The Jewel of Kamara (The Delthenon Chronicles) (21 page)

“Keane!”
Tempani exclaimed when she found herself face to face with the stable hand from
Fenella.

He
grinned at her and took Mincha’s reins from her hand. “Tis good to see you, my
lady.”

Darby
shrugged. “One of my men,” he said.

“I
don’t think I can take any more surprises,” Tempani muttered.

Tilaw
jumped out of his holder and ran off to greet
his old friends. Tempani watched him go and smiled at how quickly he had
settled back into his old life.

“Tempani
and Madoc, you are to come with me. We will be staying in the abbess’ house.
The others are to follow the sister here, and she will show you to the guest
house,” Darby instructed and handed his horse over to Keane.

Bhatia
didn’t even wait for the sister and stalked off in search of a room.

“My
lady, I am to stay with you. It is my duty,” Zadi said and glanced defiantly at
Darby.

Tempani
nodded and followed Madoc. She did not have the energy to argue with Zadi at
the moment. She had four days of dirt and sweat covering her body, and all she
wanted was a long hot bath and change of clothes. She was shown to her room in
Mother Chennai’s house and realized how much she had missed the luxury of a
bed. She stood before the long mirror hanging on her door and groaned at her
appearance.

In
no time at all Tempani was splashing about in warm water, taking her time to
soak her tired limbs and scrub the grime from her body.

—

Madoc
paced his room. Darby had told him that they were going to stop at the convent
for a few days to rest and freshen themselves up before heading to the ruins.
But for some reason Madoc didn’t believe him. There was something else going
on, and he wanted to know what it was.

He
wanted to know why they took such a roundabout way to get here. Why Darby’s
men-at-arms watched Tempani’s every move, and why her healer friend was along
for the trip. And who was this girl Bhatia? He was sure he had seen her before
in Fenella but couldn’t place where. And where were these bandits Otto had been
worried about? There was no sign that any raids had happened in the area.

And
he didn’t believe for one moment that Darby had killed that centaur. Something
was definitely wrong. He decided to write to Chae and ask what his thoughts
were. After all, nobody knew Tempani like Chae did, and if something was wrong,
he would know.

—

Darby
slipped through the oak door and entered the abbess’ personal chapel. He found
her kneeling before the statues of the God Windel and his sister, the Goddess Allarah,
chanting a quiet prayer. He watched as she bowed to kiss the feet of each
statue.

“And
so she has returned.” She rose and turned to Darby. He rushed forward and
kissed her fingers. “I felt her the day she contacted
Tritus
but much time has passed since. I began to think you may not come. Until Keane
arrived with your message.”

“She
was not ready to believe.”

“You’ve
brought along one who is kept in the dark. Why is that so?”

“A
young knight for protection. He is a friend and will bring no harm to our
plight.”

“And
no one knows she is here?”

“We
concocted a story that will be believed. She will be safe here until she is
ready,” said Darby.

Mother
Chennai’s thin lips broke into a smile and her blue eyes sparkled as her face
relaxed. “I held no doubt in your abilities. Come, sit. We have a lot to catch
up on.” She sat on the stone pew and patted a spot beside her for Darby.

Darby
told her of what happened after Tempani contacted
Tritus
,
how she struggled to grasp the idea of the Power but came to understand she is
the blessed one and how she had to sacrifice her own happiness to come here.
Mother Chennai listened to his news carefully and nodded her head in
understanding when he told her that he had hoped Tempani would come to her own
understanding of what was being asked of her.

“She
is oblivious to the intensity of her Power and has no idea how to yield what
she has. She will need to be shown everything,” he admitted. “I thought it best
we leave it all to you.”

“You
thought right. Her path is clear, and it is very few of us who can guide her
along it,” she said and patted his hand.

“We
can trust everybody here?”

“Darby,
there is no place safer than here. It is sacred to all.”

“Even
the novice priests? They understand it is a secret?”

“One
enters a vow upon arriving here. What happens here is kept here. A vow made in
the chapel cannot be broken,” she promised and their eyes met in understanding.
“And don’t think I haven’t given this place all the protection I could
conjure.”

“I
shall find Tempani and send her to you. The sooner you get started the better
for us all.” He rose and walked away from her.

“Darby?”
Mother Chennai rose also. “It is good to see you again. It has been far too
long.”

Darby
nodded and slipped behind the door, his heart pounding against his chest. He
was amazed that she still had the ability to affect him in this way, even after
all these years.

—

 “Did
you know?” She asked when she felt his presence behind her.

Nika
sat on the ground opposite her, his muscled arms clenching as he gripped his
spear tightly. His dark eyes were watchful, scanning the woods every few
moments before flicking back to her face.

She
had slipped out of the safety of the walls as soon as the convent fell into a
deep slumber.
Tilaw
was by her side, as usual, as she
made the familiar trek to their old meeting place. She knew he would be there.

He
pointed to the markings on his back. “
You
are what connects this circle.
Without you we will remain a divided kingdom,” he whispered. “If you believe,
you get this.”

Kwahi
swooped over them, narrowly missing
Tilaw’s
head,
before perching on the tree above them.

“Not
everyone believes?”

He
twirled the spear in his hands. “Some of the tribes don’t. They are set in
their ways and don’t think there’s any truth behind the prophecy.”

“And
here I was thinking it would be easy,” she said weakly.

“You’re
Kalaowin,” he said. “Life isn’t meant to be easy.”

