Soul Bonds Book 1 Circles of Light series (29 page)

He could now remember telling Rhaki that doing whatever one wished was not the way of a wise civilisation, that responsibility was the keystone. Responsibility for one’s own actions, and for those in one’s care. Bark could recall that moment. He had been seated by the fire in Rhaki’s study and he had been amazed at Rhaki’s sudden venomous rage. He saw the spittle frothing at the corners of Rhaki’s mouth, his raised hands and then – only the pain.

Bark sat in his small chamber, beside the meagre fire. Fires were needed at all times in this icy stronghold and Bark had felt the cold deep in his bones from his first days in this place. He remembered wondering if there were other creatures living in these mountains. He also remembered that he had thought it best not to mention these suspicions to Rhaki. Over the last ten Cycles or so, (Bark had lost all notion of time,) he heard those different mind voices calling once more.

When Bark knew that Rhaki was engrossed in one of his experiments, as he could be for hours if not days at a time, then he focused his fragile mind and sought those voices. Eventually, he distinguished two types of voices: one was of a human type. He had no idea what being produced the other voice. The voices sang, for many Cycles, harmonising gently in his mind, until one night, instead of only musical tones he heard words.

He realised that he, Bark, was being asked if he needed help, if the music pleased him, that there was still room for kindness in the world. All Bark could reply was: ‘Thank you, dear ones.’ He had listened through the long Cycles of time until these last days, and when he heard the singing voices again, he had sent his offer of help in return. Now the song was closer than ever it had been, and he waited, as it seemed he had spent his lifetime waiting.

There was a noise, a noise outside his mind. Bark listened, only his eyes moving, carefully searching this small room. A piece of rock rattled down the wall and his eyes moved quickly up to where it had fallen from. Another fragment wobbled loose and fell to the floor. Bark rose silently and stared up at the wall. Just above his head a fist sized section of rock seemed splintered and, as he watched, it bulged outwards. His long fingers went up to pick the fragments free. A turquoise eye glared at him.

‘Well. Don’t just stand there, move these stupid stones!’ ordered an imperious voice in his mind.

Bark hastily jiggled the cracked stones free and stared at an orange Kephi in disbelief.

‘I am Khosa, a Kephi Queen. I have a company with me and we intend to restore the Balance of the World. Would you care to assist me down?’

Bark reached up, lifting the rumpled Kephi out of the very narrow opening. ‘I have not seen a Kephi, nor even thought of them, since I left Gaharn!’ He said in her mind. Khosa’s claws hooked into the shoulder of his robe and she crooned at him. His bony fingers slid down her spine then up to scratch round her ears. He lowered himself carefully to sit on his bed and studied Khosa. ‘Who is your company?’

Khosa slitted her eyes at him for a moment. ‘There are humans, Delvers, Dragons, a Dragon Lord and one of you People – Gan.’

Bark’s hand stilled until Khosa bumped her head against it, reminding him to continue his ministrations.

‘Dragons? A Dragon Lord? Delvers?’ Bark’s hoarse whisper sounded loud in the room.

‘They have to know how to reach the Weights of Balance,’ Khosa explained.

‘They must find Rhaki’s study, the entrance leads from there.’

‘They dare not use the Power to bespeak you lest the Grey One becomes aware too soon.’

Bark nodded. ‘My strength is minimal. That is why I have not replied to the Singers before. But since Jerak spoke to me, I have been mustering what strength I can for the trial ahead.’

Khosa opened her eyes wide. ‘Singers? You mean the Delvers and the Snow Dragons.’ Her crooning buzzed lower. ‘Rhaki has captured the Lady Iska - she will be carried here within this day I think.’

‘Iska?’ Bark’s hand tightened over Khosa’s back. She wriggled free of his grasp and sat up straight on his knee, glaring at him.

‘Gan and Fenj are organising, now, while I came to attempt contact with you.’ Her tail thrashed as she stared at Bark.

Bark’s face hurt. Then he realised he must be smiling. After all this time, a haughty Kephi had made him smile again. ‘You are indeed brave to creep alone through the mountain Kephi.’

‘I told you, Khosa is my name,’ she snapped.

‘Well Khosa. Do you stay here, or crawl back to your company?’

