Three Things
Arref Mak

The spiral staircase screwed itself into the very floor of the seabed and continued into darkness. Its glow was not intense, but so steady within the black current as to be unsettling.

Or was it the cold hand in mine that was unsettling?

Looking downward, I watched the primal motion of Her long legs easing down steps. Queen Moire. She had not looked at me once since commanding me to follow her through the marble halls above us. My thoughts rushed nowhere near as dark as the waters around us, and so I fancied that my mind might glow here as did the stone beneath my bare feet.

I had been sent to Rebma and well received. Now this.

Her hand so cold in mine.

Was there something old between my family and the royal line? Some fault or punishment that lay waiting below? I took a long sweet breath through my nose, allowing TaKhi calm water into my lungs.

No matter. In Rebma, Her Majesty was all. I was flotsam; orphan girl of a deceased merchant captain of a Seaward Shell Clan. This conclusion did not improve the descent and I was sure I would not like the destination any better for it. The way down was long. Three hundred steps or more and the counting of it was small comfort.

A cavern spread out in every direction at the bottom.

"This way," Moire said, Her fingers laced tightly in mine.

After walking along a long while, we began to encounter side passages, some of which had ancient doors or grilles before them and some of which were gaping unknowns.

At the seventh of these we stopped. It was a huge gray door of hard slate, bound in metal, towering to more than twice my height. I swallowed hard, thinking about what might be locked behind such an immense thing as I regarded that door. Then She smiled, just at me, and produced a large key from a ring upon her kilt and set it within the lock.

She couldn't turn it, though. The mechanism face was ornate, certainly from another era. I had never seen its like. After a struggle with two hands, She turned and leaned back upon that door.

"Come, Celina. Don't stare. Lend a young hand." Some private humor swam within Her tone.

It would have been smarter to feign weakness, but I've always been strong and there was the notion that Her humor might mean there was some delicious secret to be shared beyond the gray door. Something brighter than the dark place of it.

I moved in and added my hands to the oversized key.

There came a click.

Her feet planted hard against the floor, She pushed back upon the weight and it gave way as if the hinges were a higher order of efficiency than the lock.

I stared inside not expecting to see much at first. The darkness hinted at the immense room within but the dark did not command beyond the doorway. The floor was black and smooth as glass--reflecting the glory of cold fire shivering in traces and mazework. The dark was revealed powerless by this great burning design mostly made of curves. In this odd light, I feared nothing else revealed in the cavern.

Which reminded me at last that I was in serious trouble. Again.

"What is that?" Always ask a question if you think you are about to die.

Laughter was her response. "Your face is precious in this light. I will answer questions, but you have still to do two more things for me. When all three are complete, then I will answer three questions from you."

Alternately, if you are about to die you can run. Unfortunately, the Queen had my interest wholly now.

Taking a long breath, I looked away from the brightness that made my head throb to search her expression again. "I was called to Rebma to serve. I'm honored that you would answer my questions, even if I can't think of what thing I have already given you."

"Your trust by your hand."

Hand, yes. Trust, maybe. But I nodded.

"Come. It begins on the far side. You will walk it today."

"Walk the fire curves?" Little starfish, She must be mad.

"Yes. You must stay on it, moving ever forward no matter what." She found my hand again and guided me into the ballroom sized space. "This is a trial. A test. There will be powers, sparks, and a great pressure on you. You must be greater than the ordeal. I charge you to complete this as quickly as you can. Remember, I have one more task for you."

Nodding. Breathing to slow my heart, I listened. Something in the small of my center woke eager to impress the Queen.

Then we were at the entry point. The line of inlaid fires that started near to a corner of the room that I could almost see clearly. The burning curves constituted the only illumination within the room. The waters were chill about me.

"This is the Pattern." Moire said.

I nodded again watching the fires burn inside the floor.

"Master it." And she stepped away releasing me to move ahead.

Current passing through me, crawling under my bare foot, between my toes. Another step. Feeling a release of inhibitions. I should have done this naked. Sparks climbing my shins like suckerfish cleaning bones.

