Perilous Shadows: Book 6 Circles of Light (53 page)

‘At least the flesh
isn’t melting from her bones like it did before.’ Konya tucked
another blanket over Tika. ‘I’ll see if there are healers here –
there must be don’t you think? If she is still like this tomorrow,
we’ll have to start getting liquid into her again.’

Tika’s companions
turned the room into their camp, setting bed rolls down as though
round a campfire, but now with Tika as their focus point. They all
felt they were secure here but, nonetheless, and with no
discussion, they still set watches. Dog, Essa and Sket sat,
guarding their sleeping Lady.

Tika opened her eyes;
not her real, physical eyes, but it felt the same. She was on a
large bed in a dimly lit room, a fire in the hearth sending shadows
dancing over the walls.

‘You are perfectly safe
darling.’

A hand stroked hair off
her forehead and she turned her head slightly to look at the woman
who’d spoken.

‘Ferag.’ The word came
out on a sigh.

‘Of course. What better
place for you to recover?’

Tika attempted to sit
up and cool hands reached to lift her easily.

Tika looked at her
hands and bare arms and shoulders. ‘But I look real, as though I’m
fully here.’ She sounded alarmed. ‘Have I died then
Ferag?’

The beautiful woman
tossed her long dark red hair over her shoulder and scowled. ‘It
isn’t such a dreadful place.’ She indicated the room around them.
‘Only the best will do for me. Or do you scorn my nice soft bed and
silk covers?’

‘No, no. It’s all very
lovely. I just wondered how I could be here when I thought -Am I
here, or is this a sort of copied body? Ferag, please, tell
me.’

Ferag’s scowl was
replaced by a more sympathetic smile and she perched on the bed
next to Tika.

‘Poor poppet. Your real
body is still with your friends – so clever of you to find the
Second Son when no one else has managed it in nearly two thousand
years. This body,’ she tapped Tika’s leg under the dark green
covers. ‘This body surprises even me actually. It is formed by the
powers of both Shadow and Dark, and I must confess I’ve never known
the like.’

‘So why am I here?’
Tika asked. ‘I am of course most touched by your hospitality and
kindness,’ she added hurriedly.

‘Well of course you
are, sweetie. You used a combination of power to release the
Chyliax from the Splintered Kingdom. And darling, fancy you finding
those funny creatures too. Their music is simply exquisite one has
to admit, but it seems so very peculiar to think it is made by
shellfish.’

Ferag frowned, trying
to remember Tika’s question. ‘Oh yes. Well obviously, you nearly
over reached yourself. So I thought a nice rest and a bit of
spoiling would be just the thing.’

‘Over reached myself?
It felt as though there was far more power available if I’d needed
to call on it.’

Ferag played with a
long curl of her hair which, Tika noticed, curled and uncurled
itself through Ferag’s fingers all by itself.

‘Perhaps over reached
is the wrong term. Who am I to know much of these matters? But I
felt you sustained the call to the Chyliax too long. A call, then a
pause, then another call? I suspect that might have been wiser.
Now.’

Ferag rose and beamed
down at Tika. ‘What is your absolutely, utterly most favourite
food? I shall fetch it and serve it to you, with my very own hands.
And I have to tell you darling, I would minister to very, very few
people like this. Just shows what great affection I have for you,
doesn’t it, my poppet?’

Chapter
Twenty-Nine

Tika slept, and woke to
be fed the most delicious delicacies by Ferag, and then fell asleep
again. The room seemed unchanged, neither darker nor lighter, each
time she woke, so she had no sense of how much time might have
passed. She thought that Ferag spoke to her whilst she slept but
she could remember only snippets of what was said. Tika woke once
more and was startled to find Onion peering at her.

‘She’s awake!’ he
called over his shoulder.

A circle of worried
faces stared down at her and she managed to produce a
smile.

‘How long was I gone?’
she asked.

‘Three nights and two
days.’ Farn’s face loomed over her, his eyes sparkling with
pleasure.

