"You are right, StarDrifter." FreeFall looked at SpikeFeather. "I apologise for my tone, SpikeFeather. What needs to be done?" "Well," WingRidge said, "we need to search the sh.o.r.eline of Fernbrake Lake for evidence of the Keep, and we must do it fast. I need willing legs and eyes to help in that. At the moment the majority of the Lake Guard are busy aiding the population of Sigholt and Lakesview into hiding within the Urqhart Hills, for surely the TimeKeepers will be there any day now. Then the Demons will turn for Fernbrake, aided by the G.o.ds know what increase in their power. We need to get as many people into Sanctuary before then - and all must be secreted before the TimeKeepers manage to resurrect Qeteb completely."

"Surely Caelum will have acted by then," FreeFall said, but he was not the only one who heard the doubt in his voice.

WingRidge fixed him with his stare. "We must needs act fast," he repeated. "Who will aid me?"

In the end, WingRidge and SpikeFeather led only a small party of some eight Icarii, including StarDrifter, and Zenith, who'd flatly refused to be left behind in the gloomy chambers of the Icarii palace, towards Fernbrake Lake. They had not food to spare for a larger group.

SpikeFeather thought ten should be enough. The Lake and its surrounds were not so extensive that they couldn't search the entire area, and besides, he knew where the Keep had once stood.

StarDrifter, although cheered by SpikeFeather's enthusiasm, nonetheless wondered if it was misplaced. It was only sheer hope, after all, that saw SpikeFeather put his entire trust in this single idea, and if he was wrong, then would they 359*

have time enough to canvas other possibilities? And if SpikeFeather was right, and they found the entrance to Sanctuary - what if it was guarded by wards and enchantments? None of them had the ability left to work them. StarDrifter remembered the enchantment in the carved rockface that covered the entrance of the stairwell leading down to the waterways at the junction of the River Nordra and the Icescarp Alps. Then StarDrifter had entranced Rivkah and Azhure with his power to open the stairwell - but he could not do that now. So what if - "Peace, StarDrifter," WingRidge said by his side, a smile on his face. "Your shoulders alone cannot carry the weight of Tencendor."

StarDrifter grinned, liking the birdman, although they'd hardly pa.s.sed more than a half-hour in conversation previously, and put his effort back into the path ahead.

They had climbed out of the Minaret complex about half a league below the crest of the ranges. Minstrelsea rose above them, for Faraday had planted it not only up to the rim of the crater that housed the Lake, but right down into the crater as well.

"I will be glad," StarDrifter said, his breath now short as the pathway steepened, "when we can finally take to the sky again without fear of the Demons striking us down. G.o.ds! To be virtually deprived of flight as well as of power!"

They reached the rim of the crater by late morning, and stood a while to catch their breath and look down.

It was a beautiful sight.

The centre of the crater was filled with a vast circular emerald lake, surrounded not only by trees, but by thick ferns that in places rose higher than a man's head. Birds chirruped and cavorted among the fronds, safe within the shadows and the nearby magic of the Lake.

"I hope," muttered a young birdman by the name of JestWing BlueBack, "that SpikeFeather does not expect us to crawl all through that bracken!"

360.

"I sincerely hope I won't have to ask it of you," SpikeFeather said, then waved the party down the path.

The air was milder within the crater, but whether because of the sheltering height of its walls, or the influence of the magical water itself, StarDrifter did not know. Whichever, the extra warmth was welcome and invigorating. For the first time in many days he felt the muscles of his wings and shoulders relax, and he shook out his silvery white feathers and walked down the gravel path with confident strides.

For her part, Zenith looked about in wonder, distracted for once from her own thoughts. She had never previously been to Fernbrake Lake. Although magical and sacred, the Lake was more important to the Avar than the Icarii, and figured in none of the Icarii's religious rituals. Zenith had heard her mother speak of the Lake, and Faraday had mentioned it once or twice (hadn't something happened to Faraday in these waters?) but nothing prepared her for the sheer beauty of the Lake.

The water was a deep emerald in hue, yet nevertheless it remained beautifully translucent. Pausing at the edge of the waters, Zenith stared into depths that appeared to go on forever. Down to the very mysteries of the unknown, she thought, and then jumped, for she thought she saw the reflection of a stag in the water.

Zenith straightened and looked behind her, but there was nothing, and she shrugged slightly and hurried to catch up with the others.

"Here!" SpikeFeather proclaimed as they reached a semicircular gra.s.sy area between a stand of trees and the water. The clearing extended some sixty paces, in an almost perfect crescent about the edge of the Lake.

"The Keep stood here."

