Survivors: Book 4 Circles of Light series, page 28
‘Grek?’
‘Yes Tika?’
‘Do you rest or sleep?’
She thought he wouldn’t answer.
‘In my present state I have no need of sleep – as I have no need of food or drink. At times I suspend my thought processes and I suppose you could call that a period of rest.’
‘Do you find it irksome – the state you are now in?’
‘I can travel where I wish, faster than any solid body could. I can infiltrate through air, rock, walls. But yes, I suppose I enjoyed the physicality of living within a finite space and again yes, I miss it more than I had thought possible.’
‘Is Mena safe?’
Again, Grek was silent. Then his voice was the faintest breath in Tika’s mind. ‘She was well and safe when I parted from her.’ Another pause stretched between them. ‘I bitterly regret what I forced her to do at the end. Tika, try to understand: Cho Petak was a wonderful man in the eyes of the boy that I was when I met him. All the years which have passed since our punishment, I held him in my mind as the marvellous teacher I had first known. When at last he called me to Drogoya, I had no idea of how he had changed, the destruction he had unleashed on that poor land and its people. I was desperate to reach my beloved master again, but I was part of the young girl Mena. It didn’t occur to me to unbody, to leave her. Instead I forced her to overwhelm the Dragon’s mind and thus get us to Drogoya.’
‘The Dragon? You mean Kadi?’ Tika lay still, frozen with horror at the idea of the great midnight blue Dragon Kadi being coerced into making such an arduous flight. But she had somehow got back hadn’t she? Kija had flown to the Stronghold when word reached the golden Dragon of her clan sister’s injuries.
Grek had followed Tika’s thought. ‘Kadi was healed. By Gremara and the Observer Chakar.’ He did not tell her that both Kadi and Kija had now flown again to Drogoya, into enormous peril.
‘Why are the desert tribes marching on Malesh now?’
‘I’m not sure if it is Kertiss and Orla’s madness – they are both quite insane as I’m sure you guessed. Or it may be the being imprisoned beneath that desert has loosened its bonds sufficiently to influence not only Kertiss and Orla but tribesmen such as Hadjay.’
Tika heard Sket cough as he started to build up the fire to make the tea without which his day couldn’t begin.
‘Thank you for speaking to me Grek. I will try to understand why you caused Kadi to suffer.’ She got up, folding her blanket to replace in her pack.
‘I doubt you can ever understand,’ Grek replied. ‘But I appreciate your offer to try. Perhaps you may even reach a point where you might forgive me.’
Gan called her to come and eat something and Tika knew Grek would not speak to her so intimately again for a while. The gijan suddenly trilled and giggled. Khosa marched past them, bristling with indignation. She sat firmly on Ren’s knee.
‘What’s the matter?’ he asked with genuine sympathy.
‘They think it fun to follow me when I hunt. They don’t try their nonsense on Brin of course, but four squeakers have just been allowed to avoid being my breakfast thanks to their efforts.’
Ren immediately offered her some cold meat from his own breakfast. She sniffed it carefully and then accepted it. Ren looked up to find Tika grinning at him. Keeping a straight face, he winked back at her.
The rim of the sun was barely touching the horizon when the Dragons and gijan took wing once more. It had been agreed that Ren would inform Maressa of their approach to the city and she in turn would contact Jakri or Hiramo. Shielded as the travellers were, no Wendlan mage should be able to know their precise location until absolutely necessary.
During the second day they flew over farm lands of all types: flooded meadows with green shoots sticking up above the water, open fields where large animals grazed, more fields with many kinds of crops. They saw the lines of canals which Sefri had described. There was much traffic on these waterways – ships called barges heavily laden with goods, travelled to and from the great agricultural estates of the Houses and the city of Bracca.
The riders saw all this through the slightly distorting shimmer of the shield Grek held around them. By midday, when Seela called a halt, there were many more buildings and thus more people. They settled in an open field in which were a considerable number of the grazing animals. These promptly fled to the furthest part of the field. Although they could see nothing, clearly they sensed unwelcome and perhaps predatory intruders.
