Devan Chronicles Series: Books 1-3 (129 page)

The chiefs stared and then looked at Mathius. His face was grave as he remembered that terrible time when he lost six brothers and gained a sister in exchange.

“No warrior can kill a sorcerer. It takes magic to kill them, or utter surprise—preferably both,” Keverin added into the silence. Mathius and Lucius nodded emphatically.

“That was a very nice story, outclanner,” Tobiah snarled. “But I’m not a child that you can lull to sleep with your babble. All know shamen are weak and that women are never shamen. What say you to
that?
” he said with hate in his eyes.

Keverin jumped to his feet with Jihan and Adrik at his side ready for mayhem. Lucius and Mathius moved apart to cover the suddenly hostile tribal chiefs.

“I will answer that!” Julia called a little breathlessly as she walked unsteadily into the tent, guided by an old man’s arm around her shoulders.

She was wearing a clan tunic and leggings almost identical to the old man’s outfit. Beads in flame patterns sparkled and jangled as she moved. Brian and Alvin were hovering behind her protectively and grinning for all they were worth. Lorcan ghosted along nearby with his eyes flicking from face to face looking for danger. Keverin was glad to see the boy unharmed and assumed Gideon was safe also, but his eyes were all for Julia. He knew he was grinning like a fool, but he didn’t care. His grin wilted when he saw the strain on her face. She was biting her lip against pain.

Keverin was through the crowd and at her other side before Tobiah could blink. “Are you all right? By the God that was stupid of me, of course you’re not! Here Julia, lean on me.” She was staring into his eyes and couldn’t seem to say anything. The pain must be terrible, he thought. Her helper was looking at him funny. What was the old fool grinning at?

“I—
hnnn!
” Julia caught her breath and bit her lip. “I Love you Keverin of Athione,” she said breathlessly.

He was drowning in her shining eyes. “I love you more than anything in this world Julia of Athione. I thought…
I thought I had lost you.
” She was trembling in his arms. “Please sit down or…” he was beside himself with worry. He turned to the old man. “Do something for her!”

“I am my boy, but the Tancred won’t let her go that easily. Your sorcerer friend has thoroughly addicted her.”

“He is,” Lucius said over his shoulder and clasped Julia’s hand for a moment.

“He’s holding a spell on her to keep the pain away,” Mathius added taking Lucius’s place and patting her hand.

“Oh no, no Mathius! What have you done,” she cried stroking Mathius’s hair out of his eyes—his grey streaked hair.

Tears ran down her cheeks when she noticed the tiny wrinkles around his eyes. Mathius had aged himself to kill Demophon and his sorcerers when they all thought her foully murdered. He didn’t look old even yet, but he had aged at least ten years since she last saw him.

“I’m all right, don’t worry about me. Premature grey runs in my family, remember?” Mathius smiled and stroked her tears away.

She tried to smile for him, but her heart wasn’t in it. Jihan glanced quickly her way, then back to the chiefs. He stayed where he was protecting Keverin’s back. Adrik also held his ground near Jihan, but no one took any notice. All eyes were on Julia… except Tobiah. Tobiah glared fit to give Jihan sunburn, but all he gave Tobiah in return was a small smile and glittering eye contact.

“I’m fine, Kerrion,” Julia said releasing his arm and taking Keverin’s instead. “We watched you arrive, but when Petya stole you away from me—
hnnn!
”

Kerrion quickly took her hand and the pain eased as his spell took effect. She nodded her thanks and didn’t try to reclaim her hand a second time.

“I decided to come get you,” she finished.

“This is sickening!” Tobiah shouted angrily and glared at the other chiefs. “These people are outclanners! What right do they have in this council? None I say!”

“And of course you are the only chief present are you?” Jihan said with his head cocked to one side in contemplation.

“No he is not!” Kadar and Petya said as one. Petya stepped back ceding the floor. “I say we all sit down before Julia collapses, and talk about this calmly.”

There was a rumble of agreement from the majority of the chiefs, but a few did side with Tobiah. Keverin thought they were probably Wolf Clan tribal chiefs. He seated Julia at his side on plenty of rugs and she leaned her back against him. He leaned forward and kissed her hair. She raised her free hand to stroke his cheek. Kerrion sat next to her on her other side, holding her other hand so his magic could do its work. Keverin didn’t like it, but he understood the necessity; healing didn’t work without touch.

