he could. Tall, rectangular columns supported the ceiling. The vast floor, what he could see of it, was bare. Except for their voices, silence reigned here. A Wallekki would have called this place the palace of a djinn, and died of fright. But in the wordless awe that filled the boy’s heart, fright had to stand aside, powerless to move him.
And then Perkin astonished him by dropping to one knee, taking one of his hands, and kissing it.
“King Ryons,” he said, “accept my homage!”
“How did you know?” Ryons asked. He’d tried to deny it, but those denials hadn’t fazed Perkin, who remained kneeling.
“An old man told me you’d be coming and how to know you when I saw you,” Perkin said. “He was a servant of God, and he knew everything that was in my heart. I never met anyone like him before.”
“I know him, too,” Ryons said, nodding. It didn’t occur to him to doubt a word of it. “He told me God wanted me to go to Lintum Forest. He helped me get out of the palace without anybody seeing me. And then he was gone—just like that. But why didn’t you tell me you knew who I was when we first met?”
“I didn’t want to scare you. I thought it best to give you some time to get used to me. And I wanted to be sure of you. A king should have courage—which you have.”
“I don’t know about that!” Ryons said. “So many crazy things have happened to me. I wish I knew why I’m supposed to go to Lintum Forest.”
“God knows why,” Perkin said, “and you’ll know, too, when God thinks the time is right. But we’d better be on our way again. Come, let’s see if we can find Baby. I’d hate to lose him.”
Chapter 16
A Night on the Plain
Martis returned to Ninneburky the day after Roshay Bault received the letters from his daughter and Gurun.
“Don’t get comfortable,” the baron said. “You’ve got to go straight to Obann—but first read these!”
Martis read Gurun’s letter first, and the last paragraph twice: “I am not entirely sure the children mean to go straight back to Ninneburky, so I have sent two trackers after them, two of my Blays, who will protect them. I cannot think where they might go, if not to Ninneburky. Maybe I worry for nothing. I pray that you will see them soon.”
“I’d give gold to know what was the important service that those kids performed in Obann that had to be kept a secret from me, her father,” Roshay said.
“Ellayne has a valiant spirit,” Martis said; but there was already, he sensed, something in this to be dreaded.
“I’ll give her a valiant spirit!” Roshay grumbled. “I’m responsible for the defense and good order of this entire district. I can’t go chasing my daughter all around the country. But here, read her letter.” And Martis read:
“Dear Father, Jack and I can’t come home yet. Please don’t be angry. If you can, please send Martis after us. Maybe he can pick up our trail. He should go to Obann and see Queen Gurun first. Maybe she will tell him something that we’re not allowed to tell.” There was more, but that was the important part.
“I should have been here,” Martis said. “I should have kept my oath.”
“It’s her fault, man, not yours. Just find her, if you can.”
“I would have had to go to Obann in any event,” Martis said, almost to himself. “There’s devilish trouble brewing in the East.”
“I know,” said Roshay. “That’s why I have to stay here to raise and train militia. I suppose another Heathen army will be coming this way soon.”
Martis shook his head. “They aren’t ready to send another army yet. But what they couldn’t win by force of arms, they hope to win by treachery. Be on the lookout for any man who preaches the New Temple.
“The Thunder King’s armies are busy now, trying to stamp out revolts throughout the East. Before he sends them our way again, he hopes
And then Perkin astonished him by dropping to one knee, taking one of his hands, and kissing it.
“King Ryons,” he said, “accept my homage!”
“How did you know?” Ryons asked. He’d tried to deny it, but those denials hadn’t fazed Perkin, who remained kneeling.
“An old man told me you’d be coming and how to know you when I saw you,” Perkin said. “He was a servant of God, and he knew everything that was in my heart. I never met anyone like him before.”
“I know him, too,” Ryons said, nodding. It didn’t occur to him to doubt a word of it. “He told me God wanted me to go to Lintum Forest. He helped me get out of the palace without anybody seeing me. And then he was gone—just like that. But why didn’t you tell me you knew who I was when we first met?”
“I didn’t want to scare you. I thought it best to give you some time to get used to me. And I wanted to be sure of you. A king should have courage—which you have.”
“I don’t know about that!” Ryons said. “So many crazy things have happened to me. I wish I knew why I’m supposed to go to Lintum Forest.”
“God knows why,” Perkin said, “and you’ll know, too, when God thinks the time is right. But we’d better be on our way again. Come, let’s see if we can find Baby. I’d hate to lose him.”
Chapter 16
A Night on the Plain
Martis returned to Ninneburky the day after Roshay Bault received the letters from his daughter and Gurun.
“Don’t get comfortable,” the baron said. “You’ve got to go straight to Obann—but first read these!”
Martis read Gurun’s letter first, and the last paragraph twice: “I am not entirely sure the children mean to go straight back to Ninneburky, so I have sent two trackers after them, two of my Blays, who will protect them. I cannot think where they might go, if not to Ninneburky. Maybe I worry for nothing. I pray that you will see them soon.”
“I’d give gold to know what was the important service that those kids performed in Obann that had to be kept a secret from me, her father,” Roshay said.
“Ellayne has a valiant spirit,” Martis said; but there was already, he sensed, something in this to be dreaded.
“I’ll give her a valiant spirit!” Roshay grumbled. “I’m responsible for the defense and good order of this entire district. I can’t go chasing my daughter all around the country. But here, read her letter.” And Martis read:
“Dear Father, Jack and I can’t come home yet. Please don’t be angry. If you can, please send Martis after us. Maybe he can pick up our trail. He should go to Obann and see Queen Gurun first. Maybe she will tell him something that we’re not allowed to tell.” There was more, but that was the important part.
“I should have been here,” Martis said. “I should have kept my oath.”
“It’s her fault, man, not yours. Just find her, if you can.”
“I would have had to go to Obann in any event,” Martis said, almost to himself. “There’s devilish trouble brewing in the East.”
“I know,” said Roshay. “That’s why I have to stay here to raise and train militia. I suppose another Heathen army will be coming this way soon.”
Martis shook his head. “They aren’t ready to send another army yet. But what they couldn’t win by force of arms, they hope to win by treachery. Be on the lookout for any man who preaches the New Temple.
“The Thunder King’s armies are busy now, trying to stamp out revolts throughout the East. Before he sends them our way again, he hopes
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