Sean Russell - The Shadow Roads

“How in the world have we come here? It is far from where webegan.”

“Leagues,” Elise said.

They made their way down the hillside. A rubble wall protecteda sloping pasture, and they clambered noisily over loose stone and down intothe soft grass. Sheep appeared to float in the twilight: small, dim clouds uponthe heath.

It was a long walk down the hill, darkness growing aboutthem. The final furlong passed beneath the stars. A cool breeze sprang up fromthe north, and in his exhausted state, A’brgail began to feel chill. A flintroad appeared before them, a pale gray ribbon winding down toward the darkenedlake.

Atop the towers, lights appeared, much closer now, and theknight could see that the buildings stretched for some distance down the tower’ssides, the structures clinging there by what means he could not guess. At theroad’s end they came to a ferry dock, a broad, flat barge rising and fallingalmost imperceptibly between stone pillars. Two tall Fael stepped out of theshadow of a small blockhouse. One came forward, a hand laid lightly on the hiltof his sword. The other stood back, an arrow knocked, the curving yaka wood bowgleaming in the starlight. Brendl went forward and spoke to them quietly in thelanguage of their people.

A moment later he returned to the outsiders. “Come, we willcross to Aland-or. The elders will decide what to do with you.”

“Is it against some Fael law to walk abroad by night?” Eliseasked stubbornly.

A’brgail thought that Brendl looked a bit embarrassed. “Wehave received disturbing news from our people who travel the land between themountains. There are rumors that the Renne and the Wills are about to go towar, if they have not done so already.” He waved a hand to a good-sized boat.

A’brgail needed help to climb aboard, but they were sooncrossing the flat water, six men at the oars, another half dozen guarding thestrangers, though A’brgail thought they were going out of their way to offer nothreat. The oars disturbed the stars, wavering all around them, and sent themspinning away in their wake. A’brgail pulled his tattered robe close againstthe cool breeze and dampness of the lake, but Elise seemed unaffected. Just tosit was a relief. A’brgail felt the weakness of his limbs as he slumped on thethwart, unable to sit upright.

Each stroke of the oars sent the boat surging forward, thebow rising a little, black water rippling by. Like most of the inhabitants ofthe land between the mountains, A’brgail had spent some time in boats. TheWynnd and its tributaries were the main roads of the land, after all. He mightnot know a good boat to look at it, but to ride in one was a different thing.This boat rode the waters lightly, tracked straight and true, and did not bobor roll about. He ran his fingers along the gunwale, the planking; all wassmooth and fair, the scantlings surprisingly fine.

Overhead, nighthawks cried. A fish shot into the air,splashing immediately back into its element. Was the surface invisible bynight, he wondered? Did fish fly out into the air unwittingly?

As I am doing myself , he thought. For he seemed to bein a world not his own, confused, gasping for breath.

The woman beside him was an abomination. A grand master ofhis order had been burned alive for doing what she had done. Bargains withnagar always went awry. But even so, he could not help but feel pity for her.He had seen the agony she was in, clearly, but an hour before. She was payingthe price for what she’d done. He hoped that she would be the only one to pay.He also hoped that Lady Elise would never give rein to the thing within her,for Sianon was a heartless monster. A woman who lived for war and felt no remorsefor the lives it cost. Yet, Sianon was also their only hope-she and Alaan.Hafydd could not be defeated without them.

The tower of Aland-or loomed out of the darkness, and asmall stone wharf appeared at its base. They clambered out onto the steps.Brendl went quickly up to the guards and spoke low. A’brgail found himselfstaring at them, wondering if any small movement or look would betray what wasbeing said or indicate their intentions. The guards only turned to regard themsolemnly.

“This man does not speak your language,” Brendl said, “buthe will take you up into the city. I will send you on without guards if yougive your word to cause no trouble.”

“What choice have we?” Elise asked, bristling a little. “Butyes, we will give our word.”

Brendl bowed to them once, then climbed nimbly back into theboat. In a moment he was lost in the dark, only the quick rhythmic splash ofthe oars marking his progress.

At an unseen signal from the guards, ropes began singingthrough blocks somewhere high above. A large woven basket appeared out of thedark, landing with a gentle thump on the stone. Their guide opened a small gatein the basket’s side and motioned for Elise and A’brgail to step inside. In amoment the three of them were rising smoothly through the air, the dark,star-speckled lake spreading out below.

A soft breeze found them as they rose, and A’brgail had thefeeling that they had taken their leave of the world and were in flight, floatingup like a hawk on a rising breeze. He glanced over at Elise, barely discerniblein the faint light. She stood with a hand on the narrow rail, gazing out overthe still waters. How careworn she looked. Her youthful face overcome by theconcerns of someone much older.

But how old would Sianon be, he wondered?

A’brgail also wondered what thoughts were preying on hermind, for she was an enigma to him-he who had not much experience of women,let alone a woman who had made a bargain with a nagar.

The basket slowed, then settled into a wooden structure, asmall plank floor opening up around them, dark wooden beams, carved with birdsin flight, curving overhead. Lanterns cast their inconstant golden lightthere, and A’brgail saw that the structure was elegant and lightly built,which no doubt it would need to be, for it was cantilevered out over the edgeof a cliff.

Their guide spoke with the Fael who served there, and one ofthem turned to the strangers, and said haltingly, “I will take you to a placewhere you will wait. Please follow me.”

He led them out of the door, not bothering with a lantern.They passed along a narrow walkway, smoothly paved with stone. The city of theFael opened up before them, lit here and there by lanterns hanging overdoorways. The walkways were not broad; three men might lie head to toe and spanthe one they were in. Upon each side stood buildings, some shops, othersapparently residences. They did not exceed three floors, there at least, theirdoors brightly painted, deep stone walls topped by plastered and half-timberedgables, all crowned by steeply pitched slate roofs. Everywhere he looked thefamed craftsmanship of Fael could be seen: a bench carved with flowers, windowsintricately leaded and some of stained glass.

The city had a certain organization and harmony; at the sametime as it appeared to have developed in some random manner. Down a set offinely made stairs their guide led them. Around a bend, a small park opened upbefore them, a pond in its center.

There couples walked, and elders took their leisure onbenches. A troupe of musicians played on a small pram that drifted aimlesslyover the waters.

A’brgail saw Elise hesitate. He could almost feel her desireto linger in this place, to listen to the music-some part of her was thedaughter of Lord Carral Wills, after all. The Fael admired him greatly, andthat could be said of few men.

Their guide stooped, and a hushed conversation ensued with awhite-haired man, who then hurried off. The guide motioned them on. Anotherflight of stairs led them down, but this was on the edge of the tower, for itlooked out over the world. A few clouds, smooth and still, hung in the brightlystarred sky. The waning moon would rise in an hour or two. A’brgail wondered ifhe would be able to stay awake that long. He had never known such exhaustion.