Survivors: Book 4 Circles of Light series, page 27
‘I too was astonished that he would suggest the Family Garden as the meeting place. There are many other Gardens within the palace which would be as private.’
‘No Jakri. The Family Garden is the most sacred place to House Crystal as are our own Family Gardens. I have never heard of any other than House members being invited within any, yet he asks that you attend.’
‘I’m not even sure where it is.’ Jakri looked as uneasy as he felt. ‘The central part of the palace has always been warded – will the Crystal Mages drop the warding for the strangers to enter? I sense the girl with silver eyes will suspect a trap, or duplicity on our part.’
‘Go to your bed my son. The hour is too late for serious thought. Dawn is not far off.’
Jakri scrubbed his hand over his face. ‘As usual you’re right.’ He turned towards the stairs. ‘I would see Hiramo, J’Bak and Shek at first bell.’
Oniko smiled. ‘I will have messages sent.’
Jakri slept as soon as he lay on his mat, all thoughts expunged from his mind as he’d been taught in one of the earliest lessons in Mage College. He woke before dawn and padded quietly to his shower room. He dressed in his usual pale blue gown and after rolling away his sleeping mat, he sat on his balcony. He kept his mind open, orientated to the north west and Green Shade. The first pale pink fingers of approaching day were just noticeable when he sensed Maressa’s mind approaching his.
‘Five of us will travel to your city Jakri. We expect to be there in two to three days. Is this agreeable?’
‘It is Mistress. The Emperor Kasheen welcomes the opportunity to speak with you. He suggests you go to the Family Garden within the palace.’
‘Where is this place – is it easy to locate? You will have to guide us in detail as we draw near.’ Maressa paused, aware of hesitation in Jakri’s mind. ‘Is there a problem you should warn us of?’ Her tone was wary now.
Jakri took a decision and was honest with the woman. ‘The Family Garden is the most secret and sacred place within the palace. House Crystal have never allowed non members to enter, yet I am also to be present. The area is heavily warded at all times – inquisitive students often make the mistake of trying to pry but always they are detected, identified and reprimanded.’
Jakri sat awaiting Maressa’s response. She sounded thoughtful rather than worried or annoyed. ‘I believe that could be dealt with Master Jakri.’ He saw hazel eyes blazing with determination. ‘You understand my meaning?’
‘I do. And I repeat – my life is willing forfeit should any harm be attempted upon you.’
‘The one called Hiramo is near you,’ Maressa observed. ‘We will contact either of you to keep you informed of our progress towards your city.’
She vanished from Jakri’s mind. He sat a while longer, watching the dark clouds fleeing before another clear bright dawn. A chime sounded beyond the inner door and he turned. A maid bowed then straightened smiling.
‘Your breakfast is ready Master and your apprentices are in the book room.’
Jakri rose gracefully to his feet. ‘Ask them to join me in the dining room – they are usually hungry.’
The maid smiled again as she bowed and left his rooms. He met his mother in the upper hall.
‘Just to tell you my son. I will be far travelling this day. Meshka has instructions to let none disturb me.’
Jakri raised his dark brows. ‘Perhaps we should discuss your travelling later.’
Oniko laughed. ‘Perhaps,’ she agreed amiably.
‘Guard yourself well Oniko.’
She nodded and returned to her own apartments.
Jakri went downstairs to the dining room behind the second reception room. Three people rose from the floor cushions and bowed respectfully.
‘Be seated and eat.’ Jakri sat at the end of the long low table while two young maids glided in with parcels of napkins. Jakri and his apprentices unwrapped the parcels to find hot rolls filled with vegetables and cheese. Pots of tea and jugs of water were brought and dishes of chopped fresh fruits.
‘Mistress Oniko said you wished us to attend you early Master.’ Shek was the eldest of the three, born on one of the farming estates of House Jade to the south west of the city.
‘And I appreciate your coming in time for breakfast,’ Jakri agreed with the young man quite straight faced.
