Tanequil

Seven

It was late in the day whenSwift Sure sailed out of the shadows enfolding the Dragon's Teeth toward the brightly lit towers of Paranor, sharp–edged and spiraling against a horizon colored crimson and gold by the setting sun. Bek worked the rigging and sails in preparation for their arrival, while Rue stood in the pilot box, easing the big ship into position. It was a still, windless day, and sailing her required little in the way of skill, her steady progress reliant mostly on the power fed out of the diapson crystals. The journey had taken barely forty–eight hours, the weather clear and uncomplicated, the voyage made by flying day and night, the senior Ohmsfords taking turns at catching a few quick hours of sleep when needed. It was a schedule they were used to, having followed it on numerous occasions when there were weather reasons to do so. They might have anchored and slept in this instance, but both were anxious to get to their destination and find out the truth about Pen.

Of one thing they were quite certain. Traunt Rowan was holding something back, and whatever it was, it had everything to do with why they had been summoned.

Bek glanced over to where the Druid sat on a viewing bench with his back against the foremast and his safety line cinched tightly about his waist. He was not comfortable in the air, so he had spent much of his time in that position. He was friendly, though. He was more than willing to talk whenever they approached, always amenable to a discussion of the facts surrounding the disappearances of Gri–anne and Pen, seemingly anxious to help them find their family. Yet as Bek had observed at the start of this journey, it was what Traunt Rowan didn't say as much as what he did that kept giving him away. There was no mention still of why the Druids had decided to go in search of Tagwen after his departure from Paranor or why that pursuit had led them to Pen. There was no mention of what had become of the Troll guard that had served his sister so faithfully from the beginning of her term as Ard Rhys. Most important of all, he offered no suggestion as to what might have happened to Grianne.

Bek was aware that he might be overreacting to omissions that were nothing more than oversights on the part of a distraught messenger, omissions easily explained once broached. But Bek had always trusted his instincts on such things, and his instincts in this case warned him that something was not right. Because Rue felt the same way, he was inclined to keep his concerns to himself and to watch his back until he had a better understanding of what had happened.

AsSwift Sure settled down inside the broad west court, where the Druid airships were anchored when not flying, it occurred to him that he had been to Paranor only twice before in his life. It was a shock to realize that he had not come more often than that, given that Grianne had been Ard Rhys for almost twenty years. But he understood the reason for it. Both times he had visited, he had been anxious to leave. The walls of the Keep closed in on him, shut him away and gave him a trapped and helpless feeling. The stone passageways reminded him of the underground lair of the Antrax. The dark forms of the Druids reminded him of the Morgawr and his Mwellrets. His time in Parkasia still haunted him, its memories unpleasantly vivid and troubling.

His sister had been anxious to explain what it was she was trying to achieve with the order, how she envisioned it serving the Four Lands. It was Walker Boh's dream she was seeking to fulfill, and she had dedicated her life to making it come true. But it was her vision she was following, not Bek's, and he had trouble finding reasons to believe in it as she did. He did not share Walker's belief in the importance of the Druids to the Races, — he did not accept that a Druid Council would function any more effectively or wisely than the governments already established. He trusted his sister and believed her to be capable and committed. But she was still only one person, and however powerful she might think herself, she was diminished measurably by how she had lived her life as the Use Witch. Her exposure to the truth of who and what she was through contact with the Sword of Shannara had caused her psyche to suffer great damage. She might have woken from the coma into which she had fallen as a result of having faced up to that truth, but he wasn't sure she had come back from it whole.

Her responsibilities were so overwhelming and the response of those she sought to help so disdainful that he found himself wondering whether she might revert to the dark creature she had been before he found her. He hated himself for thinking that way, but he understood the pressure she was under and the weight of the task she had given herself. It was one thing to reestablish the Druid order, — it was another to lead it. He wanted to tell her to let go, to come away with him. Even while she was explaining what it was she was trying to do, he wanted to urge her to stop. But, in the end, he said nothing. It was her life, not his. It was her decision.

