Page 113 of The Thrice-Bound Fool

“I’m going to her,” she said.

“Yah,” I said.

“Look down there, blacktongue. It is something to see, the death of a great city.”

I looked.

The falling ash obscured much of the city, but not the palace, which we were still quite near. We hadn’t risen much. I saw that the smoking meltrock had nearly reached it.

“Is there a farglass?” she said. “Such a ship should have one.”

“I don’t want to leave your side,” I said.

“But I want to see.”

She not only looked like a little girl, she sounded like one.

I went to the fore of the cloud-ship and looked in trunks and cases and on shelves until I found a bronze tube and put my eye to it, suddenly surprised by the nearness of the deck’s wood planking.

“Found it!” I said and went to give it to her.

She wouldn’t raise her hand to take it.

She was looking over the side, smiling.

I thought she was gone, but she blinked.

I offered the farglass again.

“I have no strength,” she said and closed her eyes.

I wiped ash and blood from her face.

She moved her head away, as if annoyed with me.

“Tell me what you see,” she said.

I opened the tube and looked through the lens.

“There’s a great lot of fiery liquid rock coming to claim the palace. It already burned the library, and the shame of that. So many books, so many wonders we’ll never know of. But the palace is next. People are running from the meltrock, toward the first city wall. The dog Magmas is in the palace garden now. Wait. Wait. In the garden, there are pools of water with all manner of fish in them. There’s a creature, a cuttlefish. I met him, you know. Or her. Smart as a kraken but gentle where those are wild and vicious. This fish, I’ll not tell you his or her name, it’s a ridiculous kark of a name, and not the one it was born or hatched to anyway. But this wise, sweet, tentacled fish and all the others in those silvery pools are at risk to be boiled. Here comes the river of fiery stone. But what’s this? The really big giant, the geigon who pulled the elevator, you saw him.”

That last was half a question.

I looked at her. She nodded, though barely, that little smile still on her lips.

“Yah, and you won’t believe this, but he’s just taken the urn out of the hands of a statue. See, there’s a great statue of Medrena, the sea goddess in the garden, and she has this huge vase, or she had it, for the giant has it now. Pulhu, his name is Pulhu, and oh did he take his revenge on those who’d abused him once he got out of his chains. You saw some of his handiwork in the palace, yah?”

The wee nod again. She opened her eyes halfway to look at me, kept them on me.

It was intimate, that look.

Hard to break.

But too weak to move her head now, she jigged her eyes the direction she wanted me to look and describe to her.

I raised the farglass again.

“Well, the geigon, he’s not out for vengeance now. He’s going to help his friend, see? He’s dipped that vase into the mirrored pool, and the cuttlefish who loves and trusts him knows to climb into it, and he’s keeping the vase bubbling down there until it’s full-up with water, and with his mate as well. It must be heavy even for him to bear, but there’s nothing and no one so strong. And strong as he is, able to bear the world itself when he must, he still made room in his house-sized heart for this strange little beastie that seemed to serve no purpose save to amuse. Funny that such unlike creatures should grow close and make friends, isn’t it? Now he’s got that vase up on his shoulder and here comes the field of fire, and it’s met the water now. And oh the steam of it. But he’s walking away with great strides, he’s faster than the meltrock and as tall as a tower. Everyone’s getting out of his way, and who wouldn’t? He’s going to take her out of here. I’m pretty sure it was a her, even if the rotten little princess called her a him. Quiggles Silversides, she called the thing; there, I’ve told you the stupid name anyway, and the beastie did have silver sides. And a black beak. And spoke to me once or twice as well, though not with the beak. It’s complicated. The giant is going to bear her out of this city and far away, all the way to the underground sea, and take her home again. Though I would be little surprised if that giant of giants stayed knelt on the dark beach and the cuttlefish stayed in the shallows with a tentacle touching him so they hadn’t ever to part. It seems impossible he’d be able to bear that vase so far, for that sea is said to be many. To be many score miles away from Erydon, but there’s nothing impossible if your heart’s in it. Wouldn’t you say, Spanth? Wouldn’t you?… Ah well. I hadn’t much more to tell you anyway. I’ll just put this farglass down and close those brave, fierce eyes of yours. I’ll ask you later what’s possible and what’s not. For I have the feeling I’ll see you again. Maybe with your Bride, on your own dark beach. And maybe I’ll linger near, in the shallows, as long as I’m allowed. Or as long as you want me there. Ah fuck. Just fuck.”