Song of Ashes

47: Followers

"And that's why destroying the God-Song is our only choice." Sarka reached for the pot of coffee and poured herself half a cup. She still didn't like it, but Konn had been right: the taste was a small factor to consider against the invigorating effects of the brew. After a sleepless night, Sarka needed the help to stay alert.

Ro had had no such qualms. He had woken to the smell of the brewing coffee and had almost floated across the room, muttering that it had been twenty years since he'd last had a cup. He had drunk half the pot himself and now appeared to be holding himself back from finishing the lot. "I see. Rational enough: sneak into the Opal Realm and steal the Ash Mother's God-Song from her knitting basket."

Sarka frowned at him. "Don't be snide."

"Come on, Sarka. You can't be serious." Ro looked over his shoulder. "Where's that priest? Have you brought him into your little scheme?"

"He's running errands, which you'd know if you hadn't slept in for half the day. I've already talked to him about it," Sarka said, leaving out the minor point of Konn's extreme reluctance. And she had not talked to Konn about her growing awareness that obtaining the God-Song to free the Beloved was only the beginning; the larger and more important battle would be to take on Kogoren herself.

Details.

"He said that if we can recover the God-Song, he'll write in a passage to free the Beloved. I didn't tell him that I plan to destroy it altogether, but it is a small leap. I think we will find him willing to help us."

Ro groaned. "Just when you think the old man will be sensible." He sat back in his chair, looking at Sarka and wearing an expression of bewilderment. He was quiet for a moment, and Sarka scowled back at him, refusing to break the silence. Finally, Ro sighed, passing a hand over his face. "You are, without a doubt, the stupidest human being I have ever come across in my life-"

Sarka broke in angrily. "Yes? Well, you're just as stupid! I'll remind you I'm not the only one who sailed across the sea, and you knew better than I what was at stake-"

"-without half a grain of sense in that empty noggin of yours-"

"-and it isn't as if I am the only one who's ever thought it, I'm just the first to have the opportunity!"

"Opportunity!" Ro threw his hands up. "Sarka, what opportunity?"

"I have Tayo. And now Karsa. They want to be free. They will help me." She hesitated, a lance of anxiety piercing her innards. If they come back from the Jewelwave. If they succeed. Atai said they can enter his Temple now-can I call for them here?

"I just need to clarify one minor thing." Ro held up one finger as Sarka opened her mouth to interject. "Shh. Pretend for just a moment to be reasonable and indulge me. Once you have your hands on this book, you intend to destroy it-I gather that much. The barefoot priest thinks you're just going to add a tidy little passage to free the Beloved, but that is no longer the plan."

Sarka folded her arms and challenged him with her eyes.

"And both Konn and this-this headless god of yours say that Kogoren will not die at once." He waited, but Sarka said nothing, so he continued. "What, precisely, is to stop her from popping down onto the mortal plane to devour your soul?"

"I...don't know that part yet. Atai said he would offer me protection, but he does not know if he alone can keep me safe."

Ro put his face into his hands. "I can't believe I took you to Horn Harbor. I should have just jabbed you in the gut that night outside of Eagle's Rock and put you out of your misery."

"Well, you didn't. You followed me across the sea, in fact, so I don't think you get to call me a fool. Why did you come here, anyway?"

For the first time, Ro looked uncomfortable. He occupied himself with filling his cup again and shrugged. "What matters is that I'm here now, so I suppose I have to temper your mad schemes with a bit of sense."

"Right. Just don't slow me down. I am going to talk to Tayo about this. Do you think they saved the Annari?"

An anxious silence descended for a moment, and Sarka could tell they shared a mental image of the dark night on the ocean, the burning eyes of the Beloved, the imminent threat of death. This was the true terror the sailors upon the Jewelwave must have faced, or might still be facing. Could Tayo and Karsa have delivered the entire crew from their brethren?

Sarka turned to look around the narrow, dim chamber, searching the shadows for any sign of Tayo. She drew a steadying breath. "Tayo. If you have returned from the ship, please speak to me."

Nothing. Ro watched Sarka with apprehension clear in his face. She waited for a moment, then continued, "Tayo, Atai has said you may enter here so long as you mean us no harm. Come, if you are listening."

A few seconds later, the lambent eyes of the Beloved appeared in the shadows near Konn's shelf, unblinking. Little by little, the shadows unraveled to reveal the ghostly form, crouched like a cat, tense and wary.

"Tayo," Sarka said, and she was surprised to hear the relief in her own voice. She stood. "You're here."

The creature frowned, sliding his burning gaze this way and that.

"It's alright. You are welcome here."

All of usssss? Tayo asked, his voice unfurling in her mind although his lips did not move.

"Yes." Sarka was not sure what he meant. Him and Karsa? "If you come peacefully."

And suddenly, Tayo was not alone; he blinked, and when his glowing eyes opened again, there were two pairs, then three, then a dozen, and before Sarka fully understood what had happened, the room was filled with the spectral presence of of thirty or so of the Beloved, each of them crouching on the flagstones. There was hardly room for them all; they shifted, their white hair floating around wary faces, trying to make room for one another in the cramped quarters.

Sarka froze, staring. Behind her, she heard the legs of Ro's chair scrape against the stone floor as he, too, stood up. "Tayo?" she whispered.

"Your Annari. They are sssafe," said Tayo, sliding his gaze from Sarka to Ro.

"Who are all these-?"

"The merciful ones." Tayo glanced over his shoulder, indicating the lot of them with a look. "They allowed the Annari to live. You will free them." He continued without moving his lips. I left others behind to guard the ship that brought the second Absssconder across the sssea. Not all of the Beloved are won over by your promissse, Sssarka.

The strength went out of Sarka's legs, and she slumped backward into her chair. Of course he had extended her promise to the others on her behalf; how else could he have stopped them from driving the Annari to their deaths? The payment for a human soul was life everlasting at Kogoren's side. It would take a much greater payment to stay the Beloveds' hands. Dazed, she muttered, "All right."

"All right?" Ro stepped around Sarka's chair, looking at her in alarm. "Sarka!"

She was regaining her wits. "It makes no difference, does it? One...two...a hundred. The goal remains the same." She turned her attention to the Beloved surrounding Tayo. "If I am to succeed in freeing you all, I will need your help. All of you."

Tayo apparently spoke for them. "Be true to your word, and we are loyal to you."