Legacy of the Darksword - Margaret Weis [79]
I closed my eyes, but sleep would not come. My body was in that state of overfatigue where the nerves twitch and the mind travels restlessly over past events.
I felt guilty for having abandoned Father Saryon, although I don’t know what good I could have done had I been there. And at least I had warned Eliza away from the Technomancers, although if they had taken the sword then and there, Joram and Gwendolyn and Father Saryon might not have been abducted.
What’s done is done, I told myself. You acted for the best.
I spent a few more fruitless moments worrying about what we were going to do when we arrived at Zith-el, for I was certain that Mosiah would never permit Eliza to relinquish the Darksword. Would he try to stop her? Would he try to take the sword? Was he truly devoid of magical Life or was that a deceit to throw us off guard? Scylla had pledged her loyalty to Eliza. Would she fight Mosiah, if it came to that? And who was Scylla anyway?
Was Father Saryon all right? Would the Technomancers kill him, as they had promised, if we didn’t give up the sword? Was it wise to give up the sword to these evil people? Was this all wasted effort, if the Hch’nyv were going to wipe us out?
Eventually, these concerns—over which admittedly I had no control—so wore out my brain that it gave up and surrendered to weariness. I slept.
I awoke to darkness, a driving rainstorm, and an urgent need to relieve my bladder.
There being a distinct lack of bathroom facilities on Thimhal-lan, I would have to make do with the bushes. The rain pelting down on top of the air car did not fill me with any great enthusiasm for going out into the violent storm, but the urgency of my need gave me little choice.
Eliza slumbered in her corner, undisturbed by the tumult of the storm. By her placid face and even breathing, she slept deeply and dreamlessly. Fearful of waking her, I leaned forward as noiselessly as I could and tapped Scylla on the shoulder.
Scylla glanced around swiftly, keeping a tight grip on the wheel. Driving the air car must have been difficult, due to the storm. We were being buffeted by strong winds, the windshield wipers could not keep the window clear of the rain. If it had not been for the radar, with which the air car was equipped and which provided us with a virtual map of the terrain, we could not have kept going. As it was, we crept along, with Scylla fixing her gaze on the radar screen and Mosiah peering out the blurred window.
I made known my request. A bright burst of lightning nearly blinded us. Thunder cracked overhead, the rumble shaking the air car.
“Can’t you hold it?” Scylla asked.
I shook my head. She checked the radar screen, found a clear place, and lowered the air car down onto the ground.
“I’ll go with him,” Mosiah offered. “There are dangers out there for those who don’t know the land.”
I indicated that I would be grateful for his company, but it wasn’t necessary for him to get drenched on my account. He shrugged, smiled, and opened the car door.
I opened the door on my side and started to climb out.
“What? What’s happening?” Eliza said sleepily, blinking her eyes.
“Pit stop,” said Scylla.
“What?” asked Eliza.
Embarrassed, I didn’t wait to hear more.
The wind nearly ripped the door from my hand, pulling me halfway out of the car. I struggled out the rest of the way. Rain soaked me to the skin in an instant. I wrestled with the door, finally managed to slam it shut. The force of the wind blew me several steps toward the front of the car. Mosiah fought his way around the vehicle, his black robes sodden and clinging to his body. He had thrown off his hood, which was ineffectual against the wind and rain. It was at that moment I knew that he truly was devoid of Life. No wizard with any power left would have subjected himself to such a wetting.
“Watch out!” he shouted, grabbing hold of my arm. “Kij vines!”
He pointed, and by the