Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series, page 35
Seela pushed herself up to a sitting position. ‘A son of Fenj! Yes, I know him!’
‘Another is Farn, also the child he is soul bonded to.’
‘Tika!’ Seela’s delight was apparent. ‘Whatever are they doing out here? Don’t tell me Brin has lured them into mischief?’
‘No, there is a more serious reason.’ Gremara paused. ‘There are several humans with them but none know as yet that they must go south. But go south they must, with all speed, to find those in the Sanctuary.’
Gremara glanced to one side where Seela presumed Grek must be, then at Seela.
‘I will tell you more whilst we fly, but it is for you to know now, not for the child. You offered to travel with me Seela, but I must return to the east very soon. It is a tremendous imposition but I beg you to stay with these travellers and help protect them on their way. Their survival is of vital importance to this world.’
Thoughts raced through Seela’s mind in less time than it took for her to extend her wings towards Gremara.
‘I am proud to assist the Silver One in any way that I may.’
Gremara leaned up to touch her face against Seela’s. ‘One day I may be able to thank you sufficiently dear one.’ She turned away. ‘You heard my words Grek. These travellers must be protected, especially the female child. You will be judged by the way you act towards her and her friends when – IF – you reach the Sanctuary. And always remember you are there as their protector, not their leader.’
A patch of sand flurried briefly and Seela rattled her wings. She was going to have to get used to Grek’s presence but it wasn’t going to be easy.
‘I hardly dared hope a Sanctuary remained on this world – I have heard not a whisper of it in three generations of the family I embodied within. I will do whatever you ask of me Gremara.’
‘Make sure that you do. There will be no escaping my wrath at the least, should you go over to Cho Petak again.’
With those words, Gremara lifted into the sky, Seela close behind, and began to follow the coast to the south.
Ren had been more quiet even than usual for two days. He seemed to lose some of his passion for what Farn called his “hole in the sand”. Brin and Maressa had returned full of news and laden with supplies, and the company had talked far into the night gathered around the fire. When all slept, Khosa padded into the low cave in which Ren lay. Her thought touched him awake instantly and he stared up into her turquoise eyes a mere whisker above him.
‘Salt awaits you on the beach.’
Pallin’s snores rumbled from deeper in the cave and Ren pulled on his boots and followed the Kephi. Sket sat by the fire nursing a bowl of tea and he nodded as Ren passed him, heading for the gap in the cliff. On the sandy shore the Eldest, Salt, reclined, Khosa weaving back and forth round his forearm.
‘I know this is hard for you Offering Ren, but it is of great importance. I must take you to speak with Mist.’
Ren swallowed and darted a glance at the sheer cliff face to his left, gleaming in the moon and starlight, pocked with the dark holes of Sea Dragon caves.
‘I can make you unaware for the few moments of flight,’ Salt offered.
Ren swallowed again. Tika had not spoken of her talk with Mist, returning to the company clearly distressed but unwilling to speak of her encounter. Ren shook his head.
‘I’m sure you think me very foolish, but I cannot help my dread of both heights and water. As you say, it will be but a moment for you to take me up to her.’
Salt scooped Khosa into the crook of his arm and Ren strode determinedly to the Dragon’s side and scrambled onto his shoulders. He clamped his hands to the wing edges and closed his eyes. There was a hideous lurch in his stomach but before he could decide whether he was actually going to be sick he heard Salt’s taloned feet scraping against stone and realised he was already at Mist’s cave.
Khosa bumped against Ren’s left foot. ‘Step down here and keep your eyes closed,’ she told him, and Ren noticed there was no sarcasm in her mind voice.
He followed her instructions and felt the draught of Salt’s departure.
‘Go further within my cave,’ another voice spoke in his mind. ‘I will lie across my ledge so you need not fear falling.’
One hand against the stone wall, Ren stumbled a few paces further until he felt Khosa batting at his leg again.
‘You’ll be all right now. Turn round and sit down.’
