over. The key had broken off.

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    Why was everything going wrong? Anger welled up, and he threw the can away. Pain shot across his chest as the can bounced off a rock, cracked, and landed in the dirt at his feet, neatly split open along the seam.

    Sitting on a rock, he held the tin firmly between his knees and peeled the top back with his good hand. Cold, gritty Spam. It never tasted so good.

    Even with the tins out, the pack was still too heavy to carry with one arm. Reluctantly, he pulled out Tsarek''s crystal and set it on the floor between his legs. There would be no more music from Tsarek. His tears fell on the tapered crystal, skidding down its length and leaving phosphorescent lines behind them.

    He reached out to the crystal, and a tiny spark leaped out to meet his hand. A sound like miniature wind chimes in a summer breeze. As he placed a hand on the crystal, an incredible weariness settled over him. He closed his eyes. "Please help me find a way out of here," he whispered. "I want to go home."

    In his mind, he was suddenly surround by a dense fog. Two figures emerged out of the mist. His mother and father. He called out, but they did not hear. Following them through the murky air, he found himself climbing the Castle Rock. His parents passed through the western gap. The fog parted to reveal a figure sitting on a black throne.

    It was Kate. A blood red cape draped over her shoulders and a sparkling ring of gems was on her head. Thick black bands encircled both of her wrists.

    Corvan''s parents knelt before her, begging her to open the door, so their son could come home. Kate raised both hands and pointed to his home. Lightning arced from the bands, and his house dissolved into a pool of molten stone that set the fields alight. The fire roared away to incinerate every house in town in its path. The flames swirled back around his parents. They cried out in pain, and then they too were gone.

    "No-o-o-o!" The cavern walls echoed with his cry as he forced his eyes open. How could Kate become an evil queen capable of destroying the whole world? Is this what would happen if he failed to rescue her?

    A rumbling crash interrupted his thoughts. The rock face where he and Tsarek had entered had finally collapsed onto the slope. The rocks gained momentum, smashing against each other and sending tremendous shudders through the ground as the slide roared downward and then ground to a halt. He needed to get out of there, and quickly. The avalanche was sure to bring the buraks back. A dense cloud of rock dust closed in about him as if the cave was trying to bury him alive.

    Fine dust filled his lungs. He pulled the hood across his face and found he could breathe easily through its fabric. Keeping his head low he waited for the dust to clear.

    It was difficult to see through the murky air. He pulled the hammer out. The circles from the hammer''s handle were clearly reflected in a tiny round pool at the base of Tsarek''s crystal.

    His tears had flowed down the crystal and collected in a small depression at its base. Touching the shiny surface, he discovered it was as solid as the crystal itself. When he pressed on the edge a thin circle, like the small round mirror his mother kept in her purse, popped out.

    Sitting back, he traced a finger across the surface. The glass rippled and became dark blue with small points of light, like a starry sky.

    Hope. He felt it grow in his heart as he looked at the tiny stars. He had made it this far. He was past the Cor shield, and now if he could find Kate, they could find a way out and would see the stars together yet again.

    After he slipped the glass into his pocket, Corvan picked up the pack by one of its severed straps and headed toward the exit through which the buraks had gone.

 Chapter 23

    With the labyrinth behind him, the journey through the passages was easier than Corvan expected. Just as Tsarek said, he only needed to keep moving down, always down, ignoring any tunnels that branched off or climbed upward. At first, he picked his way past large stone formations, but after a time he saw tracks in the dust created by animals he could not identify. The tracks eventually became a path winding through caverns and tunnels headed ever downward.

    He walked as far as he could while there was a bit of light from occasional patches of purple moss. Whatever the hammer had done to heal his eyes, it had also sharpened his night vision such that it was relatively easy to navigate. When the moss faded, he would try to rest. There was still some light from the hammer¡¯s insignia, but it also appeared to be fading. He decided it would be best to leave in in the holster in case he really needed it. His father was right. It was terrible not seeing the moon and stars. Without their light, the darkness was overwhelming, crushing Corvan with its vacant weight.

    Lying on the stone floor would have been unbearable except for the warmth of his grandfather¡¯s cloak. He thought often of his grandfather and wondered what he was planning to tell him about this underground world. What exactly was a Cor-Van? And why was Tsarek so afraid of having anyone hear his name with a pause in the middle?

    There were so many thoughts and worries that it was almost impossible to rest. He lay in the darkness, listening to the sounds of dripping water and the pattering feet of what could either be small animals or incredibly large insects. He hoped they were not spiders. He hated spiders.

    When he rested, he gnawed on one piece of the beef jerky and allowed himself a few chocolate chips. He was continually hungry, but at least there was a steady supply of water. It dripped from the roof and pooled in small depressions that ran in small streams alongside the path.

    The vision from Tsarek¡¯s crystal often haunted his thoughts. He couldn¡¯t escape the image of Kate murdering his parents. Was it possible for someone to change that much? Kate sometimes got very mad, but how could that grow to wanting to kill everyone around her? Was the vision warning him that she would soon meet Tsarek¡¯s master and become just as evil?

    His only comfort in the dark times was the ice disk from the base of Tsarek¡¯s crystal. The patterns in the tiny pinpoints of light reminded him of the constellations he¡¯d studied while lying out on the rock on warm summer nights. It almost seemed he could make out Orion and the Big Dipper. At the last resting place, he had noticed a brighter glow over the handle of the Big Dipper. Now that glow had become a tiny full moon that was making its way along the edge of the glass.

    He puzzled over this for a while, and then it came to him. Tsarek¡¯s crystal had showed him the future¡ªat least a possible future. In a similar way, the round crystal must reflect what was on his mind in the present or possibly even what was really happening now. It showed the stars because he was thinking of a starry sky. Maybe it could also reveal his home.

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    Cupping it in his palm, he concentrated and imagined himself walking up to the gap in the rock that faced his house. The stars in the ice glass spun, and the outline of his home came into view. A tiny yellow square flickered, and his mother appeared in his bedroom window. He focused on her. The window rushed closer in the glass until he could clearly see her face. Tears ran down her cheeks, but she was singing. Her hand rose toward him as if she knew he was watching.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Mom,¡± Corvan said. A tear slipped down his cheek and splashed on the glass.

    His mother stopped singing and stared out the window. A puzzled smile flickered across her face. She wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and then turned away from the window. The light went out.

    Lonely isolation welled up inside him. He was trapped deep inside the Earth, far away from his home. Even if he could find the temple building that Tsarek had mentioned, how could he ever find Kate in time?

    Kate. Would the glass reveal her whereabouts?

    He turned his thoughts to her, and memories flooded back. Days of building forts and riding bikes and hiking through the coulees. He smiled. Kate was his best friend in the world. At least in the world above. Down here, he wasn¡¯t sure he knew who she was anymore. Pushing that thought aside, he concentrated on the Kate he once knew.

    A fond memory stole into his heart. He and Kate were lying on the rock and watching for falling stars. A coyote barked in the field, Kate jumped and reached for his hand. It barked again, then all was silent. They lay there a long time, hand in hand, looking up at the stars, until his mother called him in. Neither of them had ever talked about it.

    As he thought about this memory, the glass grew warm and caught a glimpse of Kate¡¯s face in the darkness. Tears were trickling down her cheeks.

    ¡°Hang on, Kate, I¡¯m coming for you.¡±

    The image of her in the mirror looked at him in shock, then it called his name so clearly that he almost dropped the glass. He tried refocusing his thoughts on Kate, but now the glass remained black. After putting the glass away, Corvan lay back and pulled the cape over him. A sharp rock poked into his ribs as if to remind him that he was not asleep. He wondered if it were possible for things to get any worse than this. His father used to say, ¡°Cheer up, Son, the worst is yet to come.¡± His dad wanted him to be thankful for what he had in the present instead of focusing on what could go wrong in the future.

    Lying on the rocky floor, with the rhythmic drip of water falling around him in the darkness, Corvan tried to come up with something good. The only thing that came to mind was that his collarbone had healed rapidly, and he didn¡¯t need the sling anymore. It didn¡¯t hurt at all to move his shoulder. It seemed the hammer healed bones after all; it just took a bit longer.

    With a heavy sigh, he sat up. It was no use. He might as well walk a little farther. Pulling his pack onto his shoulder, he unclipped the hammer and followed its feeble glow around a corner to where another cavern joined the main trail. He pointed his light up the steep slope.

    A pair of running shoes stuck out from behind a rock.

 Chapter 24

    Corvan ran up the passage, but Kate was nowhere to be seen.

    The toes of the scarecrow¡¯s shoes had separated from the soles, and they gaped at him as if they had something important to say. Just behind the runners was an empty bread bag. He picked it up, and the aroma of oatmeal cookies wafted out, along with a trace of lilac perfume.

    His head came up, and he looked intently down the passage. Kate must have just been here. It had been her voice calling out to him when he saw her in the glass.

    ¡°Kate!¡± he shouted, but the only answer was his echo reverberating from the tunnel leading down. Covering the end of the hammer, he stared into the darkness. The rocks along the right side of the passage were reflecting a glow from around the next corner. His first thought was Kate¡¯s flashlight, but the light was a cold, blue color.

    Corvan holstered the hammer and crept along the side of the tunnel to keep the larger boulders between himself and the growing light. Feeling his way along the inside wall, he moved slowly past the corner and then approached a lighted gap between two columns of rock. He snuck up behind the right pillar and peered around it. A short distance ahead, a shaft of pale blue light was streaming into the tunnel. Moonlight! He had found another way back to the surface. He had escaped the labyrinth into the buraks cave and had now emerged at the bottom of the river valley.

    Corvan¡¯s heart soared as he ran down the path toward the light. Kate was out as well, and they were both safe.

    Through the opening, he caught sight of a full moon and a few bright stars. He blinked. What had the fire stick done to his eyes? The moon was completely blue, and the stars in the sky pierced the black night with a pink light.

    His pace slowed as he approached the exit. His feet dragged on the sandy floor. This was not an entry to a natural river bottom cave. Just ahead, a uniform arch had been cut into a rock wall. A thick stone door, supported by heavy hinges, hung open to one side.

    His eyes fixed passed the opening, Corvan tripped on the threshold of the doorway, caught himself on the door, and pushed it wider. A wave of despair crashed down upon Corvan. Two rows of the strange script from his grandfather¡¯s book were carved across the middle of the door. The vast cave in front of him was more of Tsarek¡¯s Cor. He would have to go through yet another door and follow Kate deeper into the darkness ahead.

    He was about to move on when angry voices approached. Somewhere in the darkness, two men were arguing about who had last checked the door. Ducking in behind the thick slab, Corvan wedged his body along the wall. His pack caught on the curved ceiling, crowding his head forward and pushing his face in below the upper hinge. He was looking directly through wide crack. It would be easy for anyone who came close to see him hiding in the shadows.

    A short, wiry man entered his field of vision, his face hidden in the hood of his green cloak. Clutched in the man¡¯s hand was a shoulder high staff. At its top was a carved globe with a dark center. He stopped before the door, his head shaking in amazement. ¡°You¡¯re right. The door is open.¡±

    An even shorter, stocky man appeared. A deep voice responded from the depths of his red hood. ¡°I can see that, Tarran, but why is it open? The priests hold the only key, and you are the only priest I know who bothers to come up here.¡± He folded his arms over his chest.

    Tarran threw back his hood revealing the sharp features of a young man with thick black hair and keen gray eyes. ¡°What are you insinuating, Harmon?¡±

    The heavyset man didn¡¯t reply.

    Corvan held his breath as Tarran turned away and examined the far side of the door. The very person he was to meet was just a foot away but so was the palace guard Tsarek had warned him about.

    Pulling a notched cylinder on a red cord from around his neck, Tarran inserted it into a hole next to the door frame and twisted. Three sturdy bolts clicked out from the doorjamb. When he twisted the key and removed it, the bolts sank back into the rock.

    The green cloak swished as Tarran crossed over to inspect the hinge side of the door.

    Corvan twisted away to hide his face. His hand touched the hammer and its blue symbols glowed from the bottom of the holster. He yanked his hand away, and the light faded. He looked up into Tarran¡¯s wide eyes.

    ¡°Find something?¡± Harmon asked.

    ¡°Just checking the hinges,¡± Tarran said without breaking eye contact with Corvan. ¡°The door was not forced open.¡± He gestured with his left hand off to the side. ¡°I have seen all I need to see here. Let¡¯s head back down. You can file a report tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Too late for that,¡± Harmon sneered. ¡°I already reported it to the Chief Watcher.¡±

    Tarran¡¯s eyes grew wide, and he whirled about to face the stocky man. ¡°You did what?¡±

    Harmon pointed into the void behind him. ¡°The Chief Watcher is to be informed any time this door is opened. Since it could only be a priest who opened it, I suspected that you wouldn¡¯t tell him and put your friends or your family in jeopardy.¡±

    Tarran pounded his staff on the ground, and the globe was filled with red light. ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Harmon. You know little of what is happening. All you care about is trying to advance your own career.¡±

    ¡°What else is there?¡± Harmon snorted. ¡°With the bad blood between the Watchers, the priests, and the rebels, this is the perfect time to get on the good side of those who have the most power.¡±

    Tarran pointed the staff at him. ¡°Power is not a toy. Play with power¡ªpay the powerful.¡±

    Harmon shrugged. ¡°You priests and your proverbs. The way you talk, you¡¯d think you were part of the rebels and not for our own city. Don¡¯t think for a moment that the Palace doesn¡¯t know what you and your father are planning.¡±

    Tarran stared at the stocky man. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°I know that Morgan uncovered a plot to overthrow the Palace, and I know that the sources all point to the High Priest.¡± Harmon turned his back on Tarran and swaggered away.

    Tarran gripped his staff in both hands and took a step toward him.

    Harmon whirled around and looked down the narrow path beyond the door. ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± he whispered in a hoarse voice.

    Tarran joined him, and both men stood frozen at attention. Tarran fumbled with the staff, and its light faded away.

    In the thick silence, Corvan caught a series of rhythmic chirps that sounded like a quartet of wounded crickets limping in his direction. The soft slap of bare feet on rock soon overpowered the eerie sound, and four incredibly thin men appeared on the path. A palanquin tent with red curtains was slung below poles on their shoulders.

    The men¡¯s bare arms seemed too long and slender to be human. Blue veins pulsed under transparent glistening skin, and it reminded Corvan of pictures he¡¯d seen of cave salamanders that live all their lives in total darkness. Deep red robes accentuated their milky white faces.

    The tallest one, who was at the front of the poles, turned toward Corvan. Its translucent eyelids were twitching over its seemingly closed eyes. Thin white lips pursed, and a blue tongue worked to produce high-pitched chirps as its head scanned from side to side. The manlike creatures must navigate like bats and find their way using only echoes.

    Corvan held his breath, hoping the crack would shield him.

    The palanquin¡¯s embroidered red curtains parted, and a dark body oozed to the ground. Corvan stifled a gasp. It was a lizard like Tsarek, but much larger¡ªalmost Corvan¡¯s own height. Its head bobbed as a thin tongue whipped in and out, tasting the air that flowed from the cavern¡¯s open door. Powerful biceps strained against twisted silver bracers wrapped around each arm. It moved with measured steps into the doorway. The muscles in its thick legs were bulging and rippling under its scaly black skin, and then it passed from Corvan¡¯s line of sight.

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    It spoke, and Corvan¡¯s blood ran cold. The voice was high and thin. It pierced through the stone door between them. He did not catch what it said, but Tarran responded affirmatively.

    Harmon muttered something, but a command from the lizard silenced him.

    Corvan held his breath and heard the hiss of cold breath as the lizard¡¯s snout poked out over the threshold with its nostrils flaring to pull in the scents around it. If it came any closer, it was sure to smell him.

    Tarran coughed.

    The black creature turned toward him.

    ¡°Most honorable Chief Watcher,¡± Tarran said, ¡°I checked this door personally, and all the seals were intact. I do not know¡ª¡±

    Harmon pushed Tarran aside. ¡°I¡¯m the one who found the door open. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the priests for you, just as you ordered me. I¡¯m the one who deserves a reward for¡ª¡±

    A blur shot past the crack, and the black lizard was standing on Harmon¡¯s still body. He held his right paw up to the dim light, and Corvan could see it was badly deformed. There was only one long curved claw on a small, twisted stump. The lizard¡¯s tongue shot out to taste the blood dripping down the long claw. The black face wrinkled in distaste, and he stepped off the body and wiped his claw on the dead man¡¯s cloak. The lizard gave the body a contemptuous kick, then it twisted its sinuous neck to leer at Tarran.

    ¡°Some people don¡¯t know when to be quiet, do they? I do not trust those who cannot keep their lips shut.¡± The creature moved in closer to Tarran. ¡°I also don¡¯t trust a priest who cannot keep his door shut. It smells of treason. Perhaps trying to start a rumor that the Cor-Van has come to overthrow the palace?¡±

    Tarran pointed to the keyhole. ¡°The priest¡¯s key was not used. The door must have been opened from the other side by the Portal Watcher.¡±

    The black body flickered toward Tarran, words spitting past the forked tongue. ¡°If the Portal Watcher had been called, he would have told me. I am the Chief Watcher of the Cor.¡±

    The lizard circled around the man. ¡°Do not think I am unaware of why the High Priest assigned you to represent the temple in my palace guard. He tried the same tactic with Morgan and failed. Morgan was at least smart enough to know when to switch sides. It was not a good outcome for your sister, would you not agree?¡±

    Tarran stiffened but did not answer. The black form turned back to the door. ¡°Someone opened this door without informing me.¡± The lizard extended a claw toward Tarran. ¡°So, I will take the key.¡±

    Tarran took a step back. ¡°The key is the responsibility of the priests, not the palace.¡±

    ¡°Yessss.¡± The lizard¡¯s tongue darted in and out. ¡°But only as the guardians of the entry. Now the door has been opened without the palace being informed; therefore, your position as keeper of the key is forfeit to me.¡±

    Tarran gripped the staff in both hands and held it up like a great sword. The four pale men holding the palanquin dropped the canopied box to the ground and spread out behind the lizard. Tightly coiled krypin ropes appeared in their hands.

    The Chief Watcher extended his long claw and touched the end of the staff. ¡°Do not resist me, Tarran.¡± The lizard flicked the staff aside, then he turned his back on the man and walked toward the doorway. ¡°You cannot win.¡±

    Tarran took a step toward the four white creatures, who tensed in anticipation.

    ¡°You would be wise to consider joining me, as Morgan has done,¡± the lizard said without turning around. ¡°The priesthood is dying. My new religion is poised to take over. If you join with me, I will make you my captain instead of Morgan.¡±

    Tarran¡¯s staff sagged, and the tip hit the ground.

    The lizard held out his claw again. This time Tarran reached into his cowl and pulled out the cord and the notched cylinder. The Chief Watcher took it and looped it around his own neck.

    ¡°A wise choice. You are a perceptive young man. One who could play an important role in restoring the Cor to its former glory.¡±

    The tallest of the men with unseeing eyes approached and bent down to speak in the lizard¡¯s ear. His long fingers were brushing the ground.

    The lizard nodded. A tight smile parted his lips. ¡°A company of my men is on their way, Tarran. You have until tomorrow to give me your answer. Think it over carefully,¡± it hissed. ¡°Your sister¡¯s life depends on it.¡±

    The lizard slipped through the curtains into the palanquin. His voice cracked out a command, and the four men picked up the cabin and disappeared to the right. Their strange chirps soon faded into the distance.

    As Tarran watched the entourage leave, Corvan pushed away from the hinges. He had to get some answers from the man who had just saved him from the black lizard.

    Twisting around, he pushed on the heavy slab to get out from behind the door.

    An earsplitting screech filled the tunnel.

    Corvan looked up just in time to see a burak bounding toward Tarran in long loping strides. Its broad shoulder slammed into the door, knocking Corvan flat against the wall and throwing him onto the ground against the bottom hinge.

    Tarran cried out and through the crack Corvan saw the huge animal toss the man in the air and catch him in its jaws like a cat playing with a mouse. Tarran¡¯s body flew in a wild arc and landed in a crumpled heap near Corvan.

    Terror-filled eyes looked up through the crack. ¡°Help me,¡± he croaked.

    Corvan pushed his legs against the door, but the weight of the creature held the stone slab tight against the wall. He wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    Twisting on his side, he pulled the hammer free. Its blue light shot through the crack.

    The beast looked into the light, its eyes focused on Corvan, and then its sour breath blasted into his face with a deafening roar. The hinges creaked as the burak forced its snout into the crack. Its shrieks ripped at Corvan¡¯s eardrums. Dropping the hammer, he clenched both hands over his ears. The door banged again, and the horrible shrieks stopped.

    Tarran¡¯s bloody face was just beyond the crack.

    ¡°Help me, Cor-Van,¡± Tarran gasped before his pitiful face was dragged away.

    The great door boomed as the beast hammered into it. The stone slab bounced away from the wall revealing the burak retreating up the slope with the broken body of Tarran dragging in the dirt alongside it.

    Corvan fell to his knees and dropped his head into his hands. His stomach rolled, and he retched. The man who had saved him from being discovered by the black lizard had died because he was too afraid and too weak to help him.

    The muted shriek of the burak jerked Corvan¡¯s head up. Tsarek had said they always hunted in pairs, but he had not heard the second one during the attack. He held his breath and listened intently. The cavern was quiet, and nothing moved up the pathway.

    Feeling around the floor, he found the hammer lying in a pile of sand next to the wall. The handle was cold, and the light from the symbols was gone. He stuffed it into the holster. He¡¯d rather even have it around to remind him of how he had failed.

    After getting slowly to his feet, he found that the great stone door was jammed against Tarran¡¯s staff. Pulling the door back, he picked it up and tapped it on the floor to knock the dirt from the globe at the top. Red light shot out and threw a kaleidoscope of shadowed patterns around the tunnel. More of the same sort of words from the hammer and the door.

    A flurry of movement up the pathway caught Corvan¡¯s eye. The other burak had arrived! Leaping over the threshold, Corvan swirled about and yanked the door shut. Three sharp clicks were immediately followed by muffled blows on the other side of the door. Corvan slumped down against it and leaned his head against the cold stone.

    High above him, the blue moon shone brightly, but now he could clearly see it was a lumien that was much larger than the one in Tsarek¡¯s cave. Smaller ones were scattered around it were, the pink ¡°stars¡± he¡¯d seen earlier.

    As the blows against the door fell away, Corvan realized he had just locked his only exit out of this violent underground world, and the black lizard had the only key.

    Pushing to his feet, he was drawn forward by the sheer size of this new cavern. It was hard to judge distance in the dim light, but it had to be miles to the other side, where there was a brown haze over what appeared to be jagged mountains. He stepped forward for a better look, and his foot slipped. He recovered to find himself on the edge of a precipice that ended in a steep slope hundreds of feet below.

    Off to his right, at the bottom of a trail that wound down to the base of the cliff, he caught sight of the tiny figures of the pale men carrying the lizard over a narrow bridge. Beyond the ribbon of dark water was the strangest city he had ever seen. It was laid out in concentric circles from a central plaza. Each circle joined the next at periodic intervals to make the streets look like the web of an immense spider.

    A few larger buildings were grouped together near the center of the city, but nowhere could he see a building with a pointy roof. He scanned both sides of the widest street that ran toward the far wall. The left side of the city was in ruins, but the right side looked relatively undamaged. An irregular thick wall ran between them.

    The lizard¡¯s pale servants arrived in the central plaza, turned right, and proceeded through a gate in the dividing wall. They marched up a wide street through banks of fog that flowed down from a wide gate.

    Corvan looked ahead of the tiny travelers, and his eyes opened wide in amazement. A stone figure sitting on a massive throne rose above the larger buildings. Corvan inched closer to the edge of the cliff, and his eyes wandered over the colossally broad chest. It was a temple of some kind, like the ones for King Ramses and the other pharaohs in Egypt. On top of the wide shoulders was a rough block of stone. The face of the statue was not yet finished.

    Corvan¡¯s gaze swept down over a powerful stone bicep overlaid with writhing snakelike creatures. The arm lay on one of the wide armrests of the throne, and its hand was gripping a tall staff like the one Corvan now held.

    Below the statue, surrounding the huge stone feet, figures crawled like ants around a circular stone wall. Great stone blocks were being moved into position with cranes and rollers. Hundreds of fire sticks burned around the construction site. They cast their hazy heat waves into the air around the statue and made it look almost alive, like it might leave its throne and crush the buildings at its feet.

    Corvan peered into the shadows off to the left of the statue. Was that a pointy roof?

    A shove from behind pitched him over the edge.

    Before Corvan could scream, two powerful hands gripped his shoulders and held him dangling in thin air.

 Chapter 25

    ¡°So, Tarran,¡± a deep voice growled in Corvan¡¯s ear, ¡°you have not only proven yourself to be a bigger fool than your father, but this time he cannot save you from the Chief Watcher.¡±

    The grip on Corvan¡¯s shoulders relaxed. His body slipped, and his heart pounded.

    ¡°I think it would be best for everyone if you fell to your death,¡± the deep voice stated.

    ¡°Kharag,¡± a calm voice spoke. ¡°Our orders were to relieve Tarran and Harmon not kill them.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Rayu,¡± the man holding Corvan barked, ¡°or you will be next. It would be a great relief to not see any of the green priest¡¯s cloaks around our barracks.¡±

    Corvan was hurled back toward the door. He collapsed in a heap and looked out under the folds of his hood. His captors were expecting to meet Tarran at the door and his grandfather¡¯s special cloak was making them think that was who Corvan was. He pulled his hood lower.

    Men in black cloaks moved about while an older man in a green cloak smiled in his direction. That had to be one of the priests from the temple Tsarek had spoken of. If he could only talk to Rayu, the man could help him escape.

    A boot caught him in the leg. ¡°Get to your feet,¡± Kharag ordered.

    Using the staff, Corvan pushed himself upright. He was keeping his hood low and his eyes on the ground. As he leaned heavily on the staff, its glow came to life, and Kharag¡¯s boots jumped in front of him.

    ¡°Why did you light your staff?¡± Kharag demanded, snatching it from Corvan¡¯s hand. He examined the shaft. ¡°And why is there blood on it?¡±

    ¡°Kharag,¡± another voice called, ¡°look over here.¡±

    Corvan watch from under his hood as Kharag moved to where a knot of soldiers stood around Harmon¡¯s body. The older man in a green cloak pushed in to crouch over the corpse. ¡°This wound was not made by his staff,¡± he said, looking up at Kharag.

    Kharag shoved the man, who fell hard to the ground.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need your help, Rayu. This is not a temple affair. Harmon¡¯s body is proof of the murder, so Tarran is now a prisoner under the jurisdiction of the Chief Watcher.¡±

    The large boots stalked back to Corvan. The sharp point of the staff jabbed repeatedly into his shoulder with each sharp word. ¡°Tarran, you are under arrest for the murder of Harmon. You will now be taken before the Chief Watcher for judgment.¡± Someone shoved Corvan and was directing him onto the cliffside path leading down to the city.

    Hemmed in by soldiers on the narrow track, Corvan noticed there was something odd about his guards. At first, he couldn¡¯t figure it out, but as they entered the first set of switchbacks, leading to the bridge below, it finally struck him. Among these grown men, he was of average height. Either the guards were chosen for their short stature, or all the people of this place Tsarek called the Cor were not very tall.

    The light from the lumiens overhead was growing dimmer, and with his hood low over his eyes, Corvan felt safe from discovery, at least for the time being. Once he was taken to the Chief Watcher, he would be exposed as an impostor. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead at the thought of meeting the black lizard face-to-face.

    Seeking some reassurance, he reached under his tunic to rest his hand on the head of the hammer, but it was cold to the touch. Something had changed when Tarran died. The man¡¯s frightened face filled his thoughts. He pushed the image away, but the voice in his head kept pleading, ¡°Help me, Cor-Van.¡±

    Silently, he responded, I was too afraid and I¡¯m not strong enough. I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t even know how to use the hammer.

    Tarran¡¯s voice continued to implore him. ¡°Please, Cor-Van, help me.¡±

    He tried forcing himself to think of something else, but the voice would not quit. It grew louder and more desperate.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    All the men around him jostled to a halt and turned to face him. Kharag pushed through their midst and grabbed him by the collar, almost knocking his hood off. ¡°Why should we stop? Are you too tired, Tarran? Did killing Harmon take too much out of you?¡± Kharag yanked him to the edge of the trail. ¡°If you are so tired, I will help you to the bottom faster.¡±

    Again, the old man named Rayu spoke up in his even tone. ¡°Kharag, don¡¯t forget that the Chief Watcher will not be happy with you if he does not have a chance to question your prisoner. There is no reward for a dead body. I suggest we keep moving and get across the water before it gets fully dark.¡±

    The soldiers behind Rayu muttered their agreement, and Kharag¡¯s face contorted into an ugly sneer. Shoving Corvan toward the guards, he pointed a thick finger at Rayu. ¡°Keep your thoughts to yourself, old man, or you will be the one taking a quick trip down.¡±

    Kharag stomped off down the trail as the soldiers formed a tight wall around Corvan and plodded downward. There was no way out of this new nightmare. Everything was going from bad to worse.

    Someone squeezed Corvan¡¯s hand. Rayu was walking beside him. He looked directly up into Corvan¡¯s hood and smiled. Corvan nodded and swallowed a lump in his throat. The man knew he was not Tarran and was still willing to help him. At least he had one friend in this place. A soldier behind them coughed, and Rayu let go as the guard pushed through between them.

    Weariness settled in, and Corvan fell into a trancelike state as he was stumbling down the winding path. The sound of rushing water brought him back to his senses and awakened his thirst. It had been a long time since he last ate or drank.

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    There was no stopping for a drink. The guards pressed in even tighter as they approached the bridge and sped up. Although it was protected with a stone wall on either side, the soldiers crowded as close to the center as possible. A few glanced nervously at the water rushing below. Corvan looked for the source of their fear. Was one of the long-armed monsters hiding below it? Or were they simply afraid of falling in?

    They quickly reached the other side of the river, where the bank of the water channel rose up to join the outer wall of the city.

    The company passed through an open gate, spread out, and marched down the wide street Corvan had seen from above. All the buildings on the left were crumbling shells with their doors broken off and roofs falling in. On the right, a high wall had been hastily constructed of stone blocks of various sizes that didn¡¯t fit together well.

    The road itself was uneven, and the soldiers stumbled in the near darkness. The few people they met pressed against the high wall on the right side of the street until the soldiers passed and then scurried away. Corvan could not see their faces because everyone wore a hooded cloak¡ªlikely the only way to stay warm in the damp air or perhaps to avoid detection from the armed guard.

    Kharag led the procession through the city by the light of the staff¡¯s globe. It cast its twisting elongated shadows onto the wall alongside them.

    In a short while, the company reached the center of the city. The round plaza he had seen from the upper door had a round pool in the middle of which was a statue topped with the head of a man but with four arms sticking out of its body rising from the water. Something moved in the shadows beyond the statue, and he caught a quick glimpse of a shrouded figure heading into a street beyond the statue in the staff¡¯s garish light. The sweet scent of lilacs awakened a powerful longing. He bent lower to look through the legs of the statue, and the figure looked in his direction.

    It was Kate! She took a glance at the soldiers, and then she pulled the plaid blanket draped over her shoulders tightly around her neck and disappeared up the darkened street. Corvan stumbled into the soldier in front of him, and they both crashed to the ground. In a flash, Rayu was kneeling at his side and pulling Corvan¡¯s hood back over his head.

    Grabbing the old man¡¯s wrist, Corvan pulled him in close. ¡°There¡¯s a girl in the street behind the statue,¡± he whispered. ¡°You must go and help her. She¡¯s wearing a blanket with ¡­¡±

    ¡°Are we going to have to drag the two of you up to the palace?¡± Kharag¡¯s angry voice echoed in the confines of the walled plaza.

    Rayu leaned back and pulled Corvan to his feet. ¡°We are all right. Just tripped over the loose cobblestones.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again,¡± Kharag warned and turned away.

    With Rayu close at his side, the company moved along a circular wall that curved to the outside of the central plaza. They passed under what looked like metal trees, the branches terminating in metal rings. Rayu gave his hand a firm squeeze, and then he was gone. Corvan wanted desperately to confirm that Rayu was going after Kate, but he dared not stumble again.

    In front of them, a pair of sputtering fire sticks framed a narrow iron gate. Kharag strode up and shouted a command. The gate creaked open only enough to let the soldiers squeeze through in single file. Beyond the gate, a soldier stood yawning with his hand on the windlass that controlled the gate.

    Prodding Corvan to keep moving, the soldiers marched along the wide street toward the faceless statue brooding over the decaying city. The street became a wider stone stairway, and its balustrades were crumbling and broken off like twin rows of rotten teeth. At the top of the stairs, they passed beneath a great stone arch set into a thick wall before emerging into a large open space. Ahead of them, successive ranks of stairs, broken by wide landings, climbed toward the feet of the statue. At regular intervals across the landings were more of the fluted metal trees, which seemed to be sprouting from circular stone platforms.

    After two flights of stairs, it was all Corvan could do to force his feet to take the last step onto the next landing. Just when he feared he might collapse and be discovered, Kharag ordered the men to stand down. They all sank wearily onto the steps.

    Kharag left them and crossed the open area toward a large double gate set into the courtyard wall. Corvan peeked from under his hood and watched Kharag knock at a smaller door next to the large gate. He tried to keep watch to see what might happen, but his head sank to his knees. He dozed for a moment, then he was jolted awake when the soldiers beside him pulled him to his feet.

    Kharag swaggered toward them and called out. ¡°The Chief Watcher does not want to be disturbed tonight.¡± The small door slammed behind him, and Kharag jumped. His voice lowered. ¡°I have been ordered to leave the prisoner in one of the cells. The Chief Watcher will decide his fate in the morning.¡± He gestured for them to follow.

    One side of the larger gate opened, and Kharag led them inside and to the right along a high building. A light glowed in a window next to an archway. Two red-cloaked guards, armed with tall pikes, stepped out. Kharag approached them and held out the red staff while speaking in important tones.

    One of the red guards yanked the staff from Kharag¡¯s hand and pushed him aside. The soldiers beside Corvan fell back as the red cloaks swept in and ushered him through the arch and across a small courtyard toward a row of short, round towers up tight against the tall building. A door was opened, and Corvan was shoved inside. The door slid closed behind him. A key turned in a lock. All sound from outside the round room was cut off.

    Corvan¡¯s eyes adjusted quickly. The cell was about ten paces in diameter and other than the faint outline of the locked door, the walls were unmarked by cracks or lines indicating how it had been constructed. A bit of light leaked in through a round opening high overhead.

    Corvan crossed to a low stone bench jutting out from the wall and sat down. To his right was a shallow depression with a hole in the middle. Corvan wrinkled his nose at the smell. Obviously, this was his toilet. Above the depression, a short, round knob protruded from the wall. When he touched the tip, clear water gushed from the underside and ran into the hole. After drinking his fill of the cool water, he removed his cloak, pulled off the pack, and kicked it under the bench. At least the darkness had kept them from noticing the pack and searching it.

    Stretching out on the cold stone bench, he wrapped his grandfather¡¯s cloak tightly around him and tried to think through all that had just happened. It seemed obvious that the mysterious cloak had worked on the minds of the soldiers and had fooled them into thinking he was Tarran. Rayu, however, was not deceived. He had looked Corvan in the face and was still willing to help him.

    The older priest named Rayu was a kind-hearted man, and he had looked Corvan in the face. He knew he was not Tarran, but he had gone looking for Kate. If he found her, Rayu would likely take her to the priest¡¯s temple and help her out. All he needed to do was escape from the cell and make his way across to the other side of the wide plaza to join them, but how?

    Gazing up at the circle of light, the solution presented itself with stark simplicity. His krypin rope could crawl up walls. All he needed to do was to walk it up to the top and pull himself through the hole and onto the roof.

    Jumping off the bench, he was reaching for where the rope was clipped to his belt when a key rattled in the door. He dropped back onto the bench, turned his back to the door, and pretended to be asleep.

    The door opened, and someone stepped lightly into the room.

    ¡°I want to make sure my brother is all right,¡± a woman said. ¡°I am assuming the laws of Kadir City still allow an untried prisoner to have visitors?¡±

 Chapter 26

    A man¡¯s voice echoed softly off the walls of Corvan¡¯s prison cell. ¡°The law is unchanged, but you and I both know it is the Chief Watcher¡¯s interpretation of the law that matters. Both of us would be in a difficult position if he found out about your visit.¡±

    ¡°I will take that chance,¡± the woman replied, ¡°Unlike you, I am not afraid of what that creature might do.¡±

    There was a short pause before the man quietly continued. ¡°These are difficult days, Tyreth. We need to play this out carefully in a way that is good for all of us.¡±

    ¡°There is no ¡®us,¡¯ Morgan,¡± Tyreth responded crisply. ¡°Those days are over. You made your choice.¡±

    ¡°I had no choice at that point,¡± Morgan answered tensely. ¡°Now there are new decisions to be made.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Tyreth shot back.

    Morgan lowered his voice. ¡°Major changes are about to take place. I cannot say more right now, but I need you to consider what could be if things were resolved between the palace and the priests. If I were able to take over the palace and rule the Cor, I would need a wise and confident counterpart. Together, we could free Kadir and rebuild it.¡±

    ¡°Do you honestly believe I would join with you after what you¡¯ve done to the priests and my family? I would rather go to the Wasting before I would agree to be your counterpart.¡±

    ¡°Things are not as they seem.¡± Morgan spoke so quietly Corvan could barely hear him. ¡°Very soon I will be able to make it all clear to you. Promise me you will attend the Wasting ceremony, and I can assure you that you will see things differently.¡±

    ¡°The High Priest¡¯s daughter cannot be seen at that blasphemous event,¡± Tyreth retorted.

    ¡°She need not be seen there,¡± Morgan said, ¡°but she needs to be there if she would like to speak with her brother before he goes to trial.¡±

    There was a long pause. ¡°Fine. I will observe the ceremony from the back of the amphitheater. I need to see Tarran right away.¡±

    The man¡¯s tone softened. ¡°Thank you, Tyreth. You won¡¯t regret it. I will awaken him and then wait for you outside the open door. I must fulfill my duty as his guard.¡±

    Hard-heeled boots crossed the room, and a rough hand shook Corvan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Tarran, wake up. Your sister is here to see you.¡±

    Corvan rolled on his side and watched as Morgan strode back to the door. His broad shoulders were set like a matador going out to challenge a bull. The man touched the outside of the door jamb, and a band of amber light encircled the cell a few feet off the floor and illuminated the form of a woman just outside. ¡°You must be quick.¡± Morgan said to her. ¡°The change of guards will arrive shortly.¡±

    Corvan sat up as the woman entered the cell. She wore a pale blue cloak. Silver tassels hung from the drawstrings of the hood onto a white scarf. As she approached, she swept the hood back, revealing an intense face framed by shoulder length black hair that swayed with each step. To Corvan, it was as if she had stepped off the front cover of one of the science fiction magazines he had tucked away in his chest at home. A warrior princess, he thought to himself, but as she drew near, he noticed she wasn¡¯t much older than him¡ªalthough she was at least 6 inches taller.

    She smiled and his heart warmed until he reminded himself that she was under the impression he was her brother¡ªthe same brother he had let die. He dropped his head and looked to the floor.

    Tyreth pulled him from the bench into an embrace. ¡°Tarran, I am so glad to see you.¡± The words were full of concern, but the hug was loose and aloof. ¡°Have they been treating you well?¡± she said in a loud voice as she let him go and took a step back between him and the door.

    Before he could stop her, she pushed his hood back and looked directly into his face. He waited for an expression of surprise, but she looked resolutely at him without flinching. Her eyes were as blue as a prairie sky in winter, but they were full of cold sorrow.

    ¡°How can they accuse you of killing Harmon?¡± Tyreth said, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°This is a terrible mistake,¡± she said as she was turning back to him.

    Corvan opened his mouth to talk, but she gave her head a slight shake and touched his lips. Her fingers smelled of sweet spice.

    ¡°Tarran, you look terrible,¡± she said. ¡°These cells are so cold. Here, take my scarf.¡± She unwound the white cloth from around her neck, looped it around his, and tucked it down the front of his cloak.

    The kindness of her gesture brought a tear to Corvan¡¯s eye, and he lowered his head again.

    Tyreth put her fingertips under his chin and raised it. ¡°Don¡¯t give in to fear,¡± she whispered. ¡°Be brave and do exactly as you will be told.¡± She tugged on the side of his hood and then spoke loudly again. ¡°Keep your hood on and stay warm.¡± She stepped back and nodded to him. ¡°I will try to come back to see you before your trial begins.¡±

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    She stood looking at him, and her eyes filled with tears. ¡°I loved you ¡­ Tarran.¡± Her voice faltered. Clenching her jaw and giving her head a tense shake, she flipped up her hood and turned for the door.

    When she reached the cell door, she said something to Morgan about her brother being very ill and that he should be left to rest before it slid closed.

    Corvan sank down on the bench. Tyreth knew he was not Tarran, and she appeared to know her brother was dead. How could she know that since Harmon was dead as well?

    Corvan untucked her scarf, and the soothing scent of her spiced perfume swirled about the cell. Her last words were to keep his head covered, so she must want him to keep up the ruse that he was Tarran. Yet she had left his face uncovered when she went out, which didn¡¯t fit. Morgan might have noticed he wasn¡¯t Tarran were he not so preoccupied with his own plans for her. He didn¡¯t know anything about the man but found himself strongly disliking him.

    Annoyed and not really knowing why, Corvan flipped his hood back over his head. A small packet dropped out and fell into his lap. He picked up a cloth pouch tied onto a stick that looked like a short thick pencil with a brown eraser. Untying the cloth, he discovered a small knobby pebble inside. He held both items up to the band of light on the wall. He pressed the eraser bump on top of the stick, and a tiny voice spoke. He held the stick closer to his ear.

