Catherine Fisher - Sapphique

Table of Contents

Other books by Catherine Fisher

THE ORACLE Catherine Fisher

THE FIRST BOOK IN THE ORACLE SEQUENCE

Mirany is the new Bearer, afraid of her perilous duties for the god in the rituals of the Oracle, and fearful of her secret questioning: Does the god truly exist? In a land dying of drought, everyone believes that the old Archon, god-on-earth, must die to bring rain. But his death thrusts Mirany into a terrifying quest - with only a mad musician and a tomb-robbing scribe for allies .

THE ARCHON Catherine Fisher

THE SECOND BOOK IN THE ORACLE SEQUENCE

Alexos, the new Archon, will lead a pilgrimage to the Well of Songs. Great riches are said to lie there, and the Archon seeks peace with the Rain Queen. But the desert is a place of strange menace for the Archon and his companions, and behind them there is always the general, Argelin, seeking riches and power for himself. Alone, amid treachery, Mirany has to face the terrors of war.

THE SCARAB Catherine Fisher

THE FINAL BOOK IN THE ORACLE SEQUENCE

Returning from the desert, Seth finds a reign of madness oppressing the Two Lands. Argelin has declared war on the gods, Mirany is in hiding, and the Nine are scattered. And whose is the sinister new power hidden in the sign of the Scarab? In the descent into anarchy, Mirany and the Archon must attempt the final, impossible journey of the soul. Through the Nine Gateways into death. And back.

Formatted by eGod 2011

Our Realm will be splendid.

We will live as men should live, and the land will be tilled for us by a million yeomen.

Above us the ruined moon will be our emblem of the Years of Rage.

It will flicker through the clouds like a lost memory.

KING ENDOR'S DECREE

Finn lay deep in a softness of pillows so comfortable that his whole body was relaxed. Sleep was a drowsy content; he wanted to slip back into it, but already it was receding, withdrawing from him like a shadow from the sun.

The Prison was quiet. His cell was white and empty and only a small red Eye watched him from the ceiling.

'Finn?' Keiro's voice came from somewhere close. Behind it the Prison remarked, 'He looks younger when he sleeps.'

Bees hummed through an open window. There was a sweet scent of flowers he had no name for.

'Finn? Can you hear me?'

He turned, licked dry lips.

When he opened his eyes the sun dazzled him. The figure bending over him was tall and fair but it was not Keiro.

Claudia sat back with relief. 'He's awake.'

Finn felt all the knowledge of where he was flood him like a wave of despair. He tried to sit but Jared's hand came down gently on his shoulder. 'Not yet. Take your time.'

He lay in the enormous four-poster bed, on soft white pillows. Above him the dusty canopy was embroidered with suns and stars and intricate twining briar-roses. Something sweet smouldered in the hearth. Servants moved discreetly round, bringing water, a tray.

'Get them out,' he croaked.

Claudia said, 'Stay calm.' She turned. 'Thank you all.

Please tell the Queen's Majesty that His Highness is quite recovered. He will attend the Proclamation.'

The chamberlain bowed, ushered the footmen and maids out, and closed the double doors.

At once Finn struggled up. 'What did I say? Who saw me?'

'Dont distress yourself.' Jared sat on the bed. 'Only Claudia. When the seizure ended she summoned two of the groundsmen. They brought you up the back stairs. No one saw.'

'But they all know.' He felt sick with anger and shame.

'Drink this.' The Sapient poured a cordial into a crystal glass; he held it out and Finn took it quickly. His throat was parched with thirst. It always was, afterwards.

He didnt want to meet Claudia's eyes but she seemed unembarrassed; when he looked up she was pacing impatiently at the foot of the bed.

'I wanted to wake you, but Jared wouldnt let me. You slept all night and half the morning! The ceremony is in less than an hour.'

'I'm sure they can wait for me.' His voice was sour. Then, slowly, he gripped the empty glass and looked at Jared. 'Is it true? What she told me? That the Prison that Keiro is so small?'

'It's true.' Jared refilled the glass.

'It's not possible.'

'It was only too possible for the Sapienti of old. But Finn, listen to me. I want you to try not to think of it not now You have to prepare yourself for the ceremony.'

Finn shook his head. Astonishment was like a trapdoor inside him; it had opened under him and he could not stop falling into it. Then he said, 'I remembered something.'

Claudia stopped.' What?' She came round the bed. 'What was it?'

He lay back and glared at her. 'You sound just like Gildas. All he ever cared about were the visions. Not about me.'

'Of course I care.' She made a real effort to calm her voice. 'When I saw you were ill I-'

'I'm not ill.' He swung his feet out of bed. 'I'm a Starseer.'

They were silent. Then Jared said, 'The seizures have an epileptic nature but I suspect they were triggered by whatever drug they gave you to forget your past.'

'They? You mean the Queen.'

'Or the Warden. Or indeed the Prison itself. If it's any consolation, I do think the fits will become less severe with time.'

Finn scowled. 'Fine. Meanwhile the Crown Prince of the Realm collapses into a twitching cripple every few weeks.'

'This is not the Prison,' Jared said quietly. 'Illness is not a crime here.' His voice was sharper than usual. Claudia frowned, annoyed at Finn's clumsiness.

Finn put the glass on the table and his head in his hands, dragging his fingers through his tangled hair. After a moment he said, 'I'm sorry, Master. I'm always thinking only of myself.'

'But what did you remember?' Claudia was impatient. She leant against the bedpost, staring at him, her face tense with expectation.

Finn tried to think. 'The only things I've ever been sure of as memories have been blowing out the candles on the cake, and the boats on the lake..

'Your seventh birthday. When we were betrothed.'

'So you say. But this time, it was different.' He wrapped his arms round his chest; Claudia took the silk robe from the chair and brought it quickly. He put it on, concentrating. 'I think I'm sure really, that I was older this time. I was certainly riding a horse. A grey horse. There was undergrowth whipping against my legs bracken, very high. The horse crashed through it. There were trees.'

Claudia took a breath; Jared's hand came up to keep her silent. Calmly he said, 'The Great Forest?'

'Maybe. Bracken and brambles. But there were Beetles too.'

'Beetles?'

'They're in the Prison. Small metal things; they clear away rubbish, eat metal and plastic and flesh. I dont know if this was a forest here, or Inside. How could they have been here?'

'You just might be mixing things up.' Claudia couldnt keep quiet any longer. 'But that doesnt mean it wasnt a real memory. What happened?'

Jared took a small scanner from his pocket, and placed it on the bedclothes. He made an adjustment to it, and it beeped. 'The room is almost certainly full of listening devices. This will give us some protection, if you speak quietly.'

Finn stared at it. 'The horse jumped. There was a pain in my ankle. I fell.'

'A pain?' Claudia came and sat next to him. 'What sort of pain?'

'Sharp. Like a sting. It was

' He paused, as if the memory was fiickering, just beyond reach. 'Orange. Orange and black. Small.'

'A wasp? A bee?'

'It hurt. I looked down at it.' He shrugged. 'Then nothing.'

Hurriedly he pulled up his ankle and examined it. 'Just here. It went through the boot leather.'

There were many old marks and scars. Claudia said, 'Could it have been some sort of tranquillizer? Like your false insects, Master.'