J’Bak choked on a slice of peach and blushed behind his napkin. He was Shek’s cousin, a few years younger but from the same country estate. Hiramo kept her expression as bland as the Master’s.
‘The food from your kitchens is renowned throughout the Colleges Master. Any opportunity to sample its delights is never to be avoided.’
Jakri laughed and poured himself some tea. He watched Hiramo over the rim of the bowl. She was fair: her skin paler and more delicate than the golden olive of most Wendlans. Her hair too was light brown rather than the usual sooty black. Hiramo’s mother had been born in Bracca to the minor House Jasper, but her father had been a tribesman from the forests of the north east. The area around Green Shade Jakri realised suddenly. The Emperor Omak had ceded a great deal of land – useless in his opinion – to the Survivor Captain and her son in just that region.
‘If you have all finished sampling?’ he enquired.
He left his cushion and slid open a door into the next room – the book room where he received students and dealt with daily business. He waited until the three were seated and motionless then looked into each pair of eyes in turn.
‘I will show you a meeting of minds first,’ he said. ‘I want no comments yet.’
He showed them Hiramo’s meeting with Maressa and his own later contact. Again he studied each face before him.
‘Now I will show you what should not be shown.’
As Jakri had anticipated, a hiss of indrawn breath escaped J’Bak when the apprentice realised that the man Jakri’s memory showed them was the Emperor Kasheen himself.
Jakri closed his mind to his apprentices and allowed them time to consider the implications of what he’d revealed. Before he could begin speaking, there was a soft scratch at the door. He frowned. ‘Come.’
The door slid open and the senior door servant entered, bowing deeply. ‘An Imperial Blossom requests a moment of your precious time, Master.’
Jakri got up and followed the man to the courtyard entrance. An Imperial Blossom saluted as Jakri appeared. He offered a small black lacquered box. Jakri accepted it and looked up into the Blossom’s face.
‘His Imperial Graciousness says this is his authority.’
He saluted again, swung smartly about and left House Jade. Jakri studied the box carefully. He walked into the empty dining room, the table now cleared and polished. He pressed a tiny button on one side of the box and the lid sprang open. Inside, nestled on black cloth, was a gold bracelet set with a blue stone, a green, and between them was a diamond of great value. Plumes were finely etched along the gold – the insignia of Imperial House Crystal.
Jakri slid the bracelet over his hand and felt it shrink as he did so, so that instead of sliding loosely, it fitted snug to his wrist. Jakri focused his concentration on the bracelet and found no spells or wardings set within it. There was something about the diamond but Jakri suspected that it was only a natural imbuement of a stone which represented House Crystal. Letting the sleeve of his gown cover the bracelet, Jakri returned to the book room.
His apprentices sat exactly as he’d left them; all deep in their own contemplation of the images their Master had shown them. Hiramo at least had been better prepared, having made the initial contact with Maressa, but J’Bak was clearly struggling to understand. Jakri resumed his cushion, tapping a fingernail twice on the table top between him and the apprentices. Their heads lifted and their eyes fixed on the Master.
‘Comments,’ he suggested.
He wasn’t surprised that J’Bak spoke first this morning: usually the shyest, least confident of the three, he was badly shaken.
‘The Family Garden of House Crystal,’ he blurted. ‘For any not a member of a House to set foot in another’s Family Garden is punishable by instant execution. I have never heard of such a thing Master. If you were married to a daughter of House Crystal, it would be permissible, and for her to enter the Family Garden of House Jade. Can even the Emperor put aside such tradition? Master, I tremble for your safety.’
‘I cannot see that the Emperor could issue such a command – and it was a command, not an invitation,’ Shek pointed out. ‘He could not command your presence and then your death Master. You are the head of House Jade, as much respected as head of this great House as for your mage talent.’
Jakri turned to Hiramo.
‘I agree with Shek Master. There is no sense in ordering your presence followed immediately by your death unless,’ she paused.
Jakri waited.
‘Unless he feels that your presence would lull any suspicions of the visitors?’
