CHAPTER NINE

Sakkuth, Isembaard

A xis and Ravenna walked through the ill-lit and largely deserted streets.

A squad of ten armed men followed them at a distance of about twelve paces.

Axis did not try to evade them, and did not particularly resent them. If he’d been Isaiah he would have done the same thing and, frankly, he thought it remarkable that he and Ravenna were walking the streets at all after this night’s debacle.

He wondered how Maximilian and Ishbel were doing.

“I remember you from the tales told of Maximilian’s rescue from beyond the hanging wall,” Axis said quietly to Ravenna as she led them to where StarDrifter and the remainder of Maximilian’s party waited.

“And I, naturally, know of you from the many tales circulating of Tencendor.”

“Isn’t legend such a wonderful social introduction aid,” Axis said, and Ravenna laughed softly, a lovely, low, seductive sound.

Axis glanced at her. “If I was Ishbel, I’d be worried that Maximilian has had such as you for company all these weeks and months.”

“She has no reason at all, as yet, to be jealous of me. Maxel has remained true to her, if not she to him.”

Axis noted that “as yet,” and also noted, from the tone of Ravenna’s voice, that perhaps Ishbel was a subject best left alone for the time being.

Besides, there was something else, far more wonderful, awaiting him.

“My father,” he said. “StarDrifter. Is he well?”

Ravenna smiled at the repressed excitement in Axis’ voice. “Yes. He is well. And regrowing his wings.”

“What? How?”

“Ah, we carry our own mysteries with us. And, as you heard, StarDrifter also has a wife, if a somewhat reluctant one.”

“This I cannot believe! Who can have managed to nab my father? Tell me, who is this Salome?”

“Well…they, ah, met in Coroleas. I will leave it to StarDrifter to tell you about her.”

There was a mischievous glint in her eye as she said this, and Axis had to bite his tongue from peppering her with questions.

“StarDrifter is an extraordinary man,” Axis said. “I remember the first time we met…at the base of the Icescarp Alps…”

His voice faltered, and Ravenna touched his arm briefly in empathy.

Axis brought his emotions under control. “And the other members of the party? Not many, from what you said.”

“My mother, Venetia, and Serge and Doyle. I think you will like them. They once worked as assassins, but now are Maxel’s loyal men.”

“Assassins?” Axis laughed. “Never tell Isaiah that!”

“Look, we are here. Let me go down first, Axis, for Serge and Doyle will be as nervous as cats and you’ll like as not meet the blades of their swords before ever you meet them if you enter first.”

“Axis!” StarDrifter hugged his son to him, so tight that Ravenna, standing to one side, later swore she had heard Axis’ bones creak in protest. Tears streamed down his face, as they did down Axis’, who returned his father’s embrace with equal ferocity.

Venetia met her daughter’s eyes, and smiled. She had rarely seen StarDrifter smile, let alone display this magnitude of joy, and she was glad for him, that finally he had his son in his arms and his life again.

She glanced at Salome. The woman was standing against a wall, almost in the shadows, looking both distant and cautious, and Venetia wondered what she made of this arrival.

Axis SunSoar, the great legend, of whom even Salome in her time at Coroleas must have heard.

And now a close relative.

Axis and StarDrifter were still embracing, laughing, tears flowing freely down both their faces. Finally, Axis pulled away a little, one hand patting at StarDrifter’s back as he did so.

“What is this then, StarDrifter? Wings?”

StarDrifter sobered. “You know how—”

“How you lost them. Yes. Gods, StarDrifter, no one knew what had become of you. Where you had gone. We had lost Zenith, only to rediscover her in the world beyond death, but you…No one…oh, sweet stars in heaven, I can hardly believe you are here. I saw you this morning, and thought you an apparition…and this evening, when Maximilian and Ravenna appeared—”

“Please,” interrupted Serge, “what of Maximilian? Is he safe?”

“Yes,” said Ravenna, “for the moment I believe he is safe enough in body if not well in spirit or heart, Serge. Ishbel has abandoned her wifely vows for the Tyrant of Isembaard, and the daughter she bore Maxel died at birth. Murdered, I believe, by the maniac Ba’al’uz.”

His hand still on StarDrifter’s shoulder, Axis turned to face the rest of the group.

