Pennas shrewd eyes seemed to dim as she watched them. aI do not look forward to the journey,a she murmured. aI had hoped to avoid it. But you must see the island for yourselves. Only then will you understand the truth.a

9 - Troubles.

Not another word would Penn say. In silence she led the companions through the walkways. Curtains twitched aside as they pa.s.sed, and faces filled with curiosity, fear or resentment peered out.

The back of Liefas neck burned. aWe are not welcome here,a he muttered.

aWhy should you be?a said Penn calmly. aYou invaded our waters in a Plume boat, carrying the Plume part of the Pirran Pipe, to mock us. You brought fearsome creatures with you. You accused us of making Auron unfit for life. And you are very large and ugly, and smell unpleasant.a aAn attractive list of qualities,a said Barda dryly. aI wonder you could bear to have us in your home, Penn.a Penn shrugged. aAs I told you, I have read of your people. That was why the Piper chose me for this task.a They reached the edge of the platform where their boat still rocked gently, tied up with a few others. Stony-faced guards moved aside, at a word from Penn, to let them pa.s.s.

The water was alive with huge, ferocious-looking eels like the ones the guards had been riding. They were cruising just below the surface, twisting together lazily.

Trying not to look at them, Lief, Jasmine and Barda climbed into the boat, taking great care not to slip. Penn followed, quite untroubled. Then she caught sight of Fury and Flash, still asleep in their cages on the floor of the boat.

aI had forgotten them, when I suggested we take your boat,a she murmured nervously. aTheir cages are strong, I suppose?a aVery strong,a Lief a.s.sured her, taking up his paddle.

Penn shuddered and untied the boat, turning her head as she did so to stare at the eels, which she plainly found quite restful to look upon.

She pointed west. aThat way,a she said in a low voice. aKeep a straight course. And please paddle gently. I do not distrust your word, but I would prefer that your beasts did not wake.a The boat moved away from the platform. Ahead was dim, open sea. And Auron.

A world away, in Del, the sun was sliding slowly down towards the horizon.

Sharn had been in the entrance hall for far longer than she had intended. Many, many people were waiting to speak to her.

One of these was Bardaas deputy, a Resistance fighter called Mobley, who wished to report a death. Pieter, the brother of one of the helpers in the entrance hall, had died horribly when two Plains scorpions escaped from a box he had hidden under his shirt.

aWe think it was Pieter who put the scorpion in the kingas bed chamber, maaam,a Mobley said. aIn the old days he was a roof-mender. He could have easily climbed to the kingas window and cut the bars. Also, we found this in the scorpionsa box. Maria says it is her brotheras writing.a He showed a sc.r.a.p of paper.

aBut why would Mariaas brother feel this way?a Sharn exclaimed, amazed and distressed.

Mobley shrugged. aWho knows? Like many other folk, he and Maria lost each other the night the Shadow Lord took over the city. They only met again by chance, when Pieter wandered into the palace a few weeks ago. He was thin as a rail, had no memory, and suffered from headaches, bad headaches that gave him no peace.a He paused. aIt was a terrible thing Pieter did, maaam, but as I saw him lying there it came into my mind that if things had been different, I could have gone the same way as he did. I, too, lost my family in the troubles. It was only joining up with the Resistance that kept me sane, I think.a Sharn hurried upstairs at last, and went directly to the library. There she found Marilen sitting at one of the tables. Josef, looking harried and distressed, was checking books nearby, with Ranesh silently a.s.sisting him.

When Marilen saw Sharn, she stood up at once. Her face was very pale. aWe will talk in my bed chamber, if you please,a she said formally.

They moved down the great staircase in strained silence. As they reached the second floor, and the guards who barred the stairs stepped aside to let them pa.s.s, Marilen swallowed and seemed to make a great effort to calm herself.

aForgive me, Sharn, if I seem to be behaving oddly,a she whispered. aI went to the library for comfort while I waited for you. But I must speak to you in privacy. Josef and Ranesha"especially Ranesha"must not hear what I have to say. And I believe it is dangerous to speak aloud out here.a She hastened towards the hallway which led to her own room. Sharn followed, greatly troubled. What had made Marilen think the hallways were not safe? This floor had been searched very thoroughly for listening devices.

