Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series, page 34
The door opened and Daro came in with Dessi. The timid Kephi Rofu squirmed out of Daro’s arm and leaped on Chakar’s knee. She put down her fresh made mug of tea to hold him. Distress vibrated through his tiny frame. His front feet kneaded against her arm then he leaped away to climb the pallet on which Mim lay. Dessi stared at Mim’s still body then moved across to Chakar.
‘I have been so deep in my own studies and concerns that I had no idea anything was wrong with Mim,’ she said.
Chakar patted her hand. ‘Only Babach knew I think.’ She frowned. ‘Perhaps Fenj did too, but Babach told me only just before he and Elyssa left.’
She added some hot water to a bowl of herbs and covered them with a plate to steep. ‘The poultices need renewing but I am having to reuse some of the ingredients – I’ve run out of supplies.’
Chakar bent over Mim and gently lifted the gauze wrapped poultice from one side of his back. Bright blood welled instantly from the whole line of swollen flesh. Dessi pressed her hand to her mouth and Rofu whimpered, wiggling closer to lie along Mim’s side. Chakar glanced up as the door opened again and Motass carried in a tray laden with food.
‘The lad’s gone for more medicines,’ he offered.
‘And I summoned Berri,’ Dessi added belatedly. ‘When Daro came and told me of this, I called her. We cannot hide what’s happening Chakar.’
She was trying to staunch the blood while she spoke and Chakar hurried to fetch the new poultice.
‘It isn’t like this with other winged creatures,’ she continued.
Chakar placed the fresher dressing on Mim’s back when Dessi lifted away the blood soaked cloth. They repeated the procedure on the other side of Mim’s spine and stood looking down at him. Jal cleared his throat.
‘I agree with my brother that you should eat Observer.’
Chakar smiled at him and joined the two men at the table.
‘I’m sure you’re right Jal. There seems so little I can do – I can think of nothing at all that would help him.’
They ate in silence for a while, glancing often at the motionless body across the room.
‘Will his um, wings be like the Dragons’ Observer?’ Motass asked finally.
‘Another thing to which I have no answer,’ Chakar replied. ‘I have studied birds for many years but all of them hatch from their eggs with their wings already formed outside their bodies.’ She shook her head. ‘I can only hope Berri or another Delver healer may have at least some ideas on this case.’
Chakar and Dessi had changed the poultices again before Daro returned carrying a large sack of herbs, and accompanied by Berri, the Wise One of the Delvers in Nolli’s absence. Berri kissed both Dessi and Chakar and looked hopefully at the teapot. Motass handed her a steaming mug from which she sipped gratefully.
‘I spoke with two Elders of the Snow Dragons on my way here,’ she said without preamble. ‘They told me that there are instances of a hatchling emerging with wings sealed against its body, but they had never heard tell of wings still within the body.’ She looked from Chakar to Dessi and back again. ‘They suggest that we – encourage – the wings to free themselves. If necessary to open his flesh.’
She looked at the four appalled faces staring at her and tried to smile. ‘Daro suggested we try to massage or manipulate Mim’s back before we resort to more drastic methods.’
Chakar chewed her lip, thinking furiously. ‘Motass, we will need much more water here. Fetch another kettle too so we have plenty heating.’ She began rolling her sleeves high up her arms as she got to her feet. ‘He’s bleeding constantly, not heavily but enough,’ she explained to Berri. ‘Any pressure is bound to increase it though. And Jal, we will need many more cloths to soak up the blood.’
As the brothers went quickly to do her bidding, Chakar lifted one of the poultices from Mim’s back.
Berri paled. ‘Dear stars!’
Daro placed his hand briefly on Chakar’s shoulder and smiled into her eyes. ‘You can do this Chakar,’ he told her softly. Then he moved out of her way, knelt beside the pallet and put his hands either side of Mim’s head.
Briefly Chakar clasped the pendant hanging at her chest, took a deep breath and reached out to Mim. Pressing lightly at first at the highest part of the swollen ridge, Chakar slid her hands ever more firmly down towards Mim’s narrow waist. Berri gasped. The skin split under the pressure and a dark line could be seen under the now spurting blood. Dessi grabbed a handful of cloths, passing some across to Berri. Rofu, against Mim’s other side, watched in alarm, his whiskers quivering. Motass put a bowl of hot water within reach of the three women then moved the lamp closer to illuminate the ghastly scene more clearly.