“We all have much news to share,” he said, “and we need somewhere better than this to share it. Isaiah, the tyrant, has offered Maximilian and all of you shelter within his palace. He—”

“Oh, come now!” said Doyle. “Surely you don’t expect us to believe that!”

“Isaiah is not the great evil warlord of the south,” Axis said. “He is a good man. And I think you will be no more imprisoned within his palace than you are”—he glanced about the dismal bakery cellar—“here, and far more comfortable, although you may have to relinquish your weapons at the door.”

Serge’s and Doyle’s hands both tightened reflexively about the hilts of their swords.

“And I shall return them to you within your quarters as soon as I might,” Axis said. “A deal?”

Serge and Doyle exchanged a nod. “A deal,” Doyle said.

“So then,” said Axis, “now that we’ve sorted out the difficulties of accommodation, perhaps some introductions?”

“Ah, I am sorry,” said StarDrifter. “Where are my manners? Serge and Doyle,” he said, nodding in turn at each man, “are Maxel’s men.”

“And former assassins, I hear,” said Axis, stepping forward to take each man’s hand. “Please don’t mention that to Isaiah. He has just survived an assassination attempt, by an Icarii—”

“What?” said StarDrifter.

“StarDrifter, I will talk to you about it later,” said Axis. “Serge, Doyle, your former employ shall have to remain quiet for the moment, I think. Agreed?”

They both nodded. “Agreed.”

“This is Venetia,” said StarDrifter. “Ravenna’s mother.”

Axis smiled at her. She was as lovely as her daughter, with the same coloring and strange gray eyes, but whereas Ravenna’s beauty was that of the freshness of youth, Venetia’s was that of the mature woman.

Axis felt immediately attracted to her—experience was always the more seductive beauty than youthful freshness.

And when combined with her obvious power…

As with Serge and Doyle, Axis took Venetia’s hand, but did not immediately let go of it.

“I have never met such as you and your daughter,” he said quietly, holding her level gaze. “Maximilian is a lucky man to have you as his allies.”

“He is a man who attracts such luck,” said Venetia. She started to pull her hand from Axis’, but he tightened his grip fractionally, keeping it trapped a moment longer.

“I shall have to ask him his secret,” Axis said, then let Venetia’s hand go with a slight widening of his smile, and turned to where Salome stood.

“You are Salome,” he said, taking her hand as he had everyone else’s. “An Icarii…and also growing wings, I see. There is a story here.”

Salome said nothing, looking uncomfortable.

Axis looked to his father.

StarDrifter looked even more uncomfortable.

“Salome is a SunSoar, Axis,” Venetia said, irritated by all the hesitation, “and now carrying StarDrifter’s child. The SunSoars are to be congratulated, I think, for their skill in rekindling their dynasty. The rest I should leave for StarDrifter or Salome to explain to you.”

Axis was aware he was gaping unbecomingly, but for the moment he could do little else. The instant Venetia had said Salome was a SunSoar he had recognized it in her face. But how? Whose child was she?

StarDrifter had come over and gently disengaged Salome’s hand from Axis’. “We have a great deal to share, Axis,” he said softly, “but as you said, this is not the place to do it.”

Axis finally managed to regain his composure, and turned to Salome fully.

“Have you been welcomed into the House of SunSoar, Salome?”

She frowned, flickering a glance at StarDrifter.

“No,” she said, “what do you mean?”

“Although my father has very obviously been an attentive man, Salome,” said Axis, “he has also been somewhat neglectful of his duties.” He gave a little shrug, remembering how he had shunned his son DragonStar for far too long. “As we have all been, from time to time.”

He stepped closer to Salome, placing both of his hands on her shoulders.

“These are words, Salome, that are usually spoken to a newborn baby, as StarDrifter and myself, and you, too, will speak them to the child you are carrying at his birth. But I sense you have had a difficult life, and have only come recently into your heritage, and I think you need to hear these words very much indeed.”

He leaned forward, kissing her softly on the forehead.

“Welcome, Salome, into the House of SunSoar and into my heart. My name is Axis SunSoar, and I am your kinsman. Sing well and fly high, and”—here Axis hesitated, wondering whether he should speak redundant words, then quickly revised the traditional greeting—“may all of creation work to ensure that one day your feet will tread the path of the Star Dance.”

But still, he thought, remembering the lifeless glass pyramid he still had in his safekeeping, there is hope that one day you, as all Icarii, may set foot once more on the path of the Star Dance.