Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series, page 14
He felt Rhaki’s sudden uncertainty, his reluctant acceptance that Cho Petak’s powers were infinitely greater than his own. The air quivered again and Rhaki’s presence was no longer there. Scarcely had Cho calmed himself sufficiently to return to his contemplation of his charts, than Grek was in the room, the air stirring with his mental agitation. Cho Petak sighed and pushed his charts away again.
‘Are you sure of D’Lah still?’ Grek demanded. ‘At times that Rhaki creature seems to dominate entirely – I cannot believe D’Lah permits it!’
Cho watched as the air distorted in a jerky zigzag down the room. He waited until Grek settled by his table again.
‘D’Lah is our old friend,’ he said soothingly. ‘He has spent too long within the body and mind of Rhaki – as you suggest. But D’Lah is still there. He will never let us down.’
‘I wish I could feel so sure,’ Grek worried on. ‘Can he still separate himself, do you think? Tell me truly Cho, for I doubt he can.’
‘D’Lah was made fearful when Rhaki became unbodied. I admit that I was surprised by that show of weakness. We have all experienced that state.’
‘You haven’t for even longer than D’Lah,’ Grek pointed out. ‘Would you be willing to unbody this instant?’
Cho considered the question. ‘I see no problem making such a decision,’ he said finally. ‘Should it be necessary, it would be done. It has its advantages after all.’
‘And its disadvantages,’ Grek retorted. ‘And I have had more opportunity than you to study both positions.’
‘What is your worry Grek my old friend? It will be a while before the time is ripe for the next stage of my plan. If you wish to take a solid form again, there are plenty of hosts still available out there.’ He waved in the direction of the window.
‘You miss the point Cho,’ Grek sounded exasperated.
Where was the laughing boy now? But before Cho could reply, Grek was gone.
More disturbed than he liked, Cho walked to the window. Of late, he took what little sleep he needed around the middle of the day. No longer did he have to hide the fact that he greatly disliked the bright glare of daylight. Now, he stared up at the star filled night, noting that the constellation of the Weeping Willow was lower in the west and that the Wolf was dominating the sky.
Many times had Cho congratulated himself on taking the body of that farmer’s son in the far south lands when he first reached this world. He had been an average boy: average height, average looks, but it was the sturdy solidity which had appealed to Cho. It was a body bred for endurance, for hard work in the fields. Now it was nearing the end of its usefulness.
Cho had slowed the ageing process further than any of the then Sacrifice and Offerings would have thought possible had they known of it. But over the last years, he had more and more often to retreat from public life for a day, to restore some degree of function to the body’s vital organs. The bones were fragile and broke with tedious regularity, again necessitating a day’s worth of repair.
It would be some time before the resources of this world were utterly depleted by his servants from the Void – he should calculate just how long it would take them to reduce the place to barren ruin. So much to think of! Cho turned from the window and made his way slowly to the rooms next to his, traditionally reserved for the most important visitors to the Menedula. Noiselessly, he opened a door and entered. A single lamp burned on a table which seemed haphazardly piled with books. More books lay scattered on the floor around a large armchair. Silently, Cho moved in front of the chair, staring down at its occupant.
The female child who had hosted Grek since before her birth slept, curled into the deep chair, an open book on her knees. Cho bent to peer at the book, glanced at a couple on the floor and smiled. Books with lots of pictures in them, pictures of plants, animals, birds. Grek had sworn the child had not been taught to read – how could she without his knowing? Cho had his doubts and before he ordered Grek from the child’s body, he had tried a little experiment.
Consequently, he had not revealed to Grek just how simple it had been for one of Cho’s ability to block Grek’s awareness without Grek even suspecting such a thing had happened. He had touched the child’s mind and come up against the hard core that even he had not been able to infiltrate. But he had proved to himself that a person of great power could have taught the child many things, without Grek’s knowledge.
Yet each time Cho tried to catch her out, he found her only poring over pictures, oblivious to the written words. Silently as he had entered, Cho Petak left the guest apartment. When the door closed behind him, the child’s eyes opened, the almost violet blue dark against the tracery of silver under the long fair lashes.
