The Black Throne

IV

... Down the corridor of white fire, like a tu

For A

Again, I climbed.

"A

"Where I always am," she answered, her voice suddenly higher-pitched. "On the beach."

"I can't find you. I seem to be lost," I shouted.

Abruptly, the flames parted. For an instant, I was taken back to a long gone day. Nor did it seem u

"A

"It's Eddie," she said, "Edgar Allan... ."

"Poe," I said.

She frowned, then nodded. "Yes," she agreed. "Poe, too. And he's denying us. He is drawing away, and it hurts."

"I don't understand. What can I do?" I asked.

"Talk to him. Tell him we love him. Tell him we're real. Tell him—"

The flames closed again, hiding her from my sight.

"A

"I can't stay!" I heard her call out, weakly.

"How can I help you?" I cried.

I became aware of a pulsing in my hands, and then the ground began to sway and my shoulders were suddenly straining and the flames were flapping audibly.

"A

What I took to be the begi

A clucking sound caused me to look to my left. Emerson swung toward me, anchored himself to the mast, extended his hand and took hold of my arm. Slowly, feeling the beast's strength and coming to trust his intention, I relaxed my grip upon the line and permitted myself to be led toward the mast and down it, finally achieving the surer footing of a wooden crosspiece, where I stood hugging the mast till the worst of the vertigo departed. It had been infinitely more frightening to find myself suddenly in that position than had I made the effort to climb carefully to it. I grunted my thanks to Emerson, who must have realized that I felt safer now, for he released me and moved off. Then I climbed down slowly, troubled by the turns my childhood visions seamed to be taking.

"Mr. Perry," came a familiar voice. "I am impressed by your conscientiousness as head of this expedition. Had I known you wished to inspect the vessel I'd have been only too happy to provide you with a guide—or have conducted your tour myself. I'd no idea a landsman might possess such diligence in nautical matters."

I clasped my hands behind my back to conceal their shaking, and I nodded slowly.

"Why, thank you, Captain Guy," I replied "It was hardly a tour of inspection—more a matter of satisfying my curiosity as to how things were secured above."

He smiled.

"Most prudent. I trust you were satisfied by what you saw?"

"Indeed. I was impressed."

"I was about to send you an invitation, sir, to take your luncheon with me in my quarters at eight bells, so we can get to know each other a bit better and discuss this journey."

"Sounds like a good idea," I agreed. "Thank you. I'll see you then."

I returned to my own cabin for a little cowering and reflection. I sprawled on the big bunk, hands behind my head, gazing abstractedly at the containers of colored liquid on the lab table at the end of the room, musing upon the fact that Valdemar lay just beyond that wall. I thought over the events of the past several days, also, when the tempo of my life had commenced its acceleration. Questions I had been too sleepy, startled, distracted, or confused to articulate began tumbling through my mind. What was the power of the enemy, and where did it reside, for them to have been able to move Poe, A

Somewhere before the point at which it all seemed clear to me I fell asleep. When I woke I could not remember the answers. But it was the ship's bell that roused me. In that I was not certain how many times it had rung, I left my quarters to find out.

I encountered Dirk Peters near the companionway, smoking a cigar. Every now and then Emerson, who lurked in a shadow, would reach out, borrow the cheroot, puff upon it, and return it.

"Indeed, Mister Eddie, 'twas eight bells you heard," he said, "and if you're lookin' for the captain's cabin, it's over that way." He gestured with the smoldering weed, which Emerson promptly borrowed.

"That first door?" I asked.

"The second," he responded. "I hear as you come out of the riggin' without getting' into it proper."

"I guess that's half the story," I said, refusing to ask him whether he could hold converse with Emerson.

At this, he chuckled.

"Must run," I said. "Thanks."

A hairy hand waved a cigar at me.

Captain Guy welcomed me, saluting my health with a minuscule glass of wine. The kitchen mate who served us departed as soon as everything had been laid out and dispensed before us.

"Mister Perry," he said, refilling the glasses, "I have decided to give you a tour of the vessel immediately following our meal."

"Why, thank you, sir. You don't have to—"

"My pleasure entirely, I assure you. Mr. Ellison tells me that you will have no problem providing us with travel information as we go along."

"Yes," I agreed, as he began eating. When he glanced up at me suddenly, I added, "Hopefully, there will be no complications on that front."

"And you have made the acquaintance of the mysterious Monsieur Valdemar?"

"I have."

"The man is some sort of master calculator, is he not?"

"I am not certain," I answered. "The matter did not come up during our conversation."

"Oh," the captain observed. "I simply assumed he worked with abstruse formulas to keep track of the other vessel's progress."

I shook my head.

"No," I said, begi

"Mister Ellison conferred with him for some time before his departure," he observed. "He informed me afterwards that our destination lay in southern Europe. He said further that you would provide us with more detailed information as it was required."

"I shall," I replied.

"Is there anything Monsieur Valdemar requires of us?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"He has had no meals sent to his room."

"Special diet, I believe. Ligeia takes care of his needs."

"I see. Let me know if they want anything, will you?"

"Of course."

"A very interesting man. He must have a strange story to tell."

"I'm sure he does, though I'm yet to hear it."

We ate for a time in silence, then he asked, "Any idea at what point you might have further sailing instructions for me?"