The Book of Isle by Nancy Springer

Author:Nancy Springer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Published: 2017-07-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

With first light, Trevyn and Emrist took to the road. Trevyn wore the sword he had won from the robbers, and he carried the wolfish parchment in a fold of leather, gingerly, as if it might burn. As they walked, Emrist explained to him about the cult of the Wolf.

“Wael is chief priest; he speaks for the Wolf.” Trevyn nodded in understanding; Hal and Alan had banished such powerful sorcerers from Isle. “So folk raise idols in its honor in Kantukal, and the coffers of its temples grow rich. That is nothing new; there are many such gods. But this one is vile even in the reckoning of Tokarians; its rituals are unspeakable. Human sacrifice is not the worst of it. People live utterly in fear of the Wolf. I have known for months that I must try to—destroy it—”

Emrist faltered to a stop, conscious of the contrast between his slight physique and his brave talk. But Trevyn soberly waited for him to go on. He knew the power and stature of his master.

“So I went to buy a mute,” Emrist said at last, “I, who have never bought a slave. I needed someone to stand by me in case my body failed me, someone who could not ever utter the spells, for they are perilous.”

“And yet you did not use me?”

“Nay.… You had bled, Freca.…” Emrist grimaced, mocking himself. “Of course, Maeve offered to help. Truth is, I could not bear to risk either of you. And I wanted to face Wael myself.”

“Wael? But you summoned the Wolf.”

“Nay, I summoned Wael,” Emrist corrected grimly. “There is no Wolf without Wael.”

“But what was that black phantom—”

“A thing of smoke and fire. Your hand passed through it unharmed. Any sorcerer could make one as fine—though I confess I was not expecting it last night.” Emrist glanced at Trevyn, half laughing, half angry. “Wael has made a fool of me.”

“Wael was there?” Trevyn breathed.

“He was there. You felt the fear?”

“Ay, terrible fear.” He shuddered at the memory.

“That was the fear of his living spirit, which I summoned. Without its mask of flesh, the evil of his soul overwhelmed us. That and the shock of something not understood.” Emrist shook his head ruefully. “How stupid I was to be so taken in!”

“Well, you will have your chance for revenge,” Trevyn muttered. He tripped over a twisting root and scarcely noticed the bump, thinking. “Then that was Wael, too, in the laughing wolf in Isle,” he finally said.

“I thought teeth made the occasion for those brands!” Emrist exclaimed. “Ay, I do not doubt it.”

“How are we to get the brooch back from him, Emrist? What do you know of Wael?”

The magician sat down on a shady bank to answer. Trevyn sat beside him, restraining his impatience at their slow progress.

“I have often watched him by the power of my inner eye,” Emrist said when he was settled. “I have seen him with the king, or in court, or at his vile rites, or alone in his chamber.

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