For a moment, her lips trembled then her teeth clamped tight and she forced away the weakness. She glanced down at the page she had been studying. Cho was incredibly stupid. Not once had he moved any book she held, which would instantly have exposed the papers beneath. Yes, Mena could read, better than either of her brothers or many of the men in Hargon’s service. Thanks to Mayla. A tear splashed onto her hand and she tilted her head back against the chair, refusing to allow any more to fall.
When she was first released from Grek’s domination, she felt total horror and self disgust remembering what she had done. A cool, calm voice, which reminded her of Mayla, spoke in her heart, chiding her that it was Grek’s doing, not hers. She should have resisted more desperately she argued back, visions of the midnight blue Dragon Kadi’s exhaustion and terror filling her mind. At that point she could not resist, the voice told her calmly.
She was meant to be here, and so she was. Mena had wept for Kadi, she had wept for being the cause of her older brother’s death. But she had not wept for herself. The voice had said she was meant to be here although as yet she had no idea why. She hated the feelings within this building. Somewhere, far back in her mind, she could see it differently: its blackness gleaming, reflecting the light which streamed through its many tall windows. But now, its blackness absorbed the light, sucking it all into itself.
The voice like Mayla’s said that she was meant to be here, but why? She was only a small female child, ten cycles old. What could she be expected to do about these dreadful creatures she now found herself among? The voice spoke to her only occasionally and only briefly. It did not seem inclined to answer when she tried to summon it.
Mena’s silvering eyes began to close in real sleep when she heard the voice again.
‘Long ago you were here as a little child Mena. Now you are here again. Like before, you must soon leave, but you will be shown the way.’
Mena slept, and the fragrance of mint filled the room.
Finn Rah stood on the viewing ledge looking at the same stars Cho Petak had seen from his window. Below, the waves boomed against the cliff and pebbles rattled as the sea drew back again. Finn liked to come here in the middle of the night when no one else was around. So many years spent as a senior Offering, secluded within the Menedula with her own spacious apartments, had made it difficult to adjust to this close communal life.
She retraced her steps to the room always referred to as Chakar’s sitting room, and made some tea. She sat sipping the hot liquid, her thoughts still busy. The Observer Soosha, who had survived the burning of the Oblaka complex, had suggested that they try to plan for the long term continued existence of this hidden enclave. Both he and Finn had been amazed at the extent of the caverns and by the amounts of supplies hoarded away over light knew how many years.
Food, preserved both traditionally and with the help of simple magics, filled several chambers, and already various plants were sprouting in shallow trays. Volk’s horses had disappeared but someone, Finn strongly suspected Lyeto, had been outside and now several goats were tethered on the hillside below one of the entrances to the secret Oblaka. There were enough young men and women to produce children: Finn and Soosha estimated that the population of the caverns could easily be maintained at between one and two hundred.
All aspects of learning were represented among those here now: healing, teaching, weather and sky watchers, botanists, and archivists. But no one, not Finn, nor the two Kooshak or three Observers here knew or dared to guess, how long they might need to remain in hiding. Chakar and Babach might know, but they were in the Night Lands, and Finn feared that Babach was not even still living.
The large chamber packed solid with books and scrolls had only been half disinterred yet, even with all the students taking turns helping the two in charge. Finn very much doubted that they might find a parchment explaining clearly how long Cho Petak’s nightmare would hold sway over this land, or detailing instructions on their survival here. She sighed, pouring more tea. She was glad of the appearance of the two Kooshak. She knew them both from their student days and they discreetly helped share her burden of worries.
Finn felt a mind touch hers and knew it was Lyeto. He asked her to come to the hillside entrance. Finn put down her bowl and hurried through the passages. He must have been outside again and this time had given himself away so that she would have to reprimand him. She lifted a lantern from its hook to light her way through the final twists and turns until she felt air blowing, strong and cold, into her face. Lyeto was just within the entrance and thus shielded by the rock all around him.
Three shapes huddled beside him and Finn raised her lantern higher, peering at them.
