Read Online The Unmaking by Catherine Egan - Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Egan
Tags: Magic, Revenge, Dragons, fear, faeries, Ravens, flying, winter, choices, Sorceress, curses, freedom, dagger, the crossing, desert (the Sorma), Tian Xia, the lookout tree, making, old magic, 9781550505603, Di Shang, volcano
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influence.”
“She listens to you. She respects you. Tell me, have you ever spoken to her on the matter of an heir?”
Foss was quiet for a moment and then said simply, “She is still too young.”
“I realize that. I am not saying she should be married now. Only that it is best she be prepared.”
“We have not spoken of it,” Foss replied.
“When she returns, I hope you will speak with her,” said Kyreth. “We cannot risk another debacle such as Rea’s marriage. You may go, Spellmaster. Chart the new holes in the Barrier and inform me immediately if anything worries you.”
Foss hesitated, wondering if he should tell Kyreth what he had seen in his trance. But Kyreth was already turning away from him, towards the Scrolls, and so he bowed and left the study, saying nothing.
~~~
Di Shang was pockmarked with secret, hidden points of entry and exit to the Crossing, that mystical divide between the worlds. There were gaps in the atmosphere that led not into space but to the Crossing, so high up in the sky that they were not, as Charlie put it, human-friendly. There were other entries through boiling vents at the bottom of the ocean. There were whirlpools in rivers that might leave a drowning human or animal stranded on the shore of the Crossing, unable to go back. The Mancers maintained their own access to the Crossing through the dark wood of the Citadel but, of course, Eliza could not use that one without their knowing. The safest way was through certain volcanoes. Harata was a land-locked volcano, several hours east of Kalla. It was a dark red, towering hulk of a mountain, flat on top where its peak had exploded centuries ago.
The flight there was made horribly stressful by the trail of ravens pouring after them. Eliza could not shut out their ugly voices. She buried her hands and her face in the feathers of Charlie’s neck and willed the journey to be over. When they reached the great lava beds of the volcano, the gryphon did not pause for an instant. He headed straight for the crater and plunged into a vent barely wide enough for his wingspan. The ravens did not follow further but circled and swarmed around the mountaintop. Eliza clung to the gryphon’s neck as they shot through the darkness and heat. He landed on a sharp lip of rock that hung over a pool of steaming water and became a boy.
“Do your mojo,” he said, breathless.
Eliza nodded and struggled to regain her composure. Even without the pursuit of the ravens, entry into this volcano was harrowing and working Magic afterwards was not easy. It was a law known to all who crossed over that something of great personal value must be given to the Boatman. Only beings of great power could command him. Eliza was the Shang Sorceress and so she ought to be able to command the Boatman, but so far the Boatman did not agree.
In the utter blackness of the cave, a white misty boat began to form. Eliza called to it in the Language of First Days, “ My power spans the worlds and that between the worlds, my power spans the skies and seas of Tian Di, my power is undivided. Where I walk is the ground and what I speak is the truth. The tide will come to me when I beckon, the moon will sink when I point to the horizon. Here I demand a bridge, here where I stand, here I call upon the Boatman of the Crossing, passage to be mine. ”
The boat came closer, solidifying into a long sloop with a single mast and sail. For a moment Eliza felt a little surge of hope, until she saw the Boatman at the bow. Translucent flesh stretched over knotted muscle and flowing blood; he was not easy to look at. She glimpsed a ghastly, mocking grin on his face. As always, Eliza could not meet his eyes, did not even know if he had eyes, so powerful was the Magic that kept her from looking at them.
“Dinnay you think she’s getting better at it, lah?” Charlie asked the Boatman. “I thought that was quite convincing.”
“Command me, will you, would-be Sorceress?” jeered the
“She listens to you. She respects you. Tell me, have you ever spoken to her on the matter of an heir?”
Foss was quiet for a moment and then said simply, “She is still too young.”
“I realize that. I am not saying she should be married now. Only that it is best she be prepared.”
“We have not spoken of it,” Foss replied.
“When she returns, I hope you will speak with her,” said Kyreth. “We cannot risk another debacle such as Rea’s marriage. You may go, Spellmaster. Chart the new holes in the Barrier and inform me immediately if anything worries you.”
Foss hesitated, wondering if he should tell Kyreth what he had seen in his trance. But Kyreth was already turning away from him, towards the Scrolls, and so he bowed and left the study, saying nothing.
~~~
Di Shang was pockmarked with secret, hidden points of entry and exit to the Crossing, that mystical divide between the worlds. There were gaps in the atmosphere that led not into space but to the Crossing, so high up in the sky that they were not, as Charlie put it, human-friendly. There were other entries through boiling vents at the bottom of the ocean. There were whirlpools in rivers that might leave a drowning human or animal stranded on the shore of the Crossing, unable to go back. The Mancers maintained their own access to the Crossing through the dark wood of the Citadel but, of course, Eliza could not use that one without their knowing. The safest way was through certain volcanoes. Harata was a land-locked volcano, several hours east of Kalla. It was a dark red, towering hulk of a mountain, flat on top where its peak had exploded centuries ago.
The flight there was made horribly stressful by the trail of ravens pouring after them. Eliza could not shut out their ugly voices. She buried her hands and her face in the feathers of Charlie’s neck and willed the journey to be over. When they reached the great lava beds of the volcano, the gryphon did not pause for an instant. He headed straight for the crater and plunged into a vent barely wide enough for his wingspan. The ravens did not follow further but circled and swarmed around the mountaintop. Eliza clung to the gryphon’s neck as they shot through the darkness and heat. He landed on a sharp lip of rock that hung over a pool of steaming water and became a boy.
“Do your mojo,” he said, breathless.
Eliza nodded and struggled to regain her composure. Even without the pursuit of the ravens, entry into this volcano was harrowing and working Magic afterwards was not easy. It was a law known to all who crossed over that something of great personal value must be given to the Boatman. Only beings of great power could command him. Eliza was the Shang Sorceress and so she ought to be able to command the Boatman, but so far the Boatman did not agree.
In the utter blackness of the cave, a white misty boat began to form. Eliza called to it in the Language of First Days, “ My power spans the worlds and that between the worlds, my power spans the skies and seas of Tian Di, my power is undivided. Where I walk is the ground and what I speak is the truth. The tide will come to me when I beckon, the moon will sink when I point to the horizon. Here I demand a bridge, here where I stand, here I call upon the Boatman of the Crossing, passage to be mine. ”
The boat came closer, solidifying into a long sloop with a single mast and sail. For a moment Eliza felt a little surge of hope, until she saw the Boatman at the bow. Translucent flesh stretched over knotted muscle and flowing blood; he was not easy to look at. She glimpsed a ghastly, mocking grin on his face. As always, Eliza could not meet his eyes, did not even know if he had eyes, so powerful was the Magic that kept her from looking at them.
“Dinnay you think she’s getting better at it, lah?” Charlie asked the Boatman. “I thought that was quite convincing.”
“Command me, will you, would-be Sorceress?” jeered the
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