Standing on the foredeck ofSwift Sure as Rue set the big airship down on Druid soil, he found himself wondering if he would ever see Grianne again. His concerns had all been for Pen, but it was Grianne who had disappeared first and been gone longest. Because she had a history of such disappearances and because she had always returned from them, he had given little thought to what the most recent one might mean. But it was possible, even for an Ard Rhys, to venture too far into unfriendly territory and not be able to find a way out again. It was possible, even for Grianne, not to return.

He turned his attention to dropping the anchor lines then, as the airship touched the ground, climbing down the rope ladder to secure them. The air within the Druid walls felt hot and still. He smelled the dust and the dryness, — he could breathe them in. Already, he was wishing he were somewhere else. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he waited for Rue and Traunt Rowan to descend. It was pointless to dwell on his discomfort. He was here, and here he would remain until he found what he had come looking for.

With Rue beside him, he followed the Druid toward a pair of massive double–entry doors at one end of the court. But before they reached them, the doors opened and a small group of black–cloaked figures emerged into the fading light. As they moved into the courtyard, their long shadows played against the earth like wraiths, faceless and bodiless within their coverings. A chill went up Bek's spine, a warning to be careful. He had formidable magic at his command, but his skills and experience were not the equal of these.

As the contingent approached them, Traunt Rowan turned back to Bek and Rue. «Your arrival is much anticipated," he said with a deferential nod.

There were three of them, two leading the third, one of the two a broad–shouldered woman of some size and obvious strength. She pulled back her hood as she reached him, and he knew instinctively from the strong features and military bearing that she was the leader. «Bek Ohmsford," she said, extending her hand. «I am Shadea a'Ru, Ard Rhys in your sister's absence.»

She shook his hand quickly, took Rue's in turn, then nodded to her companions. «My First of Order, Gerand Cera, and my assistant, Pyson Wence.»

Bek nodded to them in turn, the first tall, thin, and sharp–featured, the second physically unintimidating, but with eyes that reminded him of a hunting bird's. Deferring to the woman, neither spoke on being introduced.

«What have you learned of our son?» Rue asked at once. «Have you found him?»

«We haven't.» Shadea met her gaze without flinching, something a lot of men couldn't do. «We continue to search, of course, for both your son and the Ard Rhys, but we have run out of places to look. If you come with me, I will explain.»

Without waiting for their agreement, she turned and started back toward the Keep, her two companions and Traunt Rowan falling quickly into step behind her. Bek glanced at Rue, shrugged, and they followed as well. He was trying to remember if his sister had ever said anything about any of these Druids, but nothing came to mind. Aside from Ahren Elessedil, Tagwen was the only one he could remember her speaking about and the only one he could remember meeting. He wished now that he had paid better attention.

Inside the Keep, Shadea beckoned them forward to walk with her, and the other three Druids gave way as they moved ahead.

«The Ard Rhys disappeared after retiring to her chamber several weeks ago. She went into her room and never came out. There was no sign of a struggle when we found her missing. The Trolls on watch said she had not come out during the night and that they had heard nothing. I dismissed them anyway, simply as a precaution. We have many enemies, and they have many reasons to want us gone. The Trolls might have been subverted.»

That was one explanation, Bek thought, though it didn't feel right. «I recall my sister saying more than once how much she depended on them, how reliable they were.»

Shadea's sun–browned face turned his way sharply, and she brushed the short–cropped blond hair from her forehead. «She may have made a mistake by trusting them. We don't know.»

«No one has seen her since? No one has sent any word of her?» «None. Tagwen seemed to have an idea about what might have happened, but then he disappeared as well. We tracked him to Em–beren and to Ahren Elessedil. Then we tracked them both to Patch Run. Apparently, when they left, they took your son with them. That was the last thing we discovered that's worth talking about. We still don't know why the Ard Rhys disappeared or where she might have gone. We don't know where your son, Tagwen, and Ahren Elessedil have gone, either. Our airships continue to search, but time slips away, and that doesn't favor our efforts. I am hopeful that by coming to Paranor, you can change things.»

Bek felt Rue's hand tighten in his own. «How can I help you? I don't know anything about this.»