    ¡°We must get you, away from the guards, before the morning comes.¡± A man was speaking in clipped phrases as if he was on a scratched record. ¡°Your only chance is for the guards to think you have died of a sickness. You must immediately swallow the pill we have given you. It will cause you to appear as if you are dead. We will come get you before the Chief Watcher calls for your trial. Make sure you drop this message stick and the cloth down the waste hole. We shall speak with you after we give you the antidote and bring you back to life.¡±

    Corvan pushed the knob again, but the stick remained silent. Tyreth was a part of this plan, and he wanted to trust her, but how could she know this pill wouldn¡¯t accidentally kill him? Placing the pill in a small indentation on the stone bench, he tossed the stick and pouch down the hole. After returning to the bench, he stood looking at the pill. Even if he were to swallow it, his mother always said never to take medicine on an empty stomach. He dug to the bottom of the pack and found a tin can he¡¯d missed when he¡¯d lightened the load. He was about to throw it down the hole but changed his mind. Kate still had the Swiss Army knife to open the cans, and she would be hungry if he could find her and Rayu.

    Opening the side pocket of the pack, Corvan pulled out the last piece of beef jerky. It was a bit soggy and the salt had risen to the surface in a white crust, but it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. He washed it down with a long drink from the stone tap.

    He looked back at the pill. Most medicine was bitter, and his mother would give him a teaspoon of honey to help get it down. Pulling out the last of the chocolate chips, he poured half of them into a small pile next to the pill, then rolled down the top of the bag and stuffed it back into the pack. He would save some for Kate. She loved chocolate.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Morgan¡¯s deep voice growled in his ear, and a sharp point pressed into his back. How long had the man been standing there?

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been holding out on us? In these difficult times, with so little food, the Chief Watcher has decried hoarding food a crime punishable by death.¡± The knife pushed harder. ¡°Move to the wall.¡±

    Corvan slid along the bench and tight against the wall. Morgan moved around and sat at the far end. He kept the point of a black bladed knife hovering between them. His intense face was framed with thick curly hair, and his gray eyes studied Corvan¡¯s every movement.

    ¡°I regret that it has come to this. You and I should have been brothers, not enemies.¡± Morgan peered into the recesses of Corvan¡¯s hood. ¡°I need to ask you something, and I need you to answer me truthfully. Is it true that you¡¯ve defected to the palace, or is your presence here just another one of the High Priest¡¯s insane plans?¡±

    Corvan lowered his head, and the piercing eyes disappeared under the edge of his hood.

    ¡°Your silence says it all. He may be your father, but the High Priest is a fool. You will be destroyed by his schemes. The Chief Watcher does not tolerate treachery. He will not let you live long after the trial.¡±

    Corvan remained mute.

    ¡°So, what are these?¡± Morgan poked at the chocolate chips with the tip of his knife. ¡°Something your sister brought you? Tyreth is as clever as she is beautiful.¡± He picked one up and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger.

    Corvan shifted his weight, and Morgan instantly raised the knife to Corvan¡¯s chest. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything, Tarran. I don¡¯t believe you are ill. You¡¯ve never been sick a day in your life.¡±

    Morgan sniffed at one of the chocolate chips, then he nibbled at it. ¡°Sweet, just like your sister,¡± he said, poking his knife toward Corvan.

    Morgan cocked his head to one side, then reached out and pulled the white scarf from Corvan¡¯s neck. ¡°You won¡¯t need this in your crypt. Nothing will keep you warm there.¡± Laying his knife next to the chocolate chips, he looped the scarf around his own neck before picking up the chips one-by-one and dropping them into the palm of his hand.

    Corvan glanced at the knife. Should he try to grab it? Morgan seemed intent on the chocolate. Corvan raised his eyes and found a smirk twisting at the corners of Morgan¡¯s mouth. The man was baiting him into a fight.

    Morgan plucked up the last of the chips along with the small pebble. As Morgan added Tyreth¡¯s pill to his handful of chips, Corvan twitched. In an instant, Morgan swept the knife off the bench and pointed it at Corvan¡¯s heart. ¡°A little too slow, Tarran. Perhaps you are actually sick.¡± Leaning back, he tossed the chocolate chips and pill into his mouth.

    ¡°The night guard will be here shortly. If you will not answer my questions ¡­¡± Something crunched in his mouth, and he grimaced. Jabbing his tongue into his upper molars, he pulled out half of the pebble pill and held it up between his fingers. A cold sweat broke out on his face. ¡°What have you¡ª¡± He lifted the knife to Corvan¡¯s throat, and his hand shaking as the tip touched Corvan¡¯s skin.

    Corvan jerked back, tossing his head and sending his hood flying off his head.

    Morgan¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Corvan¡¯s face, and he jumped off the bench, stumbling then tripping as his heel caught in the toilet hole. He crashed to the floor, and the black knife skittered toward the open door. Corvan stood to help him, but Morgan crawled away, clawing his way toward his knife and the door. As he collapsed face down, his hand reached out and brushed the door frame.

    The door slid shut with a soft click. The room was silent.

 Chapter 27

    Corvan struggled to roll Morgan over. The man¡¯s eyes were closed, and it didn¡¯t appear he was breathing. Corvan placed his hand on Morgan¡¯s chest, but that didn¡¯t yield anything conclusive. The intent of the pill Tyreth left behind was to make a person appear to be dead, but Morgan had spit part of it out. He might come back around soon, or he might die without the antidote. Either way, Corvan needed to get out of the cell, find Tyreth, and let her know what had happened. Despite their argument, it seemed she still cared about Morgan.

    Dragging the man a bit closer to the door, Corvan tried touching his hand to the frame, but it didn¡¯t open. Searching his clothes and pockets for a key, he found only a leather scabbard strapped to his leg. Untying it, he picked up the black knife. Like the hammer, it appeared to be made of one piece of black polished stone. He slipped it back in the sheath, went to the bench, and dropped the blade into his pack.

    A rustling noise in the cell caught him off-guard, and he jumped around the bench expecting to see Morgan coming after him. Instead, two tentacles were poking from the toilet hole. Long, thin legs appeared and were followed by the largest spider Corvan had ever seen. Its slime-covered bulbous body was bigger than his fist. A shiver ran through Corvan¡¯s shoulders as the spider pulled itself from the hole and walked stiltedly to the wall. He watched it climb, somehow finding minute footholds in the smooth surface, until its silhouette disappeared through the hole in the center of the ceiling.

    That was the answer! The end of his grandfather¡¯s special rope could scale the walls, and he could use it to climb out of the cell. Buckling on his pack, he released the krypin rope from his side and stepped to the middle of the room. Releasing the soft strands, he set the disk on the floor and manipulated the control end to move it onto the wall. It climbed slowly up the smooth surface and disappeared into the deep shadow where the walls met the ceiling.

    It seemed it might be a bit too short to reach the hole, but then the rope stretched toward the middle of the room and became thinner. Just when he thought it was getting close, the end fell back, glanced off his head, and landed in his hood. The hole in the roof was just out of reach.

    He stood a moment with his hand on the rope before he realized it was still suspended in midair. His hood suddenly twitched like a thing possessed. The spider! Corvan flailed around the room, shaking his head and jumping over Morgan¡¯s body to dislodge the creature. Scrambling onto his head, it rummaged frantically through his hair. He shouted and jerked until its fat body flipped past his face and dropped to the floor with a plop like a deflated rubber ball. Pushing up on its twiggy legs, it staggered back to the toilet hole and dropped in.

    A shudder ran through his body, but there was no time to waste. No doubt someone had heard him call out. He had to move fast.

    The krypin rope hung near the middle of the room, so it had to be anchored somewhere close to the opening in the ceiling. Images from his nightmare of the rope slipping through his hands played out in his mind. Instead, he tied the knob end around his waist, gripped the rope tight, and pulled himself off the ground. The rope only stretched and gently lowered him back down.

    Was it coming loose? Reaching up, he gave the rope a quick jerk. It instantly tightened like a rubber band and yanked him off his feet. Air whipped past his ears and the circle of light shot past him as he rocketed out of the opening into cooler air. His ascent peaked, and he tumbled down to sprawl across the roof of his prison cell.

    He lay there for a minute, catching his breath, coiling up the rope, and listening for anyone entering the cell below. It was quiet. Using the flat disk, he secured the loops back together and clipped it back on his belt. No wonder Tsarek had been so impressed with it.

    He crawled forward to peer over the short parapet that curled around the top edge of the cell tower. Below him, the guardroom was empty and two red cloaks were searching the courtyard. There was no going down that way. He would need to climb onto the main building that towered over the cells behind him.

    He crossed to the back wall and sent the green disk up to the top of the building. This time, after gently stretching the rope out, he gave it only a small tug. He found himself dragged and bumped upward like a sack of potatoes. Swiveling about, he managed to get his feet against the wall. The special slippers gripped the stone, and Corvan climbed effortlessly to the roof just like the spider in the cell.

    Up top, the flat roof was much larger than he¡¯d expected. This had to be the palace of the Chief Watcher. Corvan tiptoed across the roof to the left side and looked down into the stepped courtyard he had entered as Kharag¡¯s captive. To his right, the dark statue loomed high over the city. Even without a face, it seemed to be watching him.

    At the feet of the statue, thick fog rolled about behind the circular stone wall he had seen from then cliff when Tarran had died. It rose in waves and was sending tendrils out an arched gate. A larger eruption of white vapor overflowed the wall, creating waves of luminescent fog that swept down into the plaza and surrounded the round pots with their bare metal trees. From here, he could see that the metal rings were the same as Tsarek¡¯s lumien holder under the Castle Rock. At some point in the past, each of the curved posts below must have had a lumien attached to each ring on its branches like a complex living streetlamp. He scanned the courtyard for a broken one and wondered if this was where his grandfather had found the one now at home in his bedroom.

    Across the open area, a peaked roof rose high above the courtyard walls¡ªthe priest¡¯s building that Tsarek had told him to locate. Now he just needed to get out of the Chief Watcher¡¯s complex and over to the other side. He searched the ground below. If he used the green rope to drop down on this side of the palace courtyard wall, he would still need to get past the guard at the palace gates.

    The guard at the small door below coughed. Above the man¡¯s head, an iron girder had been bolted onto the wall to reinforce the main gate. If he crossed that beam over to the courtyard wall, he could walk on top of it around the perimeter, cross the main arch, and gain access to the priest¡¯s buildings. He¡¯d often walked along the fence rails on his way to school. He and Kate competed to see who could go the farthest without falling. It was the only contest that he occasionally won. The fence rails back home weren¡¯t forty feet off the ground, but the courtyard wall itself was wide enough and the slipper shoes gripped well.

    Easing himself over the lip of the roof, his feet touched down on the narrow iron rail. He stepped forward and worked his way into the center. The guard coughed again, and Corvan stumbled. A shower of dust floated down toward the guard¡¯s head.

    Corvan tensed to leap forward when a shout came from around the corner of the palace building in the direction of the cells. As the guard ran off, Corvan scurried over to the main courtyard wall.

    He was just past the guard house below when he discovered a flaw in his plan. Soldiers were now rushing about in the prison compound below, and he would be easily seen against the dim blue glow of the lumiens overhead. Now the shouts below were being answered by lights in the windows of the palace directly across from him. If anyone looked his way, he would be caught.

    Forcing himself to look straight ahead, Corvan concentrated on walking the wall as quickly as possible. Wisps of fog were climbing up the side of the courtyard wall and floating around him to partially hide him from view. By the time he rounded the corner near the main arch, the thick cotton of rolling mist had risen to the full height of the wall and was squeezing like toothpaste through the arched gate at his feet. The back eddy swirled higher, making it tough to see where to put his feet as he climbed up and over the main entry into the courtyard.

    Drawing near to the priest¡¯s side of the terraced courtyard, he discovered that the pointed roof was set back from the main courtyard wall. He was about to get out the rope to climb down when he made out a thinner wall surrounding an enclosed area in front of the priests¡¯ building. Corvan lowered himself onto the narrow stone and picked his way over to the peaked roof. Overhead, light shone from triangular skylights. His slippers gripped the slate tiles, and he tiptoed up to the light. The glass was crusted with droppings that must have come from some sort of birds or bats¡ªenormous ones.

    Corvan tried wiping the glass with the edge of his cloak, and the skylight swiveled silently open. Inside the room, a large lumien hung from a thick metal ring suspended from the center of the high peak. Its thick vines twisted over out to the corners of the walls.

    An angry voice spoke from the floor below. Corvan slipped over the sill onto the wide ledge that encircled the room. Removing his pack, he crawled to the edge and looked below.

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    A bearded old man in an embroidered green robe stood alone at the far side of a large table in the center of the room. The angry voice came from under the same pale blue cloak Corvan had seen earlier that night in the prison cell.

    ¡°I had no choice, Father,¡± Tyreth said bitterly. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t given my word, Morgan would not have let me see him.¡±

    The old man slapped both hands down on the table. ¡°That ceremony is an abomination¡ªthe opposite of everything we believe.¡±

    Tyreth tossed her head. ¡°What other choice did I have? You told me that we must play this out carefully. Besides, Morgan hinted at an alliance.¡±

    The bearded man glowered at her from under thick eyebrows. ¡°Morgan can no longer be trusted. Why are you even listening to that man? That relationship¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is over, Father. Do not be concerned. I had to listen to Morgan to pass on the message to that ¡­ that boy.¡±

    ¡°You are speaking of the Cor-Van.¡±

    ¡°All I saw was a boy, a child not yet of the age to even grow out his hair!¡± There was no denying the irritation in her rising voice.

    The old man pointed out the door at the far end of the hall. ¡°Rayu told us he came from the passages. How could anyone come from the outside unless he is the Cor-Van?¡±

    Tyreth shook her head. ¡°If this one is the Cor-Van, it will be a long time before he is mature enough to lead anyone.¡± She threw up her hands. ¡°He was so afraid he was almost crying.¡± She dropped her hands to sides. ¡°I feel sorry for that boy if the Chief Watcher gets hold of him.¡±

    Corvan slumped lower on the ledge. She was right about his fears but wrong about him being a leader. He didn¡¯t even want to be here anymore. He wanted to find Kate and get as far away from this awful place as possible.

    ¡°We must give him a chance,¡± the old man said. ¡°With Tarran dead, my plan to take over the palace has failed. The Chief Watcher is onto us. All of the priests are in grave danger, and Rayu says this boy is our only hope. I need your support in this.¡±

    Tyreth slowly shook her head. ¡°If he is the Cor-Van for whom you have been looking, then why did he allow Tarran to die?¡±

    ¡°What makes you so sure he was there when Tarran died?¡±

    ¡°I felt my brother die.¡± Tyreth said softly as she was twisting the tassels that hung from her hood. She looked up at the man. ¡°But where is Tarran¡¯s body? You know what those creatures do to the dead.¡± She dropped into an ornate chair. A tear slipped down her face.

    Tyreth¡¯s father studied her for a long moment. ¡°We will need to ask the boy once he is here. Are you certain he understood the message? Does he have it with him?¡±

    Tyreth fiercely wiped the tear away with the sleeve of her cloak. ¡°I did my best. Morgan was near the doorway, and I¡¯m sure he listened to every word. We can be glad they thought he was Tarran and didn¡¯t bother to search him. I could see he was wearing some sort of pack on his back even in the dim light.¡± A frown creased her brow. ¡°Even if that boy has the hammer, as Rayu claims, it is obvious he doesn¡¯t know how to use it. We should rally the priests and follow through with Tarran¡¯s plan to take over the palace. We can rescue the boy and use the hammer ourselves.¡±

    ¡°And risk alerting the dark powers to the return of the Cor-Van?¡± Tyreth¡¯s father asked. ¡°Risk putting the hammer into his hands instead? If the death of your brother did nothing else, it gave us the opportunity to get the boy out of the cell without anyone discovering who he is.¡± He looked toward the door. ¡°Why is this taking so long? We¡¯ve already heard the signal for the changing of the guards.¡±

    The old man strode over to the main doors and peered into the hallway. A few wisps of fog coiled around his ankles. He shook them off and shut the door. Returning to the table, he looked hard at Tyreth. ¡°Why was a man of Morgan¡¯s rank on guard duty?¡±

    She looked up and rolled her eyes. ¡°Because he knew I would be coming. He believes you have misjudged him. He wants you to give him another chance.¡±

    The old man grunted and stepped in front of a large tapestry hanging on the wall. His gnarled fingers traced the markings in its center.

    Both jumped when the door burst open and a young man with shoulder-length brown hair and sharp features ran into the room to bend one knee before the old man.

    ¡°Something has gone wrong, sir,¡± the young man said through heavy breathing. ¡°They have found a guard dead in a cell, and the one they believe is Tarran has disappeared.¡±

    Tyreth stood and smoothed out her cloak. ¡°You see, Father? Your new Cor-Van has no sense whatsoever. He can¡¯t even follow simple instructions.¡±

    The old man pointed at Tyreth. ¡°He eliminated his guard and was able to escape. He sounds more promising than your description of a mere boy. If we can locate him, I can prepare him for leadership along with his counterpart.¡±

    Tyreth glared at him. ¡°Do not think I am unaware of your schemes, Father. You can dismiss any thoughts that I would become the counterpart to your young Cor-Van. I am not willing to let you set me up for yet another marriage.¡± She flicked the silver tassels on her hood. ¡°When these are gone, I will be making my own choice. I will not be your pawn.¡±

    The young man stood to face her. ¡°Tyreth, the Chief Watcher has issued a warrant for your arrest and is on his way to personally carry it out.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± the old man exclaimed.

    ¡°Tyreth¡¯s scarf was found on the body of the dead guard.¡±

    Corvan groaned to himself. How could he have been so careless?

    The old priest grabbed the young man¡¯s shoulder and spun him around. ¡°Are you certain?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was in the barracks when the orders came through.¡±

    ¡°Then you must take Tyreth and hide her in the settlements.¡± The old man walked to the tapestry and pulled on a looped cord. The wide cloth rolled up tight against the wall.

    Tyreth stepped forward. ¡°That won¡¯t work, Father. If I¡¯m gone, the Chief Watcher will tear the compound apart looking for me. Many more of our priests will die.¡±

    Her father tied the tapestry in place and pressed his palm against the wall. A section slid back to reveal a narrow passage. ¡°The Watcher knows the law prohibits civilians from entering the priest¡¯s area. This hall is as far as they may go.¡±

    Tyreth shook her head firmly. ¡°The Chief Watcher decides which laws must be obeyed and by whom. He has plotted to break your power for some time, and this is the perfect opportunity. He will not let an old tradition stand in his way.¡± She turned to the young man. ¡°Tell him, Jorad.¡±

    The young man faced the High Priest. ¡°Tyreth is correct, sir. We have reports of the Chief Watcher¡¯s men coming inside our compound during the night.¡± His jaw clenched as he turned back to Tyreth. ¡°But I will die before I let them take you to the palace. I vowed I would never let that happen again to someone I¡ª¡± He pulled a long knife from within his robe. ¡°If it¡¯s a fight they want, they shall get one. Let us quickly gather all the priests we can find. Even with all his power, the Chief Watcher won¡¯t be able to get the soldiers to move across the courtyard until the fog lifts.¡±

    Tyreth touched the young man¡¯s hand and pushed the knife back down. ¡°No, Jorad. You have told me many times to choose my battles wisely. Now you must do the same.¡± She stepped past him and approached her father. ¡°The Watcher will not dare sentence me without a trial. This young Cor-Van must be somewhere in the city. You need to find him and ask him to help us. Now he truly is our only hope.¡±

    Corvan wiped a hand over his brow. He should do something, at least show his face so they wouldn¡¯t need to look for him.

    As he pushed himself up on the ledge, Rayu appeared in the open doorway. ¡°Sir, the Chief Watcher and a group of soldiers approach our gate.¡±

    ¡°Soldiers? Out in the fog?¡± Jorad asked.

    Rayu nodded. ¡°The Rakash drive them forward.¡±

    Tyreth¡¯s face contorted. ¡°Rakash? He brings those hideous creatures to the temple?¡±

    A heavy pounding rocked the room. The old man pointed to the secret passage. ¡°Jorad, get inside before they break the gate down. Find this young Cor-Van and do whatever he asks of you.¡±

    Jorad did not move. ¡°Instead, let me hide behind the door and kill the Chief Watcher when he enters.¡± He waved his knife in the air. ¡°It is the only way Kadir will ever have peace again.¡±

    The High Priest pointed again to the passage. ¡°Priests do not take lives Jorad. If you were to murder the Chief Watcher, you would forfeit all your rights in Kadir, including the right to marry.¡±

    The pounding grew louder.

    ¡°That law applies only to killing other humans,¡± Jorad snapped back as he glanced over at Tyreth.

    Tyreth¡¯s father shook his head. ¡°It applies to all sentient beings. It was through our own devices that the Watchers have become like us, so now our laws apply to them as well.¡±

    Tyreth put her hand on Jorad¡¯s back. ¡°I understand how hard this must be for you, but we cannot change the past. Now you must look to our future.¡±

    The knife dropped to his side. ¡°You are the only future I have left.¡±

    A splintering crash shattered the air, and the old man seized Jorad¡¯s arm. ¡°Swear to me you will teach the boy to be a Cor-Van, even if it means leaving Tyreth to face the palace alone.¡±

    Jorad wrenched his arm free and stepped back. Tyreth moved in close and put both hands on Jorad¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Do as he tells you,¡± she said softly. ¡°If you help this young Cor-Van, we may yet see each other again.¡±

    The walls shook with another round of blows. The old man pulled Tyreth away. ¡°Swear to me, Jorad. Fulfill your vow to me and the priesthood or relinquish your priest¡¯s cloak.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s eyes flashed as he growled out the words, ¡°I so swear,¡± and stalked into the secret passage. The door slid shut behind him, and the old man dropped the tapestry back into place.

    Rayu gasped. ¡°Sir, you have brought out the great tapestry. Why?¡±

    The old man waved him off. ¡°I thought the Cor-Van would be here tonight. I hoped he could tell us what it means. Besides, I doubt a Watcher can read the Old Language.¡± He straightened his robes. ¡°I am ready. Go open the gate.¡±

    Rayu nodded and retreated. A moment later, the pounding ceased.

 Chapter 28

    Corvan expected to see a squad of red-cloaked soldiers march into the hall. Instead, the large black lizard that had taken the key from Tarran slipped through the door with a rustle of scales and keen eyes searching the room. Corvan pushed back on the ledge.

    Tyreth¡¯s father stepped away from the tapestry. ¡°Chief Watcher, we are honored to have your presence in our quarters. May you find the truth you seek.¡±

    A chortling hiss of a laugh slithered across the room. ¡°High Priessst of the Cor, this time your pious religious greeting is most appropriate for what I seek is standing right before me.¡± It gestured with its damaged paw, the long, polished claw glinting in the light of the overhead lumien. ¡°The mossst lovely Tyreth.¡±

    ¡°Why would you seek me, mossst honorable Watcher?¡± Tyreth replied, her voice thick with sarcasm.

    The black spines on the lizard¡¯s neck stiffened. ¡°I think you know my purpose here. I believe your spies have already announced my arrival.¡± The hissing words were now clipped and suppressed.

    The High Priest folded his arms. ¡°If you have business in our quarters, then you are required to state it clearly, Chief Watcher.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. You and your precious laws. Of course, we all must keep the laws and obey the priests. If we do, then the light will come back to the Cor and truth and justice will flow from the temple, just as it shows in your beautiful tapestry.¡±

    The black lizard approached the wall hanging. ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful thing, this religion of yours. False hope is so useful in keeping you humans in line.¡±

    As the Chief Watcher examined the tapestry, the High Priest stepped in behind it. ¡°Hope is all the people have these days. Everything else has been taken by the palace.¡±

    The lizard whirled about, its thick tail slapping the wall.

    ¡°Do not abuse your position by insulting me, High Priest. It is only by my permission that your religion survives. Most people find my Wasting Ceremonies much more satisfying than your tired old practices, perhaps even more hopeful.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tyreth said coldly. ¡°First you take away their food, then you have them worship gods who will give it back so long as they sacrifice the best and brightest of their youth¡ªthe only ones who might eventually stand up to you.¡±

    The reptile¡¯s face contorted, and the sharp spines around its neck pushed out like an angry porcupine. It studied Tyreth through narrowed eyes. ¡°You are the brightest I have seen for a long time, Tyreth. Now I understand why Morgan was so determined to acquire you for himself.¡± He sneered. ¡°But I do not have the same use for you as he did. Instead, the next Wasting Ceremony will be your punishment for defying me.¡±

    The old man shook his finger at the Chief Watcher. ¡°I demand a trial by the city council. She is the High Priest¡¯s daughter.¡±

    The black lizard leaped forward and shoved the elderly man to his knees. ¡°Do not demand anything from me, priest.¡± It grabbed the old man¡¯s hair and yanked his head back. The long lone claw was dragged across the High Priest¡¯s wrinkled neck. ¡°I hold your life in my hands and will do as I wish.¡±

    The claw pointed to the door. ¡°Does it not seem strange to you that I am here without any of my men? Without my Rakash? They all know I am here to arrest your daughter, so if I say you attacked me and I had to kill you, then that is what they will believe.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t deceive everyone.¡± The High Priest tried to pull away, but his hair was held fast. ¡°The truth will eventually be known. You can¡¯t kill the truth.¡±

    The lizard pulled the old man¡¯s head closer and stared into his eyes. ¡°The only truth that matters is that I rule Kadir.¡± It gestured toward the tapestry. ¡°Even your precious religion and your Cor-Van could not¡ª¡± A long, hiss filled the chamber, as if a writhing nest of snakes had awakened from hibernation.

    The lizard dragged the High Priest toward the wall. ¡°Where did you get this tapestry? This is not from Kadir.¡±

    Tyreth¡¯s father raised his head. ¡°It has always been kept at the temple. The legends say that only the Cor-Van can say what it means.¡±

    ¡°Legends!¡± The lizard spat the word in the old man¡¯s face. ¡°When I am finished, that¡¯s all you priests will be, legends.¡± It pressed the point of his claw into the taut skin of the old man¡¯s neck. Drops of blood welled up and trickled down into the folds of the priest¡¯s robe. ¡°Your foolish plans to overthrow me have failed.¡± The Chief Watcher pushed the old man¡¯s head back even farther, and the High Priest¡¯s gaze fell directly on Corvan¡¯s face. His eyes grew wide.

    The chair shattering over the lizard¡¯s back toppled its scaly body into a heap under the tapestry. Tyreth rushed into stand over her father. Her shoulders heaving as she clutched two legs of a broken chair in her fists.

    The scaley reptile uncoiled like a snake rising from a basket, then it leapt toward the young woman. Brushing the chair legs aside, it lifted her struggling body over its head, strode to the huge table, and slammed her on top of it.

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    Spinning her body to bring her face closer to the edge, it pushed its nose against her cheek. ¡°If you were not so useful to me in destroying this foolish religion, I would kill you now. Fearless ones like you are most dangerous, especially beautiful ones the men will follow.¡± The lizard pulled back and studied her face for a long moment before its claw flicked out and ripped a jagged gash across her right cheek. Tyreth cried out and clasped her hand over the wound. Blood squeezed past her fingers and dripped off her wrist onto the table.

    The thin, forked tongue of the Chief Watcher whipped out and licked its claw clean. It looked down at Tyreth writhing in pain and clicked its teeth. ¡°Sssuch a waste.¡±

    It turned back to the High Priest. ¡°I believe your daughter just saved your life, old man, for I did not use enough of my poison to kill you. Instead, you will live to see her sacrificed to the Cor¡¯s new gods at the next water ceremony.¡± It looked back to Tyreth. The sinews in its neck were twisting and jumping. ¡°Yessss, this will be a special event. I will have all the priests summoned from the settlements to join us for the trial of Tyreth, daughter of the former temple. I do hope you live long enough to see this, High Priest. Once Tarran is hunted down, it will be a fitting end to your family line and your hopeless faith.¡±

    The lizard sauntered away from the table and shouted a command. In an instant, the hall was filled with soldiers.

    ¡°Take these two to the cells,¡± the Chief Watcher commanded. ¡°When I questioned them on the whereabouts of Tarran, they attacked me.¡± It pointed to the pieces of chair scattered across the floor. ¡°The punishment for such treason is death.¡±

    The soldiers stood still, staring at the High Priest and the scene before them.

    ¡°I said take them!¡±

    The men scurried to help Tyreth from the table and her father to his feet and ushered them toward the door as if something terrible might happen to them at any moment. Tyreth pushed the men away with her free hand and walked before them with her head held high. Blood ran from the hand on her cheek and dripped from her wrist to mark her path as she exited the hall.

    When he reached the doorway, the High Priest wrenched himself free and turned around. His face was toward the lizard, but his eyes were firmly fixed on Corvan. He put his hands together as if he were praying and pointed the tips of his fingers at Corvan. ¡°This is not over, Chief Watcher. The Cor-Van will soon be here and put an end to your tyranny.¡±

    The black lizard dismissed the old man with a contemptuous wave of his arm.

    Corvan watched transfixed as the High Priest backed slowly from the room with the soldiers following him. Why had the man point his fingers in that way? They were already inside the peaked roof of the priest¡¯s temple.

    As the footsteps of the soldiers faded away, the Chief Watcher remained motionless, studying the tapestry for what seemed an eternity. Finally, it extended its long claw and crudely cut a large circle from the fabric. The sound was like fingernails on a chalkboard and sent shivers down Corvan¡¯s spine.

    The jagged piece of tapestry fell to the floor. The lizard picked it up and folded it into a neat packet.

    ¡°Now, it is over, High Priest,¡± it muttered.

    The black creature turned on its heel and strode toward the door, and then it whirled about and looked past the glow of the large lumien directly at Corvan¡¯s hiding place. ¡°I almost forgot about you.¡±

    Corvan could only watch helplessly as the lizard dropped the folded tapestry on the other, unbroken chair. Pulling a short, curved blade from a scabbard at its waist, it gave it a twist. The blad opened to a circle of four hooked blades. With practiced ease, it pulled back and released the weapon.

    Corvan had no time to move. A flash of silver whirred past his face and then turned back to its owner. The lizard caught his weapon in midair and stepped back. Its cruel face was full of anticipation.

    In the stillness, drops of shimmering fluid splashed on the table beneath the lumien. The large globe shuddered and fell a few inches. Its main cord was almost severed by the lizard¡¯s flying blade. A growing stream of luminescent drips trickled onto the table as long tendrils reached out from the vines to keep the heavy globe from falling.

    It was too late. The stem snapped, dropping the lumien with a sickening splat on the stone table. The globe convulsed and burst, sending pieces raining down over the stone floor.

    The lizard leaped into the quivering mass, flicked his weapon back to a single blade, and slashed away at the center of the smashed globe. Shards of light flickered amid the flesh of the shattered lumien until he finally drew out a pulsing red core. Clutching it to his chest, he poked about greedily in the pulpy flesh while sloshing his way about on top of the table. Finally, he jumped down, slipped his knife away, and kicked aside a chunk of the lumien¡¯s thick skin. ¡°Just like everything else in this foolish religion. The mother plant was also a lie. Only one heart.¡±

    As it held up the glistening red pod, its face wrinkled with worry, then its eyes narrowed in anger. ¡°I won¡¯t become an animal again.¡± It spat the words out. ¡°You,¡± it pointed at the ruined tapestry. ¡°You fed the power to me.¡± The lizard lifted the red core before the hole in the cloth. ¡°You wanted me to understand, but soon I will make you pay for what you have done to me.¡±

    Tipping its head back, it dropped the lumien heart into it mouth, chewing and exhaling in ecstasy. Blood red juice trickled out between its pointed teeth and dripped off its chin. The creature¡¯s dark eyes closed in intense satisfaction¡ªthen bugged open as if they would pop out of its head. Every vein in its neck twisted and jerked as the lizard, writhing and gurgling, fell to the floor.

    A pool of shadows spread out from around the contorted body as if the creature were bleeding darkness. The light falling from the skylight dimmed, and the temperature of the air dropped. The Chief Watcher lay whimpering on the floor, its breath shooting from its nostrils in spasmodic jets of vapor.

    The lizard gave one last agonizing cry, then it lay still. The light from the lumiens outside pushed in through the skylights and flowed down to spotlight the dark creature.

    The lizard groaned, rolled onto its knees, and looked into the light. A thin smile spread across its face. ¡°Such amazing power in only one seed, but now I clearly see what I must do to defeat you.¡±

    The Chief Watcher struggled to its feet before sticking its good claw under a thick collar around its neck. ¡°And then I will finally free,¡± it snarled.

    The words had no sooner left its lips than the black lizard hunched low, glancing nervously into the hallway.

    Satisfied that no one was listening, the Chief Watcher raised its head, strode out the door, and slammed it shut behind him.

 Chapter 29

    Corvan waited until he was certain the lizard would not return, then pushed back from the edge, pulled his pack close and lay against it.

    Tsarek was gone, Tarran was dead, Kate was missing, and Tyreth was on her way to the prison cells that he had just escaped. Could things get any worse?

    Pulling out the hammer, Corvan held it up to the skylight. "Please, help me find a way out of here," he whispered.

    The hammer hung cold and lifeless in his hand. The sense of power and the blue glow had faded when Tarran had died, abandoning him in a dark and brutal world.

    He gazed through the skylight at the ceiling of the cavern far overhead. The Chief Watcher had the key to the door leading home, but there had to be some other way to get the door opened or to find another route back to the surface.

    His father would know what to do. At that thought, he put the hammer away, pulled out the round crystal, and watched the curtain of stars swirl around the outline of Castle Rock. His father''s face did not appear, but the memory of what he said that night on the rock came back clearly.

    ¡°Your grandfather made me promise I would give it to you before your birthday. He said you should be old enough to choose between fear and duty by then.¡±

    Why would his grandfather think he would be ready to choose between fear and duty by the time he was fifteen? That same night his father had said a leader must do right by others, no matter what it cost, but he wasn''t a leader and didn''t want to become one. He just wanted to go home and have things back the way they were before he found the hammer. If the people here wanted it so badly, he would gladly give it to them in return for showing him the way home.

    The creak of an opening door startled him, and the ice glass slipped from his hand and rolled toward the edge. Corvan lunged for it, but he was too late. There was a sharp click from below. Hopefully it was not broken.

    Corvan turned his attention across the upper reaches of the temple building. Where was the door and who had opened it?

    ¡°I''m over here,¡± a hollow voice called from the other side of the room. ¡°You need to make your way around the ledge. There is a door here that leads into the passages.¡±

    Corvan tried to look past the curtain of twisted vines from the fallen lumien. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I am Jorad,¡± the man stated flatly. ¡°The High Priest pointed you out when he was being taken away. He made me promise I would help you.¡±

    Corvan stood, pulled on his pack, and moved around the ledge. That explained the High Priest¡¯s signal with his praying hands. He was showing Jorad where to find him.

    The green-robed priest was waiting in front of a short door set into the short side wall that supported the pointed roof.

    Jorad squinted at him as he drew near. ¡°How old are you?¡± the man asked in a tone that suggested it was not just idle curiosity.

    Corvan reached to pull his hood further over his face and discovered it had fallen back when he lay on his pack. ¡°Fourteen. No, fifteen now, I guess,¡± Corvan said. He studied the young man¡¯s face for a reaction, but all that registered was a look similar to that of the bigger boys at school.

    Jorad pointed to the main door down below. ¡°The Chief Watcher will be sending the palace guard to find the one he thinks is Tarran. I suspect the soldiers will be back as soon as it is light to search the priest¡¯s quarters out behind the temple gardens. We must leave here immediately ¡­ Cor-Van.¡± He jerked his head to the door behind him where a circular staircase wound downward.

    Corvan looked away from the man¡¯s searching gaze. ¡°I''m not the one you are looking for. I don''t¡ª"

    Jorad cut him off. ¡°I need your help to get Tyreth out of the Watcher¡¯s prison.¡±

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    Corvan shook his head. ¡°I need find Kate and get her home before she dies.¡±

    "Kate? Who''s that?" Jordan asked with a note of suspicion in his voice.

    ¡°The girl I followed down here. She is from my world. She has red hair and¡ª"

    ¡°Yes, I have seen her,¡± Jorad said.

    Corvan took a step back, and Jorad had to grab his arm to keep him from falling off the ledge. ¡°Kate is here at the temple?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jorad said, releasing his arm and stepping into the doorway. ¡°Rayu found her on the broken side of the city. She is very ill.¡±

    ¡°I need to see her,¡± Corvan said as he was trying to push past Jorad.

    Jorad held out his hand and frowned. ¡°Tyreth and her father will die if we do not help them.¡±

    ¡°Can''t your priests rescue them?¡± Corvan asked impatiently.

    ¡°There are few of us left and most are old, like Rayu. The priest¡¯s compound is empty. The Chief Watcher ordered them to the outlying settlements to inspire the workers who are harvesting food. Tarran was working to bring us together but now ¡­"

    ¡°Don''t we have some time before that water ceremony the Chief Watcher talked about?¡± Corvan interjected.

    Jorad sighed heavily. ¡°Yes, but the High Priest was poisoned by that lizard¡¯s claw and might not have long to live.¡±

    ¡°I promised I would get Kate home. She can''t survive down here.¡±

    Jorad looked across the room. ¡°I understand what it means to lose someone you love.¡± He turned and stared into Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Also, if you do not fulfill your vow to take Kate to safety, you will forfeit all rights to be the Cor-Van.¡± He gestured to the door. ¡°Come, I will take you to Kate.¡±

    Jorad descended the tight circular staircase and Corvan followed him. ¡°I can''t be your Cor-Van.¡± His voice echoed in the confined space. and the man shot him a warning look. Corvan dropped his voice to a whisper. ¡°I''m just a kid who fell into your world. I want to find Kate and go home.¡±

    Below his feet, Corvan could see Jorad shaking his head, but the man did not respond.

    At the bottom of the stairs, they followed a narrow passage around a few corners and up an incline. Jorad opened a door, and they emerged through the hole the Chief Watcher had cut into the tapestry. As Jorad examined the torn fabric, Corvan walked around the smashed lumien to where his glass had hit the marble floor.

    Instead of shattered bits, he discovered that the crystal disc had broken neatly in half along a curving line. One side was midnight blue and the other a brilliant white, sparkling like a newborn star. When he touched them together, they stuck to each other with a magnetic charge. He pulled them apart and then let them connect again. They looked a bit like the necklace Kate¡¯s mother wore, the black and white one she claimed kept her life in balance. He could only hope this two-tone disc would have a better result.

    Dropping the connected pieces into his pocket, Corvan walked back to find Jorad sitting on the unbroken chair and gazing at the pulpy mess on the table.

    ¡°The mother plant was our only hope against the growing darkness. Now we will never be able to replace those the greedy beasts have consumed.¡± Anger flashed in his eyes as he looked up at Corvan. ¡°If you are to be a leader, you must learn that if your pleasure causes others pain, then your pleasure is wrong. Selfishness is the source of all evil.¡±

    Jorad stood and thrust the chair away so hard it toppled on its side. ¡°Come,¡± he said, heading to the secret door behind the tapestry. ¡°There is enough light for us to move freely in the streets. It is a good thing you are wearing Tarran¡¯s cloak. The Broken may have lost their minds to the lumien seeds, but at least they do not yet attack the priests.¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t understand everything Jorad said but was amazed at how differently everyone saw the cloak he wore. It was as if they decided what it was when they first saw it, then afterward they could not change their minds. He could only hope it would fool the broken ones too. They sounded dangerous.

    As he turned to follow Jorad, a flash of light from the table caught his eye. Stooping over, he peeled back a piece of lumien skin to reveal three bright red gems sparkling on the table. ¡°What are these?¡± he asked.

    Jorad rushed to his side. ¡°They look like tiny lumien seeds, but those don¡¯t glow like that.¡±

    Corvan touched the wet spot surrounding the gems. ¡°I saw drops from the severed stem of the lumien fall into Tyreth''s blood. Maybe that''s why they''re red.¡±

    Jorad''s face brightened as he carefully gathered the small objects. ¡°It could be that each of these is a seed that will become a new mother plant.¡± He stared at them sparkling on his open palm, then he turned his eyes to the torn tapestry. ¡°Could they be red because Tyreth ¡­¡± His voice trailed off, then he retrieved a small cloth pouch from inside his cloak. Jorad dropped the seeds inside and pulled the drawstring shut. It seemed he was about to tuck it away in his own cloak, but then he paused before placing the pouch in Corvan¡¯s hand instead.

    ¡°The Cor-Van is the guardian of light,¡± Jorad said.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not me,¡± Corvan replied, letting the pouch dangle from his fingertips as he held it out to Jorad. ¡°You should hold onto them.¡±

    Jorad folded his arms. His face was tense.

    ¡°If you do not accept this responsibility as the Cor-van, the only future for Kadir is eternal darkness.¡±

 Chapter 30

    Jorad led Corvan through a maze of low passages and out a concealed door into an empty alleyway. Off to the left, he caught a glimpse of the high-arched gate leading back to the courtyard between the palace and the temple.

    ¡°Where are all the people?¡± Corvan whispered.

    ¡°I already told you,¡± Jorad replied over his shoulder. ¡°The palace has sent most of the population out to harvest food in the settlements. That¡¯s the only place left where we can grow our crops.¡±

    Wisps of fog snaked across the cobblestones, and Jorad went out of his way to avoid touching them.

    ¡°Is the fog poisonous?¡± Corvan asked the priest.

    ¡°No,¡± Jorad replied as he skirted another patch. ¡°But when you live in the Cor, you learn to avoid the water at all costs. It is the harbinger of all things evil.¡±

    ¡°I used to be afraid of the water, but then I learned to swim,¡± Corvan bragged, hoping the young man would think more highly of him.

    ¡°Swim?¡± Jorad stopped and turned to him. ¡°You went into the water on purpose?¡±

    Corvan was glad for the hood to hide his blushing face. ¡°Well, I really sort of dog paddle, but I can jump into water that¡¯s over my head.¡±

    Jorad grabbed Corvan¡¯s forearm, then he shoved him away. ¡°Never joke about the water. The only ones who jump into the water are those who wish to die.¡± He squinted into the recesses of Corvan¡¯s hood as if he was going to say more, but turned away.

    Corvan followed in silence down a flight of stairs toward the central plaza of the city. As they neared the gatehouse, Jorad motioned for him to stay quiet and in the shadows. A red-cloaked guard saw them coming and opened the gate.

    ¡°Priests,¡± he snarled as they passed by. ¡°What a waste of lumien light.¡±

    Jorad ignored the man and marched straight ahead. The gate clanged shut on Corvan¡¯s heels.

