Castle (The Seventh Tower 2)

When Tal had finished, Ebbitt also applied the repellent. Tal could see traces of a previous application, so perhaps it wasn't a joke. Then they both climbed up to the tunnel - or capillary - that Ebbitt had pointed to.

It was even narrower than the heating tunnels, only wide enough to crawl through. Tal was relieved to see that it was almost dry, with the merest trickle of water in the middle. At least, he was relieved until Ebbitt mumbled something about the water spiders being called that because they could swim and dive as well as run around on dry land.

"We'll play Colours to see who goes first," announced Ebbitt, who was once again supported by his Spiritshadow. Tal, who was delicately balanced with his feet in one tunnel and his elbows on the next, groaned.

"I'll go first, or last, or whatever," he said. "Where does this tunnel go, anyway?"

"Now, now, don't spoil my fun," said Ebbitt. "This capillary goes to an artery, a bigger tunnel. We '11 go along that, and then through another capillary, and then down through a valve, and then we'll come out right inside the Hall of Nightmares."

"Inside the Hall of Nightmares!"

"Of course." Ebbitt frowned. "Outside wouldn't be much use if we want to rescue your friend Milla, would it? Now, let's play."

He held up his hand, and the Sunstone ring there quickly shifted through the colors of the Seven Orders.

Tal groaned again, and reached out his hand with its own Sunstone ring. His other hand clutched at the lip of the upper tunnel, while his shadowguard hung anxiously to his knees.

"Go," said Ebbitt. His ring flashed red as Tal's flashed violet. Colours was a children's game, and often ended in stalemate. The object was to flash a Sunstone in a higher color than your opponent. The catch was that you could use each color only once in the entire game, and in the next round you couldn't use the next-highest or next-lowest color to the one just played.

Tal won the first round, but could no longer use Violet at all, or Indigo in the next round. Predictably, Ebbitt flashed Blue next, as did Tal. So it was still one-nil. Then Ebbitt flashed Violet, while Tal flashed Red. One-all. Then Tal flashed Indigo and Ebbitt Orange. Two-one in favor of Tal. Ebbitt countered with Indigo, beating Tal's Green to make it two-all. Ebbitt finished with Green, and Tal was left with Orange, the final score three-two in Ebbitt's favor.

"I win," announced Ebbitt. "But you can go first."

"Thanks," said Tal nervously. He slid into the tunnel, trying not to listen as Ebbitt muttered something under his breath about water spiders.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Milla was lying in the crystalglobe, saving her strength and pretending to be asleep, when she heard the sudden clang of metal hitting stone. She didn't react obviously, but her head moved slightly toward the sound, and her eyes opened to narrow slits. Had her jailer returned and tripped over some of his own apparatus?

Whatever had happened, it was in one of the dark corners of the Hall. The globe was still brightly lit by beams of colored light that continued to run through the silver wires. Everywhere else was dark.

Or was it? Milla watched a small light blossom in the far corner a surreptitious light that moved slowly toward her. Milla opened her eyes a little more, peering at it. She could see shapes around the light.

And she could hear whispering as well. It sounded like the old man, Tal's great-uncle, whatever that meant. Milla had uncles, but not great ones.

"Probably have to carry her," he was saying. "Mind turned to jelly. Chance of recovery, mind you."

Milla kept silent. This could be a trick. But when she heard another whisper, she almost called out. It was Tal.

"She looks all right. Where's… who did you say… Fashnek?"

"Asleep, if we're lucky."

They came up to the globe. Milla kept still, though she was surprised to see that both were sodden and covered in little bits of dark muck that looked like the seaweed the Mother Crone had served them in the Ruin Ship.

Ebbitt cautiously moved the metal stands and their Sunstones, pointing their beams up to the ceiling. Tal touched the globe, then tapped on it, near Milla's face.

She sprang up, and he jumped back.

"Milla!"

"Who else would I be?" asked Milla. But she smiled, clearly with some effort, for it only lasted an instant.

"You're all right!" exclaimed Tal. "What happened?"

"The man who is half shadow tried to change my dreams," Milla said. "But I called the Crones, and they came to my dream and scared him away."

"Really?" asked Ebbitt. "I'd like to meet one of these Crones. I never married, but anyone who could -"

"Not now, Uncle," said Tal firmly, noticing Milla's expression. "Where's Fashnek?"

