Survivors: Book 4 Circles of Light series, page 24
‘Grek’s gone to find that troublesome spy.’ Leaf swung their linked hands.
Even as Tika remembered Grek admitting to being within the child Mena’s body and mind, Leaf tightened her hand.
‘Grek didn’t hurt her,’ she said. ‘He is trustworthy.’
Tika didn’t reply. Why were the gijan still so secretive? They seemed to know many things which could well prove useful for Tika and her companions to know, but they gave only occasional hints. They slowed, nearing the reclining Seela.
‘I will speak with both Sefri and Star Flower and then the three of us will decide if anything can be done.’
She hugged Farn briefly and stepped close to Seela, leaning against her great neck.
‘Will you give your strength again if I ask, dear friend?’
Seela’s long face lowered to stare at Tika. ‘You have no need to ask such a question small one.’
Brin returned with Storm and after a brief argument, Storm took Farn off to show him where the cattle were to be found.
Maressa and Sket spent the morning in the kitchen with Ammi. The woman showed them a cupboard, well stocked with countless herbs, potions and roots. She freely offered replacements for Sket’s much diminished supplies and explained the uses of many herbs, unfamiliar to both him and Maressa. Near midday, she brewed yet another pot of tea.
‘Will the Halfling need food before she works?’ she asked.
Sket stared at the woman.
‘Halfling?’ asked Maressa.
Ammi smiled. ‘It is long indeed since Halflings were seen by humans but it was foretold that they would emerge from their hidden strongholds when the Time of Change began.’ She shrugged. ‘Everyone knows they look much like humans but for their eyes.’
Sket thought back over the woman’s words. ‘What did you mean – before she works?’
Ammi looked surprised. ‘She is here to heal Star Flower isn’t she?’
Maressa and Sket were on their feet before Ammi had finished speaking, rushing to the far end of the building. Tika had stepped up into the Ship without allowing her apprehension to get the better of her.
‘Sefri?’ she called softly.
‘To your left Tika. I am here, with Flower.’
Tika turned left along a curved passage which rose slightly. She found herself at what was obviously the front of the Ship, seeing through sloping windows the Dragons and the gardens beyond. Below the windows were tilted surfaces covered with coloured buttons, much like those she’d seen in Kertiss’s underground chambers. Sefri sat in a strangely shaped padded chair, her hand against the Ship’s wall. Tika felt a calmness fill her.
She walked across the small room and touched Sefri’s arm. The woman’s head was cupped in the top of the chair and she looked dreadful. Her eyes were ringed in dark shadows, a line of pain furrowed down between her brows and her mouth was a thin tight line. Tika offered Sefri what help she could, explaining how she had healed Farn. She wasn’t sure if the Ship was listening but Sefri certainly was. Her eyes opened and she sat up, leaning forward, intent on Tika’s every word.
‘I would be grateful if you would try.’ The husky voice was the barest breath of sound and Tika looked helplessly round the room. She shook her head.
‘Sefri, I have to see what I’m working on. Where is she in reality?’
Sefri waved Tika to the second chair and tapped several buttons on the top of the desk. She paused, tapped again and sat back. The tilted top lifted up and the lower part split in two, each piece sliding silently out of sight.
‘You can get no closer. She is in a sealed environment: to break it would be her death anyway.’
Tika slipped from the chair to her knees, her hands flat against the transparent surface of the large box. Within floated a brain linked by wires and lights to what Tika couldn’t begin to guess. But the colours were faded, the lights intermittently flashing and she somehow knew that Star Flower truly had little time left. She turned suddenly, catching Sefri’s hands in hers.
‘I cannot promise this will work, but whatever I do, you must not interfere. Stay in contact with her if you can and send her your strength. If you permit, one of the Dragons will aid you, while the others help me?’
Even as she spoke she sent an urgent thought to Brin as Sefri nodded. Sefri gasped and Tika knew she felt the surge of power from Brin’s mind. She saw Maressa and Sket enter as she turned back to the Ship’s brain. She steadied herself, breathing calmly, the memory of Iska teaching her the centring exercises flitting through her head. Again she laid her palms flat to the surface of the box. One more breath and she slid through the very fabric of the container.
