On re-reads, though, I'm always amused by the ridiculousness of Havelock holding a featherduster to kill Vagel, and that action scaring the crap out of the icy arch-Imager! The tension of the overall situation makes this nutty moment seem more humorous.
On re-reads this was funnier because I knew it was all going to work out all right, obviously. But the first time I read this, my reaction mirrored Terisa's, as I was thinking, "Oh, $#!+!"In [i]A Man Rides Through[/i] was wrote:Terisa faced Eremis and the arch-Imager alone.
She knew how to fight them: without thinking about it, without planning anything, she knew. She could never break enough of their mirrors to save King Joyse. They would kill her long before she did that much damage. And she would accomplish nothing if she shifted the Image which showed the King's peril. Nevertheless she had glass to oppose Eremis and Vagel with, mirrors at her disposal which they couldn't see. All she had to do was stay alive.
And concentrate--
I want you to trust me.
-concentrate on the flat glass in Havelock's rooms, the mirror with the Image of the sand dune. If she put this scene, this room into that glass, the Adept could see it. He would see it, if he hadn't fallen completely victim to his insanity. And then he could translate both Eremis and Vagel to Orison.
Trust me.
Eremis would lose his mind. And Vagel would be in Orison, with no way back here. He might use one of Havelock's mirrors to avoid capture, but he would cease to be a threat.
All she had to do was concentrate.
She stood still. Instinctively, she raised her hands as if to show Master Eremis she was no longer a threat to his mirrors.
The way he looked at her made her blood labor like sludge in her veins.
To keep himself from being pinned to the wall, Geraden had to retreat toward one of the exits. Apparently hoping to draw Master Gilbur after him, he turned suddenly and fled, running hard down the corridor.
Cunning despite his rage, Master Gilbur stopped. There was no harm Geraden could do anywhere except in this room.
Clutching his dagger, Gilbur returned to the ring.
To the Image in Terisa's mind.
She held it steady, hoping now that Havelock would wait until Master Gilbur came within reach, within range of Eremis' destruction. She had no pity of any kind left in her.
At that moment, a touch of cold as thin as a feather and as sharp as steel slid straight through the center of her abdomen.
"Hee-hee!" a thin voice cackled. "Wait for me, Vagel! I'm coming."
Adept Havelock burst out of the air at a run.
"I'm coming!"
Oh, no!
He was a madman full of glee. His feet seemed to find the stone without any possibility of misstep, as if losing his mind made him immune to all the other hazards of translation. His apron flapped about his ankles as he ran.
As swift as joy, he sped for the arch-Imager.
In both fists he clutched his featherduster as if it made him mighty: a sword or scepter no one could oppose.
That surprised Vagel; it took him too suddenly for any reaction except panic. Once, in the past, Havelock had cost him everything but his life: now the mad Adept wanted his life as well.
Havelock was oblivious to everyone else. He didn't see Terisa. He didn't seem to notice that Master Eremis had stretched out a casual foot to trip him; he was only after the arch-Imager. Vagel, however, had flinched away; he headed for one of the exits with all the speed his old legs could produce.
Veering to follow, the Adept unconsciously avoided Eremis' foot.
"I'm coming!"
One after the other, they disappeared down the corridor, taking Terisa's only hope with them, her only way to fight.
