Eyes of the Alchemist (12 page)

His eyes glinted amaranth fire at her. “Had we loved, you would have lost nothing, but gained much in knowledge.”

She blushed furiously and tried to turn her head away. He chuckled and mocked her. “Your modesty is becoming, lady. Unfortunately, you’re too versed in temple law to allow desire to consume creed at this moment. No one but yourself would have known the outcome.”

“Except you.”

 He lowered her to the ground, but kept her in his arms. “I’m only a dream figure, a slave to your subconscious desires.”

Her desires had seemed very conscious to her. She could feel them still, loitering like beggars in the secret ways of her body. She longed for Kavan’s touch to bring them shockingly to life. Yet, she could not indulge herself to the extent he suggested and took a step back. He jerked her back against his body and kissed her again, firmer this time, and with more possession. A thought came to her. Was this what her subconscious wanted, to be mastered?

Not at this moment!
She tore herself from his grasp and swiped a hand, hard across his face. “Get out of my way, savage, I’m leaving.”

He stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he bowed and stood to one side. She pushed past him and headed towards the entrance to the dreaming place. With heart thumping she teetered on the edge and stared down into the beating, living heart of the mountain. Unsure of whether she could trust herself to float down without him, her knees began to give way. She gazed helplessly back at Kavan, seeking guidance.

“Have you suddenly run out of courage, lady,” he mocked.

Taking a deep breath she defiantly stepped into the void – and began to fall! She couldn’t find the breath to scream as everything rushed past her in a series of sickening, multicolored stripes. Below her, the bottom of the void was a black swirl of nothingness rushing up to meet her. She hit it at full speed. Her body jerked several times and she screamed out with the shock of such a rude awakening, “Banefire!”

It took but seconds to register that her heart was beating a path out of her chest, that the night was over and the thick frost around her was covered in small footprints.

“Atarta,” she called, feeling suddenly vulnerable and drawing Kavan’s cloak around her for the comfort it offered. There was no answer. As she rose to examine the footprints she remembered the small creatures in the alchemist’s imaginary world.

But these were not imaginary footprints, and whoever had made them had stolen the bread and fruit she’d collected from the stallholder in the market. These were the same thieves who’d taken the herbs she’d put out to dry – the shadowy figures in the forest mist. She wouldn’t have minded sharing if they’d asked, but they were not going to get away with stealing it!

She could always ask the wishing dish for food! She stared at it, her sense of rightness battling with temptation. The dish was a toy of the privileged, Kavan had used it to subdue her willpower. In a fit of temper she picked it up and threw it over the falls to splash into the lake. Colors spread across the water in a series of ripples. When the water calmed it resumed its usual silvery hue, with just a touch of rainbow color above the bowl’s resting place.

 Gathering up her sack and blanket she followed the footprints towards the forest. When she saw the dark interior she hesitated for a moment, then thought. Perhaps I can find shelter here.

But there was no shelter, and neither was there sound, only a sense of listening that made her uneasy because she had the feeling she was being watched. The trees were high, the canopy of foliage dense enough to form a peculiar, greenish light. The pathway she trod was well worn, and wound through grasses and shrubs as high as her chest. Now and again she came across one of Atarta’s footprints in the soil.

Her whistle brought no answer except a rustling noise behind to her left. “Who’s there? Show yourself.”

Nothing moved, the wind sighed eerily above in the canopy. In the distance she heard a faint growl. “Atarta!” Picking up her skirts she began to run towards the noise, aware the rustling had increased. A quick glance over her shoulder showed the grasses moving. Whatever it was, there were several of them and they were all after her.

Attack was the best form of defense, she’d heard. Still on the run she stooped to grab up a stout stick and turned straight towards them. A chorus of alarmed yelps filled her ears as she grabbed one of the creatures. Dragging it out to the path she took a good look at it. As she’d first thought, it was one of the alchemist’s helpers, a male. She gave him a shake. “Right, you thieving little creature, where’s my food?” 

Something stung her on the hip. She turned to find herself surrounded. Her heart sank at the sight of the bows and arrows, at the same time her knees began to give.