But even stranger was Marilenas determination not to speak where Josef and Ranesh might hear. Sharn had a.s.sumed that the girl wanted only to discuss the report of Liefas death. But Josef and Ranesh knew about that already.

What else could she have to tell me? Sharn thought. And why does she say that Ranesh, in particular, should not know of it?

Marilen had reached her door and drawn out her key. But when she put the key in the lock, she drew back.

aIt is already unlocked,a she whispered.

Before Sharn could stop her, she had twisted the k.n.o.b and thrown the door wide. There was a momentas horrified silence. Then Marilen gave a single, piercing cry and buried her face in her hands. Sharn simply stared, shocked and silent.

Jinks lay sprawled amid a small wreckage of broken china and spoiled food. His eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling. His mouth was twisted in a snarl of agony. From the pocket of his trousers spilled part of a fine gold chain with a locket hanging from it.

Sharn looked down at it. aMy locket,a she said slowly, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Then, pulling herself together, she moved past Marilen and knelt by Jinks, feeling for his pulse.

After a moment she stood up. aHe is dead,a she said evenly. aHe must have been more badly injured than we, or he himself, thought. His hearta"a aNo,a said Marilen. aPoison.a She stooped to pick up a crumpled silver paper case from the floor. She held it out to Sharn, her face very pale.

aPoison!a Sharn gaped at her.

aThat was what I was going to tell you, Sharn,a said Marilen, the words at last tumbling out. aAs soon as I uncovered the tray, I knew I must not eat the food.a aButa"buta"a Sharn ran a trembling hand over her brow. So many questions were rushing through her mind. She managed to blurt out one. aMarilen, how could you know?a Marilen shrank back, wrapping her arms around her body, as though to protect herself from attack. Then she seemed to find the strength to answer. She unfolded her arms and lifted her chin. aI am a daughter of Tora,a she said.

aI too am a daughter of Tora,a said Sharn, staring at her. aOr, at least, my ancestors were Toran, so I was always told. But can Toran magic sense poison?a aAll I can tell you is that I knew at once that there was poison in the meal, and I did not eat it,a replied Marilen quietly.

She gestured at the rigid body on the floor. aThe man Jinks came here to steal. He stole once too often, and it was his death. But I was the intended victim.a Sharn forced her face into a calm she did not feel. Her mind was racing. aDo you wish to leave here, Marilen?a she asked at last. aDo you wish to return to Tora?a She waited tensely for the answer.

But Marilen shook her head. aNo,a she said firmly. aThat would be to give in to our enemies. Whoever tried to kill me may not know exactly who I am, but at least wishes to make trouble between Deltoraas east and west. And who could that be, but a servant of the Shadow Lord?a aYou are right,a murmured Sharn, impressed and moved by the girlas courage.

aSo there is a spy in our midst,a said Marilen. aA spy who has somehow discovered that I am here.a She glanced at the body on the floor. aI thought it was Jinks, but plainly that is not so,a she added coolly.

Sharn swallowed. She felt almost timid, facing this girl who seemed to have changed into a strong woman in a matter of days.

aYou suspecta"Ranesh?a she asked quietly.

Marilen coloured to the roots of her hair. It was as though, in a moment, she had become a young girl again.

aOh, no!a she gasped. aHow can you say such a thing? Ranesh would never seek to harm me. On the contrary, if he was to find out my life had been threatened, he would a he would do something foolish, I am sure of it. So he must not know.a She turned quickly away, pretending to straighten the tie at her waist.

Ah, thought Sharn. So that is how things stand. Well, this complicates things even further.

A wave of immense weariness washed over her.

Lief, where are you? she thought. Oh, where are you?

10 - The Dome.

Lief was paddling towards the island of Auron, his mind filled with music. His shoulders were aching, but he was no longer aware of it. He could only think of the sound, which was growing stronger every moment.

aLief, what is the matter?a asked Jasmine. Lief glanced at her. Her familiar face wavered in front of his glazed eyes like a face in a dream.

aHe feels the magic of the Pirran Pipe,a Penn said from the front of the boat. She leaned forward and tapped Lief sharply on the knee. aLief! Wake!a she commanded.

The tap, and the piercing voice, went some way towards cutting through the dreamy haze that clouded Liefas mind. He blinked and murmured. Penn put her hand over the side, scooped up some water and threw it at him.