‘I return to the Domain of Asat, if you would help me back up there.’

Bark stood up again, lifting her majesty carefully. ‘If you leave this hole open, I could use it again.’ Her small form squeezed into the hole, she brandished her tail saucily, and she was gone.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jal rushed along the steeply winding passage to the Guardian’s chambers. The weight of Lady Iska’s tall body hindered him not at all – he was appalled at how light she seemed. As he rounded the last turn, the fighter he had sent ahead came back towards him.

‘He awaits you Sir.’ The man muttered, jerking his head over his shoulder at Rhaki’s open door.

‘Go back to the others. Tell them to prepare for the ones who followed us.’

Then Jal was on the threshold of Rhaki’s study. The Guardian’s expression changed from one of satisfaction to one of concern, and he came quickly to Jal.

‘Master, I administered the herbs exactly as you said, but I fear for her.’

Rhaki leaned close, sniffed Iska’s skin, then laid the back of his hand against her brow. He scowled. ‘Bark! Bark!’ Still staring at Iska’s face, he pulled Jal along the passageway. ‘In here,’ he ordered, throwing open another door. He pulled back the covers from a great bed and took Iska from Jal’s arms. Rhaki laid her down tenderly as Bark appeared. ‘You must rouse her Bark,’ Rhaki said peremptorily. ‘I would question her as soon as she wakens.’

‘Master.’ Bark bowed and moved silently to the bedside. ‘I will need certain herbs, water, heated stones.’

Before his hoarse whisper had ceased, Rhaki waved a hand dismissively. ‘I will send servants. Jal, to my study.’ Rhaki ordered servants to be sent to do Bark’s bidding as he strode back to his study, and as Jal closed the door behind them, the Guardian leaned on the mantel shelf, smiling.

‘You have done excellently, Jal. Let us just pray that the Lady lives and awakes.’ He bent his head slightly as though praying in truth, but the deep-set dark eyes remained fixed on Jal. Jal ducked his head briefly while silently sending a desperately genuine plea that the stars allow Iska to wake.

‘All went as simply as I had said they would?’ Rhaki asked.

‘Yes Master. The Lady was with four Guards who offered no resistance – we put their bodies a short way from the path. The snow covered all traces within minutes. The fighter I placed to keep watch behind us, caught us up last night. He reports a force of Guards following fast and he thinks there is at least one of the People with them.’ Before Rhaki could comment on this vagueness, Jal hurried on. ‘He did not wait to be sure of the number of Guards or People – I had told him only to report if any did indeed follow, Master.’

‘Hmmm.’

‘I ordered men to prepare to welcome those followers, Master.’

Rhaki strode to the window and stared out as Jal forced himself to remain still. Rhaki spun round, making Jal flinch despite himself.

‘Prepare a dozen Cansharsi also.’

‘Yes Master.’

‘Well – go then! See to it. I will check the Lady’s recovery and then I will come to the lowest barracks where you will assemble the men. And the Cansharsi.’

Jal bowed himself out of the study, took a breath to steady his nerves – something he seemed to need to do increasingly, he noted, and hastened to obey his orders.

Rhaki stood gazing at the fire flames, rubbing his hands together with a dry, whispering sound. Emla dared order her precious Guards to his stronghold, did she? The fact that he had arranged the abduction of not only a Senior, but a close friend of Emla’s, was no reason in Rhaki’s view for invading his Realm. He swung his heavy wool cloak from its hook to his shoulders and went back along to the chamber where Iska lay.

Three servants were busy following Bark’s instructions. A fire was already blazing in the wide hearth and several glow lamps illuminated the bed. A kettle had been swung over the fire and one servant was holding a pan containing hot embers, moving it along the length of Iska’s body at Bark’s direction. Rhaki stood for a moment, noting no change in Iska’s colour. He tugged at his lower lip.

‘I will return shortly Bark. Do all you can to rouse her. I WILL speak with her.’

‘Master, rousing her too quickly from the state she is now in, could cost her life.’

‘Do it.’

Rhaki’s cloak swirled like a dark cloud as he swept from the room. As he approached the lowest section of the stronghold, Rhaki held his cloak close about him for warmth. The clamour of voices stilled instantly as the Guardian appeared, replaced by only the creak of leather tunics as men held to attention in their ranks. As he came to a halt before them, a vigorous stench rolled through the cavern.