Briefly she panicked, dragged in and down by the proximity of death itself. She felt Seela’s love bolstering her and then Farn’s mind joined hers and she began to work. Tika was unaware of when Sket knelt to support her, or when Maressa’s hands covered her own as they began to slip. She tipped forward, her brow resting against the box. Slowly she felt Sefri’s link with Star Flower and paused to strengthen that section of the brain. One organ and so much more complex than she would have thought possible!
She found pathways and circuits withered and misshapen and painstakingly she tended each one. Deep within her, Tika knew she had nearly exhausted herself. That was when voices began to sing to her, softly at first but growing in volume in proportion to her weariness. Tika didn’t hear her own gasping breaths: they were lost below the tempest of song which raged through her. She saw for one heartbeat, the brain glowing, its circuits radiantly coloured, before music and darkness overwhelmed her.
And thus she didn’t hear Star Flower’s cries of gratitude, didn’t see Sefri’s pouring tears. Tika knew nothing, crushed against Sket’s chest as he stumbled from the Ship with his precious burden. Ammi had set up a bed below the front of the Ship at Maressa’s request and she stood waiting and watching with several members of her family. All of them sensed the great drawing of power but had been surprised to find power emanating from all four of the Dragons. Willow and Piper lay along Storm’s back as if asleep, but only Seela suspected their minds were somehow linked with Tika.
Leaf leaned against Farn, her eyes closed until she turned quickly, making the humans jump. Farn trumpeted his call, head stretched high. Then he pushed forward beneath the roof. Great tears rolled down his long beautiful face as Sket staggered out of the Ship, Tika in his arms. Sket lifted Tika up so the silver blue Dragon could examine her properly before he placed her on the bed. Ammi moved to pull blankets across the small body then gasped, her hand against Tika’s cheek.
‘Fetch hot flasks – the Halfling freezes!’
A young man hurried to do her bidding. Ammi stared closer, watching Sket cautiously lifting a gold chain to jiggle a pendant away from Tika’s chest. The shirt was charred, burnt through where the pendant had lain. Then Leaf was there, opening Tika’s shirt as Tika not so long ago had opened hers. Sket unstoppered a small leather pot and held it out to the gijan. With extraordinary tenderness she smoothed the salve over the badly burnt skin.
She looked up suddenly when Farn’s head lowered close over his soul bond. She dabbed a spot of salve on his nose, gave a trill of laughter and stood up, her wings fanned in glorious display. Willow and Piper squeezed between the people and the Dragons, calling aloud in their own rippling language. They too unfurled their wings, pink, green and yellow feathers quivering as the strong fragrance of mint saturated the air.
Tika had spent a full day, one noon to the next, in repairing what she could of Star Flower’s brain. She spent the following two days deeply asleep, watched over by all the household of Green Shade. Sket was hugely relieved to find Farn’s tears had not presaged a collapse of the young Dragon’s nerves. He had refused to leave until Tika woke but he had not fretted and fussed as he had on other occasions. Sket thanked the stars for whatever Gremara had done to Farn.
Ammi, her family and neighbours took turns sitting with Sket or Maressa: Sket insisted that either he or the air mage must be there when Tika awoke. The gijan continued their games in the garden, flying now and then to peer beneath the verandah where Tika lay. Sket had been worried by Tika’s coldness: her flesh felt like ice for half a day following her work on Star Flower.
Ammi was more concerned by the fact that they could not get Tika to swallow any liquid. As Tika’s body slowly warmed, so her skin dried and began to flake, her lips to crack. Ammi fetched large pots of a milky ointment which they smoothed over Tika; turning her often to prevent sores on her back or heels. In spite of his worry, Sket took comfort from Farn’s calm confidence. Sefri had come to offer her help but Ammi shooed her away.
‘Go and talk with Star Flower. It will be a comfort to us to hear you saying your silly old poems to each other again. Off with you!’
Sket managed a tired smile. ‘What poems do they say Ammi?’ he asked.
‘Always about gardens and growing things.’ Ammi sat back on her low stool by Tika’s head, automatically putting the back of her hand lightly on Tika’s brow.
