Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series (23 page)

Pajar shrugged. ‘Prilla
became first councillor at that time.’

Thryssa pushed her
chair sideways and stared out of the window, the rim of Talvo
Circle a black line in the distance against the blue sky. After a
while she turned back to Pajar.

‘I was trying to think
back,’ she said. ‘And I do believe that Kallema became more
withdrawn then. I will ask Lashek and Orsim what they can
remember.’

‘Speaker Lashek left at
dawn for Segra High Speaker.’

Thryssa nodded, then
grinned. ‘Did he take his precious recipe?’

Pajar smiled back. ‘He
has given it to everyone here, not just the cooks.’ He fished in
his shirt pocket and drew out a scrap of paper. ‘I had to copy it
too.’

‘Gremara seems to speak
with the Dragon Lord in the Stronghold frequently. Has there been
any problem from Talvo of late?’

‘No High Speaker. But
several people have said there is another Dragon with her, smaller
and cream coloured.’

‘She is Jeela, daughter
of the most beautiful golden great Dragon Pajar. In the Stronghold,
they believe that Jeela will be Gremara’s successor.’

‘Pachela speaks very
often with Gremara. She says the silver one is no longer
mad?’

‘So Mim believes.’
Thryssa sat in silence. ‘Gremara told the Dragon Lord to give
myself and Lashek, each one of these.’ She lifted a silver chain
free of her shirt and held the pendant across the table towards
Pajar.

He stared in
astonishment at the beautiful thing. It swung slowly on its chain,
just below Thryssa’s hand, first the jade back catching the
sunshine, then the olive front seeming to trap the light within
itself.

‘Look closer,’ said
Thryssa softly.

Pajar leaned forward,
his vision enhanced as he concentrated. The tiny shape within the
oval turned and quivered. Pajar sat back with a thump and looked at
the High Speaker. She hid the pendant beneath her shirt
again.

‘Mim told us that
Gremara said we would have need of them. But we have no idea what
she might mean. We know that they have been beneficial in healing
situations, but what more they might help us with, we cannot
guess.’ She reached behind her and tugged a bell rope. ‘But you say
that Pachela speaks often with Gremara, and yet you did not know of
Jeela?’

‘Pachela chose to stay
here in the Corvida.’ Pajar could still see the tiny twisting form
within the pendant as he answered Thryssa. ‘According to first
councillor Shema, Pachela was an average student, like Daro,
although their assessors said she had the capacity to be extremely
powerful in both earth and fire magic.’

He paused while a maid
brought in a tray of tea, setting it at the end of the table. Once
they were alone again he continued.

‘Since Pachela’s eyes
silvered, she still seems shy of people but there is a confidence
within her and an awareness of her own abilities.’

‘I will speak with her
alone later I think Pajar. What of these three Firan
children?’

Pajar sipped his tea.
‘I would recommend that you see them separately, perhaps with
Chornay present throughout to offer familiarity. I would suggest
that you tell him he may not intervene at any point but must give
you his impressions when each has left you.’

Thryssa considered
Pajar’s advice, eventually nodding her agreement. ‘But I will leave
you to explain to Chornay. Send him and the first Firan to me
shortly, Pachela after the midday meal.’

Pajar got up and walked
to the door.

‘Pajar? I do appreciate
that it is very difficult for you to be plunged into this position
with so little training but I am sure it is the right decision.
These last days you have shown yourself capable of the rank of
first councillor and I am grateful to have your help.’

Pajar blushed again,
mumbled his thanks and fled. Thryssa poured herself more tea,
wondering if Kwanzi knew of any remedies against blushing. In
Pajar’s case, the result was most unfortunate.

By the time Thryssa
went through to her private rooms at midday she was already
exhausted. The interviews with the three young Firans had taken
much of her strength. Kwanzi frowned as she poked food around her
plate, rearranging it rather than eating much of it.

