Ilse Of Illusion

6 - Dread

Every nerve in Lief’s body was telling him that all was not well in Del. Paddling in the dimming light, with Jasmine beside him, the spiders mercifully sleeping in their cages at the bottom of the boat, and Barda resting in the stern, he had tried to relax. But the feeling of dread had been growing for the past hour. It was impossible to ignore.

He had tried telling himself that it was caused by the gloom through which the little boat was moving. Where once there had been shimmering rainbows, now there was only sullen dullness.

But he knew that this was not the whole answer. The words ‘Danger’ and ‘Del’ kept stealing into his mind hand in hand, tormenting him.

‘I do not like this,’ muttered Barda, breaking the long silence. ‘I fear the Aurons have sensed us, and have dimmed the light so as to be able to take us unawares.’

Lief made no reply.

Jasmine turned to look at him. ‘You are plainly not with us, Lief,’ she said coldly. ‘Could you not speak of what is on your mind, for once?’

Lief sighed. ‘I keep feeling there is trouble in Del,’ he said, giving in to the temptation to voice his thoughts. ‘I would give much to be able to tell Mother and Doom and—and others in the palace who may be worrying—where we are.’

‘It is a little late to think of that,’ snapped Jasmine. She knew only too well who Lief meant by ‘others’. He meant the girl he was to marry. The girl he had chosen from ‘one of the best Toran families’, as Jinks had put it, to be his queen.

How can he think I do not know of her? she thought resentfully. Everyone is gossiping of the marriage plans, according to Jinks.

Then she realised, with a start, that Lief had said ‘others in the palace’. So his bride-to-be was already in Del! Lief had brought her with him when he returned from Tora.

Then he left her almost at once, to pursue me, Jasmine thought. And he has not returned. How she must hate me for that. And Sharn and Doom must hate me, too, for delaying the marriage that was to give Deltora an heir, make it safe.

For the first time she faced the fact that her hasty rush to the Os-Mine Hills might have disastrous results for her country.

Because of me, Lief is in danger, she thought. And that means that Deltora is in terrible danger too. I have my reasons for trying to reach the Shadowlands. The best of reasons! A little sister I never knew I had. A sister who is depending on me to save her. But I did not intend others to suffer by my actions.

Guilt pierced her heart. And the guilt made her angry.

‘I did not ask you and Barda to come rushing after me, Lief!’ she said harshly. ‘If you had not, I would be dead, certainly. But Deltora would have been safe. And your … your friends … would have had no need to fear.’

Lief frowned. To him, Jasmine’s anger seemed quite unreasonable. Why should she flare up like this, when all he had said was that he wished he could send a message home?

‘Surely I have told you often enough, Jasmine, that, far from blaming you for anything, I am grateful to you!’ he exclaimed. ‘If we had not followed you we would never have found the Pirran Islands.’

Receiving no reply, he grew even more irritated. ‘As soon as you told me that the Shadowlands prisoners were in danger I agreed to move on at once, did I not? Without returning to Del to get help? What more could you ask of me?’

Jasmine sniffed.

‘When you two have finished sniping at one another,’ growled Barda from the stern, ‘you may care to look at what is ahead.’

Lief’s stomach tightened as he obeyed. A large, low, spreading shape was slowly becoming visible through the dimness. It was very close. They had come upon it all unknowing.

‘Land!’ he breathed.

‘Yes,’ Barda muttered. ‘And this time it may well be Auron. In this gloom we might easily have rounded a cavern wall without seeing it. We had better be prepared.’

At the same moment, in Del, Sharn was roused by the sound of Jinks moaning. She had no idea of how much time had passed since she began to doze, but she knew very well that the moans were intended to attract her attention.

She looked down at Jinks.

‘Are you in pain?’ she enquired, a little impatiently. ‘Perhaps you need another dose of my herbal cure? I know the taste is not pleasant, but—’

‘Oh no, my lady!’ Jinks cried hastily ‘The pain has quite gone, thanks to you. But I am still as weak as a baby, and my memories torment me!’

Sharn looked concerned. Jinks fluttered his eyelashes and sighed.

‘Please do not feel you have to stay with me,’ he whispered pathetically. ‘I need only a good, long sleep. This evening I could perhaps force down a little ale, if you would bring it to me. A glass or two might settle my nerves.’

‘I will leave you then,’ said Sharn, rising to her feet. ‘Sleep well.’

Sharn was no fool. She was certain that Jinks was pretending to be far more unwell than he was, so as to be assured of a soft bed, plentiful food and tender nursing. He had a few cuts and bruises, and his feet were blistered. That was all.

But it suited her that the acrobat should stay where he was for now. It was vital that the news he had brought to the palace did not spread and reach the Shadow Lord’s ears.

The other people who had been in the kitchen when Jinks arrived would be no problem. Lindal was with Doom. Josef and Ranesh had been sworn to secrecy, then taken back to the library. They would not be permitted to venture downstairs again until Doom’s return.

And Amarantz? Amarantz, completely deaf, had not heard a word Jinks had said.

I admit I am grateful for that, Sharn thought. Amarantz is a good cook and a willing worker as well as a good friend. I would be sorry to have to hide her away upstairs.

She put her hand to the knob of the bed chamber door. But as she did so the knob turned, the door opened, and Marilen hurried into the room.

‘I heard your voice, Sharn,’ Marilen began. ‘I have been looking for you everywhere! I must—’

‘Marilen—why are you here?’ cried Sharn, trying to shield the girl from the bed. ‘Please, I beg you, go back to your room. I know you must be hungry, but I will bring your tray to you as soon as I am able.’

Marilen stood her ground. ‘Doom brought me my meal before he left,’ she said shortly. ‘I must speak with you, Sharn. It is very urgent. I—’

She broke off as she caught sight of Jinks, who had struggled to a sitting position so as to see her more clearly. ‘Doom told me that a man called Jinks is claiming that Lief is dead,’ she said abruptly. ‘Is this he? Is this Jinks?’

‘Indeed, my lady, to my great grief,’ whimpered Jinks. With a tiny groan he fell back on his pillows, his hand to his brow. His eyes, alive with curiosity, gleamed as he watched Marilen between his fingers.

‘You are a liar!’ the girl snapped. ‘Why are you playing this trick?’ She was holding herself very straight. Her voice was filled with contempt. Her beautiful face was stern.

She has grown up very rapidly in the past weeks, thought Sharn, with something of a shock. How is it that I have not noticed? Oh, why did Doom have to tell her? I did not know he had seen her before he left.

‘Has this man been left alone at any time since he arrived in the palace, Sharn?’ Marilen demanded. ‘Even for a moment?’

Sharn shook her head. ‘Please leave us, Marilen,’ she said in a low voice. ‘I must go downstairs now, but I will come to you as soon as I can.’

Marilen hesitated, then nodded. ‘Please hurry. I will be in the library,’ she said. With another contemptuous glance at Jinks, she turned and stalked from the room.

‘Poor young lady,’ murmured Jinks. ‘My news has affected her deeply, it seems.’

‘All who fear the Shadow Lord must be deeply affected, Jinks,’ said Sharn, struggling to keep her voice even. She left the room, the door closing with a soft click behind her.

The moment he was alone, Jinks threw back the covers and scrambled from the bed. He padded to the door on his bandaged feet and twisted the knob.

The door was locked. He was a prisoner.

Jinks frowned. Here was something unexpected. Sharn, for all her soft words, did not trust him.

This did not suit his plans at all.

‘You think you have me where you want me, my lady,’ he muttered aloud. ‘But you will find that Jinks is not so easily outwitted.’

Quickly he began to search the room.