Ren turned and sat obediently before opening his eyes and Khosa climbed on his lap and began her soft soothing buzz. Ren blinked and saw the silhouette of a Dragon against a backdrop of stars. Mist shifted her body slightly so that she could face Ren directly and he gasped. The faint light was yet enough to reveal the disfigurement of the Sea Dragon’s left side. But her right eye still reflected the stars. She tilted her head.
‘I am touched that you feel such grief for me as did the child. But as I told her, I am well accustomed to my limitations now.’
Ren felt a flash of disgust for his own whimpering dislike of heights and the sea in the face of this Dragon’s stoical acceptance of a dreadful fate. Mist angled her head to look up to the stars then back at the Offering.
‘The Silver One has spoken to me,’ she told him. ‘She approaches as we speak. None of you have seen her I think?’
Ren shook his head. ‘I only know what the others have told me of her. Maressa is the one who knows most I think.’
‘Already she has vouchsafed information which amazes me. Fills me with apprehension, excitement and hope. She comes with another great Dragon and will tell you that you must all travel south.’
‘But I am in the early stages of excavating an important site,’ Ren objected.
‘No,’ Mist interrupted firmly. ‘Hear what I am permitted to tell you and I believe you will begin to understand.’
It was close to dawn when a stunned Offering slid from Salt’s back and made his way through the gap to the lower caves. Riff was keeping watch and made way for him beside the fire, reaching for the kettle.
‘Sket said you’d gone for a walk.’ Riff smiled easily. ‘Can’t see all that water so well in the dark.’
Ren forced himself to return the smile but made no other reply and Riff left him to his thoughts.
That evening Ren complained at the lack of artefacts they had so far uncovered and suggested they should think of moving further south to find a more promising site. Discussion raged back and forth over this suggestion.
Ren was silent most of the next day. Pallin suggested a dose of his never-known-to-fail purgative - it was plain that Ren was seriously out of sorts. Ren declined but without the acid comments they had all grown used to. On the third morning after Ren’s interview with Mist, Khosa roused them all just before dawn. She fussed and chivvied until they were all on the beach. To their astonishment, most of the Sea Dragons were gathered there too but for Mist and Ice, still high on their ledges. All were facing northwards.
Tika and her companions stared just as hard. The Dragons were completely silent, no hint of communication among them. Brin and Farn watched with interest, obviously as ignorant of what might be happening as were the humans. Suddenly, Ice called from her ledge and two specks appeared in the sky. Slowly the specks resolved into two Dragons, one huge even at this distance, the other much smaller and flying with a different, almost swimming motion.
‘It is Seela of Sun Mountain!’ Brin exclaimed, but Maressa spoke at almost the same moment.
‘It is Gremara, Silver One of Talvo!’
The Sea Dragons reared erect, screaming aloud their formal challenge and greeting. Human hands clamped over human ears as the unusual cacophony shrieked on. Then silence fell again when Dragons reared upright across the beach as the two arrivals spiralled down. Now the Dragons’ mind voices rose in glorious song – a wild song befitting wild Sea Dragons.
Seela stretched to her full height when the song ended and announced her name and Treasury. But most eyes were fixed on the Silver One, Gremara. She lay on the sand, her wings furled along her slender body. Her rainbow prismed eyes swept over the crowd before her, lingering on Tika’s small person then lifting to rest on Ice and Mist high on the cliff.
To her own surprise, Maressa caught hold of Tika’s hand and took two steps forward. She bowed.
‘I am Maressa, air mage of Vagrantia. I am glad to see you Gremara.’
Amusement rippled from the Silver One. ‘And most relieved to know I am restored in mind no doubt.’
Maressa looked aghast. ‘I meant no rudeness,’ she stammered.
Outright laughter pealed from Gremara. ‘I know, I know. I do but jest with you – forgive my foolishness.’
The Sea Dragons paced forward in order of seniority to touch brows with the Silver One but Tika stood to one side, finding herself with Ren, Gan and Sket.
‘Is she as you thought?’ asked Gan quietly.
