Soul Bonds Book 1 Circles of Light series (34 page)

‘Thank you, dear one.’ Emla scrubbed her face and hands, noticing that the water turned an unpleasantly dirty red, as did quite a lot of the towel.

‘Sit, my Lady, there is time for me to brush your hair,’ Shan ordered.

Kemti’s eyebrows rose but Emla glared at him as she meekly sat on the floor at Shan’s feet.

The buzz of conversation died gradually. The silence spread as the Guards nearest the barrack tunnel rose to their feet to stand to attention.

First to appear was a Snow Dragon, prismed eyes like sparkling crystal. He paced steadily through the Guards, halting a short distance from Emla. Two male Delvers drew Nolli’s travelling chair up beside the Dragon and took one step to each side, turning to face each other. Lanni and Berri moved forward, each supporting one of the Wise One’s arms. Nolli batted the helping hands aside and stood, leaning on her stick. Her sharp black eyes flicked over the four tall People, then she gave a gummy grin.

‘Manners, Lord Gan! Can you not offer an arm to an ancient crone?’

Gan grinned back at her and went to her side, bowing with a rather over embellished flourish.

‘At your service, Wise One.’

Leaning heavily on her stick and Gan’s wrist, she crept the few paces to stand before Emla. Tilting her head far back she gazed up at the Golden Lady.

‘Greetings at last, Golden One.’ The naked gums shone pinkly again. ‘It is most

uncomfortable – talking to you People whilst standing.’

Emla seemed lost for words faced with this diminutive female of such great age, until Kemti nudged her rather sharply.

‘Oh. Will you not sit in your chair Wise One? We will sit on the floor.’

The male Delvers pulled the odd little cart up behind Nolli and she sank back gratefully. Gan signalled his men to carry on as before Nolli’s appearance and sat on the floor with Emla, Kemti and Bark. Even then, the People’s heads’ were still level with the Delvers’. Khosa stalked between them and leapt to Nolli’s lap. A twisted hand settled on the Kephi’s back.

‘So, my little queen, you keep your eye on all that passes as usual.’ Nolli chuckled. Then she looked at each of the People and said in her oddly young voice: ‘The Grey One has fled. But he will have to be dealt with before much more time has passed. I offer you our sympathy for your Lady Iska.’ Nolli’s gaze settled on Bark. ‘And you are the damaged one.’

He inclined his head in silent assent.

‘Long we have sung to you, knowing your pain. I tell you, it will soon cease.’

Bark nodded, his lips stretching in the unfamiliarity of a smile. Dessi stood beside Bark and Nolli stared steadily at her.

‘You took life.’

‘Yes, many-times-grandmother. I could not see a friend die.’

Nolli waited.

‘It is not so straightforward as I had believed.’

Emla and Kemti studied the Delver child and they both slowly realised she had altered since joining them in the tunnels. Faint lines were scratched at the corners of her eyes and her mouth. She had aged. Nolli stretched out a swollen hand and Dessi moved to her chair. The twisted knuckles brushed lightly over Dessi’s face as Nolli said: ‘This time I can help, but you know now what taking life will do, child.’

Dessi pressed a kiss on Nolli’s hand and slipped back to stand near Bark, the tiny lines smoothed away from her face.

‘This Lady Iska,’ said Nolli suddenly. ‘She was as a sister to you Emla?’

Emla’s eyes shone even bigger, magnified by unshed tears. ‘She, she was killed. She cannot travel beyond.’

Nolli shook her head. ‘She prepared for what she did, Lady. Did you not hear her call? Her spirit went beyond, willingly and safely, before Rhaki killed her body. Even as her cry came to you.’

Emla frowned, trying to remember exactly.

Kemti remarked: ‘We were a trifle occupied at the time, Wise One.’

Nolli smiled. ‘Hmm. With those poor creatures I passed below?’

‘Poor creatures?’ Kemti repeated in disbelief.

Nolli tutted. ‘You don’t think they were happy do you? Twisted perversions constructed by the Grey One.’

‘Happy or not, they were trying rather hard to rip us to pieces,’ Kemti retorted.

Nolli laughed aloud. ‘And probably they are glad of their release from torment.’

Shan offered a tray with a bowl of steaming, fragrant spice tea. Her eyes dropped to the misshapen hands and she put the tray on the floor, knelt and held the bowl questioningly near Nolli’s face. Nolli’s black button gaze pierced into Shan’s round blue eyes, then she nodded slightly. Gently, Shan held the bowl as the old one sipped a few mouthfuls.

‘Thank you child.’

Suddenly, Lorak was there, a grimy hand leaning on Gan’s shoulder.

‘Tika’s near waking. Lord Fenj says another short while, and she will be up again!’ He beamed at them all and Nolli beamed toothlessly back at him, then he trotted off to spread his good news.

‘He has his task to do in all this, as do we all,’ said Nolli quietly. ‘Obstinate he is, as are many, but he has given his love and loyalty to you and he will be obstinate in that, as in all else.’

‘But he’s my gardener!’ Emla objected, and looked surprised when the others laughed.

Nolli leaned forward. ‘I tell you quickly now, for you to ponder. Rhaki used the circles to make his escape.’

Her listeners looked blank.

‘Circles such as those in your Gathering Chamber and in your Pavilion of Balance. There are many such, but alas, we have no remembrances of how they are used. Clearly the Grey One has discovered this, but I would guess that he would take the book wherein he found such wisdom with him, or he has destroyed it once he had it in his mind. The only place where knowledge of such things may still exist, is in the Wilderness, far, far towards the rising sun.’

Chapter Thirty-Four

Guards had checked through all of the lower levels, the kitchens, servants’ quarters, and barracks. Apart from a few Guards on duty, most of the Gaharnian forces had moved into the fighters’ barracks. Brin returned with the Snow Dragons, laden with meat for the Dragons still in the entrance hall. Emla and Kemti had stared in amazement when Mim strolled over to them. He had discarded his cloak and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as if he at last felt warm again. The tiny gold scales glittered across his face as he smiled, sweetly as ever, at their astonishment. Emla’s finger lightly traced along one of Mim’s arms where more scales gleamed.

‘It began in the Delvers’ Domain, Lady.’ Mim’s fluting voice was the same at least. ‘I am glad, for now I am truly of the Dragon Kin and I have a family once more.’

Bark approached to tell Emla chambers had been made ready for herself and for Nolli. It was late in the evening and a good night’s sleep could only benefit all of them, Tika especially. Gan bent to tell Nolli of the arrangements and a small altercation seemed to take place. Gan stood patiently, arms folded, while the Wise One muttered darkly. Finally she banged her stick on the floor and Gan, his face expressionless, lifted her easily in his arms and carried her up to the next level of rooms. Lanni and Berri trotted along behind him.

‘Where is Shan?’ Emla looked around the hall, now nearly empty except for the Dragons.

‘She sits with Iska,’ Bark replied.

Emla looked at him in surprise. ‘I will join her for a few hours Bark.’

‘I will take my turn watching when you retire to your chamber Emla, but I have

been worrying where we should bury her.’ Kemti commented.

‘She cannot be sealed in this place.’ Emla was firm.

Kemti sighed. ‘We will decide tomorrow. I will get some rest while you sit with her Emla.’

Night quiet slipped over the stronghold. The young Dragons slept curled near Kija and Brin. Mim lay beside Ashta. Only Fenj seemed awake still as Gan softly re-entered the hall.

‘She is safe.’ Fenj murmured to Gan’s mind.

Gan settled himself against the wall and waited, sleepless, for the night to pass.

As the stronghold stirred awake for its first day under a new rule, Kemti joined Gan in the great hall.

‘I have been studying the wardings on Rhaki’s door.’ He shook his head. ‘I see no way myself to unweave it. Tika will need to use power to release it, but how strong is she now?’

Before Gan could say anything, Kemti lowered his voice further. ‘The healing she wrought in Farn – I have never seen the like, Gan. He should surely have died, yet she wrestled the wound, fought every tear. And she has never seen healing like that attempted, let alone tried any such herself before.’

Gan studied Kemti’s face. The Senior had dark rings beneath his eyes and a frown above them.

‘And the fighting, Gan. You said Tika and Mim were scarcely better than useless with weapons, yet her blade moved like a lightning tongue leaving death wheresoever it licked.’

‘Do you think she herself was aware of power working through her, or it was doing so unaware, or was she using the skills we tried to teach her?’

‘I know little of the art of swordplay Gan – merely the basics we all learnt so many Cycles past, but she looked a champion blade.’

As Kemti finished speaking Fenj stretched his neck, revealing Sket and Lorak either side of Tika’s waking figure.

Groans sounded above Lorak’s gravely murmurs and then Tika hauled herself to a sitting position with the help of Lorak’s shirtfront. She sat slumped against the old man for a moment, then lifted her head, squinting at the glare of snow beyond the hole where the great door had stood. Leaning heavily on Lorak’s shoulder, Tika climbed to her feet, staggered, and would have fallen if not for Sket reaching quickly to hold her.

Gan and Kemti sat quietly watching as the small filthy figure tottered in Kija’s direction. As she closed the distance between them, a silver blue head lifted waveringly over Kija’s golden back and sapphire eyes whirred in welcome. Ashta nudged Mim and he rose, hugging Tika as she drew level. Then he and the younger Dragons headed for the gate and Brin.

Servants appeared from the direction of the kitchens and bore covered trays up to the higher levels. One male servant came hesitantly towards Gan and Kemti, offering hot tea and fresh bread.

‘Sirs, we will bring a proper meal to you if you wish, but perhaps you will join the Lady and the others?’ He looked nervously towards Fenj and Kija.

‘Very well,’ Kemti answered. ‘We will go to her shortly.’

The servant bowed and retreated. The two Seniors got to their feet and Gan moved in Kija’s direction. Farn’s eyes glimmered at Gan as Gan asked: ‘Will you join us all for breakfast Tika?’

She looked at him and it was an effort for Gan to keep his expression neutral as his heart tightened with pity. She was really dirty, her clothes stiff with dried blood, her hair a tangled mess and her eyes – so very tired still. She touched Farn’s face gently and Kija’s, then took a pace towards Gan.

‘I am hungry I think, but I need to get cleaned up first.’ She gestured at her clothes.

‘There are chambers above for you to use, and I’m sure Shan will enjoy scrubbing you.’ Gan allowed a tentative smile to touch his face. ‘Let me clean your sword and I will return it to you at breakfast.’

Tika looked at her hands and shuddered at the now brown blood clogged under her nails. Carefully, Gan bent and unbuckled the sword belt and lifted it away from her as Kemti held out his hand.

‘Come then Tika and submit to Lady Shan!’

Tika glanced at him as she hesitantly took his hand. ‘I thought I dreamt hearing Shan ordering Emla – it wasn’t a dream then?’

Kemti chuckled. ‘Oh no. We seem to have a rather different Shan now!’

When Tika came into the chamber Nolli had been given and where breakfast had been set, her hair was still damp and her skin tingling from Shan’s ministrations. Emla rose immediately to enfold Tika in a close hug, deeply relieved to see her so recovered. Nolli stretched out a twisted hand and Tika went round the long table to kiss the wrinkled old cheek. Shan began to serve their food from another table but Emla caught her maid’s arm.

‘Sit down, dear one. You eat with us now.’

Shan’s cheeks paled, then flushed scarlet. ‘My lady. .’ she began.

‘Sit down,’ Tika ordered from Emla’s other side.

Conversation was slight, as they were all hungry for decent food after the dull trail food they had eaten for days. As Tika reached for another hot roll of black bread and a thick slice of cheese, Gan appeared carrying her sword. He looped the belt over the back of her chair without a word and went round the table to sit beside Kemti.

Last to arrive were Mim and Bark together, and the difference between the two caused what little talk there was to cease completely. Bark looked more frail and spectral than ever, having sat with Iska all night, while Mim shone with strength and vitality. He brought the sharp smell of frost and snow with him from his hunting flight with the Dragons and his eyes sparkled with life.

When they had all eaten enough, it was Nolli who spoke: ‘Tika, the Grey One learnt far more than we realised. The wardings he has set on his door are beyond both the Lady and myself. I believe Dessi will be able to help you – if only to bolster your own strength as you work.’ She struggled to her feet. ‘We must make a start.’

Tika stood to buckle on her sword belt, wincing at the aches still in her shoulders and arms, as Mim said: ‘Ashta and Jeela are outside – and so is Farn.’

Tika’s gaze met Gan’s and he read her terror that her soul bond was nowhere near fit enough to have climbed the slope from the lower floor, let alone go with her further still.

Dessi had opened the door and the two young female Dragons stood either side of Farn, Sket behind them all. Farn’s eyes whirred as Lorak moved out of the chamber first.

‘You look much better, young Farn. I must go down to Lord Fenj – things to do, you know!’ He winked as he went past the Dragons.

Tika stepped close to the silvery blue Dragon, her hand moving just above the long line of his wound. ‘Oh Farn, you should not be up here. You need much more rest. I cannot let you come any further.’

‘Of course you can.’ Farn sounded indignant. ‘Bark said it is not much further at all now.’

Tika looked at him then turned to Mim. ‘Well – let’s get on with it.’

