[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
He gave a low chuckle. "You begin to see the difference between
Aber and me," he said. "Aber does not understandwhy the Trumps work. He
doesn'twant to understand. Instead, he slavishly copies my own early efforts,
when I painted a flat representation of the Logrus as part of each card,
behind the image. It helped me concentrate. The Logrus does not actually need
to be part of the card... but it does need to be foremost in the artist's mind
as he creates. It shapes the picture as much as the human hand. They are,
after all, one and the same."
"I don't understand."
"You do not need to. That is my point!"
He dipped his pen in the inkwell and finished quickly. The image
was sketchy, little better than a simple line drawing, with the faintest hints
of shape to the background. But despite the lack of detail, it had an
unmistakable power that I could feel as I gazed upon it. A power which the
Logrus Trumps no longer held.
I concentrated on the scene, and it swiftly grew more real...
colors entered... a deep blue sky... black for the burnt-out foundations to
either side... blue-gray cobblestones littered with broken red roof tiles...
and suddenly I looked out onto the street in late afternoon. Not a single
building still stood, just fire-blackened chimneys by the dozens. Neither man
nor beast stirred anywhere that I could see.
Had I stepped forward, I would have passed through to safety.
Kingstown and Ilerium lay within my reach.
Dworkin's hand abruptly covered the picture. Blinking, I stood
before him again.
"It worked!" he said, and I heard the awe in his voice. "We can
leave!"
"Make more Trumps," I told him, "for five distant Shadows, places
where everyone will be safe. We'll send everyone through, scatter the family
to places our enemies will never find them."
"Why separate?" he asked. "Surely together..."
"We still have a traitor among us," I reminded him. "I don't know
who it is. But if only you and I know where everyone has gone, they will be
safe. I think that's how they found us here."
Page 151
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Yes," he said, smiling now, his confidence returning. "A good
plan. Freda and Pella can go together. Conner and Titus. Blaise and Isadora.
Syara and Leona. Fenn and Aber. No one will be able to track them if they stay
away from the Logrus..."
"Exactly."
"You and I will go last," he went on, eyes distant, envisioning
some special Shadow. "We must work on mastering the pattern within you... for
that is where our future hopes must rest."
"Whatever you say, Dad." I rose and clasped his shoulder. "Be
strong for now. We'll win. I'll make sure of it."
"I never had any doubts." He smiled up at me.
Then I went to find the rest of our family. We had a castle to
abandon.
TWENTY-ONE
With everyone living on the ground floor, I didn't think it would
take long to find all my brothers and sisters. I found Aber waiting
impatiently outside Dworkin's rooms.
"Well?" he demanded. "Well what?"
"From the way you went racing in there, I thought something had
happened. Did it?"
I shook my head. "Actually, wehave come up with a plan. I think
it's going to work, too."
"Great! Tell me about it. What can I do to help?" "We have to find
everyone first." "I just saw Freda and Pella in the kitchens," he said. "Fetch
them. I'll see who else I can find." We split up. I headed for the dining
hall, and there I found Blaise, Titus, and Conner seated at the long table
now pushing up against the far wall. A cold supper of roast chicken, grilled
vegetables, and what looked like meat pudding sat before them.
They grew silent the second I walked in, and from their guilty
expressions, I knew they had been talking about me.
Well, let them. I had nothing to hide. And it looked very much
like I'd be their savior.
"What news?" Conner asked after a few awkward seconds.
I said, "Our father has come up with a plan. He wants to see
everyone in his workshop. Right now."
"It's about time," Blaise said, throwing down her napkin and
standing. "What is he up to?"
"Later," I said, "when everyone gets there. Do you know where
anyone else is?"
Blaise hesitated.
Page 152
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Tell me! "I said.
"It's Fenn and Isadora," Conner said suddenly. "They aren't here."
"What!" I stared at the three of them. "Don't tell me they're
trying to slip past the hell-creatures "
"No," Blaise said. "They left three days ago by Trump. Just before
the problems started. They went for help. We weren't supposed to tell
anyone... they swore us to secrecy."
I cursed. They might be dead or captured. Then a worse thought
struck. Had we just found our traitor or should I say, traitors?
"Do you know where they went?" I asked.
"It's Locke's fault," Titus exclaimed. "He put them up to
something."
"They didn't say," Blaise said. "We were just supposed to cover
for them."
"Fenn called it a secret mission," Conner added.
"And none of you has the slightest idea what it was?"
"That's right," Blaise said.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]