The Wizard by Gene Wolfe Read Free Book Online Page A

to do it." "Please, Toug! Iworship you. They will kill me for it, but I will worship you. I will sacrifice, burn food on your altar. Animals, fish, bread." Baki gasped. Her upper half writhed. "Every day. A fresh sacrifice every day." "Who do you swear by?" I made it as urgent as I could. "By him! By Great Toug!" "Not Setr?" "I renounce him." Baki's voice had to a whisper. "I renounce him again. Oh, try, Toug! Try! I'll build you a chapel. I'll do anything!" "I am trying," Toug said, and shut his eyes again. I bent over Baki. "Renounce him by both names, now and forever. Believe me, he can't make you well." "I renounce Setr called Garsecg! I renounce Garsecg called Setr. Always, always, forever!" "Your mother is . . . ?" "Kulili!" I laid my hand on Toug's shoulder. "She's a thing in your mind, and you can trust me on this. She's a thought, a dream. Have you got a knife?" He shook his head. "Only my sword." "I do." I took out the little knife that had carved my bow, and handed it to him with the cup. "Cut your arm, long but not deep. I'll hold the lamp so you can see what you're doing. Your blood will run down to your fingers. Catch it in this. When it's full, hold it so Baki can drink it." Shutting his eyes, Toug pushed up his sleeve and made a four-finger cut. "Hold it for her. Say Baki, take this cup." I steered it to her lips, and she drained it. Toug's eyes opened. "I did! I did it! Sit up, Baki." Trembling, she did. Her coppery skin was no longer like polished metal, and there was a new humanity in her smile. "Thank you. Oh, thank you!" She made obeisance until Toug touched her shoulder and told her to stand up. "I wish Gylf had seen this," I said, "but he's heard it, and maybe that's enough." Rising, I went to the wide hole in the floor through which Bymir had poked his head. "Here, Gylf! Get up here." Something huge and dark sprang from below, leaving mules and horses plunging and squealing. When it gained the loft, its weight shook the whole barn. Swiftly it dwindled, and was a large brown dog with a white blaze on his chest. I scratched his ears and sat down again; Gylf lay beside me, resting his massive head on my knee. "I'm going to have to explain a few things," I said. "Most especially explain to Baki why I couldn't help her after what she'd done for me. I don't like explaining, so I'm going to make you do it yourselves as far as possible." Baki said softly, "I don't understand about Gylf, Lord." "I don't think Gylf understands either. Do you, Gylf?" Gylf shook his head, an almost imperceptible motion. "He doesn't, so I'll explain that. But you understand a lot that the others don't, Baki. You must explain it now." "Must I tell them of Setr, Lord?" "You must tell them a lot more than that." I waited for her to speak, but she did not. Toug said, "Who are all those people you talked about? Setr and Kulili, and the other one." "I don't believe we mentioned Grengarm," I said, "but we might easily have included him as well." "I renounce him, Lord." I shrugged. "I know you do, but he's dead so it hardly matters. Who made you?" "Kulili, Lord." Toug said, "Kulili made her?" I glanced at Baki, and Baki nodded. "I don't understand that at all." "Mani's mistress made him, too. Or I think so. Do you want to tell us about that, Mani?" "I would if I could," Mani declared, "but I can't. I remember being a kitten and nursing, but I doubt that helps." "Could you talk then?" There was a hush that seemed long. At last Mani said, "Of course I could." I nodded. "There are elemental spirits, spirits like ghosts, though they've never been alive. Can you see them?" "Certainly." Cloud spoke in my mind. So can I, Rider. The men who were here are coming back with lights. Do you care? No. Aloud I said, "Kulili's the group mind of creatures who are largely unaware of their individual existences. Does that seem strange, Toug?" "I don't even understand what it means." "Let it pass. You're a group mind, too, and it may be better if you don't