Shadea a'Ru nodded. «It is no secret that you are extraordinarily close to your sister. The story of how you found each other twenty years ago is common knowledge. Your inherited magic drew you in ways that nothing else could. It binds you irrevocably. I think we can make use of that in finding her and very likely your son, as well. I'll show you how.»

They passed down the shadowed corridor and ascended a series of stairs to the upper levels. In a broad, high–ceilinged hall that ran down the center of the Keep, they encountered other Druids moving about in small groups, carrying books and papers and conversing with one another. A few looked them over as they passed, taking note of the two who were clearly not of their order. But no one looked for very long, turning quickly away when they caught sight of Shadea.

They are afraid of her,Bek thought.

He remembered that it had been the same when he had come to visit his sister—the same looks, the same quick averting of faces when she passed. Nothing had changed in her absence. It made him wonder if it was the nature of the position or of the candidates drawn to occupy it. It made him wonder why anyone would want it.

As they turned down a secondary passageway, one narrower and less heavily traveled, a young Druid rushed into their midst, colliding with Bek in a flurry of confusion and knocking him to the floor.

«Sorry," he apologized quickly, reaching down to help Bek up again. The papers he had dropped lay scattered everywhere about them. «I didn't see you. I was in a hurry. My mistake. Are you all right? Well, then. Again, sorry.»

Their hands clasped, and Bek felt a tiny piece of paper pressed into his palm. «There, no harm done," the young Druid declared, his eyes meeting Bek's quickly before looking away. He apologized again, this time to Shadea, and bent to retrieve his papers from the floor. The big woman gave him a withering look and walked right on past, beckoning the others to follow. Bek glanced down briefly at the young Druid as he passed him. The other man did not look up.

As they continued on, Bek slid the piece of paper into his pocket. He had never seen the young Druid before. He glanced over at Rue, but she didn't seem to have noticed anything.

They climbed several sets of stairs and traversed several more corridors before coming to a room set high in the Keep. Gnome Hunters stood watch without, and the door was locked and barred.

The Gnomes moved aside quickly as Shadea stepped up and manipulated the locks. When the door was open, the Druids ushered the Ohmsfords inside.

Bek glanced around. The room was empty except for a huge basin of water that sat at its center. The basin bowl was shallow and broad, and the waters it contained were a very deep green. There were lines and markings drawn on the surface of the basin below the waters, bumps and ridges, as well. It was a map, he realized, moving over to get a closer look, a map of the Four Lands.

«This is where you can help us, Bek," Shadea a'Ru announced, moving up beside him. Rue had already taken up a position on his other side, and he could feel the anticipation radiating from her like body heat. «This room is called the cold chamber. The stone walls insulate the basin. The scrye waters in the basin monitor the lines of power that bind the earth. They reflect disturbances in those lines when a powerful magic is used. We study them in an effort to discover where magic is being used outside the purview of the order.»

She turned to him. «We had thought to use the scrye waters to track your sister's movements after she disappeared, but there have been no disturbances that would indicate the use of her magic. Still, the waters will track such magic, even its most minuscule application, if their power to interpret is enhanced. If you were to apply the magic of the wishsong to that end, we might be able to discover where she is. I know you possess the power to control its effect on things. Will you use it here?»

Bek held her gaze a moment, trying to read what was behind it. She was asking him to do something very straightforward, but he was suspicious of her motives. Traunt Rowan's omissions and shad–ings still troubled him, — his uneasiness about the circumstances surrounding the disappearances of his sister and son hadn't lessened. He was tired from lack of sleep and worry, and he didn't trust that he was thinking clearly.

«I know you want me to do this right away," he told her. «I want that, too. But I don't know that I can help you effectively until I am better rested. Application of the magic of the wishsong requires a steady concentration that I don't feel I can bring to bear just now.

What I would like to do is eat something and get some sleep, then try in the morning, when I'm fresh.»

«Bek!» Rue exploded angrily, gripping his shoulder so hard it hurt. 'This is our son and your sister we are trying to help! What do you mean, you need to rest? You can rest later!»