    As they crossed to the right side of the plaza, Corvan discovered that the statue in the middle was comprised of three people: a man, a woman, and a young child. In the darkness, it had looked like a solitary figure with many arms because the woman¡¯s head was broken off. He looked down and found her hollow eyes staring at him from the muddy water of what was once a pool.

    Leaving the statue behind, they turned up the street that he had seen Kate go up the night before. He was glad for the news that Rayu had found her and hidden her away.

    ¡°Tyreth is the only girl I¡¯ve seen so far,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Are all the women working in the settlements?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jorad put a lot of anger into one small word. ¡°Since the rise of the Watchers, many females who come of age have gone missing. Some are lost at the Wasting to appease the new gods. We don¡¯t know what happens to the rest of them.¡±

    His pace slowed. ¡°It is a curse to bear a child these days. They force the young boys into service as soldiers for the palace.¡± He looked overhead. ¡°It may be a blessing that as the lumiens have faded, fewer children have been born.¡±

    Corvan wanted to ask more questions, but the young priest squared his shoulders and walked away so quickly that Corvan had to jog to keep up with him.

    They took to narrow back alleys clogged with rubble from the crumbling buildings. In the early light, it was even clearer that this other side of the once-great city was now an expansive ruin. The thick stench of decay floated in the air, and the cobblestones of the alley were slimy with green mold.

    Jorad stopped where the alley came out onto another wide road. He listened for a moment, then turned right.

    ¡°Jorad,¡± Corvan whispered as he followed into the open street, ¡°does anyone live on this side of the city?¡±

    Jorad shook his head and slackened his pace. ¡°The remaining productive citizens of Kadir live inside the dividing wall and close to the palace for protection.¡± He glanced down a side street. ¡°There are others who manage to live in these ruins. We call them the Broken.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    He stopped and faced Corvan. ¡°They lost their minds in the anarchy following the rise of the Watchers. Now they run about on this side like wild animals.¡±

    Corvan cast a quick glance over the ruins. The deep shadows and rubble could provide ample hiding places for an ambush. ¡°Are they dangerous?¡±

    ¡°There is a rumor they practice abomination and eat flesh, but I believe that the Chief Watcher uses that story as an excuse to hunt them down. Recently the Broken have fought back and killed some of his soldiers. Now, none of the palace guards come to this side except under direct orders.¡±

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    A rock tumbled off a heap of stones behind them. Corvan looked nervously over his shoulder.

    Jorad frowned. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be afraid. A Cor-Van does not give in to fear.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you should use my name like that? Someone might hear you.¡±

    ¡°Is there another name I should use?¡±

    ¡°My mother called me Kalian.¡±

    Jorad snorted. ¡°If you wish to use a child¡¯s name, that¡¯s fine with me. Kalian you shall be until such time as you earn the title of Cor-van.¡± He turned on his heel and headed up the wide street.

    Corvan lowered his gaze to the ground and followed behind the priest as he navigated the debris-clogged street. Corvan was glancing nervously up a side street when Jorad stopped short and Corvan banged into him.

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going,¡± the priest snapped and turned to one side, leaving Corvan standing before an ornate iron gate set into a stone wall. The lock was rusted shut, but Jorad was already looking into a smaller opening off to the side, its metal door twisted off its hinges and lying on the ground.

    Corvan looked back through bars of the main gate. Beyond the corroded metal was a miniature replica of the city buildings they had just walked through; each of the buildings was meticulously recreated in white stone. A wide boulevard of cobblestones headed up the center. In behind and towering over it all were the gray cliffs he had seen from the entry.

    ¡°What is this place?¡±

    Jorad was crouched down and examining the broken door. ¡°It is the City of the Dead, and the Broken won¡¯t come in here. The priests and the palace guards have a key, but someone has broken off the door we use.¡±

    As Jorad stepped over the threshold, a commanding voice called out, ¡°You there, stop in the name of the Palace Guard.¡±

    Jorad pulled his hood low over his eyes. ¡°Keep your head down and let me do the talking.¡±

    Corvan stole a quick glance as he turned around. Three soldiers were heading toward the gate. The one in front was an older officer in a hoodless black tunic. Behind him, two soldiers were carrying a body on a litter. Their hoods were thrown back and sweat glistened on their flushed faces.

    ¡°What are you doing out here, priest?¡± the older man asked. ¡°The palace was not informed of a burial party.¡±

    Jorad spoke in a deeper voice that did not sound at all like him. ¡°This young man has a loved one who is kept here. It is important for him to pay a vow to come and see her on this particular day.¡±

    The older man grunted and looked at Corvan. ¡°Love, eh? Precious little of that these days.¡± He stepped into the smaller entry. ¡°Was this door torn off when you were here last?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jorad replied. ¡°This has been done recently.¡±

    ¡°I thought as much.¡± He gestured to the cliffs. ¡°The rebels have a new leader and have been raiding our tombs for weapons and anything of value. The palace will need to be on high alert.¡± He waved them toward the open door. ¡°Carry on.¡±

    Jorad nodded, but as he turned to guide Corvan through the doorway, the younger of the two soldiers spoke. ¡°Captain, this body is heavy. Can you order these two to help us get it stowed away?¡±

    The captain nodded and turned to Jorad. ¡°Before you fulfill your vow, you will carry this body to its final resting place.¡±

    The soldiers placed the litter on the ground, and the younger one was groaning as he straightened. ¡°Could we rest for a minute? My back is killing me.¡±

    The captain shrugged, and the young soldier sank wearily to the ground. The captain stood over him. ¡°You young ones just don¡¯t have what it takes.¡±

    The young soldier curled his upper lip. ¡°I¡¯m tired of hearing about the glory days of old. I don¡¯t care that you had food to eat, a home to live in, and a woman who loved you. We have none of those things, so I think we are the ones who are tough.¡±

    ¡°Would you like me to lodge a complaint about conditions in the barracks, soldier?¡± the officer asked briskly.

    The frown left the soldier¡¯s face. ¡°No, sir. I don¡¯t blame the palace for what has happened to our world. If anything, it is the fault of the priests.¡± He spat the final word in Jorad¡¯s direction.

    The captain looked to Jorad for a response. He gave none.

    The young soldier pointed a grubby finger at Jorad. ¡°The rebellion wouldn¡¯t have happened if it wasn¡¯t for all the rules you priests heaped on us. If you had allowed the people to eat a bit of a lumien seed or enjoy other pleasures, their anger would not have spilled over to where they consumed every seed they could get their hands on. With all the men fighting over food and women, the palace had no choice but to take over. Things may not be great now, but at least we are alive.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you¡¯re alive,¡± Jorad said, his disguised voice thick with disgust. ¡°But how many die at the Wasting and in the settlements?¡±

    The soldier jumped to his feet and stood toe to toe with Jorad. ¡°If the Chief Watcher and the city council believe a person is a threat to our society, why not let the water judge him?¡±

    Jorad stepped away. ¡°What about the women and children who are taken to the palace? Are they all threats to Kadir?¡±

    The soldier shrugged. ¡°All I know is that the palace keeps the rebels in check and that makes all our lives easier.¡±

    The captain pointed at the young man. ¡°Therein lies the problem. Everyone is out to get what they can for themselves. At times I wonder how long a civilization this self-centered can survive.¡±

    The older of the two soldiers, who had been silent during the exchange, spoke up. ¡°I remember the days when our city was full of light and lumiens hung over every doorway. Now our lumien light grows dimmer each day.¡± He looked at Jorad. ¡°But if we abandon hope, what reason is there to keep living? Tell us, priest. Is there still hope for a brighter future?¡±

    The young man pointed at Jorad. ¡°Why ask him? All the priests do is offer false hope to control people for their own advantage. I say we should test the priests in the new karst. Maybe we should drown them all at the dedication of the new water temple.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± the captain barked. ¡°We have a job to do.¡± He pointed to Jorad and Corvan. ¡°You two bring the body and follow along.¡±

    The soldiers moved through the broken door.

    As Corvan stooped to grab the poles, his finger snagged the burial shroud and tugged it off to one side.

    As he tugged it back into place, he found himself looking into the ashen face of Morgan.

 Chapter 31

    Corvan flipped the shroud back over Morgan¡¯s face. Without the antidote, the poison pill had killed the man.

    ¡°Hurry up, Kalian,¡± Jorad hissed from his position up front between the poles. Corvan grunted as he lifted Morgan¡¯s litter. No wonder the soldiers had complained; Morgan was all muscle.

    Jorad pulled him quickly through the smaller broken gate but had a hard time keeping up with the soldiers. Corvan fell into a trot, mesmerized by the scene around him. If the city of the dead was any indication, the city it was modeled after must have been amazing in its day. Each miniature structure was ornately carved in white stone and augmented by tarnished metal trims. For the first time in his life, Corvan was a giant, walking the streets of a city seemingly built for people a quarter his size.

    ¡°Jorad,¡± Corvan whispered, ¡°is each one of these little buildings a grave?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jorad replied over his shoulder as he slowed down. He was also breathing harder. ¡°Our people will not be buried in a hole that could fill with water, so we build crypts above the ground.¡± Jorad¡¯s subdued tone made his words difficult to hear. ¡°The top of each crypt lifts off. The dead are placed inside, and then the airtight lid is fastened back down to keep the smell of decay inside. When the next person in the family dies, the bones of the first person are moved to the bottom compartment with their ancestors. Some of the wealthy families construct a separate crypt for each family member, and there are very large ones for our rulers.¡±

    Corvan looked up a path that curved away from the main boulevard. ¡°Why did they copy the layout of the main city?¡±

    ¡°Your crypt in the City of the Dead is in the same place here as your home was in our city streets,¡± Jorad said. ¡°To some it is an indication of your status while you were alive.¡±

    ¡°So, each one looks the same as their home in the city?¡±

    Jorad shook his head. ¡°Many people put more energy into the creation of their tombs than into the houses they lived in. A lot of the crypts here are much more elaborate than the corresponding house in the city, but they give you an idea of what Kadir looked like before the great destruction, when you could clearly see her beauty.¡±

    ¡°Kadir?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have other small settlements in the outlying areas where the workers live, but Kadir is our only city.¡±

    They were approaching the small circular plaza that marked the center of the crypt city, but here, instead of a statue, an ancient tree stretched its gnarled branches toward the roof of the cavern. The tree trunk was split to the ground, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. Pale leaves decorated the closest half of the shattered tree, but the other side was blackened and dead. Jorad stopped, and Corvan caught his balance against Morgan¡¯s head.

    Pushing himself upright, he noticed they were alone. ¡°Where are the soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening?¡± Jorad asked in an irritated tone. ¡°They said to wait here while they checked out a crypt.¡± He pulled the litter and Corvan to one side of the rounded plaza. ¡°Let¡¯s set the body on this bench while we wait.¡±

    It was a relief to be free of Morgan¡¯s dead weight. Shaking the cramps from his hands, Corvan crossed the tiles of the open area toward the half-dead tree.

    Jorad joined him at the slender stone railing encircling the tree.

    ¡°Legend says it was here long before our people entered the Cor,¡± the priest said. ¡°The living side was much greener before our light began to fade.¡±

    ¡°In the real city, is this where circular plaza with the fountain statue is located? Corvan asked. ¡°The one with the woman¡¯s head broken off?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this marks the same spot. I¡¯m not sure if our forefathers built the city of the dead around the tree or if they planted it here afterwards. Either way, it¡¯s the only one of its kind in the Cor. As priests, we tell the people the half-dead tree symbolizes the choices we make in our lives before we come here.¡±

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    ¡°Did the living side ever bear fruit?¡±

    ¡°No. But in the center of the great tapestry, there was a picture of a living tree with many fruits on it. Maybe it was this one before it was injured.¡±

    ¡°Are the statues here a part of the legend?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Statues?¡±

    Corvan pointed to the other side of the tree. ¡°The two gray statues of men watching the tree.¡±

    Jorad peered past the split trunk. ¡°It¡¯s not the tree they¡¯re looking at.¡± He stepped quickly back from the railing. ¡°I hear the soldiers returning. Let¡¯s pick up the litter so we¡¯re ready to go. We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡±

    Corvan paused and was struck by something odd about the dirt around the living side of the tree. He leaned over the fence for a closer look. Radiating from the shattered tree trunk were neat lines of footprints made by a child¡¯s bare feet.

    ¡°Kalian,¡± Jorad hissed, ¡°quickly!¡±

    They had no sooner picked up Morgan¡¯s body than the captain and the two soldiers emerged from a street off to the left.

    ¡°But all the rest of his family is there,¡± the older soldier was saying. ¡°Perhaps he was to be placed in his father¡¯s crypt.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The captain replied. ¡°My orders said to look for a large crypt with Morgan¡¯s name on it. I bet he decided to build his own crypt in the plaza of the rulers.¡±

    They marched away around the tree.

    Jorad abruptly dropped his end of the litter back on the bench and shoved Corvan away from the body. With trembling hands, the priest uncovered the dead man¡¯s face. The shock on Jorad¡¯s face was instantly replaced with such intense anger that Corvan stepped back even farther. Jorad¡¯s whole body trembled. His fists clenched tightly, and his arm cocked as if he was about to punch the dead body.

    A sharp whistle from the captain broke the tension. The man in black was waiting on the other side of the half-dead tree.

    Shaking his head vigorously, Jorad returned to the front of the stretcher and yanked it off the bench with such force that Corvan had to dive to grab the poles. He stumbled along after Jorad as the priest towed him toward the soldiers.

    The captain led them around the tree and directly up a wide street across from where they had entered. They passed between the two gray statues on either side of the entrance. The unblinking gray eyes appeared to follow Corvan¡¯s every move.

    The street was now lined with larger tombs. It seemed to Corvan that in this replica city they were heading directly toward the location of the stepped plaza in front of the palace. Sure enough, a few streets later, a walled area appeared before them, and beyond its gate, an open courtyard filled with grand tombs. Pointed roofs to the left and flat roofs to the right.

    Jorad stopped beside the soldiers and looked up in silence. Corvan followed his gaze to the largest crypt he had seen. It was built against the outer wall of the city in the very place where a replica of the huge statue should have been located. The door on the crypt was large enough for a man to walk into without stooping. Ornate letters were carved into the stone above the entrance.

    ¡°Typical Morgan,¡± the younger soldier said dryly.

    ¡°There used to be two or three crypts here belonging to the ruling families,¡± the captain exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes, and they have all been destroyed to make room for Morgan¡¯s tomb,¡± the older soldier replied. ¡°Look, you can see how they used the stones from the previous crypts to build his new one. There¡¯s a stone in the corner that still has part of someone¡¯s name cut into it.¡±

    The captain stomped over to the litter and spoke to the shrouded face. ¡°You were always working your way closer to the Chief Watcher. I suppose you thought you would someday become the ruler of all the Cor.¡±

    The captain raised a hand, and Corvan wondered if he too wished to strike the dead man. Instead, he shoved the body away, almost knocking Corvan to the ground. ¡°I refuse to dignify the memory of this man by putting his remains in this tomb.¡±

    ¡°Then let us use one of the pauper¡¯s crypts,¡± Jorad suggested in his disguised voice. ¡°A tomb without a name for one who erased the names of others.¡±

    ¡°Done.¡± The captain turned from the ornate mausoleum and marched toward the courtyard gate. The soldiers and litter bearers had to run to keep up with him. Soon Corvan was so out of breath he thought he was going to drop in his tracks.

    At the tree, the captain turned down another street and then took a narrow track strewn with rocks. ¡°Put him in there.¡± He pointed to a large, plain box that rose sloppily from the ground. ¡°A pauper¡¯s burial for the man who would be our king.¡±

    He turned to his soldiers. ¡°Seal him up and then get yourselves back to the palace. I have no more time for this nonsense.¡± He pushed past them in the narrow passage, hitting into the litter and knocking Corvan off his feet.

    Corvan fell backward against a low crypt, and the body slid out from under the shroud and thumped softly up against his chest.

    As Corvan stared down at Morgan¡¯s face, the man¡¯s eyes twitched and slowly opened. The pupils tilted back to focus on Corvan¡¯s face.

 Chapter 32

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you.¡± The younger soldier reached over Corvan¡¯s shoulder and brushed Morgan¡¯s eyelids shut. ¡°Sometimes that happens.¡± Bending in close to Corvan¡¯s ear, his voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Get far away from this priest. Bad things are about to happen to all the priests. You will soon be free and won¡¯t have to be a slave to the green cloaks anymore.¡±

    The young man straightened, patted Corvan¡¯s shoulder, and spoke out loud. ¡°Rest a moment while we get this thing opened.¡± He stared hard at Jorad. ¡°No doubt the priests are overworking their servants.¡± Pushing past the priest, he joined his partner in freeing the two rusty latches holding the lid of the crypt in place.

    Jorad dropped his side of the litter and crouched next to Corvan. ¡°Put your hood back on,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Corvan whispered urgently. ¡°Morgan is still alive. His eyes opened!¡±

    Jorad yanked Corvan¡¯s hood into place over his head and glared in at him. ¡°Don¡¯t fall apart on me. That soldier is right. Sometimes the eyes pop open if you give the body a jolt.¡±

    Corvan shook his head. ¡°Morgan was my guard at the Palace prison. He ate part of that pill the High Priest sent with Tyreth, but it didn¡¯t kill him. His eyes didn¡¯t just open, they focused on my face! He¡¯s not dead!¡± he whispered hoarsely.

    Jorad moved over to Morgan and made a show of straightening the shroud and wrapping it more tightly around the man¡¯s neck. Corvan got to his feet, and Jorad joined him, muttering under his breath. ¡°You¡¯re right. He still has a bit of life in him. He was always the strong one. His father called him ¡®the burak boy.¡¯¡±

    They were both startled by the squeal of seized metal as the thick lid of the crypt eased up and out of the way on its hinges. The older soldier peered inside. ¡°What luck, it¡¯s empty. No wonder the clasps were so rusty.¡± He turned to Jorad. ¡°Let¡¯s get the body inside.¡±

    Jorad straightened Morgan¡¯s body on the litter, then the soldiers each grabbed a pole. Together they lowered Morgan into the crypt. The people of the city must have expected the poor to die in groups; there was ample room for two more bodies inside.

    An eerie wail, like a rabbit in its death throes, floated over the cemetery walls from the broken side of the city.

    The younger soldier looked anxiously in the direction of the noise then turned abruptly to Jorad. ¡°You are the priest, so you can finish your ceremonies and seal the crypt. I want to be out of the broken city before its fully dark.¡± He turned on his heel and walked briskly away.

    The older man nodded and then followed the younger man.

    Jorad bent down and was scooping up pebbles and dirt. ¡°Are they gone?¡± he whispered.

    Corvan occupied himself adjusting one of the clasps. ¡°Just another minute.¡± The strangling sound came again, and the soldiers quickened their pace.

    ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± Corvan asked.

    Jorad continued picking up pebbles. ¡°That is the sound of the Broken. They are beginning to move about and hunt for food.¡±

    ¡°They hunt people?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°It appears the soldiers believe they do,¡± Jorad said derisively.  ¡°Are they gone?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jorad tossed the pebbles away, dusted off his hands, then dropped the lid of the crypt in a percussive cloud of dust. Placing both hands on the stone lid, he looked down at the stone slab. ¡°Farewell, Morgan. This is not how it should have ended, but everyone must live, and die, by the choices they make.¡± He lifted the first of the clasps and twisted down the large turnbuckle.

    Corvan watched in shock before taking hold of the second clasp. ¡°You can¡¯t seal a living man inside a tomb.¡±

    Jorad finished the first clasp and turned fiercely toward him. ¡°I know things about him that you do not. It is best if we seal his tomb and make certain it¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not right,¡± Corvan said.

    Jorad¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°I am a priest of the Cor, and I know what¡¯s right for my world. If you want my help to find the girl and get back to your own world, you¡¯ll mind your business.¡±

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    He stared at Corvan through narrowed eyes as he finished cranking down the second turnbuckle, and then he stomped off, leaving Corvan staring at the sealed crypt.

    ¡°Come on!¡± Jorad said over his shoulder. ¡°If he survives the poison, he may yet escape death once again, though I doubt he will ever learn his lesson.¡± He pointed up a narrow street. ¡°We must hurry if we are to catch up to your counterpart before its fully dark.¡±

    Corvan reluctantly turned away from the tomb. A shiver was running up his spine as he hurried to catch up to the priest. ¡°Jorad,¡± he said quietly, ¡°Is Kate here in the cemetery?¡±

    Jorad slackened his pace. ¡°Yes. This has always been a secure place for the priests to keep our affairs hidden from the prying eyes of the Watcher and his guards. We are expected to come and go regularly, and we can arrange meetings with other priests and our allies from the settlements.¡±

    ¡°What about the rebels the captain spoke about? Are they your allies?¡± Corvan asked.

    Jorad¡¯s steps faltered. ¡°Some of the rebels were palace guards who lost family in the anarchy that followed the rise of the Watcher. In those days, everyone was betraying friends and even their own family.¡± His voice sagged with the memory, and he pointed to the jagged spires that climbed behind the city wall to the far side of the cavern. ¡°The rebels are based in those crags up behind the graveyard, but as a rule the priests don¡¯t contact them. At one time, I thought they might be a good ally against the Chief Watcher, but then a new leader came into power who claimed to be both Rantellic and the promised Cor-Van. They began raiding our settlements for food and recruits. He wants to take over Kadir, but his foolish plans are going to get a lot of people killed.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a Rantellic?¡±

    ¡°Rantellics were an ancient order of wise sages from a city that fell into darkness during the destruction. Everyone knows the Rantellic order died off, so this new leader of the rebels is a fraud in every way.¡± Jorad sped back up. The conversation was over.

    Corvan lost all sense of direction as he followed through the maze of narrow streets and alleys. Finally, they clambered over a pile of rubble and bones from a crypt that had been broken apart and stepped down onto a curved roadway. The crypts along the inside of the curve had been built tight up against each other and were taller with full height doors.

    Jorad stopped and motioned for Corvan to stand watch. He checked into another alley just ahead, and he returned with a short cylinder that he inserted into a round hole in the front of a crypt. The entire wall pivoted inward to reveal a narrow passage and an open space beyond.

    Jorad gave a shrill whistle. He waited, and then he whistled again. ¡°Our guard is not responding. Follow closely and keep a sharp eye out for anyone coming up from behind.¡± A long knife appeared in Jorad¡¯s left hand as he led Corvan through the narrow channel.

    The secret passage emerged into a clearing walled by the backs of even more of the connected tall crypts. The pavements across the open area were in a pattern suggesting more crypts had originally filled the space. Jorad scanned the roofs around the perimeter and pointed to one of the crypts directly across from them. ¡°Kate is inside that one. Take this rod, push it into the hole, and the door will open for you. I will remain here and keep watch. Bring Kate and Rayu back here, and we will return to the temple together.¡± Thrusting the notched cylinder into Corvan¡¯s hand, he shoved him into the open.

    Corvan stumbled across the pavements to the cracked and weathered crypt Jorad had pointed out. He almost dropped the cylinder in his haste to get it inside the hole.

    Nothing happened. He twisted it from side to side. Still nothing. As he turned to look over his shoulder at Jorad, his weight on the rod pushed a narrow section of the wall slightly inwards and off to one side. It flipped him around and dumped him inside the crypt. The round key rolling away across the floor.

    His heart sank as he got to his knees. The stone benches on either side of the musty room were empty. Kate and Rayu were gone¡ªif they had even been here in the first place. He turned around just in time to see the door slide back into position.

    In the darkness, a round light flickered in front of Corvan. Crawling forward, he peered through the keyhole.

    Across the courtyard, Jorad was talking with two armed men. Someone dressed in a dark tunic walked in front of the tomb and blocked his view. When the dark cloak moved on, Jorad and the two men had vanished.

    Now a man in a torn cloak marched into view and stood in the middle of the clearing with his back to the door. His long hair hung in two braids down his back. He carried a staff with a long, curved blade on top, and a short sword was at his waist. These had to be the rebel fighters Jorad mentioned, but it seemed the priest was working with them.

    A loud bang overhead made him jump. The man outside turned and shouted in Corvan¡¯s direction, and then he heard footsteps cross the roof and fade away.

    Pulling back from the door, Corvan sat on the bench and watched the circle of light, but there was no more sign of movement outside. And all was quiet overhead. If they knew he was inside the crypt, it didn¡¯t appear they were coming to get him, at least not right away.

    He pulled off and dug through his pack for something to eat but found only a tin can. After putting it back in the pack, he stretched out on the stone bench. It was cold and hard, but it was a relief to finally rest. When he thought about how the last time he had slept was in the tunnels after the buraks had killed Tsarek, an intense loneliness enveloped him. With Tsarek gone, Kate still missing, and Jorad seemingly betraying him, it was hard to find much hope.

    He was dozing off when his fingers brushed against a smooth object jammed into the crack where the bench met the wall. Clutching its familiar shape, he sighed with relief.

    At least Jorad had told the truth about Kate being here. The Swiss Army knife she had taken from Tsarek in the labyrinth was in his hand.

 Chapter 33

    A loud thump woke Corvan, and he fell clumsily to the stone floor.

    Red light flickered at the keyhole. Crawling over, he put one eye to the keyhole and discovered it was from a fire in an enormous metal brazier on the far side of the courtyard. He could see the outlines of men sitting on the ground facing the fire. Others were patrolling the tops of the crypts.

    A horn sounded somewhere in the distance, and the men on the roofs began pounding rhythmically with their bladed staffs.

    Ignoring the incredible racket inside the crypt, Corvan felt his way across the floor until he located the round key. Jumping back to the flickering light, he unlocked the sliding door and eased it open a crack. He wasn¡¯t going to wait around to see if Jorad would be telling the rebels where he was hiding.

    The pounding abruptly ended as three older men in hoodless tunics entered through the alley across the way. They walked in unison onto a low mound behind the brazier, then they turned to wait at attention until another man finally strode into view.

    The man that joined the three at the brazier was the tallest person Corvan had seen in the Cor. He was dressed in a long, flowing brown coat that looked like leather or oilskin. His head was covered with an animal skin that had the head still attached. The dead creature perched looked out over his forehead, and its glistening skin wrapped tightly around the man¡¯s skull with its clawed legs hanging down by his ears.

    The man stepped closer to the firelight and some in the crowd chanted, ¡°Cor-Van, Cor-Van, Cor-Van!¡±

    Keen eyes shone from the shadows beneath his prominent eyebrows as the man surveyed his subjects and soaked up their praise. Throwing out his chest, he motioned discreetly to the three men behind him. One picked up a container shaped like a pointed Greek vase and poured a shiny black fluid into a hole at the edge of the metal brazier. The flames leaped higher along with clouds of sticky black smoke and more cheers.

    The tall man raised his arms, and the crowd grew quiet.

    Corvan eased the door open a bit wider.

    The man swept his hand over his audience then clenched it into a fist and struck his own chest three times. ¡°Our time has finally arrived! For too long we have been reduced to living in holes, our days growing darker as the rulers of Kadir consume the remaining light for their own pleasure. But the end of these evil days is in sight.¡± He spread his arms wide. ¡°As your Cor-Van ¡­¡± He waited for cheers, but when the crowd did not immediately respond, he dropped his arms to his sides. ¡°As your Cor-Van, I am pleased to tell you that the final sign of our victory against the palace has been confirmed.¡± He turned toward the city where the upper edges of the courtyard gate were visible and raised a clenched fist in the air. At his back, the firelight revealed a wide, forked tail hanging from the animal skin on his head.

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    Corvan felt a growing fear in his belly. During the war years, he had seen movie reels featuring leaders like this at the theater in Fenwood. Terrible things had happened all over the world when the masses followed a leader who spoke like this man.

    Fist high in the air, the brown coat whirled about to face the men on the ground. ¡°To defeat the palace and rule as your Cor-Van, I must have a worthy counterpart.¡± A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.  ¡°But since the rule of the Watchers, all possible counterparts, including your wives and daughters, have been taken to the palace!¡±

    All the men jumped to their feet, shouting in anger and pressing forward. Unchecked, they would have overrun their Cor-Van and attacked the palace immediately. It took a while for the leader and his three men to calm them down and get them seated again.

    ¡°When all is ready and I take my place as the rightful Cor-Van, we will overthrow the palace.¡± He took a step back from the crowd, glanced up the alley, nodded, and turned back to his followers. ¡°Things are moving forward. The priests of Kadir have finally seen the light and have acknowledged that I am to lead the Cor. They wish to join our cause.¡±

    A murmur of questions rose from the crowd, but the leader pressed on.

    ¡°The Priests of Kadir have suffered greatly. The Chief Watcher has poisoned the High Priest. His son Tarran is dead, and Tyreth has been charged with the murder of Morgan.¡±

    Anger rippled through the crowd at Tyreth¡¯s name, but the leader forged on.

    ¡°These are desperate days, and the priests of Kadir have come to me in their hour of need.¡±

    The crowd was silent. The man turned to the alleyway behind him, and Jorad walked out of the shadows to join him at the fire with his hood thrown back.

    Corvan studied the priest¡¯s face. He could not tell whether Jorad was pleased to be helping the rebel leader. The leader stepped to one side and waited for Jorad to speak, but the young priest only looked directly over the crowd in Corvan¡¯s direction.

    A long silence was finally broken by a few catcalls. The leader raised one hand to silence them. ¡°Tonight, Jorad joins our cause as the High Priest of Kadir. He is the only one left who can lawfully join your Cor-Van and his counterpart in everlasting union.¡± He gestured to the alley where two men appeared, carrying a chair bearing a veiled woman in a long white cloak. ¡°A counterpart worthy to be joined to your Cor-Van has been brought to us by the priests!¡±

    The bearers stopped. Jorad took the woman by the hand and helped her down.

    The leader stood beside her. ¡°With the blessings of the High Priest, and to fulfill the office of your Cor-Van, tonight, in your presence, I will take as my counterpart a prominent woman of Kadir.¡±

    The flames leapt higher.

    The leader pulled away the veil.

    Kate stared blankly over the silent crowd.

 Chapter 34

    Corvan almost fell through the door in shock. Kate was leaning heavily on Jorad¡¯s arm. Her face was pale and her eyes dull. She looked like she had been drugged. He had to get her away from this place, but how could he possibly get to her with a sea of armed warriors between them?

    A man in the crowd whistled at Kate, and a few others joined in. The leader¡¯s head snapped around to squint his disapproval, and the beady eyes of the stuffed animal head glinted in the red light. The whistles immediately died off.

    Dressed in the brilliant white cloak and with her red hair tucked under a tiara that sparkled in the firelight, Kate looked like a queen. She wavered on her feet, and Jorad had to pull her closer to hold her up. Corvan pushed the door open a bit wider.

    The leader shouted something about his new counterpart, becoming the Cor-Van, and the upcoming victory over Kadir. All of the men rose to their feet, chanting one phrase of a song over and over as they jumped about and worked themselves into a frenzy.

    Corvan stepped back from the door. Tsarek had said Kate would die under the light of the lumiens, and she already looked barely alive. If he didn¡¯t do something right away, Kate would be gone forever.

    ¡°Come on, Corvan,¡± he muttered to himself, ¡°there has to be something you can do.¡±

    He pulled the hammer from the holster. ¡°I know I was too afraid to help Tarran. But I won¡¯t do the same thing to Kate.¡±

    He held the handle in front of him and looked at the end, but there was light and no sense of power or direction. He snapped it back into the holster. Morgan¡¯s black knife would be more useful than a dead hammer. He dug into his pack and pulled out the blade. A bright red cylinder on a stick, one of his bottle rocket fireworks from home, tumbled out.

    That could work! With the fireworks to create a diversion, he might be able to get close enough to help Kate escape. Digging frantically through the pack, he retrieved the rest of the fireworks, a pack of firecrackers, the waterproof tube of matches, and a stubby candle.

    He poked three holes around the leading edge of his last tin can with the Swiss Army knife. After sticking the three bottle rockets into the holes, he placed the can just inside the door. With the smallest blade, he drilled three holes just below the top of the candle, placed it on the top of the can, and inserted one rocket fuse into each hole. If his crude calculations were correct, by the time the candle burned down to the fuses, he could work his way around the perimeter to Kate and Jorad. If the man was any sort of priest at all, he would help him get Kate to safety.

    Corvan took the can to the door and slid it halfway open. The scene outside had grown more intense, and men were slamming into each other. The noise of the crowd was deafening in the enclosed space.

    A shower of dust fell past the open door. He had forgotten about the men on the roofs. Those off to the sides could easily see him if they were to look back this way. He stepped back inside, battling the rising fear. How could he ever get over to Kate?

    He glanced back to the tube of matches that lay next to Morgan¡¯s black knife, the long tube of a Roman candle, and the pack of firecrackers. It was time to act, not think about everything that could go wrong.

    He lashed the knife to his forearm, stuck the Roman candle under the sheath, stuffed the firecrackers into the back pocket of his jeans, and grabbed the matches. Dropping on his knees by his bottle rocket contraption, he opened the waterproof tube of matches.

    Only three were left.

    He struck one, but the head broke off and fizzled on the ground.

    His hands shook as he pulled out the second. It sputtered, and he touched it to the wick. A flame sprang to life, but as he dropped the match to the ground, the candle wavered and died to a smoking ember.

    One match left. He held his breath. It caught, and he held it to the candle until the match singed his fingers. This time the flame grew stronger. Sliding the can closer to the edge of the door, he pushed dirt under and around the bottom so that the three rockets pointed out into the darkness.

    Stepping over the rockets and out the door, Corvan headed to the right and kept his back tight to the walls of the crypts. At first, he had room to maneuver, but soon he discovered the celebration had spread to the edges and men were blocking his way. A fight broke out beside him, and he backed into a crevice between two crypts.

    Something was missing. He felt for the knife; still there along with the Roman Candle. The krypin rope was also attached to his belt. The pack! He had forgotten his pack in the crypt. He glanced back but was no time; the rockets would be flying any second.

    The crowd swirled in front of him, and he caught a glimpse of Jorad and Kate just twenty feet ahead through the thrashing tangle of bodies. The alley behind them was empty, but armed guards stood watch on the two crypt roofs that flanked the narrow channel. One guard peered out over the crowd, then he jumped across the gap to his companion while pointing toward Corvan¡¯s flickering candle and shouting into his ear. The other man nodded, and together they moved out over the tops of the crypts toward the light.

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    Thrusting himself out of the crack, Corvan entered the mass of bodies, bouncing with them in their frenzy but making sure he was moving steadily in Jorad¡¯s direction. He fell hard against a stout man, who responded by shoving him into someone else. Corvan evaded another body check, then he stepped in close to Jorad. The priest was staring at the fire in the brazier, and his face was smoldering in anger. Corvan grabbed his shoulder, and Jorad looked over. His mouth dropped open.

    Corvan leaned to his ear and shouted over the din. ¡°Soon there will be a bright light in the sky and then loud noises. When that happens, take Kate and meet me by Morgan¡¯s grave.¡±

    Jorad hesitated, glanced over at the rebel leader, then nodded. Corvan moved away and dropped down at the wall next to three older men who stood watching the crowd in disdain.

    The rebel leader moved close to the fire and was hollering and motioning for silence. Over his head and across the crowd, Corvan saw the two guards peering down at his flickering candle. ¡°Come on, come on, do something,¡± Corvan urged aloud as the din began to die down.

    Someone kicked his side. He looked up to see one of the older men standing over him and shaking his head in disgust. Not wanting another kick, he slid away, bumping against two full jars of fuel leaning against the wall. The jars scraped slowly along the wall, tipped over on their pointy bottoms, and the contents began oozing into the alley.

    The energy of the crowd was dissipating. Those closest to the fire stood silently staring at Kate.

    ¡°Come, High Priest,¡± the rebel leader cried out. ¡°Come and bless our union.¡±

    The crowd fell silent as Jorad raised both hands. ¡°Gods of the Cor, we seek your will tonight. We ask you to give us a sign if you are unhappy with us. Show us if we have moved forward without understanding your will.¡±

    The men in front shifted uncomfortably. The false Cor-Van motioned his three older comrades forward. Jorad continued to pray, asking in more fervent terms for the gods to demonstrate their displeasure if this were not the right time for the Cor-Van to unite with this counterpart.

    As the three men closed in on Jorad, Corvan crawled along the wall behind them to get a clear shot at the fire. The rockets in the crypt door must have failed. He dug into his pocket. The firecrackers would have to provide the diversion. Taking aim, he lobbed the entire packet of firecrackers toward the brazier.

    As the packet tumbled through the air, a shaft of light tore through the darkness, followed by a blast that shook the ground. One of the guards cried out as he fell off the crypt just down from Corvan. The entire company of men threw themselves on the ground and covered their heads.

    Two more bright lights screamed into the sky. Corvan glanced over to see Jorad leading a docile Kate out through the passage.

    Bang! Bang! A pair of explosions cracked the night air, then darkness dropped back over the crowd. The rebel leader called out for more light. One of his men poured more oil into the brazier, and as the flames leaped up, the firecrackers began to go off in rapid succession, spitting balls of flaming oil in all directions.

    The man with the oil jar jumped back, sloshing oil on his robes. In a flash, he was also on fire. Screaming, he ran into the crowd. Men clambered over one another to get away from him.

    Jumping up, Corvan put his back to the wall and slipped toward the opening into the alley. The crowd was milling about and confused. He needed to follow Jorad and Kate and get away.

    Corvan looked up to find the leader shouting to his two remaining helpers and pointing directly at Corvan. Intense hatred was twisting his face into a snarl as fierce as the animal face on his head. Corvan¡¯s special cloak had failed him, and whatever the rebel leader saw in him, it wasn¡¯t good. His two henchmen turned toward Corvan.

    The last of the firecrackers spit a round blob of flaming tar at Corvan¡¯s feet. He had one last trick up his sleeve. Whipping the Roman candle out from under the lashed knife, he bent and lit the fuse from the bubbling flames.

    The two men stopped short at the sight of the firework sparking in Corvan¡¯s hand like a magician¡¯s wand. Their leader shouted a command, but before they could move, a flaming ball shot from the cardboard barrel with a soft fwoopand hit one in the shoulder. The man turned quickly away and disappeared into the crowd.

    Corvan shuffled sideways, keeping his back against the wall and his eyes focused on the next man.

    Fwoop, fwoop. Two green balls whizzed past the man¡¯s head, then he also vanished.

    Corvan moved to enter the alley, but now the rebel leader moved into place and was blocking his retreat. Corvan could now see that the animal skin the man wore on his head was from some sort of large bat, its wings and body clinging to the man¡¯s head like a leathery skullcap. Its small bony claws were now curled around the man¡¯s ears. Corvan pointed the candle at the tall man, but all that came out was a small blue dud that rolled up to his feet. He crushed it under his boot before he pulled out a long sword.

    Corvan backed away, slipped in the black oil, and fell against the wall. His hood fell back from his head, and the leader¡¯s eyes grew wide just as a thick cloud of smoke from the brazier billowed around him. Corvan scooted tight against the wall and squeezed past the man into the narrow channel and freedom.

    As he stood to run, a sword pierced the curtain of swirling smoke to reveal the angry face of the rebel Cor-Van.

    ¡°Die, you evil sorcerer, you servant of the darkness.¡± The man raised his sword high over his head, and Corvan found himself looking directly into the black eyes of the bat-like creature as it pushed itself high up on its bony wings and hissed at him past pointed teeth.

    Corvan yelled and desperately shoved the sputtering Roman candle toward the man¡¯s head.

    A blazing red ball shot out and exploded in the rebel leader¡¯s right eye.

    The creature on his head leaped up into the air and flapped off into the darkness.

    The man¡¯s sword fell with a splash into the pool of oil as another dazzling red ball hit the man square in the chest, rolled down his robe, and dropped into the gleaming pool of oil. The fire leapt up, and the leader disappeared behind a tower of flames that roared toward Corvan.

    Corvan ran ahead of the fire, slipping his way through the black goo and out into the maze of streets and leaving a trail of flaming footprints in his wake.

    Another ball from his Roman candle arched off into the darkness and gave him a quick look at his surroundings. Was this the right way? He aimed the cardboard tube higher as he ran.

    A final yellow ball sailed through the sky.

    Just ahead was the half-dead tree.

 Chapter 35

    The commotion from the rebels faded away as Corvan raced toward the half-dead tree. He figured he could get his bearings from where the statues stood, but the stone figures were nowhere to be found. His ability to see in the dark was waning.

    He ran to the other side of the tree and found what looked like the right pathway back to Morgan¡¯s crypt. At the end of the path he found what appeared to be the same large sloppy crypt, but there was no one to be seen. Jorad must still be finding his way in the darkness. Corvan sat against the wall of another low crypt to catch his breath.

    The creak of rusty metal turned his head as a faint green line appeared along the lid of the larger crypt next to him. Corvan shrank back. The light grew brighter, and a hand pushed the lid higher. A face rose in the ghostly green light. It was Jorad.

    Corvan jumped to his feet, startling Jorad so badly he dropped the lid and knocked himself back into the closed tomb. Corvan quickly pushed the heavy lid up and out of the way on its creaky hinges.

    Jorad was rubbing his head and sprawled on top of Morgan¡¯s body, while Kate lay curled up at their feet, pale and still. Her chest rose only a fraction of an inch with each breath. Corvan leaned in and put a hand on her cheek.

    ¡°Kate, can you hear me?¡± She didn¡¯t respond, but the green glow increased.

    Resting in her limp fingers was the source of the green light; the disk she had taken from Tsarek. It was smaller than he expected and obviously not the match to a gavel like he had imagined, but its markings were clear and bright: a star-shaped medallion with multiple star points around the outer edges.

    Jorad sat up and groaned. ¡°Next time, warn me before you jump out of the darkness,¡± he said in a low voice.

    ¡°Is Kate all right?¡±

    ¡°We barely made it in here before she collapsed.¡± Jorad moved in close to Corvan and pointed to the glow. ¡°We were fortunate she had that light along. There¡¯s not a speck of lumien light tonight.¡± Jorad looked at him closely. ¡°How did you find your way here in the dark?¡±

    Corvan shrugged. He did not want to mention the hammer and how it had affected his sight.

