Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) (46 page)

Thane understood. If he truly were as Dor had revealed him to be, then he’d not be anxious to share such a revelation with a HuMan standing by. As Dor had discovered at Hell’s End Station, HuMans were generally not ready to welcome Chufa in there midst.

Thane loosened his grip on Bren’s arm. “It’s all right,” he said softly. “Jack is a friend.”

Bren glanced back at the large man, not certain he fully believed Thane but also recognizing the fact that he seemed to know of Thane’s racial background and was not all that concerned about it. “Yes,” he finally said just above a whisper. “We are.”

Thane smiled. “I never would have thought it possible. But how have you lived on this side for so long without being caught?”

Bren reached up and absentmindedly rubbed the top of his scarred ear.
“With caution and certain sacrifices.”

Thane’s eyes followed Bren’s hand and then widened in understanding. “You mean you cut them?”

Bren nodded. “Only when they reveal themselves. Our blood is not as pure as it once was; something we’ve been trying to remedy for quite some time now. But when one with stronger blood is born and manifests our ancestry, we make sure that mark is eliminated.

Thane caught the marked change in Jack’s demeanor. He could tell how repulsed his friend was at the lengths these people had gone to keep from being discovered by HuMans. Bren suddenly moved his hand to Thane’s ear, pulling the hair back so he could get a good look at it. “And you are the one that carries the five Tane?”

Thane felt a little uncomfortable at suddenly being the one holding all the attention. “Yes,” he said simply without the slightest apology in his voice.

“May we see the mark?” Kat asked excitedly.

Thane looked at her for a moment unsure of what she meant. Then it hit him. “You mean my TanIs?”

Kat’s eyes brightened. “Yes.”

He shrugged. He was not ashamed of his TanIs anymore but he didn’t like being on display either. Best get it over with quick, he figured. Lifting his pant leg he brought his leg up onto the cot revealing the mark of his Tane.

Both Kat and Bren gasped. Bren moved his hand down as if to touch it but then held back. Thane gave Tam a look as if begging for help but she just smiled back at him. “It’s just a TanIs like everyone else’s,” he finally said, pushing his pant leg down and dropping his foot back to the floor. “Tam has one too. Have you seen hers?”

“Yes,” Kat said as if bored with the thought.

“But yours is not like everyone else’s,” Bren said.

Thane looked at him and then shrugged. He was right, but his TanIs was only a mark. It did not make him who he was.

“Could you teach me something of the TehChao Tane? I have not been able to learn its gifts as of yet since there are none strong enough in it to teach me.”

Thane was taken back. “Teach you? What are you talking about?”

Bren glanced at Kat and then eyed the others quickly. “You don’t know? Dor has not talked with you yet?”

“Talked to me about what?” he asked. Then realizing his friend was still absent he asked, “Where is Dor? He said he was going to get you but he hasn’t returned.”

Bren stood and then sat down next to Tam. “I guess I should introduce myself first.”

Thane felt annoyed that his question hadn’t been answered. Where
was
Dor? “Jack already introduced you,” he said, his voice slightly revealing his irritation.

“Bren is the name I go by to HuMans. To my people, our people, I am BrenCheSagnVen.” Bren bowed his head slightly as if someone had just introduced them.

Thane’s eyes got wide. He looked at Kat. She smiled and bowed.

“I am KatSagnQen.”

Tam gasped and then asked the question that was forming in Thane’s mind. “You mean you both have more than one Tane?”

Bren shrugged. “Well, yes and no. We, like you, are born strongest in one, but over time we have learned the others.”

Thane couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You learned others?”

Bren nodded. “Yes. I see that you are surprised. Dor was also when we told him. In fact, I taught him to draw fire from wood.”

Thane was flabbergasted. “You taught Dor how to draw out fire?”

Bren nodded but his face suddenly showed concern.
“Sort of. He threw up rather violently, and after only having produced a small spark. He said he’d never do it again, though.”

Thane was amazed. They actually had taught each other different Tane. It was beyond anything he’d ever thought of or would have even considered possible.
But, then again, why not? Were not the Tane all connected? Even the TanIs taught that principle, each having four dots connected to it representing the other four Tane.

Still, to learn how to use another Tane?
It didn’t seem quite natural. He caught himself in the thought. He had all five. If learning another was not natural then what did that make him? The idea of learning another Tane should really have been just a natural progression of their gifts. He suddenly thought of Gelfin,
the evil one
. That was why no one had ever considered it. They felt it was unnatural, and evil.

Bren interrupted his thoughts. “I do not see why it is so strange to you. I should be the one shocked that none of you have learned more than your birth Tane. It was not uncommon among our ancestors.”

“It wasn’t?” Tam asked.

“Of course not,” Bren answered. “It is only natural that we should do the same.”

“Can you throw fire, like Thane?” Jack suddenly asked, his voice a mixture of hope and disbelief.

Bren considered him for a moment and then looked at Thane with renewed excitement. “You have the fire gift of old?”

Thane felt a little embarrassed. No one had ever responded with excitement at what he could do. It was usually something more like fear or distaste. “I don’t throw it. It’s more like pulling it out, like when one would start a cook fire.”

Bren looked amazed. “And you have done this before?”