Her words made him flinch, but he looked directly at her. «I'm worried for them, too. But I don't want to make a mistake. I'm just not sure I'm recovered enough from that fever to focus the way I need to. Not without a little food and rest first.»

He turned away from the surprise and confusion that flashed sharply in her eyes. «Tomorrow, then?»

Clearly unhappy with the delay, Shadea a'Ru took a moment to consider. Reluctantly, she nodded. 'Tomorrow will be fine. Traunt Rowan will see you to your sleeping chambers and arrange for food to be brought. Rest well.»

She swept out of the room without sparing him another glance, a hint of disgust reflected on her strong features. The taller of the two Druids who went with her turned briefly to study him, and Bek did not care for what he saw in the dark eyes. Then they were gone, and Traunt Rowan was saying something about arrangements for the night. Bek didn't hear all of it; his attention was back on Rue, who was looking at him in what he hoped was a less judgmental way.

«Come with me," the Druid ordered, his own face dark and troubled.

It took them only a few minutes to reach their sleeping chambers, which consisted of two rooms with a bed, a few furnishings, a single door, high windows, and a pair of unfriendly looking Gnome Hunters already positioned at the doors.

«To keep you safe," Traunt Rowan explained quickly. «We are taking no chances with your family even here. Until we find out what has happened to the Ard Rhys and your son, we intend to keep close watch over all of you. I will have dinner sent right up.»

When he was gone and the door securely closed behind him, Bek put a finger to his lips before Rue could say anything, shaking his head in warning. He motioned about the room, to the walls and ceiling, to the vents and doors and windows, where other ears might be listening. When she nodded her understanding, he took her in his arms and put his lips close to her ear. «Are you all right?»

He felt her nod into his shoulder. Her mouth pressed against his ear. «What was all that about a fever?

You haven't had a fever in months.»

«An excuse to keep Shadea at bay," he whispered. «Something about all this isn't right. I need to think about what she's asking me to do.»

Another nod. «I don't trust her, either. I don't trust any of them. They're lying about something.»

«That young Druid who bumped into me in the hallway? That wasn't an accident. He gave me a note, — I have it in my pocket. He pressed it into my hand while he was helping me get up. He didn't want Shadea and the others to see what he was doing. He took a big chance.»

«Do you know him? Is he Grianne's friend?» «I don't know who is or isn't her friend at this point.» «Have you looked at the note?»

He shook his head. «I was waiting until we got away from the others. I didn't want to take a chance that they might see me looking at it.» He paused, looking past her to the stone walls. «Walk with me over to the window. Stand close so we can shield what we're doing.» He felt her hand press against his back. «Do you think they might be watching as well as listening? Here?»

He shook his head. He didn't know. But he wasn't about to chance it. The safety of his sister and his son were at stake, and some among the Druids might not have their best interests at heart, no matter what they said.

They moved over to the window. The sun was setting on the horizon, a bloodred orb hung against a cerulean sky. Shadows had lengthened into dark pools, and the moon was just visible along the northeast horizon. The air outside felt cool and fresh on their faces as they leaned out, resting their arms on the stone sill, hunched close together with their backs to the room.

Bek slipped the scrap of paper from its hiding place and laid it in front of them, keeping his hands cupped about it. They bent close. Four words were printed on it in block letters.

DO NOT TRUST THEM.

That was all. Bek studied the note a moment more, glanced at Rue, then pocketed it anew. When he had a chance to do so, he would destroy it. But he would have to be careful how he handled it. Druids could reconstruct messages from nothing more than ashes.

«Clearly, not everyone is in agreement about what has happened to my sister," he said. «The young Druid, for one.»

«Maybe others, as well.»

He laid his hand on her arm. «We can't trust anyone.»

She nodded, her eyes shifting to find his. «What are we going to do?»

He smiled. «I was hoping you could tell me.» He leaned over and kissed her forehead gently. «I really was.»

in bed that night, wrapped in each other's arms, comforted by the darkness and the silence, they talked about it.

«Do you think they are listening still?» She said it with an edge to her voice that suggested what she might do to them if she discovered they were.

He stroked her hair. «I think they have better things to do.»

