Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series, page 39
Thryssa was now on her way to Talvo, greatly disturbed by Pachela’s distressed state of mind. More than that Pajar could not tell the Golden Lady. The message ended with the usual formal courtesies and enquiries as to her health and the welfare of her People. Emla read the whole paper again and then started to pace her study. It would soon be time for the midday meal when Nolli would come back to the House. Should she discuss this with Nolli first, or with the two Vagrantians? She had no idea how the news of Gremara’s death would affect any of the three, but coming so soon after the loss of Ryla she feared it might hit them hard.
She did not understand what connection Gremara had with Mim, although she surmised it was of considerable importance. Which reminded her – what could be wrong with Mim? She shuffled through the papers on her desk and retrieved Kera’s last communication. Then she checked the paper from Vagrantia. It looked likely that Mim had secluded himself at the same time as Gremara’s hideous death took place. Had Mim known? Had they had a powerful enough link over such a great distance? Emla groaned.
She rerolled both messages and crossed to the window. Yes, Nolli and her entourage were heading back to the House. She stood undecided. Doochay was still staying here, working on new lectures in Emla’s library. She would help Emla decide when to broach this new information and exactly to whom.
Acting on Doochay’s advice, Emla waited until the evening when Nolli was settled beside the fire, the young Dragons were – hopefully – safely asleep in the guest Pavilion and the House was quietening for the night. Ryla’s great chair had gone from beside Nolli’s and Hani now reclined in its place. Doochay lay on one of the several couches arranged among the heaps of floor pillows upon which the others sat.
It was Nolli for whom Emla feared: the Delvers had some connection with the Dragons, so far unexplained fully. Now, Emla quietly told the company of Thryssa’s news. When she described Gremara’s final return to Talvo in Pajar’s words, she watched for Nolli’s reaction closely. There were murmurs of shocked disbelief from Jilla and Shan but Emla kept her gaze on the ancient Wise One.
Nolli’s chin sank to her chest, her hands resting on Resh’s back, but then she lifted her head, leaning back against her cushions. She smiled. There were tears on her cheeks but astonishingly, Nolli smiled. And Hani was utterly silent, no change in the soft green flickering of her prismed eyes. Well, Emla thought privately, exactly what is going on? Was it the news of Mim that caused Nolli’s tears, or Gremara’s death – and why should either piece of information make her smile?
Jilla was immediately aware of Emla’s gentle probe in her thoughts.
‘I am relieved to know that my people have survived,’ she told them all. She glanced at Emla and gave a rueful shrug. ‘I did not know Gremara – only to be wary of her bouts of madness and the days of her screaming rages.’
Bagri nodded agreement. ‘I do not know what may be wrong with the Dragon Lord,’ he said. ‘You know him and we do not, anymore than we knew Gremara.’
‘What about Fenj and Jeela?’ Shan asked.
‘And old Lorak?’ Soran added.
‘I’ve told you all I know.’ Emla produced the rolls of paper. ‘Read for yourselves – perhaps you may find something I failed to grasp properly.’
‘And what do you know Nolli?’ Doochay asked quietly.
Nolli sighed. ‘I know now that there may be hope for this world, after all.’ She turned her head slightly to look into Hani’s face, then looked back at Doochay and Emla. She waved a twisted hand at the papers being pored over by Soran and Jilla.
‘Pajar reports no death song from Fenj or Jeela for Lorak, and Fenj would surely grieve most parlously for his beloved companion. So I think Lorak must live. Mim is keeping hidden but he is not alone. Kera says that Chakar, Dessi and Daro at least are with him. Thus I believe there is no cause to worry for Mim.’
Doochay listened attentively to Nolli’s words and, like Emla, knew at once that Nolli had spoken with care, concealing more than she’d revealed. But they had to accept the small comfort Nolli seemed to offer – were they to interrogate the old lady, press her for more information? Of course not.
When the company parted for the night, Doochay and Emla went up to the Golden Lady’s study.
‘I suggest you send to Kera,’ Doochay said, leaning against Emla’s desk. ‘The boy can surely not be kept hidden indefinitely.’ A thought occurred to her. ‘Could he have the affliction do you think?’
