The Shadow Roads

Eighteen

The eyes of the blind shed tears. That capacity remainedwhen all went dark. That is what Dease thought as he sat with Lord Car-ralWills.

They perched in a high, round window in Castle Renne, light,shattered by the stained glass, scattered all around and over their hands andfaces. The scene depicted in the stained glass was the fall of Cooling Keep andthe destruction of the Knights of the Vow-though the Knights had survived-ashad too many other things from the past.

Lord Carral held a delicate hand to his forehead, and asplash of blue spread over the skin. Blue tears streaked his face, but he didnot sob; nor did his shoulders shake.

“I’m sorry, Lord Carral,” Dease said softly.

“No, it is good news you bring. My only child, my Elise,alive.” His shoulders began to shake, and he kept his face partially hiddenwith his fine-boned hand. “But why did she let me think she was dead?”

Dease did not know how to answer. In truth he had no idea whyshe had done so. Certainly he could manufacture some possible explanations,and would if need be, but he really did not know.

“I’m sure Lady Elise had her reasons,” Dease said.

Carral straightened a little and turned his body away, asthough ashamed of this show of emotion-though somehow Dease suspected he wasnot.

“Has this thing taken her over completely?”

“The nagar? She claimed it had not. I don’t know your daughter,so it was difficult for me to gauge, but those who did know her did not reactas though she were in any way … strange.”

“Thank the river for that,” Carral said. “Is she alive now,I wonder?”

“Many of us survived the flooding of the tunnels, and as shehad already survived the river, I’m sure she is unharmed.” Dease was not at allsure, but he hoped his doubts could not be heard.

Carral did not exhibit the normal gestures of sighted men.He did not nod or shake his head, he seldom smiled or frowned. His habituallyblank expression was enigmatic-until he wept.

“Then perhaps she will reappear soon. We might hope.”

“We do hope. Let it be sooner rather than later.”

Carral wiped away the tears on his face with the flat of hishand, as though he had just become aware of them. Sunlight threw the images ofCooling Keep down upon the floor and across Lord Car-ral’s back. Flames dancedin his hair. Very stiffly he rose. Down his back Knights tumbled to theirdeaths.

He did not turn to face Dease but fixed his pale eyes on thedim hallway that opened up before him. His shadow loomed over the fall ofCooling Keep.

“When you saw her … Lord Dease, was she …” He swallowed,his throat apple bobbing. “Did she seem well? Unharmed?”

“She appeared to be perfectly well. Healthier than eitheryou or I.”

Carral tried to smile in response, took a step, thenstopped. “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, Lord Dease. I knowhow busy you are at this time.”

“I wish I could do more. I wish I could summon your daughterup with a spell, but alas, I am no sorcerer.”

“You have that to be thankful for, Lord Dease. That and muchelse.” Lord Carral set off, his steps small, like a frail old man, suddenly.Dease watched him the length of the hall. As Lord Carral walked farther fromthe window he faded into shadow, Dease’s eyes being adjusted to the brightlight falling through the stained glass. In a moment he faded entirely, like aman walking into fog. Only the slow tap of his cane upon the marble floor couldbe heard, like the ticking of a distant clock.