Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series (6 page)

‘How did you get here?’
Voron asked, feeling he was missing something.

Finn met Babach’s eyes
and sighed. ‘I used the oldest magic that Myata taught. I became a
pigeon, and I flew here.’

Voron could only stare,
knowing she spoke the simple truth.

‘Babach it is dangerous
for you in the cottage above.’ Finn turned her attention to the old
man. ‘Cho Petak will surely check more than once. It is too
dangerous.’

Babach smiled sweetly
and tugged his braided beard. ‘I have to be there in case the
Plavats return.’

Finn sat cross legged
on her nest of covers and considered. ‘If Chakar and Ren came back
and saw the destruction, would they still check inside
here?’

Babach lifted his
hands. ‘Perhaps. Perhaps not, if Chakar could not find my
mind.’

‘I will take turns with
you.’ It was a statement leaving no room for any
argument.

Babach slept above for
the next two nights, while Finn spent some hours in the cottage
during the days. Two more students died of their burns and a daily
routine was established among the eighty new residents.

Baryet arrived with the
dawn on the third morning, left the scroll case and announced he
had family matters to attend to some leagues up the coast. He
informed Babach that he would be back in two days time and would
then leave at once for the Night Lands. That night, Cho Petak did
check the Oblaka once more, and he found Babach’s mind signature.
The Sacrifice in his high rooms in the Menedula smiled, raised his
left hand and pointed the little finger to the north
west.

Finn Rah found the
Observer when she went up to the cottage the next morning. He was
alive, barely, conscious only through a huge effort of will. Finn
summoned Voron and Lyeto and they smothered the deep burns with
cooling salves. Babach seemed to sleep then and Finn told Voron she
thought he should leave.

‘When that Plavat comes
back, you must take Babach to Chakar.’

Voron nodded although
he was appalled at the idea of five days on Baryet’s back with a
desperately sick Babach.

Lyeto nodded too. ‘She
is right,’ he told Voron as though Finn wasn’t there. ‘Cho Petak
will now believe that no one survives here. It will give us a
little more time. Babach will die within days if he stays here I
think,’ he glanced at Finn and she tightened her lips in silent
agreement.

‘They may have healers
in the Night Lands who can better deal with these injuries. Voron,
you must take him. And warn them of what has befallen us. It may be
our only chance to survive, and theirs too.’

Chapter
Four

Lashek was delighted to
have the opportunity to be one of the first Vagrantians to set foot
on their ancient lands again. He resembled a prosperous farmer
rather than a leader of his people and Lord Seboth found himself
warming to the Speaker of Segra Circle.

On the second day of
his visit, Tika found Lashek alone in one of the many small gardens
hidden within Seboth’s sprawling manor. He was kneeling, bent over
a tired looking plant, brushing his fingers lightly over its
drooping leaves and muttering softly. He glanced up at Tika and
beckoned her to join him. She knelt at his side and heard more
clearly the words he spoke. She looked from Lashek to the plant and
back in confusion.

The Speaker was saying
a nursery rhyme, very similar to ones Tika herself had heard in the
women and children’s quarters in Return. Lashek sat back, smiling
with satisfaction. Tika glanced at the plant. She gaped. The leaves
now positively bristled with vigorous life. Tika regarded the plant
thoughtfully.

‘I was hoping to speak
with you Lashek,’ she said. ‘Do you know the story of my soul
bonding with Farn, and how Lady Emla’s friends, Kemti and Iska, may
the stars guard her memory, freed my mind from its
restrictions?’

Lashek stood up,
holding out a grubby hand to Tika.

‘Mim told us something
of it.’

He led her to a bench
and they sat on the sun warmed stone.

‘Have you noticed
anything about Seboth and his brother?’ she asked
casually.

Lashek chuckled and
waited for her to say more.

Her silvered eyes
flashed briefly up at him, the pupils green as the new shoots in
the garden around.

‘I thought, perhaps,
you might know how to free the power they have within
them.’