Thane nodded. “It almost killed me though.”

Bren nodded in agreement. “I am surprised it did not. Without an anchor, you risk your life to do such a thing.”

Thane’s head shot up. “You know of the anchors?”

Bren looked at Tam, whose face showed the confusion she was feeling about what he and Thane were saying, before he turned back to Thane. “Of course I know of the anchors. They are what make us what we are.”

Thane’s hand shot out and grabbed Bren’s arm. “Do you know if any more live?”

Bren’s face dropped as he shook his head. “As far as we know, they were all destroyed during the great war.”

Thane sighed. Gelfin’s words were running through his head again about being the chosen one, but from what he knew they were up against, he felt certain that it didn’t really matter if he were chosen or not. Without the anchors his powers were limited, at least the ones he felt would do any good.

“What’s an anchor?” Jack and Tam’s voiced joined together in asking the question.

Thane quickly explained all he’d been told about the Chufeiran trees glancing at Bren for confirmation as he did so, but Bren just nodded his agreement.

“So,” Tam started, clearly amazed, “with an anchor, Thane’s powers would be increased?”

Bren shook his head slightly. “Increased is not really the word. The Chufeiran are connected directly to the source of all the Tane, which comes from TerraMae. With an anchor, the Tane are stabilized. Their power is connected to their source. Without it, we are left to our own strength. The Tane then draws its power directly from us instead of its natural source.”

Jack pulled at his beard. “But you said that none of these anchors still live. So, they are useless to us.”

Bren nodded. “That is correct, as far as we know. And, to answer your original question, Master Jack,” Bren continued, “I cannot, ‘throw fire’, as you said it. No one that I know of since Gelfin the great has had that gift and power.”

Thane’s breath caught. “You know of Gelfin?” His head was swimming. After all these long years his people had lived protected on the other side of the Shadow Mountains and they knew nothing of the possibilities their Tane offered nor the truth of who Gelfin was and what he’d sacrificed. Yes, their blood still remained strong and pure but their character and morality, along with their knowledge, had withered and decayed.

Bren’s forehead creased with concern. “Of course I know of Gelfin. All Chufa are taught of Gelfin. Is it not so with those of you who escaped?”

Thane shook his head. “I’m afraid that his name and his story have been forgotten.”

“But if you had never learned of him,” Kat interjected, “how is it you know of him?”

“Because we saw him,” Jne offered, tired of being left out of the conversation.

“You saw him?” Bren and Kat asked together.

Thane smiled sadly while nodding and then again told the story of releasing Gelfin from his TanIs and the conversation they had. Finishing, he let out a large yawn, which solicited one from Tam as well.

Bren looked as if he would ask another question but Jack suddenly cut in. “It might be best if we all left now and let these two get some rest. Thane still needs to regain his strength, and I’m quite sure that Tam could use some time to regain hers as well.”

Bren and Kat looked at Jack as if they would
protest, their minds full of excitement and questions after having met Thane, but they choked back their objections and instead nodded slightly.

“With your permission,” Bren asked, “we will return later and speak more?”

Thane smiled and nodded. He too had many things he wanted to know but Jack was right. He was still tired and needed to allow his body to regain some of its strength. Now that he was reunited with his friends, they had to make plans as to what they would do next. It wouldn’t be long before Haykon was no longer safe.

“Tonight, after supper?”
Thane offered.

Bren bowed deeply. “It would be an honor.”

Thane’s face turned slightly red at the obvious homage Bren was paying him but merely nodded back in reply. Kat was all smiles though as she regarded Thane and then Tam. She looked like she might skip out of the room. She followed Bren to the door but then turned back just before leaving. Looking back at them one last time she bubbled, “You two make a great match,” and then disappeared into the outer hall.

Thane glanced at Tam, her face just as red as his. If not for the heat coming from his own face, he certainly would have felt the heat coming off of Jne’s as she glared at him.

“Come,” Jack said, directing his comments to the Tjal woman, “let’s go and give these two a chance to get some rest.”

Jne’s fiery stare turned on Jack as if she meant to will him to ash on the spot. “I belong here with Thane,” she hissed.

Jack glanced at Thane who didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the building tension that threatened to steal the air from the room. He didn’t want to press his luck, but at the same moment, he didn’t think it would be good for Jne to stay in the room with them while they tried to rest. He was half afraid to find Tam strangled when he returned if she did.

Thane suddenly waved a hand and then yawned. “It’s up to you, Jne,” he said smiling once more at Tam before pulling his legs up onto the bed. “We’re just going to be sleeping. Maybe you should go with Jack and see the town or something.”

Jne’s angry stare turned back to Thane. “I stay with you,” she demanded.

He laid his head on his pillow and sighed. “It’s your choice,” he answered, closing his eyes.

Jack hesitated at the door but Tam turned her tired smile to him and nodded. “Thank you, Jack,” she said, before lying down. “For everything you have done for us. You are a great friend.”

Jack suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable. Nodding back to her he glanced at Jne who had moved from the cot and was now sitting with her back against the wall in between Thane and Tam. He sighed. This was going to reach a head soon, and when it did, he hoped he was at the wall fighting trolls, goblins, and orcs—where it was safe.