‘I don’t know,’ Tika replied thoughtfully. ‘She looks like no other Dragon I’ve seen. I suppose, from all the rumours, I had imagined she would be as large as Fenj but silver. I hadn’t thought she would be quite so – different. But she has vast powers, and she is shielding her mind.’
Frowns appeared on both Gan’s face and Sket’s.
‘Why would she shield herself here? Among friends?’
Tika shrugged, smiling as she watched Farn formally greet both Gremara and Seela then wind his neck affectionately around the great purple Dragon. Gremara looked across the mass of Sea Dragons, catching first Ren’s gaze then holding Tika’s longer. Tika shivered and repeated: ‘She has vast powers.’
‘I will speak now with Ice and with Mist.’ Gremara announced. ‘Perhaps you could make Seela welcome – I think she may be hungry.’
Laughter rang across the shore and two young Dragons leaped seawards. Gremara rose above Seela’s head and hovered for a moment, her eyes flashing as once more she located Tika and Ren. Her tail flicked and she undulated through the air up to the high ledges.
Attention turned to Seela who made her way through the Sea Dragons towards Tika. She bent her head to the girl, affection spilling warmly through Tika’s mind. Farn proudly introduced her to all the company, including Khosa. The Kephi sat neatly on a rock, her orange tail curled tidily over her front paws, and surveyed the massive Seela. Something passed between them Tika realised, but it was a private linking and she wondered what it might mean.
On the high ledge Mist lay before Gremara. She had spoken briefly to Ice who had then left them alone. Gremara had not known of Mist’s long endurance of pain and disablement and she crooned her sorrow even as she called to those Beyond.
The whole Flight moved behind the cliff as the day grew to its peak and tipped again to evening. Pallin and Riff baked some of the huge fish supplied by young Storm and his friends. Seela had little news to impart: she lived a solitary life in her mountains except for the Gatherings of her Treasury. She had to tell (several times over), of Gremara’s arrival in the Sun Mountains and of their rapid flight here in search of Tika and her friends. Each time she reached this point in her story, Tika interrupted.
‘But why does she seek me? If it is something so urgent, why has she not yet told me?’
And each time Seela pleaded ignorance of the Silver One’s intent.
The sun was falling close to the rim of the sea when Gremara was suddenly in their midst. Storm shyly offered her one of the remaining uncooked fish and she ate a few mouthfuls with appreciation. She looked around at the many Dragon faces and the nine humans.
‘I am here to warn you,’ she said softly.
Her listeners became utterly still.
‘Evil is abroad in the distant lands from whence Offering Ren has come. I cannot say if it can be halted, or slowed, or overcome. A similar fate may already be unfolding here.’ She turned her brilliant rainbow eyes towards Tika.
‘You and your friends must flee south. There is a Sanctuary there where together a solution may be discovered. Many leagues south is a desert land.’
Gremara noted Olam and Pallin nod confirmation.
‘There live a wild people, but they have kept faith more closely than any other people in this world, and they will do what they can to aid you. Salt, I must warn you to be prepared for dangers such as you cannot have ever imagined. When Mist awakens she will tell you more.
‘I am proud to have met you no matter how briefly. I would speak alone with Tika and then I must leave. There is a great need of my presence in Vagrantia again and I find –‘ Gremara amazingly, seemed to falter for a moment then recovered herself. ‘I face a great peril of my own. I must be in Talvo by that time which I fear is only days away. May the stars guide your paths and guard your hearts my dearest ones.’
She moved gracefully to the nearest Dragon and pressed her brow to his, working her way round the entire gathering. She repeated the action to an astonished Pallin, then Riff, Olam and Navan. Their expressions showed plainly that the Silver One communicated something privately to each. She studied Maressa carefully for a moment before lowering her head to the young woman, and moved on to Gan. Then she moved to Ren, whose face showed no emotion at all.
When it was Sket’s turn, his face flushed scarlet but the watchers realised it was pride, not embarrassment as he straightened his back and pulled his shoulders square. The Silver One spoke with Brin and with Seela before turning to Farn. She rested her cheek against his and his eyes half closed. Gremara rose slowly above him, her body curving and twisting above his back. Tiny blue lights flickered around the silver blue Farn and he leaned more heavily against Brin. Gremara spun on her tail, locked eyes with Tika and flew over the gap to the beach.