Ten steps. Resistance building out of nowhere. What? Something wrong? The line of my path burned before me. Another step. Was the darkness becoming solid? Barring me? Step. Black weight in front of me. Push. Lean. Step again.

Resistance gone. The path ahead now clean. A flicker of something behind my eye. Khela? I saw again her face the first time her chin met the shore of my cleft. Also Takhi class, Sephistra bending at my right, humming beneath her movements as she often did. My first sip of salt tea. The smell of kelp frying in the morning, Khela making us both something to replenish our strength.

Another step. Moving. I realized that there was a message in the throbbing that was within me from this thing, this Pattern. It could kill. The Queen knew. Had known. If I didn't master this, I would be dead.

Step. Curve. I kept stepping along, and there came soon the next increase in resistance. Another barrier, this one would be greater than the last. I knew this.

Sparks cascaded from my hair, my limbs. The throbbing became a vibration that seemed to claw at the back of my eyes. No matter. Walking. Moving on. More to overcome. Another ordeal looming invisibly closer and closer just ahead on the burning path. Bare feet gripping the sparks.

Onward. A long straight line, but really hard to move now. Clenching inside, needing to set my hands to Her throat, to choke Her senseless for sending me into this without telling me it was fatal to fail. But no. Khela would laugh at such an idea. Vengeance was for small minds. Learning was for great minds.

I walked, learning what I was as I went.

Second ordeal. Hard. Making me high, as if licking Pruish Sand. Pushing forward. Condensed. Tight. Powerful. My heart stung with vibration. My eyes were raw.

Sudden freedom. I was through it again! Ecstasy flowed up my legs. Easier now. Breathing calm water. Shaking out my hands. Moving. Pleasant tickle in my thighs. Now it was just the Pattern and I. My eyes on the path, the terrible current moving through me. Awakening things. Pushing delicate sensations across my skin, then rattling away at my insides.

High. I danced in fire and felt the passion of a goddess. More of this would be nice. Very.

But for sudden resistance. Gathering storm. Weight of water crushing at me. Pushing. Demanding I misstep.

On. On. Step again. Pull. Step. Pulling free.

A deep breath of freedom. Three down. The next would be harder. That knowledge was certain in my bones.

A long sweeping curve bigger than any before. Not too bad. I pushed through three more curves, a straight line, and a series of sharp arcs. My elation was tempered by a hint of the last barrier to come.

But I had forgotten my fear somewhere on the path. I looked forward to the crush of power pushing into me. Ten rapid arcs left me dizzy and bright ghosts dancing in my eyes, another short arc, a straight line, and the fourth ordeal hit me like a tide of blackness.

Pain. Scream. Falling back? No, forward. No, down through ice and fire. The dark current around me lashed at my back. Another foot put forward. My intent was still there. I smelt of sparks. Again step. Bright bolts pinched my skin, danced up the slope of my shoulders. I'm moving? How to tell? Yes. The sparks told me, clawing upward into my eyes. I pushed forward. Harder. There was nothing to see but fire.

An arc? Where the path? Black. White. No, still--four--steps. A giant's grasp squeezing me like gel.

Then free! I did it.

Did it.

Me.

"Celina."

I blinked. The floor was under my back. Had I passed out?

"Celina."

I licked my lips. Ah, it felt as if I'd been playing teebe with a pod of dolphin--with me as the ball.

"Celina."

"I should kill you." The mutter was mine.

A laugh. She'd heard me. "To do that, you'd have to be able to stand, at least."

A smolder of anger touched me and I guessed She wanted that. Pushing up on an elbow I squinted in the direction the voice came from. I couldn't make Her out through the sparks and darkness. "I'm standing," I lied.

"There remains one more thing you must do, then I will entertain your questions."

I sighed. The mood passed. I wasn't going to kill her at all. Too many questions to ask. "Yes?"

"Imagine your rooms as you know them upstairs. The Pattern will move you there. Then we will talk."

The room. Move me? Oh.

Oh!

I was in my room, lying on the floor. The steady glimmer of the lights was a welcome relief from the dark below. I decided I had time before the Queen came looking for me.

I took a nap.