Seela insisted the gijan stay even closer as they flew on. When the sun sank towards evening, Leaf rode behind Tika, and Willow and Piper behind Ren on Seela’s broad back. The field to which Brin led them for the night was a rough empty pasture. Grek refused to drop the shielding for Ren to mind speak Maressa, saying instead that he would contact her. She was to warn Jakri or Hiramo that the Dragons would be at the Emperor’s Family Garden on the morrow, exactly at noon. She was not to say anything more. Grek had decided that they should overfly Bracca and approach the palace from the south rather than the north. Just in case, he explained rather ominously.
At dawn Gan checked their appearance. He had spread his blue cloak on a compliant Brin overnight to get the worst creases out of it. Tika refused to wear Salma’s gift: she stayed with the pale blue shirt and darker blue trousers provided by Ammi. Sket had checked her sword and his own as always and her egg pendant hung beneath her shirt once more. The burn on her chest had scabbed and was still uncomfortable but she preferred to have it against her skin than in the pouch at her waist. Sket and Navan also wore blue shirts and black trousers provided by Ammi. The sun had risen by the time Gan pronounced himself satisfied with their appearance and they began the last leagues of their journey.
Jakri left his apprentices in the book room of House Jade when he made his way, unaccompanied, to the palace. He wasn’t sure if he would be admitted – he had not had time to apply for audience with the Emperor and he had not been summoned. He’d heard tales of casual visitors being left to wait in a room unfortunately like a prison cell beside the main gate for a whole day before being told to go away. So it was with some apprehension that he was invited inside and found himself in that very same waiting room.
But before his apprehension could grow into panic an Imperial Blossom appeared at the door and saluted him.
‘If you will follow, Master Jakri, the Imperial Splendour awaits you.’
Jakri wore a pale green gown with a darker green sleeveless over robe, heavily embroidered with the sigils of House Jade. The Blossom led him into parts of the palace he had never before entered, staying on the ground floor all the way. Jakri was too preoccupied to keep track of the twists and turns of the route the Imperial Blossom led him. They passed many doors, all of which were firmly closed, and crossed many courtyard gardens. Some of these were filled with all white plants, others with all yellow; some had only green foliage and still others no plants at all only rocks and flowing water.
They turned yet another corner and Jakri saw more Imperial Blossoms ahead. A silver faced moon door was guarded by no less than ten Blossoms. They towered over Jakri, their black lacquered armour and tall purple plumes accentuating the sense of their bulk and height. The Blossom who escorted Jakri saluted and one of the guarding officers returned the salute. Then they all stood in silent stillness for long enough that Jakri’s palms began to grow damp again.
A bell rang softly, two notes, and the Imperial Blossoms stiffened even further if that was possible. Jakri bowed in anticipation of the arrival of the Emperor although from which direction he might appear he couldn’t guess.
‘Greetings Master of House Jade. Arise and accompany me.’
Jakri straightened and managed to keep his face impassive. He had fully expected the Emperor to come with an entourage of at least a dozen House Crystal mages, but only his wife stood a pace behind him. Kasheen glanced at the moon door and nine Blossoms moved with precision to one side while the other two opened the double doors. Jakri lowered his gaze. The Empress Sariko was rarely seen by visitors to the palace and never in public. Although she was veiled, Jakri hoped to avoid any offence by keeping his eyes well away from her.
Kasheen strode through the door followed by the Empress then by Master Jakri. A blank wall blocked their advance, and also deterred anyone outside seeing further into the Garden. Kasheen turned left and then, after a few paces, right. Jakri felt fresh air blowing against his face but continued to stare at the blocks of white alabaster on which he stood.
‘Jakri, for the time you are within this Garden, I am Kasheen and my wife, Sariko. All are equally insignificant in the presence of my ancestors.’
Jakri forced himself to lift his head until he met his Emperor’s dark eyes. Kasheen gave the slightest smile.
‘It is close to noon. I have ordered the wards be set aside.’
Jakri instinctively looked up. Walls rose all around, all white, and all windowless to the very topmost part of the palace. The sky was a dazzling circle of blue far above.
‘I know nothing more Great One.’ Jakri looked at the Emperor. ‘The mage in Green Shade said they would be here at noon.’