‘And have I got any
clothes on?’ she fixed Sket with a suspicious glare.

He grinned in relief.
‘A nightgown of Lady Subaken’s,’ he told her.

‘Are you hungry?’ Konya
interrupted.

‘No, not really.’ Tika
sat up and stretched. She felt rested and fit.

Konya stared hard at
her. ‘We’ve had trouble getting you to swallow any liquid and now
you say you aren’t hungry, after three days with no
food?’

‘Aah.’

‘Where were you?’ Rhaki
asked curiously.

‘Well, Ferag took me to
stay with her.’

Shivan gaped. ‘Ferag?
You’ve been with the Mistress of Death?’

‘And very sweet she was
too,’ Tika retorted, pushing aside blankets and struggling to get
up.

‘Sweet?’ Shivan echoed,
his expression appalled. ‘Ferag is sweet?’

‘Oh Shivan, stop it.
She was. She fed me all sorts of amazing food and she talked to
me.’ She frowned. ‘I can’t remember much of what she said but I’m
sure I will. Now, would someone like to tell me where you’ve hidden
all my clothes?’

Shea, Navan and Onion
gently took charge of Shivan who seemed badly affected by learning
that Ferag – Ferag? – had cared for Tika for the past three days.
They took him out into the garden and spoke soothingly to
him.

When Tika returned from
a wash room which Essa had shown her, fully clothed once more, they
found Darallax, Konrik, Subaken and Rueshen had arrived. All four
were obviously pleased and relieved to see Tika awake and on her
feet.

‘I offer my deepest
gratitude,’ said the Second Son. ‘For putting yourself at such risk
to return the Chyliax. They too will thank you. They have sung
continuously since you brought them out of the Splintered
Kingdom.’

Tika realised she had
vaguely heard music whilst she’d been with Ferag and she heard it
now. It was unlike anything she’d ever heard but there was a
strange beauty to it.

‘I would like to see
them,’ Tika agreed. ‘And I hope your gratitude will include being
able to help me, at least to advise me, in what I still have to
do.’

Darallax’s emerald
eyes, so like her own, held steady. ‘While you have slept, my
people have chosen to withdraw our shielding and re-enter the
world. I have asked my daughter and my Chancellor to travel to the
Dark Realm to crave Lerran’s forgiveness on my behalf, for our lack
of steadfastness.’

Tika was taken aback by
his words and played for time. ‘Would you walk with me, to the
river? I should like to see the Chyliax, as they should be, and
also I must tell you of your sister.’

There was a hint of
alarm in Darallax’s face but he walked beside her through the house
and down the road. As they walked, Tika explained her fall into the
Splintered Kingdom, Farn’s near insane despair, and of the First
Daughter’s descent, deep into the Dark to restore Farn’s mind and
soul.

‘So you see, Lerran is
still recovering. Peshan and Corman believe it could take a year.
It took half a year after the battle you spoke of for her to regain
her strength.’

Darallax had slowed as
her story unfolded. Now his face was stricken when he turned to
her.

‘Dabray? Dabray
survives? Mother Dark, don’t tell me he was lost?’

Tika sighed and began
the next explanation. They reached the apex of the bridge as she
finished and Darallax remained silent. Eventually he moved to the
parapet and looked over. Tika joined him and the music she’d heard
constantly suddenly increased and became a jubilant paean of
triumphant joy. She looked down on hundreds of golden brown spiral
shells, tentacles weaving above and below. She could only stare in
disbelief.

These beautiful
creatures had been trapped in waterless rock for how many
centuries? What determination had it taken for them to survive, and
even to produce children? And that they could make music like this.
One massive shell tilted towards the bridge. The music slowed and
became muted, as Marax spoke.

‘We are glad to see you
safe, the Tika. If ever we can give you aid, you need only call.
The Chyliax thank you.’

He sank beneath the
clear water and they watched as he moved, spiral tip first,
tentacles thrusting strongly, into the shadows under the arch. Tika
was straightening when Darallax caught her arm. A small spiral
shell bobbed up, tentacles waving rather wildly.

