Терри Брукс: Tanequil

By this time next week, that job would be done.

Tagwen crossed his arms, tucked his bearded chin into his chest, and gave a frustrated growl.

«If this isn't the most ill–considered idea 1 have ever come across, I can't think what is!» He was losing what little remained of his patience. «Why do we think there's even the possibility of making it work? How long have we been at it now? Three hours, Penderrin! And we still haven't a clue about what to do.»

The boy listened to him wearily, admitted to himself that Tag–wen was right, and promptly continued talking it through.

«Khyber is right about not relying on the Elfstones. We can't do that unless we're certain that this creature has the use of magic, as well, magic that the Elfstones can react to. I haven't seen anything that suggests it does. It might not be human, but that doesn't mean it relies on magic. If it does, and we find that out, then Khyber can use the Elfstones to disable it. But otherwise, we need to find a different way to gain an advantage.»

«Well, we have seen how fast it can move," the Elven girl said. «It's much quicker and more agile than we are, so we can't expect to gain an advantage there.»

«What if we could find a way to slow it down?»

The Dwarf grunted disdainfully. «Now, there is a brilliant idea! Maybe we could hobble it with ropes or chains. Maybe we could drop it into quicksand or mud. Maybe we could lure it into a bottomless pit or off a cliff. There must be dozens of each in these mountains. All we need do is catch it napping and take it prisoner!»

«Stop, Tagwen," Khyber said quietly. «This isn't helping.»

They stared at each other in uneasy silence, brows furrowed in a mix of concentration and frustration, a little more of the latter revealed on Tagwen's bluff face than on the those of the other two. The night before, theSkatelow had appeared in the sky above the foothills west of the Charnals. Twelve hours had passed since the horrifying discovery that the creature from Anatcherae had commandeered the airship, killed Gar Hatch and his Rovers, and taken Cinnaminson prisoner. No one had slept since, though they had pretended at it. Now that daylight had returned, they were sitting in the sunshine on a mountainside trying to decide what to do next. Mostly, they were arguing about how best to help Cinnaminson. Pen might have persuaded his companions that they should not abandon her, but that didn't mean he'd persuaded them there was a way to save her.

«It would be less mobile if we could lead it into a confined space,"

Khyber suggested.

«Or force it to climb a tree or a cliff face," Pen added, «where it couldn't use its speed or agility.»

«A ledge or defile, narrow and slippery.»

«Why don't we find a way to force it to swim out to us!» Tagwen snapped irritably. «It probably doesn't swim very well. Then we could drown it when it got close. Bash it over the head with an oar or something. Where's the nearest big lake?» He blew out his breath in a huff. «Haven't we covered this ground already? What are the chances of making this happen? What in the world is going to persuade this creature to go anywhere we want it to go!»

«We have to find a way to lure it off the ship," Pen declared, looking from the Dwarf to the Elf and back again. «Off the ship and away from Cinnaminson. We have to separate them if we are to free her.»

«Oh, that shouldn't be so hard," Tagwen mumbled. «All we need is the right bait.»

His face changed instantly as he realized the territory he had mistakenly entered. «I didn't mean that! I didn't! Don't even think about it, Penderrin. Whatever else happens, you have to keep safe. If anything happens to you, the Ard Rhys has no chance of being saved. I know how you feel about this girl, but you should feel more strongly still about what you have been sent to do. You can't risk yourself!»

«Tagwen, calm down," the boy told him. «Who said anything about risking myself? I'm just looking for a way to tip the balance in our favor long enough to free Cinnaminson and make an escape. In order to do the former, we need to separate her from her captor. In order to do the latter, we need to get control of the ship.»

«Get him off the ship and away from Cinnaminson, then get us on the ship and safely away," Khyber summarized. She stared at him. «That doesn't seem like something that is likely to happen in the ordinary course of events.»

«Well then, we will change the course of events," Pen declared. «This thing might be faster and stronger than we are, but it isn't necessarily smarter. We can outthink it. We can find a way to trick it into making a mistake.»

Tagwen got to his feet, making a rude noise that left no doubt about his opinion of this proclamation. «I've had enough of this. I need to take a walk, young Penderrin, young Khyber. I need to leave this conversation behind and clear my head. I was secretary and personal assistant to the Ard Rhys when we began this odyssey and I haven't left that life far enough behind to feel comfortable with this one. I applaud your efforts in trying to save Cinnaminson, but I cannot think how they will lead to anything. If, while I am gone, you come up with the solution to this dilemma, I will be happy to hear all about it on my return.»

He gave them a perfunctory bow, one stiff with impatience and dismay, and walked away.

They watched him go in silence, and it wasn't until he was well out of sight and hearing that Khyber said, «He may be looking at this with clearer eyes than we are.»

Pen bristled instantly. «I suppose you think we should give up, too? Just leave her to that monster and go on our way?»

The Elven girl shook her head. «I don't think that at all. When I told you I would help, I meant it. But I'm beginning to wonder what sort of help we can provide. Maybe we would be smarter to continue on to Taupo Rough and ask help from Kermadec and his Trolls. Whatever this thing is, the Rock Trolls are likely a better match for it than we are.»

«You might be right," Pen agreed. «But in order to find out, we have to go all the way to Taupo Rough, then persuade Kermadec to help, then come back this way again and find theSkatelow, which is flying while we're on the ground. I don't much care for our chances there, either. If we don't do something right now, it will probably be too late. This creature won't bother keeping Cinnaminson around if it's not to its own advantage.»

He was remembering how Cinnaminson, blind but privy to a sort of inner mind–vision that sighted people did not possess, had deliberately led her captor away from the spot where Pen and his companions were hiding in the rocks. He could not be certain that she had known he was there, but Pen felt in his heart that she had. Her courage astonished him, and he was terrified that it might have cost her life.

«All right.» Khyber straightened and leaned forward. «Let's try it again. We know what we need to do. We need to get this thing off theSkatelow and away from Cinnaminson. We need to keep it off long enough to take over the airship, get airborne, and escape. How much time would that take if you were piloting?»

Pen thought, running his hand through his red hair. «A few minutes, no more, if the power lines haven't been disconnected. Even then, not long. A reconnect from any draw to any parse tube would be enough to get off the ground. Cut the ropes, engage the thrusters, open the draws, and you're away. We wouldn't have to worry about Cinnaminson until after we were airborne.»

«All we need to figure out, then, is what it will take to get our cloaked friend off the ship.» She considered. «Besides you.»

«But 1 am exactly what itwill take, Khyber," he said quietly. «You know that. I'm what it's after. We know that much from Anatcherae. We don't know the reason, but we know I'm what it's come for.» He took a deep breath. «Don't look at me that way. I know what I told Tagwen.»