warped into our enemies. The brightest, the cleverest!” She paused, staring at Galen. “What future do those children have? Their mothers are distracted with grief.”
He shook his head heavily. Carys sat staring at the fire so hard that Raffi nudged her. When she looked at him, just for a moment, something flickered in his mind, a drift of pain. As he reached for it, it was gone.
She glared at him. “Leave me alone, Raffi.”
The woman looked at her suddenly. “Who are you? I didn’t know about you.”
“We met her,” Galen muttered. “On the downs.” He sat down on a bench, as if he was suddenly weary.
Lerin glanced at him. Then she stood upright, the knife still in her hand. “Why didn’t you answer me, keeper? I have sense-lines—good ones—flung right out into the downs. Two days ago you walked through the first. I searched for your mind. I was nearly a Relic Master—only a few more months with Marcus and I would have made the Deep Journey. I know what I’m doing. Why didn’t you answer me?”
Galen lifted his head. He faced her across the room, the fiery shafts of the last sunlight slanting between them. “I think we should talk about this later. Alone. Many things have happened. But I am who you think I am. Galen Harn. Relic Master.”
For a moment they looked at each other, and the sun faded. Then the woman’s face changed; Carys thought she seemed astounded, and then horrified. “Can it be . . . ?”
“Later!” Galen looked away into the dark. “I’ll explain later.”
Journal of Carys Arrin Karnosnight 11.16.546
I thought Raffi would burst, he ate so much. Mind you, so did I. Now he’s asleep and so is Galen. After the meal everyone was too tired to talk. Tomorrow, the woman said. The Watchpatrol may have moved on then. She’s out, but the old woman is somewhere about.
Something’s wrong. He has to ask Raffi for information. The villager’s name. Why didn’t he know it? Why not answer the woman’s mind-call?
Maybe he’s a fraud. Maybe the powers of the Order are nothing—and yet she would know that.
Maybe he suspects me.
He’s a harsh, strange man, and sees far. And yet he went deliberately into danger. I don’t understand what’s happening here. But I’ll find out.
All right. The real reason I’m writing is that I can’t sleep. Why did she have to say that, about those children? Did I come from a village like this? Was my mother distracted with grief? I always thought, before, that Watchchildren were orphans . . . I never thought . . .
This is stupid. I’m going to sleep.
Note: Information about Lerin would be useful to the Watch. I don’t think I’ll send it.
14
What does the keeper know?
The secrets of the world.
To whom does the keeper speak?
God and the Makers.
What does the keeper fear?
Nothing but despair.
Litany of the Makers
“ T ASCERON!”
Lerin stared at them in amazement. “Galen, you can’t go there! It’s madness!”
He brooded across the firelit room. Outside, the cold rain fell heavily, splatting the pocked track into mud. Washed, full of food, and after the best night’s sleep he’d had for months, Raffi watched the keeper anxiously. Galen was gaunter these days, his hair long and ragged, his hawk-nose jutting, eyes dark with obsession. Now he turned the cup of ale on the table, tracing the pattern on the leather.
“Maybe it is. But there are reasons for it. The first is the girl’s father.”
Carys blinked. For a moment she had forgotten her own story.
Lerin looked at her and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but that’s . . . well, you have to face facts. He may well be dead already.”
“I don’t care,” Carys said. “I’m going to find out!” She glanced at Galen. “Tell her your other reasons.”
He drank, and set the cup down. Then he said, “I’m looking for a Sekoi. Brindled fur, with a zigzag under the eye. A man called Alberic wants him.”
“Why?”
“Alberic has a relic of ours. A crystal box
He shook his head heavily. Carys sat staring at the fire so hard that Raffi nudged her. When she looked at him, just for a moment, something flickered in his mind, a drift of pain. As he reached for it, it was gone.
She glared at him. “Leave me alone, Raffi.”
The woman looked at her suddenly. “Who are you? I didn’t know about you.”
“We met her,” Galen muttered. “On the downs.” He sat down on a bench, as if he was suddenly weary.
Lerin glanced at him. Then she stood upright, the knife still in her hand. “Why didn’t you answer me, keeper? I have sense-lines—good ones—flung right out into the downs. Two days ago you walked through the first. I searched for your mind. I was nearly a Relic Master—only a few more months with Marcus and I would have made the Deep Journey. I know what I’m doing. Why didn’t you answer me?”
Galen lifted his head. He faced her across the room, the fiery shafts of the last sunlight slanting between them. “I think we should talk about this later. Alone. Many things have happened. But I am who you think I am. Galen Harn. Relic Master.”
For a moment they looked at each other, and the sun faded. Then the woman’s face changed; Carys thought she seemed astounded, and then horrified. “Can it be . . . ?”
“Later!” Galen looked away into the dark. “I’ll explain later.”
Journal of Carys Arrin Karnosnight 11.16.546
I thought Raffi would burst, he ate so much. Mind you, so did I. Now he’s asleep and so is Galen. After the meal everyone was too tired to talk. Tomorrow, the woman said. The Watchpatrol may have moved on then. She’s out, but the old woman is somewhere about.
Something’s wrong. He has to ask Raffi for information. The villager’s name. Why didn’t he know it? Why not answer the woman’s mind-call?
Maybe he’s a fraud. Maybe the powers of the Order are nothing—and yet she would know that.
Maybe he suspects me.
He’s a harsh, strange man, and sees far. And yet he went deliberately into danger. I don’t understand what’s happening here. But I’ll find out.
All right. The real reason I’m writing is that I can’t sleep. Why did she have to say that, about those children? Did I come from a village like this? Was my mother distracted with grief? I always thought, before, that Watchchildren were orphans . . . I never thought . . .
This is stupid. I’m going to sleep.
Note: Information about Lerin would be useful to the Watch. I don’t think I’ll send it.
14
What does the keeper know?
The secrets of the world.
To whom does the keeper speak?
God and the Makers.
What does the keeper fear?
Nothing but despair.
Litany of the Makers
“ T ASCERON!”
Lerin stared at them in amazement. “Galen, you can’t go there! It’s madness!”
He brooded across the firelit room. Outside, the cold rain fell heavily, splatting the pocked track into mud. Washed, full of food, and after the best night’s sleep he’d had for months, Raffi watched the keeper anxiously. Galen was gaunter these days, his hair long and ragged, his hawk-nose jutting, eyes dark with obsession. Now he turned the cup of ale on the table, tracing the pattern on the leather.
“Maybe it is. But there are reasons for it. The first is the girl’s father.”
Carys blinked. For a moment she had forgotten her own story.
Lerin looked at her and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but that’s . . . well, you have to face facts. He may well be dead already.”
“I don’t care,” Carys said. “I’m going to find out!” She glanced at Galen. “Tell her your other reasons.”
He drank, and set the cup down. Then he said, “I’m looking for a Sekoi. Brindled fur, with a zigzag under the eye. A man called Alberic wants him.”
“Why?”
“Alberic has a relic of ours. A crystal box
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