“You don’t believe Keverin’s story?” Julia asked Tobiah.

“I’m not in the habit of accepting fairy tales from outclanners!” Tobiah snarled.

Keverin shifted a little but Julia was in control of the situation.

“Fairy tales? Does this look like a fairytale to you?” she said holding up a hand with blue crackles of lightning snapping from finger to finger.

Keverin smiled grimly as the chiefs reared back in shock from the first real magic they had ever seen. It was still amazing to him how quickly he had become used to the idea of Julia as a powerful mage.

“Keverin never lies,” she said and let her display go.

Tobiah’s eyes narrowed in anger, but there wasn’t much he could say to dispute her now obvious ability.

“I think I speak for all of us when I say you are undoubtedly a shaman, Julia,” Kadar said and there was a murmur of agreement from the chiefs. “What is your council?”

“She is an
outclanner!
” Tobiah protested but was glared into silence by the other chiefs who were interested in what such an unusual shaman had to say.

Julia smiled at her newest enemy. “Mortain’s people will begin to repopulate the northern cities very soon, and you will have an enemy to your north forever more. You must destroy those cities before that happens. If you don’t do that, two years from now you will have another legion to contend with, and then another the following year and on and on. Deva has had that problem for years, but our land has mountains that act as walls, and fortresses that act as gates keeping our enemies on their own side. You have nothing to stop the sorcerers from taking your land. If you fail, ten years from now you will have towns on the banks of your rivers and the plain as you know it will be gone.”

Keverin nodded. “I would like to add something to that. Defeating Navarien will not be easy, but even should you be victorious that will not be enough. We won against Navarien two years ago, but Mortain sent another legion through your lands to attack us from the north as a result. Julia destroyed that legion
utterly
. Ten thousand warriors dead, but still Mortain did not give up. This last summer, he sent sorcerers to kidnap her and place a man of his choosing on the throne of Deva, which means a man sympathetic to him as chief of chiefs over all Deva. We stopped him,
barely
, and Kadar saved Julia when the sorcerers tried to escape back to Navarien. This should show you that Mortain will never,
never
give up his ambitions to rule your land. Think about what that means. Whatever you decide to do will affect the future of every clan forever more. Your old rivalry
must
be abandoned if you are to oppose Mortain and the Protectorate. If not, the clans are finished.”

Jihan looked around at the thoughtful expressions then added his two coppers worth. “I am a Lord, a chief if you will. I say that if you do not choose a chief of chiefs from among you and unite against Navarien the clans are finished.”

Lucius nodded. “I am a wizard now, but I have been a sorcerer in my time—”

That was a shock. The chiefs yelled in outrage at what appeared to be a spy in their camp. Daggers and long knives were snatched into fists. Julia’s ward sprang into existence moments before Lucius raised his. The wards clashed as they tried to coexist in the same place at the same time. The light was blinding, but the screeching was worse. The chiefs howled as the noise pierced eardrums threatening to burst them. The effect on Julia was worse. The magic in her grasp surged and she lost her grip.

“AEiii!” she screamed as the magic whiplashed and hammered her flat.

Lucius reeled as his magic surged and receded unpredictably.

Kerrion was instantly pouring his healing into Julia. The chiefs backed away and didn’t seem interested in coming any closer. They were staring at Julia and Lucius in shock at what had happened. Lucius dropped his ward to go to Julia’s aid, but he was not needed. She was awake again and looking dazedly around.

“What happened?” she said.

Keverin sighed in relief. “I don’t know, you made a ward and then collapsed.”

“Never do that again!” Lucius said angrily. “Two wards existing in the same place can cause burn out, you foolish girl! I know you were trying to help, but I can take care of myself. You are too weak to be using your magic.”

Julia paled at the mention of burnout and Keverin felt sick. Renard had suffered burnout and had been mindless for many days before dying when Julia attempted to give him his magic back. The thought of her staring and drooling at nothing made his heart hurt.

He leaned forward. “Please be careful. I can’t live without you my heart,” he whispered for her ears alone.