‘Kwanzi, I would like
you to attend the Firan children. They are deeply afraid of
something, even knowing that they are safe here with us. Graza
burst into tears at my first question. The boy, Kralo, has a
confident front but it is egg shell brittle just beneath.’ She
abandoned her food and reached for the jug of water. ‘They depend
on Chornay quite heavily – he is their friend among all these
strangers. But Chornay told me their minds have not been
investigated as have all the others whose eyes silvered. Kallema
imprisoned them at once. No healers went near them. And when they
arrived here, they were upset and shocked, so our people only
offered reassurance – no assessments have been made.’

‘Of course. I will
arrange it this afternoon. Are you going to eat any of that
food?’

Thryssa looked down at
her plate then up to her husband apologetically. ‘I’m sorry. I
promise I will eat my supper. Those children bothered me Kwanzi,
there is something badly amiss. Be careful when you try to work
with them and make sure you have the best healers with
you.’

‘Yes High Speaker. And
what have you to do this afternoon?’

‘I am seeing Pachela.
Then I will spend some more time with Pajar. Which reminds
me.’

Kwanzi hooted with
laughter at Thryssa’s query about a cure for Pajar’s
blushes.

‘I will think about
it,’ he said. ‘But I can make no promises.’

Pachela entered at
Thryssa’s call and sat in the offered chair by the window. Thryssa
had decided to make this meeting appear more informal, so sat with
her back to her work table.

‘I am sorry I had no
chance to speak with you before I left Vagrantia my dear. I felt we
should acquaint ourselves at once. Tea?’

Pachela accepted with a
faint smile. Thryssa sat back nursing her own mug.

‘Tell me first
something of yourself.’

Pachela blinked her
silver and grey eyes in some surprise and Thryssa congratulated
herself on putting the girl a little off balance.

‘I am Segran, as you
know. I am drawn to earth and fire.’ Pachela hesitated, then met
Thryssa’s stare. ‘Fire calls me ever more strongly.’

Thryssa sipped her tea.
‘Is that because of the connection between yourself and Gremara
which has developed lately?’

Pachela looked out of
the window, across Parima’s vastness to the black wall between
Parima and Talvo. She nodded slowly. ‘I think it probably is High
Speaker. May I ask you something?’

‘Of course.’

‘Did you meet the great
Dragons of the north?’

Thryssa relaxed. She
felt none of the wrongness about this child as she had with the
Firans. Then she chided herself: she really must stop seeing anyone
under the age of thirty as a child.

‘I rode on the back of
a Snow Dragon and a great Dragon,’ she admitted. ‘And they are the
most beautiful, kindly creatures in the world.’

Questions bombarded
her, to all of which she gave honest answers until finally she
laughed, raising her hand for mercy.

‘Enough for now my
dear. But tell me, why have you not told anyone of Gremara’s new
companion, Jeela?’

Pachela looked
astonished. ‘Is that her name? Gremara said that her successor had
come, but spoke no more on the matter.’

Thryssa nodded in
satisfaction: she had concluded as much.

‘Pachela I have a
suggestion – a suggestion, not an order. Will you come with me,
into Talvo Circle? Gremara will do no harm now. She instructed the
Dragon Lord in the north to give me this, so I think she intends
that we be friends.’

Thryssa drew out the
egg pendant, watching Pachela carefully. The girl focused her
sight, then her mouth rounded in amazement and tears poured down
her cheeks.

It took three days to
traverse Parima. The people who farmed the western end came out to
greet their High Speaker with delight and warmth. Thryssa realised
how many cycles had drifted by while she had remained shut up in
the Corvida and resolved to find the time somehow to come out to
talk to her people more often again. As they neared the entrance to
the tunnel into Talvo, Thryssa glanced at Pachela. She was pale
with excitement but there was no trace of fear. Kwanzi had fumed at
Thryssa and Pachela going alone to Talvo, but for once Thryssa
became angry with him.

‘I can surely fear
nothing in Parima. If I take an escort, it tells people I am afraid
to be among them. Of course we travel alone.’

