Storm Warning - Mercedes Lackey [193]
“Because in creating them he served some kind of purpose?” Karal hazarded.
An‘desha nodded. “He served his own people very well; he made them into a great and powerful nation. The only problem is that in doing so, he turned other nations into stretches of desolation that are still scarred by his wars today. For him, nothing mattered except himself and his own people—who were extensions of himself. He did horrible things in the name of patriotism, and thought that he was in the right. I do not like Ma’ar, but I understand him. Perhaps I understand him too well.”
Karal heard the self-doubt creep into An‘desha’s voice again, and answered it. “Understanding is the essence of not making the same mistakes, An’desha,” he replied. “I rather doubt that Ma’ar ever understood himself, for instance.”
An’desha actually laughed. “Well, now that is true enough,” he said cheerfully. “So, once again you unseat my problems before they can dig spurs into me. How far to the key-point?”
:Most of the day, if we are not delayed,: Florian replied—
—just as they topped a hill to find themselves staring down at a gorge many hundreds of hands below. The gorge held a river—a river so full of whitewater rapids that it would be insane to try and cross it.
:This should not be here!: Florian exclaimed.
They all stared down at the river below, all but Trenor, who took the occasion to snatch a few mouthfuls of dried weeds.
:And here, right on schedule, is our delay,: Altra said finally.
“Not necessarily,” Karal pointed out quickly. “There may be a bridge. Do we go upstream or down to try and find it?”
“Upstream, I think,” An’desha said, after a moment of consideration. “It takes us nearer the Iftel side that way.”
In the end, they did find a bridge—a narrow, shaky affair of old logs and rough planks. Karal had to blindfold Trenor to get him across, after Altra tried the footing by carefully padding over first. But that put them several marks behind schedule, and it was nearly dawn before they finally reached their goal.
Karal had wondered just how they would know what side of the border was the Iftel side, and what was the Valdemar side. As the sun rose, he had the answer to that question.
“What is that?” he asked in awe, staring at the wall of rippling light that lay along the top of the ridge, just above them. He couldn’t see the top of it, whatever it was; it wasn’t air, unless there was a way to solidify air and make it into a curtain of refraction. It wasn’t water, although it moved and rippled like water with a breeze playing over it, and Karal was just able to make out large masses of green and gray-brown on the other side of it that could be trees and bushes.
:That is the border,: Florian replied warily. :It wasn’t always like that. Before the war with Ancar, it looked just like the border between Valdemar and Rethwellan, but once Ancar tried to bring an army across it, that was what sprang up. Anyone who tried to cross it was forced back. Anyone who tried to drive their way in with magic—died. I’ve heard that there are some very select traders who are allowed to come and go between here and there, but they are a close-mouthed lot, and they won’t talk about anything that they’ve seen over there.:
“I thought they had an envoy at the Valdemar Court,” An’desha observed.
:They used to, a very long time ago. Not anymore.: Florian let out his breath in a sigh. :It’s tradition to keep their suite ready for them, but no one has come to claim it in anyone’s lifetime.:
Karal swallowed as he contemplated that shimmering wall of—of—
Of power, that’s what it is. Pure force. And I’m supposed to walk across it! And anyone who tried to cross it is dead!
What was more, he was supposed to walk across it right now. There couldn’t be more than a mark to go until the next wave was upon them!
“Come on,” he urged, as his hands shook. “We have to get moving now We haven’t got any time at all to spare!”
To set an example, he urged poor, tired Trenor into a clumsy trot, sending him down the valley, through the knee-high grass, and up the ridge.