Jakri nodded approvingly. ‘My thought exactly. I have also received a gift from Kasheen.’
He pulled his sleeve back, extending his arm across the table. ‘I feel nothing of mage craft within it, except perhaps for the diamond.’
Shek moved to kneel by the table, peering closely at the bracelet firmly sealed on Jakri’s wrist. Silence thickened in the book room as Shek mentally probed the bracelet. He was highly accomplished in the study of artefacts and Jakri had total confidence in his expertise. At last Shek sat back.
‘There is nothing Master. The diamond is imbued with clarity of thought.’ He shrugged. ‘Perhaps the Emperor wants you to see behind all words spoken at this meeting. I admit I feared it would contain a death command. You will not be able to remove it,’ he added. ‘There is no trigger alert to warn the Emperor if you tried to take it off, but I see no way to expand it again.’
‘The Emperor?’ asked Jakri.
Shek nodded. ‘He would be the only one to remove it I’d think.’
‘You are absolutely sure the Emperor cannot – eavesdrop shall we say – through this bracelet?’
The apprentice shook his head firmly. ‘May my life be forfeit Master. I find the article harmless.’
Jakri drew his arm back and smiled. ‘I hoped you’d come to that conclusion I have to confess.’
Tension in the room relaxed; even the rigidity of J’Bak’s spine softened a little.
‘You heard Mistress Maressa say that she would contact either you or me, Hiramo. I wondered how she knew that you were approaching the House earlier – any ideas?’
Hiramo was as gifted in far speaking and seeing as Maressa herself, but her methods in doing so were subtly different. Now she considered Jakri’s question before she replied.
‘We use House sigils and various other means to identify any we mind speak. I believe Mistress Maressa uses a far more specific means of identification. But we have been restricted by Imperial edict, not to far travel beyond Wendla. Mistress Maressa is accustomed to much greater distances I believe.’
Chapter Twenty-Two
Maressa had not revealed the gijan to the mage Jakri, thinking that they would be remaining at Green Shade. She tried arguing with them when it became clear they had no intention of letting Tika travel anywhere without them. Ammi had been aghast to find Tika had only two pairs of much worn and much mended trousers and three similarly shabby shirts apart from Salma’s gift of clothes. Daughters in law were summoned and commanded to rectify the matter. Tika never saw her old clothes again.
Olam and Riff had departed with one of Ammi’s sons to rejoin Kasmi and the ships. In spite of Pallin’s mutters and scowls, no one doubted how pleased he secretly was to be confronted with over a dozen small boys and nearly as many small girls all hoping to learn arms skills. Maressa was content to stay with Taseen. Although botanical sciences had not figured greatly with her before, Sefri’s enthusiasm together with Ammi’s immense knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants had awakened her interest.
The Ship fascinated Taseen and a boy was assigned to help the old man inside the Ship where he sat in the Captain’s chair and listened to Star Flower recount her travels. Tika viewed the imminent parting calmly. She had confidence in Maressa’s ability to keep track of them although she rather wondered where Grek had got to.
‘Have you no idea where he is?’ she asked Khosa while she packed her bag.
Khosa was sprawled on the window sill watching the gijan chasing butterflies. She yawned.
‘I’d prefer him to be with us but I don’t know where he is. I’m surprised he’s been gone so long.’
‘Could someone have taken him apart, like Seela described?’ Tika repressed a shiver at the thought.
‘I think we’d know – somehow Namolos would learn of it and manage to let us know in turn.’
Farewells were brief and by midmorning the Dragons and their riders were well away from Green Shade. They flew high and fast, the forest an endless green below them. From this height they caught only occasional glimpses of water where the numerous rivers widened into lakes before narrowing under the trees again. A few less wooded hilltops poked above the forest and they decided to settle on one for the night. Ammi had told them a few ritual words to use should any tribesmen accost them in the forest but none appeared.