    Jorad peered into the darkness. ¡°Their leader will send his men out to find us. He believes that he is the promised Cor-Van and that he only he needs a counterpart to make his insane dreams come true. He won¡¯t stop until he finds one. We need to get Kate out of here.¡±

    Corvan reached into the crypt and touched Kate¡¯s hand. It was cool and clammy. ¡°Kate, it¡¯s me, Corvan. Wake up.¡± He lifted her hand and grimaced as the black band slipped down her arm and revealed a ring of crusty red blisters around her wrist.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to carry her, Kalian,¡± Jorad said quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s lift her out, and I will get Morgan¡¯s litter out for us to put her on.¡±

    They gently extracted Kate from the crypt and laid her limp body on the rocky ground. She had lost a lot of weight since leaving home, her cheeks sunken and pale. He hoped the bag of cookies wasn¡¯t all she¡¯d had to eat since then. Kneeling beside her, he squeezed her hand and felt a faint squeeze in return. He let himself breathe again.

    Jorad was back inside the crypt and muttering to himself as he worked at wrestling the litter out from under Morgan¡¯s body.

    Shielding Kate from Jorad with his body, Corvan reach under his cloak, released the hammer from the holster, and brought it down on the black band, just as Kate had done for Tsarek on the Castle Rock. ¡°Release her,¡± he whispered but nothing happened. He gripped it tighter and looked at the base of the handle. ¡°Please, I ¡­ I love her. Please don¡¯t let her die.¡±

    The hammer grew warmer, but there was no glow. Corvan pressed his face next to Kate¡¯s. ¡°Let it go, Kate. You need to leave that bracelet behind.¡± Her head shook ever so slightly, her eyes fluttered beneath closed lids, and a faint sigh escaped her cracked lips.

    ¡°If you let it go, I promise I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Corvan urged. ¡°I want to see the stars again, don¡¯t you?¡±

    There was a long pause before Kate nodded faintly.

    Corvan¡¯s heart leapt and immediately the glow from the hammer¡¯s handle spread over Kate¡¯s body. Touching the head of the hammer to the black band, he held his breath, watching and waiting. The band quivered, a small crack appeared, then it relaxed and fell to the ground.

    The litter hit Corvan in the shoulder as Jorad pushed it out of the crypt.

    Holstering the hammer, Corvan scooped up the black band and held it in his fist. He didn¡¯t want Jorad to see that Kate had been wearing the evil thing.

    Jorad climbed out of the crypt, grabbed the litter, and set it alongside Kate. ¡°The light she carried is still in there, underneath Morgan,¡± Jorad said. ¡°We¡¯ll need it to see where we¡¯re going.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Corvan said, ¡°while you get her on the litter. Then we can leave.¡±

    Jorad looked up at him, but Corvan was already turning away to get inside the crypt and out of sight. A powerful urge was growing in him. He needed to examine the black band without Jorad knowing about it.

    Crouching down inside the crypt, he pushed Morgan¡¯s cloak aside. The glow from Kate¡¯s medallion leapt out at him. He quickly scooped it up with his free hand to hide its light, and as he did, an overwhelming warmth and peace enveloped him. Opening his fingers slightly, he discovered the symbols glowing on it were the same as those on the hammer.

    A sudden intense pain cut into his other hand as if the black band had bit him. He raised the band for a closer look and stifled a cry for the hand holding the bracelet appeared withered and wrinkled, just skin on bones like a dead man¡¯s hand.

    He tried to drop the black band, but his hand refused to open, and a thought forced itself into his mind: accept it and you will live; refuse it and you will die.

    Intense cold crept up the dead hand holding the bracelet, but it was immediately answered with heat moving up from the medallion. The two met at his shoulders, and snippets of thoughts ratchetted through his mind¡ªtruth or lies, love or control. He had to choose now, or he would be split in two, just like the tree. He looked at both of his hands and found he could not let either go.

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    He focused on a memory of Kate¡¯s smiling face, and his one hand closed tightly around the medallion as the one with the black band opened slowly. The black links lay cupped in his hand.

    A harsh thump on his shoulder sent the black band tumbling across the crypt. Jorad¡¯s anxious voice broke the silence. ¡°Hurry up, Kalian. Did you find it?¡±

    Corvan held up the medallion with its light leaking past his clenched fingers. He inhaled deeply, allowing the medallion¡¯s warmth to spread down into his chest as he clambered out over the crypt wall.

    As Jorad pulled the lid back over the crypt, Corvan caught a glimpse of the black band slithering toward Morgan¡¯s leg, like a glistening snake looking for fresh prey.

    The door eased quietly down, and Jorad lifted the first latch.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lock him in,¡± Corvan said. ¡°If he¡¯s already dead, it won¡¯t matter, but if he¡¯s not ¡­¡±

    ¡°I told you before: this is not your business,¡± Jorad said firmly.

    Corvan pointed the medallion hand at him. ¡°I¡¯m part of this, and I can¡¯t walk away again and leave him to die.¡±

    ¡°Not even if he is a murderer?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°I heard the High Priest say if you kill someone, you can¡¯t be a priest and you can¡¯t get married. Is making sure Morgan is dead worth it?¡±

    He opened his hand a bit, and the light of the medallion cast a glow on Jorad¡¯s tense features. The man stared into the light for a moment, then he let the latch drop with a soft clank.

    Corvan turned away and crouched next to Kate. Jorad had placed her arms alongside her body, and Corvan picked up one hand and put it over the medallion in his own. Kate took a deep breath, and her other hand moved slowly up until both were wrapped around the light. Her body seemed to absorb its light and her face relaxed. Corvan pulled his hand out from under hers and touched her cheek. ¡°It will be okay, Kate. I¡¯m taking you home now.¡±

    He stood to find Jorad standing at Kate¡¯s feet between the poles of the litter with a puzzled look on his face as he stared at Kate¡¯s hands.

    Corvan turned around, crouched, and grasped the poles of the litter. Together they lifted Kate up, then moved down the alley and along the wall that separated the City of the Dead from Kadir.

    Once they reached the cemetery gates, they crossed over into the dark streets of the city.

    A thin, wailing voice from a building off to the right interrupted their shuffling walk. It warbled and settled down to a low cackling laugh.

    The tension on the litter poles increased as Jorad urged Corvan on from behind. ¡°Keep in the middle of the street,¡± he whispered. ¡°Even if they come out, keep moving. I don¡¯t believe the Broken will attack a priest.¡±

    Another wail came from up the street, and it was answered by two more behind them. The voices were close, but even with his keen night vision, Corvan could not detect any movement.

    ¡°Turn right,¡± Jorad urged as he pushed harder on the poles. They began to jog as if the haunting voices were pushing them forward. Jorad was directing him from behind, but it seemed to Corvan that the unseen cries were herding them on through the narrow streets.

    Rounding a corner, Corvan found the way ahead of them blocked by a massive pile of rubble. Long ago, the cavern wall had collapsed and smashed the front portico of a great building. Tall, fluted columns of rock were piled like a giant¡¯s game of pick-up sticks. There was no choice but to turn into a square tunnel cut into the stone wall.

    It was a dead end.

    Jorad swiveled them around just as a metal gate rumbled across the opening and cut off any chance of escape.

    ¡°I am a priest of the Cor,¡± Jorad shouted as the gate clanged shut. ¡°I bring no harm and seek only your peace.¡±

    As his echo faded away, a small door in the side wall next to Corvan opened inward. A gentle push from behind signaled Jorad¡¯s intentions, and they walked inside. Corvan heard the door slam shut behind then.

    Jorad stopped pushing, and Corvan listened to the reverberations of an immense space before them. As silence fell, Jorad pushed on. They walked out of the darkness into a dimly lit great hall dwarfed by massive pillars that soared high above them. The air was dense with mold and a familiar outhouse stench.

    Ahead, in the center of the circular room, a steady light shone. They moved toward it, past heavy stone tables piled high with stacks of rotting scrolls. Each table was presided over by small versions of the lumien lamp stands Corvan had seen in the square. The rings at the ends leaned over the scrolls like empty eyes.

    The glow ahead turned out to be from four statues on short pedestals, each holding a fire stick out in front of it. In the area bounded by their lights, a heavy round table squatted on a single carved column.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put her down on the table.¡± The thick air of the huge room swallowed Jorad¡¯s words.

    After sliding the litter onto the stone surface, Corvan turned around to look down into Kate¡¯s face. Holding his fingertips near her lips, he felt a faint wisp of breath.

    The band of gems she had been wearing in the clearing with the rebel soldiers had fallen from her hair onto the stretcher. Corvan put it into his pocket. Kate liked pretty things, and it would cheer her up later. He pushed away the thought that she might not live to see it again while brushing a few strands of hair from over Kate¡¯s eyes and swallowing his fear. It would be his fault if she died in this terrible place. He never should have let her use the hammer.

    At that thought, he unclipped the cover of the holster. Jorad was occupied with looking about the room. Was this a good time to try using the hammer to heal Kate? He shook his head. Since Kate had chosen the black band, the hammer might hurt her, like it did in his room when he had chosen to lie to his dad. She was far too weak to risk it. He snapped the cover back into place.

    A shallow breath rattled from Kate¡¯s lungs. The power of the hammer might be too much, but the comfort of the medallion seemed to help her. Opening her limp hands, he laid its glowing face down in the open neck of her tunic and waited.

    Kate took a deeper breath, and her hands moved up to cover the medallion. In that pose, she appeared more dead than alive. ¡°Please let Kate live,¡± he whispered, raising his eyes and looking overhead.

    His words floated up to the vaulted ceiling, where large painted faces gazed down in rapt attention. Although blackened by smoke, their eyes were focused on the center of the room. All around the faces were smaller paintings of people and animals. Most were obscured by the dark smudge, but off to the sides, some of the murals were clearer. Was that a blue sky and a golden sun? Corvan stepped back to get a better view, stumbled on a loose brick, and fell backward onto a pile of damp scrolls piled against a statue¡¯s pedestal. Getting to his feet, he came closer to the stone face. It gazed back at him in unblinking silence.

    A hand grabbed his arm and pulled him to one side. Jorad looked fiercely into his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything. They are watching every move we make.¡± The man turned away, and Corvan could clearly see that he was not taking his own advice. He had cleared off a nearby table and spread out a large scroll, which he now studied intently.

    Corvan stared at it. The markings looked like the tracks chickens left in the mud.

    Jorad traced a finger backward along a line of characters. ¡°Incredible. And this is only one scroll of hundreds still legible.¡± He gestured around the room, and Corvan saw that the walls around them were covered in cubicles of various sizes, many of which contained one or more scrolls.

    Jorad pointed above the cubicles, where a balcony ran around the room to meet at a set of curved stairs. ¡°I have heard stories of the remains of a great library in the broken half of the city, but I never believed it could be this vast. It would take a lifetime to read all of these.¡± From the tone of his voice, Corvan knew Jorad wanted to start immediately and would not be easily distracted from the task.

    The priest moved along the wall, tugging out scrolls, reading the identifying marks, and reluctantly pushing them back into place. ¡°You can see where the water rose up.¡± He pointed to the wall where a line of black mold encircled the room about three feet from the floor. ¡°All the documents below are hopelessly ruined, and the dampness in the room will eventually destroy even those the water did not touch. And look here.¡± His voice choked in anger as he kicked at the remains of a campfire made from the scrolls. ¡°They used scrolls for a fire! Fires are not even permitted in the Cor. Our air is much too precious. And there!¡± His hand shook in wrath, pointing to where strips of scrolls had been used for toilet paper. ¡°Animals. The Broken have become nothing but animals!¡±

    ¡°Who are you to judge our people?¡± a woman called out from behind them.

 Chapter 36

    Jorad and Corvan whirled about.

    An older woman with a cane stalked out toward them from between the four statues. She wore an orange shawl, brown leggings, and large black boots. Her frizzy red hair was tied back in a checkered scarf, and wide silver hoops hung from her ears.

    Jorad stepped back. ¡°Madam Toreg, I did not know you were still¡ª¡±

    The woman silenced him by waving the point of her carved staff in the priest¡¯s face. ¡°I wonder what you do know, Jorad. What do you know of those who have lived in the broken half of the city longer than you and your fathers have lived in the priest¡¯s compound? Of those who are filling your bellies with food supplied by the palace, food bought with the lives of those who die of hard labor out in the settlements? What gives you the right to look down on those who refuse to serve the palace and choose to live off what little they can find out here?¡±

    Jorad bowed low. ¡°I am sorry, Madam Toreg. I was overcome by the loss of this great library and such wonderful treasures. I had no right to lay the blame for this on those who live here now.¡±

    The old woman¡¯s face softened. ¡°I understand how you feel; my mother was once curator of this library.¡± She leaned on her staff. ¡°It is a great evil that is willing to destroy such a precious heritage in its rampant pursuit of power.¡±

    Jorad pointed to the walls. ¡°How could they get the water to flow so high?¡±

    ¡°We do not know,¡± Madam Toreg said, ¡°but given all the recent work at the temple karst, I have no doubt they will try again. Come, I will show you.¡± The woman stepped past Jorad, shot a quizzical look Corvan¡¯s way, and motioned for them to follow.

    She moved farther away from the torchlight in the hands of the statues and into the deep shadows under the balcony. The floor became more uneven. She held out her staff for them to stop and pointed below. At their feet, the floor of the building ended in a jagged hole above the shimmer of dark water far below.

    ¡°The reflecting pool under our library had been still since the founding of Kadir,¡± Madam Toreg said in a somber voice. ¡°It was a place of peace and contemplation for those who wished only to learn and grow. One day, it began to bubble and froth, foul-smelling and undrinkable. Finally, it erupted in a great geyser that shot all the way to the ceiling. Everyone fled up here as the geyser hammered the ceiling below and water in the room rose higher.¡±

    She tapped a broken pillar on the rim of the fractured hole. ¡°The geyser weakened the floor on this level until it collapsed and stopped the geyser,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°But the water kept rising into the library proper and then flowing out into the streets. The entry of the library collapsed and sealed it away from the approaching palace soldiers. The collapse saved our community from being discovered, but the water found its way into the refuge we had created to hide ourselves from the Watcher and his soldiers. The water receded from inside the library, but many of our people were trapped inside and drowned.¡±

    Her voice cracked as she extended her hands, palm up, then brought them sharply together, slowly lowering her hands until her fingers pointed straight down.

    Jorad made the same sign back to her. His face was a mask of deep sorrow.

    Corvan gripped the stump of a broken pillar and leaned out over the edge. Below, an island of broken stones rose from the center of a lake that extended from wall to wall. The water swirled slowly around the island in dark eddies.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He was turning away when a small shadow slipped across the lake, just beneath the surface of the water. Something or someone was down there. He leaned out further to see where it was going, but Jorad yanked him back from the edge and was beckoning for him to follow.

    Up ahead, Madam Toreg was stumping along with her cane back to the table where Kate lay. Corvan ran to catch up.

    Kate¡¯s hands were now clasped tightly around the disk on her chest. A peaceful look on her face made her appear as if she had been laid out for her own funeral.

    Madam Toreg gently caressed Kate¡¯s cheek with the back of her fingers, and Corvan glanced at the tears slipping down the older woman¡¯s face. Looking back to Kate, he watched as Madam Toreg put her hand under the girl¡¯s wrist to feel for her pulse. Then her hand cupped Kate¡¯s, probing the girl¡¯s fingers and allowing the light of the medallion to leak out into the room.

    The woman turned sharply toward him. ¡°Where did you find it?¡± she demanded.

    Corvan stepped away as she advanced with her cane extended and jabbing at him. His back pressed up against one of the stone pillars as her cane thrust hard against his chest.

    ¡°The medallion you placed on her body,¡± Madam Toreg said sharply. ¡°Where did you get it? Answer me truthfully, for your life depends on it.¡±

    Corvan put his hands on the shaft of the cane, but she only pushed the tip harder against his chest. She was much stronger than she looked, and it felt like the metal tip of the cane was about to pierce through him.

    Struggling to push the cane away, his forearm tightened against the lashes that held Morgan¡¯s knife in place. In desperation, he slipped the knife out with one hand. He wanted only to defend himself and push the cane away, but a flash of sparks arced through the air. Madam Toreg¡¯s carved staff fell to the ground. It was cut cleanly in two.

    The old woman gasped and stumbled back to fall under the edge of the round table.

    Corvan held the black blade limply in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    He never got a chance to finish. In but an instant, all the statues came to life. Four men jumped from their pedestals like lightening from the sky. One struck the knife from Corvan¡¯s feeble grip, two pulled the old woman to her feet,and the fourth on the pillar behind Corvan dropped his torch and yanked Corvan¡¯s arms up behind him in an iron grip.

    Jorad moved in close and held his hand out to assist Madam Toreg. The old woman shook off the protection of her gray guardians, stepped up to Jorad, and slapped his face. ¡°You have betrayed us by bringing a servant of the Rakash into our presence. You have put those in our refuge in great danger. You are a priest of Kadir. You, of all people, know better than this!¡±

    Jorad licked at a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth and shook his head. ¡°As a priest of Kadir, I swear that I tell you the truth. I do not know where he came upon the black knife, but I am certain this boy is not of the Rakash, nor is he connected to the palace and the Chief Watcher.¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± the old woman commanded. With her gray men close behind, she moved in on Corvan and pointed to the knife on the floor. ¡°If I dared touch that foul thing, you would die now by your own blade.¡±

    Jorad raised his hand. ¡°Madam Toreg, you warned me not to judge people too quickly. Do not make the same mistake.¡±

    The tallest of her gray men touched the woman¡¯s shoulder. She turned to him as he stooped to whisper in her ear.

    ¡°You are certain, Garek?¡± she asked quietly.

    The man straightened, looked with compassion into Corvan¡¯s face, and nodded.

    Madam Toreg turned and gestured to the man behind Corvan. His arms were released, but the former statute remained close behind him.

    Madam Toreg studied Corvan¡¯s face a long moment, stepped to one side, and pointed at Kate. ¡°Garek tells me that your treatment of this young woman is definitely not what the Rakash would do.¡± She sighed wearily. ¡°I have seen far too much deception and betrayal in my life. What can you offer as a pledge that will remove any doubt as to your intentions?¡±

    It took Corvan only a second to decide.

    ¡°I promise that I will not betray you to the palace.¡±

    He slipped the hammer from its holster.

    ¡°I tell you the truth. I swear to you on this.¡±

    As he extended the hammer toward her, its insignia was sending pulsing waves of blue light around the room.

 Chapter 37

    Madam Toreg reeled and Garek barely managed to catch her before she hit the floor. The woman brushed Garek back, stepped forward and extended an open hand, her eyes locked on the hammer.

    Corvan reluctantly released it into her grasp. He wanted to tell her that it had belonged to his grandfather but that might only cause more problems.

    Cradling the hammer in her hands, Madam Toreg examined it carefully, the glow highlighting the excitement on her face. ¡°So, the old stories were true,¡± she said in a hushed tone. ¡°The hammer exists, it¡¯s not just a concept.¡± Lifting it overhead with one hand, she pointed the handle at the ceiling, throwing its light onto the paintings. As she rotated the projected symbols into position, Corvan could see the same marks running between two golden bands that surrounded the faces above them. ¡°The words above were painted from memory long after the hammer was lost to us,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°I often wondered if they were correct.¡±

    Corvan stared up at the words. ¡°What do they say?¡±

    ¡°Three words flow between the circles: Truth, Mercy, and Justice. Those are the attributes that a true Cor-Van must possess to lead the Cor back to the light.¡± She looked at him from under thick eyebrows. ¡°The legends say those are the qualities of the one who will return the hammer to us.¡±

    Corvan avoided her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how it works. At times it heals me and other times it hurts me. Sometimes it does what I want and then it does nothing at all.¡±

    Madam Toreg directed the blue glow onto Corvan¡¯s chest. The blue words were fully absorbed into the gray cloth of his cloak. She frowned, then directed the light onto the floor between them.  ¡°The hammer only has power when held by those who have integrity, those who stand against injustice. It helps people know what is right and supports them as they seek to find the truth, and to speak the truth, but it cannot be used as a weapon.¡±

    ¡°And yet the Chief Watcher seeks it,¡± Jorad said.

    ¡°The Chief Watcher knows the hammer is here in Kadir?¡± Madam Toreg asked, turning quickly to Jorad.

    ¡°I cannot say for certain, but Rayu was the one to report it, and now he¡¯s gone missing. The Chief of the Watchers is an ancient creature and no doubt aware of the stories of how the hammer was taken from the Cor. I believe that is why he took the portal key from Tarran. He intends to go looking for it.¡± Jorad glanced over at Corvan then pointed at the blue words on the ground. ¡°Why would he even want the hammer if it judges truth. That creature is the epitome of lies and deceit.¡±

    Madam Toreg sighed heavily. ¡°When people are in dire circumstances, they want to believe someone is telling them the truth and will help things improve. If the Chief Watcher can convince the people of Kadir he possesses the truth, he can easily manipulate them to follow his new religion and give him whatever he asks.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s head swam. There were too many bits of information being tossed about that he didn¡¯t understand and couldn¡¯t fit together. If the hammer was truth, what was the medallion? Earlier, he¡¯d thought it was compassion, which was similar to mercy, but where did justice fit in?

    ¡°How could the Chief Watcher even hold the hammer?¡± Corvan asked. ¡°I have experienced how it punishes those who lie.¡±

    Jorad raised his eyebrows at Corvan¡¯s confession but said nothing.

    Madam Toreg gave Corvan a look that reminded him of Mrs. Thompson repeating a basic math problem he couldn¡¯t grasp. ¡°If an evil person shields himself from the truth in some manner, he will appear to others as if he¡¯s touching it, but that is just another deception. You must examine people closely to see if the hammer is freely held in their hands. Deceivers never let others get that close to them.¡±

    ¡°That evil creature will use the hammer to destroy hope,¡± Jorad said. ¡°Hope gives people ideas, and they search for the truth. If he can destroy hope, the people will willingly follow his plan for Kadir and then the whole Cor.¡±

    Madam Toreg nodded. ¡°I have seen changes lately that suggest larger plans and forces are at work. Older and deeper things are rising to the surface. Who in Kadir ever thought the Rakash would walk freely through our city?¡±

    A chill went through Corvan. ¡°Who are the Rakash?¡±

    Madam Toreg turned to him. ¡°Some call them the Sightless. Others call them Seekers. Not many use their true name, Rakash, for we all avoid the reality that an even greater evil seeks to control our world.¡±

    ¡°I think I saw them,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Are they the four blind creatures who serve the Chief Watcher and carry him in the red curtained box?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called a palanquin,¡± Jorad stated, ¡°and those four are not his servants. I believe they were sent here to keep an eye on the Chief Watcher, and they have their own ways of seeing. Their senses have been heightened to the point where they can even sense the heat from our bodies. It¡¯s impossible to hide from them.¡±

    A young woman ran in from the shadows under the circular balcony. She was the youngest girl Corvan had seen so far, maybe a year or two younger than him, but she moved confidently into the room and up to the table. Her shoulder-length red hair swayed around an intense face and mirrored how the hem of her blue tunic swished above the floor. A short sword hung at her waist.

    ¡°Garek,¡± the girl said breathlessly, leaning on the edge across from Kate, ¡°a company of palace guards is scouring the ruins out front.¡±

    ¡°In the darkness?¡± Jorad asked incredulously. ¡°On the broken side of the city?¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°The soldiers are being guided by one of the Seekers,¡± she replied, a strong note of fear in her voice. ¡°They are trying to find a way inside the library.¡±

    ¡°They must have followed us from the temple,¡± Jorad said. ¡°I should have been more careful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°The Seeker can track anyone as long as they have something the person has held closely,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°I do not see how it could be any of us in this room, unless ¡­¡±

    They all turned to Corvan, and the old woman¡¯s eyes bored into him.

    The red-haired girl spoke up. ¡°The Seeker carries a white scarf.¡±

    Corvan nodded and swallowed hard. ¡°I, I left it behind when I escaped from the prison. I didn¡¯t have time to go back and get it.¡±

    ¡°You were wearing a white scarf?¡± the girl asked with raised eyebrows.

    ¡°It was a gift,¡± Corvan replied, avoiding her eyes.

    ¡°I am told that if you are able to banish the item from your mind,¡± Madam Toreg said, ¡°and deny any connection to the giver, the Seeker may be unable to find you. Can you do this?¡± She studied his face.

    Corvan turned his thoughts to Tyreth. He saw her pain when the lizard slashed her cheek, and his heart ached for her. He remembered how she had touched his face and the scent of her scarf. Tyreth was courageous and determined to help others, how could he possibly pretend he¡¯d never met her?

    Madam Toreg came close and patted his cheek. ¡°I see you cannot deny this person. It is a good thing to care for others.¡± Madam Toreg turned to the girl. ¡°Go wake the mayor and have him come to meet me at the front gate. We will have to fight the soldiers in the streets of Kadir and draw them away from the refuge.¡±

    The young girl ran from the room as Madam Toreg turned to Garek. ¡°How long before the lumiens brighten?¡±

    ¡°One more segment,¡± Garek said.

    ¡°You must act quickly. We need the soldiers¡¯ fear of the Broken working for us.¡±

    Garek shook his head. ¡°Our tricks and false voices will not fool the Seeker.¡±

    ¡°Then we have to kill him,¡± one of the other gray men said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Garek replied. ¡°Nothing can kill the Rakash.¡±

    ¡°That can.¡± Madam Toreg pointed to the black knife on the floor. ¡°It was done in the past, when the five became the four and the cloak of deception that allowed their leader to move undetected among us vanished. Our City of Refuge was saved from discovery and devastation at that time by a great man.¡± She wagged a finger at Corvan. ¡°I have been informed the remaining four Rakash have chosen a new leader. If he is the one coming our way, then what he truly seeks is the return of the cloak.¡±

    Corvan resisted the urge to twist the buttons on his grandfather¡¯s garment. Breaking Madam Toreg¡¯s steady gaze, he instead bent to pick up the knife.

    As he straightened, everyone took a step back.

    Corvan unbound the sheath from his forearm and put the blade back inside. Madam Toreg looked on in admiration until he stepped forward and laid it on the table. She frowned, and he stepped away in embarrassment. Surely, she didn¡¯t think he would use the knife to fight the Rakash?

    ¡°There is another way.¡± Jorad stepped up to the table and gazed down at the knife. ¡°The Seeker believes he follows Tarran, but to capture him, he will need the help of the palace guard. Send your gray men to frighten the soldiers, throw them into disarray, and buy us some time. I will lead Corvan out to the settlements along the river road. We can go beyond where the Seeker can sense him.¡±

    ¡°Then we must send this with him.¡± Madam Toreg held out the hammer to Corvan, and her brown eyes searched his face. ¡°None of us here can protect it. Since you brought it to us, you must carry it on from here. In time, it will reveal your true purpose.¡±

    Corvan reluctantly took the hammer and snapped it back into the holster. Ever since he¡¯d found the hammer, it had taken him farther from his family and from safety. He and Kate would never escape from this nightmare unless someone else would take it from him. Besides, he had no desire to find a purposed beyond getting Kate home.

    ¡°Jorad¡¯s plan has merit,¡± Garek said, the gray coating on his face wrinkling as he spoke. ¡°But let us make use of our preparations at the lower bridge. We weakened it to collapse it in the event of an attack from across the river by the rebels. Instead, if the seeker and the soldiers find where we have gone, we can pull it out from under the them. Perhaps the river will sweep the Rakash back to his master.¡±

    Madam Toreg looked to Corvan. ¡°Is it permitted to do such a thing to defeat evil?¡± Everyone else turned to stare at him.

    Corvan looked at their faces. Was he expected to decide just because he held the hammer? He waited, but no one spoke. ¡°I would think that ¡­ since these people sent the water to kill your families and children ¡­ maybe falling into the water themselves might teach them a lesson?¡± It was more a question than an answer, but the expressions on their faces indicated it was the affirmation they required.

    ¡°So let it be,¡± Madam Toreg said as she turned to Garek. ¡°You and the others frighten the soldiers away. I will take these two through the new city to the water outlet under the bridge. Signal us when the Rakash senses him and begins moving in that direction.¡±

    Three of the gray men turned toward the small door. The melded into the darkness and vanished from sight against the stone wall of the library. The door appeared to open and close of its own accord.

    The remaining gray man, Garek, lightly touched the old woman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Madam, although you are the founder of the City of Refuge, if you bring untested strangers through, the mayor and the elders will rightly accuse you of breaking the community commitments.¡±

    ¡°I will bear that responsibility.¡± She smiled and patted his hand.  ¡°But I thank you for your concern.¡±

    He bowed low and slipped away toward the exit.

    The old woman touched Kate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s have you two carry the girl to the city below. Our healer will attend to her while you are gone across the river.¡±

    Corvan shook his head. ¡°No. I won¡¯t leave Kate behind and risk losing her again. She comes with me.¡±

    The old woman searched his face, and Corvan steadily returned her gaze.

    ¡°I will allow this,¡± she said, ¡°for I understand that this girl does not belong in this world.¡± She looked at Kate lying on the table. ¡°I can see that if she does not soon return to her sphere, she will most certainly die.¡± Her eyes narrowed, and she came closer. ¡°You, on the other hand, may yet belong to this world, or perhaps this world will belong to you, as our Cor-Van.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    She jabbed a thick finger into his chest. ¡°Do not think for a moment that I do not understand what is possible for you to become, either for our good or for our destruction. That is a choice you have yet to make.¡± She patted the hammer at his side and gave him a wry smile. ¡°May your desire for the truth be guided by compassion.¡±

    She picked up the broken pieces of her staff, and, as she headed for the door, Corvan noticed she walked just fine without it. There was more to Madam Toreg than what met the eye.

    He picked up the front of Kate¡¯s litter and pulled it toward the front edge of the table. There was a short pause before Jorad picked up his end and they followed Madam Toreg.

    Corvan glanced back.

    The black knife was gone from the table.

    Jorad was obviously not afraid of touching it.

 Chapter 38

    Corvan and Jorad followed Madam Toreg past the staircase leading to the upper level of the library, under the balcony, and through an arch into a darkened lobby. Dried lumien vines twisted around rusty lamp stands that sprouted from mounds of broken tiles. Shattered statues and pieces of fluted columns lay scattered over the floor. The front of the building had completely collapsed.

    Moving through the maze of broken stones, they encountered a stairwell that swept downward in a wide arc. At the bottom, a passage ran a short distance in either direction, only to dead end in ceiling high piles of rubble.

    Madam Toreg marched straight ahead and inserted the tip of her broken cane into a hole in the smooth rock wall. Concealed doors sprang open, revealing armed guards waiting within. A stocky, bald man rushed out and proceeded to engage Madam Toreg in a heated conversation with furious gestures toward Corvan and Jorad. His face grew redder. He pursed his lips, stepped back, nodded to Madam Toreg in a cursory manner, then scurried back inside the guarded passage.

    Madam Toreg looked at Corvan with a deep frown and gestured for them to follow. Edging past the guards, they all moved into a crevice so narrow only one person could go through at a time. It twisted back and forth on itself like a snake. The corners were so sharp they had to tilt Kate¡¯s litter at a steep angle to get her around them. As he negotiated a tight corner, Corvan glanced up and noticed there were openings in the ceiling. He could see they were being watched. At two places, they had to wait for doors to open and then shut behind them.

    The channel finally opened into a wider chamber, where Madam Toreg waited for them before an arched double door. As Corvan stepped beside her, she pushed firmly on the doors and swung them wide.

    After what felt like weeks in near darkness, the scene completely overwhelmed Corvan. He squinted against the light at a domed ceiling so crowded with lumien globes it was almost impossible to distinguish one from the others. Jorad shoved the litter forward, which thrust Corvan tight against a low stone wall. The doors banged shut behind him, and the echo came back from the far side of the rounded cavern.

    ¡°Welcome to our City of Refuge,¡± Madam Toreg said proudly as she came up beside him. ¡°All who seek the truth and live with compassion are welcome here.¡±

    Corvan leaned over the ledge. Small, whitewashed dwellings were evenly spaced along terraces cut into the floor of the cavern. The scene looked more like a painting than something real. The circular pattern was like the streets of Kadir except the tracks were narrow and stacked downward like a funnel along the sides of the bowl. Narrower lanes connected the circular roads, like snakes slithering toward a central plaza surrounded by larger buildings at the bottom.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Jorad spoke quietly from behind Corvan. ¡°Seeing all these healthy lumiens gives me hope that Kadir may again shine in all its glory.¡±

    Madam Toreg glanced back at the priest with a question on her face and pointed to the left, where a creek rushed along the bottom of a deep channel next to the cavern wall. ¡°That is what currently remains of the water that flows from under the library.¡± Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Jorad. ¡°The water that was sent by the palace in Kadir. They are the ones who tried to fill our City of Refuge with water. Many of our people drowned in that attempt.¡± She made the special sign with her hands and sighed heavily. ¡°We are ready if they try it again. Next time, our water channel will carry the water back to the lower river outlet.¡±

    ¡°How many people remain?¡± Jorad asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°The day has not yet begun, and those along our path were instructed to stay indoors, for your safety as well as theirs. It is best if you pass unseen. Come, we will follow the water channel.¡±

    They moved to the left along the upper edge of the cavern and behind the outer ring of dwellings. Each home had a small patch of vegetation in the back. Some had vines with clusters of yellow fruit trailing over their walls.

    A baby¡¯s cry rose above the burble of the water running alongside the road, and a woman sang a lullaby. ¡°Those are sounds I have not heard for a very long time.¡± Jorad¡¯s voice was choked with emotion.

    Madam Toreg stopped and looked back. Her face softened. ¡°I have heard of your great loss, Jorad, and I offer my sympathy. Perhaps you should consider staying here with us instead of returning to Kadir.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s response was cut off by strains of flute music drifting in from around the corner. Madam Toreg whipped about and moved quickly around the bend by the river wall. Up ahead, a small boy in ragged clothing sat on the water channel wall. His bare feet and grubby legs kept time to the music as he blew across a set of graduated pipes. The mournful sound of its melancholy strains wrapped around them.

    ¡°Gavyn!¡± Madam Toreg barked. ¡°Come here!¡± Madam Toreg looked stern, but Corvan sensed the motherly love in her voice.

    The boy, all the while playing his pipes without missing a note, jumped off the wall and landed lightly in front of the old woman. Madam Toreg gently pushed the flute down from his lips. He smiled at her, but his deep blue eyes betrayed an abiding sadness.

    ¡°Gavyn, did you not hear that everyone was to remain out of sight?¡± she asked.

    The boy shrugged, looked at the ground, and ran a hand through his damp, matted hair.

    Jorad swiveled the pallet around and came into view alongside Corvan. He gave a soft whistle and smiled at the young boy. Gavyn¡¯s eyes brightened, and he ran to hug Jorad around the waist. Jorad bent his knees slightly, and Gavyn reached into the priest¡¯s cloak to fish out a small object wrapped in yellow paper. Jorad straightened and looked at Madam Toreg. ¡°As priests, we allow the little children that suffer to come to us for comfort.¡±

    Madam Toreg nodded slightly but shot Gavyn a warning look that suggested he be on his way. The boy ignored her and approached Corvan. He ran his hands along the side of Corvan¡¯s cloak. Corvan tried to pull away from his probing fingers, but Jorad¡¯s grip on the pallet restricted his movements.

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    ¡°Gavyn.¡± Madam Toreg stepped toward them. ¡°I have warned you about taking things that do not belong to you.¡±

    The boy¡¯s hand ran over the hammer in its holster. He stopped and looked up at Corvan with a puzzled expression. He said nothing, but Corvan knew the boy completely understood that the hammer was now back in the Cor and that meant trouble was coming.

    Madam Toreg stamped her foot, and the child whirled and grabbed a yellow fruit off a vine on his way over a stone wall.

    ¡°He means no harm,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°He lives wild, up in the ruins surrounding the library. Somehow, he has found a way to come and go in our new city as he pleases. I was told he lost his family in the flood, but no one knows for sure. He has never spoken.¡± She turned and headed down the road. ¡°We need to keep moving or the mayor might show up again.¡±

    The road grew steeper ahead, where the wall alongside was lower. The sound of the creek on the other side of it grew louder. Rounding a corner, Corvan found himself at the top of a steep flight of stairs that were slick with the spray from a series of waterfalls that plunged to a turbulent pool below.

    ¡°We have more work to do to complete the outlet channel, so these steps can get slippery. You¡¯d best turn sideways and carry her down together.¡± She took two steps down and pointed ahead. ¡°Let me go first and caress the light.¡±

    Madam Toreg descended the stairs and pushed a long pole up into the shadows. A large lumien hanging from a ring glowed as Madam Toreg gently stroked the tendrils that hung around the globe with the soft flaps at the end of the pole. Satisfied with the level of light, she leaned the pole back against the wall and motioned for them to join her.

    Corvan and Jorad held the litter awkwardly between them and made their way to the bottom level, where large stone blocks were stacked in loose piles. A deep lagoon swirled behind a circular wall. Madam Toreg led them around to where a sluice gate allowed water from the lagoon to rush under a low opening in the cavern wall.

    Madam Toreg pointed at the tunnel while speaking, but Corvan couldn¡¯t catch what she was saying over the sound of the rushing water. She motioned to them to wait and disappeared around the side of the lagoon. A low rumble, as if a train were passing, coursed through the rock. The water ebbed to a trickle.

    Madam Toreg reappeared. ¡°There is not much time before I must release the water again. You can get inside the channel just ahead of the gate and follow the tunnel along. You will come out directly under the lower bridge. A stairway will take you up to the roadway onto the bridge. Jorad, you will know where to go from there.¡±

    Jorad spoke up. ¡°Thank you, Madam Toreg. Your kindness will not be forgotten. We will protect your secrets and hold your well-being in good faith.¡±

    ¡°I know you will, Jorad, and I thank you.¡± She turned to Corvan, placed a hand on either side of his face, and pulled him close. ¡°I understand that you must fulfill your vow to this girl, but I also ask you to do whatever is in your power to rescue the owner of the white scarf. It is important to the Cor.¡± She glanced over his shoulder at Jorad then whispered in his ear, ¡°It is very important to me as well.¡± She pulled back. Her eyes were full of tears.

    Corvan nodded quickly. ¡°I promise, Madam Toreg. I promise on the hammer.¡±

    Her bushy eyebrows shot up, then she smiled. ¡°Thank you ¡­ Cor-Van.¡±

    She looked again to Jorad. ¡°Take the girl to Jokten in the Molakar settlement; his counterpart is gifted in healing, and he is the only one left with an understanding of the outer passages.¡± She gestured toward the empty watercourse, and then she touched Corvan¡¯s arm. ¡°Do not lose the medallion the girl holds. When you become the Cor-Van, you will need all three.¡±

    Corvan tried to respond, but she waved them on. ¡°Move quickly now. The lagoon walls are not completed, and the water will soon overflow the gate.¡±

    Holding tight to the front of the litter, Corvan stepped over a gap in the wall and into a roughhewn channel. He could feel Jorad¡¯s reluctance through the poles as the priest did the same and joined him in the tunnel. Water dripped from a ceiling that drew lower as they progressed. Corvan crouched to avoid hitting his head.

    ¡°How much farther?¡± Jorad¡¯s anxious voice reverberated in the tight space.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell,¡± Corvan responded. ¡°But we need to keep moving before the water comes back and drowns us in here.¡±

    It was the wrong thing to say, and Jorad pushed so hard on the poles that Corvan had to stumble along in his awkward stance to avoid being driven to his knees.

    Jorad¡¯s haste was a good thing. As they cleared the tunnel¡¯s end and climbed out of the channel, water roared from the hole they had just left and gushed out into the main river. Overhead a narrow span crossed the river.

    Corvan glanced back and found Jorad¡¯s white face dripping with both water and sweat.

    ¡°To the left,¡± the priest gasped, ¡°up the stairs¡ªbut watch your step, I don¡¯t want to fall in.¡±

    A long flight of narrow steps along the riverbank brought them up behind the low wall that kept the travelers on the main road safely away from the water. Setting Kate¡¯s litter on the wall, they climbed onto the road. Corvan had just grabbed the poles when they heard a familiar warbling cry from the edge of the city.

    ¡°They are close,¡± Jorad hissed. ¡°To the bridge, quickly!¡±

    Kate¡¯s body bounced on the litter as they ran forward. Ahead, the entrance to the bridge was flanked by two large stone pillars supporting the main bridge cables that reached out to the far side.

    A shadow moved out to meet them, and Garek waved them on.

    There was urgency in the gray man¡¯s voice. ¡°Quickly, run across. The bridge will shake, but I promise you it will not fall. Do not stop.¡± He pushed Corvan past him onto a metal suspension bridge that curved gently upward toward the center. The metal panels of its floor snapped and sprang as they ran. They were nearly to the middle when a trumpet blast rolled out over the water.

    ¡°Stop in the name of the Chief Watcher!¡± A deep voice boomed out.

    They kept running over the center of the bridge, its panels slipping beneath their feet and pitching them toward the chain railings.

    ¡°Stop, Kalian. Stop in the name of the Rakash.¡± The rasping voice crawled up Corvan¡¯s spine and into his head. How did the seeker know his name?

    Something moved in the shadows ahead. The bridge pitched and rolled beneath their feet as they staggered off the end. Another of the gray men stepped out to steady them.

    Corvan looked back. Two red-cloaked guards had reached the crest of the bridge, and the ghostly form of the Seeker was just behind them. The guards slowed as the shifting panels below their feet threw them from side to side. The Seeker staggered against the chains.

    The gray man threw his weight out to the side of the supporting pillar and in and instant the soldier and the seeker disappeared along with the center section of the bridge.

    The screams from the soldiers lasted only a second before being silenced by the rushing water.

    Jorad spoke into the heavy silence. ¡°Did they all . . . ?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the gray man replied.

    ¡°Including the Seeker?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°Gone into the water. May it sweep him into the abyss.¡± The gray man slipped away into the gloom.

    A light push on the poles of the litter was all Corvan needed to get him moving again. They walked in silence along the river wall. The rasping voice echoed in Corvan¡¯s head, and he glanced down into the dark water repeatedly.

    For a brief moment, he was certain he saw a pair of white eyes moving along just under the surface of the water and staring back at him.

 Chapter 39

    Corvan stumbled on the uneven pathway. As soon as he recovered, he glanced down at the water slipping by. To his relief, there were only a few patches of white foam floating along beside him.