‘Motass, fetch pails of ice for me,’ Chakar rapped. ‘We will need to pack this whole area with ice for a time, once we get the wing free.’
Dessi moved closer to Chakar, putting her tiny hands on top of the Observer’s who was immediately aware of power surging from the Delver girl. Again and again Chakar stroked her hands heavily down Mim’s back. Again and again Berri swabbed away blood. The morning passed unnoticed as did Bikram’s arrival in the small chamber. Without a word the Delver gardener took a place beside Berri and mopped at the streaming rivulets of blood.
‘Look!’ Chakar’s hands stilled. ‘Swab that top section.’
Bikram was nearest and did as Chakar bid. They all peered at the long slit, now gaping open about three fingers wide.
‘I’m going to try to bring it out.’
Dessi moved her hands from Chakar’s, placing them instead in the blood to either side of where Chakar indicated. The Observer’s fingers dug down and a tremor ran through Mim’s body. Chakar clenched her jaw and probed again. The watchers gasped as slowly a length of draggled matter emerged from Mim’s back.
With the utmost care, Chakar took hold of the lower end and pulled gently. A wet, bloodied wing unfurled, as long as Mim was tall.
‘Fetch a chair or stool to let it rest on. It will dry better outstretched.’ Daro spoke softly as always. ‘It needs cleaning too.’
He smiled at Jal and Motass who leaped into action. Chakar studied the exposed wing, wiping her hands and moving to the other side of the pallet.
‘We need to put ice along that opening Berri, and herbs to speed closure. And his wings will not be like the Dragons’ Motass – they are feathered!’
Bikram and Berri changed places with the Observer and Dessi, and Chakar began to work on the other wing ridge. Chakar was briefly conscious of her back aching from the hours she had spent bent awkwardly over Mim but she had no sooner become aware of the discomfort than it vanished. Her lips twitched. ‘Thank you Daro.’
The day was ending again but the attention of all in Mim’s chamber was focused only on the boy lying beneath Chakar’s hands. When she finally eased the second wing free and extended it, there was a collective sigh of relief throughout the room.
Dessi leaned her shoulder against Chakar’s side. ‘We can do the rest. Go wash yourself.’
Chakar opened her mouth to protest and exhaustion crashed through her whole body. She nodded. ‘I think I will, but I will be straight back,’ she warned.
Wiping her hands, she went round to where Motass and Jal had cleaned and dried Mim’s right wing. She stared at it in astonished awe. Long golden feathers fanned out across a supporting chair, a deep buttery gold with their tips dipped in silver.
Imshish and Chornay were in Mim’s chamber when Chakar returned. She felt refreshed by a hot bath and clean clothes, the shadows under her eyes the only sign that this was the second night since she’d slept. The room was clean and comfortably warm, the harsh smell of blood banished by the tang of herbs. Chakar went straight to examine her patient and as she bent to lift a corner of the gauze dressing over Mim’s spine she flinched at the sudden heat from the egg pendant she wore.
She hurriedly pulled it free of her shirt and realised it was pulsing as it had when she’d worked on Kadi and assisted at Babach’s healing. Why should it react now, when Mim was hopefully already healing rather than last night when she so desperately needed extra help? She noted that the bleeding had stopped, the swelling was hardly perceptible and also that Daro had moved Mim’s pendant so that it rested at the back of his neck where his head lay sideways on the pallet.
‘Chakar!’
She turned towards the others and saw Dessi holding a mug towards her.
‘There have been no more cases of madness in Arak,’ the Delver told her. ‘Three children with silvered eyes, the two who died five days ago, but no other cases!’
Chakar wrinkled her nose. ‘Early days Dessi. Too soon to let your hopes rise too far.’
Dessi looked a little disappointed by Chakar’s reaction but then smiled. ‘That was a terrible thing you had to help Mim with, but stars! Look at the result!’