The hill they chose for their first night’s rest was close to the southern edge of the forest: as they flew, they could see patches of fields in the fading daylight ahead. The gijan had no trouble keeping pace with the Dragons but were tiring by the time they decided to make camp, and were quickly asleep on Seela’s back. Farn and Storm were still energetic enough to go with Brin in the hope of finding food although they were far from hungry having fed well at Green Shade.
‘Do we really trust Master Jakri?’ asked Gan when they sat round their small fire.
‘He offered his life as forfeit.’ Tika poked a twig in the embers. ‘I think probably we can. His Emperor I’m not so sure about.’
Khosa sat up suddenly on Ren’s knees, staring intently just beyond Seela.
‘Grek?’ Tika asked.
‘Greetings.’ The unbodied entity sounded tired, if such a sensation was possible for him to experience. ‘I have been to Namolos. Then I tried to visit Star Singer but even I could not penetrate the shielding Kertiss now has in place around the Domes. I spent three days attempting to do so before I succeeded. What I learned sent me to Harbour City. I spoke with Taseen’s friends Sheoma and Tavri, and with the Grand Harbour Master himself. He was a touch surprised.’
All the travellers were listening closely to Grek’s mind voice and Tika noticed the gijan too were awake on Seela’s back.
‘I couldn’t determine whether it is by Orla’s command or if the men who follow Hadjay have taken the decision themselves, but several thousand of the outer desert tribesmen ride south towards Malesh.’
‘All those little villages!’ Tika murmured in horror.
‘I did what I could Tika. I warned Zeminth as I went to Harbour City.’
‘Have you managed to discover anything of the city of Bracca?’ Ren asked.
There was a silence as though Grek was offended but he answered before Ren could say anything else.
‘They have powerful mages there. They have been restricted for too long in how they use or try to extend their powers and such stagnation is never good, as we’ve all seen in Sapphrea.’
‘What of this Family Garden where we are to meet the Emperor?’ asked Gan.
‘All Houses have a Family Garden where the ashes of their ancestors are interred and all important rituals take place. For instance, if a daughter of one House marries a son of another House, the marriage rites take place outside the man’s Family Garden. Members of both Houses are present at the ritual but then the man takes his new wife inside the Garden to present her to his forebears. House members may take offerings of great value to lay before a particular ancestor so there could be enormous wealth just lying around within such a Garden. It is a place closely guarded by House troops obviously.’
‘So why are we to meet in the so secret Garden of the Emperor?’ Tika leaned back against Farn and tried not to yawn.
‘I haven’t been able to discover that. But I have been within the Crystal Family Garden.’ Grek sounded quite smug.
‘Without detection?’ Navan was full of admiration.
‘Indeed. I was surprised to be honest. The Emperor is very powerful, more so than even his own House mages give credit for. He is very clever too – somewhat like Chevra in maintaining a merely average outward persona. And when one considers how long he has kept up this pretence of being far less clever than he is, one has to admire such constancy.’
‘But you got in without even him knowing?’ Tika brought the unbodied entity back to Navan’s point.
‘The wards and shields are set only against Wendlan mage craft. I will go ahead of you again to ensure the Emperor has not thought to change the wardings but I don’t think it will occur to him.’
‘I expect us to reach this palace by the middle of the day after next,’ Brin remarked. ‘Is there somewhere you could suggest we would rest tomorrow night?’
Grek was silent for a while. ‘There are several large public gardens close to the city. But I think you may find yourself still among farms and large villages by nightfall tomorrow.’
‘I can shield us,’ Brin offered. ‘As I did for Maressa and me in the lands near Seboth’s town.’
‘No. You need all your strength for the journey itself and for whatever you might be called on to do at the meeting with the Emperor. I will stay with you then and shield you at all times until you are within the palace grounds at least. Then I will simply observe, unless my intervention is required.’
The friends rolled silently into their blankets, trying not to think of what situation might need Grek’s intervention and what form such action might take.
Tika woke early as she usually did, Farn snoring softly at her back. She sent out the lightest thought:
