They watched it wander in the direction of the mid-sea rift.
Malien shuddered. ‘No, no, no!’
‘What’s the matter?’ said Nish, who had been holding Irisis’s hand ever since she’d climbed out of the thapter. ‘He’s gone. It’s over.’
‘The Well should have collapsed as soon as it took Vithis, but … it seems to be growing. He has set it to some dreadful purpose.’
‘Can’t you stop it, the way you bound the Well in Tirthrax?’
‘Not this one,’ said Malien. ‘This is the Master Well and not I, nor all my people together, can lay a finger on it.’
‘Then what are we going to do?’
‘Get into the thapter! We must go, and swiftly. There are still the lyrinx to deal with, remember? The world hasn’t stood still while we’ve been out here.’
The remaining people climbed in and Tiaan lifted off, keeping low.
‘What about Minis?’ said Nish. His thin figure was struggling over the rocks, away towards the distant salt.
‘It would be kindest to let him go,’ said Malien.
‘To die?’ whispered Tiaan.
‘No Aachim would want to live with his burden, Tiaan. Trust me. I do know my people.’
‘But to leave him out here, all alone? I just can’t, Malien.’
‘He won’t last long, poor fellow.’
There was a long silence, interrupted only by the faint whine of the thapter.
‘But you aren’t going to leave him, are you?’ said Tiaan.
‘How can I?’ said Malien. ‘Go down.’
Tiaan landed the thapter beside Minis. He gave it a fleeting glance and kept walking. She scrambled down the side. ‘Minis, wait.’
‘Go away,’ he said. ‘You only remind me that I have nothing to live for.’
She ran after him and took his stained hand. ‘Come back with us, Minis.’
‘Do you say that because you love me, Tiaan? Or because you pity me?’
How could she answer? She had loved him once, and for that reason she still cared. But the death of little Haani had undermined her love, and his vacillation at Snizort had killed it. She could not lie to him, not even to save his life.
‘Well, Tiaan?’ There was a nobility in his eyes that she had never seen before.
‘No, Minis. I don’t love you. But I do care for you.’ She was still holding his hand. The blood, already dried in the fierce heat, flaked off.
‘It’s not enough. If you truly care for me, let me go.’
As she released his hand, a single red flake fluttered on the breeze. ‘Please come, Minis. Life –’
‘I’ve seen enough of life,’ he said over her head to Malien. ‘Will you let me go, or would you take me against my will, to draw out my agony?’
‘I shall not take you against your will,’ Malien said softly.
He bowed to her, and then to Tiaan. ‘I have to atone. My life in return for the life of little Haani.’
‘It was an accident,’ said Tiaan. ‘And you weren’t responsible.’ For the first time since it had happened, nearly two years ago, she understood that. It had just been a tragic accident. No one was to blame, and her anger and bitterness afterwards had been due as much to hurt pride. Having been rejected, she’d wanted to hurt as much as she had been hurt. She too had much to atone for.
‘I know that,’ said Minis, ‘but atoning for her death is the only worthwhile thing I can do with my life.’
‘Then I won’t stand in your way. Thank you, Minis. Haani would have liked you.’
‘I’m sorry. So very, very sorry. I know how much you loved her.’ His big eyes searched her face, perhaps, even now, hoping against hope.
She could not say it. ‘I … I loved you too, Minis. Back then.’
‘Goodbye, Tiaan.’
He turned away, moving off the black rock into a gully filled with windblown salt, and away towards the centre of the Dry Sea.
Tiaan watched him till he was just a shadow and her cheeks were crusted with salt from evaporated tears. She wiped her face. When she looked again, she could no longer see Minis through the shimmering heat haze.
‘I can’t help but make the comparison,’ Malien said softly. ‘Flydd and Minis were both unmanned, the one by the torturer’s knife, the other by the impossible demands of his foster-father. Yet Flydd has risen above his maiming, while in the end, for Minis, the knife was the only way to escape.’
‘No trauma can bring down the truly great in spirit,’ said Tiaan.
‘Nor any privilege raise up the incurably weak.’
Behind them the Well boomed. ‘Come,’ Malien went on.