The Eynan 2: Garileon (18 page)

Remelin followed the instructions, even closing her eyes. Jhond could feel as she attempted to center her talent, pleased as she gradually did so. Then she opened her eyes and, after a moment's deliberation, chose a crystal, her hand hovering over it for a second before she lifted it from the block. She gasped and her hand tightly curled over the small crystal. She closed her eyes again, and her mouth remained open as she took gulps of breath. After a minute or so, her breathing calmed, and she slowly opened her eyes, but it was clear she was not focusing on her surroundings.

Jhond glanced at Ninian, who raised his eyebrows. Remelin had chosen the strongest of the three crystals. The same one Jhond had chosen when Ninian first tested his level of talent. Ninian had told him only one in three mages got a response from this crystal. It confirmed that though her talent was raw, it had the signs of being prodigious.

After a little while, Remelin sighed, and Jhond watched as she carefully replaced the crystal in the block. She raised her eyes, meeting his for an instant, before turning her attention to Ninian. That one brief glance had been enough to tell Jhond she was aware what success with that crystal meant.

"It was...invigorating, wonderful and not a little scary," Remelin confided. "I didn't go anywhere the way you've described taking journeys. I felt as if I was...drifting. I got a sense of... I suppose it was emotion from the crystal. I could tell it liked me. Does that sound silly?" She shrugged. "I felt it wanted to help me; it showed me what was possible if I could take control of the talent swirling through my body. At present, it's fragmented, out of control?" Though it was a statement, it was also a definite question.

"Yes, that's true," Ninian confirmed. "I...we could feel that, but whether you're capable of total control only time will tell. The crystal confirmed our sense of your talent."

"It told me I had much to learn." She paused, looking pensive. "And you and Jhond"--she glanced at him then--"can help me control it?"

"We can," Jhond answered. "It was a good beginning, Remi."

He looked at Ninian, who nodded and added, "If we're certain your spirit is free and clear."

Remelin frowned. "I don't understand."

"You've spent a good deal of time with an evil entity, and we need to be certain you're truly free of its influence before we teach you skills that might be used against us."

"I would never do that!"

"Intentionally? No. Under the direct sway of the entity? Most certainly," Jhond confirmed.

Remelin opened her mouth, as if to speak, but no words ensued. She turned away, opened the door and went up on deck.

"She didn't like that," Jhond said.

"Not surprising," Ninian agreed. "She's been looking forward to seeing just what she is capable of, and you just told her she still has to wait." Ensuring everything was back inside, Ninian shrunk the chest and returned it to the safety of his pocket.

"I wasn't about to tell her that her choice of crystal is an indication of just how talented she might be," Jhond said.

The door opened again, and Amired peered around it. "Is it safe to come in? I saw the young lady on deck. She doesn't look very happy."

"Yes, come in. Her name is Remelin, and she wants something we can't give her yet," Jhond said.

"Do you have a cabin she can use? I know her presence here is...unexpected. I hope not unwelcome?" Ninian queried.

"If I can squeeze into this place with you, she can use my cabin. There's nowhere else on board suitable for a female."

"I'm sure we can manage. Thank you," Ninian said.

"So, I take it she's the female mage you were going to find."

"Yes, but we found something else along with her--an evil entity that held sway in her location and was influencing her. We brought her here to be free of it."

"So why is she still unhappy?"

"She wants us to help her develop her mage skills, but we're holding off until we're certain we are indeed clear of the entity's influence."

"Let's have a drink, and you can tell me the full story."

Amired walked over to the table and reached up to the railed shelf bracketed to the wall above, where a decanter and some glasses were stored. He was just turning around when the door opened. His first mate Aldous entered, accompanied by the young mage, who was looking windblown, shivering and definitely irritated.

"Thought I ought to return the lady to your care, Master Jhond," Aldous said, in a tone of voice telling Amired his mate's mood all too clearly.

"Is she causing trouble on deck?" Amired asked.

"I didn't do a thing!" Remelin declared, taking a blanket off the bed and draping it around her shoulders.

"Not exactly her fault, Captain, but the crew is restless, not working efficiently. I think it's better for everyone if she stays below decks." His gaze took in Jhond and Ninian. "Unless she's accompanied by one of you," he added.

"Very well. Thank you, Aldous," the captain said.

Aldous tugged at his cap as he left the cabin.

"We've not been properly introduced," Amired said. "Captain Tered Amired at your service, Mistress Remelin." He gave a short bow, aiming a grin at Ninian.

"Don't let his manner fool you. He's a rogue," Ninian said, smiling.

"Aye, but I'm your rogue."

Jhond laughed, and it did Amired good to hear it. It'd been too long since he'd heard the young man laugh so freely.

"But a rogue all the same. Best if you keep away from him, Remi," Jhond said.

