strongholdrising (82 page)

* * *

Taizia was hovering outside the den and as they left, Kaid nodded to her and she slipped in.
"I take it there's been no news of Kusac beyond his visit to Haven."
"None, I'm afraid. Carrie seems very fragile," said Lijou, choosing his words carefully.
"You've seen her at the best she's been since we got home," said Kaid. "As you know, thanks to Raiban, the news hit the Infonets the same day it happened. When we returned, we were besieged, not only on the estate's perimeters by reporters but by our own Clan, all of them clamoring for the truth." He glanced at Lijou as they passed out through the side door into the vehicle park. "He's lost it, Lijou, really gone over the edge to walk out on her at this time. He needs finding and hospitalizing for his own good. What was on the crystal, anyway?"
"A love letter, that's all," said Lijou "I should have listened to Kha'Qwa and brought it with me. So much for hoping not to distress Carrie."
"Everything distresses her just now. She's convinced herself that Kusac's innocent of the charges against him, that there's some other reason for him leaving Shola than returning to the Primes. Vanna's coming to see her later this afternoon to try to persuade her to take some medication."
"They say love is blind, it sees what it wants to see," murmured Lijou, stopping beside the speeder to wait for Yaszho to open the door. "How are the twins doing? I promised Kha'Qwa I'd ask about them."
"Fine. Layeesha's thriving, and Dhaykin is beginning to slowly catch up with his sister," said Kaid, smiling for the first time that day.
"That's good news," he said as the door slid open. "Keep us posted on how Carrie's doing, Kaid. We're all most concerned for her."
"I will. Thank you for bringing the bracelets over."

* * *

As the speeder took off and began to climb over the bare branched trees, Lijou sat back in his seat and sighed. He'd have closed his eyes if he could, but he knew if he did he'd see four small bodies lying rimed with frost in cryo units.
Yaszho reached into his door pocket and passed him a can. "Try this, Father. You look like you could do with it."
"What's this?" he asked, taking it from him and turning it round, trying to read the alien script.
"A U'Churian hot beverage with sweetener in it. Pull the tab and wait thirty seconds for it to heat up, then it's ready to drink."
He pulled the tab and waited. As it began to warm, the interesting smell that drifted out of the opening made him realize how hungry he was. "I don't suppose you brought any food?"
"Tutor Kha'Qwa wouldn't let me leave without enough to feed a household," he said. "It's in the box behind you, Father. Don't blame yourself about the cubs. Master Rhyaz is right. It was impossible to give them to their parents without word of what the Primes had done getting out. Then we'd have had all Shola baying for their blood. That would mean the collapse of the treaty and Brother Kusac stranded in hostile territory even if he did get away from Kezule. If the cubs hadn't have been hybrids...but when the oldest is only a little over a year old, how can four ten-year-olds suddenly appear from nowhere? It just isn't possible to give them to their parents right now, Father Lijou, not when we're poised on the brink of war."
"I know," he sighed. "It doesn't make it any easier to lie to people I consider my friends."

APPENDIX

Ancient Brotherhood records
It was the end of an age, a time of terror and fire, when two suns shone briefly in the heavens. The lesser one hung fiery red in our sky, searing the land with the heat of its breath as it drew ever closer to our world. Across forest, plain and city, fires raged, devastating everything in their path. It brought the beginnings of hope as the flames drove the invaders forever from our soil.
Those who could run fled, heading for the high lands, praying their Gods hadn't forsaken them, watching the blazing orb as it grew ever larger before finally disappearing beyond the horizon.
The very earth trembled at its falling, shaking even the temples to their foundations. Then the sea rose up to wipe the face of Shola clean, washing away the taint of the occupation, and the debris of what was now past.
Darkness fell across the face of Shola. For two years, rain and clouds hid the face of the sun. In their mountain lairs, the people of Shola survived, and grew stronger. We watched and waited for the return of the sun, praying to our Gods for deliverance, never dreaming that a God already lived among us.
When that first day came, Vartra Himself emerged from Stronghold, sending His followers out into the spring sunlight to find and reunite all the people of Shola. The Brotherhood we were called, sworn to protect the weakest among our kind but particularly the telepaths.
Guilds were formed so that no knowledge or skill could be lost, and slowly the work of rebuilding began. To this day, that time of year is named after Mellasha, the Goddess of Rebirth and Spring. And lest any forget the second sun that brought about our deliverance, or our joy at seeing the clouds finally part, our calendar was rewritten on the sun's cycles with each month bearing a portion of the name of Zhalwae, the Sun God.
Sholan Months of the Year.
Shola has 12 months, 11 of which are 31 days long, the twelfth being 33 days long. It has two moons, the larger one called Agalimi, the smaller one called Aduan, and their orbits are 19 and 16 days long respectively.
The Sholans have a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses not unlike the Greek one on Earth. Each deity has helpers, called dzinaes, who embody lesser aspects of their patron deity.
Human
January
Sholan Month
Zhal-L'Shoh
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Winter's Hellmouth— L'Shoh is the God of Hell and Consort of Kuushoi.
Human
February
Sholan Month
Zhal-Mellasha
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Spring Hope, 16th day is First of Spring— Mellasha is Goddess of Spring.
Human
March
Sholan Month
Zhal-Arema
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Love— Arema is Goddess of Love.
Human
April
Sholan Month
Zhal-Ch'Ioka
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Hearth— Ch'Ioka is Ghyakulla's female dzinae of Hearth and Home.
Human
May
Sholan Month
Zhal-Zhalwae
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Sun God, 6th day is the First of Summer— Zhalwae is the Sun God.
Human
June
Sholan Month
Zhal-Ghyakulla
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Goddess— the Green Goddess, the Earth Mother.
Human
July
Sholan Month
Zhal-Vartra
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Consort, 8th day is Midsummer Festival— Vartra's month, a fertility festival as He is both Son and Consort of Ghyakulla.
Human
August
Sholan Month
Zhal-Oeshi
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Harvest— Oeshi is Goddess of Harvest time.
Human
September
Sholan Month
Zhal-Nylam
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of the Hunt, 18th day is First of Autumn— Nylam is God of the Hunt
Human
October
Sholan Month
Zhal-S'Asha
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Approaching Darkness— S'Asha is L'Shoh's female dzinae of Dusk and Darkness.
Human
November
Sholan Month
Zhal-Rojae
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Snow, 4th day First of Winter— Rojae is Kuushoi's male dzinae of Snow and Frost.
Human
December
Sholan Month
Zhal-Kuushoi
Meaning in Human language and Month associated deity
Month of Winter, 26th day is Midwinter Festival— Kuushoi is the Winter Goddess and the festival is when the birth of Vartra, Her Son, is celebrated.