«I hope they weren't watching when we bathed. That makes my skin crawl. But I can imagine that ferret–faced Druid doing it.»

«No one watched us bathe.»

She was silent a moment, pressed up against him. «At least the meal they gave us was decent. They didn't try to poison us.»

«They have other plans for us. Poison doesn't figure into things until we've served our purpose.»

He felt her face turn toward his own in the dark. «Which is? You have a hunch, don't you?»

His voice was already a whisper, but he lowered it further. «I've been thinking about it. Grianne disappeared for no discernible reason, but Tagwen went outside the order to find help. That suggests he didn't know who to trust among these Druids any more than we do. He knew he could trust Ahren, though. So he traveled to Em–beren to ask for his help. Ahren would have given it willingly. That much I feel pretty certain about.» «Me, too.»

«But then they went to Patch Run. Maybe they did so to look for us, but they found Pen, instead. So they asked Pen where we were. He probably told them and wanted to go with them. Somehow, he persuaded them that it was a good idea.»

«Or they had to take him because they thought he was in danger.»

«Right. But what happened then? Did they come looking for us? If they did, why didn't they find us? Pen would have been able to track us down. He would have known how. Ahren would have helped him, using Druid magic. Anyway, something happened to prevent that. So now these Druids who've brought us here are looking for them. And, ostensibly at least, for Grianne, as well. But they can't find them.»

«They want us to find them," Rue whispered. «They want us to do their work for them. But maybe not to help. Maybe to do harm.»

It made sense. While the Druids might profess that their intentions were honorable, there was good reason to think otherwise.

They were silent again for a time, pondering their fresh insight, trying to think through what they should do about it. Bek felt his wife tighten her grip on him. «We can't help them. We can't put Pen–derrin in any more danger than he is already in.»

«I know.»

«I hate it that he's become involved in this, in your sister's life, in Druid intrigues and gamesmanship.»

«Don't underestimate Pen. He is smart and capable, and he has some experience in the world. He might not have magic to protect him, but he has his wits. Besides, if he's with Ahren, he's as protected as he would be with us.»

«I wouldn't agree with that. Anyway, he shouldn't have to be protected in the first place.»

He felt her anger building. «Rue, listen to me. We can't change what's happened. We don't even know for sure what that is. That's what we came to find out. Maybe we will, once we have a chance to talk with that young Druid. In the meantime, it doesn't do us any good to get too angry to think.»

«What makes you think I'm angry?»

«Well—"

«Don't you think I have a right to be angry?»

«Well—"

«Are you suggesting I can't be angry and think at the same time?»

He hesitated, uncertain of his reply, then felt her begin to shake with suppressed laughter. «Very funny," he whispered.

She poked him in the ribs. «I thought so.»

They lay quietly, listening to each other breathe. Bek ran his hands along his wife's ribs and down her legs. He could feel the ridges where scar tissue had formed over wounds she had suffered twenty years earlier aboard theJerle Shannara. They were a testimony to her strength and resiliency, a reminder of how hard her early life had been. He had always believed her to be stronger than he was, tougher of mind and body both. He had never stopped thinking of her that way. Others might think that because he possessed the use of the wishsong's magic, he was the stronger. Some might even think that being the male in their partnership made him the stronger. But he knew better.

«I won't get angry until after I get Penderrin back," she said suddenly, her words so soft he could barely hear them. «I don't make any promises after that.»

«I wouldn't expect it.»

«We will get him back, Bek. I don't care what it takes.»

«We'll get him back.»

«How?»

«You asked me that earlier.»

«You didn't answer.»

«I was thinking. I'm still thinking.»

«Well, hurry up. I'm worried.»

He smiled at her insistence, but was glad she couldn't see him doing so. She was scared for her son, and he would not want her to mistake how he was treating the matter. He was worried, too. But he understood that what was needed was a calm, measured approach to untangling the puzzle surrounding Pen's and Grianne's disappearances. Rue's strength might lie in her determination, but his lay in keeping his wits.

«I'll hurry," he promised. «I would appreciate that.» «I know.» «I love you.» «I love you, too.» Minutes later, they were asleep.