The Seeker - Isobelle Carmody [51]
“Was he telling the truth?” I asked cautiously.
“Oh yes, I think so. He said she was defective by mischance, and the Councilmen want her healed.”
“Selmar?” I asked, puzzled.
Matthew shook his head. “The new Misfit.”
“I meant was he telling the truth about Selmar?” I asked patiently.
“No gain in him lying,” Matthew said.
I noticed Cameo standing in the shadow by the maze wall, watching us. “Where have you come from?” I asked her gently, bringing her over to sit down. She did not answer, and when I saw her eyes I realized she was in some sort of trance.
“Something terrible is going to happen,” she whispered. She looked straight into my eyes. “They are looking for you. They want you. They want your power.…” She slumped forward in a dead faint.
“Oh, Cam,” Matthew whispered, and gathered her up into his arms.
I stared at them, my mind whirling.
“She is delirious,” Dameon tried to assure me. “She does not know what she is saying.”
But it was hard to believe it was a coincidence. Madame Vega had talked about looking for someone, and now Cameo said someone was looking for me. Suddenly I remembered that Maruman had talked of something waiting for me in the mountains.
Dameon shuddered violently.
“I’m sorry,” I said, quelling the ripples of fear that ran down my spine.
Dameon looked pale. “It cannot be helped. You are in danger?”
“I think we are all in danger,” I said. “They’re looking for people like us.”
Dameon’s face took on a determined look. “Then we must get away from here before it is too late.”
“What about Cameo?” Matthew asked.
“Cameo will recover, if we get her away,” Dameon said decisively. “There is no time to lose. We must make our plans and act swiftly, lest we be trapped by the winter, for the pass to the lowlands is closed by the first blizzards and remains impassible until spring.”
“We need to know more about the mountains, because we can’t make straight for the lowland pass after we get away,” I said. “It would be too obvious, and we would be captured even before we reached it.” I told them about the maps I had seen in the doctor’s chamber. “If we had a map of the area, there might even be another pass through the mountains that would keep us off the main road.”
“Who will lead us if yer caught stealin’ into the doctor’s chamber?” Matthew interjected.
“There are those made to lead and those to follow,” I said slowly. “And there are those who walk a lone path, to scout the way ahead. I am a scout at heart. We need someone smart and steady and wise to be our leader. Dameon would be my choice.”
“But I am blind,” Dameon said, visibly astonished.
“You are not blind when true seeing is wanted,” I said. “You will lead us with those cautious instincts of yours and not be led astray by false paths.”
“Oh, wise and tricky Elspethelf,” Matthew laughed. Cameo stirred in his arms, and he looked down at her with quick concern until she settled. Then he looked from me to Dameon, his expression sober. “Ye know I’d follow either of ye, so maybe I am a follower. But if Dameon is leader an’ says ye mun nowt go to th’ doctor’s chamber, ye mun obey him.”
“Well?” I asked Dameon, somewhat defiantly.
Dameon shook his head slowly. “I will accept the role of leader for now, but I wish you had not given me the power of veto, Matthew, for I must disappoint you. If Elspeth can find a map, it would be worth some risk. Also, you might look out for an arrowcase. Do you know what that is?”
I nodded. “A thing of metal to point the direction,” I said. “My father said the Beforetimers called it a compass.”
“No good will come of this,” Matthew said darkly as Cameo woke. She struggled from his arms and stood up, seemingly unaware of her collapse or her words prior to that.
Matthew watched her go sadly.
I worked alone that