been crisscrossing the Expanse, looking for theright answers. You’ve seen the colors too. We both want to know where they come from. Well, I’ve seen something new. And if you are to go forward without doubt, you must see it too.”
“See what, exactly?”
“That’s just it. You need to see it for yourself, my boy. If you don’t, fear will get the better of you.”
He rehearsed his teacher’s instructions again.
Mawrnash. While the red moon is high, find Tammos Raak’s tower. Climb to the crown
. The instructions confounded him.
The great starcrown trees burned to ash. How can I climb a tree that has fallen?
He ascended a rise and arrived in a wide space between trees. There he examined yet another footprint, a seven-toed signature. He waited.
His companions ascended behind him, regarding him with worry. Their vawns slowed, panting, and snuffled at the ground. He flung out his arms, triumphant at his discovery. “Scharr ben Fray promised me that the path would be clearly marked. Birds that call my name—that’s what he intended. But this? The Keeper’s tracks? Even he would be surprised. This is what I’m meant to do.”
“You mean to lead us even farther from Barnashum?” Snyde snapped. “I appeal to your memory. You once rode away from House Abascar, and the ground collapsed beneath it. Five nights ago you ventured outside Barnashum’s refuge, and a quake shook the Blackstone Caves. Now here you are, several days’ ride from the people who call you king. And you propose to keep on riding? Basing your decisions on vague and muddy impressions?”
Cal-raven went very still. “Jes-hawk, relieve Snyde of his reins. He’ll be heading home to help the people who concern him so fiercely.”
“Wait!” Snyde sputtered. “I cannot go back alone!”
Jes-hawk, smiling, brought his vawn alongside Snyde’s. The old man clung to his reins in desperation as Jes-hawk reached across to tug at them. Their vawns grumbled. A well-placed boot toppled Snyde from his vawn, and when he rose, he was costumed in mud.
“You’ll have time on the walk back to think about the benefits of loyalty and the disadvantages of treachery.”
“Treachery?”
“Shall we do this now?” Cal-raven spurred his mount forward so thathis boot was close to Snyde’s face. “Tabor Jan and I knew someone in Barnashum was plotting against me. On the night of the quake, grudgers attacked me in the Hall of the Lost. I counted six. After the quake, five soldiers went missing. I think they fled, but their leader stayed behind to watch for another opportunity.”
Snyde tried to wipe the mud from his face with his sleeve but succeeded only in smearing it.
“Where did your five little helpers go, Snyde?”
“You’re insane.” Snyde bit off the words.
“Stonemastery is a marvelous gift. You can open windows in solid walls and hear your own people conspiring to kill you. We planned to bring all six of you out to the woods and deal with you. But you came after me sooner than I’d expected.”
Snyde looked searchingly to the others. “What’s he talking about?” They regarded him with scorn. “What an abhorrent, presumptuous—”
“Where did the other five go? Are we going to see them somewhere along the way?”
“We all know your willingness to believe incredible things. But this”—Snyde waved his arms—“this is incredible.” He seemed to be stretching, loosening up, as if preparing to make a grab for the knife strapped to Cal-raven’s ankle.
Jes-hawk notched an arrow into the groove of his caster. “How did you know I was outside Barnashum when the quake struck?” Cal-raven asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“You just told me that on the night of the quake I ventured outside. No one knew that…except my pursuers and the captain.”
Warney had wasted no time. He now sat astride Snyde’s vawn, backing it slowly away.
“You surround yourself with crooks and disregard those who protected your father
“See what, exactly?”
“That’s just it. You need to see it for yourself, my boy. If you don’t, fear will get the better of you.”
He rehearsed his teacher’s instructions again.
Mawrnash. While the red moon is high, find Tammos Raak’s tower. Climb to the crown
. The instructions confounded him.
The great starcrown trees burned to ash. How can I climb a tree that has fallen?
He ascended a rise and arrived in a wide space between trees. There he examined yet another footprint, a seven-toed signature. He waited.
His companions ascended behind him, regarding him with worry. Their vawns slowed, panting, and snuffled at the ground. He flung out his arms, triumphant at his discovery. “Scharr ben Fray promised me that the path would be clearly marked. Birds that call my name—that’s what he intended. But this? The Keeper’s tracks? Even he would be surprised. This is what I’m meant to do.”
“You mean to lead us even farther from Barnashum?” Snyde snapped. “I appeal to your memory. You once rode away from House Abascar, and the ground collapsed beneath it. Five nights ago you ventured outside Barnashum’s refuge, and a quake shook the Blackstone Caves. Now here you are, several days’ ride from the people who call you king. And you propose to keep on riding? Basing your decisions on vague and muddy impressions?”
Cal-raven went very still. “Jes-hawk, relieve Snyde of his reins. He’ll be heading home to help the people who concern him so fiercely.”
“Wait!” Snyde sputtered. “I cannot go back alone!”
Jes-hawk, smiling, brought his vawn alongside Snyde’s. The old man clung to his reins in desperation as Jes-hawk reached across to tug at them. Their vawns grumbled. A well-placed boot toppled Snyde from his vawn, and when he rose, he was costumed in mud.
“You’ll have time on the walk back to think about the benefits of loyalty and the disadvantages of treachery.”
“Treachery?”
“Shall we do this now?” Cal-raven spurred his mount forward so thathis boot was close to Snyde’s face. “Tabor Jan and I knew someone in Barnashum was plotting against me. On the night of the quake, grudgers attacked me in the Hall of the Lost. I counted six. After the quake, five soldiers went missing. I think they fled, but their leader stayed behind to watch for another opportunity.”
Snyde tried to wipe the mud from his face with his sleeve but succeeded only in smearing it.
“Where did your five little helpers go, Snyde?”
“You’re insane.” Snyde bit off the words.
“Stonemastery is a marvelous gift. You can open windows in solid walls and hear your own people conspiring to kill you. We planned to bring all six of you out to the woods and deal with you. But you came after me sooner than I’d expected.”
Snyde looked searchingly to the others. “What’s he talking about?” They regarded him with scorn. “What an abhorrent, presumptuous—”
“Where did the other five go? Are we going to see them somewhere along the way?”
“We all know your willingness to believe incredible things. But this”—Snyde waved his arms—“this is incredible.” He seemed to be stretching, loosening up, as if preparing to make a grab for the knife strapped to Cal-raven’s ankle.
Jes-hawk notched an arrow into the groove of his caster. “How did you know I was outside Barnashum when the quake struck?” Cal-raven asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“You just told me that on the night of the quake I ventured outside. No one knew that…except my pursuers and the captain.”
Warney had wasted no time. He now sat astride Snyde’s vawn, backing it slowly away.
“You surround yourself with crooks and disregard those who protected your father
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