storm (20 page)

            “Parasiel evolved from the Varrs,” Cobweb said, his voice steady.  “Stop shouting and just think about that for a moment.”

            “It could only happen when Terzian had died.  Thank all the gods that happened!”

            “I loved him very much,” Cobweb said.  “Don't say any more.”

            “He was –”

            “And so did Cal,” Cobweb continued.  “If you say any more, Pell, we're going to fall out – badly.  Just stand back for a moment and and watch yourself.”

            Pellaz uttered an angry sound and put his head in his hands.  He was consumed by furious emotion.  Cal had loved Terzian: he knew that was the truth.  “Cal should have stayed here in Galhea when he first had the chance,” he said, “before we realised what we felt for one another.  How much that would have changed things.”

            Cobweb put a hand on Pell's shoulder.  “He didn't stay because he loved you more.  You know that.  He only came here when he thought you were dead.  Let go of the past, Pell.  You must.”

            “I wanted so badly for it to work,” Pellaz said.  “I thought it could have done.  I was wrong.  And now Thiede is gone and the whole world is falling apart.”

            “It's not over yet,” Cobweb said, stroking Pell's hair.  “Be strong, my beautiful friend.  But be wise also.  Send Terez to look for Dorado, and we will go to Shilalama together.  I am interested in meeting Opalexian, very interested.”

            Pellaz raised his head and breathed deep, banishing the unwelcome feelings.  He must not become their prey.  He could betray no weakness.  “I have told Terez to ask Tyson to accompany him on his search.”

            Cobweb was silent for a moment, then said, “Ty will appreciate that.  He pulls at the bit here.  An adventure will do him good.  He needs to find his own place in the world.”

            “But you do not wholly approve of my idea.  I can tell.”

            “It's not because of me,” Cobweb said, “it's because of the one who will be left behind.  Tyson has a chesnari, a har I like very much.  He will be devastated.”

            “Tyson will return,” Pellaz said.  “Terez will look out for him.”

            “I know.  I'm not concerned for Ty's safety.  I just worry that once he's had a taste of the world, he won't come back here.  He is Cal's son, after all, even if it does feel like he's mine.  He needs a bigger life than any that Galhea can offer him.”

            “Then he deserves to have one.”

            Cobweb nodded.  “I know.  Thank you for giving him a chance, Pell.  I know it's not easy for you to accept him.”

            “Let's go back to the house.  I'd like to talk to Tyson before we sleep tonight.  Terez and he can leave first thing in the morning.  Perhaps you could give him some idea about where to start looking.  Tell him what you told me.”

            Cobweb stood up.  “OK.  I could do with a drink now.  A large one.”

            Pell looked up at him.  “I'm sorry for what I said.  Take it as a compliment.  I can be myself with you.”

            Cobweb smiled.  “Apology accepted.  Let's go.”

Cobweb and Pellaz joined Tyson and Terez, in the bedroom where they were still talking.  They discussed between them where Terez should first search for Dorado, and it seemed fairly conclusive to all of them that Terez and Tyson should head north.  Pellaz decided that they should not ride
sedim
, not just – he said – because Tyson wasn't trained to control a
sedu
, but also because more clues could be picked up from the countryside along the way.  Tyson knew the Gelaming were reluctant to let outsiders own or even ride the
sedim
, and suspected that was Pell's prime motive in suggesting they use a more conventional mode of travel.

            Pellaz, clearly picking up on this thought, said, “One day, you will come to Immanion, Tyson.  At that time, I will see to it that you are trained how to control a
sedu
.”

            The message – to Tyson – was clear: behave and prove yourself, and I will be more inclined to be generous.

            The discussion was brief, because Terez wanted to make an early start in the morning.  They would ride north and investigate ruined human communities beside lakes.  Cobweb was fairly sure it would not be a coastal town.  Megalithica was a big country.  The search could take months, if not years.  In the meantime, Cobweb would continue to seek psychic information, which would be relayed to them through Pellaz's close telepathic link with Terez.

            Tyson did not want to go to bed, because he no longer felt tired.  He'd have been quite happy to start travelling immediately.  Cobweb said he'd go to the library to find a good map for Terez, and Tyson trailed along behind him.  He thought he might as well study the map for a while and perhaps make some notes about which locations they should visit. 
Sedim
would make the job so much easier, he thought.  Pellaz didn't trust him with one.  Perhaps the Tigron wasn't as keen to find Dorado as he seemed.  Surely, if he had any sense of urgency, he'd have made sure his trackers used the most efficient method of transport available.

            “Where do you think you're going?” Cobweb asked, as they reached the doors to the library.

            “With you,” Tyson answered.  “I thought...”

            “No, there is somewhere else you should go,” Cobweb said.  “Go now.”

            Tyson held Cobweb's gaze for some moments, then glanced away.  “All right.  If I must.”

            Cobweb made a sound of displeasure.  “I cannot believe you even contemplated leaving here without doing so.”

            “To be honest, it slipped my mind.  This has been a big surprise.”

            “Don't lie to me, Tyson.  You will never get away with it.”

