First Comes The One Who Wanders (10 page)

"That's your fate," the voice she'd heard earlier in the day laughed at her. "Destined to watch, never allowed to influence the outcome, poor Chidra."

"But I don't just want to watch, I want to help," Leilas cried. The picture in her mind swirled away, replaced with a breathtaking view of the Ceryk Chasm, a gash that cut through the Mountains of Crogmanland, a mile wide at its greatest point. There were places where the depths it reached couldn’t be measured.

"Then deny what you are and join me. Together, we could do so much for the people."

"Who are you?"

"It's too soon. In time I'll reveal myself to you. In the meantime, think about this. You have the power to do whatever you want, if only you choose to use it, to bend it to your will. You could create places as beautiful as this Canyon, or create a river that provides water and food, save your people from men like King Darryl, whatever you wish to do."

"Crafter’s aren't allowed to use their power in this way," protested Leilas.

"Because some old man said that was true?" scoffed the voice. "You can do whatever you wish to do."

"I was born a crafter, I must follow the rules set for people like me," said Leilas in a bewildered voice.

"You were born with power," the voice disagreed with her. "That's different. Now they call those with this power crafters and they've made rules to control you. It wasn't always so. You can do whatever you wish to do."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Now, those who're in the guilds seek out those with power and train them. They control them by binding them to a guild or to a school. This is to keep them from doing exactly what I've suggested that you do, use your power for the good of Preterlandis. They want to keep the balance, because someone said that's the way it should be. Is this what you want?" Leilas didn't know how to answer the voice. With her silence came darkness and then the voice was gone.

Leilas shivered as she opened her eyes to find herself in the cave with her mother, brother and Joshuas. The older crafter appeared to be sleeping. Obviously, he hadn’t heard the voice that had awakened her. Was it just a dream and the voice merely a redubbing from this afternoon? Or had she been shown Dirth and the Chasm of Ceryk because someone wanted to make a point? Wrapping her cloak around her closely to ward off the cold that seemed to have seeped into her bones, Leilas shifted on the dirt floor and winced in pain as she brushed her injured leg. She tried to find a comfortable position as she thought about what had just occurred through the fog that seemed to have descended on her mind.

If Gidron had been here, she would have shared this experience with him and let him help her understand it. Glancing at Joshuas, she shook her head. Hadn't he already berated her for her actions today? What would he think of her if he knew that someone could slip into her mind at will? Nothing good that was for certain. She'd be glad to be rid of him in Menas. Maybe once he was gone she'd be able to think clearly again. Her usual aplomb seemed to disappear around him.

Her dream reminded her of her time in the mists. What she saw were pieces of her life, bits that affected her. The only difference had been the voice taunting her. What was she supposed to make of this voice? Was she going crazy? Was someone playing with her? If they were toying with her, why were they doing so? Leilas shook her head wearily and slumped against her saddle. She was tired and whatever this dream meant it would have to wait until she’d had some sleep. Listening to the quiet noises of the horses, she spoke a quiet spell of protection against nightmares, closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

A hand shook her less than gently and Leilas woke from a dreamless sleep that had been less than satisfying. "It's your turn to keep watch," said Brenth as he dropped to the floor, wearily.

Although he'd been an almost silent partner on their journey so far, it hadn't escaped Leilas' notice that he'd done his fair share and more. Knowing that didn't make it any easier to climb to her feet. Swaying slightly as she stood, she wrapped her blanket tightly around her, picked up her sword and headed for the entrance to the cave.

It would have been relatively easy to bind the entrance and allow all of them to get the sleep they needed, but Leilas was beginning to understand Joshuas' penchant for avoiding magic as much as possible. She didn't want another encounter with dark magiks, not until they were in a more secure position and she'd regained some of her strength. This day's battles had drained her and she didn't think she'd survive another meeting, even with the lesser forces of the dark that wandered Preterlandis.

Sitting near the entrance, Leilas gingerly tried to rub the soreness out of her leg as she set her sword within easy reach. Her leg was swollen and her breeches were stuck to some of the wounds. It was uncomfortable, but trying to loosen the material from her leg without water would only open the sores again. She was better off leaving her breeches as a binding until she could take the time to find some herbs and treat the wounds properly. She'd have to take the time soon, no matter what Joshuas would say about the fact that she'd let Jayram's magiks past her defenses. It wouldn't do to let them fester.

Fuzziness had settled in her mind and she shook her head trying to clear it, but it didn't help. She could only hope it would be a quiet evening. Her dream had given her hope it would be. All she needed was for something to happen on her shift so Joshuas could chastise her and inform her how poor a guard she made, as well as a magik.

Leilas turned to study the magik asleep on the ground. Even after his criticisms, she found him fascinating. He was different from all the other magiks she'd met at the school. Something inside him reached out to her. But was it his power or something more elemental she hadn't had the opportunity to explore yet in her young life? Most young women had already married by this time in their life. She'd never even thought about love. Her life revolved around becoming a master and taking her oath. Was what she felt for Joshuas the power that drew young women to men and caused them to bind themselves to them? It certainly was a compelling feeling, one that she would most likely never explored since Joshuas had taken an instant dislike to her, rather than the opposite. It was a feeling she'd have to learn to ignore.

Leilas stood, slung her sword over her back and limped toward the door, trying to ignore the unfamiliar and unwanted emotions she was experiencing. Hiding herself in the ivy, she looked out into the night and breathed in the cool air. This night seemed to be calling to her, more than the darkness had ever called out to her. She could clearly hear the scurry of the small animals that lived and hunted in the darkness and identify them. The crescent moon shone bright against the trees and its pale light spoke to her. Tonight, she could almost appreciate what the dark crafter's saw in the darkness. Almost. But even as she appreciated the living darkness, even as it called to her, something deep inside her rebelled against it.