An iron gate clanged against rock and Jal appeared ahead of twelve Cansharsi. The fighting men glanced at the Cansharsi then quickly away, several paling noticeably. The Cansharsi were all walking upright on their triple taloned hind feet, making them half as tall again as the human fighters. An acrid smell preceded them, a musty, stale urine and rotting compost perfume which caused men’s eyes to water and throats to clench.

The Cansharsi were in a state of excitement, saliva drooling from the tusked jaws, but they controlled their urge to fall upon the men before them. The Guardian’s tall figure stood unmoving as the Cansharsi clattered up to him, his eyes glittering in the light of the pitch torches clustered in wall brackets. Rhaki took one of these torches and held it high as the Cansharsi neared. Lips curled back and a few squealed irritably but were hushed again with snarls from their fellows. Cansharsi still disliked fire, Rhaki noted.

‘There are trespassers daring to advance to this Realm.’ The men remained silent, the Cansharsi fidgeted, eyes rolling and taloned hooves clicking on the stone floor. ‘You Cansharsi have more speed, but you will hold back, move only at the speed of these men. Only when Officer Jal orders you, will you go ahead.’ Rhaki forced each Cansharsi to meet his eyes. ‘You will obey Officer Jal as you would obey me.’ He kept his gaze on them a moment longer then turned back to the fighters. ‘You of course will obey Officer Jal, but if there are any of the People among these trespassers, I would have them brought to me alive. There will be silver for all of you, but there will also be gold for you for living prisoners.’ Rhaki thrust the torch he held into the hand of the nearest fighter and stalked from the barracks.

As Rhaki had left the chamber where Iska lay, her eyes had opened. She looked straight at Bark, her mind fully aware in spite of the fearful lassitude of her body. Bark returned her stare steadily, letting her see into his mind, holding no shielding whatsoever against her. In moments, she knew where she was, how she had been brought there and also what dreadful damage Bark had suffered.

A servant slid into the chamber. ‘The Master comes, sir,’ he called softly.

Bark’s hand tightened on Iska’s but she closed her eyes and looked quite unconscious again. Seconds later Rhaki stood beside the bed. ‘Surely you could have woken her by now Bark?’

‘Master, the Lady has not responded to any of the inhalants I have used so far.’ Bark kept his head down, apparently occupied with crumbling dark leaves into a dish held by another servant. ‘I have sent for other herbs, Master – it may take a while to obtain them.’

‘I want her awake quickly Bark. Today, not tomorrow. I must know what Gaharn is plotting.’

‘Plotting, Master?’

‘Yes Bark, plotting. Clearly they seek to redress the Balance since that fool Emla lost one of her Weights. They have always feared my great strength but now they realise they will soon be utterly powerless against me.’ His voice had risen as he spoke but Bark did not look at him. Rather, he bent closer over Iska’s still figure.

Rhaki watched as Bark sprinkled the crumbled herbs into a jug of boiling water and reached to lift Iska’s head that she might breathe the rising fumes. Rhaki scowled, his brows making a black line above his eyes. Iska gave no indication of any change, and he turned away angrily.

‘Use anything you can think of Bark. Just get her conscious for a few minutes. I will be in my study.’

The door thudded behind him and the servant holding the warming pan nearly dropped it as Iska’s eyes opened again.

‘Speak not with your mind Bark – he may be alert for any mind speech.’ Iska’s voice was a mere sigh.

Bark nodded. ‘But I fear he will attempt to enter your thoughts forcibly if I do not wake you.’ He bent closer. ‘Guards followed Rhaki’s fighters. Seniors are with them but he is ready for them.”

Iska closed her eyes for a moment, fighting the narcotics in her body. ‘You must not let him know how much strength you have regained yet Bark. Call him in here in a little while, saying you think I am waking. As I open my eyes, I will send a call as strongly as I can to the south.’

‘There are others within these mountains who say they will help.’ Bark whispered. ‘Rhaki will immediately sense your call. He is unstable – he could kill you.’

‘Whatever happens Bark, you must play no part in this. You have another task to do in this battle – for battle it is now.’

‘Stars help you then Iska.’

‘And you also, Silent Thinker.

Baras had led the following party at a rapid but steady pace. The tunnels were wide enough for three fengars abreast, but neither fengars nor men had ridden in such enclosed spaces before. Some of the fengars had resisted and caused some delay before they were brought under enough control to force them into the darkness. The Merigs had led them to the entrance to the tunnels and had agreed to lead more Guards from Gaharn’s main barracks.

Emla and Kemti had both exchanged their usual robes for trousers and shirts beneath heavy cloaks. Kemti rode at the head of the troop with Baras, who had insisted the Golden Lady rode, Shan at her side, within the main body of the Guards. She had argued that she would ride with Kemti, but Kemti had supported Baras’s argument that she must accept the protection of the Guards rather than ride in the lead.

They had no means of judging time other than their own weariness and that of their mounts, but after what they guessed as four days riding, they had halted once more. Baras had equipped each Guard with several torches, not knowing how long they would be under the mountain or if the tunnels would have any form of illumination within them, left perhaps by Rhaki’s fighters. He set men to watch a short distance ahead each time they halted, to warn of any attack, as others fed the fengars and shared rations among themselves.

‘They will know we follow, Lady.’ Baras squatted beside Emla and Kemti. ‘They must have been led by an experienced man – they will expect us to follow. No attempt was made to disguise their direction once they had the Lady Iska.’

‘So you expect a welcoming party fairly soon, Baras?’

‘It is what I would do, Lord.’ Baras agreed. ‘But what bothers me is, who will welcome us? So far there has been no hint of Shardi. Men we can deal with, but in this confined space, with Guards who have not faced Shardi before, I fear we could suffer heavy losses.’

‘What about the fengars?’ Emla asked. ‘There is height enough for them to rear and do battle, but would they cause more trouble to ourselves in this – as you say – confined space?’

‘That is what has been occupying my mind Lady.’ Baras paused for a moment. ‘I think at the first sign of trouble ahead, all should dismount and let the fengars go forward riderless. Then we should light the torches as swiftly as may be to see just what we face.’

Kemti nodded and Baras left them to speak with his Guardsmen.

‘You and I are not enough against Rhaki, are we Emla?’

She sighed wearily. ‘I do not know. Unhappily, I suspect not. But how did all this start Kemti? Just the one Weight of Balance lost and suddenly chaos threatens.’

‘I think perhaps we had become complacent. We thought we knew most things about this world – at least the things of any importance, and so let our lives drift on along their untroubled paths. Our scholars have lost themselves in matters of the mind rather than seeing the outer world in its colourful confusion.’ Kemti stretched his aching back. ‘Even we are not free of this guilt – look how amazed you were at finding intelligence had been deliberately concealed from you – I mean the Merigs, the Kephi – and the great Dragons.’

‘We have been complacent indeed, and how much have we ignored or chosen not to notice in these last Cycles? I have felt events pressing on us since Jerak – disappeared. And now we face Rhaki, unprepared as we so foolishly are.’

‘Sir! Sir!’ Several voices called suddenly in alarm.

Kemti pulled Emla to her feet as Baras moved in front of her, his sword bared. They looked where Guards pointed. A section of the tunnel wall seemed to shimmer, then, with a slow soft grumble, it slid apart into two halves.

‘Dear one!’ Emla laughed aloud as a long silver blue face peered through the opening. Sapphire eyes whirred in delight as Farn advanced to the Lady and Kemti. Tika slipped through at his side, then Jeela and Dessi and two of the Snow Dragons. After touching brows with Farn and Jeela, and hugging Tika, Emla looked in amazement at the other three newcomers.

Tika touched the face of one Dragon saying: ‘This is Uma, and this,’ she touched the second, ‘is Ulla. And this is Dessi. She is Kran –’

‘Delver’ interposed Dessi, smiling up at Emla.

‘The Merigs told us of Delvers within these mountains. I am glad to be able to greet you Dessi.’

Tika interrupted these formalities. ‘The larger Dragons have gone outside, Mim and Ashta with them. A Snow Dragon guides them to an upper part of the Guardian’s stronghold where they believe they can force their way inside. Nolli will unseal a tunnel soon and Soran and the Guards will enter that way. We will come with you through this side of the mountains. We decided you would need some help from Dragons.’