The slowness with which Farn moved the relatively short distance along to the Guardian’s quarters underlined just how badly weakened he was. Emla, Kemti and Dessi drew level with Tika and Mim when they were several paces from the warded door.

‘Complicated,’ said Mim, then he frowned. ‘But maybe not.’

Tika gave him a weak smile. ‘Two different types of wardings – one laid over the other?’ she suggested.

Mim nodded. The Seniors, Nolli and Dessi, watched as Tika began unravelling the weave of the warding. They could see the pulses of white, flickering erratically through the more solid red. Slowly, inch by inch, Tika snuffed out each white flash until at last only the red glimmered around and across the door. She blew out a gusty breath as tension drained from her shoulders.

Mim lifted a hand and concentrated on eliminating the red lines and as they vanished he grinned at Tika. Bark slipped past them and put his hand on the latch. The latch snicked and Bark took three paces inside before stopping abruptly.

‘What is it Bark?’ Emla called.

Bark moved aside so all could see the litter of books and papers, but eventually all eyes lowered to the circle inlaid in the floor.

Nolli grunted. ‘I said he used the circles to escape this place.’

Khosa walked stiff legged, tail upright, through the group outside to stalk around the circle. Suddenly she jumped and landed hissing, fur on end, at the bare rock wall.

Tika managed a smile. ‘Khosa, that is hardly nice language for a queen to use.’

Bark had moved towards Khosa and now said: ‘This is the door Rhaki believed no one else but he knew of. But it is warded anyway.’ He looked back at the others. ‘I have never known of the circle here.’ He pointed to the carpet heaped at the end of the room. ‘Always it has been covered – I had no idea.’

Tika and Mim approached the wall and studied the pattern of warding again.

‘Not as complicated as the first one,’ Mim said in Tika’s mind.

‘No, but I wager there will be more traps beyond this one.’

Steadily, they focused their attention on the unravelling of the threads of power criss-crossing a section of wall.

‘It’s clear,’ Tika said.

Again Bark moved ahead and his bony fingers seemed to caress the rock. As he stepped back, the door slid open, revealing the dark passage behind it.

Rhaki woke again and smiled. He propped himself on an elbow and poured some of the still-cool water. He drank thirstily and refilled the goblet, taking smaller swallows this time. He opened the metal box and took a handful of dried fruits. As he chewed he reviewed his plans.

He was but a few leagues from Return. The so-called Lord, Hargon, was a smart fellow – for a human, but Rhaki had no doubts that he would be able to manipulate him with ease. He had contemplated going to the town of Far, but the Lord there was little more than a brutish simpleton. Hargon had demonstrated a certain inventiveness on past occasions and Rhaki felt he showed promise.

He got to his feet and lifted his scrying bowl from the leather bag. Unwrapping it, he placed it on top of the wooden chest and sat cross-legged on the floor. He visualised the Lord of Return clearly in his mind, put his hands to the sides of the bowl and demanded: ‘Show this one to me.’

The blackness swirled and blurred then cleared to reveal a stocky, fair haired man resting on brilliantly coloured pillows as two women wearing nothing that could honestly be termed clothing, swayed around him. Rhaki snorted. That sort of amusement did not appeal to him. But at least it meant that Hargon was occupied in his manor. His men would also be nearby, which would allow Rhaki to move closer to Return unobserved. He had previously arrived in this fashion. Sentries found him sitting calmly beneath a tree at the edge of the town at dawn. It all added to his air of mystery and power.

Rhaki sorted the contents of his leather bag into two piles. Two ancient books, a small roll of blank paper and his precious record book went back into the bag, along with several small packets of certain herbs. The rest, he packed carefully inside the chest with his scrying bowl. He folded the blankets and put them on the lid again. Finally, he tied a heavy leather purse to the belt around his waist and pushed it to his right side. A slender knife was sheathed at his left side. Hooking the bag over his shoulder, he glanced around the small cave, lifted the lamp and unsealed the door. Resealing it, Rhaki skirted the mosaic circle and opened the second door.

For a moment he stood thinking, then decided to leave the door closed but unwarded, in case he needed to let himself back inside in any haste. On this trip through to the outer cave, Rhaki trod with firm steps, unlike the staggering crawl of his earlier visit. The sound of the spring splashing steadily into the basin warned him of his nearness to the exit. Extinguishing the lamp, he set it on a high ledge to his left. If any dared creep into the cave, they would not be tall enough to see the lamp, let alone reach it.