The Infinity Gate: Darkglass Mountain: Book Three - By Sara Douglass Page 0,9

him from the time he had called Avaldamon’s and Boaz’s shades back from the dead.

Then he took a pace forward and touched the man’s chest. “You are flesh!”

Avaldamon nodded. “Yes, and there is a tale to it, Maximilian, but not one I think I need waste time with here and now. The One?”

“Gone,” said Maximilian, explaining how Elcho Falling had expelled the traitors marked with his blood. “To where, I do not know. Avaldamon, what are you doing here? How did you get here? Why the Twisted Tower?”

“He came,” Josia said, in an ironic tone, “to destroy the Twisted Tower, apparently, and me with it. And he came as a cat.”

Maximilian’s eyebrows went up. “A cat?”

“It is part of the long and twisted tale,” Avaldamon said. “I took the form of a cat and became the One’s companion, and learned some of his secrets and vulnerabilities.”

Maximilian’s mouth dropped, just slightly. “You became the One’s companion? You —”

“All this can wait,” Avaldamon said. “You and I, Maximilian, and Ishbel too, shall have time enough later to discuss it. But for now . . . I take it Elcho Falling is relatively secure?”

“Relatively,” Maximilian said. “The Lealfast have been expelled, along with the One. I cannot think of anything else within Elcho Falling that may prove an imminent threat.” His mouth twisted a little. “Although, I have been wrong before. Avaldamon, why do you need to see me?”

“You and Ishbel,” Avaldamon said, “need to retrieve something from within the heart of DarkGlass Mountain — the Infinity Chamber — and you have to destroy the pyramid. We need to get there within the day, before the One can get back to DarkGlass Mountain himself.”

“We can’t get to DarkGlass Mountain within the day,” Maximilian said. And destroy it? How?

“Yes, we can,” Avaldamon said. “There is a small trick you appear to have forgotten, which is not surprising given everything that has been happening over the past few weeks. Elcho Falling can aid us. I will remind you later how this can be done; it is something you learned on your way up through the Twisted Tower, but which you put aside to concentrate on raising Elcho Falling. But — ah yes, there is always a but, isn’t there? — we cannot return so easily. I am afraid your days on the road are not yet over, Maximilian Persimius.”

Chapter 6

Elcho Falling

What has happened? Bingaleal cried into Eleanon’s mind as Eleanon hovered with the rest of his fighters some hundred paces away from Elcho Falling. I have felt something terrible!

Where are you? Eleanon asked his brother, who had been commanding the other twenty thousand members of the Lealfast fighting force further south in Isembaard.

Perhaps half a day’s flight away, maybe a little more. Eleanon? What has happened? The One has been expelled from Elcho Falling, as have we.

But —

The One was not as prescient as he had thought. He has been outwitted.

Eleanon?

Eleanon could not for the moment respond any further. He was furious, the fury driven and deepened by the humiliation of what had happened to him and to his fighters. They should by now have been in control of Elcho Falling. Instead. . .

We have been tricked, brother, Eleanon finally responded, and whether by the One or by Elcho Falling or by one among those inside I do not yet know. But once I know . . . once I know . . .

The One? Where is he? Is he with you? What does he say?

Eleanon sent his power ranging out, searching for the One. For a long moment Eleanon could not feel any sense of the One, then he cursed as he realised where the One was. He has been expelled by Elcho Falling! He is back in Isembaard!

What?

Ah, what a rout, Bingaleal! What a catastrophe, and none of it ourfault! We should never have trusted the One so implicitly. We had every advantage. Every advantage. Our enemies should be lying slaughtered and Elcho Falling ours by now. Instead here we are, trapped beyond Elcho Falling, and the One in Isembaard!

Eleanon suddenly realised that the Lealfast fighters were milling about uncoordinated and unsure in the sky. Gods, what a nightmare! Axis must be standing at some window laughing at him.

He shouted orders, grouping his fighters once more into their squads and setting them to patrolling the skies above Elcho Falling.

Once they were organised, Eleanon flew a short distance to a low hill just north of Elcho Falling. Here he alighted, standing with wings and