All in the room turned to look at the slender boy lying between two great sweeping fans of gold feathers. The feathers suddenly seemed to ripple and Rofu emerged from beneath the left wing by Mim’s leg. Imshish began to chuckle but then, as Rofu jumped to the floor, the feathers rippled again and Mim’s feet twitched.
Chakar hurried back to his side and then stopped, startled. Song filled the chamber, apparently emanating from the very rock from which it was carved, and at the same time there came an almost overpowering scent of mint.
Chapter Thirty
Gremara flew northwest, passing to the south of the city of Gaharn. She flew high and fast, knowing time was crucial. As she approached the Spine Mountains, she became aware of an essence located deep within the rock. She hesitated, flying lower in a wide circle until she verified the essence as the being known as Rashpil. Twice more she circled, weighing her choices before lifting higher in the air and speeding on to the west.
Even the Silver One’s physical strength was not endless and as the fourth dawn of her journey flung a pink arm across the sky behind her, she knew she would have to rest. Opening her mind, she searched ahead and found a great Dragon prepared to welcome her. The sun was nearing its apogee when Gremara slowed to spiral down in the heart of the Sun Mountains. A massive purple Dragon waited, larger even than black Fenj, rearing erect as Gremara drifted down to the rock.
‘Seela, Eldest of the Sun Mountain Treasury, gives welcome to the Silver One.’
Gremara lay wearily a few paces from the huge Dragon. Seela lowered herself and paced closer, her lavender eyes sparkling.
‘I sense that you have urgent need to travel on, dear one, but I also sense you need food and rest.’
Gremara sighed. ‘Indeed Eldest. I would count it a boon could I sleep here until dark.’
Seela settled herself comfortably alongside the narrow silver body. ‘Sleep then, and I shall bring fresh meat when the first stars show above us.’
A sliver of moon hung in the pale green sky of dusk when Seela woke Gremara. A freshly killed lumen lay within reach and Gremara fed gratefully but sparingly. While she ate, she told Seela of some of the events in Gaharn and in the circles far to the east to which Seela listened closely.
‘What of the Dragon Lord in the north?’ she asked finally.
Gremara shivered, her silver scales shimmering in the fading light. ‘A great trial is upon him and I cannot help him, nor even be close by to lend what comfort I might.’
A wave of sorrow mingled with apprehension flooded into Seela’s mind but she was at a loss to know how to respond.
‘I would join you on your journey, if I could be of any aid to you,’ she offered at last.
Gremara was about to refuse when she paused and studied the great Dragon more closely.
‘Truly?’ she asked.
Seela’s eyes whirred indignantly. ‘I do not make such an offer lightly, nor do I offer falsely. I am the Eldest of this Treasury.’
Gremara bowed her head. ‘I am unused to company – so very many cycles alone – I meant no insult Seela. But the journey is long still and as you guessed, it is of great urgency.’
Seela drew up her neck and stared proudly down her long snout. ‘You may fly faster than I, but I can endure as long as you might wish or have need of my presence.’
Again Gremara lowered her head. ‘I would welcome your companionship then Seela, and I accept your offer. My name is Gremara and so you must call me.’
Gremara was surprised and pleased to find the great Dragon, once settled into a steady rhythm of flight, was in fact only a little slower than she was. While their wings powered them steadily through the night, Gremara told of the travellers from the hidden land they called Drogoya. She told of Kadi’s wounding and of Kija leaving the Stronghold with Kadi to attempt the journey to that land of Drogoya. They rested at midday and drank from the icy waters of a lake high in the Ancient Mountains, and then Gremara told of the creatures from the Void released onto this world. Seela’s eyes flashed indigo and violet as she absorbed Gremara’s story.
They lifted into the sky once more and now Gremara slowed their pace. She showed Seela the mind signature of he whom she sought and the two Dragons flew on, half a league apart, scanning constantly for any trace of this creature. Three more days they flew westward, Gremara peripherally aware of pain rising from far below her. They were flying now over northern Sapphrea and the air was smeared and smudged with trails of smoke. Gremara insisted they fly high, well beyond the range of human eyes, but they still discerned no sign of the mind she sought.
