Read Online ARC: Sunstone by Freya Robertson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Freya Robertson
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I understand, the roots of the Arbor connect its form in the past, the present and the future. The Arbor appears to experience all time simultaneously.”
More silence.
“Let us say, for argument’s sake, that it is so,” Orsin said finally. “What effect does it have on Anguis? On us?”
“The scholars believe that the Arbor saw the rise of the Darkwater Lords. It cannot appear to change time, as such, but it can seem to influence it by influencing us.”
“Huh?” Orsin said again.
Julen’s lips quirked. “Nitesco explained it to me like this. You are watching a man walking on an icy river. You see a crack appear in the ice, but you are too far away for the man to hear if you shout a warning. You cannot stop the man falling into the river, but you can grab a rope and a hook to anchor yourself, and order the servants to get blankets and hot water as you run to his aid. The event itself is fixed in time. But everything else can be moulded like soft clay around it.”
Orsin’s head hurt. “So how did the Arbor influence the land when it knew the Darkwater Lords were going to rise?”
“Who knows? Its influence could have started hundreds of years ago, and ended with making sure our father was at the Congressus, and that those who attended on that fateful day were people who could help it in its time of need.”
“I understand now,” Procella said. “A little. What else can you tell us?”
“The scholars believe the Arbor has seen an event in its future – something terrible, maybe even more terrible than the rise of the Darkwater Lords.”
A shiver ran down Orsin’s back. “What sort of event?”
“It is connected with the fires,” Procella said softly.
Julen nodded. “The scholars believe that due to the failure of the Veriditas for so long, the elements became wildly unbalanced. It is like preparing a stew for supper and adding too much salt. This can be alleviated by adding more water, but then the stew becomes watery and needs more meat. It is difficult to regain the right balance. This imbalance with the elements led to the rise of the Darkwater Lords. They were crushed, but the scholars think maybe the imbalance still exists.”
“Meaning that one of the other elements is on the rise,” Orsin said slowly.
Julen nodded again. “Fire.”
Procella leaned back in her chair, her face registering shock. “So this is why there have been fires breaking out across the land?”
“Yes.” Julen scratched his cheek, his finger rasping on stubble. “This bit I do not quite understand, but the scholars believe that, in the future, fire elementals have discovered a way to travel along the energy channels from the Arbor. These fire elementals have travelled back into the past – into our time, and maybe even further back. The Nox Aves think that the further the elementals travel back in time, the less power they have. But they do believe they are gradually eliminating the people that they believe the Arbor could call on to help it.”
“By burning them to death,” Orsin whispered. “What a terrible way to die.” And what a glorious way, too.
“Yes. The scholars call these elementals the Incendi. They do not know how they work – whether they, like the Darkwater Lords, can somehow take on our form, or whether they are operating in elemental form alone. But it seems as if they are real, and although at the moment they are few in number, they are gradually increasing as we near the catastrophe they suspect is coming.”
“So what do they hope to achieve?” Procella asked. “If, as you say, events are fixed?”
“For the Arbor, the events are fixed. For the Incendi? Who knows?”
“You mean they could actually change time? Alter the way the future occurs?”
Julen shrugged. “We do not know. But it is entirely possible. After all, the Arbor can see through time, but it cannot travel through it or alter it, as far as we know. If we return to the analogy of the man on the ice, maybe
More silence.
“Let us say, for argument’s sake, that it is so,” Orsin said finally. “What effect does it have on Anguis? On us?”
“The scholars believe that the Arbor saw the rise of the Darkwater Lords. It cannot appear to change time, as such, but it can seem to influence it by influencing us.”
“Huh?” Orsin said again.
Julen’s lips quirked. “Nitesco explained it to me like this. You are watching a man walking on an icy river. You see a crack appear in the ice, but you are too far away for the man to hear if you shout a warning. You cannot stop the man falling into the river, but you can grab a rope and a hook to anchor yourself, and order the servants to get blankets and hot water as you run to his aid. The event itself is fixed in time. But everything else can be moulded like soft clay around it.”
Orsin’s head hurt. “So how did the Arbor influence the land when it knew the Darkwater Lords were going to rise?”
“Who knows? Its influence could have started hundreds of years ago, and ended with making sure our father was at the Congressus, and that those who attended on that fateful day were people who could help it in its time of need.”
“I understand now,” Procella said. “A little. What else can you tell us?”
“The scholars believe the Arbor has seen an event in its future – something terrible, maybe even more terrible than the rise of the Darkwater Lords.”
A shiver ran down Orsin’s back. “What sort of event?”
“It is connected with the fires,” Procella said softly.
Julen nodded. “The scholars believe that due to the failure of the Veriditas for so long, the elements became wildly unbalanced. It is like preparing a stew for supper and adding too much salt. This can be alleviated by adding more water, but then the stew becomes watery and needs more meat. It is difficult to regain the right balance. This imbalance with the elements led to the rise of the Darkwater Lords. They were crushed, but the scholars think maybe the imbalance still exists.”
“Meaning that one of the other elements is on the rise,” Orsin said slowly.
Julen nodded again. “Fire.”
Procella leaned back in her chair, her face registering shock. “So this is why there have been fires breaking out across the land?”
“Yes.” Julen scratched his cheek, his finger rasping on stubble. “This bit I do not quite understand, but the scholars believe that, in the future, fire elementals have discovered a way to travel along the energy channels from the Arbor. These fire elementals have travelled back into the past – into our time, and maybe even further back. The Nox Aves think that the further the elementals travel back in time, the less power they have. But they do believe they are gradually eliminating the people that they believe the Arbor could call on to help it.”
“By burning them to death,” Orsin whispered. “What a terrible way to die.” And what a glorious way, too.
“Yes. The scholars call these elementals the Incendi. They do not know how they work – whether they, like the Darkwater Lords, can somehow take on our form, or whether they are operating in elemental form alone. But it seems as if they are real, and although at the moment they are few in number, they are gradually increasing as we near the catastrophe they suspect is coming.”
“So what do they hope to achieve?” Procella asked. “If, as you say, events are fixed?”
“For the Arbor, the events are fixed. For the Incendi? Who knows?”
“You mean they could actually change time? Alter the way the future occurs?”
Julen shrugged. “We do not know. But it is entirely possible. After all, the Arbor can see through time, but it cannot travel through it or alter it, as far as we know. If we return to the analogy of the man on the ice, maybe
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