‘Gardens?’ Sket was mystified. He’d never heard any stories or songs or poems about gardens.
Ammi gave him an assessing look. ‘Why don’t you just sit back on those pillows and I’ll tell you the tale.’
Unsuspecting, Sket settled more comfortably, half propped on pillows, half against Storm’s shoulder.
‘Well then,’ Ammi began. ‘You know the Captain and her son travelled between the stars? She had done so long before this Ship was made and the Captain collected poems of gardens from many of the worlds she visited. She has told us this tale so many times you understand. Well, the Captains were chosen very carefully for each of these Ships and the Captains learnt what their Ships were most interested in.’
‘Like Star Singer,’ Maressa suggested. ‘He said his Captain brought him music.’
Ammi nodded. ‘Just so. Star Flower had chosen her own name of course, because she loved the colours of flowers, their so many different shapes.’
‘Their scent?’ Sket asked through a yawn.
‘Alas no. Star Flower cannot smell anything. Anyway, Sefri brought her poems and they spent the time on their long journeys going through all the poems they’d found and making a garden of their own in their imagination. The first thing Sefri did when she started to recover from the crash was to arrange this garden. Of course, it has changed many times over all the years, but it has brought great joy to them both.’
Ammi paused, watching Sket struggle to keep his eyes open. Maressa smiled and nodded to Ammi to go on.
‘Sefri decided this place would be called Green Shade because it is a term used in a poem which she and Star Flower agree is one of their very favourite poems. Well thank goodness for that – I thought he’d never drop off!’
Maressa dropped a blanket over Sket’s sleeping form and moved closer to Ammi. Farn reclined beside the bed, his chin resting near Tika’s shoulder.
‘Sket is our dearest friend,’ he spoke softly in Ammi’s mind. ‘There is nothing he would not do to help or protect us.’
The woman touched Farn’s cheek with a finger. ‘Forgive me. I understand how this man feels for you and the Halfling: it is how I feel for my Captain and her Ship. But he will be of no use to anyone without some sleep.’
Farn alerted everyone in the late afternoon two days later that Tika was waking. When her eyes finally opened, she was discomposed to discover a large audience staring at her.
‘It’s all right,’ Sket muttered, holding her hand. ‘Farn told them and they all wanted to make sure you’re well.’
Tika struggled to a more upright position, wincing at the pain from her chest and the tightness of her skin. She grabbed the covers as they slid down and, after a peek underneath, she groaned.
‘Why do you always leave me with no clothes?’ she hissed.
Ammi tutted. ‘You can’t wear much for a few days: your skin won’t bear it. We couldn’t get you to drink.’
Tika realised she had a raging thirst and drank gratefully from a bowl Ammi held for her. It was a fruit drink, laced with something that bore a strong resemblance to old Lorak’s restorative, and thickened with honey. The effort of sitting up and taking a drink made Tika feel she’d prefer to go back to sleep but she struggled to stay awake to deal with everyone’s greetings and good wishes. The gijan were draped across Seela’s back, watching her carefully with their dark eyes: the last thing she noticed before dozing off again.
It was dark beyond the verandah when she woke next. Maressa offered her another drink and held the bowl for her.
‘Ammi has a bath ready if you like – she says it will help your skin.’
Tika grimaced. ‘With an audience?’
Maressa chuckled. ‘Everyone’s gone to bed.’
‘We’re still here,’ Farn objected.
Tika stroked his cheek as his face swung close to hers. Leaf came from the shadows to stand by the bed.
‘I’ll help you,’ she held out her hand.
Tika sighed. ‘I don’t know how far I’ll walk,’ she warned.
Farn huffed in annoyance, reaching for her himself. He had never lifted her this way before and Tika bit her dry lips as the sheet dragged and wrinkled against her skin. Holding her between his upper arms and chest, Farn shuffled carefully down the length of the building. Ammi showed no surprise to see a Dragon carry the Halfling into her kitchen. There was a large wooden tub filled with warm water to which she directed Farn to bring Tika. Gently she took his burden from him.
‘Now you go on outside. Watching a lady at her bath is not seemly.’
