"I don't know," Magadon said. "It called out in . . . Netherese."
"Netherese?" Not even Cale spoke that ancient tongue.
Magadon nodded.
Jak looked from Magadon to Cale and said, "Do you remember what Sephris said? That we would summon the storm?"
Cale nodded. He remembered the loremaster's parting words to him-Sakkors is only the beginning. His skin went gooseflesh. He tried to put it out of his mind.
"I remember. And I hear your words," he said to Magadon. "But first things first. We stop the slaadi, we stop the Sojourner, and we deal with what comes after when it comes. Agreed?"
Magadon looked him in the eye, nodded. Jak too.
Cale said, "Do you still have the link with Riven?"
"I do," Magadon answered. "A latent link. But no strength to activate it, and no strength to project the image into your mind. Took almost all I had to contact you two."
"How long before you are ready?" Cale asked.
"An hour," Magadon answered. "Maybe two. I can recover some strength by then."
Cale nodded. They would wait aboard Demon Binder. They had no choice.
"Let's go aboard," he said. "Get you some food and rest."
Together, the three comrades climbed the gangplank and boarded Demon Binder.
Jak said, "And someone on this tub damned well better have a tindertwig."
CHAPTER 15
WAYROCK
Riven, Azriim, and Dolgan aimlessly walked Selgaunt's streets as the false dawn lightened the sky. By accident, they had ventured near Riven's garret. He found himself scanning the streets and alleys for any sign of his girls, at the same time hoping and not hoping that he would catch a glimpse of them.
"What are you looking for?" Dolgan asked.
Riven chided himself for his carelessness. "Nothing. Mind your own affairs, slaad."
Dolgan grunted, Azriim grinned, and the three walked on. The street traffic was beginning to build as dawn approached. Shop doors and shutters opened. Farmers and their wagons entered the city and made their way to market. Sellers of sweetmeats and stale bread took their favored spots on the street. Riven gave a fat, already sweating sweetmeat seller his first sale of the day, purchasing two candied pears. He ate both without offering any to the slaadi.
"Where are all the clothiers?" Azriim said. "I am dressed like a pauper."
Riven knew several booths that sold clothing but did not mention any to the slaad.
Dawn broke and they walked on, awaiting word from the Sojourner.
Within a quarter hour, Riven noticed concern among the pedestrians. Eyes were wide; brows furrowed; strides were a step too fast. The rustle turned to an alarmed murmur.
"What is going on?" he said, more to himself than to the slaadi.
"What?" Dolgan asked.
A young laborer pelted down the street in their direction.
"Did you see it?" he shouted. "Did you see it?"
He looked like a madman.
Riven stepped in front of him and grabbed him by his cloak.
"Have you seen it?" the young man said, his breath coming in heaves. Riven saw real fear in his eyes.
"Seen what?" Riven asked.
"The sun," the boy said.
Riven gave him a shake. "What are you talking about?"
The daylight noticeably dimmed, then grew darker.
Riven released the boy and looked up to the east. The sun was too close to the horizon for him to see; buildings blocked his view. He jogged up the street until he reached an open square. The slaadi followed. So too did a gathering crowd of Selgauntans.
A small crowd had already assembled there, strangely hushed. All of them gazed to the east. Riven followed their looks and could hardly believe what he saw.
Overnight, another moon had appeared in the sky. A pitted sphere of dark rock hung in the sky just above the horizon line. It appeared as large as Selune. Its edge blocked part of the rising sun. The sphere did not move as the sun rose; it just hung there, foreboding, waiting. As the sun continued its ascent, the sphere ate more and more of its face.
Riven was too astonished to speak. Those in the crowd around him muttered in ominous tones. Others moved closer to each other, as though for comfort. Horses neighed.
"Has Selune abandoned us?" a woman cried.
A man said, "What in the Seven Heavens is it?"
"Where did it come from?" asked another.
"The gods keep us," said an old woman. "It is Alaundo's prophecies!"
Riven remembered the Sojourner's words and knew that the orb had nothing to do with the gods or prophets: Remember that what you see this day is my doing.
The Sojourner had summoned or created another moon. He was causing an eclipse. Riven marveled at the power represented in the sky.
In a flash, Riven understood the meaning of the Crown of Flame. But he could not understand why the Sojourner wanted to create it.
Beside him, Azriim chuckled, then laughed full out. Several people in the crowd looked at him as if he were mad.
Dolgan smiled tentatively and looked from Riven to Azriim.