‘They survived in the countryside,’ Lyeto murmured. ‘They are free of the affliction but hungry and frightened.’
‘Take them on through to the common room then.’ Finn waited until Lyeto had spoken quietly to the three huddled figures then followed behind when he led them into the tunnels.
The first and the last of the three walked with odd gaits: the first with a rolling movement, the last with a hitching shuffle. The one in the middle walked straight but holding tight to the first one’s arm. Lyeto settled his charges on a bench by the banked fire and busied himself making some tea. Finn perched on a stool opposite the three and studied their wrapped and huddled forms. While Lyeto waited for water to boil, he came and stood by the Offering.
‘These two are husband and wife,’ he said, gently pushing back the hoods of the first and second figures.
Finn stared. The second figure, the woman, had a face disfigured as though melted. Her eyes were sightless and her nose non existent. The man at her side took her hand.
‘Fell into a tub of hot tallow fat when she were a tiny one.’ His voice was hoarse but he spoke with the local accent. As his tattered cloak slipped from his leg, Finn saw that one of those legs was a wooden post. The man followed her gaze and tapped the post on the stone floor.
‘I were a fisherman till an accident ten year gone.’ He shrugged. ‘Despite she can’t see, she makes the best bread and pastries in town. I do odd jobs. We get by. Then the other night, whole town goes crazy. I got her and me out, up into the woods. Saw some folks we knew but their eyes were all funny, so I kept us low. We waited till it seemed quiet enough and come back. Nowhere else to go, see?’
Finn’s gaze moved to the smallest shape on the other side of the woman.
‘I be Giff, and she be Teal. That one we met when we come back. Don’t know his name.’
Lyeto crossed to the bench, bending over the third member of the odd trio. It was a boy, around twelve years Finn guessed, but then she gasped when Lyeto pulled free the cloak. Blood soaked the boy’s side from his left armpit to his foot. Finn was already on her feet to fetch dressings from the infirmary when the door opened. The bean pole cook came into the room, took in the scene at a glance and bent to stir the fire to life.
‘I’ll feed these while you see to boy.’
Povar had proved to be even less garrulous than his father in law. But despite his lack of conversational skills, Finn thanked the light for his cool efficiency now. He already had several pots over his stove and a large kettle over the fire. The smell of broth was soon warming the room as much as the newly blazing fire. Kooshak Arryol had been in the infirmary, keeping watch over the two surviving burns patients when Finn had rushed in for some dressings. Now he followed her, a satchel containing instruments and various herbal potions in his hand.
Lyeto had been trying to reassure the boy who was clutching his cloak about him. Arryol stooped over the boy and placed his middle finger lightly between the boy’s brows. Lyeto caught the child as he toppled forward off the bench. Laying him before the hearth, Finn and Lyeto quickly stripped the ragged clothes from the thin figure. The lacerations all down his left side were deep and filthy. Povar moved beside them to reach the kettle.
‘I’d say bear, ’cept they be too narrow.’
‘No bear,’ said Giff. ‘Just the local people.’
Povar helped Giff move with his wife to a table, placing bowls of thick soup in front of them. Finn and Lyeto assisted Arryol when needed as the Kooshak cleaned out the deep wounds with his obsidian bladed knife to get the poisoned flesh out. Finn washed each freshly bleeding wound with an astringent herb wash and Lyeto stitched it closed. Students started to arrive for breakfast and exclaimed at the sight of the boy being worked on by Kooshak Arryol and Offering Finn Rah. Povar placed a screen between those by the fire and the rest of the room and calmly served out breakfasts.
The usual chatter and laughter was much subdued this morning and instead of lingering, the students quickly left to go about their duties. Volk poked his head round the screen, scowled, and vanished again. Finn heard his growling voice talking to Giff and Teal, then there was silence in the common room again. At last Arryol sat back on his heels and reached for a clean rag from the pile Povar had left beside the boy.
He wiped some of the filth from his hands and studied Lyeto’s needlework. He shuffled on his knees back up to the boy’s head and felt for the pulse in his neck.
‘Be all right then, you reckon?’ Povar stood at the side of the screen.
