A tiny voice coming from the bag he held in his fist finally caught his attention.
"What's going on?"
Tal pulled out the Red Keystone and looked into it. A tear splashed on the stone. Tal wiped it away. He hadn't known he was crying.
"What is it?" asked Lokar. "What's happening?" "Crow's dead," said Tal woodenly. He didn't mention the others.
"Never mind that," said Lokar. "He was only an Underfolk, and crazy. You must take me to the Empress. It is absolutely the most important thing. Life or death!"
"Life or death," repeated Tal. He felt like someone else was using his voice.
"The only question is how to get to her without going through the Dark Vizier… or the light for that matter," mused Lokar. "Tal--are you listening?"
"Yes," Tal mumbled. He couldn't think for himself. He was too deep in shock.
"What is that date? Are we close to any of the Festivals, or anything the Empress would appear at?"
"It's the Day of Ascension," said Tal. "Or the day after. I don't know…"
"Aenir!" cried Lokar. "The Empress will be in Aenir. You must take me there, Tal!"
"I've killed" Tal started to cry out, but Lokar interrupted him.
"Aenir! The Empress. She will sort everything out. She can release Rerem using the Violet Keystone!"
That got Tal's attention. Releasing his father. He had to talk to his father about what had happened.
"Aenir," he mumbled. He would have to find somewhere safe to hide his body, because he couldn't leave Adras behind to guard it. Adras couldn't be trusted to stay on the job.
"The Mausoleum," he whispered. He looked back into the swirling mass of steam and stone dust one last time. Sweat poured off his face, mingling with tears.
"We'll cross to Aenir from the Mauseoleum," he decided aloud.
"Aenir?" asked Adras, as Tal began to run, run away from the terrible place behind him. "What about Odris and Milla?"
Tal didn't answer. He kept running.
"We should wait," the Spiritshadow pleaded. "Odris is coming, with Milla. I can feel it!"
Tal didn't hear him. There was only one thing on his mind.
He had to cross over to A
enir. He must do what he had wanted to do all along.
Tell the Empress everything. Then everything would be her problem.
-EPILOGUE-
Three days after the rock fall in the Castle, but far below on the Mountain of Light, Milla Talon-Hand watched the rope bridge being thrown over the gap in the road. All around her, more than forty Shield Maidens labored, hammering in supports and tying ropes. There were more on the other side, near the pyramid of Imrir, doing the same job. Others stood by with moth-lanterns to light the work, or with spears, to guard against Perawls.
Two Sword-Thanes stood below the heatway entrance, guarding against whatever might come from above or below. They both had great bows of bent bone in their hands, and quivers full of bone arrows fletched with the feathers of the blind Arug bird.
Malen the Crone stood with the Sword-Thanes, her luminous blue eyes intent upon the darkness beyond the Icecarls' lights. What she looked for, Milla did not know.
Soon, provided the Crones could supply them with clean air, her first raiding force would begin the journey through the heatways.
And Milla would lead them.
Prepare to fight.
The Underfolk are restless. For a long time, they have kept quiet, occupying the lower levels of the; Castle. But now they are going to be heard…
Tal and Mille are no longer alone in their quest for the truth about their world. They have been joined by Crow, a rebel: Underfolk, and his band of conspirators.: They know many secrets about the Castle--and are on the verge of uncovering the greatest secret of all.
The darkness is growing deeper. The shadows are growing stronger. And Tal and Milla are in greater danger than ever before.