"The gra.s.s is smooth and flat," StarDrifter said. "There is no rubble, or evidence of foundations."

"It was here," SpikeFeather insisted, "but it must have collapsed into the earth hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. Naturally, the gra.s.s will have grown smooth over it.

* 361.

Now ..." and he proceeded to instruct his companions in the manner of search they should undertake.

Zenith glanced at StarDrifter, then dropped her eyes as he sent her a small smile to share his amus.e.m.e.nt at SpikeFeather's bustle.

WingRidge noticed StarDrifter's expression and smiled wryly himself. "Is this what I have spent my entire life training for?" he murmured. "Crawling about on my hands and knees in a gra.s.sy clearing looking for pebbles?"

"Well," StarDrifter said, "at least you shall have the joy of watching two of the vaunted SunSoars doing the same."

WingRidge burst into laughter, and SpikeFeather shot him an irritated glance.

Zenith grinned despite herself, then sank to her knees. If it was here, then they would find it.

In the end, it took less than an hour. JestWing, disinclined to crawl about on his hands and knees, had taken a st.u.r.dy branch he'd found lying under its parent tree, and searched the gra.s.sy flat by poking the jagged end of the branch down through the soil. For almost an hour, he sank the branch again and again into the soft earth, encountering no other obstacles than the roots of the gra.s.s carpet.

This time, as he probed into the earth, the branch slid only a handspan in before it hit stone.

The force jarred JestWing's arm, and he frowned. He lifted the branch out of the earth and stepped forward a pace, sliding it down again.

It slid only a handspan before it stopped.

Another pace, and then five or six more, with the same result, and JestWing knew he'd found an extensive flat stone surface just under the gra.s.s.

He opened his mouth, meaning to shout his discovery to the others, but as he turned about, JestWing saw all were standing silently, watching him.

"Sanctuary," Zenith whispered.

362.

By late afternoon they had cleared the gra.s.s and soil away from the flat stone surface. Situated halfway between the edges of water and trees, it formed a ma.s.sive circle some twenty-five paces across. The large cream flagstones were laid out in the form of a twisting maze.

"WingRidge?" SpikeFeather said, raising his eyebrows at the captain of the Lake Guard. Like everyone else, he was tired and dirty, soil smudging his face and dappling the skin of his hands and arms.

WingRidge did not raise his eyes from the circular maze. "I do not know it," he said, the fingers of one hand absently tracing the golden knot on his tunic. "Knots - mazes - may take a thousand varied forms, and this one is very different to the Maze beyond the Gate. I cannot understand it."

If WingRidge expected SpikeFeather to be disappointed, he was wrong. The red-plumed birdman simply shrugged, and asked everyone to stand outside the circle.

"It will be simple enough to decipher," SpikeFeather said, and walked slowly over the maze.

"Ah!" he exclaimed after only a few minutes. "Here is where it begins!"

He began to follow a pathway over the maze, his body swaying with the natural rhythm of the Icarii.

"What is he doing?" Zenith said, finally moving to stand next to StarDrifter.

He did not answer, and Zenith looked at him. StarDrifter was frowning, staring at SpikeFeather, but Zenith thought she could see just the faintest glimmer of excitement in the pale blue of his eyes and the skin stretched tight over his cheekbones.

"StarDrifter?"

"I don't believe it!" he whispered. "I can't believe we have all been so stupid."

Then he strode into the circle, grabbing a startled SpikeFeather by the elbow.

*363 .

"Out," StarDrifter said. "Let me, SpikeFeather. Please, let me do this."

SpikeFeather almost objected, then stopped himself. StarDrifter had once been a powerful Enchanter, second only to Axis and his family in strength. He would do this far better than SpikeFeather could. So he nodded, and left the circle, joining Zenith and the other Icarii grouped about her.

StarDrifter moved to the spot where SpikeFeather had originally said the pathway began, and stood completely still, his golden head bowed, his luminescent white wings spread across the stone behind him.

Zenith frowned herself, and laid a soft hand on SpikeFeather's arm. "What is happening?"

SpikeFeather caught WingRidge's eyes, then glanced briefly at the other Icarii standing about, as puzzled as Zenith.

"I found the entrance to the Maze Gate by executing a dance," SpikeFeather explained. "The pattern of the Maze here describes the pattern of a dance, a dance that will open the doorway into Sanctuary."

Zenith jerked her head back to StarDrifter. A dance? A pattern?

An enchantment?

Now StarDrifter commenced the dance. He used his entire body, wings, arms, legs and torso all twisting and dipping in exquisite deliberateness that described the movements of the dance.

