Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 557
overhead. The Winds of Insolation, as Mediation had called
them, could not see through the stone. The mecha of the soil
were loyal to Mediation, and although Jordan heard the
hurricane voices of the Swans demanding to know where the
abomination that was Jordan Mason had gone, nothing
answered. At least for now, they were safe.
After a long while the sound of scraping and footsteps
came from the slot, and one after another, weary soldiers
popped out and blinked at the afternoon sunlight. Jordan’s
glow had faded, and the soldiers were apathetic and ignored
him. After the last one, an old man with a lantern emerged.
Jordan’s heart was in his mouth. He knew what he was going
to see next, but he could scarcely believe it. When a man
stepped into the light whose face he had only seen in mirrors,
Jordan found himself tongue-tied. He simply stood there, as
Armiger helped Megan, then Galas, out of the tunnel. Galas
was dressed in tattered finery, Armiger in splendid armor.
They looked like creatures of legend.
Armiger waved some device in his hands at the
assembled soldiers. "Begone," he said. Jordan knew the voice,
and yet he didn’t; he had never heard it save from within his
own skull.
"You too," said Armiger to Jordan.
"I, I brought horses."
"Good. Now go."
"No. I, I’ve got information for you."
"For me? What are you talking about?"
"I’m Jordan Mason. I’ve been watching you for months.
Ever since... you came at night and put something in my skull,
mecha or something, and then the others came and changed it--
I can see through your eyes, hear through your ears. I’ve been
watching! I know it all."