Emla shook her head slowly. ‘The affliction seems never to last more than two days – Kera says it is now over three days since Mim has been seen. And if, stars forfend, he had died, there would no reason to keep the fact secret.’
‘The young Dragon – Hani’s daughter?’
‘Ashta.’ Emla supplied the name.
‘Yes, Ashta. Kera says she has slept all this time. Would this mean the boy also sleeps?’
‘Doochay, I have no idea. Perhaps they both sleep, but I have a strong feeling Ashta is being deliberately kept unconscious. They would do that to spare her any suffering. If for instance Mim was hurt and in pain, she, as his linked soul bond would share every twinge.’ Emla shuddered, remembering Tika’s agonised battle with herself as she healed Farn.
‘And did Kera say what happened immediately prior to Mim’s seclusion?’
Emla frowned. ‘You read the message too – I think she said only that Mim and Ashta had been gone from the Stronghold for nearly a whole day, and Ashta was close to total exhaustion on their return.’
Doochay pushed herself away from the edge of the desk and headed for the door.
‘Should one of us go through the circles do you think? But to which troubled place should we go?’
‘I think it unwise for me to leave here at present.’ Emla rubbed her forehead wearily. ‘But if you would truly travel the circles, I would suggest you go north. Thryssa should be in Talvo Circle by now, but you are the eldest Discipline Senior since Ryla passed on. You could insist on knowing what’s happening – your rank is far higher than Kera’s.’
Doochay grinned, looking centuries younger. ‘I’ll leave in the morning then. It’s been far too long since I did any real fieldwork.’
Emla sat at her desk and drew a sheet of paper towards her. She would write to Kera before she slept, but dear stars, she was so tired.
Many leagues to the east, a million stars glittered above the Vagrantian Circles. Thryssa and Kwanzi had arrived as the moon set and now Thryssa sat by Pachela’s sleeping form. Kwanzi was worried by the disruption apparent in the web of power in Pachela’s brain and felt a deep sleep might restore a balance to her mind.
Fenj and Jeela had both pressed their brows to Thryssa’s but made no reply to her greeting. Now the black Dragon lay watchful beneath Gremara’s ledge while ivory Jeela slept close by, Lula curled on her back. Lashek and Kwanzi were in low voiced discussion a little apart from where Thryssa sat with Pachela’s head in her lap. On the ledge the black, knobbled husk that had been the Silver One had hardened, solidified, and Lorak lay just as stiff and still against that husk.
A breeze riffled through the crater and Fenj’s eyes whirred, reflecting the starlight. Deep within Lorak’s mind a voice whispered.
‘You have done well little brother. We glorify your name.’
Chapter Thirty-Four
The Sea Dragons stared at Mist, frozen where they stood. Tika broke their silent stillness, throwing herself across the sand to reach her arms round Mist’s neck. Mist lowered her face to Tika’s shoulder as the girl stretched her hands to the left wing. She stared at it, feeling the bones, the sinew and muscles, the pulse of blood through leathery hide. She turned her head to look at Mist’s face, the sparkling brilliant right eye, the puckered empty left socket. Mist pressed her wet cheek against Tika.
‘She mended my wing,’ Mist’s voice whispered in Tika’s mind. ‘She wept because she could not restore my eye, but what is an eye when I can ride the wind once more? I did not ask for such a healing, and I know what strength it must have called for. Tika, the Silver One has flown into great danger and yet she gave so much in healing my wing that I fear she may have weakened herself too far.’
Tika felt an icy prickling down her spine. ‘Did she speak to you of Mim – the Dragon Lord? I asked her but she didn’t answer.’
‘Then I can say nothing small one. She was insistent that you travel south with all speed, to the desert of Biting Sands.’
This interchange took place in less than ten heartbeats and Mist’s Flight now approached with cries of delight and amazement. Tika squeezed between the mass of Dragons and found her human friends and Seela had gone through the cliff path to their camp. Farn still slept against Brin’s side and Tika paused, gently probing his mind. But he was deeply asleep. She caught only flickers of dreams from her soul bond.