Zenith stared at him, everything else forgotten. All she could think of was how stunningly beautiful StarDrifter was. She saw the strength and beauty in the line and swell of muscle over his naked arms and torso, the indefinable air of mystery that clung to the chiselled bone structure of his face and saved it from arrogance, the pale, fine skin, the golden hair, and the sheer loveliness of his long-fingered hands, now sweeping slowly through the air.

* 364 .

Stars! Why couldn't she allow herself to enjoy him as a lover?

For the first time, Zenith realised that that was what she wanted above all else. She wanted StarDrifter as a lover, but she did not know how to accept him as a lover. He came with too many complex confusions and emotions.

Why couldn't he be my cousin, or even uncle? Anything would be better than grandfather. Anything.

Tears filled Zenith's eyes, and she felt SpikeFeather place a hand on her shoulder. She glanced at him, and he nodded and gave her a small smile, and even though Zenith knew he couldn't possibly know her dilemma, she let herself be comforted nevertheless.

StarDrifter moved ever more deliberately into his dance. He proceeded slowly, and with precision, but with such supple fluidity no part of his body was ever still. Feet, hands, wings all followed the movement prescribed in the stone patterns before him.

Now he increased the tempo of his dance slightly, and Zenith realised he was repeating the pattern.

And then . . . then StarDrifter began to sing.

As an Enchanter, when he'd had the use of the Star Dance, StarDrifter had been renowned for the power and beauty of his voice. Now, even though he no longer had the use of the Star Dance, his voice was still beautiful and utterly compelling.

Zenith felt the tears slide down her cheeks, feeling the waste of her life to this point. She had sat in her chamber in Sigholt, and done what? Nothing, save use her power to frivolous ends. Meanwhile, StarDrifter, who had enjoyed only a fraction of the power of Axis' brood, had studied the beauty and mystery of the very air about him.

The SunSoars had squabbled and plotted and torn their lives to shreds. StarDrifter had learned to understand the rhythms of life itself, and had enjoyed life.

Had any of his grandchildren?

*36S *

StarDrifter twirled and dipped, his voice soaring into the gathering dusk, his arms fully extended, his wings catching the final rays of the sun to send slivers of silvery light scattering about the clearing.

Zenith put a hand to her mouth, unable to stop herself from crying. She cried for the waste the SunSoars had made of their lives, she cried for the beauty that StarDrifter was forcing her to witness, and she cried for herself that she could not allow herself to love the man she had been born for.

Now StarDrifter twirled, so fast she could hardly distinguish individual movements. She sensed the warmth as someone halted behind her.

"All my life I have heard stories of StarDrifter," WingRidge whispered, one of his hands now on her other shoulder. "I had heard of his self-absorption and selfishness. Of his quests and l.u.s.ts for women. Of his pettinesses. But no-one ever told me ... no-one ever told me that he was a Master."

At that precise moment StarDrifter's song and his dance soared to a climax, and he came to a halt, flinging his arms and wings out.

Somewhere a bell tolled, its rich melodious tones reverberating about the clearing. Individual stones started to move, sliding silently to one side. StarDrifter rose into the air on his wings, twisting higher and higher in an ecstasy of joy, then dropped down to alight before Zenith, SpikeFeather and WingRidge.

"Don't you understand?" he cried, and, seizing Zenith by the shoulders, he pulled her from WingRidge's and SpikeFeather's grasp.

She did not object.

"Don't you understand'?'"

"StarDrifter?"

"Zenith, you are lovelier than the very stars themselves, but must I shake you to move your thoughts into coherence? My darling girl, don't you understand what I just did}"

366.

She stared into his eyes, too consumed by emotion to speak.

"I just used the same enchantment to open the door into Sanctuary as I used to open the rock door before the Nordra door to the Underworld. Don't you understand?"

Now StarDrifter looked over Zenith's shoulder to all the Icarii standing behind her.

"I did not use music at all, but -"

"But dance" SpikeFeather cried.

"Yes," StarDrifter said, quieter now. He dropped his eyes back to Zenith's face, and she felt his hands tighten on her shoulders.

"Music and dance are but patterns, Zenith. Icarii Enchanters once wove the pattern of music to channel the power of the Star Dance. I just used the pattern of dance."

"But . . . how did you use the power of the Star Dance?" Zenith said. "It has been cut off."

"I... I don't know. Perhaps -"

"You did not touch the power of the Star Dance," WingRidge said, "but the power of the craft themselves."

The power of the Star Dance that had infused the craft during their millennia in s.p.a.ce. Then he grinned.

"And I do not think it would have required the power of an Enchanter to open the Sanctuary door.

SpikeFeather would have been as successful."