“You can’t kill me, I’m Kavan’s woman,” she managed to say before her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth.

 The creatures watched her gravely through large, luminous eyes. Sight blurring slightly, so it seemed she was seeing everything through a film of liquid, she sank to her knees, then fell forward on to her stomach.

One of the creatures came to gaze down at her. He listened to her heartbeat, then stared intently at her eyes and nodded in satisfaction. His voice was high-pitched. “We’re the watchers. We’re sorry to be the cause of your discomfort, lady, but we thought you would harm us. Your help is needed. Do not be alarmed by your incapacitation, the paralysis is temporary.”

Thank Assinti for that, she thought as they hoisted her on to their collective shoulders and staggered off with her like an undignified caterpillar.

Mood somber, Kavan paced the floor. Tiana was testing his patience to the limit. Nothing he did seemed to please her, in fact, she appeared to deliberately set out to provoke him. He should do as Pannis and his mother had suggested and take a Cabrilan maid to his bed. At least they had passion in their blood.

Then he remembered the way Tiana’s mouth had moved to accommodate his, and he smiled. No matter how much she tried to control it, she was all passion. A little encouragement from him and she’d soon disregard the teachings of the temple guardians.

“What sort of woman disdains such a rare gift as a wishing dish?” Rowena said, giving a disapproving shake of her head.

Irritated, Kavan turned towards his mother. Since it was he who’d insisted on choosing Tiana and bringing her to Cabrilan he was now bound to leap to her defense. “She’s been taught to scorn luxury. On Truarc she worked amongst the sick and needy. She follows the teachings of the alchemist and tells me his spirit has already consulted with her.”

He viewed his mother with a critical eye. The red gown didn’t suit her, and her elaborate silver headdress was so heavy it wrinkled her forehead and corded the sinews in her neck with the effort of holding it up. She looked haggard, as if she’d inhaled too much of the hallucinatory incense she was fond of burning.

He tried to concentrate on what she was saying, for he needed to gauge her true feelings towards Tiana. Not that it would make any difference to the outcome, but if his mother disliked Tiana she’d make a bad enemy for his Truarc maid.

“So she says. From what I hear the girl is a storyteller of note as well as a healer. She seeks to bring you round to her way of thinking with her wondrous tales.”

“And what is her way of thinking?” he said, his silky voice inviting her confidence.

Rowena didn’t need much encouragement. Her eyes glittered as she lapsed into the indiscretion born of familiarity. “The maid is arrogant. Her intention is to weaken your power by bringing scorn and insult down on your head.”

 Her words saddened him. Rowena spoke only of her own desires, for she had always sought to dominate him. “And then?”

“She’ll seize power for herself. Or worse, will place the brat she spawns on the seat of power. She’ll use his ears and tongue to govern through him.”

As Rowena had attempted to do to him in his youth until the spirit of the alchemist had seen fit to secretly counsel him when he slept. He sighed. “There is no god-child as yet.”

Her eyes slid sideways in a speculative glance. Their cupidity made him shudder. “I’m your mother. Don’t think rumors of your virility have escaped my ears. It will not be long before the man in you demands what she has to offer. Her purity will be an added incentive, for no man can resist the urge to conquer innocence.”

A subject he had no intention of discussing with her. “Her attractions go further than her innocence. Tiana has many talents.”

“There’s a matter I wished to bring to acquaint you with. Rumors abound that the girl has special healing powers. The talk needs to be stopped in case she attracts a following,”

“The rumor is true. I’ve seen her heal with my own eyes, and so have my troopers.” He smiled as his eyes narrowed in on her. “As for attracting a following . . . I think she’ll need all the friends she can find, for enemies she seems to have plenty of.”

Rowena’s mouth flattened into a spiteful line. “The healing powers are magical tricks. She has you all moonstruck.”

 The latter remark wasn’t too far from the truth if he was to be honest with himself, Kavan mused. Yet it would not be wise to admit that to his mother. “You belittle my intelligence if you imagine me so easily taken in. I’m the son of Arcus.”

