rolling ocean, dead things on the beach — was making him feel worse. His stomach seemed to roll with every wave that came in, and he hoped that the old myth about every seventh wave being a big one was wrong.
His brother, Gal, walked by his side, quiet and contemplative. His hands were clenched into fists, as if he had the relic already in his grasp.
"I'm still not sure I really believe this," Richard said.
"You know what the old man said."
"Yeah, but the old man was a drunk. He's ninety if he's a day, and he's been stuck on this island for thirty years drinking moonshine rum. He's pickled his body, and his brain's fried by the sun."
"What is it with you?" Gal paused atop a sand dune and looked at his brother.
Richard shrugged. "I feel as sick as a dog. I'm shitting through the eye of a needle, and — "
"Enough information!" Gal said. He squeezed his eyes shut, laughed quietly. "Damn, you're my brother, but that's just a bit too much. You want me to go alone?"
Richard shook his head. "Hell no. What if I wait here and you really find it? I'll never forgive myself. Besides, if it really is there ... you'll need me around for when you send it."
Gal nodded his thanks. "It's getting harder."
Richard could think of nothing to say. Each time they found a relic and Gal sent it to their father, his brother seemed a little weaker afterward. Mentally he was just as strong — arrogant, angry, justified — but there was no hiding the physical change. Much as he tried, Richard could not simply put it down to Gal growing older. Magic was taxing, and one day it might come to a point where he could no longer send. His forays into the Memory were draining him.
"Let's go on," Richard said.
----
Zahid de Lainree's tome was of no use in this instance. They had heard the rumors, and tracked down the rumormongers, and questioned them, and now there was a site and a target in mind. There was a good chance that it was all false, but if it were true ...
They had already sent their father some true treasures from the Memory. Each time Richard felt there could be nothing more amazing to find — a phoenix, gremlins, a dragon, other incredible discoveries — but then they would find something else, and his wonder grew. If the rumors were true, this could be the most powerful yet.
"There's the cave," Gal said. He unshouldered his rucksack and brought out two heavy flashlights. Their beams were strong, and, if necessary, they would double as weapons.
"It's so exposed," Richard said. "Anyone could wander in there. How come this hasn't been found before?"
Gal looked around, wiped sweat from his brow. Clouds were gathering in the distant hills in preparation for the regular afternoon downpour, and the air was heavy and humid. "This is off the beaten track," he said. "No tourists down this way, and the locals probably don't bother. Especially as there are rumors. Maybe kids come down here sometimes and dare each other to enter, but I doubt they go in too far. If what the old sop said was true, this cave is deep."
"And we have to go all the way in."
Gal smiled. "All the way, brother."
"Damn, now I feel sick as well."
Gal laughed and led the way. They left their heavy rucksacks just inside the cave entrance, out of the sun but still in daylight. That comforted Richard. With everything he and Gal had done over the years since their mother's murder, he was still afraid of the dark. He dreamed about that night sometimes, and when he woke up screaming, it was the darkness itself that was bearing down upon him, not what was hidden within. The darkness, the great unknown, still stalked him when he was awake. He supposed that was partly the reason he was doing his best to uncover some of what it concealed.
That and revenge.
Gal's flashlight beam flooded the cave when daylight faded away. Richard turned his flashlight on and combined the beams, shining them into the cracked walls and rugged ceiling. The floor here still consisted of sand; the
His brother, Gal, walked by his side, quiet and contemplative. His hands were clenched into fists, as if he had the relic already in his grasp.
"I'm still not sure I really believe this," Richard said.
"You know what the old man said."
"Yeah, but the old man was a drunk. He's ninety if he's a day, and he's been stuck on this island for thirty years drinking moonshine rum. He's pickled his body, and his brain's fried by the sun."
"What is it with you?" Gal paused atop a sand dune and looked at his brother.
Richard shrugged. "I feel as sick as a dog. I'm shitting through the eye of a needle, and — "
"Enough information!" Gal said. He squeezed his eyes shut, laughed quietly. "Damn, you're my brother, but that's just a bit too much. You want me to go alone?"
Richard shook his head. "Hell no. What if I wait here and you really find it? I'll never forgive myself. Besides, if it really is there ... you'll need me around for when you send it."
Gal nodded his thanks. "It's getting harder."
Richard could think of nothing to say. Each time they found a relic and Gal sent it to their father, his brother seemed a little weaker afterward. Mentally he was just as strong — arrogant, angry, justified — but there was no hiding the physical change. Much as he tried, Richard could not simply put it down to Gal growing older. Magic was taxing, and one day it might come to a point where he could no longer send. His forays into the Memory were draining him.
"Let's go on," Richard said.
----
Zahid de Lainree's tome was of no use in this instance. They had heard the rumors, and tracked down the rumormongers, and questioned them, and now there was a site and a target in mind. There was a good chance that it was all false, but if it were true ...
They had already sent their father some true treasures from the Memory. Each time Richard felt there could be nothing more amazing to find — a phoenix, gremlins, a dragon, other incredible discoveries — but then they would find something else, and his wonder grew. If the rumors were true, this could be the most powerful yet.
"There's the cave," Gal said. He unshouldered his rucksack and brought out two heavy flashlights. Their beams were strong, and, if necessary, they would double as weapons.
"It's so exposed," Richard said. "Anyone could wander in there. How come this hasn't been found before?"
Gal looked around, wiped sweat from his brow. Clouds were gathering in the distant hills in preparation for the regular afternoon downpour, and the air was heavy and humid. "This is off the beaten track," he said. "No tourists down this way, and the locals probably don't bother. Especially as there are rumors. Maybe kids come down here sometimes and dare each other to enter, but I doubt they go in too far. If what the old sop said was true, this cave is deep."
"And we have to go all the way in."
Gal smiled. "All the way, brother."
"Damn, now I feel sick as well."
Gal laughed and led the way. They left their heavy rucksacks just inside the cave entrance, out of the sun but still in daylight. That comforted Richard. With everything he and Gal had done over the years since their mother's murder, he was still afraid of the dark. He dreamed about that night sometimes, and when he woke up screaming, it was the darkness itself that was bearing down upon him, not what was hidden within. The darkness, the great unknown, still stalked him when he was awake. He supposed that was partly the reason he was doing his best to uncover some of what it concealed.
That and revenge.
Gal's flashlight beam flooded the cave when daylight faded away. Richard turned his flashlight on and combined the beams, shining them into the cracked walls and rugged ceiling. The floor here still consisted of sand; the
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