‘The Silver One strengthened him,’ Brin told her. ‘She was too drained from her work on Mist to do more than a little, but he will be stronger now.’ Brin’s eyes glowed in the starlight. ‘We must go south Tika. At once.’
Tika sighed. ‘I know. She seems to have impressed that idea on everyone.’
Sket handed her some hot tea when she joined her friends around the replenished fire. Ren broke the silence.
‘Did she tell you of Grek?’ he asked her.
Tika frowned. ‘Yes she did and I don’t know if we should trust such a creature.’
Seela rattled her wings. ‘He is here now. I have been told how to deal with him should he show sign of causing us trouble. I will teach you to unmake him also.’
‘If Gremara gives me her partial trust at least, surely you could do no less?’ The voice in all their minds was mild, the voice of a youngish male.
Ren cleared his throat. ‘We will trust you within limits Grek. Now answer me truly: why must we go to the south?’
There was a considerable pause before Grek replied and then it was apparent that he was choosing his words with care.
‘South is where solutions may lie. Although I have been here for many human generations, I did not know Survivors remained hidden anywhere on this world. Never have I been to the desert lands, but Gremara told me that within that region lies help for you to travel yet further – even to the Survivors themselves.’
‘Who are these Survivors?’ Gan asked.
After another long pause Grek replied, his tone sounding wistful. ‘I may not tell you that. Not yet at least.’
‘Gremara said you flee from the evil one in Ren’s land. Why have you run from him and why should we trust you at all?’ Maressa surprisingly spoke aloud.
Khosa jumped from Navan’s knees and went to sit a few paces from the fire, staring steadily at empty air.
‘Cho Petak is finally mad. Gremara says he has always been so, but I do not think I believe that. He spoke long ago of building such a wonderful world, and I followed his ideas. I believed others corrupted his teachings for which he suffered the blame.’ Grek sounded thoughtful now. ‘Perhaps Gremara has the right of it though and I was just a foolish boy, blinded by clever words and high philosophies. That does not excuse me of course, in fact it drives me to seek a way of reparation. I do not expect forgiveness, but I can try to make some amends.’
The company sat pondering Grek’s words until finally Pallin got to his feet.
‘If we’re to travel tomorrow we should all be in our blankets by now.’
Everyone obediently began to move towards the awnings and to arrange their sleeping places. As Tika took her blanket to curl up on the beach with Farn and Brin, Ren caught her arm. He nodded towards the dark stretch of sweet grass. ‘I wish we’d found that mint plant – it smells so strong yet I cannot find a trace of it. And I also wish I could stay and search those rooms we found.’
Tika managed a smile. ‘Surely we’ll do both on our way back.’
Two pairs of silver eyes met and held for a long moment until Ren nodded.
‘You’re right. Of course we’ll be back. Goodnight Tika.’
Next morning the party divided as before, most climbing onto koninas although Seela offered to take riders. The awnings were neatly packed and loaded on the spare animals and the party made their way through the gap in the cliff to the beach. Farn was excited at the prospect of more adventuring but Tika noticed an underlying calmness about him.
The Sea Dragons had gathered to bid them farewell and Salt announced that Storm would travel with them – he could at least keep them supplied with fresh fish. Tika noted Storm’s eyes whirring with an excitement that matched Farn’s and sincerely hoped they wouldn’t cause too much mischief between them. Khosa wound herself round Salt’s great chest and he bent his head to the orange Kephi Queen. She ran to Mist to give a similar show of affection before returning to Tika to be stowed in her carry sack.
Grek’s voice rang in their minds. ‘Beware of men from inland,’ he warned. ‘There is one such as I among them – one who has always been truly wicked. These men in his company would kill Dragons.’
A furious hissing arose from the Dragons and several lifted into the air, darting over the cliffs to watch for any such men.
‘Mist and Ice know how to destroy such a one,’ Seela said firmly.
‘They will not be able to do so should they be taken by surprise,’ Grek retorted.