‘No ceremony here I have told you.’
Jakri almost jumped as someone laughed close to his shoulder. He glanced round involuntarily and realised he was staring at the Empress who had removed her veil. She was fairer than Hiramo – her hair pale gold and her eyes grey blue. She laughed again.
‘Greetings Jakri. I have long wished to meet you.’
Before Jakri could begin to compose an adequate response, a deep bass call echoed down to them. All three turned their faces up to the sky as two enormous silhouettes spiralled slowly down, two smaller shapes drifting behind them. Jakri looked quickly round the House Crystal Garden, seeing with relief that the centre was a fairly large open space bordered with low flowering shrubs.
Four Dragons reared erect, dark purple, silver grey, silver blue and crimson, their voices loud in the minds of Jakri, Kasheen and the Empress Sariko. The Dragons remained upright, wings outstretched and Tika emerged from behind Farn, Khosa in her arms. Sket stood at one shoulder, Gan’s tall thin figure to her other side. Ren and Navan moved from behind Seela towards their hosts. Tika did not bow but walked steadily forward to within fifteen paces of the three strangers, her friends flanking her.
‘I am Tika, soul bond to Farn, daughter of Kija of the Dragon Kindred,’ she said clearly, her emerald eyes surrounded by silver scaling fixed steadily on Jakri. She proceeded to formally introduce the others, including Khosa. She paused and as she did so the three gijan rose behind the Dragons, swooping over their heads to land beside Tika.
‘Leaf, Willow and Piper are gijan who travel with me.’ She ended her introductions inwardly chuckling at the stupefied expressions on the faces before her.
Jakri cleared his suddenly parched throat. He had had no idea just how big a Dragon could be. And what, in the name of the spirits, were gijan? He bowed deeply with genuine respect.
‘I am Jakri of House Jade. I would introduce the Crystal Emperor Kasheen and’ he faltered. He had never spoken to the Empress, had only seen her a handful of times at great state occasions: how did he present her?
Kasheen came to Jakri’s rescue. He bowed, giving Jakri another shock – since when did the Emperor bow to anyone? He took the Empress’s hand.
‘My wife the Empress Sariko.’
She tried to maintain her poise but Piper trilled softly, tilting her head one side then the other, and her Imperial Gloriousness laughed like a child.
‘You are so beautiful – all of you.’ She glanced up at her husband. ‘Tell me Kasheen, did you know there was such wonder in the world?’
Half a heart beat and then the Emperor smiled. ‘Sariko speaks only the truth,’ he agreed.
He took several steps forward and held a hand out to Tika. Unsure of the customs of this land, she held her hand towards Kasheen. He gripped her palm firmly for a moment before repeating the gesture to all the men. The Dragons had lowered themselves and now Brin and Seela reclined, ever watchful. Storm and Farn paced closer to the humans. Farn’s eyes whirred faster, the facets pearl and sapphire as he lowered his head to Sariko.
‘A girl!’ he said in delight.
Sket muffled a snort and Tika was furious to find herself blushing. She jabbed a sharp elbow into Farn’s chest.
‘I apologise if my soul bond gives offence – he is not yet a year old and has much to learn of manners.’
Sariko tentatively held her hand towards Farn’s face and he leaned into it.
‘I did not mean to be rude. I never do.’ His mind tone was so abject Sariko had to bite her lip.
‘It was not taken as rudeness – but it is long since I was a girl.’
Kasheen indicated white stone benches set among a cluster of small flowering trees.
‘If you would ask two of the guards to bring refreshments Jakri?’ the Emperor suggested.
Jakri went back to the moon door and repeated the request to the Blossom who had escorted him through the palace. By the time he’d returned to the Garden he sensed the visitors were relaxing. He looked at the purple and crimson Dragons and when soft lilac prismed eyes turned to him he knew they were alert for anything, no matter how relaxed the humans might be.
The sound of booted feet heralded the arrival of two Imperial Blossoms incongruously carrying large trays. As sworn members of House Crystal, they were permitted entry to the Family Garden of course. Jakri turned in time to see the Blossoms freeze at sight of the Dragons. He held his breath but Kasheen rose to his feet.