            Tyson sighed heavily and trudged to the stables.  The one thing he would not miss about home was the fact that Cobweb always knew everything.  As for the other thing, he wasn't sure whether he'd miss it or not.  At the moment, he had no feelings about it, other than a mild discomfort about the possibility of an emotional scene.  He rode swiftly into town, directly to the house where Ferany lived.

            Tyson didn't want to advise Ferany's parents that he was there, so trusted Ferany had gone to bed and threw stones at his window.  Eventually, a light came on and Ferany opened the window.  He is beautiful, Tyson thought, but that is not enough.

            “What's wrong?” Ferany asked.

            “Come down.  We need to talk.”

            “Why the secrecy?”

            “Just come done here.”

            It was not that difficult to tell Ferany he was leaving Galhea.  Of course, he could not divulge the true nature of the job he'd been given, but said that he was working for the Tigron and would be travelling with Terez.  Ferany appeared to accept the news well.  “Will you be gone for a long time?”

            “I expect so,” Tyson replied, and now came the difficult part.  “Ferany, I have to say this: don't wait for me.”

            Ferany frowned a little.  “I'm not sure I understand you.  I live here, so... Did you think I'd be celibate while you were away?  What do you mean?”

            Tyson took Ferany's hands in his own.  “I mean... I might not come back.”

            “Are you involved in something dangerous?”

            “No.”  Tyson took a deep breath.  “This isn't what I want, Fer.  I don't want
us
, you moving into
Forever
, blood bond, harlings, or whatever.  I'm sorry.  I think this has happened for the best.”

            Ferany removed his hands from Tyson's hold.  “I see.”  He laughed, raggedly.  “Strange, I thought we were chesna.  I thought we both felt the same.”

            “When I got this offer, I knew,” Tyson said.  “I just felt this... I don't know... huge sense of relief.  Oh hell, that sounds bad.  I didn't mean it how it sounds.  It's just...”

            “Cobweb spoke to me some days ago.  We talked about the future and he told me he was looking forward to me becoming part of the family.”

            “Oh.  Well, it's taken us all by surprise, this offer of a job.”

            “Only a couple of days ago you were rejoicing that you wouldn't have to go to Immanion.  You were moaning about the Gelaming.  Now this.  I can't take it in.”  Ferany gazed up at the sky and Tyson could see the glisten of unshed tears in the moonlight.  “I can't believe this,” Fereny said.  “I really can't.  How could you just
change
so much so quickly?”

            Tyson rubbed his face.  “It's not that I'm not fond of you, Fer.  I am.  You're beautiful and great company.  Aruna with you is like...”

            “Oh shut up!” Ferany interrupted.  Without further words, he punched Tyson in the face, which sent him reeling.  “You shit,” he said and walked back into the house, slamming the door behind him.

            Tyson continued to see stars for several moments longer.  That had not been quite the reaction he'd anticipated.

Chapter Ten

The moment Abrimel har Aralis let in the darkness was the moment he heard the news from Immanion about his hostling.  Anyhar would be forgiven for assuming he must have been filled with a cold focused rage, directed particularly against not only the assailant responsible for the attack, but the hara who had been instrumental in getting Caeru with pearl.  But this was not the case.  The darkness in Abrimel's heart was a kind of quiet self-justified glee.

            This time it was not Velaxis who brought the news.  It was an official from Caeru's office, who obviously, and kind-heartedly, had felt it was important for the Tigrina's son to be made aware of circumstances when everyhar else had forgotten him in the chaos.  The message had not come directly to Abrimel, who'd been out in the field at the time, but had been received by one of his staff, who had the unenviable task of relaying the information to his employer once he returned to Imbrilim.  In a daze, Abrimel asked the right questions in a clipped and strained tone, nodded curtly to the answers, and everyhar who witnessed his strangely blank response imagined he was stunned by what he'd heard.  Abrimel was known as a private kind of har.  Nohar expected him to confide in them or demonstrate his feelings.

            Left alone, Abrimel nursed the gratifying thought: 'serves you right', and was amazed to discover he didn't feel the least bit guilty about it.  Caeru had brought his misfortunes on himself.  He'd learned nothing during all the years he'd lived in Immanion.  The irritating coziness of newfound harmony among the Aralisians must surely now be shattered.  Abrimel could not even bring himself to send a message home, offering condolences or support.  In a deep hidden corner of his heart, he thought that perhaps Caeru might come to him now, full of tears and regret, seeking his one true son.  In this fantasy, Abrimel and Caeru ran away from everything Gelaming and forged a new life together, more to Abrimel's liking.  But no message came from the Tigrina and certainly no personal visit.  Abrimel, enmeshed in his own feelings, did not for one moment consider that Caeru was actually lying in an infirmary bed taking far too long to heal.  He imagined that his hostling was drooping and weeping around Phaonica, mourning the loss of a son who Pellaz would have not only accepted but also loved.  As the days passed, this thought became more real in Abrimel's mind and heart.  He and Caeru should never have gone to Immanion in the first place.  If Caeru hadn't been so stupid and besotted, they would have had a different, wonderful life together.  Furious, Abrimel decided that he no longer had a hostling or a father.  He cast the pair of them off like dead skin.