Dark Realm: Book 5 Circles of Light series (67 page)

Tika refused Cyrek’s
unfeeling suggestion that they just depart, regardless of Farn’s
distress. But eventually Farn agreed to their travelling separately
on condition that Shivan took the Dragons first to the site in
north western Drogoya chosen by Ren. He was insistent that he
should be there when Tika arrived, ready to defend her if that
should prove necessary. Shivan and Ren tried to estimate the length
of time needed for their individual gateways.

Tika couldn’t follow
all of their discussion: it seemed the Dragons actually flew within
their gateways, speeding their progress, whereas people remained
passive, being moved by a different use of power. Tika had bade
silent farewell to the First Daughter and cuddled Akomi for a
while. The tattered old cat seemed content enough to stay in the
Dark Realm, fussed over by Khosa’s sons and particularly by the
healers Mull and Cutha.

Corman waited in the
shadow of the arch, Cyrek and Favrian beside him in silent
watchfulness. But Garrol was among the companions, checking every
detail of their appearance and their weapons, for all the world as
if they were about to participate in a ceremonial
parade.

At last Shivan stepped
to one side. His body shimmered and burnt cinnamon scented air
gusted over the terrace. Tika stared in awe. In Dragon form Shivan
was as large as Brin but he appeared incredibly delicate compared
to Brin’s solid bulk. His wings seemed almost transparent but were
clearly immensely powerful still as he lifted easily from the roof.
The four Sapphrean Dragons followed and grouped close around the
pearly silver that was Shivan. He flew a little ahead, and all five
vanished.

There was no sound
other than the wind rustling through the plants around the terrace,
then Ren called the companions to gather closer to him. As Garrol
moved to the side of the terrace Tika hurried over to him. She
hesitated, then threw her arms round his waist. His arms went
automatically round her and he bent to press his cheek against her
dark head.

‘Family?’ she
whispered, feeling an ache in her chest as she heard his
reply.

‘Family,
child.’

She pulled away and
hurried back to her friends. Ren gave them no more time: they were
hurtling, twisting and tumbling, through the mystery that was a
Dark gateway.

They emerged on a
beach, but a very different one from the beach beside the Karmazen
Palace. Shivan was sitting hunched in the shelter of a large grey
boulder and Kija and Brin didn’t seem much more cheerful than the
Dark Lord. A cold wind pushed huge colourless waves to pound on the
stony beach. Storm was delighted, diving and splashing with bellows
of glee. Farn rushed to Tika the moment she appeared and only after
assuring himself she was perfectly safe and well, did he
calm.

Light weight oiled
capes were hastily pulled from their packs and the company sought
some shelter at the foot of low cliffs. Ren was apologetic until
Essa slapped his shoulder.

‘You can’t help the
weather, Lord Ren.’

Sket helped Ren back to
his feet and grinned in sympathetic agreement. ‘She’s right. How
could you know it would be cold, and wet, and horrible?’

There was laughter,
then Tika asked where exactly they were.

‘About two leagues from
the Oblaka. I hope.’ Ren wiped the mixture of rain and salt spray
from his face. ‘I have no idea how badly this poor land has
suffered, but I fear the worst. There is a village just along the
coast and an even smaller settlement a little inland.

Tika nodded as Ren
trailed off. She touched Kija’s shoulder.

‘Have you sensed
anything close by? Do you recognise this place at all – when you
came with Kadi?’

Golden eyes whirred
softly. ‘I stayed only a short time – until I heard Farn’s scream
of loss. But I have bespoken Kadi. She will be with us
shortly.’

Khosa poked her head
out of her travelling sack, slitted her eyes against the wind and
water, and retreated in disgust. A bugling cry came from above the
cliffs and a Dragon wheeled into view. The midnight blue Kadi
landed on the beach and long necks twined as Kija and Brin greeted
their old friend. Kadi stared hard at Storm and then turned her
full attention to Farn. Her mind voice, deeper than Kija’s, lighter
than Brin’s, spoke to them all.

‘I bid you welcome on
behalf of Finn Rah and Babach.’ Her eyes, prisms of pale blue,
fixed on Ren. ‘They say there are to be no more “Offerings” or
“Observers, only people.’

Ren nodded. He wouldn’t
have understood a world without titles and ranks less than a year
ago, but now he did.

‘Is the child well?’
Kija asked.

‘Mena awaits you in the
Oblaka.’

At last Kadi paced
carefully forward to Tika. ‘There is much to tell you, much to
explain, and much to ask forgiveness for.’

Tika reached her arms
as far round the Dragon’s neck as she could manage. ‘There is
little for you to tell me; Kija has already done so. There is
nothing to explain.’ She stepped back and caught the long face
between her hands. ‘And there is absolutely nothing to
forgive.’

Kadi blinked slowly and
lowered her head to press her brow against Tika’s. She drew away
and looked over to the group of people crouched by the cliff.
Sergeant Essa stood up and Kadi’s eyes sparkled with surprise. She
had never seen a human so large. Lady Emla’s people were very tall
and very slender, but this woman was enormous, and as solidly built
as a tree. Tika sensed what was going through Kadi’s thoughts and
smiled.

‘I hoped you might be
able to carry us all between you. I’d have walked quite happily but
it really doesn’t seem the weather for a stroll.’

Kadi snorted in
amusement, and Tika remembered just how much she’d loved this
Dragon.

There was a brief
flurry of confusion while Sket sorted out who would travel on which
Dragon, then everyone was settled. Kadi hesitated, looking across
at the slim young man with the gold eyes who remained by the base
of the cliff. He grinned at her suddenly and his body shimmered. As
his Dragon shape paced towards her, Kadi’s eyes whirred in
agitation but Tika called soothingly to her mind from Farn’s back.
Kadi still watched while Brin and Storm rose above the beach,
fighting briefly to counter the buffeting wind which blasted in
from the sea.

Shivan’s fragile
seeming wings unfurled and extended and Kadi watched him float
effortlessly upward, those wings tilting almost casually to keep
his flight steady. She rose herself, the Dark guards on her back,
Essa, Fedran and Geffal, gritting their teeth at the thought of
their distance above ground, and led them north to the Oblakan
caves.

They were watched, and
followed, as they flew the short distance to the Oblaka complex.
Hag stretched her wings to maintain her spiralling course. There
was a burst of magic from the ground and Hag cackled at its
familiarity: Shivan shifting back to human form. Hag drifted lower,
ignoring the wind which tried to tumble her from the sky. Her beak
gaped when another pulse of magic resonated up to her. Different.
It tasted different. Hag shivered in anticipation. It seemed there
was more magic to discover. The great raven shrieked with pleasure,
closed her wings, and plunged earthwards.’

###

Now read 'Perilous
Shadows', the sixth book in the 'Circles Of Light'
series.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/150411

Circles Of Light series
available at smashwords.com

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dragonhame

Circles Of Light
series

1 Soul Bonds

2 Vagrants

3 Drogoya

4 Survivors

5 Dark Realm

6 Perilous
Shadows

Coming Soon - ‘Tilliat’
- 1000 years after the events in ‘Circles Of Light’.

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