‘That would be a
serious matter my dear. Sapphreans today still regard power, magic,
with the greatest suspicion.’

‘But Seboth is very
different from most. He is also held in high regard by the other
Lords.’

Lashek pondered a
while. ‘If you can find me some of those exquisite pastries we were
given yesterday, you might persuade me to discuss the matter with
Lord Seboth,’ he said solemnly.

Tika grinned at him and
jumped up. ‘As good as done, Speaker Lashek.’

She raced off into the
building and Lashek closed his eyes, turning his face up to the
sun. Perhaps the child was right. If one of the Sapphrean Lords was
shown to have the magic in him, and used it as it should always and
only be used? Feet pounded back along the flagged path and Lashek
opened one eye. He inspected the dish Tika held beneath his nose
and beamed in pleasure.

‘I do believe I am
quite persuaded dear child.’

Gan, Sket and Riff
became most friendly with Olam, Seboth’s brother and Armschief.
They gave him many details previously omitted, in long talks about
the battle for the Stronghold. Olam told Seboth that he would be
glad to have three such men beside him in a fight. Neither Seboth
nor his brother missed the fact that the three were, even now,
constantly protective of Tika and, by association, of Elyssa and
Maressa. Seboth had accepted the presence of the two armsmen, after
his initial surprise, as equals and friends of Tika and
Gan.

Kephis being unknown in
Sapphrea, Khosa, Queen of the Kephis of the Golden Lady’s Estate,
was given great attention. She stalked the corridors and rooms of
Seboth’s manor, orange tail regally upright, and expected doors to
be instantly opened for her. She avoided most of the children, who
evinced a distressing delight in pulling the royal tail. This
evening, she was arranged upon Lallia’s knees before the fire,
buzzing contentedly as Lallia kept up a constant stroking of her
back.

Tika broached the
subject of power, carefully watching the reactions of the three
Sapphreans. The conversation dodged and twisted around the main
point until Khosa sat up, giving an enormous yawn.

‘What the child is
trying to say, is that all three of you have the potential within
you to use the power.’

Maressa and Elyssa
closed their eyes. Tika glared at the Kephi. Lashek, Gan and Ren
kept their gaze fixed on the Sapphreans. Mixed emotions warred on
all three faces, Lallia and Olam both turning to Seboth to provide
a reply to the Kephi’s outrageous statement. Eventually, Seboth
gave a nervous laugh.

‘It must be obvious to
you all that I am not sure whether to regard this news as a
blessing or a curse.’

‘Discuss it between
you, think about what it might mean. Make no decision now about
whether you wish to learn more or not. But just let me demonstrate
something.’

Lashek rose to stand
before the Lord of Far.

‘If it helps you, close
your eyes. But try to see with your mind’s eye: look through my
forehead and see what you will.’

Lallia closed her eyes
but Seboth and Olam kept theirs open, staring hard at Lashek’s
lined brow. Lallia suddenly tightened her grip on Khosa who slitted
her eyes in annoyance. Olam’s jaw sagged while Seboth’s eyes
widened in surprise.

‘It is like a jewelled
web that I see,’ Seboth whispered, Olam and Lallia nodding
agreement.

‘Enough.’ Lashek
returned to his chair. ‘I swear to you that I did nothing except
open my own mind to yours. It was the power, or magic, within you
that, for the first time perhaps, you consciously focused. I must
tell you that we do not crash into each others’ minds. If I tried
to enter your minds you would know at once. One of the first things
we teach our children is to respect the privacy of others’
thoughts.’

Seboth nodded then
glanced at his wife and brother. ‘It grows late and Lashek has
given us plenty to think on. We will speak more on this matter
tomorrow. Now we will leave you to yourselves.’

Goodnights were
exchanged and the door closed behind the Sapphreans. Elyssa
giggled.

‘I wager they will be
practising that half the night!’

Gan grinned. ‘No wager,
Lady Elyssa.’

‘Gan, I feel drawn to
the west,’ Tika said abruptly. ‘Is it possible for us to go into
the salt lands?’