"He left," replied Milla. "Can you release me? I have not found the trick of opening this prison."

"Sure," said Tal, but it proved easier said than done. The globe appeared to be solid crystal. Under bright light there were lots of tiny holes in the bottom of it, but they couldn't help get Milla out.

While Tal pored over the globe trying to find a switch, lever, or something t open it, Ebbitt wandered about, looking at the Sunstones on their metal stands. The stands stood in grooved tracks on the floor so they could be accurately placed.

Several books were laid out on a table, beyond the ring of Sunstones. Ebbitt flipped through them with interest, while his Spiritshadow stood guard near the door.

Finally, Tal had to admit that he couldn't find a way to open the globe.

"I suppose we'll have to wait for Fashnek," he said. "I guess I can blind him, and then we'll tie him up and make him open the globe."

Milla shook her head.

"He has three shadows with him, as well as the one that grows from his flesh," she said. "You could not overcome them all."

"Three S-S-Spiritshadows!" stuttered Tal. "He can't!"

"He could," said Ebbitt. "No one ever sees Fashnek. Well, no one he doesn't want to see. I suppose he must see someone. Or someone must see him."

"Sushin," Tal declared. "He's the one behind everything. He's got a new Spiritshadow, too. I just don't understand what he wants."

"I never understand," said Ebbitt. "Plots and schemes, secret meetings. It's all too hard. What's the point of going Violet, anyway?"

Tal shook his head, ignoring the old man. Sometimes he really didn't understand his great-uncle. Besides, whatever Sushin was up to, it wasn't anything as normal as trying to climb to a higher Order. He could do that the regular way, without putting people in pits and kidnapping children.

"By the way," Ebbitt added, "that book over there is very interesting. Did you know this globe was originally invented to help people with their dreams? Not to give them nightmares at all. The Castle builders were really very clever"

"Did it tell you how to open the globe?" asked Tal crossly, before Ebbitt could blather on about what the globe used to be for.

"Naturally," Ebbitt replied. He raised his ring and sent a quick combination of colored lights at the globe. As they hit, there was a ringing sound, like a tuning fork or a crystal glass being struck. The globe split in half like an oyster.

Milla jumped out and stretched. Then she clapped her fists together to Ebbitt, showing thanks and respect. Tal waited for her to do it to him as well, but she didn't. Instead she immediately started looking for her Merwin-horn sword and armor.

"Where do we go now?" asked Tal nervously. "We'll have to hide somewhere. I'll need to put together some sort of disguise so I can go looking for the Codex and Gref."

"Mmmm," replied Ebbitt. He was momentarily intent on cleaning out his ear, which had suffered from an intrusion of the green weed. "I've been thinking about that, and thinking about my thinking, and then thinking about me thinking about my thinking -"

"And?" Tal interrupted.

"The Codex is probably in Aenir."

"Why?"

"Because there is no power in the Castle that could restrain the Codex, if it wanted to be consulted," said Ebbitt. "But th

ere is in Aenir. The Codex is almost alive, my boy. It was made to be read. If it was in the Castle, it would have found a way for people to consult it. Therefore, it must be in Aenir. You'll have to bring it back."

"Right," said Tal slowly. "I can't believe this all started because I needed one Sunstone!"

"Is that when it started?" Ebbitt asked innocently. "I think you'll find that whatever it is, it started long ago. Sushin is not the only one with secret business and strange ways. Your father is not the only Chosen who is missing, nor is Gref the only child. I should have looked into matters long ago, but I missed my chance. I think it is long past time someone did what I didn't, and brought the Codex back and set all to rights. You seem to be just the right person for the job."

Tal looked at Ebbitt. For once, the old man seemed quite serious. He wasn't smiling dreamily, or cleaning his ear, or staring at something no one else could see.

"Well, there's one thing I can do right now," Tal said. "And that is to get Milla a Sunstone."

He reached out to grab the one closest to him, one that was set in a clawed hand atop a silver stand. But before his fingers closed on it, Ebbitt grabbed him and twisted his arm away.

"Not one of those!" said Ebbitt. "They're full of nightmares, full of evil dreams. No use to a charming young Icecarl."