It was the sixth day since Seela had joined Gremara and far ahead they saw the glittering line of the great sea flashing in the light of the setting sun. They spiralled down to a small pool whose water was brackish but drinkable. Settling for a brief rest, both Dragons felt it at the same moment. Before Seela could think a single thought, Gremara’s mind blazed.
Seela flinched but tried to observe exactly what the Silver One was doing even as she lent strength to her. The very air sizzled although there was nothing burning. There was a parched, iron tasting smell and then a spherical shape was traced with snapping sparks of white light. The sphere seemed an empty outline as it jerked wildly between the two Dragons before coming to a halt in front of Gremara.
‘You know me Grek Sen Karas. There is no escape. Why are you here?’ Gremara’s mind tone was hard and cold and Seela rattled her wings nervously.
‘Doing the same as before, dear one.’ The voice sounded resigned but also amused.
‘Explain.’
There was silence for a few moments.
‘Cho Petak is finally, indubitably insane,’ said the voice Gremara had named Grek.
Gremara snorted. ‘He has ever been so,’ she retorted.
‘Not so,’ Grek disagreed mildly. ‘When first he taught me and others of like mind, he was rational and convincingly sane.’
‘He spoke always of his superiority, of destroying all lesser beings or twisting them to be his slaves.’ Gremara’s tone was flat. ‘I see from your mind what he has done to the other land – a far worse destruction than he attempted here.’
There was another long pause then Grek gave a gusty sigh. ‘I know. That is why I am here. I don’t think Cho realises yet that I am not just trying to trace three others from the Void.’
‘Rashpil is hidden inside the mountains far to the east. Zloy is causing havoc further east still. M’Raz is in this area. Why are you here in truth?’ There was an edge to Gremara’s tone harsh enough to cause Seela to shift her weight uneasily.
‘I betrayed him before. I must do so again. And this time he must be destroyed.’
Grek ended with a strangled gasp and Seela saw that Gremara had laid Grek’s mind completely open.
‘Gremara, this time he must die, and I too if it is deemed necessary. I could not endure again punishment such as before.’
The sphere vanished and Seela blinked. She realised Gremara had released the creature called Grek but he was still present. She changed the focus of her prismed eyes to a slightly different spectrum and saw his vague shape apparently sitting on the ground beside Gremara.
‘The child you inhabited?’ Gremara asked.
‘She is in the other land. Why should she interest you?’ There was a hint of curiosity in his tone.
‘No matter. Grek, the one you seek is far, far to the south. There are others, one in particular, who must go there also. Will you help them reach that place?’
‘You would trust me, after I aided Cho’s release again?’
‘Grek,’ Gremara’s mildness sent shivers along Seela’s great back. ‘Understand that I have the power to unmake you. Or worse, far worse. And others will be given that information. Others in the group of people you will assist in reaching the Sanctuary.’
Gremara led them on towards the coast. Seela was aware of Grek’s presence close to them but had no idea how he moved or how he existed. Gremara spoke in Seela’s mind, showing her what could be done with Grek’s essence to end his being or, as she’d said, do worse. Seela’s mind cringed at the thought of either unmaking a sentient being or twisting its threads into something torturously “other”. But she stored the information carefully and flew on saying nothing in reply to the Silver One, nor attempting speech with this Grek.
Gremara left the purple Dragon to her own thoughts then, scanning southwards as they spiralled down to a rock strewn beach. Seela had visited the ocean shore in her far distant youth – young Dragons often wandered long distances from their Treasuries during their extended childhoods. Now she reclined along a slab of rock, tickled by occasional splashes from the surging water. Gremara slept further up the beach and Seela preferred not to seek the whereabouts of the Grek creature.
Yet another dawn was tinting the high clouds when Gremara woke to find three hoppers laid on a boulder beside her. Seela’s eyes sparkled.
‘Lean hunting here but not impossible.’
Gremara devoured the hoppers then stretched her wings to their full extent. When she spoke it was to both Seela and to the invisible Grek.
‘The ones we seek are some distance down the coast.’ Her rainbow eyes whirred. ‘One of them is Brin – you know him I think Seela?’