    Corvan¡¯s stomach churned at the memory of the Rakash calling out his name. The Rakash obviously knew it was not looking for Tarran but how did it know who he was? Turning his attention back to the riverside road, he plodded forward on shaking legs.

    Jorad pushed firmly on the poles to direct them away from the water to the outer edge of the road. The man did like being this close to the water, but Corvan didn¡¯t appreciate being pushed along by Jorad, especially since the man had secretly taken the black knife. Corvan put his head down. He didn¡¯t know much about Jorad, yet his own life and Kate¡¯s fate were firmly in the man¡¯s hands.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Madam Toreg was the one behind this plan to leave the city, he would be even more nervous about this trip out to the settlements. Maybe he should have left Kate with their healer in the City of Refuge. He shook his head and muttered to himself, ¡°No point in second guessing. We can¡¯t go back because the bridge is broken.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Jorad asked sharply.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Corvan replied.

    Jorad grunted and pushed even harder on the poles.

    The wall rose high over the water and the high crags against the cavern wall on the other side drew closer before the path turned to the left and swept downward to meet the farthest point of the cavern. Where it ended, a dense mist hung in the air, along with the faint roar of a waterfall.

    Jorad spoke up. ¡°This levee guides the river to the falls by the edge of the Cor. We can¡¯t go that way. We need to leave the wall up ahead, go down into the fields, then climb up to the settlement passages.¡± The tone of Jorad¡¯s words was that of a man resigned to something he dreaded.

    Corvan looked down to the left at a scene he immediately recognized: fields of dirt in carefully ploughed rows. The main aqueduct branched out to even smaller channels, separating the fields below into a patchwork of irrigation lines that fanned out like the veins on a fallen leaf. Neat rows marked the ploughed fields between them, where small plants lay withered in the dusty earth. Beyond the fields was a steep slope with a switchback trail.

    ¡°Is there another way?¡± he asked Jorad.

    ¡°Not to save your Kate.¡± The words were bitter. ¡°But each step we take away from Kadir decreases our chances of rescuing Tyreth.¡±

    Corvan walked on in silence. Although he had promised Madam Toreg he would help save Tyreth, how could they possibly take Kate up to the settlements and rescue Tyreth at the same time? He pushed the thought aside. Once they got to the settlement and found their healer, they could try to figure it out.

    Just ahead, a low building stuck out over the river on sturdy pylons. Between the columns of rock, water rushed over a submerged dam. On the other side of the building, an aqueduct led down into the fields. The poles in his hands twisted as Jorad directed him away from the water toward an opening in the wall on the field side of the levee road. Corvan stepped through the gap onto a narrow stair that zigzagged its way down to the fields.

    They went down two flights of stairs, then Jorad abruptly stopped.

    ¡°Taking the stairs down to the fields will take too long. Step up inside the main aqueduct and we will go straight ahead to the settlement path. My brother and I used to do this all the time when we were younger when the aqueduct was dry, like it is now.¡±

    Corvan lifted his end of the litter over the raised side of the aqueduct. The sides were quite low, with the fields a good twenty feet below them. Jorad was afraid of water, but for Corvan, it was the height that made him nervous. He focused on walking along its smooth bottom, noting the sluice gates that would have allowed water to flow into the secondary channels that fanned out over the valley floor.

    ¡°What happened to the crops?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s not enough light anymore to grow our food.¡± Jorad sighed and tipped the litter dangerously close to the edge of the aqueduct. ¡°At first, nobody noticed that lumiens were going missing and our light was fading. Once people realized the seeds of our lumiens were being eaten, everyone tried to get a share for themselves. Lumiens need a critical mass to sustain themselves and now there are not enough of them left. Unless there is a miracle, Kadir will also fall into darkness.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°Maybe the people who face the water ceremony are the fortunate ones.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart sank along with the hopelessness in the man¡¯s voice. ¡°Jorad, I really don¡¯t know how to use this hammer or what I can do to help, but if the healer at the settlement can make Kate better, keep her alive longer... then I would leave her with the healer to help you go back to the city and rescue Tyreth.¡±

    Jorad did not answer and as they walked on, Corvan wondered if Jorad¡¯s silence meant he didn¡¯t think Corvan would be much help... or that he thought it was already too late to help Tyreth.

    The aqueduct descended to a dry pool at the base of the steep hill that climbed up the side of the cavern. Stone walls separated the incline into terraces of dead vegetation, the path snaking its way up and over short sets of stairs at each switchback.

    Corvan¡¯s arms were aching from carrying Kate¡¯s litter and the steep face that loomed ahead of them tired him out just looking at it. He was hoping for a brief rest, but Jorad led them through the dry pool, up the other side and onto the path. Reaching the first corner, Corvan turned up the set of stairs that rose through an enclosed opening in the retaining wall. Corvan put his head down and struggled up the steps.

    Reaching the top stair, he raised his eyes to find an incredibly tall man armed with a bow waiting for him. Corvan tried to push back, but Jorad didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°It¡¯s not real,¡± Jorad said dryly. Corvan looked closer. It was only a mannequin, a haphazard face painted onto a cloth bag stuffed with dried vines that stuck out the top like a tuft of wiry hair. Its mouth twisted to one side in a sloppy grin, and it seemed to laugh at Corvan as he slowly passed.

    ¡°He was placed there to keep the rantels away from our crops,¡± Jorad said.

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    ¡°Are rantels the same as birds?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I do not know this word, birds,¡± Jorad said. ¡°Rantels were fierce creatures with boney arms covered in skin that could soar in the air. They would destroy our crops, so we had marksmen trained to shoot them out of the air. That is how the ones we now call the broken first discovered they could use arrows to cut down the lumiens within range. All that¡¯s left is that last patch high in the center.¡±

    ¡°How big do rantels get?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I have heard tales from beyond Kadir that in days gone by, they could be larger than a man, but I have only seen one as big as my forearm when I was much younger. All the rantels died out along with the crops.¡±

    ¡°Do rantels have long forked tails and beady black eyes?¡±

    ¡°Who told you that?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°The rebel leader had one on his head.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Jorad said. ¡°I saw that. It was a fake or a stuffed dead one from long ago. He uses it to back up the claims that his is the last Rantellic. It seems to impress his dimwitted followers.¡±

    ¡°Why would that impress them?¡±

    Jorad sighed. ¡°I already told you. The legend is that the Rantellics were a race of men who could communicate with the rantels. Their creatures would spy on our land and then reporting what they saw by connecting to their Rantellic masters. Personally, I think it was superstitious nonsense. It doesn¡¯t matter much now that the rantels are all dead.¡±

    He sounded so sure that as they walked on, Corvan doubted what he had seen back at the crypts. Maybe the rebel leader¡¯s headpiece had fallen off when the Roman candle hit his eye. There was a lot of smoke, and he might have just imagined it hissing at him and flying away. He decided he would not risk Jorad¡¯s scorn by talking any more about what happened.

    After a few more corners and stairways, they left the terraces behind, carrying Kate over rocky ground that sloped gently up toward a series of dark entrances cut into the cavern wall.

    ¡°Those are the tunnels to the settlements,¡± Jorad said. ¡°The rantels used to roost in those caves, so the ground is fertile with their guano. Lately the palace has moved some of our remaining lumiens to where the ceiling is low enough to grow food. Now our people work in the rantel caverns, tending the plants under armed guard.¡±

    ¡°Why do the workers need guards?¡±

    ¡°To make sure the lumiens do not go missing,¡± Jorad said bitterly, ¡°and because the penalty for eating palace food without permission is death.¡±

    The journey to the tunnel entrances took much longer than Corvan expected. Distances were deceiving, with no landmarks by which to judge the size of things. Small rocks in the distance turned out to be huge boulders. Even with his grandfather¡¯s slippers, his feet were killing him by the time they arrived at the entrances into the former rantel caves.

    ¡°We will take the one farthest to the right,¡± Jorad said. ¡°First, let¡¯s put the girl down on that flat slab and take a rest. It¡¯s still a long walk to the Molakar settlement.¡±

    Although it was a great relief to set the litter down and shake the cramps out of his hands, Corvan immediately crouched at Kate¡¯s side. Her face seemed to have a bit more color, as if the light from the medallion clutched under her hands was infusing her skin from her neck up. Touching her cheek, he was relieved to find it warmer this time.

    A muscle cramp shot through Corvan¡¯s calf, and he got to his feet and walked it out. Without the weight of the litter, his step was so light he thought he might jump right over the short wall alongside the path. As he drew close, he realized it would not be a good idea, for on the other side was a cliff that dropped off to the fields far below. He leaned out and put his hands on the wall.

    At the base of the precipice, a stream rushed out to join the main river just above the falls. Through the mist, he could make out a horseshoe shape of rushing water descending into a dark hole.

    Turning around, he found Jorad staring down the path.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Something is moving down by the stuffed man.¡± He pointed down the slope. ¡°There, behind the wall on the tier, just below it.¡±

    Corvan squinted at the place Jorad pointed out. The top of a red hood bobbed above the wall toward the stairs where they¡¯d passed the scarecrow.

    ¡°We need to get inside the tunnel right away.¡± Jorad ran back and bent down to Kate¡¯s litter. ¡°If they are following us, at least they won¡¯t know which entry we took.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s skin prickled as he stepped into place and stooped to grab the poles. Jorad¡¯s plan wouldn¡¯t work if the red hood belonged to someone who did not need to see them to follow. Wasn¡¯t it Jorad who said the seeker could follow the heat of their bodies?

    Rushing towards the farthest cave, they hurried through the entrance, then ran up a steep incline. The air inside was moist and smelled like a barn long overdue for a cleaning. Luminescent purple moss hung in thick swatches from the roof, providing enough light for them to avoid tripping on the uneven floor.

    The tunnel finally leveled out, then ran straight ahead for what seemed like miles. Jorad urged him on, but Corvan could tell by the tugs on the poles that the priest was continually looking over his shoulder.

    Jorad finally fell back into a steady, plodding pace, and after walking in silence around many corners, Jorad spoke up.

    ¡°I am grateful for your offer to help me rescue Tyreth. I don¡¯t think I can do it alone.¡± They turned a corner. ¡°As soon as we get your Kate to the healer, we must make haste to go right back to Kadir. At first, I didn¡¯t see it clearly, but now I am certain that Tyreth¡¯s fate intertwines with the future of the Cor. Her blood has permeated the seeds from the mother plant.¡± Jorad¡¯s pace faltered. ¡°I think that if she dies, the little red seeds also die.¡± He paused. ¡°We will all die.¡±

    A heavy weight pressed down on Corvan. The fate of the Cor was resting on his shoulders, but what did he have to offer? He had meant what he said about helping Jorad, but now he was so tired he could hardly think.

    The tunnel descended, spiraling through a series of tight corners before emerging into a low cavern. There were no lumiens, just a few fire sticks around the perimeter and a bright spot far off to the right.

    Jorad slowed his pace. ¡°All the soldiers will be out by the lumiens guarding the workers. Take that path to your left, past all the other worker¡¯s dwellings. Let¡¯s hope Jokten still lives in the same place.¡±

    They passed by entrances that had been carved into the side wall of the cavern. Between the dark doorways, narrow steps climbed up to dwellings on higher levels. The topmost stairs were cut at impossible angles where the wall jutted outward to join the ceiling.

    The poles of the litter were almost yanked from his hands, sending Corvan sprawling backwards to the ground beside Kate. Corvan jumped to his feet and glared at Jorad. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

    The priest placed his end of the litter on the ground, turned Corvan around, and pointed down.

    At his feet, a deep pit revealed water flowing past jagged rocks far below.

    ¡°Sorry, Jorad. I was too busy looking about.¡± Muscles trembling with exhaustion, he leaned in for a closer look. He had read about formations like these. An underground river would weaken the ceiling of its channel until it collapsed. In this case, the roof had fallen in to form a low, rocky island surrounded by fast-flowing water.

    ¡°In my world, these are called cenotes,¡± he told Jorad. ¡°Ancient people thought they were doors to the world of the gods, and they¡¯d sacrifice young women by throwing them in.¡±

    Jorad nodded. ¡°Then our worlds have something in common, for that is what is done at the Wasting, when the water threatens to rise and flood the city. Here we call them the pits, karst. The soldiers use this one to execute workers who try to escape or who eat food without permission. They use that to lower them in.¡± He pointed across to a platform where a crude metal cage hung from a crane. ¡°They force the rest of the people to gather around and watch them die.¡±

    ¡°They drown them?¡±

    ¡°No, no. Look, there, by the largest rock.¡±

    At first Corvan saw only a dark shadow on the ripples of the water, but as he watched, it turned toward him and took shape.

    Red eyes pierced the darkness and stared up at him.

    It was the monster from his nightmares.

 Chapter 40

    Corvan took a step closer to the edge of the pit and Jorad¡¯s hand came down over his eyes, blocking the sight of the smoldering orbs.

    ¡°Do not look into its eyes,¡± the priest commanded. ¡°It will draw you closer and kill you.¡±

    Corvan pressed his hands over his eyes, trying to force away the memory of the monster¡¯s fie eyes. Blinking, he backed away from the edge, his breath coming in ragged gasps. ¡°What is that thing?¡± he asked, looking away from the pit towards the cliff dwellings.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Jorad said. ¡°It was here long before the Watcher came into power.¡± Jorad tapped his shoulder. ¡°Lights are coming this way. We need to find the healer¡¯s dwelling. I¡¯ll take the lead, but don¡¯t look down.¡±

    Jorad stepped to the front of the litter and waited for Corvan to step in behind and lift Kate. As they skirted the edge of the karst, Corvan was certain his every movement was being followed. He wanted desperately to look back and the only thing that stopped him was the sight of Kate¡¯s face. She appeared more at peace now, but her hands still tightly clasped the medallion, hiding its light. He watched her for any sign of movement. She was lying far too still for him to believe she was just resting. Was this the deep sleep Tsarek warned would come before she died?

    Jorad turned to the left and Corvan looked up as the priest guided them through an area where a section of the ceiling had collapsed into the half-buried entrances of the cliff dwellings below. High overhead, where the rock had fallen away, Corvan could see patches of the amber glow of the Cor shield.

    They walked through a forest of larger boulders and into the farthest corner of the cavern. Jorad stopped. He appeared uncertain of where to go next and quietly whistled a stanza from the song Corvan¡¯s father used to sing.

    A lump rose in Corvan¡¯s throat as his thoughts turned to home. With the Cor shield so close, surely there must be another portal nearby. Madam Toreg said that the healer¡¯s husband knew about the outer passages. He must know of some way to get back to the Castle Rock.

    A voice whispered from a shadowed doorway and Jorad quickly pulled the litter and Corvan up a short stair and into an entry room. He bent to whisper urgently to a hunched form, who beckoned for them to follow, then pushed past a thick curtain. As Corvan entered the next room, a light flared and a small, twisted fire stick was inserted into a holder on the wall.

    The feeble light revealed a woman so bent with age she had to twist her head sideways and peer up at him through a swatch of thin white hair. Her skin hung on her face and neck in wrinkled folds. She looked like she was on the edge of dying, but her eyes shone with vitality.

    ¡°I apologize for the lack of light. The palace has forbidden the use of fire sticks unless they are only twigs smaller than a person¡¯s thumb.¡± She held up her right hand where only the four fingers remained. ¡°They make sure you do not forget.¡±

    She nodded through an opening into another larger room. ¡°Put her down and let me have a look at her.¡±

    Jorad and Corvan lowered Kate onto a low stone table that had been carved into an alcove set into the wall. The old woman knelt by Kate, then ran her gnarled fingers over the girl¡¯s body, clucking and muttering. When she came to Kate¡¯s wrist, she gently caressed the ugly red welts from the black band. ¡°Ah, the young. So easily tempted by empty promises.¡±

    She put her other hand over Kate¡¯s cupped hands, paused a long moment, then pried Kate¡¯s hands apart and pulled out the medallion. She held it up, the green glow lighting her wrinkled face. ¡°So, you have finally been found, have you?¡±

    Kate moved restlessly, her hands grasping at the air.

    The old woman twisted around and looked up at Corvan. ¡°I think I could help her better if I had the counterpart to this.¡±

    Corvan glanced at Jorad for his approval but found the man staring intently at the medallion as it spun on its chain. Slipping the hammer free of the holster, he held it out to the woman.

    The old woman took it from him as if it were made of glass, then hugged it to her chest. Blue light flowed over her face, swirling together with the green from the spinning medallion. She inhaled deeply, as if breathing in the light, then stood to her feet and straightened until her eyes almost came level with Corvan¡¯s. A huge smile spread across her face. ¡°Only our Cor-Van could have these in his possession. With your return, I have hope for our people once more.¡±

    Before Corvan could respond, she bent down to Kate and held the hammer and medallion on either side of the girl¡¯s head. The lights grew stronger. Kate¡¯s arms and legs stiffened, and her body convulsed.

    Kate¡¯s eyes flew open, her hands flailing as if she were trying to push the light away. The old woman moved in closer and allowed Kate¡¯s hands to wrap around her own hands. The intense light from hammer and the medallion eased. The woman released the medallion into Kate¡¯s hand, and they watched as the girl once again cradled the medallion on her chest and wrapped both hands tightly around it.

    Kate looked up, focused on Corvan¡¯s face and smiled thinly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took your shoes,¡± she said. ¡°It was cold in that cave.¡±

    Corvan dropped to his knees on the side of the table. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kate. I found another pair. I¡¯m glad you took mine.¡±

    ¡°I want to go home, Corvan.¡± Kate whispered.

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    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home, Kate. I promise,¡± Corvan¡¯s said and put his hand over hers. Kate

    Kate nodded. Her eyes closed and her face relaxed.

    Hammer in hand, the old woman stood to face him. ¡°So, it is true. The Cor-Van has finally come to help us.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not your leader. Corvan is the name my grandfather gave me. I can¡¯t stay here to help you; I need to take Kate home.¡±

    The old woman looked at him long and hard before she released the hammer into his hand. The blue glow faded as she let out a deep sigh and sank back to her stooped over form. Pulling a coarse blanket from a basket at the foot of the table, she covered Kate.

    ¡°You are correct that you must take this girl back. Although her mind is now purged of the darkness, she will not survive if she does not return to her own light. She does not belong here.¡± She twisted about and look up at Corvan. ¡°But that does not mean you are not our Cor-Van. You, my boy, are a part of us. You and I must talk.¡±

    ¡°Is the girl able to travel?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°No. She is very weak. I need to get some nourishment in her. Perhaps Jokten can find something for her to eat without getting caught.¡±

    Jorad turned to Corvan. ¡°There is very little food here in the settlements. You and I should go back to the city. There is plenty of food in the storage rooms of the priest¡¯s compound. While we are there getting food for Kate, we can find out when the next water ceremony is to take place and plan a way to rescue Tyreth.¡±

    Corvan looked down. There was no doubt Kate needed to eat. Her cheeks were sunken, and her hands gaunt and dry. Going with Jorad to get food sounded dangerous.

    Pebbles clattered outside the door. The old woman put a crooked finger to her lips, took the sputtering fire stick from its niche, and slipped into the entry room. The tattered dark curtain fell behind her, casting shimmers of light through its threadbare folds.

    A man¡¯s tense voice penetrated the cloth. ¡°I was right; they are trying to break through the Cor shield. This clearing of new tunnels to grow food is just a ruse. They have been seeking a weak spot in the shield, and today they found it.¡±

    ¡°Are you certain?¡± the old woman asked.

    ¡°The soldiers brought the entire tunneling crew back early, all in chains. I crept close and listened. They have found a crack in the Cor shield wide enough for a person to crawl through. A report is being sent to the palace at first light to bring the Rakash. This can only bode ill for both spheres. All our work will be for naught.¡±

    ¡°There is always hope, my dear,¡± the old woman said softly. ¡°Come and see.¡±

    Her damaged hand pushed aside the tapestry and an old man stepped into the room. His keen eyes fell on Corvan¡¯s face, and he drew a sharp breath. The man raised a calloused hand as if to touch him, then pulled it back. ¡°What is your name, son?¡±

    Corvan stared at him. Other than the white ring of thick hair around his balding head, this man could have easily passed for his father. ¡°Kalian, sir,¡± he stammered.

    The old man frowned. ¡°What settlement are you from?¡±

    The old woman pushed around the man. ¡°He came to us from the world above. He carries the hammer.¡± She poked at the man¡¯s ribs. ¡°And the girl called him Cor-Van.¡±

    A huge smile spread across the man¡¯s wrinkled face, and his blue eyes sparkled. ¡°We have been waiting a long time for you. With your help, we will bring healing back to the Cor and stop the evil from breaking out into your world.¡± He placed his hands on Corvan¡¯s shoulders, his eyes brimming with tears. ¡°I always believed you would make it back. You have arrived just in time.¡±

    Corvan opened his mouth to protest, but a shout from outside the dwelling broke the silence. ¡°Jokten,¡± an angry voice called out, ¡°you are under arrest for treason against the palace. Come out and face your judgment.¡±

    Jorad pulled the black knife from under his cloak, but the old man motioned for him to stand down. ¡°Stay here,¡± he whispered. ¡°Do not interfere, no matter what happens.¡± He smiled at Corvan. ¡°Now that the Cor-Van has returned, my purpose is fulfilled. It does not matter what they do to me!¡±

    He turned back to the entry with the old woman close behind. As the curtain fell, a bright light entered the porch and the old cloth blazed with dusty color. It was another piece of old tapestry flowing with angular symbols around a green tree.

    ¡°Jokten,¡± a gruff voice rumbled, ¡°you have been found guilty of unlawfully consuming the food set aside for all the people.¡±

    Jokten¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°I have done nothing of the sort.¡±

    ¡°Your fellow conspirators have testified against you. You and the entire tunneling crew are guilty. You will all be tested in the karst.¡±

    Jokten snorted. ¡°Tested? Don¡¯t you mean executed?¡±

    ¡°You will be given a weapon to defend yourself. If you win against the beast, you shall be proclaimed innocent.¡±

    A shadow fell across the curtain, and another man spoke in a shrill voice. ¡°Look here, Sergeant, another proof of his treason. This tapestry must have been stolen from the priests.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s irrelevant now,¡± the gruff voice responded. ¡°Old scrolls and the priest¡¯s legends are meaningless. The High Priest is dying, and the Chief Watcher has announced that his daughter will face the Wasting at first light tomorrow. The priesthood is over.¡±

    A dirty hand slipped through the curtain. ¡°But who knows what else Jokten might have in here? Perhaps he has been storing his stolen food. I have not eaten for three segments.¡±

    ¡°I understand your need, soldier. It is mine as well. But I have been told that what we found today will bring us more food than we could ever imagine. The Watcher has promised that finding a way through the wall will fulfill all our desires.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m hungry now.¡± A booted foot appeared at the bottom of the curtain.

    A high shriek filled the air. ¡°Do not take my husband from me. How will I survive? Please spare us. We are old; we will not cause you any trouble.¡±

    At the sound of a loud slap, the hand and foot pulled back.

    ¡°Never lay your grubby hands on a palace sargeant, old woman,¡± the gruff voice said. ¡°Soldier, bring Jokten along. We have a trial to conduct.¡±

    As the sounds of the soldiers faded away, Corvan heard soft sobs from the entry room.

    Jorad brushed the curtain aside and bent over the old woman, dabbing blood away from her mouth. She pushed Jorad¡¯s hand firmly aside and leveled an unwavering stare at Corvan. ¡°You must rescue him.¡±

    Corvan lifted his hands helplessly. How could he possibly save Jokten from the soldiers?

    ¡°Not for my sake,¡± the healer said, ¡°but for hers.¡± She pointed through the curtain to where Kate lay in the other room. ¡°My husband is the only one who can guide you through the hidden passages back to the surface.¡± Her voice shook. ¡°He would not tell me where the door is... for my own safety.¡±

    Clutching Jorad¡¯s shoulder, she pulled herself toward Corvan.

    ¡°If Jokten dies in the pit, you will be sealed in the Cor. The girl will die.¡±

 Chapter 41

    A dizzying rush of panic swept over Corvan.

    Kate would die if he couldn¡¯t find the passage to get her home, but what could he possibly do to rescue Jokten from the nightmare monster? His voice shook as he looked to Jorad. ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone else who knows where the entrance to the passage is?¡±

    Jorad only shrugged as the old woman reached out, took Corvan¡¯s hand and squeezed it, her eyes imploring him.

    Corvan looked away, the selfishness of his request seemed to hang visibly in the confines of the small entry. Everyone else was taking risks to help him. Jorad had carried Kate to the healer even though it put Tyreth¡¯s life in jeopardy. The old woman had just risked arrest or even death to keep the soldier from discovering him and Jokten had allowed the soldiers to drag him off be executed because the old man believed he was the leader they were looking for.

    Jorad spoke up. ¡°We must save Jokten from the karst. I will go with you.¡±

    Corvan clenched his jaw and blinked back tears. In his nightmares he had never escaped from the beast. The image of the monster bearing down on him in his dreams overwhelmed his thoughts and he clenched his eyes tight to force it away. What good would it do Kate if he died in the pit?

    Someone cupped his hands, and a sense of peace flowed up through arms and into his body. In his mind, the fierce red eyes faded into white stars that multiplied across a night sky. Calmness came over him with a new realization: Death was not the worst thing that could happen. Far worse would be to let other people suffer while he ran away.

    He opened his eyes to discover the hammer was wrapped in his hands, which in turn were cradled in the hands of the old woman.

    She studied his face. ¡°Death eventually comes to us all, but before it does, we have many opportunities to choose life.¡±

    Corvan nodded and took the hammer from her. ¡°I will try,¡± he said and instantly a blue glow filled the cave.

    She smiled and patted his cheek. ¡°I believe you will succeed.¡±

    Outside the entry, a lone drum began pounding out a deep, steady beat.

    Jorad glanced out the entrance. ¡°They are calling all the workers in to witness the execution.¡±

    Corvan frowned. ¡°They will come to watch? I thought those oppressed by the palace would help each other.¡±

    ¡°Evil runs through all mankind, rich or poor, slaves or free,¡± the woman said. ¡°You will always find those who take pleasure in the misfortunes of others.¡±

    Corvan clenched the hammer tighter and looked to Jorad. ¡°What will they do to him?¡±

    ¡°They lower the prisoners into the pit one at a time to fight the beast,¡± the priest said. ¡°None will win, for its hide cannot be pierced by the crude weapons they are given to defend themselves. Most will not even try. The beast will immobilize them with its gaze and then crush them.¡±

    ¡°If it can¡¯t go into the water, why don¡¯t they swim away from it?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°There is no way out of the pit as the water flows in and out underground. None of the prisoners have sought to drown themselves to escape.¡±

    Corvan held out the hammer. ¡°Can this be used against it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the old woman said. ¡°The hammer judges a soul and gives its holder strength; this is but a brute beast. It will not have any effect on it.¡±

    Corvan swallowed the rising fear. ¡°Then what can I do?¡±

    Jorad stepped closer. ¡°The only thing we can do. Step out this door and try our best.¡± He held out Morgan¡¯s scabbard and knife. ¡°Take this. I have my own. If we hurry, we can get there before they lower him in. They usually put the oldest ones in last.¡±

    Corvan extended his arm and Jorad lashed the knife into position. The man stepped back to the door and nodded to him.

    The old woman tugged on Corvan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Jokten says he is old and ready to die, but I love him dearly, I want him to live.¡± She tried to smile but it immediately vanished before she shuffled back into her dwelling.

    Corvan followed Jorad outside. Just ahead light blazed from fire sticks scattered around the rim of the karst and clustered on the platform. The pounding of a massive drum shook the ground. Above the crowd, the crane clattered into position over the center of the pit. Inside the cage, a man stood in readiness, a crude wooden spear in his hand.

    The crane groaned, the rope slipped through the pulley at its tip and the cage dropped a foot, then stopped with a jerk. The crowd roared its approval as the man in the cage staggered and fell against the metal slats.

    ¡°It¡¯s Jokten,¡± Jorad hollered over his shoulder. ¡°They are putting him in first.¡± The man shoved his way into the crowd and although Corvan pulled in tight behind him, but in the madness, he quickly lost sight of the priest¡¯s green cloak. Crouching low he forced himself past the tangle of legs, emerging at the very edge of the pit.

    Across the chasm, a row of shackled men stood on the crane platform, eyes downcast. At the end of the line, a young boy, his hair closely cropped, sat tugging on his leg irons, his bony shoulders shuddering with terrified sobs. The boy looked through his tears around the ring of spectators until his eyes met Corvan¡¯s. They stared at each other for a long moment, before the boy mouthed two words. ¡°Help me!¡±

    As Corvan looked into the young boy¡¯s eyes, everything inside him began to pound with rage along with each beat of the drum. How could people be so cruel? If he ruled the Cor . . .

    The metal gears clattered. The cage dropped another foot, and the crowd cheered, their voices energized with the anticipation of suffering and death.

    A guttural roar from the confines of the karst silenced the people. The immense black beast was pacing within a cleared circle of tall boulders below the swaying cage, its clawed feet crunching through bones and broken spears.

    Up on the platform the sergeant who had arrested Jokten strode into position next to the prisoners. ¡°You are all here today to witness the testing of these workers¡ªmen who took food that belonged to all of us here in the settlement.¡± Mutters of anger rippled through the crowd. ¡°They have eaten what was to be shared by all and now they shall pay the price for their greed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± one of the shackled men cried out. ¡°We were making a tunnel for the palace.¡± He pointed down the line of prisoners. ¡°They brought the boy to crawl inside the crack and he found¡ª¡± A blow from the sergeant caught him on the side of the head, and he crumpled to the ground.

    ¡°For speaking out against the rulers,¡± the sergeant announced, ¡°this man shall go next.¡± The crowd roared their approval as the guards unlocked the prisoner¡¯s chains and pulled the dazed man to the front of the platform. The beast roared up at them. Startled, the guards dropped the groaning victim and retreated. The stunned man tried to get to his feet but misjudged the edge, falling without a sound until he splashed into the water below and disappeared.

    The crowd collectively held its breath until the body bobbed to the surface, then slowly slid around the island and out of view under a ledge.

    ¡°In the name of the High Priest, this must stop!¡±

    Everyone turned to find Jorad standing at the far end of the platform, his hand pointing into the pit. ¡°The gods are not pleased with this testing, especially of a mere boy. That is why the god¡¯s have returned the man¡¯s body from the water.¡±

    Some of the audience shrank back from the edge of the pit and Corvan heard someone say, ¡°He¡¯s right about the boy. It¡¯s against the law. Look how afraid he is.¡±

    ¡°Since when does the priesthood have jurisdiction in matters of treason?¡± The sergeant strutted to the front of the stage and stood by the base of the crane. ¡°Why should we obey a priest who enjoys the comforts of the priest¡¯s quarters and all the food he desires?¡±

    The sergeant grasped the underside of the crane with one hand and leaned out over the pit.

    The audience gasped.

    ¡°When was the last time you saw a green cloak working in the fields?¡± The sergeant called out.

    Angry shouts rang out around the karst.

    The sergeant pushed himself back from the crane and looked at Jorad through narrowed eyes. ¡°And why are you even here? Were you not told that all the priests have been commanded to attend the trial of the High Priest and his daughter?¡± He spread his arms wide to the audience. ¡°Why should these people, who work all the segments in the fields, listen to a priest who refuses to even follow the orders of the palace?¡±

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    Jorad stepped forward to reply, but the angry shouts of the crowd drowned him out.

    The sergeant grabbed the crane again and balanced himself on the edge of the pit. As the crowd hushed, he called out. ¡°Since this renegade priest speaks on behalf of the gods, perhaps we should see if his god will proclaim him innocent in the karst.¡±

    The crowd cheered their approval and the sergeant nodded to his men. Before Jorad could pull out his knife to defend himself, the guards grabbed him and shackled him into the place formerly held by the drowned man. One tied a gag over Jorad¡¯s mouth.

    Corvan looked along the row of men. The young boy was now on his feet, staring at him with desperate hope in his eyes.

    Down in the karst, the monster from his nightmares was hunched at the lower end of the island, staring over the water to where the drowned man¡¯s body had disappeared.

    The gears chattered, the pulley creaked, and the cage resumed its descent. Jokten braced himself against the iron slats as the creature below lazily turned its head in his direction. An archer guarding the crane shouted at it, then loosed an arrow, the point sticking fast in the creature¡¯s scaly shoulder. Leaping to its feet it bellowed at the archer, then, pulling the arrow out with its teeth, it stalked toward the descending cage.

    Fresh cheers from the crowd mixed with the bellows of the furious beast as it arrived in the killing circle below the swaying cage.

    If he was to help Jokten fight the creature he had to get down there¡ªand fast. Corvan leaned over the edge. Could he dive into the water? No. At this place, the rocky island was directly below the lip of the karst.

    Corvan lost his footing, and someone pulled him back and hollered in his ear, ¡°The beast will get enough to eat today without you climbing in. We don¡¯t have a rope long enough to pull you out.¡±

    That was the answer! Releasing the krypin rope from his belt loop, he anchored the disk just over the edge. Taking a deep breath, he spun around, stepped off the edge and dropped into the void. With the krypin tight in his hands, he let it stretch out to slow his descent and just as the island came up to meet him, he let go, tumbling up in behind the high rocks that surrounded the killing circle.

    As he crept forward, the metal gears went silent, immediately followed by the animal¡¯s howls of frustration. Corvan peered over the top of the rocks. The beast had hooked one claw into the bottom of the cage and was pulling back with all its might. On the platform overhead, the craned buckled and twisted. The beast yanked furiously, and the sergeant lost his balance, twisted about, then leapt off the platform to grasp the rope. He tried desperately to climb back up to the tip of the crane but lost his grip and slid down until he was standing on the large hook attached to the top of the cage.

    Corvan moved closer between two rocks and slid the black blade from its sheath. As he drew closer behind the creature, the sheer size of it filled him with cold dread. Stretched up on its hind feet and yanking on the cage, it towered over him, easily twice his height.

    The screech of tearing metal rent the air and the cage tore free of the hook, crashing to the ground and spilling Jokten out its broken door. At that moment the sergeant shouted for help as he wedged his feet into the metal hook that dangled from the rope. On the deck soldiers tried to turn the windlass and pull him back up but the mechanism was hopelessly jammed.

    Again the sergeant tried to climb the rope but he only succeeded in making himself swing back and forth over the killing circle. Crouching on the hook he stopped moving and waited.

    In the dead silence that followed, the monster sat back on its haunches to watch the pendulum swings of the sergeant.

    The sergeant let go with one hand and gestured to where Jokten was struggling to his feet, the wooden spear hanging limply at his side. The old man stumbled on the broken bones and the beast turned its attention toward him. Leaving the broken cage, it moved slowly around the outer edge of the rocks to where Corvan was hiding. It stopped just in front of him and crouched low, the muscles in its shoulders tensing for the kill.

    Raising the knife high, Corvan jumped up on a sloped rock and leapt onto the animal¡¯s back, plunging the knife with all his strength into its thick neck. With a deafening roar, it rose up on its hind feet, carrying Corvan astride its back, his hands firmly clutched around the handle. The animal twisted and bucked, its body writhing like bands of steel beneath him. Corvan flew through the air, slamming into a boulder with a bone-jarring thud, then tumbled to the ground behind two tall boulders.

    Dazed, he lay in a heap listening to the furious bellows. Forcing his trembling limbs into motion he pulled himself forward to peer out between two rocks.

    Jokten was nowhere to be seen and the creature was leaning on the empty cage, blood running from its wound as it roared at the sergeant swinging above him on the hook. It must be thinking Corvan¡¯s surprise attack had come from above.

    The sergeant shouted something about firesticks to his men on the platform. His garbled cries were finally understood and flaming sticks of all sizes fell to the ground around the broken cage. A small one landed by Corvan¡¯s knee and when he brushed it aside, he discovered his numb hand still clutched the black knife.

    The beast stepped on a hot stick and howled in pain. Angrily tossing the cage off to one side, it limped away from the ring of fire sticks burning below the sergeant. The scent of scorched fur stung Corvan¡¯s nose.

    As the wounded creature sat down to lick its burnt paw, an eerie silence settled into the arena. Nothing moved except the sergeant struggling to stay balanced on the hook. He tried once more to climb but lost his grip and tipped away, barely managing to lock his legs into the hook, like an upside-down trapeze artist. The frantic movements made his body swung even farther outside from the protective circle of fire sticks that hissed like petrified snakes on the rocky floor below.

    The beast grunted, watched the swing out and back, waited until he drew close, then batted him off the hook. The sergeant hit the ground, scrambling on his hands and knees to pick up a fire stick but as he turned around, the massive animal pounced, crushing him onto the rocks.

    Slowly the black form rose from the ground and stood over the broken body, then shattered the air with a victorious roar that reverberated off the walls of the karst.

    The echoes faded but now the beast was staring beyond the broken cage to where the point of a spear moved in slow circles behind a loose pile of rocks. It had discovered Jokten¡¯s hiding place.

    The huge creature moved cautiously through the scattered fire sticks, all the while keeping its eyes on the jerky movements of the spear tip. It passed by his hiding place, muscles rippling beneath its hide.

    Although the old woman said the hammer didn¡¯t work on animals, Corvan drew it out anyways. The blue words shone out and he slipped silently out behind the creature, hammer in one hand and the black knife in the other.

    As he readied himself for another charge, an arrow flew over his shoulder and dug into the calf of the beast. Bellowing, it spun around to see where the arrow came from.

    Angry red eyes locked onto his and a dark fear devoured his will to move. The hammer slipped from his grasp and the black knife slumped to hung limply at his side. The creature crouched low, ready to spring but Corvan could not make his body respond, its eyes held him fast.

    A sharp jab of pain in his shin pulled his eyes away from the creature¡¯s gaze. A long firestick lay dripping at his feet.

    ¡°Point it at the beast!¡± someone shouted. Corvan swept up the fire stick, directing its flaming end at the animal¡¯s broad chest as it circled around him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at its eyes,¡± the voice commanded.

    The crowd cheered as Corvan backed away. Over the beast¡¯s shoulder, Corvan caught sight of Jokten shouting and waving his spear. He couldn¡¯t understand what the man was saying until the butt end of the fire stick bit into the high rocks behind him.

    The monster had cornered him.

    With a blast of its rancid breath, it sprang. The fire stick was twisted from Corvan¡¯s grasp as the weight of the massive beast pressed down, squeezing the breath from his body.

    The creature¡¯s intense roar engulfed him in the darkness until it seemed his head would burst, but then suddenly it pulled away. Corvan blinked past the pain, expecting to see sharp teeth ready to devour him. Instead, he found the animal clutching furiously at Corvan¡¯s fire stick protruding from its chest. Roaring, it swiveled around to reveal that the fire stick had gone clear through its body and was still burning out its back.

    As it spun about, Corvan himself up against the rocks behind him then stumbled off to the side. The beast stopped twisting and faced him, its lips pulled back in a snarl. Corvan stepped back and his feet splashed in the water as the cheers of the spectators above penetrated his deafened ears.

    Another arrow rattled off the stones at his feet and he finally understood.

    The arrows were meant for him. The crowd was cheering for their monster.

    The beast tipped its head back and roared up at the ring of eager faces, its energy renewed. Corvan took another step deeper into the water. If it would follow him, he could swim away, it would drown and Jokten could be saved.

    Slipped the knife into its sheath to free us his hand, his heart sank at the realization that he had dropped the hammer somewhere in the rocks.

    Two more arrows whipped past him on either side.

    The wounded creature was close enough to spring when behind it, a man rose from the ground, a spear in hand and a triumphant smile on his face.

    Jokten nodded to Corvan, raised the spear¡¯s haft high over his head and brought it swiftly down to shatter the fire stick protruding from the creature¡¯s back.

    A blast of air and chunks of burning flesh hurled Corvan backward to fall with a splash into the deep water.

    As he sank the cold water cleared his head. Arrows were darting into the water around him. Rolling over he dived down, swimming below the surface in closer the edge of the karst, where the archers could not locate him.

    Fire sticks fell gurgling around him. Dodging their bubbling flames, he dug fingers into cracks along the rocky wall, but the current grabbed him and dragged him away. Breaking the surface for fresh air, Corvan swam desperately to beat the current but it was too strong and he was quickly pulled past the lower tip of the island.

    Just ahead a wide ledge swept down to meet the river and he dove under the surface swimming along with the current as fast as he could. Somewhere up ahead the underground river would emerge into the open air near the falls, but could he hold his breath that long? Panic grabbed him and he swam even faster.

    By the light of the fire sticks bubbling along beside him he could see the roof pulling away and he followed it upward, his lungs crying out for air. He pulled himself along the roof, gouging his hands on the rough surface. Panic gave way to desperation as his final breath began slipped past his lips.

    A fire stick shot toward him in a cloud of bubbles that rose up to a silver pocket of air.

    Just when he was about to give in and let the water fill his lungs, Corvan¡¯s face broke through the silver circle. He took a deep breath and gagged. The air was stale and putrid. His breath came in fractured gasps, but the trapped air gave little satisfaction to his lungs.

    ¡°You have to go on, there is not enough good air here.¡± The voice was murky, as if it was his own thoughts, but he followed through and ducked back into the current, his body twisting along in the bubbling froth.

    The dark shadow of a rocky outcrop loomed ahead, he tried to dodge to one side, but a flash of light filled his head before darkness closed in.

 Chapter 42

    A deep roar pummeled Corvan¡¯s ears. His eyes flew open, and he searched for the source of the sound, but there was nothing to be seen except for a dense curtain of mist that rolled toward him from a patch of ghostly light. The roar must be coming from the waterfall on the edge of the Cor. Somehow, after hitting his head on the rock in the underwater tunnel, he had managed to get through to the open air.

    Gently probing the lump on his forehead, he found it wet, hopefully just from the damp air and not because it was bleeding. His arm and shoulder were almost too stiff and sore to get his hood back over his head but once it was back in position, his shivering eased.

    As he peered out under his hood, a shadow stepped into the pool of light and took shape in the swirling fog. A large lizard walked towards him; a short sword clutched in its claws. The Chief Watcher had found him.

    Corvan struggled to get to his feet, but his body flatly refused. He fell back against a boulder, pain shooting down his neck and left arm then right down to the soles of his feet.