‘I have made some
enquiries. I also feel we should go in that direction – stars know
why.’

‘It is where the
Valsheban cities lie buried,’ Lashek said softly. ‘And I wish I
could accompany you, but I promised Thryssa that I would join her
in Gaharn. I was allowed four days only here,’ he said
mournfully.

‘Brin has flown over to
the Bitter Sea several times. He says there are occasional patches
of green. He stopped at one and found clear water.’

‘What did you find out
Gan?’ Lashek asked.

‘Hunters do
occasionally go two or three days on foot, and they report no fresh
water.’

‘I will ask Brin to
check as accurately as he can,’ said Tika.

Lashek smiled. ‘Why not
ask Maressa? After all, air mages are taught to estimate distances
rather precisely.’

Tika blushed. ‘I’m
sorry. I forget how differently you use the power. Would you do it
Maressa?’

‘Of course,’ Maressa
replied calmly. ‘On condition that I can come too.’

‘I had assumed we would
all go,’ Tika sounded indignant.

Ren cleared his throat.
‘On horses – I mean, koninas?’ he asked warily.

Gan patted Ren’s
shoulder. ‘I think we would take at least six koninas: Sket and
Riff are quite happy with them. If Seboth is agreeable to our
journeying to the coast, I do not doubt that he will send at least
two of his own armsmen with us.’

‘Thank the stars you
brought good news of Kadi with you Ren, We had no notion of where
she had gone. I wonder if she has yet told Kija and Fenj of what
befell her and Mena. Navan told us that Rhaki had expressed an
interest in the child.’

‘Things seem much
calmer since he vanished though, don’t they Lady Tika?’

Tika smiled at Sket.
‘They do indeed, but - ’

‘No buts for now.’ Gan
rose to his great height. ‘The hour grows late so let us all get
some rest.’

The group dispersed,
Tika, Elyssa and Maressa retiring to the large bedroom they had
chosen to share. Tika lay still, waiting until the other two were
asleep, before sliding from the bed and creeping to the door. Sket
got up from the floor outside and silently followed her. They
ghosted down the stairs and along dimly lit passages before
reaching the courtyard Brin and Farn had appropriated as their
own.

Sket felt the affection
surge from the Dragons as Tika approached. He grinned when Brin’s
great head pushed gently at his chest. Tika settled herself in the
curve of Farn’s shoulder. His eyes flashed in the starlight when
Khosa settled in turn on top of Tika.

‘I heard you say we
will go to the Bitter Sea,’ Farn murmured in Tika’s mind. ‘Shall we
go tomorrow?’

‘We will go when Lashek
leaves us for Gaharn. He is a nice man.’ She yawned
hugely.

‘This Lord Seboth, he
is not like Lord Hargon at all, is he?’ Sket asked from his place
against Brin’s chest.

Tika roused. ‘ He isn’t
is he? None of the lords is as strongly against using the power as
Hargon. And it is only Hargon: Navan has no such hatred as Hargon
shows.’

‘Is it because of
what’s happened to his lads?’ Sket wondered. He thought Tika had
fallen asleep but just as he was beginning to doze himself, she
replied.

‘Losing his sons has
made him even more resistant, but he has always hated it. I
remember several times in my life in his compound, that he ordered
the killing of certain people. It is only now that you remind me,
that I realise they were ones who, probably accidentally, revealed
they had some remnant of power through their old blood.’

Only a snore answered
her, and Brin’s chuckle. But Tika stayed awake much longer,
wondering why it was that Hargon should nurture such an enduring
hatred for magic.

Lashek departed for the
circle on Brin’s back. He carried with him separate messages from
those left in Far, for delivery in Gaharn and the Stronghold. He
had spent some time with Maressa and Ren trying to ascertain the
location of two of the coastal cities of Valsheban days. Tika was
stunned when Elyssa told her she would travel to Gaharn with
Lashek. She argued, begging Elyssa to stay in Sapphrea.