Farn’s eyes whirr. ‘She’s not a lady, she’s my Tika!’ he began, his eyes flashing faster when Maressa and Tika both started to laugh. He backed out of the room, unsure of the reason for their amusement. Tika reached a hand out to him.
‘Thank you Farn, I won’t be long.’
Mollified, Farn huffed for a while, settling outside the kitchen. By the time she’d been soaked, patted dry and covered in Ammi’s ointment again, Tika felt refreshed although still weary to her very bones.
Three days later she tired easily but was able at least to walk slowly round the garden, wearing a loose robe that belonged to one of Ammi’s granddaughters. Her skin had plumped out again due to Ammi’s insistence on drinking a great deal each day. The burn between her breasts remained sore and angry looking: Ammi treated it with a poultice when Tika was lying down and with a thick layer of a salve when she was up. Tika carried the egg pendant in a pocket of the robe for now. She made no attempt to speak with Star Flower, waiting instead for the Ship to want to talk to her.
That request came, through Sefri, six days after Tika had attempted the healing. Sefri walked from the kitchen with Tika, leaving her at the Ship’s door.
‘Are you not coming in?’ Tika was surprised.
Sefri smiled. ‘Flower wishes to speak with you alone.’
‘But are you not connected to her mind?’
‘If we choose – then yes. But she wants to meet you privately – she’ll tell me if she needs me.’
Tika considered: she knew exactly where Farn was – hunting with Storm. But his mind was not listening to hers at this moment. Very well, she’d take Sefri’s word that Flower was waiting for her alone.
‘I am glad you’ve come.’ Flower’s husky voice was soft but much stronger than the last time Tika’d heard it. The brain was no longer in view, panels back in place across the front of its container.
‘Sit down Tika, and put your hand on my wall.’
Tika did as she was asked, wary when her hand touched the Ship. The instant the physical connection was made she heard Flower directly in her mind and she relaxed: there was no pain now, no dark extinction dragging at her.
‘How much did I manage to mend?’ she asked bluntly. ‘There was a lot I didn’t understand – I had to do only what I dared.’
‘You have repaired a great deal more than I could have hoped for,’ Flower told her. ‘Communication circuits are stronger than they’ve been since we reached Kel-Harat. I have yet to try but I suspect, and hope, that I will reach my brothers and sisters in orbit once more. The last thing you did was to link the regenerative and diagnostic synapses.’ She laughed, aware of Tika’s incomprehension.
‘I had lost the connection with the system years ago, which is what led to my more rapid decline. With the connection restored I can repair damage myself to a considerable extent again.’
Tika tried to understand but Flower continued: ‘I can never thank you enough or repay you for what you’ve done for me and for my Captain. But I can perhaps help in some way with your strange journey.’
‘I have no idea myself why I’m here in Wendla. I had never heard of Wendla, or Malesh, or of Survivors until recently.’ Tika realised she sounded peevish.
‘Your Dragon Kindred have told me much while you have been resting.’ Flower’s tone became deeply apologetic. ‘You brought yourself to the very gateway of death for me – that is something I will long ponder on.’
After a brief pause which Tika was unsure how to fill, the Ship spoke again.
‘Seela and the gijan Leaf spoke of Bound Ones and of Ancient Elders. I’m afraid I know nothing of them – they must have gone from Kel-Harat before we landed. Leaf said there were four Bound Ones, yet someone in Malesh believes they have discovered one of them where they were not in fact imprisoned.’
Tika tried to think: Leaf had told her that Taseen said one Bound One was beneath the desert, another further north, the third perhaps in Drogoya and the fourth under the sea between Malesh and Wendla. She suddenly remembered Taseen’s colleague Vorna. He’d said she had discovered a Bound One located on or near her estates in Malesh. How could that be?
‘Do you know of volcanoes?’ Flower interrupted Tika’s train of thought.
‘Maressa’s people live in volcanoes,’ she replied.
‘In extinct volcanoes,’ Flower corrected. ‘Before we landed here we ran many checks on this world. We found evidence of volcanic activity in the far distant past but only five active volcanoes remained. Touch the third green button in front of you.’