    He closed his eyes and dropped his head onto his chest. There was nothing he could do to escape from the black lizard.

    The gravel crunched in front of him, and a shadow fell across his eyelids.

    ¡°Oh, sir, I am so glad you have awakened, sir. I was beginning to think the death of cold had finally caught you.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s eyes popped open. Tsarek stood before him, a short unlit fire stick in his paw.

    ¡°Tsarek?¡± Corvan exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re alive?¡±

    ¡°Oh ues, sir, I am very much alive.¡±

    ¡°But how? I was certain you were dead,¡± Corvan said. ¡°The burak had you in its teeth.¡±

    Tsarek chuckled. ¡°Yes, it did, but buraks like to keep their prey alive until they get you back to their lair so they can eat you later. If you let your body go limp, they think you are too injured to move and don¡¯t bite down hard. They are lazy creatures and like to sleep after a hunt.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you come back and help me get to Kadir?¡± Corvan said. ¡°Did you get lost in the tunnels? Where have you been this whole time?¡±

    Tsarek hung his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean I got away immediately. They take a while to fall asleep and it seemed one of them was more hungry and would look at me if I moved even a tiny bit. Then it got tired of waiting and came to eat me while its mate slept.¡± He lifted his poison claw. ¡°I had no choice, but it will likely never wake up again.¡±

    Corvan managed a small nod, but it made his head swim and his stomach roll, so he closed his eyes and relaxed back against the boulder. That was why only one burak had attacked Tarran at the portal door. If he had known there was only one left, maybe he would¡¯ve fought it and saved the man. He resisted shaking his aching head. He knew that was not the truth. One or two buraks would not have made any difference. At the time he had simply been too afraid to help Tarran.

    ¡°Is your pain great?¡± Tsarek asked as he gently rearranged Corvan¡¯s cloak close around his neck. ¡°I am so glad you have this garment. Without it you would have died from the cold water.¡±

    Corvan looked up as Tsarek stepped away, a look of consternation on his narrow face. ¡°But why did you close the door on me?¡±

    ¡°What door?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Just after the last burak attacked your friend and dragged him away, I ran to you, but you shut the portal door on me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was you,¡± Corvan replied. ¡°I thought there was still two of the buraks and the other one was coming to eat me.¡±

    ¡°But I called and knocked on the door, and you still didn¡¯t open it.¡± Tsarek¡¯s wounded expression became even more pronounced, and he waved his short arms around.  ¡°It took me a long time to find another way in. I had to swim through much dark water and try many small passages. I only made it through the water to the settlement just when you used your krypin to drop into the karst to fight the cave creature.¡±

    ¡°So, it was you who threw the fire stick at my leg?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I could see you were captured by its eyes, so I threw the stick and shouted. I did not want to see it kill you.¡± Tsarek leaned in and wrapped his short arms awkwardly around him. ¡°I missed you, Kalian.¡±

    ¡°I missed you, too, Tsarek.¡± Corvan ran his hand down the lizard¡¯s spiny back and Tsarek snuggled in closer to his neck, rumbling in his throat like a contented cat before suddenly pulling away.

    ¡°I have something you left behind in the karst,¡± Tsarek said, then scampered away.

    Relief flowed over Corvan. Tsarek had retrieved the hammer. He would need its guidance and light to get back to Kate and find a way home.

    The fog lit up as if a car with one headlamp was coming through the fog. Tsarek emerged with a huge smile on his face and a neatly coiled rope draped over his arm. Corvan¡¯s heart dropped as he took the krypin from him. He was glad to get his it back, but without the hammer, he was going to have a hard time getting back to the surface.

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    Corvan lifted the side of the cloak and wearily clipped the rope back onto his belt loop. ¡°Thanks, Tsarek.¡±

    Tsarek touched his shoulder. ¡°I am so glad we found a spot of air in the tunnel. I know it does not help much to breathe those fire stick bubbles, but it was the only way to keep you from drowning.¡±

    ¡°Was that the silver circle I saw up by the ceiling under the water?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Pockets of air look shiny from below. That is how you can find places to breathe instead of drowning, but there were so many fire sticks in the water, it was hard to see them. That is also why I did not see the rock that hit your head. Does it hurt greatly?¡±

    Corvan put a hand to his head and brought it back to examine his fingers by the light of Tsarek¡¯s firestick. There was no blood. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. I¡¯m glad to be alive.¡±

    ¡°I am glad too. Is your counterpart also still alive? The one called Kate? Does she still wear the black band?¡±

    ¡°No. The hammer set her free just like it did for you. She at the settlement by the karst but she is very sick. I need to get her back to our home.¡±

    Tsarek looked out into the mist. ¡°That will be difficult. When you locked me out you also closed the only door that leads to the labyrinth and your home.¡±

    ¡°Jokten knows a way out.¡±

    ¡°Jokten?¡±

    ¡°The old man who helped me fight that monster and broke the firestick that pieced its body.¡±

    ¡°I did not see that man after the fire stick exploded,¡± Tsarek said.

    Corvan struggled to his feet, his head swam and his legs crumpled. As he slid along the boulder back to the ground, an arrow struck the rock where his head had just been, sparking and shattering into splinters.

    Tsarek yanked him off to one side and he landed with a painful crunch in the gravel. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± his friend whispered, extinguishing his firestick, and running away.

    Another arrow whistled through the darkness overhead and one more struck the rocks to his right. Somewhere in the darkness, muffled voices argued.

    Corvan listened anxiously but the heavy mist muffled the sounds like a woolen blanket. A minute went by, then two. He sat up and pulled the knife from its sheath.

    A fire stick sparked to life. Corvan pushed himself upright into a cleft between the rocks. The light approached, casting a myriad of shifting shadows in the dense fog. At the last moment, Corvan stepped stiffly forward, his blade extended.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Tsarek¡¯s irritated voice hissed.

    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know for sure if it was you. Are they gone?¡±

    The lizard came close and held out the light. ¡°Now my claws are locked again. Please assist to release them.¡±

    Corvan crouched and petted Tsarek¡¯s back until the fire stick clattered to the ground.

    The lizard picked it back up. ¡°They were shooting at our light from the other side of the smaller river that flows from the karst. It was the Sightless one and four soldiers.¡±

    ¡°The leader of the Rakash?¡±

    The lizard nodded.

    ¡°I thought he drowned in the river.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tsarek said, shaking his head until his spines rattled. ¡°You cannot kill them by water. I do not think you can kill them by fire either. They feel no pain nor do they¡ª¡±

    ¡°Does it still carry a white scarf?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Seeker was angry they were shooting at our light. It told the soldiers someone name Tarran was on the other side, and they needed to cross the water to find him but the soldiers refused.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t it cross alone if it¡¯s not afraid of the water?¡±

    ¡°I think it needs the soldiers to help it surround and capture you. Their master wants you taken alive.¡± Tsarek pointed into the mist. ¡°It has taken the soldiers up along the other side. They are going to circle over the water where it comes out of the cliff, but I have a plan to trick them. I will go up and see where they cross. When they come down to this side, we will attract them with the lit firestick, wait until they are close, then cross the water and leave them behind on this side while we go back to the settlement. They will think we went back to Kadir. It is a great plan, yes?¡±

    The lizard was obviously pleased with himself, and although allowing the Rakash and the soldiers to get so close sounded risky, Corvan could not think of any other way to escape and get back to Kate.

    Tsarek helped him down to the edge of the creek where it joined the main river just before it plunged over the falls. Pushing the fire stick into the gravel, and with a final pat on Corvan¡¯s shoulder, Tsarek waded into the creek and disappeared into the darkness on the other side.

    Alone in the pool of light reflecting off the water, Corvan thought through the situation. There was a sense of relief that the hammer was out of his hands. He had returned it to the Cor and now his job was done. It was no longer his responsibility.  He only needed to find Jokten, locate the other passage, and together they could carry Kate to the surface.

    Was Jokten was too old to carry Kate that far? Maybe Jorad would help. Then again, even if he could find the priest, Jorad would ask him to go to the city and rescue Tyreth. Without the hammer they didn¡¯t have a chance of defeating the Chief Watcher. Surely Jorad would understand if he took Kate and left the Cor?

    The fog was lifting and hung just above the fire stick in a bright sheet of rolling cotton. Corvan peered upstream to where Tsarek had disappeared. If the fog lifted much higher the soldiers would see them cross back over the stream and know exactly where they had gone.

    In the shifting shadows thrown by the fire stick, a dark form spun in slow circles in a back eddy of the stream. Getting to his feet, he made his way along the shore.

    The body of a man was floating face down in a shallow pool, the first prisoner who had fallen in and drowned in the karst.

    A sharp movement across the water caught his attention. A rantel was perched on the top of a pointed rock, its long, forked tail spread out wide behind it; gray wings folded at its sides, its eyes glinting in the flickering light of the firestick. Jorad was wrong. The rantels were definitely real and this was likely the one that was on the rebel leader¡¯s head. It was spying on him.

    Corvan stooped, pretending to check his shoelace while slipping a round stone into his hand. Taking note of the rantel¡¯s position, he stretched as he stood up, then fired the stone directly at it. Pain shot up his arm as the stone smacked the front of the pointed rock and ricocheted into the belly of the rantel. The creature sprang from its perch and sliced through the air toward him, hissing and clicking in anger. Its forked tail whipped down below its body as if it would spear him with the points. Corvan ducked as it swooped overhead and vanished into the fog.

    It was likely on its way to show the rebel leader what it had seen. That was all he needed. Now both the rebels and the Rakash would be on his trail.

    Moving to the water¡¯s edge he watched the man¡¯s body spin around until the one hand was close to the shore. He should at least pull the body out so it would not get washed over the falls. Wading into the shallow bay Corvan pulled on the stiff hand. The corpse flipped over and turned face up.

    It was Jokten.

 Chapter 43

    A low cry escaped Corvan¡¯s lips and tears streamed down his cheeks at the sight of the old man in the water. Jokten¡¯s hand still firmly clutched the shattered end of the wooden spear he had used to save Corvan from the monster, yet his face was peaceful, as if he were only dreaming.

    Groaning and slipping on the slick stones, Corvan managed to pull the body onto the shore, then collapsed on the gravel. His father had often told him that if he would do what was right, the answers would come in their own time. He tried his best to save Jokten, but the man had died anyway. Now there were no answers and no way out of this terrible place. Kate would die and be buried far from her home. Buried? They were in a dark world far underground. They were as good as dead and buried already.

    His tears gave way to sobs that shook his aching body. What was the point of even trying to do what was right? Pain and death were everywhere. He could never win.

    His father¡¯s voice came to him as if his dad were sitting beside him on the shore. ¡°Love and pain flow together though all of life. The more you choose to love in this broken world, the more you will need to endure pain.¡±

    Wiping his tears away with the back of his sleeve he looked down at Jokten. A wry smile was embedded in the corners of the man¡¯s mouth, the same smile that he wore while swinging the spear behind the beast. The old man had lived and died on his own terms. Perhaps that was the point. In the end, loving through the pain changed you for the better.

    A muted shout slipped through the fog and then another. The soldiers and the Seeker were on their way. There was no way he would let them take Jokten¡¯s body to the palace. The old man deserved a proper burial.

    At some time in the past the stream had changed direction, leaving a raised island between the dry gravel creek bed and the rushing water. Pulling the body onto the high spot, he laid it out.

    Prying the broken spear from Jokten¡¯s grasp, he set it aside and folded the cold hand onto Jokten¡¯s chest. Reaching over the man, he pulled the other arm into position and as he did, the soggy sleeve of Jokten¡¯s robe slipped back revealing the other hand wrapped tightly around the hammer¡¯s handle.

    Corvan looked in amazement at the angular stone head before placing his hand under it. The hammer slid easily from Jokten¡¯s grasp, as if the man was giving it back to him and the blue letters sprang to life on Jokten¡¯s face, highlighting the crinkles around his eyes and the happy lines etched around his mouth.

    Corvan struggled to his feet and held the hammer aloft in both hands. It pierced the fog overhead, the blue glow filling the area around him and reflecting on the water below. He breathed deeply then pulled its radiant comfort in against his chest. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back again,¡± he murmured, and the blue light ebbed strongly in response. He nodded down to Jokten, ¡°You gave your life to save me and the hammer. I promise I will do my best to honor what you lived and died for.¡±

    Placing the hammer back in his holster, he gathered flat stones from the dry creek bed to pile around and over the dead man. The work was painful at first, but as he moved, his joints loosened up and his movements became easier. When he was done, he took the broken spear and stuck it upright in the cracks of the pile.

    As he stepped back to inspect the cairn, he almost tripped over Tsarek.

    ¡°I did not want to interrupt you.¡± Tsarek said, jumping off the low rock he¡¯d been sitting on. ¡°I wanted to tell you earlier that I did not think your past-father survived the blast.¡±

    ¡°Jokten was not my past-father, Tsarek. That is my grandfather that died at the entry under the Castle Rock.¡±

    Tsarek nodded. ¡°I know about that one, but Jokten was also one of your family, from those left behind in the Cor.¡±

    Corvan looked back to the cairn. No wonder Jokten looked so much like his father. Tears began to fall again, and he shook his head firmly and tried to wipe them away. He¡¯d been so close to discovering more about his connection to the Cor and finding someone to help him.

    Tsarek came up beside him and tucked a soft cloth into his hand. As Corvan wiped his eyes with it, a tender scent permeated his mind and soothed his sorrows.

    ¡°Did I do well, Kalian? Does it make you happy to have it back?¡± his friend asked.

    Tyreth¡¯s white scarf was in his hand. ¡°How did you get this?¡± Corvan asked.

    Tsarek chortled. ¡°The Seeker was walking along the path in the fog with all the soldiers following in a line. He was holding the white cloth out in front of him like a flag. I was very still and when he walked by, I leaped across the path, snatched it from his hand, and fled before he could even move.¡± The lizard grimaced and Corvan saw the fear steal into his eyes. ¡°But I touched the Seeker¡¯s hand when I grabbed the cloth. Now it will know that I am back in the Cor and will report my presence to its master.¡± He pointed across the water. ¡°We must go quickly to Kate and find a way out of the settlement, for I also must leave the Cor forever and never return.¡±

    Corvan looped the scarf around his neck and tucked it into his cloak. How could he leave the Cor and betray Jokten¡¯s hope in him and the sacrifice he had made? Jorad had said that Tyreth¡¯s life was now connected to the life of the Cor, to the red seeds tucked away in Corvan¡¯s cloak. If he chose to run away now and abandon Tyreth, the darkness would close in on Kadir. Their food would run out and all the people of the Cor would starve to death in the black void, people like Rayu, Gavyn, Garek and Madam Toreg.

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    His had went to the holster at his side. He had promised Madam Toreg on the hammer that he would do his best to save Tyreth. If there was any hope for her and the rest of the Cor, he had to put the needs of others above his own safety, even above the life of his best friend.

    ¡°We need to move quickly,¡± the lizard urged, touching his hand. ¡°Kate needs our help, and the seeker is coming.¡±

    ¡°No, Tsarek.¡± Corvan turned toward the river. ¡°I am going back to the city.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°The city? The palace and the Rakash are searching for you, and now they will be looking for me as well. No, Kalian, we must not go to the city. It is a terrible place and they have done cruel things to my kind in the city.¡±

    Corvan pulled out the hammer and pointed its circle of three words on the stones between them. ¡°Tsarek, I made a promise that I would help rescue Tyreth from the Palace prison. I have been there and I know the way, but I need your help. I can¡¯t do it alone.¡±

    The lizard took a step back from the blue words. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so in the first place?¡±

    Corvan looked intently at the hammer in his hand, then leaned forward to place it on top of a flat boulder. He took two steps away from it and turned to the lizard. ¡°Do you think I should leave the hammer here?¡±

    ¡°Oh no!¡± Tsarek hopped over to the hammer. ¡°You will need it to rescue the girl. Please pick it up and bring it along. I will try to be more brave when you hold it¡¯s light.¡±

    Corvan smiled. ¡°I just wanted to make sure I could still understand you even when I¡¯m not holding it.¡±

    Tsarek looked confused.

    ¡°Something has changed between us,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Even though I am not holding hammer, I still understood everything you said.¡±

    Tsarek let out a low hiss and looked between Corvan and the hammer. ¡°I don¡¯t know how¡ª¡± A wide smile spread across his face. ¡°But I am very glad.¡±

    They stood looking at each other for a moment before Tsarek turned away, entered the stream and dog paddled out into the middle. Grabbing the hammer, Corvan holstered it and waded in after him.

    Halfway across, the water was up to his waist, and the current threatened to sweep his feet off the slick rocks. The roar of the falls just beyond the bend sounded a constant warning in his ears. One misstep and he would be swept into the abyss. The swift flowing water was sweeping Tsarek farther downstream, but he was making some progress at getting across to the other side.

    Focusing on his goal Corvan struggled forward. The fog was thinner on the other side and he pulled himself out and up the steep bank. Tsarek was nowhere to be seen but there was enough pale blue light from above to make his way downstream. The roar of the falls grew louder.

    ¡°I would appreciate your help,¡± a voice called from below. Tsarek was chest deep in a rocky bay, a pile of smaller capped fire sticks gathered on the shore. ¡°I found these swirling around in here. We will need them.¡± Getting out of the water, he handed the sticks up to Corvan then scrambled on all fours to the top of bank. Pulling out some of the long grasses that grew in tufts between the rocks, Tsarek tied the sticks together and slung the bundle over his back.

    With a jerk of his head, Tsarek led the way along the edge of the creek to where it joined the main river. ¡°The river road is up there,¡± Tsarek said, pointing overhead. ¡°You should go first.¡±

    Picking his way up a slope of broken rocks and paving stones, Corvan emerged onto the high levee. The fields were on his right and far ahead he could see the water control structure where he and Jorad had climbed down into the dry aqueduct.

    There was a tug at his feet as Tsarek grabbed the cuff of Corvan¡¯s jeans and hauled himself up onto the road. He grinned. ¡°It is not a good idea to fall back onto a pile of fire sticks, even if they are small ones.¡±

    ¡°So why do we need them?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I discovered something that no one else knows.¡± Tsarek smiled proudly. ¡°You can breathe underwater by breathing air back through the stem.¡±

    ¡°How does that work?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Tsarek set the bundle down, pulled out a a short stick, and carefully trimmed the bark away from the butt end with his claw, as if he were sharpening a pencil. Uncapping it, he stuck the trimmed end into his mouth and walked along like a businessman with an expensive cigar that glowed with each breath. ¡°They don¡¯t last as long this way, but it works great for swimming under the water. Somehow the water you suck in becomes air you can breathe.¡±

    ¡°Let me try it.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°I will make one for you.¡± He picked through his bundle and trimmed up the smallest of the sticks. He held it out to Corvan. ¡°Are you certain you want to try it?¡± He pulled it away again. ¡°It tastes bitter and hurts the lungs a bit. It might be too strong for someone as young as you.¡±

    Corvan plucked the stick from the lizard and flicked off the cap. He¡¯d tried smoking cigarettes a few times, this couldn¡¯t be any worse. He pulled softly on the stick. Other than a mild bitter taste, he could breathe the incoming air without difficulty. He pulled in a deep breath and swaggered along beside his friend.

    A loud bang sounded with a flash before his eyes. He squinted to find the smoking bark of his cigar stick peeled back toward his face.

    Tsarek made a hissing sound as he grinned. ¡°Oh yes. I forgot to tell you. You must trim them carefully and never make a nick on the bark with your claws.¡±

    Corvan tossed the ruined stick into the water rushing by. The lizard hadn¡¯t forgotten, he had just played a joke on him. ¡°I thought you told me that you don¡¯t laugh.¡±

    Tsarek scratched the side of his head. ¡°I cannot remember making that sound before. It must be because I am free from the band. You don¡¯t have time to laugh when you are always angry.¡± He looked up at Corvan. ¡°Would you like to try one of the larger sticks? They have a nicer flavor.¡±

    Corvan shook his head, and they walked on in silence until they arrived at the bend in the river road where the dam and sluice gates used to let water into the irrigation system for the fields. Corvan looked out along the aqueduct they had used to travel to the Molakar settlement. Should he go first and check on Kate?

    Tsarek suddenly pulled Corvan in tight against the small building that stuck out over the dam. The lizard jammed his scaly face up to Corvan¡¯s ear. ¡°Listen,¡± he whispered.

    Corvan listened but all he could hear was the water rolling over the dam on the other side of the building. He shook his head at Tsarek, who gestured for him to stay hidden against the wall. ¡°Stay here. I will be right back.¡± Tsarek got down on all fours and slipped around the corner of the building.

    Corvan leaned his head against the cool stone wall and closed his eyes. It seemed he was always tired in this dark world. There was no way to know how regularly he had been sleeping or how many days he had been gone so far. Tsarek had said the door in the castle rock only opened every month. Surely, they had not been gone that long.

    Tipping his head back, he opened his eyes to find an ugly stone gargoyle crouched above him on the corner of the roof. He was about to stand and get a better look at it when the head of the gargoyle swiveled around and beady eyes peered out over the fields.

    The rantel had returned to find him.

 Chapter 44

    The rantel scanned the valley and trail that lead up to the settlements. Corvan held his breath until the creature unfurled its wings and soared out over the fields.

    Someone grabbed his arm. Corvan¡¯s yell died on his lips as he twisted around to look into the face of Tsarek.

    ¡°So sorry, sir. I do hope I did not frighten you,¡± Tsarek said as a smirk curved across the lizard¡¯s face.

    Corvan wasn¡¯t so sure he liked Tsarek¡¯s newfound sense of humor. ¡°I had to wait for his rantel to leave,¡± Tsarek said, pointing towards the other side of the river. ¡°On the other side of the dam there is a very angry man with a bandage over one eye. He is leading a group of the rebel soldiers. He wants his rantel to find you.¡± Tsarek cocked his head to one side. ¡°You seem to have made a lot of enemies in the Cor since you locked me outside the door.¡±

    ¡°Does he know I¡¯m here?¡± Corvan whispered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. His connection to his flying guide is not working very well because of his great eye pain.¡± He cocked his head to one side. ¡°When did you learn to throw fire? I often heard your mother tell you not to play with it.¡±

    Corvan waved the question off. ¡°Where is the man with the eye patch now? We need to keep moving along the road to get to the city.¡±

    Tsarek held out a paw and helped Corvan to his feet. ¡°His men won¡¯t cross the flowing water on top of the dam, so they are all going to their home in the highest crags. He will not bother us for a while, but he will be sending out bounty hunters to circle around through Kadir to find you, so yes, we had better keep moving.¡± He began walking along the road toward the city then looked back with a twinkle in his eye. ¡°He is offering a great reward for your capture, one even a Watcher might enjoy.¡±

    Tsarek walked on and Corvan followed cautiously behind him, constantly looking across the river for any sign of the Rebel Leader and then across the fields to see if the Rantel was coming back. Reaching the top of the river bend, he found the city of Kadir shrouded in a thick bank of fog. The statue rising above it looked like a man with his feet stuck in a snowbank.

    Tsarek pointed. ¡°The palace must be making sure people stay indoors until the day begins. They must also suspect there could be trouble with the rebels. That is why the fog is so thick tonight.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°The palace controls the fog and the floods to keep people afraid of what might happen if they don¡¯t obey the Chief Watcher. It¡¯s done with large machines in the underground river below the karst in the palace courtyard. I saw them working on it after you shut the gate on me. I had to follow the cold water down into the Cor but then there is hot water too, in the place where they create the fog.¡±

    ¡°When I was on the courtyard wall, I saw the fog come out of door in the round wall at the feet of the great statue.¡±

    Tsarek looked puzzled. ¡°There used to be only a small karst between its feet. That¡¯s where they drown people at the water ceremony they call the Wasting. There has never been a wall around it.¡±

    ¡°I think the wall is new. I could see a lot of people working on it when I came out the portal door up on the cliff.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean the one you shut on me?¡± Tsarek asked?

    Corvan nodded. Was Tsarek going to keep remining him of his mistake?

    Tsarek pointed toward the city. ¡°The statue karst is much like the one you were just in, except there is no island in the middle and no great beast. Instead, a water creature with long arms, much greater than the one we fought in the labyrinth, dwells in an underwater cave behind a gate that is opened whenever they throw someone in.¡± Tsarek looked up at him, his eyes full of pride. ¡°The gate was shut when I was there, but its arms almost caught me. I had to frighten it away with my fire stick.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s where they control the floods?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I believe that is how it is done. They can send water running throughout the city. They have drowned people to make everyone believe the water sacrifice is required to make the gods happy.¡±

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    Corvan looked across the river at the fog-shrouded city. At first light Tyreth would be thrown into the water as part of the Chief Watcher¡¯s evil plans. Somehow, he needed to stop him but how. He walked faster and passed Tsarek, the lizard¡¯s short legs working furiously to keep pace. He smiled. Surely things would work out better now that he had both Tsarek and the hammer back.

    As they approached the ruined bridge, Tsarek suddenly yanked Corvan down behind the cover of the stone walls. ¡°Rakash,¡± he hissed and pointed a claw toward the fields.

    Corvan peeked over the wall. Far below, across the narrow end of the fields, five people walked in a row along a retaining wall between the fields. One of carried a staff topped by a red globe.

    ¡°That¡¯s a palace staff,¡± the lizard said. ¡°One of the soldiers was carrying it when I took the cloth. The Rakash is returning with the soldiers to report your escape as they still believe you are Tarran.¡± Tsarek gripped Corvan¡¯s arm tighter. ¡°But he will also report my trespass in the Cor to the Chief of the Watchers. I fear there will be great troubles.¡±

    Corvan glanced over the wall. The group was close enough that any movement along the river road would be detected. ¡°The soldiers won¡¯t cross the broken bridge, will they?¡±

    ¡°No, they won¡¯t go near it. They are passing through the fields to take the high river road so they can cross at the upper bridge that leads up to the portal door, the one where you locked me out.¡±

    Corvan checked again and noted that the wall the soldiers were on ended at the edge of the fields then climbed a steep path to join up with the river road. He crouched back down. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll reach the city before the water ceremony?¡±

    ¡°I do not believe so. That trail is longer, and they will be moving slowly. It is very narrow and climbs up and down the cliffs near the river. Few people choose to travel that way, as they are afraid they might fall into the water.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯ll see us if we try to use the broken bridge,¡± Corvan said.

    Tsarek sat back against the wall. ¡°Then we must find another cat to skin. The dark cycle will end soon, and the Wasting always takes place at the first segment of light.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s stomach knotted. He couldn¡¯t be late getting to the Wasting at the temple karst. He had to get there before they threw Tyreth in and the water creature grabbed her. Crawling on all fours to the river side of the road, he looked across to where the outlet from Madam Toreg¡¯s secret city flowed out under the bridge. ¡°What if we jump into the river and use the fire sticks to go through that water outlet? Madam Toreg will send her gray men to help me save Tyreth.¡±

    Tsarek shook his head. ¡°I cannot let her or anyone else in Kadir see me. Those who serve the Chief Watcher will kill me on sight, and those who fight the Watcher will kill me for being of his kind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll speak to them on your behalf,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I won¡¯t let them hurt you.¡±

    The lizard laid his paw on Corvan¡¯s arm. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Corvan. If you are seen in Kadir with me, they will most certainly immediately kill you as well.¡±

    Corvan realized that he hadn¡¯t thought it through, but it was true. His best friend in this hostile underground world would always be seen by others as their enemy.

    He placed his hand on top of Tsarek¡¯s paw. ¡°It will be better once we get back to my world.¡±

    ¡°No, Corvan.¡± Tsarek¡¯s dark eyes clouded over. ¡°I have decided that I must stay here in the Cor. Your world is not my home. Your people will not accept me either. I have been shot at by that large boy who lives near the rock. You cannot protect me in your world any more than I can protect you in mine.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    Tsarek swallowed. ¡°Our ways are parting, Kalian. You must go ask your friends for help to rescue your friend. I will stay in the river, swim up inside the karst, and hide under the edge where the palace guard cannot see me. If you get in trouble at the Wasting ceremony, you can jump into the water. I will have fire sticks for you, and you can swim away with me under the water.¡±

    ¡°What about Tyreth?¡±

    ¡°I will have enough fire sticks for her too.¡±

    ¡°But how will we escape from the water creature with the long arms?¡±

    Tsarek grimaced. ¡°I will do my best to keep it away.¡± He pulled two smaller fire sticks from his bundle and trimmed the ends. ¡°You will need these to make it through that water tunnel. The water is fast so it will be hard work. If you find it difficult to breathe, use both at the same time. It was the only way I could make it through the fast water to you in the settlements.¡±

    Corvan took the two sticks as Tsarek slipped over the low wall and hung by his claws. Corvan leaned down to him and touched his paw. ¡°Tsarek, you have not called me ¡®sir¡¯ much since you came back.¡±

    The lizard cocked his head to one side. ¡°I guess after all we have been through, I am thinking of you as my friend¡ªsir.¡± He grinned. ¡°Like the Lone Ranger and Tonto.¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear those names?¡± Corvan asked.

    The blue streaks on Tsarek¡¯s face flushed. ¡°The Kate¡¯s mother watched it on her TV box, and I would peek in through the window.¡±

    Corvan shook his head, grinned at his friend, then gave him a quick wave. ¡°See you soon, Tonto.¡±

    ¡°If my claws were free, I would return the waving to you, for I too hope to see you soon¡ªKemosabe.¡± His eyes twinkled. ¡°And this time - don¡¯t shut the door on me.¡± He pushed off the wall, dropped into the water and his trail of bubbles worked its way upstream.

    Corvan leaned out over the low wall and looked down into the water. His heart beat faster. He¡¯d never jumped from anything this high.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± A hoarse voice whispered in his ear and a sharp point dug into his back.

 Chapter 45

    ¡°Place your hands on top of the wall,¡± the person behind Corvan commanded, shoving him tight against the rough stones.

    Corvan did as he was ordered. The point pushed in harder as the person leaned against him, pulled up his sleeve, and removed Morgan¡¯s black knife. ¡°Now turn around.¡±

    Corvan turned to face a man in a green robe, the hood pulled low over his eyes. Morgan¡¯s black knife was unsheathed, and it was pointed directly at Corvan¡¯s heart.

    ¡°So now you are working for the Chief Watcher.¡± The voice was harsh and strained. ¡°What did that lizard promise you? What was he saying and what were you telling him?¡± The hood swept back, revealing Jorad¡¯s angry face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not working for the Chief Watcher.¡± Corvan protested. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Jorad, this Watcher is my friend.¡±

    The priest snorted. ¡°The Watcher¡¯s don¡¯t have friends. They only use us. You have been deceived, Kalian.¡± The knife higher to Corvan¡¯s face. ¡°I promised the High Priest, I would train you to be a Cor-Van. Instead, you have used me to aid the Chief Watcher in his plans to wipe out all the priests . . . and to murder Tyreth.¡± He jabbed the knife at Corvan, backing him up and almost tumbling him backwards over the low stone wall and into the river below.

    Corvan sat on the wall to get his balance took a deep breath,  and looked up at the man. ¡°Jorad. I¡¯m am going back to Kadir to help save Tyreth. I was planning to go through the water channel to find Madam Toreg and ask her to send Garek with me. I promised Madam Toreg I would help her. That¡¯s the truth.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s lips curled back in a snarl. ¡°The only truth I know is that I have taken an oath to protect Tyreth at all costs. I will do anything to save her from the Watchers . . . and from those working with them.¡±

    ¡°I said I would help you.¡± Corvan stood and Jorad took a step back. ¡°And I also promised Madam Toreg on the hammer,¡± Corvan stated, releasing it from the holster and holding it up between them.

    Jorad attempted to use his hand with the black knife to push the hammer away but a pulse of blue energy slapped the priest¡¯s hand and sent the knife skittering across the road.

    Corvan immediately put it back in the holster. ¡°Jorad, the hammer shows I speak the truth. I¡¯m going to save Tyreth, not kill her.¡±

    The priest¡¯s eyes narrowed. He was about to respond when a palace guard appeared on the slope up along the road. The man looked their way, raised his bow and drew back.

    ¡°Jorad, behind you!¡±

    ¡°No more tricks, Kalian. I am not¡ª¡±

    Corvan threw himself toward Jorad, spinning the man¡¯s body to the side. The arrow tore through the bunched-up hood at the priest¡¯s neck and clattered onto the road. Jorad whirled around to see who was shooting when two more soldiers jumped onto the road and drew their bows. Jorad dropped to the ground beside the inner wall. ¡°Do as you said!¡± the man hissed. ¡°Find Toreg and meet me at the Karst. I¡¯ll find a way to get into Kadir and meet you at the temple.¡± He gave Corvan a shove as another arrow whistled overhead.

    Corvan jumped up, leapt onto the outer wall, and dove into the river. He hit the water cleanly, surfaced and headed to the far side, swimming hard against the current to get past the pillars supporting the bridge. Breathless, he pulled himself out of the water in the rocky bay where the water from the City of Refuge gushed out.

    The chains above him rattled. Jorad was hanging onto the sides of the bridge to work himself around the missing floor panels. Above Jorad¡¯s labored breathing, Corvan could hear the soldiers shouting as they ran toward the trapped priest but there were no more arrows.

    Jorad called down to Corvan, his voice tight. ¡°Do as you have promised and find Tyreth, but I swear, if you are lying to me, you will never get out of the Cor alive.¡±

    ¡°I promise you, Jorad, I . . .¡±

    ¡°Get out of sight!¡± Jorad rasped. ¡°They¡¯re coming for me, not you.¡±

    Removing the cap from one of his small fire sticks, Corvan stuck it in his mouth, and waded into the water outlet. The current was stronger than he expected. Clamping the unlit fire stick into the opposite side of his mouth, he felt along the bottom for handholds to haul himself through the foaming water. His lungs labored to pull enough air through the slender stick to fuel his efforts. Jamming his toes into the rocks, he flicked the cap off the other stick. Now his breathing came easier, in through the mouth and out through the nose, just as Tsarek had instructed.

    The current slackened as the tunnel roof pulled away and soon shafts of flickering light shot through the silver surface of the water above. He had made it to the pool. Lifting his head cautiously above the surface he scanned the stairs leading down from the City of Refuge and the gates that would lead him back to the Kadir library.

    Crouching low, he waded toward the half-finished wall of the pool. There were voices on the other side. He drew in close and listened.

    He knew the tone and the caustic words all too well. On the other side of the wall, a group of bullies was teasing a child. Peering over the edge, Corvan discovered a circle of boys gathered around a child huddled on the ground, his back to one of the piles of blocks for the unfinished wall. One kicked at the child, then stepped back to reveal a small, bedraggled boy clutching a flute against his chest.

    It was Gavyn.

    A rush of anger propelled Corvan onto the wall with a great splash. He stood over the bullies, water pouring down his body, a smoking fire stick dangling from each corner of his mouth. The boys stared, their mouths gaping like dead fish.

    Corvan tried to say, ¡°Leave him alone!¡± but the smoking fire sticks scrambled his words and twisted down like glowing fangs. What came out sounded more like ¡°Eat them bones!¡±

    High-pitched screams erupted as a twisting mass of young boys scrambled over one another to get away from the flesh-eating monster. They tore up the stairs, their voices fading into the streets.

    Capping the firestick stubs and thrusting them into his pocket, Corvan jumped down from the wall. Gavyn rose to his feet, triumphantly holding the pan flute he¡¯d been protecting from the bullies. He hugged Corvan around his waist, then pulled back to stare at the water dripping from Corvan¡¯s cloak. His eyes followed the trail of puddles that led to the wall.

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    The blast of a trumpet rent the air. Gavyn glanced toward the stairs, then tugged Corvan¡¯s sleeve, pulling him down behind the stack of stone blocks.

    The horn blew again. Corvan shifted to the left and found a crack between the rocks that exposed a narrow strip of the stairs. A man with a curved horn and barbed staff strode into view. Another man with a carved staff appeared, the mayor Madam Toreg had met at the city gate. A noisy crowd quickly gathered behind him and he hammered his staff for silence.

    ¡°Yes, I can see that something came from the pool,¡± he droned wearily, ¡°but none of us has ever seen a man-eating creature with smoking fangs that swims in the water.¡± Loud retorts came from the audience and the mayor changed his tone. ¡°I agree. I have no reason to doubt any of your boys. If this monster is still in the city, we must all work together and find it.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we should consult Madam Toreg,¡± someone suggested.

    The mayor bristled. ¡°Madam Toreg stands accused of breaking faith with our people and bringing strangers into our city. Her staff is broken, and her authority has been removed.¡± He waved a hand toward the pool. ¡°It may even be her fault this creature found a way inside.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she also knows how to get rid of it,¡± another voice interjected.

    The mayor¡¯s face grew red. ¡°Madam Toreg will remain under house arrest until she is tried by the elders. We will not waste time asking her advice.¡± He gestured to the man with the trumpet. ¡°Tewbel, you stand guard here in case the creature comes back.¡± He turned around and faced the crowd. ¡°The rest of you divide into search parties and scour the city. Blow a horn if you see anything.¡± He pounded his staff again, and the people filed out.

    The mayor watched the crowd leave then shook his head and rolled his eyes at Tewbel, before sauntering off.

    The stocky man with the barbed staff stepped closer to the top of the stairs. He looked like the strong man Corvan had once seen at the circus. The man began to descend the steps as he surveyed the scene before him, his eyes shifting to the pool and then over to the pile of blocks.

    Corvan¡¯s stomach dropped. His trail of footprints led directly to his hiding place.

    The man put his horn to his lips, paused, then let it fall to his side. Raising his weapon, he descended the stairs.

    Corvan turned to tell Gavyn to run and find Madam Toreg, but the boy was gone, leaving smaller wet footprints from where he had been standing in Corvan¡¯s puddle Glancing back through the crack he saw Gavyn run up to Tewbel. The young boy held his hands up to his head made his fingers look as if horns were spouting from his hair. He loped about in circles, growling like a mad dog, then ran to the stairs and beckoned for Tewbel to follow. The man gave one last glance toward the stack of blocks and Gavyn¡¯s footprints before climbing up after him.

    There were a few short tunes on the pan flute that slowly faded away. Gavyn was making sure he knew that he and the strong man were leaving the area. Corvan climbed the stairs on all fours and raised his head over the top. The streets were empty. Getting to his feet, he trotted along the road beside the watercourse toward the city gates.

    The entry into the City of Refuge from the ruined library of Kadir drew near. The gates stood open, and just inside, a guard stood at attention. Staying low, Corvan eased himself onto the wall that separated the road from the waterway.

    The sound of running feet caught him off guard, but before he could get completely over the wall, Gavyn came into view from a side street. The boy motioned for Corvan to keep going over to the other side of the wall, hopped over it, and pulled Corvan down, putting a finger to his lips.

    A moment later Corvan heard marching feet on the road. The sound grew louder, passed them, the faded away. He stole a glance over the wall in time to see a squad of armed soldiers take up position near the city gates.

    Corvan leaned back against the wall. With the whole City of Refuge on high alert, there was no way he could get to Madam Toreg and her gray men to ask for their help. The light of the new day was getting stronger and unless he could come up with a new plan, Tyreth would soon be drowned at the water ceremony.

    Gavyn grabbed his sleeve and pointed along the wall to where the water rushed out of a small cave, swept down a spillway and then ran along the wall to the pool below. The boy nodded, crouched low, and took off along the inside of the wall.

    It was all Corvan could do to keep up with the agile boy. Gavyn ran like a spider monkey, his knuckles almost dragging on the ground, right inside the water cave.

    Following him in, Corvan understood why Gavyn adopted this strange manner of locomotion. There was no other way to make it through the tunnel. The water was not shallow enough to crawl in, and the roof was too low for him to stand.

    Gavyn was already out of sight, but Corvan could hear him splashing along. The tunnel turned to the right and the light from behind faded. It was darker here and when floor suddenly dropped away he slipped under the deeper water.

    Corvan surfaced, choking, and gasping for air. Treading water, he cleared his lungs. Here there was enough light from above to see that he was in yet another karst. This one was larger than the one at the Molakar settlement but it also had an island rising out of the center.

    A tendril grabbed his ankle and yanked him below the surface. Corvan kicked furiously, and the creature released him. Surfacing, he swam like mad toward the island, his heart pounding as he imagined the snakelike arms pursuing him.

    Bright laughter filled the cavern as Corvan pulled himself out of the water and scrambled up the rocks. Gavyn swam toward him, his mouth bubbling the water as he mimicked Corvan¡¯s panicked flight. Relief flowed with embarrassment and Corvan wanted to throw something at the little imp.

    The boy joined him on the pile of stone blocks, shook out his hair like a scrawny dog, cleared the water from his ears, and pointed upward. High overhead, past the circle of the karst rim, familiar painted faces looked down. He was underneath the great library where the floor had fallen into the reflecting pool. How long had it been since he stood up there on the edge with Madam Toreg and Jorad?

    Gavyn poked him in the side, his bony shoulders held up in an exaggerated shrug as if asking where they should go next.

    ¡°I need to get to the Wasting at the temple karst,¡± Corvan said.

    The boy¡¯s eyes widened as he vigorously shook his head. He made motions with his hands and fingers of things swimming and being captured. Corvan grabbed his hands and held them still. ¡°I know about the monster in the water. I don¡¯t want to go inside the water. I need to get to the top before they throw Tyreth in.¡±

    Gavyn nodded, gestured for Corvan to follow, and dove back into the water. The boy swam across to a set of broken stairs, climbed out and shook himself dry as he pointed upward.

    Wearily, Corvan dropped back into the water and followed.

    By the time he got across to the stairs, Gavyn was already gone, his footprints leading upward, two steps at a time. Reaching the roof, the steps moved upward in a narrow channel. Corvan pulled out the hammer, thankful that the blue glow was back to light his way.

    At times the way was almost impassable, but someone had removed just enough debris for a small person to squeeze through. His legs began to burn from all the climbing, and at times he choked on the residual water in his lungs. He called to Gavyn to wait for him, but when he eventually caught up to the boy, Gavyn put a finger to his lips to tell him to be quiet, turned away and climbed on.

    The boy obviously knew the ceremony would start any time but now Corvan was wondering what could they possibly do once they arrived? How could he take on the Chief Watcher and the palace guards by himself? He had no plan, and even if he did, every plan he¡¯d made so far had fallen apart before it even got off the ground.

