Faerie Lord

Sixty-Five

‘I don’t see any mountains,’ Blue said.

‘They’ll appear in a moment,’ the Abbot told her.

‘It’s an optical illusion,’ put in the Purlisa. He smiled benignly. ‘Look,’ he added, ‘there they are now.’

Blue turned to follow his gaze. The mountains stood out stark and blue against the near horizon. ‘The serpent is there?’ she asked, ‘In a cavern in those mountains?’

The Purlisa nodded. ‘Such was my vision.’

‘And Henry is there too, held by the serpent?’ She wasn’t sure she believed any of this, but the Purlisa had been able to describe Henry on the basis of his vision and the description was completely accurate. Besides, she had no other clue to Henry’s whereabouts.

From the corner of her eye she saw the Abbot give the Purlisa what looked like a warning glance. But the Purlisa only nodded and said, ‘Yes.’

They were standing at the head of the small party of monks who had escorted them this far. A wiry pack animal of a breed Blue did not recognise carried minimal supplies, including her designated weapon. Blue said, ‘What happens now?’

The Purlisa looked at her but said nothing.

Blue said, ‘Will you help me?’

The Purlisa still said nothing. Beside him, the Abbot looked away, embarrassed.

Blue turned to stare into the mountains, ‘I go up there alone?’

‘Yes.’ The Purlisa stretched out a hand to pat the pack animal. ‘You can take the charno. He will carry your weapon.’

‘Won’t you need him?’ Blue asked. ‘For your supplies?’

‘The supplies will remain with you,’ said the Purlisa. ‘As monks, we are used to deprivation.’

‘The journey back is not long,’ the Abbot added. He still looked embarrassed.

‘How can I be sure of finding the right cave?’ Blue asked.

‘It is your destiny,’ the Purlisa told her simply. He handed her the reins of the charno.

After a long moment, Blue turned and led the beast away. The monks stood silent, watching, until she disappeared into the foothills.