Fortune's Fool - Mercedes Lackey [56]
Especially if the matter really was grave.
She turned her swim into the dolphin-kick herself. Although she had not got the advantage of flukes, the undulating swimming motion was much faster than any other form. As she swam, she “felt” for the magic of the sea, and asked it for help, and a moment later, a dolphin came shooting out of the distant waters. Though he wasn’t wearing a towing harness, she could, and did, still seize hold of his dorsal fin, and lay herself along his back. As soon as she had positioned herself, he put on his full speed, catching up with, then passing the triton.
She released the dolphin with silent thanks at the edge of the Palace grounds and cast around for her father.
She spied him swimming toward her and knew then that this must be the most serious trouble he had ever yet needed her for.
“There is a threat,” he said without preamble. “Do you know where the castle of the Katschei is?”
She nodded. “Just over the border of Led Belarus, in the wilderness. But the Katschei is dead, father. He went to another land, thinking that since their Tradition did not know him, he could conquer it. But he did not reckon on the ways of a Godmother, and he was killed in the trying. The castle is empty even of his followers.”
“Not anymore,” came the grim reply that sent shivers up her spine. “He may be gone, but something else has taken his place. And whatever that something may be, it is not of the local Tradition, it is very powerful, and altogether evil. Something, perhaps, has learned from the Katschei’s mistake and is moving to take advantage of his absence.”
She bit her lip, but he was not yet finished. “Whatever is there has taken one, or perhaps two, magical maidens. A swan maiden was taken right from under the noses of her sisters, and they came to me to ask for my help. There is a Snyegurochka, a Snow Maiden, missing, and she has not melted. I should not think twice about this except that she was walking in the cool of evening in the same area where the swan maiden was taken, and she did not return. The place where both vanished is very near the Katschei’s castle.”
“Have you sent anything to spy there?” she asked, knowing she would probably not like the answer.
He nodded. “Yes. And there is the trouble. My spies were seabirds and they have not come back. Your sister’s magic cannot pierce the dark veil about the place. You are the only one I have that can go to the Drylands with impunity.”
She nodded gravely. “Then that is what I must do,” she replied. She thought fleetingly of going back to Sasha and asking for his help—but the Katschei was not in his Kingdom, and he could not in good conscience leave home to help her. Right now, this was a concern only for the Sea King. The swan maidens had asked him for help, not the King of Led Belarus.
“Though your fighters cannot come that far onto land, I can get help should I need it with my paper bird,” she continued. “And if need be, you can trade future aid for me against aid from your allies. Besides,” she added, smiling slightly, “I have allies of my own.”
The Sea King nodded. “Then go with all speed, daughter. I feel great foreboding when I turn my mind in that direction. Whatever it is must have plans beyond the kidnapping of a maiden or two. The swan’s sisters are awaiting you on the shore at the point nearest to the castle.”
Somberly, she saluted him, and left. As she went to the stables to find another dolphin-helper, she tried to imagine what could have gotten wind of the Katschei’s absence and also known enough to subvert all her father’s formidable powers to keep him from discovering what was afoot.