    Just take the next step, he said softly to himself. ¡°Just keep moving forward.¡±

    The stairs leveled out into a narrow tunnel and then the rough stone walls were replaced by smooth blocks. Other passages joined in, and Corvan lost all sense of how many turns they¡¯d taken. He was falling behind and the boy¡¯s wet footprints had faded to periodic drips. If Gavyn lost him, he¡¯d never find his way out.

    Coming around a corner he looked up an empty corridor that climbed a final flight of steps to end in a circle of soft light. Trying to keep his labored breathing as quiet as possible, he ascended the stairs and stepped through a ragged hole.

    He was back in the hall of the High Priest.

 Chapter 46

    The room was empty, and Gavyn was nowhere to be seen, but off to one side a pair of bare feet stuck out beneath the ruined tapestry. When he gave the thick fabric a poke, Gavyn¡¯s smiling face appeared in the hole.

    ¡°Gavyn, I need your help to save Tyreth from the Chief Watcher,¡± Corvan said.

    The young boy backed away into the secret passage, fear etched across his innocent face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to come with me,¡± Corvan said, pointing out the door toward the courtyard and the palace. ¡°I will go to the temple karst, but I need you to run back to the City of Refuge, find Madam Toreg, and ask her to send Garek and the gray men right away. Tell her the Cor-Van needs her help at the water ceremony to save Tyreth from being drowned.¡±

    The boy pointed to his lips.

    Corvan nodded. Even if Gavyn could find Madam Toreg and somehow make her understand, she might not believe him . . . unless there could be no doubt Gavyn was telling the truth.

    Removing the Texas star holster from his belt, he held out, then hesitated. Was this a good idea? What if the young boy lost it?

    Gavyn wrapped his small hands around Corvan¡¯s and looked into his eyes, erasing all doubt that he could be trusted with the mission. ¡°¡¯Keep it hidden,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Don¡¯t show it to anyone other than Madam Toreg.¡±

    Gavyn nodded eagerly and pulled the holster to his chest. His smile broadened, then instantly vanished as a single drumbeat rumbled through the door. Gavyn pointed overhead to where soft light fell from the dirty skylights. A second drumbeat echoed through the room, then settled into a steady rhythm. The boy touched his arm, then whirled around, the door into the secret passage closing softly behind him.

    Running into the hallway, Corvan found the priest¡¯s gate into the main courtyard hanging askew, its great bolt laying in pieces on the ground. The empty plaza pulsed with the rolling drumbeats as Corvan sprinted up the sections of stairs two at a time, the throbbing drum matching his heart, beat for beat. The drum abruptly stopped as he sailed up the last set of stairs and headed toward a wide arched door in the circular wall. As he drew near the opening, he could see a white-robed man speaking from the front edge of a balcony.

    Just as he drew close to the doorway, a guard stepped from inside the arched door, barring his way. This one did not have a weapon in his hand, only a few short sticks with strips of colored cloth tied to the ends.

    Corvan skidded to a halt as a scarred face with bloodshot eyes thrust toward his hood along with the rank smell of a mouth full of rotten teeth.

    ¡°Where¡¯ve you been, boy?¡± The ugly face pulled back to squint at him, and for a brief second Corvan was certain the man would strike him. Instead, the guard bent down and picked up a long-necked clay jar sitting just outside the door. ¡°Lucky for you I saw this back at the barracks. If that new stone gets stuck again, it¡¯ll be your fault.¡± He thrust the neck of the jar into Corvan¡¯s hand and pushed him off to the side. ¡°Get along to the priest¡¯s entry before that old windbag finishes talking.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart was pounding as he turned away. The cloak had the man thinking he was someone else, but the priest¡¯s entry could be a faster way to get inside the wall to locate Tyreth.

    The clay vessel he¡¯d been given smelled like well-used engine oil and was almost too hot to carry. Juggling it¡¯s narrow neck from hand to hand, he worked his way along the outside of the newly constructed wall. A short distance ahead, a doorway jutted out and inside it, a shadowed stairway led down. Beyond the entry there was only a pile of scaffolding and the high wall surrounding the plaza. This had to be the priest¡¯s entry that guard had spoken about.

    As he descended the stairs the familiar odors of his father¡¯s workshop rose up to meet him; hot metal, grease and damp. At the bottom of the stairs, the narrow passage curved along down a steep ramp to stop before a partially open door that was even shorter than he was. The speakers voice seemed to be louder inside that space. He pushed on the door, and it creaked forward on dry hinges.  Was that what the oil was for?

    A cheer from the audience swept in from another passage to his immediate left. He peered through that opening and found it led up a stairway toward a more brightly lit open space. Corvan was about to follow the new passage toward the noise of the crowd when heavy footsteps approached inside the room with the rusty hinges.

    ¡°I need that in here first,¡± a voice growled. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Corvan pushed the door wider. Thick legs and large boots were visible withing the room on the edge of a raised platform. ¡°I need a bit of oil on one of the gears and then the rest of it goes in them two new holes in the floor at the base of the amphitheater stairs. See ¡¯em?¡±

    Corvan stayed silent. Should he run away?

    ¡°Ya see ¡¯em or not? We don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    Corvan stepped back and looked into the passage on his left. Two holes had been bored into the floor on either side of the passage, just before the stairs leading up to the crowd.

    ¡°They say it¡¯ll work this time.¡± The man¡¯s voice drew him back to the short door.  ¡°If it doesn¡¯t, I¡¯m going to blame you for being late, and ten he¡¯ll feed you to his pet instead of the priests. Now get up here.¡± The boots retreated and Corvan ducked into the room. He couldn¡¯t take the chance of being chased by this man or having him call the guards.

    The room beyond the squeaky door was lit by a narrow horizontal slit along the far wall. Something white fluttered past. Most likely that was the direction of the stage and the speaker.

    Up on a platform, the large man had squeezed his bulk into the middle of a complicated system of gears and levers. He reached a pudgy hand over his shoulder. ¡°Give me the oil. Those idiots didn¡¯t greased the main shaft either. How did they expect the sluice gate to lift into position.¡±

    Corvan stepped onto the raised area. A door at the back of the room was propped open and rippling reflections on the walls beyond revealed he was at the water level in the karst. This man and all his machinery must be the one who would release the octopus creature who would eat the victims thrown down from the balcony where the man was speaking to the crowd.

    ¡°Oil!¡± the man demanded, waving his hand in the air behind him. Corvan quickly handed it over and the man pushed his greasy bulk deeper into the machinery. ¡°If you ask me,¡± he grunted, ¡°and of course they never do, this plan of using Tyreth as bait to catch Tarran is a grand waste of time. If he¡¯s the brains behind the plot to overthrow the palace, he¡¯d have to know this is a trap.¡± He poured a thin stream of oil from the jar, and the burnt odor was added to the overpowering aroma of the man¡¯s sweat. ¡°Besides, Tyreth wouldn¡¯t even want him to try to save her. Most likely what she went tell him when she sprung him out of the cell and killed Morgan.¡± He grunted again. ¡°There, that should do it.¡±

    The man shoved the bottle back towards him and Corvan had to move in past two of the levers to grab it. From here, at the back edge of the long slit in the wall he caught sight of the gatekeeper with the scarred face, standing above at seating tier packed with spectators, flicking a red flag back and forth.

    ¡°What are you gawkin¡¯ at? Get going and dump the rest down them holes, equally mind you, and use all of it. Don¡¯t get in the way when it lifts. I¡¯ll get the signal to crank it into position any time now. Let me know when it¡¯s all the way to the top.¡±

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    Corvan jumped off the platform, ran out the door and turned into the other passage. Up the stairs, he could hear the white robed man speaking passionately about the future of Kadir and the Cor. The enthusiastic response of the crowed filled the hallway as Corvan knelt to examine the holes in the floor. Brushing a cone of stone chips away from a freshly bored hole he poured the oil into one and then did the same to the other, alternating back and forth to let it seep down to wherever it was going.

    Setting empty bottle down, he turned back to the stairs just in time to see a slab of stone rise from the floor between the two holes in spasmodic jerks. Behind him, in the control room, energetic grunts matched each rise as the stone wall inched upward.

    The passage was halfway closed before Corvan came to his senses and leaped over the thick stone and onto the steps. He¡¯d barely cleared it when the slab reached the fresh oil and slammed up into a notch in the ceiling. There was no turning back now.

    The volume of the speaker¡¯s voice increased as Corvan crept up the stairs, edged around a corner and peered out an opening into the curved amphitheater. From his Geographic magazines he knew he was just inside a vomitorium, the internal entry into the lower level of the amphitheater, the bottom floor where dangerous beasts would be fought, and gladiators would die as the audience watched. In this amphitheater, however, a pool of water held a hidden monster lurking below the surface, with the large unfinished statue towering overhead.

    To his left, the first four tiers of seats at the edge of the karst were crammed with green-robed priests. Behind them, a curved wall the height of a man separated the priests from the rest of the crowd who were listening to the speaker on the raised balcony across the water in rapt attention. The white-robed man approached the front of a stage covering the space between the ankles of the huge stone statue that towered over the people below. It unfinished face still conveyed a smug satisfaction with the scene below.

    The white robed man stood between two short pillars on the stage and spread his arms wide. ¡°Today we celebrate the opening of our new water temple. We are thankful to the Chief Watcher for his work with the city council in building a place to honor the water gods.¡±

    The man moved to one side and gestured to the wall of high black curtains at the back of the stage. As he moved off the stage, the curtains parted in the center and concealed footlights came to life along the front edge of the stage.

    The Chief Watcher strode out from between the curtains, the lights glittering off silver bracers on his arms and from every scale of the lizard¡¯s meticulously polished hide. The crowd collectively caught their breath as the creature stopped between the two pillars.

    ¡°People of the Cor!¡± The Chief Watcher extended his arms towards the people. ¡°All of you remember when the water of the gods erupted and ran through the streets, killing your families and friends. It made us all deeply aware of the prophecy that our world could be filled to the top,¡± he gestured overhead, ¡°with water from this karst.¡±

    A silent fear settled over the crowd.

    ¡°Over time we have been making our sacrifices to keep the gods pleased at our water ceremonies.¡±

    He paused as a ripple of murmurs ran through the seating area. The priests sat stiffly on their benches, many of them looking at the floor instead of the creature on the stage.

    Corvan studied the lizards lean face. Unlike his visit to the hall of the High Priest, its tongue was not flickering out and it was not hissing its words. Something had changed with it had eaten the seed of the mother plant. It seemed almost more human now.

    ¡°I believe there is a better way to appease the anger of the gods, anger directed at those who lie to our people and take advantage of others. Why should the innocent continue to suffer while the guilty go free?¡±

    The black lizard pointed directly at the priests before his arm swept in a grand gesture over the water. ¡°This new pool of justice will allow the gods to show us who we can trust. Instead of throwing the young innocent ones into the water, we will put those who appear to be guilty in the place of judgment.¡± He pointed to a narrow stone pier that descended down a few steps from the audience side of the karst and out over the water towards him. ¡°If they are innocent, the water will remain calm and still beneath them, but if they are guilty, the water will rise and punish them for their lies.¡±

    He waited, arms outstretched, until the crowd responded with a hesitant cheer.

    The black lizard sauntered out to the front of the stage. ¡°Recently, Tarran, the son of the High Priest of the old temple was arrested on a charge of treason against the palace. He was brought to the prison to await trial, but he murdered our good friend, Morgan, and escaped. That same night, I went to speak with the High Priest and to ask for his help but instead I was attacked by Tyreth and her father. They were both arrested but now we must determine if the entire family of the High Priest is guilty of treason. In these days of perpetual lies, only the water gods know for certain.¡± He pointed to water below his clawed feet. ¡°Today we will call on them to judge the truth.¡±

    Corvan scanned the audience along the left side. The priests sat stiffly in their places. A few older ones shook their heads in response, but above them, many in the crowd nodded.

    A narrow door opened on the far side of the karst, below the level of the stage near the heel of the statue¡¯s right boot. There was a gasp from the crowd as the High Priest shuffled out around the pool. His mouth was gagged, and his hands bound behind his back, but he walked past the lower section full of priests with his head held high.

    Stepping purposefully onto the stone pier, he walked down the shallow steps until he was well below the lip of the karst, then turned to face the crowd.

    ¡°High Priest,¡± the lizard called out, taking a step back and bringing his thick arms to rest on the two stone pillars, ¡°you stand accused of treason. You are silenced before the people so that instead of hearing your arguments, we shall hear only the answer of the water gods upon whom we call to judge between truth and lies.¡±

    The Chief Watcher raised his long claw and pointed high overhead to the face of the unfinished statue. Corvan resisted the urge to follow his gesture and kept his eyes on the lizard. As the lizard¡¯s right arm went up, he saw the creature lean firmly on the pillar to his left. The pillar moved and dipped ever so slightly.

    A geyser of water shot up around the High Priest, and he was momentarily lost in the spray. Someone in the crowd cried out and ran up the stairs and out the upper gate. The tower of water fell back into the karst, and the surface began to bubble and rise.

    ¡°If the water takes the man, the gods have found him guilty,¡± the Chief Watcher shouted. ¡°If it subsides, we will know he is innocent.¡±

    All eyes were on the priest and the rapidly rising water. With a fierce look of determination, the High Priest¡¯s glanced down as the water rose to his ankles. The crowd leaned in closer, the High Priest looked slowly around the amphitheater, then he turned his gaze defiantly over his shoulder at the Chief Watcher above him on the balcony.

    With one deft movement, the man stepped back off the pier and slipped below the surface of the rolling water.

    The crowd sat frozen in stunned silence.

    The Chief Watcher yanked has arms away from his pillars and looked off to the left at a narrow slit in the side wall. That was where the man in the room with all the gears had worked to raise the stone to block off the priest¡¯s entry.

    The water grew still and as all eyes turned to the Chief Watcher, a smug expression settled across his dark face as he left his pillars and came forward.

    ¡°Our former High Priest has declared his own guilt by offering himself in an attempt to buy favor with the gods. It was futile, for he remains in the water. If he were an honorable man, the gods would return him to us, but they have not done so.¡±

    Corvan knew there would be no returning, for in the froth he¡¯d caught sight of tentacles much larger than those he and Tsarek had encountered in the labyrinth. His stomach knotted. That meant Tsarek had failed to chase the water creature away with his firesticks. There could be no last-minute escape that way.

    The black lizard spoke out. ¡°Our High Priest has sacrificed himself in an attempt to save his daughter from being tried for treason, but each one of you must be judged on their own merit.¡± He gestured again toward the left side of the karst.

    A figure in brilliant white emerged from the doorway across the pool at the statue¡¯s heel. Everyone¡¯s eyes followed Tyreth as she moved slowly around the perimeter of the karst, her hair flowing in dark waves with each measured step.

    As drew closer to the stone tier she nodded to the section of priests, then looked directly toward Corvan¡¯s hiding place.  He stepped forward just enough for the light to touch his face and drew back his hood.

    Tyreth¡¯s eyes widened as she looked into his, then she shook her head slightly and looked quickly away. She wanted him to stay hidden and with the door sealed behind him down the stairs, there was nowhere to run.

    Tyreth turned to descend the stone pier, and Corvan caught sight of the jagged scar across her right cheek. She made her way slowly out to the end of the pier, wavered for a moment, recovered, and turned to face the audience. As she glanced down, her lower lip trembled. She caught it in her teeth, turned her head deliberately toward him, then slowly and firmly shook her head.

    Tyreth was telling him to let her drown.

 Chapter 47

    Corvan could only stare at Tyreth, frozen in place, as if in a trance.

    She did not want him to save her, but how could he let her drown? His hand moved slowly to his side. If only he had the hammer to help him to know what to do. No! He pulled his hand away. He didn¡¯t need to hold the hammer to know that he had promised to do whatever he could to save her. There was no way he would let her die just to save himself. Tyreth was the future of the Cor, not him. He had to do something, and now.

    The lizard spoke from the stone platform overlooking the karst amphitheater and Corvan raised his eyes to the scaley creature.

    ¡°The gods found the father guilty!¡± The Chief Watcher cried out as the lizard stepped back between the two pillars and pointed down at Tyreth. ¡°Now we shall see if his daughter shared in his treason.¡±

    All eyes focused on Tyreth and to Corvan¡¯s horror, she was slowly edging her feet back to the end of the pier.

    ¡°No!¡± Corvan shouted, as he tore of the enclosed space and past the shocked priests. ¡°You don¡¯t have to die to save me! I¡¯m not the Cor-Van!¡±

    He raced toward the pier. Instantly two palace guards ran in from the door at the statues boot to cut him off.

    ¡°It¡¯s a trap,¡± Tyreth shouted, jumping toward him. ¡°Run away!¡±

    Corvan did not slacken his pace. He easily beat guards to the pier and out to Tyreth. ¡°Don¡¯t jump,¡± he gasped, ¡°we can escape together through the water.¡± He whipped around to face the two red cloaked guards that had arrived at the far end of the pier and were looking up at the Chief Watcher for further instructions.

    There was no need for any directions to be given for neither of the two hooded men had any warning as slender tentacles snaked out of the water, wrapped around their ankles and then, in the blink of an eye, both of them disappeared below the surface with barely a ripple.

    The audience did not move or breathe. The amphitheater was silent a long moment before the Chief Watcher spoke into the electric air and pointed directly at Corvan. ¡°Tarran, you cannot save your sister so now the two of you shall be judged together.¡± The lizard lifted both arms over his head. ¡°I call upon the gods of the water to show us if these two are the source of the lies that have torn Kadir apart.¡± His claws dropped on the two posts, and he leaned forward.

    Corvan put his hands on Tyreth¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We¡¯re going to fall together into the water, but you must not panic. Keep your mouth closed and don¡¯t let the air go out of your body. I won¡¯t let you drown; I promise.¡±

    Tyreth nodded, fear rising in her eyes. Reaching into his robe, Pulling out the stub of a fire stick, Corvan stuck it in his mouth just as a wall of spray exploded around them, obscuring everything and everyone in the amphitheater.

    Wrapping Tyreth tightly in his arms, he toppled them from the pier.

    Clouds of bubbles rose around them as they plunged into the pool. Corvan flicked the cap from the fire stick and filled his lungs with air. Pulling Tyreth closer he tried to move the bubbling stick into her mouth, but her lips were clamped shut.

    They were descending rapidly. He tried desperately to show her what to do, pushing the stick to her lips, but her mouth and eyes were squeezed tight. A stream of bubbles was flowing steadily from her nose. She needed fresh air right away.

    Pulling in another deep breath from the fire stick, Corvan placed his mouth firmly over hers, and pushed his air past her lips and into her lungs. Tyreth¡¯s eyes opened wide, as a burst of fresh bubbles shot out of her nostrils. This time she watched him Corvan take more air into his lungs through the firestick. He put his mouth to hers and Tyreth¡¯s mouth relaxed, as she allowed the air to flow freely into her body. As he took another breath through the stick, Tyreth¡¯s blue eyes locked on his, her lips lifted in slight smile as she pulled him close, and put her mouth over his.

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    Their intertwined bodies didn¡¯t have any chance to fight off tentacles that wrapped tightly around them. Corvan strained against the bands, but the tentacles squeezed tighter then swept them rapidly down and into a dark opening in the wall of the karst. His lungs cried out for more air, but the stub of the fire stick was lashed firmly to his side.

    The tentacles jerked, squeezed tighter and then they were gone. Corvan released a burst of stale air, then held up the fire stick and filled his lungs. Tyreth watched, took it from his hand and followed his example. Corvan glanced overhead to watched the bubbles soaring away from them towards a huge silvery moon. There was fresh air overhead. Pulling on Tyreth¡¯s hand, he kicked furiously, towing her upward.

    They broke the surface in a cavern lit by patches of phosphorus yellow slime floating on the surface of the water. Up ahead a shaft of light shone down a crumbling stone stair to a landing, then the stairs turned towards the water. Corvan towed Tyreth toward it and they crawled out of the water across a beach of small pebbles and collapsed on the steps.

    As his breathing returned to normal, Corvan turned his head to find Tyreth sitting on the step above him and looking out over the water in amazement.

    ¡°My father told me once that it was possible to survive the water, but I didn¡¯t believe him.¡± She looked down at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe him about you either.¡±

    As she studied his face, Corvan found himself wondering how someone so strong could also be so beautiful. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. ¡°So, what happened to the frightened boy I met in the prison?¡±

    Corvan moved up onto the step beside her. ¡°He found someone worth fighting for.¡±

    Tyreth¡¯s smile spread to her eyes, and Corvan¡¯s cheeks grew warm. In his mind he was referring to Kate, but was glad that Tyreth not only took it to mean herself, but that she also seemed to be pleased by it.

    She touched his shoulder. ¡°I am glad you came back for me and did not let me drown.¡± A mischievous sparkle shone in her eyes from the overhead light. ¡°Of course, do doubt you will have to go back to prison for kissing the High Priest¡¯s daughter without his permission.¡±

    The warm flush spread right up to Corvan¡¯s ears.

    Tyreth laughed and checked her shoulder into his. ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you. My father wouldn¡¯t . . .¡± Her voice trailed off and she turned away to look over the water.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save him,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he would jump in like that.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°He warned me about what he was going to do. He said it was just a matter of time before the poison killed him anyway and he would not let that evil creature win. I admire him for exposing the Chief Watcher¡¯s lies, even with his death.¡±

    The surface of the water exploded as huge bubbles of air hit the surface, sending them both scrambling up the steps to escape the rising water.

    ¡°The water creature is back,¡± Tyreth shouted, climbing higher and pulling on his hand.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s the Chief Watcher. He intends to drown all the priests.¡±

    ¡°How can he¡ª¡±

    The water churned and belched another explosion of air.

    Corvan hollered over the rising noise. ¡°He controls the level of the water from the pillars where he stands. The low place where all the priests are sitting has been sealed off by a stone door and once the water rises into the priest¡¯s area, none of them will escape the water, or the creature below.¡±

    Tyreth tore up the stairs, with Corvan right behind her. Muted echoes of the Chief Watcher¡¯s voice reached them as they squeezed through a crack into a lighted corridor. The Chief Watcher¡¯s voice came from both directions.

    Tyreth grabbed his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m going left toward the light. You go right. If you find the Chief Watcher, come back and find me.¡± She pushed him to go but then pulled him back. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything without me. I need you to stay alive.¡±

    Corvan nodded and turned away, but Tyreth pulled him back again. ¡°Do you have the hammer with you?¡±

    His heart sank and he shook his head.

    Her face dropped ¡°But I thought . . . Do you have a sword?¡±

    He shook his head again.

    Tyreth¡¯s voice rose in desperation. ¡°Anything at all?¡±

    Reaching under his cloak, Corvan unclipped the krypin rope and held it out to her. She hesitated, then took it and tore up the tunnel. Corvan watched her disappear around the corner, then sprinted in the other direction. What good would a rope be against the black lizard?

    The tunnel grew darker and jogged to the left, bumping Corvan off the wall and into something soft.

    ¡°Clumsy oaf,¡± a voice hissed in his ear. ¡°We aren¡¯t moving yet. Stay in your position.¡±

    A burst of light shot into the tunnel as someone opened a small window at the end. Squinting, Corvan found himself at the end of a row of red cloaked palace guards crammed into a short, wide passage.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your pike?¡± the man in front of him asked before reaching into the shadows. ¡°Take this. You¡¯ll need something to keep the priests from climbing over the wall. The idiots made it too short just so the spectators above them could see better.¡±

    ¡°Blue flag,¡± the man at the front of the line whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡±

 Chapter 48

    A door at the front of the line of guards opened and the red cloaks marched out. Corvan brought up the rear as the troop spread out along the wall behind the priests, leaving him standing outside the door, directly beneath the toe of the statue¡¯s boot. Each of the guards ahead of him carried a long pike with a double barbed metal tip. Corvan¡¯s was only a lumien light pole with two flaps of leather attached to the end. The man standing next to him gestured for Corvan to close the door, showing him that he had the key on a cord around his neck. Corvan did as he was told and stood at attention with the rest of the guard. He could only hope the cloak worked as well with a full stadium of people and the keen eyes of the Chief Watcher.

    ¡°The palace guard is here to protect you,¡± the Chief Watcher announced. ¡°If the priests are part of this conspiracy, they may try to break over the wall and harm you. As we have seen with Tarran, what begins as lies and deceit will eventually turn to murder.¡±

    The black curtains behind the lizard parted, and the leader of the Rakash slipped in behind the Chief Watcher. The sightless face stooped low to whisper in the lizard¡¯s ear. The lizard nodded and the bony creature slipped away.

    The Chief Watcher left his control pillars and advanced to the front of the stage.

    ¡°People of the Cor, in the past it has always been the self-proclaimed Cor-Vans who have been the source of the problems that have plagued Kadir. Whether among the rebels or our own priests, these charlatans have led good people to destruction. Now, even our own High Priest and his family have succumbed to the wiles of one of these masters of deception.¡± The lizard pointed down that the pier. ¡°As you just heard Tarran shout, he was not the Cor-Van, there was someone else. Yesss, and we have finally caught the one he referred to¡ªthe priest, Jorad.¡±

    Corvan could hear the excitement as the Chief Watcher¡¯s pronounce lisp briefly returned. The curtain at the back parted, and the four Rakash appeared with Jorad between them. A gag was stuffed in his mouth, and he was bound with a long blue krypin rope. The rope was forked at the end, and the separate strands spiraled down each of his legs. The Rakash leader moved in behind the priest, manipulating the krypin to force Jorad to walk forward like a puppet on its strings.

    As the Rakash guided Jorad to the front lip of the platform, the Chief Watcher pointed at the priest. ¡°This deceiver was using Tarran to take control of the palace through his army of priests.¡± His dark eyes turned toward the lower stands full of green robes. ¡°So, we will first test the priests in this conspiracy. If they are guilty, then Jorad also stands judged.¡±

    The lizard lifted his arms. ¡°Answer us, gods of the water. Expose the liars and eliminate the lies so we might worship in truth.¡± Stepping back the Chief Watcher dropped its arms back onto the pillars. A surging waterspout momentarily obscured the pier, then thundered back into the rapidly rising water.

    As the swirling currents overflowed the edged of the karst, a few people in the crowd stood and chanted, ¡°Death to traitors. Death to the priests!¡±

    The crowd did not join them. They were intently watching the priests, the guards, and the swirling water, but Corvan¡¯s eyes went to the Chief Watcher. The lizard was pulling on his pillars with hooked claws and looking anxiously at the narrow window cut into the left boot of the statue. Inside that window Corvan caught a glimpse of the man floundering about the control room, frantically tugging on levers. The Chief Watcher¡¯s pillars shifted about of their own accord and the lizard struggled to keep his balance between them.

    The Chief Watcher pulled back hard and finally regained control. The water overflowed into the priest¡¯s section of seats, and they all scrambled higher to the dividing wall. From between the pillars the Chief Watcher looked on with the same bloodthirsty anticipation Corvan had seen when he devoured the lumien heart from the mother plant.

    Someone on the far side of the Chief Watcher turned to Corvan. Jorad was glaring at him, his face seething with anger. Corvan quickly lowered his head to hide his face within his hood, but he knew it was too late. Jorad was now certain he was in league with the Chief Watcher and the palace.

    Just over the wall at his feet, the speed of the circling water was increasing. A deep whirlpool was forming, sending waves of water even higher into the priest¡¯s section. A few tried to climb the wall behind them, but they were met by pointed barbs. One fell back, slipped on the wet seat and toppled headlong into the swirling water. His gurgling cries circled around with his body until he spun into the center of the vortex and disappeared.

    The chanting ceased as all the spectators stood and watched in mute amazement.

    ¡°They may call upon the gods,¡± shouted the lizard, ¡°but they will be answered only with judgment, for the priests are guilty of treason.¡±

    The water swirled higher and climbed over another step. One more rise and all the priests would be drowned or impaled by the guards.

    Corvan edged towards the door. Tyreth had be somewhere up by the stage unless she too had been captured along with Jorad. He stole a quick glance up at Jorad and found the man intently staring at the stage floor next to the control pillars.

    What appeared to be a green spider, trailing a long thin web from under the black curtains, was circling the feet of the Chief Watcher. Once, twice, and then it climbed up one of the pillars. Tyreth was sending in the krypin in to tie the Chief Watcher to his post.

    Along the wall beside him, the guards were jabbing at the defenseless priests but they would open the door under the boot and swarm and up the tunnel to rescue their leader from the rope.

    Pulling out his last piece of fire stick, he quickly uncapped it and jammed it into the keyhole. Molten rock flowed down, sealing the door shut as his heart sank. He had just locked himself outside with the guards.

    A hand thrust out of the sealed door¡¯s small window and flipped the hood off Corvan¡¯s head. Corvan jerked back as Gavyn¡¯s smiling face appeared in the opening.

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    ¡°Where¡¯s Madam Toreg?¡± Corvan asked urgently.

    The boy shrugged.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Garek and the gray men?¡±

    The boy shook his head.

    Panic rose in Corvan¡¯s chest. ¡°Then where¡¯s the hammer?¡±

    Gavyn stuck his hand through the window and held the hammer out in plain view, its blue light throbbing like a lighthouse beacon. Corvan quickly pushed Gavyn¡¯s hand and the hammer back inside the window but as the light surged out the small opening, he was certain every eye was now focused on his back. He turned to check.

    There was only one pair of eyes bearing down on him.

    The eyes of the Chief Watcher.

    Corvan looked back into those murderous dark orbs and his blood ran cold. ¡°Gavyn,¡± he whispered hoarsely towards the window, ¡°go up the tunnel, find Tyreth and give her the hammer. Now! Run!¡± He heard the boy scamper away.

    Time slowed as if Corvan were in a trance. In slow motion the whirlpool churned one revolution as the Chief Watcher rotated in counterpoint to the face the leader of the Rakash and then its arm swung back in a measured beat, like the second hand of a clock, to point at directly at Corvan.

    Just as his long claw clicked onto Corvan¡¯s location, the green rope bulged, its coils tightened, and the black lizard was lashed tight against the stone post.

    The whirlpool resumed its frantic raced around its track.

    ¡°Treason,¡± shouted the lizard, its muscles twisting as it strained at the rope. ¡°The priests are all guilty and resort to trickery.¡± The lizard pulled against his bonds and the water began to slow down as it released the pressure on the pillars.

    ¡°Listen to me,¡± shouted the lizard. ¡°I speak the truth.¡±

    ¡°Then you shall be judged by the truth,¡± a woman called out.

    Tyreth stepped through the curtain, her white gown shimmering against its velvet blackness. Everyone below froze in place and stared up at her.

    ¡°Another deception,¡± cried the lizard. ¡°More lies!¡±

    Tyreth strode toward him. ¡°No one can lie when they are holding the hammer.¡± She lifted both hands over her head, the hammer clearly visible in her grasp. Blue light from the handle enveloped her as she towered over the Chief Watcher.

    ¡°You say you have told us the truth, Chief Watcher. So now you shall be judged by it.¡± She lowered the hammer toward the claw lashed to the top of the post. The lizard writhed and tried to pull away, but he was held fast. The water below grew still as Tyreth pushed the handle into the bound claw.

    In the silence, the lizard sagged down between the posts, a grimace on its face. Its head fell forward onto its chest as its breath was released in one long hiss.

    Tyreth reached for the hammer and the Chief Watchers head snapped up, a devious smile spreading across his face. His thick tail whipped at Tyreth, knocking the control end of the krypin from her hand. The lizard drew up to his full height, the ropes stretching out freely as his claw raised the hammer off the pedestal. ¡°Old superstitions do not work anymore. This hammer will not harm me, I am the only truth the Cor needs to hear!¡±

    His words echoed across the water just before a brilliant explosion of electricity erupted from the hammer, wrapping around the creature, and throwing Tyreth to the ground. Sparks shot out from around the base of the pillars as blue light blazed through the loops of the krypin. Lightning arced about the thick black band on the lizard¡¯s neck as the Chief Watcher¡¯s head reared back. The light in its eyes faded away, and the creature slumped forward within the tangles of blackened rope, leaving the hammer perfectly balanced on top of the pillar.

    The Rakash leader moved past Jorad, reaching for the hammer, but in its haste, it released the priest from the control of the blue krypin, and in that instant the black blade was in Jorad¡¯s hand, slicing through the air. The severed hand of the Rakash leader fell twitching to the floor, still holding the handle of the krypin rope. The handless Rakash leader staggered forward and slammed blindly into the pillar, knocking the hammer to the ground as the pale creature toppled off the balcony and vanished into the whirlpool.

    Jorad leapt forward to stand before Tyreth, his blade extended toward the three remaining Rakash.

    Short yellow krypins appeared in their hands and on the end of each rope, a glistening point emerged.  The Rakash played the krypins like whips around Jorad¡¯s body until it seemed there were a dozen barbed heads seeking to get past his blade.

    Jorad slashed at one and sliced it almost in half, but another yellow whip sank its point into his forearm. The priest yanked it out and stepped back, but his hand shook and the black knife faltered.

    The three Rakash stood down and waited until Jorad¡¯s hand slid down to hang limply at his side. The knife clattered to the ground. Now the three fanned out wider, their whips closing in like venomous snakes. The yellow ropes flowed through the air, their poisonous stingers hovering near his head as the three Rakash drew closer to both Jorad and the hammer lying on the ground.

    ¡°Tyreth!¡± Corvan shouted. Her head twisted to look at him. ¡°The hammer!¡± He pointed to where it lay. Tyreth scooped it up, plucked the black knife from the ground and leapt in beside Jorad, the blade singing through the air and slashing the yellow ropes into pieces that fell twitching at Jorad¡¯s feet.

    The Rakash did not retreat. They spread out along the front of the stage to surround Tyreth and each pulled out its own long blade. Could they still see? Each one appeared to be fixated on the hammer in Tyreth¡¯s hand.

    Subtle movements at the far edge of the stage caught Corvan¡¯s eye. On that side of the platform, one of Madam Toreg¡¯s gray men was threading a fire stick into the stone floor. There was another gray man in the middle and one more close to the curtain on Corvan¡¯s side.

    The three simultaneously gave their sticks a sharp twist and a muted thump shot a fracture clean across the balcony, separating the three Rakash from Jorad and Tyreth. The crack widened as huge slab tipped forward and the three gangly creatures stumbled backward as Garek appeared, pulling Jorad and Tyreth back to safety.

    With a resounding crack, the two pillars snapped off the broken stage, taking the body of the Chief Watcher with them into the water below. The broken half of the stage tilted even farther. The Rakash slipped off but managed to cling to the front edge. The entire slab now hung only by the sturdy metal rods that had connected the pillars to the control room.

    The Rakash were pulling themselves upward onto the slab and for a movement it appeared they would succeed but thick tentacles shot from the water and wrapped around the legs of the three white creatures, stretching their already long bodies to an impossible length.

    An eerie, terrifying sound filled the amphitheater as the Rakash cried out. With two loud pops, the knuckles of the control rods split apart and the stone stage fell into the pool with a colossal splash.

    A towering wall of water slammed the priests against the wall and dropped them back into their section of seats.

    ¡°Save those men,¡± Jorad cried out.

    The palace guard looked about in confusion before some began to use their hooks to pull the priests to safety. Others from the stands jumped forward to help pull them out of the water.

    As the priests were being lifted over the wall, Corvan looked down into the karst. Through the ripples, he could make out the broken section of the balcony lying on the bottom of the pool. The only sign of the Rakash was a severed hand trailing a long blue double headed krypin, its ends swirling around the submerged body of the Chief Watcher.

    Corvan looked closer. The lizard below was small and green.

    That wasn¡¯t the Chief Watcher. It was Tsarek!

 Chapter 49

    Jamming his long lumien flap pole in behind the topmost tier of the priests seating, Corvan pushed off the wall and vaulted out over the water. Letting go he dropped in feet first, turned and swam toward Tsarek as fast as he could go. A severed tentacle floated up toward him, and he knocked it to one side.

    Grabbing Tsarek¡¯s paw, Corvan pulled him in towards the dark opening where the water creature had lived. Hopefully it had fled the battle or had been crushed when the stage collapsed. The dead weight of Tsarek¡¯s body dragged him back but he would not let go. His lungs were almost bursting as he surfaced in the small cave.

    Gasping for air and pulling the limp form behind him, Corvan swam to the closest shore and pulled Tsarek onto a slab of rock that hung into the water. Rolling Tsarek onto his side he rocked the small body gently. ¡°Don¡¯t die on me,¡± he groaned. From the cuts and gashes on Tsarek¡¯s body, Corvan had no doubt that Tsarek was the reason the water monster had released him and Tyreth. It must have been quite the battle for such a small creature.

    Water trickled from Tsarek¡¯s mouth, but his friend didn¡¯t cough or move. Tears began to fall as Corvan sat helplessly beside Tsarek and stroked the ridges on the back of Tsarek¡¯s neck.

    Across the pool, a shadow fell on the surface of the water from the light flowing down the stairs. Corvan glanced up, expecting to see a tentacle reaching his way. Instead, he found Jorad standing at the bottom of the steps, black knife in hand.

    ¡°When I saw you dive in,¡± the man said, ¡°I should have known it would be to try to save that evil creature¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡°Tsarek helped me save Tyreth¡¯s life, Jorad. Besides, the Chief Watcher is dead.¡±

    Jorad picked his way around the pool toward Corvan, his eyes flickering over the dark water. ¡°I was the one who saved Tyreth. You were in the stands helping the palace guard drown our priests.¡± He drew closer. ¡°I can¡¯t understand what the Chief Watcher could have possibly offered you to help him destroy us. Surely you didn¡¯t hope he would give you Tyreth.¡±

    ¡°I have never talked to the Chief Watcher,¡± Corvan replied calmly, ¡°and you can ask Tyreth. She¡¯ll tell you that I saved her life today.¡±

    Jorad planted his foot on the front of the stone slab. ¡°I will ask her, but first I will make sure this creature is dead.¡± He pointed at Tsarek with the tip of his knife.

    Corvan leaned in over Tsarek¡¯s body. ¡°I won¡¯t let you touch him. He is a good friend and has saved my life more than once.¡±

    ¡°Then he has deceived you,¡± Jorad said. ¡°His kind can only serve their own selfish desires or the purpose of the one who commands them.¡±

    Corvan looked at Tsarek. ¡°You told Madam Toreg not to judge too quickly, yet you do the same thing. This creature has a good heart. If the hammer were here, I would swear on it that he is not evil.¡±

    ¡°What you swear makes no difference to me.¡± Jorad¡¯s eyebrows knit together. ¡°What you believe may feel true to you, but there are some things that do not change. The Watchers are evil and the only way to protect the Cor is to make sure they are all dead.¡±

    ¡°This one already is,¡± Corvan said, but even as he spoke he thought he felt Tsarek¡¯s spines tickle his palm.

    ¡°I will spare your life Kalian, in return for saving my life at the bridge, but I will not let you leave here until I know this lizard is dead.¡± Jorad bent lower over the slab of rock. ¡°Their kind are masters of deceit.¡±

    Corvan jumped to his feet and leaned in toward Jorad, standing the man back up. ¡°When you choose to judge someone before you know all the facts, you act more like the Chief Watcher than the new High Priest.¡±

    Anger flashed in Jorad¡¯s eyes. He grabbed the collar of Corvan¡¯s cloak and Corvan in turn wrapped both hands around the wrist that held the knife. Locked together, they stood over Tsarek¡¯s body. Jorad pushed in hard, and his added weight tipped the stone slab steeply toward the water.

    Locked together, Corvan held Jorad from falling in. They looked down together in time to see the lizard¡¯s body slide down the rock and slip beneath the surface.

    ¡°Jorad, are you down here?¡± Tyreth¡¯s words floated down the stairs. ¡°Did you find him?¡±

    Blue light danced on the ripples and overhead, from entry onto the stairwell landing, a shaft of blue light probed the shadows of the cave.

    Corvan pushed himself away from Jorad¡¯s blade and the rock tilted back up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her see you,¡± Jorad hissed. ¡°She believes in you. It would destroy her to know you were helping the Chief Watcher.¡±

    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t. . .¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Jorad whispered as he released his grip on Corvan¡¯s collar. ¡°Tyreth will lead Kadir now that her father is dead. Seeing you alive will only confuse the situation.¡± He put the black knife back into its scabbard. ¡°Hide behind the rocks until we leave. Do this for me and I will help you escape the Cor and return to your home where you and Kate belong. It¡¯s the only way to save Kate¡¯s life.¡±

    Corvan reluctantly nodded and Jorad whirled about to make his way back to the steps. Retreating into the shadows Corvan crouched behind a jumble of rocks.

    The blue glow flooded the cave as Tyreth descended the stairs, the hammer at her side. She smiled at Jorad, and the man took her free hand and helped her over the final broken steps.

    Leaving Jorad by the stairs, Tyreth moved to the water¡¯s edge and gazed out over the surface. ¡°That boy must have seen a priest fall in and jumped in to save him just as he saved me earlier.¡± Her fingertips brushed her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get a chance to thank him. I don¡¯t even know his real name.¡±

    ¡°His name was Kalian,¡± Jorad said.

    ¡°Kalian. . . precious one,¡± Tyreth said, nodding. ¡°That¡¯s a good name for him. I felt something for him I can¡¯t explain. It was like my connection with Tarran except I was sure I would see him again.¡±

    Behind her Jorad shook his head slowly while looking in Corvan¡¯s direction. ¡°He is gone, Tyreth. He was sent to bring the hammer back to us. That was his mission and thankfully he completed it before he left us.¡±

    ¡°Left us?¡± Tyreth said, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe he is gone. With Tarran I knew he was dead, but with Kalian . . .¡± Her voice trailed off as she searched the surface of the water. ¡°My father believed Kalian would be our Cor-Van.¡± She lifted the hammer and looked into its glowing words. Her face appeared much older in the blue light, and also more tired. ¡°Now they are saying I should lead the people. I don¡¯t think I am ready.¡±

    Jorad came forward to stand beside her. ¡°The burden of leadership is great, Tyreth, but I believe you will succeed. You are much stronger than you know.¡±

    Tyreth shook her head and raised the hammer. ¡°But am I wise enough on my own? All my life I have been pulled in different directions as people have used me, used my position as the High Priest¡¯s daughter, to their own advantage. Now that I have the hammer, the stakes are much higher, and the deceit will be more subtle.¡±

    Jorad moved in close to her side and cupped her chin in his hand. ¡°I can help you to know whom to trust. I will be at your side supporting you. You know I would do anything for you.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Tyreth smiled as she looked into his eyes for a long moment. Jorad leaned in closer as if he would kiss her.