“I’m
Kamari too,” she whispered. “Is that why they won’t believe?”

He
shrugged. “Maybe.”

All
her life she had felt her Kalaowin blood was stronger than her Kamari. It had
defined who she was. Had helped other people define who she was. Among the
Kamaris she would never completely belong. They would never accept her Kalaowin
side.

It
had never occurred to her that she would face the same problems among the
Kalaowins. An ignorant fantasy perhaps that they would welcome her with open
arms. If she didn’t belong with them either then where did she sit?

Convincing
one race to follow her was a mighty task, but two? How could she possibly do
that? But she knew it would take time. She had to try. Besides she had friends
among both. They had yet to steer her wrong.

“Why
didn’t you tell me?” She asked. “All those years and not a word.”

He
rose to his feet and raised his spear in the directions of the woods. “Wasn’t
my place.” He inched closer to the woods and pulled his arm back, ready to
throw it.

“Drop
it,” a gruff voice growled through the darkness. “You are surrounded.”

Nika
swore and leapt towards Tempani, pulling her behind him. She felt him press
something hard into her palm and looked down to find his dagger.

Tilaw
raised his hackles and snarled into the
darkness. A sharp whistle met their ears, and the dog’s tail wagged as he
bolted towards the noise. Tempani relaxed and placed a gentle hand on
Nika’s
arm.

“It’s
all right
,” she
called out to the darkness. “He’s a friend.”

Rando
stepped into the clearing, his grey hair a stark contrast against the night
sky. His sword was in hand, his eyes wary, as he stared at Nika. Tempani
stepped around him and introduced the two men, neither of them daring to drop
their weapons.

“There
was no need to follow me,” she told him. “I have made this trek many times
before and come to no harm.”

“I
am here to protect you,” he replied. “You do not leave the walls without a
guard.”

“She
has protection,” Nika hissed. “Do you think we would leave her unwatched?”

The
two men eyed each other until Rando nodded and sheathed his sword. “Thank you,”
he said. “You have served her well.”

Nika
scowled at
Rando’s
offered hand. “She is safe. That’s
what matters.” He walked away, patting
Tilaw’s
head
as they passed one another. “I will be watching.”

“I
don’t like him,” Rando growled as he ushered Tempani away.

—

Madoc
folded the letter and threw it into the fire. He shook his head, cursing Nic
for not standing up to his father. And now it was up to him to break the news
to her. How did you tell someone that the person they love is courting another?

He
walked across the courtyard and bumped into Bhatia coming out of the infirmary.
He noticed her eyes were red as she tried to walk past him.

“Everything
all right
?”

She
halted and scowled at him. “What do you want?”

“I
was being a gentleman and making sure you were
all right
,” he snapped. “Clearly a
mistake.”

“Let’s
not pretend we keep company with gentlemen.”

“If
you think so lowly of men why sell your body to them?” It had not taken him
long to remember her. Always standing at the door to the inn, holding herself
proudly.

She
glared at him. “Spend a day in our world and then tell me what option we have.
But that’s all going to change.” She snickered as he looked at her with a
puzzled expression. “You don’t know. Wow, she has more guts than I gave her
credit for.” She walked away laughing.

Madoc
watched her. What was she talking about? What didn’t he know? He knew they were
hiding something from him, but he hadn’t thought Tempani would be in on it.
Weren’t they friends? Well, if she was keeping him in the dark about something
he would find out what it was.

He
found her in the stables, rubbing Mincha’s nose.
Tilaw’s
head rested in her lap. “What’s going on?” He asked. “What are you keeping from
me?”

She
glanced up at him with swollen eyes, and he forgot his anger.

“Is
it true? Is he courting her?”

Madoc
sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Maybe
he’ll change his mind.”

“He
won’t. He was so mad when I left.”

“We’ll
only be gone a short time. I’m sure when you get back he’ll be over it.”

Tempani
gulped. “Maybe.”

He
knew she was lying to him right now and was about to push her on it when a
fresh wave of tears hit her. He hugged her tight and watched the grey clouds
roll in over the convent.

—

Beads
of sweat poured down Tempani’s rosy cheeks as her brows knitted together in
concentration. The sleeves on her sky blue shirt were rolled up and exposed her
trembling arms as the strength of the spell took its toll on her already tired
body and mind. She felt the last trace of her Power escape through her fingers
as the log she was concentrating on burst into flames.

“It
shall be,” she muttered to end the spell before feinting.

“Why
push her so hard?” Zadi demanded as Rando lifted Tempani from the floor and
carried her to her room.

“Tempani
is the one demanding that we keep going. She knows what needs to be done,”
Colbert explained.

“If
she dies from exhaustion she will be of no use to anyone,” Zadi hissed and
pulled Tempani’s sheets up and tucked them around her warm body.

“And
if she does not learn everything then she will be of no use either,” he
retorted.

“Enough,”
Mother Chennai said as she walked in behind them. “The pair of you needs to
stop talking of nothing but the prophecy and look at what else is happening
around you.”

“The
prophecy is why we are here. There is no time for anything else,” Colbert said
defensively. He had noticed in the last few days that Mother Chennai and Darby
were distracted by something, and he was beginning to grow tired of them
postponing their lessons with Tempani and not explaining why.

“We
must make time for life Colbert, otherwise what are we fighting for?” Darby
asked and ushered them out of the room. “The poor girl needs some rest. She has
not slept a wink since she heard the news from the palace.”