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rally accumulates. It builds up around deposits of the transmundane metal octiron,
in the wood of certain trees, in isolated lakes, it sleets through the world and those
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skilled in such things can catch it and store it. There was a store of magic in the
area.
 It s potent, he said.  Very potent. He raised his hands to his temples.
 It s getting bloody cold, said Granny. The insistent rain had turned to snow.
There was a sudden change in the world. The boat stopped, not with a jar, but
as if the sea had suddenly decided to become solid. Granny looked over the side.
The sea had become solid. The sound of the waves was coming from a long
way away and getting further away all the time.
She leaned over the side of the boat and tapped on the water.
 Ice, she said. The boat was motionless in an ocean of ice. It creaked omi-
nously.
Cutangle nodded slowly.
 It makes sense, he said.  If they are. . . where we think they are, then it s
very cold. As cold as the night between the stars, it is said. So the staff feels it
too.
 Right, said Granny, and stepped out of the boat.  All we have to do is find
the middle of the ice and there s the staff, right?
 I knew you were going to say that. Can I at least put my boots on?
They wandered across the frozen waves, with Cutangle stopping occasionally
to try and sense the exact location of the staff. His robes were freezing on him.
His teeth chattered.
 Aren t you cold? he said to Granny, whose dress fairly crackled as she
walked.
 I m cold, she conceded,  I just ain t shivering.
 We used to have winters like this when I was a lad, said Cutangle, blowing
on his fingers.  It doesn t snow in Ankh, hardly.
 Really, said Granny, peering ahead through the freezing fog.
 There was snow on the tops of the mountains all year round, I recall. Oh, you
don t get temperatures like you did when I was a boy.
 At least, until now, he added, stamping his feet on the ice. It creaked men-
acingly, reminding him that it was all that lay between him and the bottom of the
sea. He stamped again, as softly as possible.
 What mountains were these? asked Granny.
 Oh, the Ramtops. Up towards the Hub, in fact. Place called Brass Neck.
Granny s lips moved.  Cutangle, Cutangle, she said softly.  Any relation to
old Acktur Cutangle? Used to live in a big old house under Leaping Mountain,
had a lot of sons.
 My father. How on disc d you know that?
 I was raised up there, said Granny, resisting the temptation merely to smile
knowingly.  Next valley. Bad Ass. I remember your mother. Nice woman, kept
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brown and white chickens, I used to go up there to buy eggs for me mam. That
was before I was called to witching, of course.
 I don t remember you, said Cutangle.  Of course, it was a long time ago.
There was always a lot of children around our house. He sighed.  I suppose it s
possible I pulled your hair once. It was the sort of thing I used to do.
 Maybe. I remember a fat little boy. Rather unpleasant.
 That might have been me. I seem to recall a rather bossy girl, but it was a
long time ago. A long time ago.
 I didn t have white hair in those days, said Granny.
 Everything was a different colour in those days.
 That s true.
 It didn t rain so much in the summer time.
 The sunsets were redder.
 There were more old people. The world was full of them, said the wizard.
 Yes, I know. And now it s full of young people. Funny, really. I mean, you d
expect it to be the other way round.
 They even had a better kind of air. It was easier to breathe, said Cutangle.
They stamped on through the swirling snow, considering the curious ways of time
and Nature.
 Ever been home again? said Granny.
Cutangle shrugged.  When my father died. It s odd, I ve never said this to
anyone, but-well, there were my brothers, because I am an eighth son of course,
and they had children and even grandchildren, and not one of them can hardly
write his name. I could have bought the whole village. And they treated me like
a king, but- I mean, I ve been to places and seen things that would curdle their
minds, I ve faced down creatures wilder than their nightmares, I know secrets that
are known to a very few  
 You felt left out, said Granny.  There s nothing strange in that. It happens
to all of us. It was our choice.
 Wizards should never go home, said Cutangle.
 I don t think they can go home, agreed Granny.  You can t cross the same
river twice, I always say. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]