    A sharp tug on the back of Corvan¡¯s hood almost made him call out. He whipped around to find Gavyn grinning at him. The boy motioned for Corvan to follow him and pulled on his sleeve. Corvan nodded, but as they moved into the shadows, he turned back for one last look at Tyreth.

    There was nothing but blue ripples on the water from a glow above the crumbled stair.

    Swallowing the lump in his throat, he spoke quietly. ¡°Gavyn. I need to go as quickly as possible back to Kate.¡±

    Gavyn looked back at him with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°The girl on the litter that Jorad and I were carrying,¡± Corvan said. ¡°She¡¯s at the Molakar settlement.¡±

    Gavyn nodded eagerly and scampered away to disappear beneath a rough wedge of rock that was propped against the cavern wall.

    The crawl space beneath the rock turned into a low passage with tunnels branching off in all directions, but Gavyn obviously knew where he was going. He forged on ahead of Corvan, the glow of his fire stick, around the next corner often the only sign of his presence.

    Crawling after him through a low spot, Corvan discovered Gavyn¡¯s light stuck in the rocks, but the boy was nowhere in sight. Corvan sat down, leaned back against the tunnel wall and closed his eyes. An intense weariness swept over him as the exhaustion drained his will to move another inch. He tipped his head against a large boulder and closed his eyes.

    Before he knew it, Gavyn was back and tugging on his hand. The boy held out a cup of cool liquid that tasted like weak apple juice. Corvan drained it. ¡°That¡¯s good, Gavyn. I could drink a gallon of that.¡±

    Gavyn took the cup back, nodded enthusiastically and pulled Corvan to his feet.

    Corvan head swam, and he stood swaying on unsteady legs. He needed more rest and something to eat.

    The firestick sputtered and died so Gavyn began walking backwards, holding Corvan¡¯s hands and guiding him around corners and over ledges. Corvan stumbled along after him.

    The sound of a rushing waterfall pushed into his hazy thoughts, and a dense mist fell on his skin as if he were walking right through it. The sound faded, they turned a corner and were welcomed by soft light ahead.

    Gavyn let go of his hands as they walked under an arch into a larger round room with a high domed roof from which hundreds of lumiens hung. Lush green foliage covered most of the stone walls and vines ran up the walls, trailing strings of tiny globes like strings of Christmas lights. In the center of the room, hanging from a stout stem, was the largest lumien Corvan had seen so far, at least this close up. He gazed in wonder as he walked towards it, then tripped up against something hard, caught his balance and looke about.

    On the ground, raised garden beds divided the room, each growing a different variety of tree, shrub, or flower. The entire room throbbed with life and color.

    Up ahead, surrounded by a low stone wall, stood the oddest tree Corvan had ever seen. Its trunk was bulbous and as smooth as the baobab trees that grew in Australia, the thick branches fanning out horizontally on top, like a green table on a stout pedestal.

    Gavyn dragged him along the path toward the great tree. Passing through a short gate, the young boy pulled him down onto his knees in thick moss that surrounded the trunk. A spring bubbled up from between the gnarled roots, then flowed into a stone catch basin and out in channels that led to the sections of the garden. Gavyn filled a carved wooden cup from the spring, passed it to him, and scampered away.

    Corvan drank deeply, re-filled it from the basin. It was the same apple flavored water Gavyn had brought him in the tunnels. The young boy had misunderstood his desire for more of his spring water. This place was not where he needed to be. He had to get back to Kate with some food to strengthen her while he looked for a way back home.

    As he waited for Gavyn to return, he studied the cup in his hands. It was carved with symbols similar to the ones on the hammer. Corvan set it down and found a ledge over the pool crowded with many other intricately carved wooden objects. Some were of creatures he did not recognize, but in the middle of the carvings he saw a set that was similar to the central plaza statue in Kadir. It was a family of three people, but the woman¡¯s head wasn¡¯t broken off like the real one in Kadir. Also the mother in this small carved version had long flowing hair and a smiling face that reminded him of Gavyn.

    Gavyn ran in through the gate and placed a basket of strange fruits at his feet. A grubby hand picked up something dark blue, about the size and shape of a lemon, and held it up to Corvan¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Thanks, Gavyn, but I¡¯ll take this along to Kate. She¡¯s sick and needs it more than I do.¡± He tried to get his tired body up to his feet, but Gavyn pushed him firmly back onto the moss.

    The boy pointed at Corvan¡¯s chest and held the fruit up at him again. He would not be letting Corvan go until he ate something.

    Corvan took it from him and tried to bite the blue fruit and almost broke a tooth on the tough skin.

    Gavyn laughed, took it back and smacked its pointy end on a rock. It split into five sections. Poking his finger under a thick white membrane, the boy pulled out a squishy purple tube from one section and dropped it into Corvan¡¯s hand. Corvan went to nibble the end, but Gavyn stopped him, pulled out another of the tubes, and showed him to put it all in his mouth and bite down hard. Corvan followed his example, and sweetness exploded in his mouth as the nectar was released.

    Corvan grinned with pleasure, and purple juice squirted out between his two front teeth. Gavyn laughed again and Corvan chuckled with him. A fresh surge of energy flowed through him. Gavyn was right. Eating was a good idea. He would be no help to Kate if he was too weak to walk. He grinned at Gavyn and the sticky juice trickled down his own chin, sending the young boy into hysterics. It was amazing that someone who suffered so much could be so full of joy.

    Corvan ate another section of the fruit and felt his body respond with both a sense of rejuvenation but at the same time, a longing to close his eyes and lie down. It was a long walk back to the settlement. He would never make it if he didn¡¯t take a short rest. ¡°Gavyn, can you wake me up in twenty minutes?¡±

    The boy cocked his head and Corvan realized how little sense that would make to someone in the Cor. ¡°I need a short sleep, but don¡¯t let me sleep long, okay? I¡¯ve got to take some food to Kate, and I¡¯ve got to get back home to my mother.¡±

    Gavyn nodded seriously and then and sat next to the spring, pulled out a dark piece of wood from a cleft in the side of the large tree and began to carve something. It was slow going with his crude blade he was using and Corvan dug into his pocket, pulled out his Swiss Army knife, and tossed it to the boy. Gavyn pulled out every blade and examined every tool with focused curiosity before he resumed his whittling. a even larger smile of satisfaction on his innocent face.

    Corvan smiled, closed his eyes, and let the exhaustion overwhelm him.

    When he awoke, the lumien light was fading and Gavyn was nowhere to be seen. He¡¯d slept far too long. Scooping fresh water into the cup, he pushed himself up against the trunk of the tree, downing the sweet liquid and studying his surroundings for a sign of the boy or any clue of which way he should go to get out of Gavyn¡¯s tree room.

    It was hard to know. The cavern wasn¡¯t fully round; it also had seven sides, just like the hammer. Each section was divided by slender buttresses that soared overhead to meet in the center of the ceiling where the large lumien hung down. Only three of the sections had doors but which one had he come in? Corvan walked to the edge of the low central wall to get a better view and discovered that the paths in the room formed the same star shape he¡¯d seen on Kate¡¯s medallion.

    As he turned in circle, Gavyn appeared from behind the thick tree. He pantomimed eating things off a table, motioned for Corvan to follow, then ran back the way he had come. Corvan followed around the trunk to see the boy disappearing into yet another door on the far side of the room.

    ¡°This is like chasing the White Rabbit around Wonderland,¡± Corvan muttered as he loped after him.

    A short distance inside the doorway, the passage was blocked by fallen rock. A pebble bounced off Corvan¡¯s head and he looked up to see a rope slowly twisting in circles as Gavyn climbed. Using a boulder for a stepping stool, Corvan grabbed the rope and followed. He was halfway up before he realized that, for the first time in his life, he was climbing a rope with ease. If this was the result of the water from the base of Gavyn¡¯s tree, he was going to drink a lot more of it. He liked the newfound feeling of strength in his arms and chest.

    Reaching the top of the rope, he found Gavyn standing on a crude stone bench and peering through a small hole in the wall. The boy jumped down, pushed on a rocky knob and the wall swung open. He jumped through the opening and Corvan had to sprint inside to avoid being left in the hall before it closed again.

    They had entered a large pantry full of food. Cloth bags hung from pegs driven into the walls and clusters of fruit from hooks embedded into the low ceiling. Baskets were piled on the tables that ran down the center of the room, and a rack of pointed jars occupied the far wall where a stream of water in a trough appeared to be keeping them cool.

    Gavyn ran about, popping things into his mouth from the baskets on the table. He indicated that Corvan should try some as well.

    ¡°This is great, Gavyn. I¡¯ll take some to Kate and the healer.¡±

    Long loaves were piled in one of the baskets. Corvan picked out a small one and handed it to him. It smelled mildly of cinnamon. It was hard to chew, but it was the best bread he could remember eating in a long time. ¡°Do you know every secret passage in this place?¡± he asked between bites. ¡°Is there a faster way to get back to Kate?¡±

    A proud look on his face, Gavyn put his bread down, went to the far wall and pushed up on three pegs in succession.

    A low door next to the pegs swung open and light fell on a tight spiral staircase. Putting a finger to his lips, Gavyn tiptoed through and beckoned for Corvan to follow.

 Chapter 50

    Setting the bread on the table, Corvan climbed the circular stairs after Gavyn with a growing sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Reaching the top, he realized why. Gavyn was crouched beside the small door leading onto the ledge over the High Priest¡¯s Hall. It was right here where he had first met Jorad.

    ¡°Do you want me to go out there?¡± he whispered to Gavyn. The boy nodded but when Corvan put his hand on the latch, Gavyn shook his head, covering his ears and wincing. He was reminding Corvan that this was a creaky door. There must be people on the other side, but Corvan knew how to defeat a squeaky hinge. Leaning hard on the latch, he eased the door slowly and quietly open.

    A voice floated up from below. Gavyn nodded for him to go out but stayed close by the door as Corvan crawled onto the ledge.

    Where the mother plant had been, a chandelier with glowing orbs now hung from a tied off rope, low over the great table. Six men were visible below; three in white cloaks, two in the green cloaks of the priests, and one in a hoodless black tunic, mostly hidden by the hanging lights. Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused the far wall beneath the ledge, towards the tapestry and the hidden entrance.

    ¡°No doubt the Chief Watcher had that piece destroyed,¡± said one of the priests. ¡°We will never know the message it contained.¡±

    ¡°It is for the best.¡± Jorad spoke from somewhere under the ledge. ¡°We have wasted far too much time and energy searching for the Cor-Van to come help us. I think we should use what resources we have at hand to work together and bring peace and prosperity back to Kadir.¡±

    An older man in white turned to Jorad. ¡°So, you no longer believe the Cor-Van exists, Jorad?¡±

    ¡°The scrolls and tapestries all describe the Cor-Van as a great leader,¡± Jorad replied, ¡°someone who speaks the truth and rules with authority. I no longer believe those sacred words point to a specific person, but rather to the office of the Cor-Van, a leader we can all follow. Tarran was such a leader. He was a great man.¡±

    ¡°Who brought us the lost hammer,¡± a thin man in a green robe interjected.

    ¡°And who saved Tyreth from the karst,¡± added another priest, ¡°paying for his brave deed with his life.¡±

    Jorad walked into view and leaned on the table. ¡°All of those are examples of a Cor-Van, a true leader. That is the point of the scrolls. Our leaders are already here among us, whether in the priests or among the people of the city. We have only to open our eyes and we will find the Cor-Van we require. Tarran was one and his sister Tyreth is another.¡±

    The oldest priest snorted and shook his head. ¡°Our people will never follow a young woman, even if she is the High Priest¡¯s daughter. With the Rozan rebels threatening to tear Kadir to pieces, rumors of more of the Rakash at large, and reports of Broken gathering in secret caverns, we need an older man to bring us through these troubled times.¡±

    The last man in a white robe finally spoke up. ¡°As the youngest member of the city council, I believe it is time to change our attitudes about who is allowed to be a leader in Kadir. After today, there is not a person in our city who does not believe Tyreth is capable of leading us.¡± He pointed at Jorad. ¡°She was certainly more courageous that all the priests who cowered in the stands.¡±

    ¡°It is not up to the people of the city,¡± the old priest retorted and the other two men in the white robes sat up straighter. ¡°It is up to this council to decide together.¡± Heads nodded. ¡°I consider Tyreth to be too headstrong, just like her father. He put his foolish plans with Morgan and Tarran into action without the knowledge of the city council. We lost good men from both the priests and from the city because of his foolishness.¡±

    Jorad folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Her father is dead and after today¡¯s events, I believe that if we do not appoint Tyreth to the palace, Kadir will rise up against us. This would tear the city apart and leave us open to attack from the rebels or the Broken or even from . . . Him.¡±

    The old man in white waved Jorad off. ¡°You have just said that the Cor-Van is not a specific person, why would you not believe that the evil ruler of all the Cor is now just a legend as well. Are you trying to frighten us into agreeing with you that Tyreth should lead us?¡±

    Jorad walked back under the ledge. His voice floated back into the room. ¡°If I were to be appointed the new High Priest and Tyreth were to govern from the palace, would a marriage between the two offices dispel your fears?¡±

    The old priest grunted and pursed his lips. ¡°Are you certain she will accept you?¡±

    ¡°Tyreth and I have been close since we were children. She has no one else in her life to consider. Everyone she loved is dead.¡±

    The man in the black tunic spoke out. ¡°Your plan has merit but perhaps this is not the right time.¡± Everyone around the table turned to look at him. Corvan recognized the voice. It was the captain they had met at the city of the dead. ¡°Many are still suspicious of the priests, but everyone trusts Tyreth. Now that she possesses the hammer, she will embody the truth. If she had someone at her side to manage the political sides of leadership, we may create the stability we all require, including the soldiers.¡± He stressed the final word as he leaned back in his chair, folded his arms and stared across the table to where Jorad stood out of sight below. There was a long moment of silence.

    ¡°Let us at least take the first steps,¡± declared the old priest. ¡°Jorad shall be appointed High Priest, and Tyreth will be ruler of the Cor. In a short time Tyreth will be of age and permitted to marry, then she can make her own choice. The we shall celebrate the first marriage between government and religion.¡±

    ¡°Or government and the military,¡± the captain said as Jorad came back to the table with a deep frown on his face.

    The old man in white clapped his hands together. ¡°This may yet prove to be a prosperous time for us all.¡±

    The men pushed back from the table. The man in black spoke again. ¡°There is one other matter we must discuss and that is what to do about the opening my men uncovered in the Cor shield at the Molakar settlement. It has been reported to me that there is an open passage beyond the break, leading upward.¡±

    ¡°It must be closed,¡± Jorad stated emphatically. ¡°No doubt the Chief Watcher was using it to bring the Rakash and other creatures like the one that died in the karst through to Kadir. We should not wait for more evil to enter; we must keep ourselves separated from whatever is out there if we hope to rebuild and survive.¡±

    There were nods of agreement around the table but not from the man in black. ¡°Take some of the priests with you tonight,¡± the old priest said to Jorad, ¡°Close it if you can and then destroy that cavern. Remove the lumiens and the people and then seal off the Molakar settlement. We shall pass a law banning anyone from going that way again. Now that we have the hammer back, our laws will be judged much more swiftly and severely.¡± He pounded his fist three times on the table.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The men stood and made their way to the front door, but Jorad and the old priest remained by the table.

    Corvan inched away from the ledge, keeping his eyes on the two men below. Without Jokten the passage beyond the crack in the Cor shield was his only hope of getting Kate home to safety. He had to beat Jorad and the priests back to the settlement.

    The old priest pointed at the tapestry. ¡°You must also destroy what is left of the great tapestry. Without the key in the center, it is useless anyway. Partial knowledge is more dangerous than you know.¡± The old priest left the room and as soon as door closed behind him, Jorad walked toward the tapestry, nodding to himself.

    ¡°It is useless, but not if you hold the key to where it leads,¡± he said to the empty room.

    Corvan slid back farther on the ledge. He could recall the Chief Watcher cutting out the center of the tapestry, but the creature had left it on the chair, the same chair that Jorad had been sitting on after the lizard left. Jorad was not telling anyone else that he was in possession of the piece of the tapestry.

    As he moved farther back where Jorad could not see him, Corvan¡¯s feet brushed the door and it let out a muted squeak. He looked back but Gavyn was nowhere around. Retreating through the small door, he left it open and quietly descended the stairs.

    Gavyn was back in the storage room, nibbling his way around the table like a fussy mouse.

    Corvan quietly shut the secret door and secured it with the three wooden pegs. ¡°Gavyn,¡± he whispered, ¡°I need to get back to the Molakar settlement as soon as I can.¡± Gavyn did not seem to understand where Molakar was located, so Corvan drew out a map of the Kadir cavern in the dust on the table, pointing out Molakar and telling the boy why he desperately needed to get Kate home before she died. ¡°The only way out is through that crack in the wall the soldiers discovered.¡± He made an X on his dust map. ¡°But I have to get there before Jorad does.¡±

    Gavyn added some of his own markings to the map, drawing strange figures around the falls. A tear splashed into the dust as Gavyn touched his chest, shook his head, and pointed to the broken bridge, then the places beyond. More tears welled up into his eyes.

    ¡°Are you saying you can¡¯t go with me past the bridge?¡±

    The boy nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gavyn, but I have to go. Kate needs me. Can you take me as far as the bridge?¡±

    Gavyn nodded and his eyes brightened. He moved around the room, filling a small cloth sack with his choice of the various items in the baskets on the table. Drawing the string tight, he handed it to Corvan and beckoned him to follow him back down to the garden room.

    As Corvan followed he wondered how long it would take Jorad to get his men together. If they shut the crack before he could take Kate through, she was as good as dead. Even if he could find someone to open the portal door leading to the labyrinth, he did now know how to get back that way and had no idea where Tsarek was, even if his friend were still alive.

    The journey beneath Kadir took them through various tunnels and what seemed to be dried out sewers. Gavyn did not seem to be in any great hurry to get to their destination, and Corvan kept urging him on.

    Finally, they emerged out onto the streets. There was no fog, but the darkness was almost complete and with his keen eyesight, he saw no one as they passed through the ruins. Eventually, they arrived at small gatehouse near the lower bridge.

    Gavyn tugged on his sleeve then pointed out over the river and shook his head. Corvan knelt down and Gavyn touched his forehead to Corvan¡¯s. The boy made a noise in the back of his throat as if he were trying to say something, then he threw his arms around Corvan¡¯s neck and cried silently on his shoulder.

    ¡°I will miss you, Gavyn,¡± Corvan whispered in his ear. ¡°You¡¯re like a little brother to me.¡±

    The young boy pulled back, a pleased smile on his tear-stained face. Reaching inside his tunic, he pulled out the star-studded holster and held it out to Corvan.

    ¡°No, Gavyn,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I want you to have it. I don¡¯t need it now that Tyreth has the hammer.¡±

    The boy pressed a familiar weight into Corvan¡¯s hand and when he snapped it open he found the black hammer inside. How could this be? He pulled it out. There was no glow, and it was a lighter than before and not quite as smooth. Gavyn had whittled a replica from a block of dark wood. Corvan put it back inside the holster and closed the snap. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Gavyn. I will always carry it with me to remind me of you.¡±

    He buckled the holster back in place at his side wishing that he had something to give Gavyn in return, something meaningful, valuable . . . he did have a gift like that. He fished out the pouch with the red seeds. The seeds from the mother plant and Tyreth belonged here in the Cor, not in his world above. Nobody would appreciate their worth more than Gavyn. ¡°I want you to have these, Gavyn, so you won¡¯t forget me.¡±

    The boy tugged on the cord and a red glow lit the tracks his tears had traced down his dusty face. He looked at Corvan in awe. Pointing to the roof of the cavern, he traced a wide arc with his hand, then took only one of the pulsing red tears from the bag and tucked its glow inside his tunic. Pulling the pouch closed, he handed it back to Corvan as if it contained all the wealth in the world.

    As Corvan reluctantly returned it to his pocket, his hand fell on the connected pieces of broken mirror glass. Pulling them out he held out the two halves to the young boy. Maybe Gavyn could find a use for them. Gavyn touched the circle the two curved sides split apart from each other.  A smile broke over Gavyn¡¯s face as he touched the white side to his heart, then closed Corvan¡¯s hand around the blue one and pushed it up to Corvan¡¯s chest.

    ¡°For us to remember each other?¡± Corvan asked.

    The boy nodded, studied Corvan¡¯s face intently, then reached into his own robe and tugged a slender silver chain over his head. Pulling Corvan back to his knees, he pushed the chain under Corvan¡¯s hood and around Corvan¡¯s neck.

    Hanging from the end of the chain was another silver medallion, identical to the one that Kate carried except that it did not glow when he touched it. Gavyn must have carved this gift as well.  ¡°Thank you, Gavyn, I will never. . .¡± He looked up but the boy was already gone. A mournful tune from the pan pipes floated from the ruined city.

    Corvan turned away. As he approached the bridge he was surprised to find the metal plates had been replaced and tightly bolted down. He crossed over, half expecting to see Garek and the gray men but there was no one nearby. Overhead the few remaining lumiens were getting lighter and the thought of Jorad rousing his men to get out to Molakar quickened Corvan¡¯s pace. Jogging around the bend in the river road he approached the dam and followed the aqueduct across the fields.

    One the far side he began to ascend the settlement trail. At the steps on the first corner of the switchbacks, Corvan looked back at the city. He had to get back to Kate, but strangely he was finding it hard to leave Kadir behind. He was saying good-bye to people who were now a part of him: Tsarek, Rayu, Madam Toreg, Gavyn, and especially Tyreth. He had not felt this lonely since his journey began. His father was right. To love others was to embrace pain, at times enough to break your heart.

    Climbing a set of stairs, he passed the scarecrow with its painted eyes and thought of the Rakash. He knew all too well, they could not drown so were they still on his trail? He looked back over the valley. Nothing moved on the ground, but high overhead a small shadow on dark wings swooped past the blue lumien moon.

    He crouched quickly behind the wall and waiting until the rebel leader¡¯s rantel headed back to the crags on the other side of the river. Had it seen him? He pushed the thought away. One thing he¡¯d learned on this journey was that he didn¡¯t need to focus on the fear of what might be around the next bend. He just needed to take the next step. He looked at his feet and moved one in front of the other. ¡°Okay, Corvan, that¡¯s one. How about another?¡± He moved his other foot forward. ¡°Good enough. Let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    Where was he going? He was going to take Kate home. How would he get there? He wasn¡¯t sure but what mattered was taking the next step. His heart lifted and his head came up. He was not going to give in to fear. Stepping past the scarecrow, he whistled his father¡¯s tune and someone else began to whistle it with him.

    He was not alone after all.

    A ghostly gray figure was walking beside him.

 Chapter 51

    When Corvan emerged into the Molakar settlement, the only light in the cavern was the glow from patches of purple moss. The leader of the gray men had vanished at the entry into the tunnel just as silently as he¡¯d appeared, but Corvan hoped he might still be watching over him.

    Tentatively approaching the karst Corvan looked across at the broken crane hanging sloppily above the black water rushing around the island below. A row of unlocked empty shackles brought a sigh of relief.  The young boy with the crew cut hair must have escaped with the others.

    He ran a hand over his head. His own hair had grown considerably longer during his time in the Cor and by his family traditions that meant he was now an adult. He nodded to himself. If being an adult meant saving innocent lives then he was willing to embrace that responsibility. Something had changed in him when he had gone into the karst. He had faced the fears of his childhood and had left them behind. He turned away from the karst. Now it was time to rescue Kate and give her a fighting chance to live again.

    The cliff dwellings were dark and Jokten¡¯s home was as lifeless as the rest. Corvan crept into the entry and set the sack of food on the floor. There was a cough from inside and a small fire stick sputtered to life. The tree on the tapestry covering the inner chamber glowed. Viewed from this side the branches of the tree were covered in pale blue blossoms. On the top left corner, a man dressed in a cloak faced a woman faced in a white dress on the other side. Arranged between them were the hammer, the medallion, and a carved staff with a purple glow.

    The scene split in two and flickers of light fell on his face.

    Jokten¡¯s wife gave him a halfhearted smile. ¡°I was hoping you would return soon.¡± She held the curtain open. ¡°She is fading quickly. Her strength is almost gone.¡± She motioned for him to follow her to the other room where she placed her small firestick into its wall sconce.

    Corvan was shocked by the sight of Kate¡¯s white face on the stone table. Had it not been for the old woman¡¯s words, he would¡¯ve been certain she was dead.

    ¡°She is being pulled deeper into darkness,¡± the old woman said. ¡°I thought the medallion might work to bring her back, but she continues to slip away.¡±

    Corvan squeezed Kate¡¯s limp hand but there was no response. ¡°There has to be something we can do for her,¡± he said urgently.

    The old woman caressed the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°It is hard to know what to do when the good of many people is weighed against our deep love for just one. We could cut into a lumien seed and squeeze its life into her mouth, but I do not think that would be enough, and in the end the Cor would be a darker place with one less lumien to sustain the community.¡±

    Corvan touched her shoulder. ¡°What about these?¡± Pulling the pouch from his pocket, he lifted one of her hands and dropped the last two seeds from the pouch into it. Instantly the room was infused with warmth and light.

    ¡°Where did you . . . It can¡¯t be. How is this possible?¡± She stared at the bright gems in disbelief.

    ¡°Can they help Kate?¡±

    The old woman¡¯s fingers closed tightly around the seeds and a pulsing red glow shone through her skin and outlined her bony fingers. Light twinkled at the top where her thumb would have been. She twisted her head to look into his eyes. ¡°These represent new life for the city of Kadir and perhaps the Cor. Would you deny an entire world their salvation to save one person?¡±

    Corvan wanted to say yes, but the word stuck in his throat, and he just stared at her.

    She slowly shook her head. ¡°We do not even know if it would work. If we allowed her to eat one of these, I think it would be more than her worn out body could handle. Just touching them, I can feel the power flowing through my hand.¡±

    Corvan wrestled with his thoughts. Gavyn had one seed, the healer could keep one, and the other could be used to save Kate. But what if all three were needed to bring light back to Kadir? He looked at Kate¡¯s pale face. Should he take the risk everyone else might die while he took her back home?

    ¡°Could we at least let her touch them and see if that helps?¡±

    There was no answer. Corvan turned to find a dumbfounded look of amazement on the wrinkled face. ¡°Would touching them help her?¡± he asked again.

    Ever so slowly, the old woman lifted her hand before him and opened it wide. The two seeds sparkled merrily on her smooth palm as she pushed her hand closer. ¡°Look, Cor-Van. Look! My hand!¡±

    Corvan looked closely at her hand. The soft skin looked like a teenager¡¯s hand attached to a gaunt arm. ¡°The seeds have a lot of power,¡± Corvan said. ¡°That must mean it would help Kate to hold them¡±.

    ¡°Corvan.¡± She said his name the way his mother did when he wasn¡¯t really listening to her. ¡°My thumb is back.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s eyes opened wide in amazement. Just as a salamander could regrow its tail, the power in the two seeds had regrown the old woman¡¯s thumb. Corvan was about to touch it, to make sure it was real, when the old woman pushed him aside and dropped onto her knees by Kate. Gently she pulled Kate¡¯s hands down to her sides with the palms facing up. ¡°Hold this for her,¡± she said, handing him the medallion. ¡°It is very powerful and opens doors, but it cannot stop death.¡±

    The woman dropped one of the seeds into Kate¡¯s right hand and waited. Nothing happened.

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    ¡°Put one in her other hand,¡± Corvan said, crouching next to the old woman and peering into her face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty,¡± she whispered. ¡°A darkened soul is very different from a severed thumb. This may take some time.¡±

    ¡°But she doesn¡¯t have much time.¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± she said, pointing down.

    Kate¡¯s hand had closed over the red gem. Warm light ebbed through the tightly clenched fist, then crept up her arm. Color returned to her face and the healthy glow moved on down her left arm before stopped at the welts around her wrist. The pale hand clenched, and the glow receded away from the welts.

    ¡°She needs the other one,¡± Corvan urged.

    ¡°No,¡± the old woman said firmly. ¡°There is enough power in the one; she must make the choice to accept it. She must let go of the hate and accept the love she has already been given.¡±

    Corvan put his hand on Kate¡¯s forearm. The warmth within was being pushed back by a deathly cold. He put his face close to hers. ¡°Please don¡¯t let it win, Kate. I promise that I will take you away from here and back home.¡± He clenched her arm and the cold stopped beneath his fingers. ¡°Your mom misses you. She loves you.¡±

    There was no response. He touched his cheek to hers and whispered in her ear. ¡°I love you, too.¡±

    A surge of warmth flowed under his hand and the red welts around her wrist crumbled off like old scabs. Tears of relief slipped from Corvan¡¯s eyes and splashed on Kate¡¯s forehead. As he wiped them away, she took a long slow breath. Her body relaxed and her hands unclenched.

    The old woman inspected the seed in Kate¡¯s open hand. A pink glow flickered across its surface. ¡°She has absorbed enough of its power for now.¡± She plucked it out, and Kate¡¯s hands clutched frantically at the air. ¡°Let her hold the medallion now instead. It will comfort her.¡±

    Corvan placed the disk in Kate¡¯s palm, and her fingers wrapped tightly around it.

    ¡°Is the seed still alive?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes, but I will need to plant it very soon.¡± She held out her hand. ¡°May I have the bag? The other one may help this one rejuvenate. Just as with most living things, companionship is of the essence.¡±

    Corvan handed her the empty bag. Dropping both seeds inside, she tucked it away in her tunic, then sat wearily on the bench by Kate, probing the base of her regrown thumb and shaking her head in amazement.

    ¡°When do you think she¡¯ll be able to walk on her own?¡± Corvan asked. ¡°I need to get her into the gardens where they found that crack in the Cor wall.¡±

    ¡°The seed has done wonders for her, but I do not think she can walk just yet. If Jokten returns, he can help you carry her.¡±

    Corvan looked into her face. She deserved to hear the truth about her husband.

    Sitting beside her on the bench he told her of the fight in the pit, how bravely Jokten had faced the monster, and how he was the one who slew it.

    Tears rolled down her cheeks as he told her he¡¯d buried her husband by the falls. ¡°I wanted to put a sign there,¡± Corvan said, ¡°to tell everyone that beneath that pile of rocks was Jokten, slayer of the great beast.¡±

    She brushed the tears from her cheeks. ¡°You did right by him. In time you will take his place as a great leader.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can be a leader; I fail more than I succeed.¡±

    She took his hand in both of hers¡ªone frail and wizened, the other pink and warm with renewed life. ¡°If you keep doing what is right, are merciful, and live with honor, you will eventually become a great Cor-Van.¡± She looked down at Kate. ¡°And now that the girl is well, you can both stay here and help us drive the evil from our world.¡±

    ¡°But she can¡¯t live under the light of your lumiens,¡± Corvan said.

    She pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that now. That seed was powerful, it may have. . .¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stay here,¡± Corvan interjected. ¡°I promised I¡¯d bring her home.¡±

    The old woman patted his leg. ¡°Get some rest. I would offer you food, but the soldiers would not give me any because I could not work the fields.¡± Getting to her feet, she held up her healed hand. ¡°Jokten always regretted asking me to find him small fire sticks to explore the passages. I wish he was here to see this.¡±

    Removing the firestick from its holder in the wall she carried it into her kitchen area and hung it near the counter. ¡°I don¡¯t have much left in my pantry, but I should be able make you something to eat.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Corvan said. He retrieved the cloth bag from the entry, placed it on the counter and untied the top. ¡°I¡¯ve brought along some food from the priest¡¯s pantry. They have loads of stuff there.¡±

    She gasped in surprise as he pulled out the different foods and lined them up in a row on the counter.

    ¡°How wonderful!¡± she exclaimed, picking up the long loaf of bread. ¡°Let¡¯s slice some of this onto pieces.¡± Pulling two knives from hooks on the wall she handed him one and pointed something that looked like a yellow cucumber. ¡°You cut some thin slices of that to go with the bread. Not too thick, mind you.¡± Her face grew sad. ¡°You will need to take the rest with you for your long journey.¡±

    After eating their simple sandwiches in silence, Corvan placed half the food back into the bag and pushed the rest toward her.

    ¡°You take it all,¡± she said. ¡°I should be able to get some food from the community garden.¡± She tried to put it all back in his bag but he pulled the drawstring tight and held it high over her head where she could not reach it. She laughed and tears flowed down her face.

    In the other room, Kate groaned. The old woman looked over the counter at her. ¡°That¡¯s a good sign, she¡¯s coming around. Her body is growing stronger.¡±

    Corvan went into the next room and stood over Kate. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have much time before Jorad and his men get here to evacuate the Molakar settlement and seal it off.¡± Corvan, said as he flipped his hood back over his head. ¡°We need to leave as soon as we can.¡±

    The old woman brought the firestick, stuck in into the holder on the wall and joined him beside Kate. She looked up at him through a swatch of thin white hair. ¡°Why would they take everyone from Molakar?¡±

    ¡°They want to make sure no one can enter or leave through that crack the workers found. That¡¯s why I had to come back so quickly. That crack is the only way to get Kate back to the surface.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t leave now,¡± she said, tugging on his sleeve. ¡°There are many things you need to know about your family¡¯s history in the Cor¡ªwho they were and who you are.¡±

    ¡°My family was from the Cor?¡± Corvan asked.

    She threw her hands in the air. ¡°Not just from the Cor. Your family ruled the Cor before the rise of the Watchers.¡±

    Corvan put the bag down next to the bench. ¡°How can I be from the Cor when I live above?¡±

    Kate turned onto her side and the old woman sat down and put a hand on Kate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I must tell you about how that came to be and many other things. There is so much you need to know before you leave and go through the Cor shield to return Kate to your world.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s voice filtered in through the curtain.

    ¡°He will not be allowed to pass through.¡±

 Chapter 52

    Jorad pushed through the curtain, the black knife drawn, and grim determination etched across his face by the flickering firestick. ¡°You will not leave the Cor until you give me the counterpart to the hammer, the medallion Kate was wearing. It belongs in the Cor. You, however,  do not belong here and never will.¡±

    ¡°Those are strong words.¡± The old woman stood to her feet and stood next to Corvan. ¡°How did you come by this knowledge?¡±

    Jorad glared steadily at Corvan. ¡°What I have learned is that even the innocence of youth is false. I have decided to take matters into my own hands.¡±

    The old woman leaned forward and peered into Jorad¡¯s face. ¡°And what do you intend to do with a medallion?¡±

    Jorad turned his attention to her and stood up straighter. ¡°As the new High Priest, it is my job to ensure that there is a balance of power between the palace and the priests. A medallion will give me the leverage I require to ensure that the palace cooperates.¡±

    Corvan threw his hood back. ¡°You aren¡¯t talking about the palace.¡± He shook his head in disgust. ¡°You mean Tyreth, don¡¯t you? You don¡¯t even trust the woman you hope to convince to marry you.¡±

    Jorad pushed the tip of the knife directly at him. ¡°Not only were you spying on others, listening in on private conversations, but you also left a map in the dust. That¡¯s how I knew exactly where to find you. It proves again how young and foolish you are. You know nothing of how to handle power. That is why you will never be a leader of the Cor.¡±

    Corvan did not pull back from the blade. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your kind of leader. I don¡¯t want to control people; I want others to know that I care about them.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s gaze went to Corvan¡¯s neck before lifting the point of the knife to Corvan¡¯s throat. ¡°Since you are leaving the Cor, give me the medallion you are wearing on that chain. In return, I will permit you and Kate leave through the Cor shield before I close it and then seal off this settlement.¡±

    Corvan looked at the blade, then to Jorad¡¯s face. ¡°How do I know you are telling the truth?¡±

    ¡°Because I am now the High Priest of the . . .¡± Jorad¡¯s voice trailed off. He stood blinking in the silence.

    Corvan withdrew Gavyn¡¯s medallion from within his cloak. For a brief moment, he regretted that this was only a replica and not the glowing one that soothed a person¡¯s fears. The real one might actually heal Jorad¡¯s hard heart.

    Keeping his knife extended, Jorad yanked the silver disk from Corvan, biting into his neck and snapping the thin chain. Intense satisfaction shone in his eyes as he tucked it away. ¡°My men will arrive any minute with enough fire sticks to seal off the tunnel to this settlement. If you wish to try and leave through the crack in the Cor shield, you must go immediately. I cannot allow them to see you.¡±

    Corvan turned away from Jorad, bent down to Kate and gently shook her shoulders. ¡°Wake up, Kate. It¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Her eyes fluttered and focused on his face. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°We are going home now. I¡¯ll take you to see the stars.¡±

    Kate nodded and Corvan helped her to her feet, covering the hand that still clutched the glowing medallion tightly. Pulling her close he whispered in her ear. ¡°May I carry this for you while we walk, Kate? It would be nice to feel its warmth close by, just for a bit.¡±

    To his surprise, Kate willingly released the medallion into his hand. He tucked it secretly away inside his tunic, glad for once it did not glow strongly for him.

    Taking Kate by the hand, he led her into the kitchen room.¡°Why is it so dark out?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nighttime,¡± Corvan said.

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    ¡°Where are all the stars?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re covered up right now,¡± Corvan replied, ¡°but we¡¯ll see them soon.¡±

    Jorad held aside the curtain into the entry. ¡°Quickly now. We have no time to loose.¡±

    Corvan helped Kate out of the dwelling and into the Molakar cavern. Jorad followed and once they were outside the door, he lit a long firestick and held it aloft to light their way.

    From the entry a thin voice called out, ¡°Farewell, Cor-Van. May you walk in the truth until we meet again.¡±

    ¡°Wait here a minute,¡± Corvan said to Kate, releasing her hand and running back to hug the hunched-over shoulders. He crouched low and looked into her eyes. ¡°How can I say good-bye? I don¡¯t even know your name.¡±

    ¡°My name is Saray.¡± She kissed his cheek and lowered her voice to a whisper. ¡°When you come back to us, you must be sure to find me. I can help you become a great Cor-Van.¡± Reaching into his cloak she unclipped Gavyn¡¯s carved hammer, turned it over in her hands, fumbled with the holster and then clipped it back into place. ¡°You must keep this as your pledge to return to us. Unless you return this to the Cor, our people will continue to suffer.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Corvan said softly, glancing back to make sure Jorad was not coming closer. ¡°The real hammer is with Tyreth. Gavyn made this one, and also that medallion I gave to Jorad.¡±

    Saray nodded and patted his arm and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand where all this is going and soon you will too.¡±

    ¡°The others are arriving.¡± Jorad called out, pointing at a faint glow coming from the entrance into Molakar from the Kadir cavern. ¡°The Captain informed me he was going to in bring his own guards along with my men to ensure we close off Molakar completely. We need to move quickly.¡±

    Saray gave him a tear-filled smile. ¡°Until we meet again, Cor-Van,¡± she said, then turned back to her dwelling.

    Corvan ran back, took Kate by the hand and moved along the path.

    Jorad fell in behind them. ¡°Do not think you were sent to be our Cor-Van,¡± Jorad said. ¡°A Cor-Van must know how to wield power and shape the world in which he lives. Instead, you have been used by others to accomplish their goals. That is not the destiny of a Cor-Van.¡±

    Corvan did not respond. There was no point arguing with Jorad. He tightened his grip on Kate¡¯s hand and pulled her faster down the path.

    On the far side of the karst, they entered a roughly hewn cavern full of plants and debris. A bit of light shone out from clusters of smaller lumiens overhead.  Farther along, a new corridor ran straight ahead between crude stone support pillars cut out of the solid rock. At the end of the double row of ragged columns, a patch of the Cor shield was exposed against the cavern wall. A long crack ran up the center of the glossy rock, easily wide enough for a person to walk through.

    ¡°Do not touch the walls once you are inside,¡± Jorad urged. ¡°Legend says the cracks in the Cor shield will close on any who touch the walls. I intend to seal it once you are through and protect our people from more intruders from the outside.¡±

    As they stopped at the entrance into the crack, Kate turned back, left Corvan¡¯s side and kissed Jorad on the cheek. ¡°Thank you for helping us, Jorad,¡± she said, then returned to take Corvan¡¯s hand.

    The lines on Jorad¡¯s face softened and he looked at Corvan. ¡°I am sorry it turned out this way. I want to believe that you were deceived by the Watchers, that you did not know better.¡± He swallowed. ¡°You do not know what evil they brought on us. Many good men were deceived by them¡ªincluding my brother, Morgan. In turn, he betrayed my family . . . took my wife and child as prisoners to the palace and . . .¡± His forearm bulged as his fist clenched tight around the hilt of the black knife hanging at his side.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jorad,¡± Corvan said, ¡°but I promise you, I did not betray¡ª¡±

    Jorad¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°No one who has been in the company of the watchers can be trusted.¡± He gestured toward the crack with the blade. ¡°You must leave the Cor and never return.¡±

    Corvan looked into his eyes. ¡°I understand how much you must hate the Watchers. I only hope it does not blind you to the truth.¡±

    Jorad sheathed the knife. ¡°I no longer believe that truth exists.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I know it has changed me for the better.¡±

    ¡°Then you are more fortunate than most.¡± Jorad held out the fire stick. ¡°You may need this on the other side. Go quickly. I will stall them as long as I can.¡±

    Corvan took the fire stick and stuck out his other hand to shake Jorad¡¯s.

    Jorad looked at Corvan¡¯s hand, then back to his face. His jaw tensed, then he turned abruptly and strode out into the darkness between the pillars.

    As soon as Jorad was past the closest column, a shadow stepped out. Corvan¡¯s heart thumped in his chest. Was it the Rakash? One of the gray men?

    A tiny fire stick, like a lone votive candle in a huge cathedral, came to life in the high shadows, throwing its feeble light up the stone spire.

    Below the light, A small figure stood in the darkness.

    Tsarek was alive and he was waving good-bye. Corvan waved back, his eyes brimming with tears. When he blinked them away both the light and his friend were gone.