The Lodestone Trilogy (Limited Edition) (The Lodestone Series) (61 page)

“Well, the command area is restricted, but I think we can make an exception for such an ‘illustrious person’.” Ermina winked. “Come on.”

She led the way back toward the cage. They stepped inside, and Ermina pulled a lever. Shann was forced to find a handhold again as the metal enclosure started upward once more. The flats pulled farther away from Shann’s vision as they ascended the gantry. Ermina raised her voice above the grinding and clanking of the lift machinery. “You’re fortunate that I’m not ten years younger, or I would probably be challenging you for the position…here we are.”

They were near the top of the squat vessel, which poked its snub nose just above the network of girders enclosing it in a seeming gesture of defiance. The wind was stronger here–it chilled the exposed parts of her face. Shann watched carefully as the woman walked over, put her hand on a small depression in the hull and operated a catch. A door swung open to reveal an interior with seats and an array of instruments.

They clambered inside, and Ermina began talking Shann through the various controls. Shann concentrated hard. There was a lever controlling a device similar to the bronze layer on her cloak, dials measuring altitude, air pressure and something called “attitude controls”. It was a lot to take in, but she was pretty confident she could operate the vessel in a pinch, even if there were some controls that she would literally have to learn “on the fly”. Shann didn’t find the thought of stealing the craft very appealing, but logic informed her that it might become necessary as a last resort. At least she now had something that she had not had since the moment she had arrived on this side.

She had a way back.

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Chapter 7

The return flight to Kieroth was uneventful. Rael didn’t seem inclined to make conversation. Whether that was because of the report he had received from Suma, her revelation that the hu-mans had broken their treaty with the Kelanni, or because of her stupid stunt embarrassing him in front of Ravid, Shann couldn’t tell. The first two were facts of life beyond her control, and the third she had already apologised for.

Rael was moody and difficult to read, which she found irritating. She could not help comparing him to Roanol, the boy she had left at the compound at Gort. Although she had known Roanol for less than a day, there had been an instant connection there, so it felt as if she had known him for much longer. Rael she had known for some fifteen days, but it felt as if she hardly knew him at all. He would be personable for a while, but then he would collapse in on himself to a place she couldn’t reach. Nevertheless, she reminded herself, this boy is your only real ally in this world. If you want his co-operation, then you’ll have to put up with the sullen silences. Of course, she didn’t have to like it.

Shann studied the avionics auxiliary controls once more until she was confident that she had them pretty well figured out. The rest of the time she spent gazing out of the cockpit, watching the coastal plain slipping by beneath them. Every now and then, Rael would descend and then gain altitude once more. She quickly deduced that he was detecting lodestone deposits and pushing off them to gain extra lift. He had said that the avionic used the diamagnetic properties of lodestone to increase its range, although she didn’t know what that meant exactly. If it was a capability built into the machine, then it didn’t really matter how it worked, just as long as it did.

The journey back seemed longer than the outward leg, but eventually she spied the town of Kieroth up ahead, and not long after that they were touching down at the avionics field, the fans at the sides of their little craft blowing up clouds of loose, powdered snow.

To Shann’s relief, there was no sign of Ravid, the avionics engineer. However, at the edge of the field, a phaeton was waiting and as they got near, Solvi’s round head poked out. “Going your way, folks,” he called out cheerfully. “All aboard.”

Rael opened the door to the passenger compartment, allowing Shann to enter first and then ducked in after her. They sat at opposite ends of the green leather seat–as far apart as the physical dimensions of the carriage would allow.

Solvi looked back at them. “You folks enjoy yourselves?”

Shann smiled at him, denying his obvious conclusion. “Yes, I had a good time, thanks.” Rael said nothing and looked sullenly out of the window.

Solvi shrugged as if he couldn’t be bothered to solve the puzzle. “Hold on,” he said. The phaeton rose a little way into the air and started forward in the direction of the town.

Shann felt a little wicked streak run through her again. If Rael wasn’t going to talk to her… “So,” she said, addressing Solvi in the sweetest voice she could manage, “how long have you been driving these things?”

“Less than two turns, miss. Rael and I were taught by the same educator–Rael has all of the brains, but as you can see, I was blessed with all of the charm.” Shann giggled girlishly. She glanced across at Rael, but he was still staring out the window. In spite of herself, she felt a pang of guilt. She turned away and stared through her own window. They had entered the fringes of the town. The streets seemed more crowded than before. It was late afternoon, so Shann supposed that most of the people would be making their way home from their daily activities.

She tried to distract herself by observing the scene that was sliding by. They were passing the storefronts once again. Shann wondered for the first time what they used for currency here. She was certain that it wouldn’t be silver astrias. The unfortunate truth was that she was a stranger in this world and completely dependant on others. She was coming to grips with the odd dialect that these people spoke, but there were a thousand and one everyday things she didn’t understand. How did these people heat their homes? Hannath’s house adjoining the observatory was warm and comfortable, but although she had walked the length of it, she had never seen a fireplace. What were those strange-looking staff weapons that the drach carried? What was this power called “electricity” Rael had spoken of? So many questions–so few answers. Yet she somehow had to deal with it all, and with Boxx’s help, complete the mission which was the reason she had risked her life to cross the Barrier in the first place. She had to find the instrument and destroy the Prophet’s weapon for the sake of the Kelanni on both sides of this world.

