The Infinity Gate: Darkglass Mountain: Book Three - By Sara Douglass Page 0,189

Nightmares.

He could not touch Infinity here.

Ravenna slowed her plunge. The Nightmares reached out for her, too, but they did not harm her, only caressed her as she passed.

She was safe, and her son — the Lord of Elcho Falling — was safe, and close to birth.

This was not where she’d hoped to bring him into life, but it would do, and it would serve to teach him a few extra tricks with which to tackle life.

She smiled, and the Nightmares about her laughed at her joy.

Chapter 22

Elcho Falling

Axis walked around the lake to the causeway.

His sword, freshly cleaned, rested in its scabbard against his hip.

The gates of Elcho Falling stood open, men moving in and out on their business, and such was the air of normalcy that Axis thought that the citadel looked much like any castle or fort on a sunny day.

He stopped halfway across the causeway, peering into the water.

Deep below he could see ribbons of light flashing here and there and, just occasionally, the larger figure of a River Angel as it came closer to the surface, peering curiously at the man who looked down upon them.

It was a strange fate for the Skraelings. Axis stood there a long time, watching them, remembering all the hatred he’d harboured for the creatures, all the battles, all the friends lost to their ravenous jaws.

And here they were, flashing about in some mysterious, beauteous form, as if none of the horror and terror they’d caused had ever existed.

As if none of Axis’ friends and countrymen had died.

As if Insharah’s family had not died.

As if most of Isembaard had not died.

Axis straightened eventually, stepping back from the edge. All he could feel for them now was sorrow, both for them and for all the grief they’d left behind them.

He resumed his walk along the causeway, slowing as a column of horsemen emerged from the arched gates.

Georgdi.

The Outlander General halted the column as he reached Axis. “You did well, Axis,” Georgdi said, grinning. “Isaiah is sitting inside fair seething with resentment that you won the glory all by yourself.”

“You’re leaving? Already?”

“I need to see what has happened to the Outlands, Axis . . . and someone has to clean up the mess of wounded and dying Lealfast scattered across it.”

“Did Ishbel make it back inside safely? What has happened with the One? Is Maximilian —”

“All is well Axis. Ishbel is inside, with Maximilian. Ravenna did what was needed. The One has gone.”

“I .” Axis drifted into silence, not knowing what to say. He was glad that Ishbel and Maximilian were safe, that Ravenna had trapped the One, but was saddened to see Georgdi go, at the same time understanding why the man and his men wished to leave.

How many Isembaardians and Escatorians would be streaming out off Elcho Falling within the next day or two?

Axis’ sadness deepened. How many other goodbyes would he need to say over the next few days?

And where, oh stars, would he go?

Georgdi looked down at Axis’ face. He rested a hand on Axis’ shoulder, caught his eyes, gave a nod, then kicked his horse forward.

There was no need to say more.

Georgdi had a deep sense that this was not the last he would see of Axis SunSoar.

Axis stood back and watched in silence as the Outlanders rode past. They took a full hour to ride out of Elcho Falling, and when they were done Axis trudged inside the citadel.

He’d expected there to be someone inside to meet him, but there was not, and so Axis climbed the ladder to the first usable landing on the great staircase, then climbed ever upward.

He went first to his father and Salome’s chamber.

StarDrifter was half sitting up and looking cheerful, if not much better physically.

Axis sat on the bed, taking his father’s hand.

“You have won another great battle,” StarDrifter said. “A new feather for your legend.”

“It was hardly a battle,” Axis replied. “A sickening rout more like.”

He looked over to Salome, cradling StarDancer. “My brother was the one who truly won the day. If he hadn’t realised what could be done about the One .”

Axis drifted off, feeling exhausted physically and emotionally after the events of the day.

“We can rebuild the Icarii race, now,” StarDrifter said. “We have peace, and a home within this lovely citadel . . . and we can rebuild the Icarii.”

Axis had nothing to say. There were so few Icarii left, a handful of thousands perhaps, and so much lost. What to rebuild, and into what?

“You will