Spike, Axis. I do not know from where they came or how they entered the complex."
Axis gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Azhure. You have brought me a gift to lighten my day." He stood back and looked fondly at the two old men. "Though there was a time when I found them so irritating that I would have cheerfully pushed them from the peak of Talon Spike itself. You were lucky to survive my temper, gentlemen!"
Ogden andVeremund both beamed. "We are so glad you have found your father, Axis," Veremund said, "and embraced your heritage so completely."
"We did not stay with Borneheld for long, Axis," Ogden broke in. "But they made good their escape from Gorkenfort and, the last we saw them, were riding hard for Jervois Landing. Faraday was as well as could be expected under the circumstances. Yr stays with her."
Axis' eyes shadowed a little. "Thank you, my friend. I was not sure if they'd taken their chance when we drew the Skraelings away from Gorkenfort. To know that Faraday managed to escape eases my heart."
Ogden nodded, then noticed the strained expression on MorningStar's and StarDrifter's faces. "Ah, forgive us, but we have interrupted your training,"
"Such as it is," MorningStar muttered.
"We should excuse ourselves and retire," Ogden continued. "Axis, perhaps we can meet soon to talk. I'm sure there's a lot we must —"
MorningSttr broke in. "There's a great deal that must be said, and most of it needs to be said now. No." She held up her hand as Ogden andVeremund bowed and turned for the door. "I think it would be good to have the advice of the Sentinels. Please, stay. Axis, would you sit, please?"
Axis frowned, perplexed, but he took his stool in the centre of the room.
Unnoticed, Azhure sat down on the floor by the door.
MorningStar paused and collected her thoughts.
"Axis," she said finally. "Your training has gone so well. You display an extraordinary ability to master a Song the moment you hear it and to control the power that flows through the melody. You hear the Star Dance more clearly, it seems, than anyone eke. You are a remarkable Enchanter."
Axis' eyes narrowed at MorningStar's rare praise.
"He is the StarMan," Veremund murmured to one side. "One would expect that —"
"I am not a fool!" MorningStar snarled abruptly. "I understand that Axis wields remarkable powers. I understand that because of who he is it's no wonder he's had little difficulty with a training that normally taxes the most gifted Enchanter for years. I understand that!"
She took a deep breath, righting to keep her temper under control and to keep her face from showing the sheer dread that fed her anger.
"Axis." Her face was now a mask of serenity, its bland lines hiding her fears.
"How did you know the Song of Harmony?"
Axis frowned, even more perplexed. "You sang it for me, MorningStar."
"No!" she whispered, her fingers twisting among the golden beads at her throat. "I told you its name, and what it could be used for, but as I took the breath to sing it, you started to sing it yourself. You already knew it."
"I ..." Axis' voice drifted off as he tried to remember.
"It was not a Song that StarDrifter would have sung for you while you lay cradled in Rivkah's womb. He could not have done it. / have not sung it for you before. Yet you already knew it. How, when it takes a SunSoar to instruct a SunSoar, do you know this Song when neither of the two living SunSoar Enchanters has taught it to you?" She glanced briefly at the two Sentinels. "No Enchanter, no matter how powerful, instinctively knows the Songs. He or she must be taught them, and by a member of their own blood.
"StarDrifter. When Axis was growing in Rivkah's womb, did you ever sing for him the Song of Recreation?"
"No." StarDrifter smiled a little at the memory. "I sang for him many things, but not that. It is no thing to sing to a developing baby."
MorningStar nodded. "And yet, Axis knew what to sing for the Avar girl.
Raum has told me of
Axis gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Azhure. You have brought me a gift to lighten my day." He stood back and looked fondly at the two old men. "Though there was a time when I found them so irritating that I would have cheerfully pushed them from the peak of Talon Spike itself. You were lucky to survive my temper, gentlemen!"
Ogden andVeremund both beamed. "We are so glad you have found your father, Axis," Veremund said, "and embraced your heritage so completely."
"We did not stay with Borneheld for long, Axis," Ogden broke in. "But they made good their escape from Gorkenfort and, the last we saw them, were riding hard for Jervois Landing. Faraday was as well as could be expected under the circumstances. Yr stays with her."
Axis' eyes shadowed a little. "Thank you, my friend. I was not sure if they'd taken their chance when we drew the Skraelings away from Gorkenfort. To know that Faraday managed to escape eases my heart."
Ogden nodded, then noticed the strained expression on MorningStar's and StarDrifter's faces. "Ah, forgive us, but we have interrupted your training,"
"Such as it is," MorningStar muttered.
"We should excuse ourselves and retire," Ogden continued. "Axis, perhaps we can meet soon to talk. I'm sure there's a lot we must —"
MorningSttr broke in. "There's a great deal that must be said, and most of it needs to be said now. No." She held up her hand as Ogden andVeremund bowed and turned for the door. "I think it would be good to have the advice of the Sentinels. Please, stay. Axis, would you sit, please?"
Axis frowned, perplexed, but he took his stool in the centre of the room.
Unnoticed, Azhure sat down on the floor by the door.
MorningStar paused and collected her thoughts.
"Axis," she said finally. "Your training has gone so well. You display an extraordinary ability to master a Song the moment you hear it and to control the power that flows through the melody. You hear the Star Dance more clearly, it seems, than anyone eke. You are a remarkable Enchanter."
Axis' eyes narrowed at MorningStar's rare praise.
"He is the StarMan," Veremund murmured to one side. "One would expect that —"
"I am not a fool!" MorningStar snarled abruptly. "I understand that Axis wields remarkable powers. I understand that because of who he is it's no wonder he's had little difficulty with a training that normally taxes the most gifted Enchanter for years. I understand that!"
She took a deep breath, righting to keep her temper under control and to keep her face from showing the sheer dread that fed her anger.
"Axis." Her face was now a mask of serenity, its bland lines hiding her fears.
"How did you know the Song of Harmony?"
Axis frowned, even more perplexed. "You sang it for me, MorningStar."
"No!" she whispered, her fingers twisting among the golden beads at her throat. "I told you its name, and what it could be used for, but as I took the breath to sing it, you started to sing it yourself. You already knew it."
"I ..." Axis' voice drifted off as he tried to remember.
"It was not a Song that StarDrifter would have sung for you while you lay cradled in Rivkah's womb. He could not have done it. / have not sung it for you before. Yet you already knew it. How, when it takes a SunSoar to instruct a SunSoar, do you know this Song when neither of the two living SunSoar Enchanters has taught it to you?" She glanced briefly at the two Sentinels. "No Enchanter, no matter how powerful, instinctively knows the Songs. He or she must be taught them, and by a member of their own blood.
"StarDrifter. When Axis was growing in Rivkah's womb, did you ever sing for him the Song of Recreation?"
"No." StarDrifter smiled a little at the memory. "I sang for him many things, but not that. It is no thing to sing to a developing baby."
MorningStar nodded. "And yet, Axis knew what to sing for the Avar girl.
Raum has told me of
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