If only Alondo were here. He would be the one to figure all of these things out. And Lyall–he would know exactly what to do. Even Keris, she had to admit, had the competence and skill to handle almost any situation. She missed their stability, their strength.
I don’t think I can do this on my own.

She stared out the widow, idly picking out individuals. A tall, stately woman with flowing golden hair. A wizened old man, bent over like a tree in a gale. A little boy, jumping up and down to get his mother’s attention. A thin, pale young man lost in a fur overcoat too big for him. A
…“Stop–stop this thing.”

Rael came to with a start. “What’s the matter?”

“Stop,”
she yelled again.

Solvi did not look back. “I can’t stop in the middle of a thoroughfare, miss.”

Shann lunged forward, snatching at the driver controls. Solvi cried out in surprise. “What the–” He made a grab for her arm, but she was too quick for him. She grabbed one of the two levers that corresponded with the bronze layer in her flying cloak and pulled down on it hard. The front end of the phaeton dropped instantly, impacting with the roadway.
A horrible grinding.
Rael was thrown forward, landing on the floor of the carriage in an ungainly pile of arms and legs. Solvi cursed and fought to regain control. As their vehicle lurched to a halt, the rear of the carriage spun round violently. They finally came to a halt, the phaeton pointing almost back in the direction they had come.

There were cries of alarm from outside. Shann ignored them–she ignored everything. She fumbled for the door latch. It gave way and she stumbled out into the street. Bystanders moved toward her, arms stretched forward. She pushed past them roughly and bolted down the cobbles. Men jumped out of the way and women clutched their children protectively. The ground was slick with compacted ice and slush. Shann slithered to a halt and cast about wildly.

“Shann.”
The voice behind her was Rael’s. He caught up to her, breathing hard. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“A red hat.”

“A what?”

“A red hat–I saw a red hat.”

“W-what are you talking about? Look, you just crashed the phaeton. People could have been…”

“Alondo. He was one of those who crossed the Barrier with me–the musician. He always wears the same outrageous hat.”

Rael shook his head angrily. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m telling you, it was him.”

“All right,” Rael challenged, “so where is he now?”

Shann turned slowly, scouring the immediate area. Passersby were glancing nervously at her, giving her a wide berth. It had been nothing more than a flash, a scarlet blur, but it had been him. Hadn’t it? It was as if she had just awoken from a dream–vivid in its intensity, yet already the memory was fading, giving way to doubt, like a painting left out in the rain–colours running and blending together until she could no longer be certain what it represented. “I…don’t know…I’m sorry.”

Rael turned on his heel and started back toward the carriage. After a moment, she followed him meekly. The scene was one of controlled chaos. The wrecked phaeton sat forlornly on the roadway. Its front end was lowered where it had impacted with the road surface, and the undercarriage was a mass of buckled and torn metal. A large knot of people had gathered, along with four drach in their distinctive blue coats. Two were busy trying to keep the crowd back, one was trying to redirect phaeton traffic around the crashed obstacle and the fourth was talking to Solvi. The driver was making animated gestures.

“Wait here,” Rael ordered her.

Shann watched as he strode over and interrupted the conversation between Solvi and the drach officer
. This is it. They’re going to take me away and hurl me into a deep, dark dungeon someplace–and then they’re going to throw away the key.

After a few moments he returned. “Come on.”

He turned his back on her and walked away without waiting for a reply.

~

They climbed the hill to the observatory in utter silence. She couldn’t really blame him. Let’s see. During their first outing together she had managed to act the fool, embarrass him in public and cause a serious accident.
He must hate me.

It was growing late and the light was starting to fade. The clouds had returned, and a few flakes of snow had started to drift down. Shann felt an utter failure. Not only was she no nearer to locating the instrument she needed to save her world, or to finding the others–if they were still alive–but now she had alienated the only ally she had. No-one who knew what had happened today would be likely to trust her again.

She had no idea what she ought to do next. At least now that she had a fair grasp of these people’s dialect, there was a chance she could make it on her own. Maybe she could just take Boxx and quietly slip away. But where would she go?

She peered past the gently falling snow toward the observatory. Something was going on. Two phaeton carriages were parked outside, and there were figures beside them, clad in the unmistakeable blue uniform of the drach. Shann’s stomach knotted. Then it occurred to her–there was only one lodestone track to the top of the hill where the observatory sat, and nothing had passed them on the road, so how could it be in connection with the accident?

They passed through the large metal gate and into the observatory grounds. Two drach were standing near the entrance, but they did not challenge the young people. There was a third in the hallway–a stocky man with close-cropped fair hair. He nodded to them and then disappeared behind the door at the end of the hall, leaving it ajar. A moment later, Hannath’s voice bellowed from behind the door.
“Rael, get in here.”

He had disobeyed Hannath and taken her to the launch site. She had gone along with him because she was bored and wanted a change of scenery. And now he was in trouble because of it. What had started out as an exhilarating adventure was fast turning into the worst day of her life.

She started to think rapidly. She could still limit the damage if she chose the right approach. Take the blame–that was her best option. Rael could be punished, even lose his position here. Then she would be utterly alone. However, she doubted they would have any practical means of punishing her. They might reinstate her drach guards, but she could live with that. Tell them it was your idea–that you fluttered your eyelids and begged him to take you–they’ll understand that. Hopefully, the boy would have enough sense to shut up and not contradict her story. And taking the blame would maybe go some way toward restoring his faith in her.