The Waterless Sea by Kate Constable

Author:Kate Constable
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: JUV000000, JUV037000
ISBN: 9781741156546
Publisher: Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd
Published: 2005-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

It was long after midnight and, in contrast to the day, people were milling everywhere. Ched led Calwyn to the very heart of the Summer Quarters, the Courtyard of Three Fountains, a large open plaza overlooked by a colonnade. Breathless, Calwyn leaned on the railing with its graceful twists; it gave way under her weight, and she leapt back. The disruptions to the children’ s chantment had taken their toll; the Palace would not collapse until they stopped singing altogether, but the fabric of its structure had weakened.

Calwyn shouted over the square, ‘The Palace is falling! All of you, be warned! There’ s great danger, save yourselves!’

Heads swivelled, and faces turned up toward her. Some were curious, some amused, but most showed a pitying contempt.

‘Poor child,’ she heard one elderly lady murmur. ‘The shock of the Emperor’ s death has turned her wits. Look at her, she’ s not even properly dressed!’

‘It’ s true!’ Calwyn’ s voice rang out clearly above the splash of the fountains. ‘The Palace is about to collapse! Look! The walls are crumbling.’

A gentleman said warningly, ‘Listen, my girl, unless you can tell me where all my servants have hidden themselves, I advise you to save your fabulations for a smoke-party story-telling.’

‘Yours, too, eh?’ chuckled the elderly lady. ‘Still larking about in the Spring Quarters, I expect. It’ s always the same at festival time.’

There was not one servant to be seen in the plaza. All the courtiers in their festival finery were unattended; some even carried their own stools, a dreadful breach of etiquette.

‘Can’ t you see?’ cried Calwyn. ‘The servants know something’ s wrong! They must be sheltering in the cellars, you must join them while you still can! You’ re in terrible danger!’

But the courtiers had already turned away indifferently.

Ched plucked at her sleeve. ‘Let’ s go,’ he whispered. ‘It’ s their bad luck. It’ ll be moonrise soon. Let’ s get out!’ Even as he spoke, a chunk of the railing crumbled away; a rain of white dust descended on the crowd of courtiers below. They stared up in annoyance, brushing the dust from their clothes.

But Calwyn had glimpsed a swirl of pink silk on the far side of the colonnade, and she began to run. ‘Keela! Keela!’

The Third Princess turned her sleek blonde head; she looked distracted.

As her gaze focused on Calwyn, a strange expression flickered across her face, and she took an involuntary step back. But in a heartbeat her habitual mask of cool amusement had slid into place. ‘Calwyn, what a delightful surprise! What in the world are you doing here, and in such . . .unusual dress. Or should I say, undress?’

‘I’ ve been looking for you!’ gasped Calwyn. Again that unaccountable expression, almost a look of horror, flitted over the Princess’ s face, but Calwyn was too preoccupied to notice. ‘Listen to me, Keela! I don’ t have time to explain properly. The Palace is about to collapse. You must help me to warn everyone!’

‘My dear, one doesn’ t say must to a Princess.

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