It seemed only a few moments before Tika returned from her talk with Gremara but the sky was dusky with approaching night. She stared at Ren and he gave a tiny shrug and a rueful smile. Gremara appeared high above them, circled twice and shot away to the east.
Dragons and humans were staring at each other, unable to fully understand what had taken place among them when Salt’s head whipped round towards the high caves. A Dragon drifted over the cliffs, landing a little apart. Hundreds of eyes stared at Mist. Her one eye whirred and glittered, and streamed with tears as she stretched out her wings and drew herself upright. Her two, whole, wings.
Chapter Thirty-One
It took Volk three days to reach Valoon. Dislike the smell of mint though he did, he decided it at least blocked the worst of the other stench. He’d kept well clear of the ruins of Oblaka town but hidden up on an old hunting trail as he was, he still caught glimpses of the bodies in the fields. Some of them were twisted and charred, others were half chewed, he didn’t like to think what or who had done that. There were several occasions when his horse sidestepped and snorted, baulking at something on the path ahead. Body parts mostly.
Volk was unbelievably bad tempered by the time he overlooked Valoon. He dismounted and tied the three horses loosely at the edge of the trail. He had no wish to lose them, but he would rather they stood a chance of pulling free should anything threaten them. He sat half hidden by scrubby bushes and studied his town.
It was quiet as death. But he could see no bodies in the streets or in the few fields. Six or seven houses at the far end of the main street were burned out, but most of the rest seemed untouched. He watched the silent town for most of the afternoon and nothing moved at all. As it grew darker, Volk moved back to the horses and, staying on foot, led them on another two hundred paces. Again he tethered them, this time above the old track leading to the rarely used back gate of the stable yard behind his inn.
For a man of his bulk (although that was somewhat reduced since his stay in the Oblaka caves), Volk could move surprisingly lightly and stealthily. His hunting knife was held low in his right hand, his left eased up the latch on the concealed gate. He waited patiently, all senses alert for any untoward sound or movement, but nothing stirred. He squeezed through the gate and moved to the barn door. It was open, as it had been when he’d left. In fact, as far as he could see, nothing had changed – no sign of intruders or marauders. He looked into the barn and noticed that the smell of horses and hens had already faded. He sniffed hopefully. No, the smell of mint still seemed to be haunting him, but perhaps he was getting used to it.
Volk scurried across the open space, his heart hammering. He leaned against the door, fumbling for the large iron key in his coat pocket. The door opened silently on its well oiled hinges and Volk stepped inside. He strained to hear anything that might suggest any other presence but heard nothing at all. He checked the inn from the main cellar and its hidden addition, right up to the attics, and found all exactly as he’d left it. He grunted to himself. Just showed Valoon folk had a lot more sense than those southern dirt grubbers then. Hunters was always sharper than farmers – smelt trouble long before it arrived.
He hurried to fetch the horses in to the stable, pulled down hay for them and fetched water from the pump. He settled himself in the loft above the horses and waited for dawn. He’d been plagued not only by the smell of that dratted herb these past days, but also by a dream. He set no store by dreams – daft things, like fortune telling from tea leaves and such. But this one came back and back.
He scowled: just thinking about it made him fume. But here he was, out from the safety of the Oblaka with Light knew how many madmen dashing about the countryside, looking for two brats he’d seen in a dream! He’d just head back to the Oblaka in the morning and tell those Observers and Kooshak and whatnots that the land seemed safe enough to him.
‘No you will not!’
Volk sat up so fast he hit his head, painfully, on the sloping roof beam. He swore viciously and a horse stamped in its stall below him. That’s all he needed – hearing voices. Old fool. He froze as he clearly heard female laughter. Then the voice spoke again.
‘You will collect those children Volk or I’ll spoil every single brew you ever make in the future.’