Lief gasped as the cold drops spattered over his face. Suddenly he was fully conscious again. Conscious, but confused and furiously angry.

aWhy did you do that?a he shouted, glaring at Penn and roughly shaking off Jasmineas restraining hand.

aIt was necessary,a said Penn calmly. aI have not brought you all this way to have you miss your first sight of Auron.a Breathing hard, Lief wiped the water from his eyes. Slowly his wild anger died. He realised where he was, and what had happened.

aI am sorry,a he mumbled, filled with shame.

aThe fault is mine,a said Penn, still in that same calm voice. aI should have warned you, but I was taken by surprise. The Pipeas spell is more powerful than I have ever felt it, no doubt because of the mouthpiece you carry. I have been struggling with it myself.a Only then did Lief see that her own face was wet, and that her small, tattooed hands were bleeding where she had driven her sharp nails into the palms.

aThere is something ahead,a Jasmine exclaimed, pointing into the gloom.

For a few moments there was silence. Then Lief and Barda cried out at the same moment as they saw what Jasmine had seen. A faint glow showed through the dimness.

aThat is Auron,a said Penn, her voice trembling a little. aGo gently, now. We must not cross the line.a aThe line?a cried Lief. aBut can we not land? Penn, we must land. We must see aa aYou will see enough, do not fear,a Penn muttered.

The boat crawled forward. A strange, unpleasant odour began to creep into the companionsa nostrilsa"a thick smell of decay that seemed to stick to their clothes, to sink into their skin and cling to their hair.

Then they began to hear the gentle sound of lapping water. Other sounds, too. Soft, squelching sounds, and a sort of clicking, like the creaking of stiff joints.

The glow grew a little brighter. It spread until it was almost filling their view. Lief squinted at it, trying to see through it to the island. He saw nothing but a vast, high dome of dim light. And, to the left of the light, just where he would have expected to see it, a rugged cavern wall jutting out into the sea.

aThere is the line,a breathed Penn. aStop!a The companions tore their eyes from the light and looked down at the water ahead.

A broad band of bright pink and yellow seaweed floated directly in front of the boat. The band stretched away to left and right, curving to encircle the glowing dome and the odd, milky sea that surrounded it.

aYou plant this weed as a warning?a exclaimed Barda. aAh, if only we had known this before!a But Penn was intent on Jasmine and Lief. aTurn the boat so its side faces the island,a she ordered. aAnd, for your life, do not let it drift into the warning zone.a So urgent was her tone that Lief did not even think of disobeying her. And the glaring pink and yellow of the weed, clearly visible even in the gloom, brought back memories that were their own warning.

aNow, look,a Penn said quietly. aLook carefully, and understand.a Lief stared. And as his eyes grew accustomed to the light, as they searched vainly for the shapes of rocks, hills, or anything he could recognise, his spine began to tingle.

There was nothing to be seen beneath the dome. The dome was a barrier of shimmering energy that hid everything beneath it.

Oily, shallow water, lightly steaming, lapped the domeas base, where pitted lumps of some thick substance moved sluggishly in the tide and unseen things squelched and chewed. Everything seemed covered by a milky haze, like mould. The foul smell rolled over Lief in waves.

He heard Barda curse softly, and Jasmine murmur in disbelief. Despair settled over him like a dull grey cloud.

He twisted in his seat to look at Penn. She was staring fixedly at her hands folded in her lap.

aThe dome is sealed by magic,a she muttered. aIt cannot be penetrated.a She raised her head. aDo you understand?a she said softly. aWe of the rafts are exiles. Our ancestors were expelled from the dome long, long ago.a aWhy?a Barda asked bluntly.

Penn hunched her narrow shoulders. aThey were dangerous. They were sick of pretence,a she muttered, speaking haltingly as if every word was being forced from her. aThey wisheda"to make a life outside, in a place that was not what they were used to, but which had its own savage beauty.a Lief, Barda and Jasmine looked around uncertainly. It was difficult to understand how anyone could find beauty in this overwhelming gloom.

Penn looked around also, her eyes glazed with sorrow. aWhen first the rafts were made, the cavern walls shone like stars of a thousand different colours,a she whispered. aThe eels danced in a glittering rainbow sea. The writings say that it was beautiful beyond words.a She sighed deeply. aEven when I was a child, it was still a shadow of what it had been. I well remember the colours. But now, they are gone.a Lief, Barda and Jasmine thought of the exquisite opal beauty through which they had sailed when first they left the territory of the Plumes. The dazzling colours that had faded as the Plumesa light failed.