Now the two women, one
very young and one far older than she appeared, walked steadily
through the twilight of the tunnel towards the early morning light
in Talvo Circle. Emerging, they paused, staring around them at the
lush creepers clinging to the walls, the many toned greenness
everywhere. Hot water suddenly soared up from a pool veiled in
steam some distance to their left. Thryssa grinned and reached for
Pachela’s hand.

‘I think we should
watch our path rather carefully, do you not?’

By late morning the
rampant vegetation had retreated to the sides of the widening
crater and they walked on thin soil from which only coarse grasses
grew. Pachela’s hand tightened on Thryssa’s. Thryssa looked up
quickly and smiled. A small ivory Dragon spiralled lazily above
them, sinking lower with each turn until at last she landed in
front of the women. She reared erect, faceted eyes whirring cream
flecked with gold, and spoke in their minds.

‘I am Jeela, daughter
to Kija and heir to Gremara of Talvo. May the stars guide your
paths.’

Thryssa bowed, Pachela
copying her, and returned a formal greeting. At once Jeela dropped
to the ground and lowered her brow to touch Thryssa’s.

‘You are one of the
honoured,’ she said. ‘I am glad you have come. Have you news of
Kadi, and Ashta, and Kija, and Fenj and - ’

Thryssa laughed,
placing her hand along Jeela’s face. ‘I will tell you everything,
but you must meet Pachela, she who speaks with Gremara.’

Jeela turned her face
to Pachela, her eyes whirring faster. ‘I could talk to you too if
you like,’ she said. ‘It sometimes seems a little empty
here.’

Pachela followed
Thryssa’s action and raised her hand to touch the small Dragon’s
face. Jeela’s laughter rang in their minds and then the Dragon was
in the air again, curving and swooping above their
heads.

‘Gremara awaits you.
This way. I will lead you.’

This time, it was
Pachela’s hand that reached for Thryssa’s. After a glance at the
girl’s face, Thryssa spoke not a word, letting her experience the
real magic of walking beneath a dancing, laughing
Dragon.

They walked for some
time before Pachela stopped in her tracks, staring up to her right.
Jeela’s amusement rippled through the air and she swung back
towards the high ledge which was Gremara’s favourite place. The
women waited as Gremara slid from the black rock into the air and
glided down towards them. The midday sun flashed and dazzled off
each silver scale and her eyes sparkled with rainbow
colours.

As on the mountainside
above Arak, she did not raise herself upright in the formal
greeting of the great Dragons but reclined gracefully on the ground
before them.

‘I am glad to see two
legs in my Circle again.’ Her voice was slightly higher in pitch
than other Dragons Thryssa noted. ‘I have no food to offer you, but
fresh water is only a few paces away.’

Thryssa took the pack
off her shoulders and sat on the ground facing the silver Dragon.
‘I have food for us should we need it. I am not hungry.’ Thryssa
offered the pack to Pachela who shook her head, dropping to the
ground beside Thryssa.

There was an interval
of comfortable silence while Gremara scrutinised the two women and
they in turn, feasted their eyes on the Dragon’s beauty. There was
a flurry of wings and Jeela landed near Gremara.

‘I would see what you
carry High Speaker Thryssa. I have only seen such things in my
memories and I have long desired to see one in truth.’

Thryssa got up and
moved closer to Gremara, drawing her pendant from under her shirt.
She knelt by the silver Dragon’s head and held up the oval for her
to see clearly. To Thryssa’s complete surprise Gremara made no
comment but her voice rang out in sudden song: a song without words
but with which Jeela joined in a treble harmony. At last Gremara’s
song faded into silence.

‘I thank you for
letting me see this wondrous thing. In small return, I tell you to
beware the water Circle. There is a badness growing which will try
to join with another, and between them they will seek to destroy
all the Circles. I cannot interfere, not yet, but the trouble grows
faster than I had believed it would. You will have to act, and act
soon High Speaker.’ Gremara flexed her wings in preparation for
flight. ‘We would welcome visitors sometimes – I fear Jeela grows
bored occasionally.’