Arryol sighed. ‘Some of those wounds were very deep and I had to make them even deeper.’ He spread his hands in a helpless gesture. ‘If they become inflamed, I will have to open them again.’
‘What’s his name then?’ Povar asked.
Lyeto laughed softly. ‘It should be Lucky don’t you think?’
Arryol gave him a weary smile. ‘If he survives, Lucky would do,’ he agreed.
He got to his feet, kneading the small of his back and then stretching until his bones cracked. ‘I will get someone to help move him into the infirmary. Then I will get clean and sleep for a while.’
Finn smiled up at him. ‘That was good work Arryol. At least the poor child has a chance now.’ She turned to Lyeto. ‘I want to see you as soon as you are cleaned up.’
Dressed in a clean loose robe for once, Finn was sipping her perennial tea when Lyeto rapped at the door. She waved him to help himself to tea and then to a chair opposite hers.
‘I ordered that no one leave the shelter of these caves,’ she began in a mild tone.
Lyeto had the grace to look a little abashed, but only a little.
‘I was looking for some hens,’ he admitted. ‘I thought it might be a good idea to find a few.’
‘And that would mean going right into the town of course.’ Finn’s sarcasm was not wasted. She saw the colour rise in Lyeto’s cheeks with some satisfaction. ‘You clearly found no hens.’
Lyeto cleared his throat. ‘No. But I walked straight into those three, and when I heard some of Giff’s tale, I brought them back here.’
Finn’s hand slammed down onto the arm of her chair with such force that Lyeto flinched.
‘And what would you have done supposing they had not been the three helpless wretches they are, but were three afflicted ones? Do you think you would have survived an attack by three? Tell me please Lyeto. Kooshak Sarryen was able to deal with three – just. Are you already as strong as one who is so much older and so much more talented than you?’
The flush had drained from Lyeto’s face under Finn’s lashing words. He swallowed audibly.
‘I go out shielded Offering. I have a talent for altering the way shields may work. Observer Chakar had been supervising my experiments.’ He met Finn Rah’s jade and silver eyes squarely. ‘I was alert for anything unusual – not for just plain ordinary people,’ he ended lamely.
Finn let him sit and squirm a little longer before she held out her bowl to him and nodded at the teapot.
‘Lyeto, when I order something, I expect that order to be obeyed. By everyone here. Everyone. And that does actually include you, whether you were a favourite of Observer Chakar’s or not. I would have expected you to come to me, to ask my permission to go outside and to state your reasons for such a request clearly and logically. By sneaking out, you have implied that I could not properly evaluate such a request. I resent that implication.’
Lyeto had dropped his gaze to his bowl of tea. ‘I confess I had not considered how my actions might appear. I most truly apologise Offering Finn Rah. But I must tell you this: after tonight, I feel I should go outside again – even more frequently than I have done. How many others might there be, wandering lost and hurt? Is that not what the Oblaka means Offering – a safe sanctuary for any who need it?’
Finn sipped from her newly filled bowl. ‘I take your point Lyeto. But I must insist that you remain within these caves tonight, and you will report to me again tomorrow. I will then tell you my decision of this matter of your – excursions.’
Lyeto bowed, realising he was dismissed from the Offering’s presence. His hand was on the door latch when she spoke again.
‘Lyeto, you did well with the stitching of that child’s wounds today.’
He flashed a quick smile of gratitude over his shoulder then hesitated, the door half open.
‘Offering, did you hear singing while we worked on the boy?’
Finn Rah frowned. ‘Singing? Light, no!’
Chapter Thirteen
Babach was an immediately popular figure around the Stronghold. He had that facility to remember which names fitted which faces, so that when he spoke to anyone, servant or Guard, he always used the correct name. His serene smile was returned by all he encountered. Mornings found him pottering with Lorak and Daro in the growing areas. For the midday meal he often sat among different groups of Guards. The afternoons were spent with either Kadi or Fenj, often both together. At the evening meal, he sat with Kera, Mim and Chakar at the table tacitly reserved for the highest members of the Stronghold.