‘The Tika! This is a
river! It’s wonderful. I am so glad you found me in the
tunnels!’

The shell spun in an
enthusiastic but not well controlled circle. Tika
laughed.

‘Enjoy your life Corax.
Swim deep and sing well.’

Darallax looked at her
sharply. ‘You know the Chyliax formalities.’

Did she? Tika shrugged
and turned to leave the bridge.

‘Tika.’ Darallax caught
up with her. ‘I would revise my plan in the light of what you have
told me. I would open a Shadow portal myself, to see my sister. I
will be gone less than a day.’

Tika replied at a
tangent. ‘What have you done with Dromi?’ she asked. ‘He is a
member of my company, until he tells me otherwise.’

The Second Son didn’t
seem surprised by her question. ‘We knew of course the moment the
cat crossed our safeguards. But we also knew there were two
intruders. It didn’t take long to identify the spider, given that
he has Shadow blood, and so we unmasked him.’

He paused. ‘We have not
mistreated him. He was deeply shocked by the things he has learned.
Dromi asked that he be given time to consider all he has been told.
I charged Konrik’s son, Harlik, to stay close and to answer
whatever questions Dromi asked. He was worried when he heard of
your collapse. I think Lady Tika, when Dromi comes to terms with
what he has discovered, he will remain your man.’

They were halfway up
the road to the Second Son’s houses.

‘What is the other
house used for?’ Tika asked.

Darallax laughed. ‘That
one belongs to the people – for celebrations, for meetings. There
are offices there too, where my administrators work. This is a
large island Lady Tika. There are many thousands of us here. The
one you’ve entered is my private dwelling.’

Tika halted as they
approached the doors. ‘I would ask you to take Shivan with you if
you insist on travelling to Karmazen Palace. The Shield Master, the
Sword Master, and the Palace Master are all very nervous about
anyone approaching your sister. There are two Dark Ones under
suspicion.’

‘Tell me.’

Tika groaned inwardly.
How many more explanations today?

Darallax eventually
left Tika near the garden room. ‘I will consult with Konrik, he
said, heading for the stairs. ‘Oh.’ He paused. ‘What did you do to
Konrik’s leg?’

‘Just eased the pain a
little.’

Tika walked on to find
her companions and looked for Shivan.

‘Darallax wishes to
visit the First Daughter himself. I want you to go with him; Corman
is nervous enough already. Yes,’ she answered his unspoken
question. ‘I told him of Cyrek and Seola, why Lerran is guarded so
tightly. He says it will be a very brief visit, but if he changes
his mind, I want you back here without him. I presume a Shadow
portal is the same, or similar, to a Dark gateway, so he can get
himself back.’

Shivan nodded. ‘Tika,
about Ferag. Um – was she really – sweet?’

Tika patted his arm.
‘She certainly was. And her food was amazing.’

‘And she looked after
you for three whole days?’

‘She did, Shivan. Now
try to either accept that, or put it out of your mind. Do you know,
I think Shea may be right – poor Hag is lonely, and, in spite of
her formidable powers, I think Ferag might be too.’

Shivan closed his mouth
after a moment and nearly managed a smile. ‘Right. I’ll stay long
enough to report to father or Corman, and for Darallax to decide if
he’s staying longer. Then I’ll be straight back.’

As he started towards
the inner door, Tika felt a prickle of warning from the silver
bound ring on her left thumb.

‘Shivan,’ she called.
‘Take great care. I’ve never thought to ask, but can your gateways
be assailed?’

Shivan frowned. ‘I’ve
never given it a thought either,’ he admitted. ‘It was never
suggested in classes.’ Bright yellow eyes met hers. ‘I’ll ask
father.’

‘And take my love to
Garrol – and the others.’

Shivan nodded and went
off to find the Second Son. Tika wandered out into the courtyard
where Farn reclined.

‘They’re very
interesting aren’t they? It’s a shame I can’t get right in the
water with them, but Storm has fun.’