Standing still, Leilas breathed in the night until she could stand the cold no longer, then taking a last look around for any danger that might be lurking and finding none, she stepped back into the cave. She was shaking as she wrapped herself in her blanket and settled in to watch the hours slip away until dawn.

~~~

Joshuas awakened to Leilas' touch on his shoulder. "It's time for us to be up." Joshuas opened his eyes to find Leilas' bright eyes close to his face. It would only take a simple motion to reach out and touch her, pull her to him and feel her close to him. Instead, he rose up on his elbow. "What time is it?"

"The sun is already up." Leilas picked up her horse's blanket and moved to her mount. "I've already eaten. I thought I might go out and forage for some herbs while the rest of you get ready."

"I don't want you to go out on your own. I don't really expect to run into new trouble yet, but Jayram might surprise us."

"He won't send anyone or anything until he returns to the Forest of Furlin. We shouldn't have to worry about him for a little while."

"You didn't even know who he was yesterday. How is it now, you know what he will or won't do?"

Leilas hesitated then continued to spread the blanket on her mount's back. "I saw it in a dream last night."

"A dream, –I see. Do you have these dreams often?"

Joshuas rose to his feet and stepped closer to Leilas. She still wouldn't face him. He wanted to grab her and make her face him, but he controlled the impulse. He would have to remember that besides being a crafter she was a princess and was used to being treated gently.

"This is the first time." Finally, she turned to face him. "It was like being in the mists. I saw bits and pieces of my life and people who would affect it. Jayram was one of the people I saw."

Joshuas' eyes narrowed with concern when Leilas turned to face him. She didn’t look well at all. There was a slight sheen of perspiration on her forehead, even though it was quite cool in the cave. Her eyes were overly bright, and somewhat unfocused. Ignoring his warning voice, he reached out and rested his hand on her forehead. She pulled away and swayed on her feet.

"You're sick," stated Joshuas, not bothering to ask.

"I'm fine. Or I will be once I find some medicine, which I'm going to do now, while you, Mother and Brenth eat and get ready to leave."

"I'll go find the medicine. You lie down and rest."

"I'm not a child, I can take care of myself," argued Leilas, reaching for her saddle and swaying slightly.

"I'm aware you're not a child. But I'm more familiar with the terrain and have a better idea where to find herbs. Tell me what you want and I'll go find it."

Straightening, Leilas closed her eyes and weighed Joshuas' words. "I'm not sure what I need, Willowwick? I need something that will cleanse a wound and help with swelling. Master Frey taught me a little about herbs, but not much. He didn't have healing in mind for me as a profession."

"What wound?" Joshuas moved closer and let his eyes wander over her, looking for evidence of the injuries she'd endured and not bothered to tell anyone about. His eyes stopped when he reached her legs. "Let me look. I'll have a better idea what herbs to gather if I know what kinds of wounds you sustained."

Leilas looked as though she wanted to argue with him, then took a deep breath and sat on her saddle. "You'll have to cut the legging away or waste water loosening it."

Joshuas nodded and reached for his knife. Being as careful as he could, he cut the blood-stiffened fabric away from Leilas' leg. His stomach clenched when he saw the angry wounds that had been hidden from view, wounds that hadn't been inflicted cleanly by a sword. The angry punctures on Leilas' leg had clearly been inflicted by teeth, teeth that belonged to a dark magik. Probing the wounds gently, he tried not to let his dismay show. He could find herbs that could help heal the wounds, but he didn't have the knowledge or the power to stop the poison that had been injected by the teeth that had left these marks, poison that was already beginning to work on Leilas, if her glassy stare and waxy complexion were any indication.

"Willowwick will help the swelling. I'll go find some. You wake your mother and Brenth."

Joshuas strode quickly to the door of the cave and stepped through into the morning. Its beauty eluded him today, overshadowed by his concern for his new ward. If he wasn't careful, he would lose her before he'd even had her as his apprentice. It would be a battle of time. Menas was a day and a half away, if they pressed on as quickly as they could. Leilas had wasted precious time by hiding her wounds from him.

Joshuas cursed his clumsy handling of her as he headed for a known patch of willowwick. If he hadn't yelled at her, she might have told him she was injured. Easily finding the herb, Joshuas carefully dug around several roots and pulled the plants from the ground. Wrapping them in cloth he carried especially for this delicate plant, he hurried back to the cave.

By the time he arrived, Queen Daina and Brenth were awake and finishing up their breakfast. Leilas had already saddled her horse and was standing guard by the door.

"Daina," Joshuas spoke to the queen as the friend she'd once been, rather than the queen she was today. "I need your help."

The queen looked up in surprise, but quickly came to the spot where Joshuas had led Leilas and forced her to sit down. "We have a slight problem here with Leilas' leg."

Queen Daina took one look at her daughter's leg, cast a knowing look at Joshuas and quickly went to work. "Brenth, I need water and a knife. Joshuas, I need some willowwick. Can you find some?"

"Already did," replied Joshuas, handing her the precious root wrapped in the silver-threaded cloth.

Sinking to her knees, the queen pushed aside the ruined material of Leilas' leggings. "This happened yesterday?" she asked her daughter as her fingers gently probed the sores.

Leilas nodded. "It happened when I was fighting with the wolves."

"You mean the dark crafters," her mother corrected her gently.

"Wolves, crafters, what's the difference?" Leilas leaned back against the rock Joshuas had told her to sit near and closed her eyes. "This is the first wound I've ever had that didn't heal quickly. It's rather a unique experience."

"One you'll have to avoid in the future," said Joshuas.