‘Set the trays here, and speak no word of my guests beyond this Garden.’
The Blossoms obeyed, their faces impassive. Gan also rose, causing another brief stillness. He was as tall as the tops of the plumes on the Blossoms’ helmets and had the unmistakeable demeanour of a military man of high rank. The Blossoms studied him for a moment before saluting Kasheen and departing the Garden.
‘You have many such impressive officers?’ Gan enquired, reseating himself.
‘Two hundred within the palace and twelve hundred warriors under their command.’ Kasheen suddenly grinned at Sket who had gaped at the numbers mentioned.
Jakri offered tea bowls and sat on another bench.
‘We believe you plan to attack Malesh,’ Tika said abruptly.
Kasheen ran a finger round the edge og the priceless porcelain tea bowl in his hand. He met Tika’s silvered eyes squarely.
‘We hoped it would distract the witch woman from her attempts to unbind the monstrous Child,’ he agreed honestly.
‘Well it hasn’t. There is another Bound One in danger of gaining his freedom. He is beneath the deserts north of Malesh.’
Kasheen sat very still and Sariko, who had been chatting happily with the gijan turned to listen to Tika.
‘Already several thousand of the desert tribes descend on Malesh.’
‘So the Grand Harbour Master faces war from the north and from us in the east,’ said Kasheen. He got up, pacing towards Brin. He turned and paced back, lines crinkling his forehead as he considered.
‘I do not wish war with Malesh. Our action in seizing those two merchant ships was truly intended as a distraction, to give my mages time to stop the Maleshan witch’s foolish schemes.’ He paced restlessly again. ‘If the Grand Harbour Master consents, I will return his merchant ships to him, goods intact, crews unharmed. Well – most of them are unharmed – there was a bit of a fight you understand. And I will send my fleet with troops, to aid him against the desert men. We dare not waste time bickering when the witch is so near succeeding.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
‘Summon first rank officer Lytzee,’ Kasheen ordered Jakri, who went again to the moon door.
In his absence Kasheen surveyed his unusual guests.
‘I commanded that food be readied for you in the lesser Chamber of Audience.’ He waved towards the blank walls of the palace. ‘I have also commanded that this section of the palace be cleared of all staff: only Imperial Blossoms are in this area.’
‘Imperial Blossoms?’ Navan sounded mystified.
‘Imperial Blossoms are my elite troops,’ Kasheen explained. ‘Warriors are those who aspire to rise to the rank of Blossoms. There are no warriors within this part of the palace now, only Blossoms.’
Jakri returned, the Blossom who had escorted him here earlier at his side. The Blossom saluted, keeping his eyes only on his Emperor.
‘My guests and I go to the lesser Chamber of Audience. There will be complete privacy.’
First rank officer Lytzee saluted and risked a quick glance at the two adult Dragons.
‘Are the ways of your palace large enough for my Kindred to move through?’ Tika moved to slip her arm across Farn’s shoulders.
Kasheen nodded. ‘There should be no difficulty for them.’
Jakri sensed a slight increase in tension from the girl again.
‘I hope there is no difficulty – it would be unfortunate if the Dragons grew annoyed.’
Kasheen laughed at the clear threat although Imperial Blossom Lytzee looked worried. The Blossom went ahead, followed by the Emperor and Empress. Khosa planted herself in front of Kasheen.
‘You may carry me.’
Kasheen stared down into turquoise eyes, swallowed and stooped to lift Khosa. She held his gaze unblinkingly in the unnerving manner of cats.
‘You too?’ he murmured aloud.
‘Oh yes. Most living creatures have mind powers to some degree. It is most odd that humans have never noticed.’ She settled herself more comfortably in the crook of his arm. ‘Well – show us the way,’ she said. ‘I believe you mentioned food?’
They had arrived at the short passage leading to the moon door.
‘Why do you hide the doorway?’ Willow demanded.
‘It is a spirit door,’ said the Emperor. ‘Spirits only travel in straight lines so any trying to enter the moon door would find a wall in front of them. They would turn back at once.’