Julia struggled to sit up and he helped her. “I will.”

He wasn’t much comforted. She always seemed to be in the thick of the action, whether it involved street toughs or sorcerers, it didn’t matter. He could no longer count the number of times he had feared for her life.

Tobiah was causing more trouble Keverin saw. He was arguing fiercely with Kadar and Allard about allowing Lucius to live. Allard was of the opinion that they should hear what Lucius had to say before doing anything hasty. Kadar was more direct. He was saying the outclanners were his guests and he would not allow them to be harmed. If Tobiah still wanted to try, he could challenge and die on his sword.

“Fools!” Kerrion shouted.

The chiefs quieted and looked at Kerrion in amazement. How had the old fool dared to insult them? He was sure to be challenged. Keverin grinned. Kerrion was a shaman; as such, he need not fear a sword or any man who wielded one.

“Fools I say!” Kerrion repeated. “Do you think the Hasians have this problem? Of course not. Navarien tells his warriors what to do and they do it or die! Don’t any of you understand? This constant bickering must end. If the clans do not unite, the people will vanish from the land.
I have seen it!
”

Tobiah snorted. “You’re the fool, old man. Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing. Who is to be this chief of chiefs? Kadar I suppose!”

Kadar angrily stepped forward, but Kerrion waved the chief off. Surprisingly Kadar subsided.

“Do you all see?” Tobiah glared around at the chiefs. “The old fool leads Kadar by the nose! I will die before I accept Kadar over me as chief of chiefs!”

Tobiah stormed out and took his underlings with him. The other Clan Chiefs reluctantly ended the council and followed until the only chiefs still present were Allard, Petya, and Kadar.

“That was ill done, Kerrion,” Kadar said. “You should have let the challenge to go ahead. Tobiah would be dead and we could have continued the council.”

Kerrion shook his head. “Will you listen to yourself? Tobiah is
clan!
Navarien is the enemy not him, or any other among the clans for that matter. That even goes for Ingharr!”

Petya smiled at mention of Ingharr of Dragon Clan. The man was universally despised for his arrogance and most said his stupidity as well. They were very careful when they said this. There were a great many Dragon warriors, and Ingharr was good with the long knife and spear.

“I take it you three agree that uniting is the only way forward?” Keverin said.

Kadar nodded along with the others. “It would seem so, but whether it will happen that way I don’t know. We are a proud people. I do not believe we could live the way your people do. If we do go ahead with this, I will push for it to be only used in time of—” he frowned. “I haven’t the word for it.”

“Invasion or emergency?” Julia offered.

“Yes,” Kadar said nodding. “Emergency would be the only time I would countenance this chief of chiefs you are proposing, Kerrion.”

Kerrion clapped his chief on the shoulder. “That is all we need. We cannot keep arguing about every decision during a battle. We must find someone to lead who all chiefs can accept.”

“Who did you have in mind?” Allard said glancing at Kadar and quickly away again.

“Not you Kadar, I’m sorry,” Kerrion said. “The others would not accept it. Even Ingharr has more chance than you do now—he is the most powerful. I was thinking Mazel would do well. Horse Clan
is
second in strength to Dragon Clan.”

“I don’t know,” Allard said uncertainly. “Horse Clan isn’t here. How can you expect us to follow someone who doesn’t even see the need to talk of uniting, let alone actually doing it?”

Kerrion grudgingly agreed. “Maybe the warriors should vote.”

“That might work,” Petya put in. “But what’s to stop them from voting for their own Clan Chief? They will you know.”

“You should have a tournament,” Jihan said thoughtfully. “Arrange it in such a way that the winner of each round fights the winner of the others until there is just one. That way the best warrior among the chiefs will lead no matter what clan or tribe he comes from.”

Kadar frowned. “I assume you mean practice bouts, but that could mean we are led by a tribal chief.”

“Does that really matter?” Jihan asked. “The winner will be the best among you and you will need the best to win against Navarien.”

“It does matter,” Kerrion admitted. “Clan Chiefs lead. It has always been that way,” he said regretfully.

Jihan threw his hands up. “If you want it that way, have the tournament restricted to Clan Chiefs.”

“Who is the most likely to win such a tournament as this?” Keverin said.