“Intelligence, pah! Tiana takes after her mother. It’s said that the goddess Lynx used her wiles to entrap her own brother, and caused the downfall of Bel –”

His eyes sharpened and her eyes shifted away from him. She was casual, too casual. “I refer to Bannigren, your esteemed stepfather, of course. He was slain by the followers of Beltane.”

A slip of the tongue? Kavan’s gaze hardened on her face, searching it for signs of deceit or guilt. A few tix before she’d arrived he’d received some disturbing information about the followers – a note slipped under the door. This was too much of a coincidence. Surely Rowena could not be a follower of Beltane and working against him, as the note had suggested? “I have the feeling that’s not what you were about to say.”

 She would not look at him, but rose in a sudden flurry of movement, unable to conceal her disquiet. The contempt in her voice was almost venomous. “What son dares to probe his mother’s private thoughts or accuse her of treason? You’re no good company, Kavan, and I promised to drop in on Pannis.”

Treason? The fact that she used the word served to heighten his suspicion. He toyed with the idea of having her discreetly investigated, then dismissed it. Rowena was his mother, why would she work against him? “I bid you good day then,” he said with as much politeness as he could muster.

Rowena’s departure brought only relief. She’d been harsh in her raising of him and they’d never been close. Her autocracy annoyed him too. Marriage to his stepfather had elevated her socially, and her assumed superiority was irritating. When Tiana joined him he’d encourage . . . ? No, he’d
insist
Rowena must establish a household outside the manor, otherwise she’d continue to try and dominate his life.

Striding to the telescope he trained it on the high place. No sign of Tiana yet. She must have ventured into the forest.

He passed his hand over a smooth, round crystal, bringing it to life. “Where’s Tiana?” he said when an image appeared.

“They are bringing her into camp, Lord.”

“For what reason?”

“We underestimated the Pitilan. Many of us are suffering from its venom and she has the antidote.”

Kavan sucked in a shocked breath. “I’ll come. She might need persuading.”

“She’s under paralysis.”

“You’ve darted her?” He chuckled; he couldn’t help himself. “Then I’ll definitely come. She’ll be as mad as a nest of stingers when she comes out of it.”

The watcher grimaced. “Excuse me for saying so, Lord but I do not think your presence would be of benefit. She seems unwilling to respond to your truths or your wisdom, thus far.”

It was Kavan’s turn to grimace. Tiana obviously didn’t recognize either for what they were. She possessed a need to pit her wits against his, to challenge his word as though she thought she was equal to him in stature and had the right. His subconscious released a stray truth. She did have the right, and on Truarc she was certainly equal in social stature.

Enlightened, he chuckled. “Summon the alchemist then. He seems to have made a lasting impression on her.”

“Considering she’s a disciple of his teachings that might be of more help. Tiana has a kind heart despite her independent nature, and a willingness to help others in the face of adversity. She’s no coward and will make you a perfect life mate if you can but win her affection.”

“Not if, but when,” Kavan said, and was uplifted by his conviction that the watchers had given him the key to her heart.

But first, there were the followers of Beltane to contend with. An anonymous message had informed him of a public demonstration of the followers’ power in the market place. He must talk to Pannis, see if he’d found out who’d delivered the message and what precautions had been taken. He might even consult him about Rowena. He’d allow no one to come between him and the successful completion of his quest, not even his mother.

It was not Kavan’s usual practice to venture from his quarters at this hour of day. For some reason known only to fate, instead of his usual direct route he decided to take a roundabout one. The volume of people moving freely about the corridors surprised him. What business did they all have in the manor?

“You,” he said to a shabby-looking beggar sitting in a corner. “What’s your business?”

“Who wants to know?”

His personal bodyguard slid his sword from his scabbard and would have sliced the man’s head off if Kavan hadn’t placed a restraining hand on his arm. “Still your arm, Torma, the beggar is blind.”

“I’m not a beggar,” the man said bitterly. “I used to be the court silversmith before I lost my sight, and I can still fashion the metal with more skill than most sighted smiths. All I need is payment of my court credits to barter with. If I appear to be beggared it’s because I’ve been waiting too long a time, so long in fact that I’ve become part of the building and nobody sees me.”