not! Whoever sent me the message told me I would meet him there. I can’t go. It’s impossible.”
“That’s right,” admitted Amber. “Perhaps you’re in real danger. Let’s avoid that city.”
Jade held her tongue for a moment. She could have been stubborn, explaining once more her desire to meet Jean Losserand, to understand the mystery of Fairytale and the meaning of the symbol. And yet, she kept quiet. Even if she was incredibly selfish (which she would never have believed, let alone admitted), even she did not want to put Opal’s life at risk. No matter how shallow she was, Jade was also intelligent. She realised that there was something odd about what the voice had said. She stood there, lost in thought, and all at once found the flaw in the message.
“We’re going to Nathyrnn,” she announced confidently. “Trust me, no one is in any danger.”
Satisfied to see his authority respected by the Council of Twelve, the Thirteenth Councillor began to speak, and the walls trembled at the hollow sound of his voice.
“Opal is under my control,” he announced calmly. “It all went just as I had wished. She believed every word I said.”
Admiration now joined the fear felt by the councillors. He stared at them haughtily for a moment, considering their greedy faces, their white hair and dull eyes. He himself did not know what old age was.
“What will happen now?” the Third Councillor ventured to ask. He was an elderly man, but still naive and easily influenced.
“There is no need for you to know.”
“Of course, naturally,” stammered the Third Councillor.
At last the councillors dared to look up at their leader. His towering form loomed in the dim light. In the darkness that concealed his face, only his eyes could be seen, piercing eyes that gleamed harshly.
“That is all. You will be informed of further developments.”
With these words, he left the chamber.
C HAPTER E IGHT
The Gates of Nathyrnn
AMBER ADMIRED JADE : she seemed thoughtless and spoilt, but had just shown them that she could also be quite shrewd. She had quickly guessed what Amber would never have imagined: “If the voice threatens to find you in Nathyrnn,” she’d said with cool assurance, “it’s certainly because it hopes you won’t go there.” Opal had been hard to convince. Her pretty pale face was distorted by fear and she was shaking all over. Each step that brought her closer to the city cost her tremendous effort. At first she had begged Jade not to go on. She had shrieked with such despair that she hadsucceeded in terrifying herself even more. Jade had lost her temper and ordered Opal to follow them, and when that failed, she had finally grabbed Opal’s arm and given her a resounding slap. Jade was not given to patience or moderation, and Opal was suffering the consequences.
“You’re not yourself! On any other occasion, I would have had no qualms about leaving you here, but as it seems you’re at the mercy of any old telepathic enemy with nothing better to do than terrorise young girls, you’re coming with us, whether you want to or not.”
Reluctantly, her cheek burning, Opal finally gave in to Jade.
“Opal, are you feeling better?” asked Amber after a while.
Opal refused to talk about it. She felt more humiliated than frightened now, and the last thing she wanted was pity.
“I’m fine,” she said in a steady voice.
“You’re sure?” insisted Amber.
“Yes.”
“Jade,” asked Amber, “how far is it to Nathyrnn? Opal is still rather weak.”
“I feel fine,” repeated Opal, who was finding Amber’s concern rather annoying.
“We’re an hour or two away from Nathyrnn,” announced Jade.
“You’re sure we’re on the right road?”
“Absolutely,” snapped Jade.
“I’m hungry,” announced Amber. “We hardly touched our supplies this morning. We should stop again, to rest and have another meal.”
“No,” said Jade.
“We’re stopping!” declared Opal.
Jade glanced
“That’s right,” admitted Amber. “Perhaps you’re in real danger. Let’s avoid that city.”
Jade held her tongue for a moment. She could have been stubborn, explaining once more her desire to meet Jean Losserand, to understand the mystery of Fairytale and the meaning of the symbol. And yet, she kept quiet. Even if she was incredibly selfish (which she would never have believed, let alone admitted), even she did not want to put Opal’s life at risk. No matter how shallow she was, Jade was also intelligent. She realised that there was something odd about what the voice had said. She stood there, lost in thought, and all at once found the flaw in the message.
“We’re going to Nathyrnn,” she announced confidently. “Trust me, no one is in any danger.”
Satisfied to see his authority respected by the Council of Twelve, the Thirteenth Councillor began to speak, and the walls trembled at the hollow sound of his voice.
“Opal is under my control,” he announced calmly. “It all went just as I had wished. She believed every word I said.”
Admiration now joined the fear felt by the councillors. He stared at them haughtily for a moment, considering their greedy faces, their white hair and dull eyes. He himself did not know what old age was.
“What will happen now?” the Third Councillor ventured to ask. He was an elderly man, but still naive and easily influenced.
“There is no need for you to know.”
“Of course, naturally,” stammered the Third Councillor.
At last the councillors dared to look up at their leader. His towering form loomed in the dim light. In the darkness that concealed his face, only his eyes could be seen, piercing eyes that gleamed harshly.
“That is all. You will be informed of further developments.”
With these words, he left the chamber.
C HAPTER E IGHT
The Gates of Nathyrnn
AMBER ADMIRED JADE : she seemed thoughtless and spoilt, but had just shown them that she could also be quite shrewd. She had quickly guessed what Amber would never have imagined: “If the voice threatens to find you in Nathyrnn,” she’d said with cool assurance, “it’s certainly because it hopes you won’t go there.” Opal had been hard to convince. Her pretty pale face was distorted by fear and she was shaking all over. Each step that brought her closer to the city cost her tremendous effort. At first she had begged Jade not to go on. She had shrieked with such despair that she hadsucceeded in terrifying herself even more. Jade had lost her temper and ordered Opal to follow them, and when that failed, she had finally grabbed Opal’s arm and given her a resounding slap. Jade was not given to patience or moderation, and Opal was suffering the consequences.
“You’re not yourself! On any other occasion, I would have had no qualms about leaving you here, but as it seems you’re at the mercy of any old telepathic enemy with nothing better to do than terrorise young girls, you’re coming with us, whether you want to or not.”
Reluctantly, her cheek burning, Opal finally gave in to Jade.
“Opal, are you feeling better?” asked Amber after a while.
Opal refused to talk about it. She felt more humiliated than frightened now, and the last thing she wanted was pity.
“I’m fine,” she said in a steady voice.
“You’re sure?” insisted Amber.
“Yes.”
“Jade,” asked Amber, “how far is it to Nathyrnn? Opal is still rather weak.”
“I feel fine,” repeated Opal, who was finding Amber’s concern rather annoying.
“We’re an hour or two away from Nathyrnn,” announced Jade.
“You’re sure we’re on the right road?”
“Absolutely,” snapped Jade.
“I’m hungry,” announced Amber. “We hardly touched our supplies this morning. We should stop again, to rest and have another meal.”
“No,” said Jade.
“We’re stopping!” declared Opal.
Jade glanced
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