With no more ado, the company parted from the Sea Dragons. Olam led the way on his konina along the firmer sand at the sea’s edge. Seela, Brin and Farn lifted into the air, followed by Storm and then, to Tika’s delight, Mist rose effortlessly from the beach. She flew with them for a league then swerved out to sea trumpeting her last farewells before turning northwards.
They made good travelling for several days, the Dragons flying ahead to locate any tiny pools or streamlets of fresh water. For two days the koninas trotted between high cliffs and the great sea. Then the cliffs dropped away and seemingly endless sand dunes took their place. Heartily sick of the sand, Pallin was not the only one to welcome the sight of cliffs beginning to rise again on the sixth day out.
Several times Tika flew on Seela’s back so that Farn could dive through the sky, tumbling after Storm. Maressa, aloft on Brin, cast her mage’s sight further south at the end of each day’s travelling. They usually found a suitable place to make camp by late afternoon. Materials for fire making grew more and more scarce and on three nights now, Brin or Seela had heated piles of pebbles with their own fire to enable the travellers to at least heat the fish Storm brought them.
‘We are out of reach of Far by now I suppose?’ Olam asked one evening.
Maressa thought for a moment. ‘Yes I’m afraid so. I have been unable to reach Mist for two days as I told you.’
Khosa chirruped and the sand flurried briefly beside her. The company had grown somewhat used to this method the Kephi and Grek had devised to warn them of his presence, and that he was about to join their conversation. But they still found it unnerving to know an invisible being was among them.
‘I could go wherever you wish – it takes me but moments to move unbodied between locations. Show me a mind picture of where you wish me to look and I will do so.’ Grek offered.
Olam shifted uncomfortably, looking to Tika and Ren for their opinion. Tika let her mind touch Grek’s more closely than she had yet dared. To her surprise, his mind seemed open, enough for her to see no dark, hidden areas.
‘Very well,’ she said. ‘This is the place we would know of, and these two people.’ She pictured Lallia and Seboth. She hesitated then formed an image of Hargon. ‘This one also – we would know of his whereabouts.’
‘No.’ Grek’s reply was instant. ‘I know him, but he now harbours another such as I – the one I warned the Dragons about. He would sense my nearness at once, and for now I don’t think he is aware that I am in this land. Let’s leave him in ignorance as long as possible.’
Khosa did one of her front-end-down, tail-end-up stretches and yawned mightily.
‘Grek will not be long,’ she announced, scrambling onto Seela’s broad purple back and settling herself comfortably.
In truth, the moon had scarcely moved a finger’s width before Grek spoke again.
‘They were together and both were aware of me at once.’ He sounded surprised. ‘I told them you were well and they hoped you would remain so. There has been fighting. The towns of Tagria and Andla have been put to the torch and many farming communities also. They last heard that the other one you named – Hargon – is reported moving towards the coast. It seems he is tracking your company.’
Olam sprang to his feet and paced round the fire. ‘I should have stayed to help fight Hargon! Dear stars, what of the Lords Raben and Zalom – do they yet live?’
‘Seboth said he has reliable reports that they do survive and are regrouping their forces to join with Seboth’s own.’
‘I should be there,’ Olam fretted.
‘No sir.’ Pallin’s gruff voice rang with years of authority. ‘You are here. For whatever reason, you are here, and this is your fate as it is all of ours.’
The following day they could not travel. They took what shelter they could behind the cliffs and waited while a storm blew in from the sea. Raging winds and torrential squalls of rain continued unabated until late in the day. Only Maressa enjoyed the experience and let her mind swirl with the twisting clouds. A wonderful exhilaration, she explained in the face of unanimous disbelief from her companions. But even she conceded that soaking clothes were none too enjoyable. Huddled round the heated stones that evening, Maressa told them she thought they were quite close to the desert.
‘I let my mind go so high in that storm that I saw further than I would usually be able to. I could see right back to where your Sapphrean plains lie, just beyond these unwelcoming lands.’ She paused. ‘The desert looks worse I’m afraid. I could see no end to it, south or east.’
Sket grunted. ‘No matter. ’Tis where we must go. We’ll manage.’