Then, they had thought that the Aurons had dimmed their own light for some evil purpose. Now they knew differently.

aWhat happened?a Jasmine asked.

Slowly, almost unwillingly, Penn took out the two sc.r.a.ps of parchment she had brought from the hut. She handed them to Lief, with the lantern.

aPart of the story is here,a she muttered. aI wrote it, in simple form, for the children of the rafts. I brought these becausea"because I knew you would have questions, and it would give me pain to answer them.a Again she looked down at her hands. Her body was rigid, and her mouth was pressed into a hard line.

Lief and Jasmine looked at the first piece of parchment. Barda crept forward to look over their shoulders.

How the Rafts Came to Be When the three Pirran tribes fled their ancient land after the coming of the Shadow Lord, they found refuge on islands in an underground sea. The Isle of Auron was well separated from the enemy islands of aPlume and Keras. It was large, had natural water, and was covered by fast-growing fungus trees from which boats and dwellings could be made. When fit by the magic of the people, the cavern in which it lay shone with every colour of the rainbow.

Some Aurons found a strange, wild beauty in the island and the shining caverns. But most saw only ugliness, and at once began creating illusions of the lost beauties of Pirra. After a time, they went further. They wove a great spell, creating a dome which covered the island, containing the magic and making the illusion complete.

But there were those who did not agree with what had been done. These Aurons, our ancestors, wanted to live in a world that was real, however strange, rather than to exist in a dream created by their own minds.

Lief put down the first piece of parchment, and took up the second.

And so our ancestors were stripped of their magic and cast out as traitors. Eeran, the Piper of those days, swore that if they went in peace, so blood would not he spilled inside the dome, the caverns would always be filled with light. And our ancestors believed him, and left without a murmur.

They made rafts of driftwood lashed together with ropes of dried weed. They built mud houses, learned to live the fife of the shining sea which was their home and were happy.

For many years, Eeranas promise was kept. But then, not long after the coming of Doran, the bringer of fire, the fight began, very slowly, to dim. Now, centuries later, our realm is as you see it.

The dome-dwellers continue to expel all things that threaten their idea of Beauty, including their dead. Thus they feed the creatures which breed around the dome. And those creatures are hunted by the Arach, those monsters of nightmare which once hid deep in caves, away from the fight, hut now nest in the warmth and dimness of the dome sea.

The dome is protected fry the magic of the Aurons within it, and the stem of the Pirran Tipe. We, who are without magic, cannot penetrate it. Many have tried and died in the attempt.

We must all prepare for a time when the fight is gone altogether. We must learn to find our way in dark water, and to know by touch the warning lines which must never he crossed. We must continue to save every sc.r.a.p of wood, to mend the rafts cleverly, and to hate waste.

Then we will survive.

Lief looked up to meet Pennas grave eyes. He handed back the parchments, saying nothing. What was there to say?

But Jasmineas eyes had narrowed. aWhat are these Arach?a she asked abruptly.

At the sound of the name, Penn stiffened and glanced from side to side. With a stifled cry she half rose from her seat, then fell back.

aWhat have I done?a she gasped. aOh, Auron forgive me! In my distress I forgot to watch. We are drifting over the line!a The companions looked down. Pink and yellow weed was all around them. It was lush and thickly branched, floating just under the surface of the water. Before they could gather their wits, the boatas prow had nudged out of the weed, and into the milky water beyond.

And by the dome, something stirred. There were sounds. Sucking, creaking sounds that chilled the blood.

aBack!a muttered Penn, her eyes wild with panic. aMake haste! Oh, make haste!a Lief and Jasmine began back-paddling frantically. Their paddles splashed uselessly, snagging on the ragged blanket of weed. The boat swayed awkwardly from side to side, but did not move.

Without another word, Penn threw herself into the water and began clawing at the weed, flinging great trails of it aside, trying vainly to clear a path.

Two huge shadows, two vast, lumpy bodies each swaying on eight thin, jointed legs, rose dark against the glow of the dome. Red eyes gleamed as the beasts sprang forward and began running towards the boat, running with terrifying speed over the surface of the water.

aOver the side!a Penn shouted. aSwim! Swim for your lives!a