Amired was surprised to hear the affectionate tone in Jhond's voice and glanced at his friend, only to be even more surprised by the look of indulgence on Jhond's face as he looked at Remelin. He glanced at Ninian and found he was watching the interchange, too. Sensing Amired's regard, Ninian met his gaze with a gentle shrug of the shoulders. Amired took the hint not to broach the subject in front of Jhond.

"Well, I'm sure the young lady has had a very trying day and would like nothing better than to freshen up and get some rest." Amired rose and held out a hand to Remelin.

She stared at his hand, but ignored it as she shifted her gaze to Jhond and Ninian. "What about the other crystals? You said I could watch when you used them."

Amired raised an eyebrow in question at his friends.

"We did indeed," Ninian said. "Do you want to proceed now or wait until the morning?" he asked Jhond.

"Now," Jhond said. "I want to know what is really behind this."

"Am I permitted to stay as well?" Amired asked.

"If you wish."

There was only one chair in the cabin, so Ninian used his Judral stone to create another three placed in proximity to the table, and they each took a seat. Amired finished pouring drinks for them all and set them out on the table, bringing up the fourth chair and sitting. Ninian brought out the shrunken chest and placed it beside his chair, where it was restored to full size.

Ninian quickly filled in Amired on what had happened at the nunnery and the nearby village, and the captain was justifiably fascinated by what had occurred.

"Have to say you two certainly lead an exciting life." He glanced at Remelin. "Never fear. You're in good hands with the two most powerful magi in existence."

"I know," she said softly.

Jhond opened the lid of the chest and pulled out the small wooden box containing the two very powerful crystals. He placed it in the center of the table and opened it. Remelin leaned forward to get another look at them, and Amired noted how Ninian kept a close eye on her and not on the crystals. Amired was filled with curiosity, but dismissed any concern; that was in the aegis of the magi. He studied the two crystals since it was the first time he had ever seen them. He definitely found the cracked one ominous.

"Who's going first?" Remelin queried.

"I suppose I should," Ninian said.

"Why is it cracked? What happened?" Amired asked, still staring at the damaged crystal, suddenly aware of the silence in the cabin as if it were a living thing. He glanced up to find Jhond staring at him, his mouth slightly open. Ninian was frowning, and Remelin was looking from one to the other.

"I don't know." Jhond sounded bemused. "I never... It didn't seem important, but by the Lords, of course it is." He glanced at Ninian. "Why did we never question how it happened?"

Ninian just shook his head, looking as confused as Jhond. "You picked it up the moment we saw it, and once you experienced what it had to tell you, it became important to follow its message. That was all that seemed to matter."

"That could've been the biggest mistake I made," Jhond confessed. "The crystals, all the artifacts we've found and are using were all made before the Withdrawal. We don't know who made them. Lords, we don't even know how or why they were made. I know a few of the words of the creation spell, but most of it has been lost." He stared at Ninian. "I've become so sure of myself, of what I can do, what I ought to do, that I've never questioned any of this."

"You're not on your own in that, Jhond. It was my task to train you, hone your skills as a mage, then to help prepare you to take on the mantle of the Eynan. I simply accepted everything I learned from the old writings and what was passed down in my family. Even the new knowledge we found in the Reeve library and through the crystal library, I accepted and never questioned any of it. I apologize for that."

"I think you're both being too hard on yourselves," Amired commented. "Lords of Light, it's been centuries, over a millennium, since the time of the Withdrawal. It's a miracle any of the knowledge survived, let alone the wherewithal to understand and use it. I think you have both done remarkably well, and if you find you have more to learn, then stop whining and get on with it."

Jhond smiled. "Thank the Lords for a man of common sense."

Amired laughed. "It's a long time since anyone claimed I had any sense at all."

Ninian sighed. "So, who is going first? Do you want me to do it?"

"No. I think the cracked crystal has a history we need to know. Now I understand my mistake in searching the present and the future for answers. I need to delve back in the past to discover what is behind this and, if possible, how the crystal was damaged."

Amired wished he felt more confidence in what was about to happen.

* * * *

Jhond took a deep breath, drawing his talent to the center of his body, feeling it pounding through his senses, gathering, ready to help him with whatever he needed. With a last quick glance at Ninian, he reached into the box, taking out the crystal and silently asking for help and trusting the crystal would show him how it came into being and what was its main purpose. As his fingers came into contact with the damaged crystal, Jhond felt heat and prepared for the pain that would come, but this time there was no pain, just gentle warmth spreading up his arms and into his body. He gasped as what felt like delicate fingers moved under his skin, sliding up his arms and into his torso until they were probing inside his skull and deep inside his chest. Then without warning, the heat was gone, the "fingers" disappeared and he felt totally relaxed, at peace, euphoric.

His inner vision dimmed, and it was as if he was moving through a mist. When it cleared, he found himself inside a large room with walls created from stone blocks and high arched windows. He knew he was back long ago, sensing it was around the time of the Withdrawal. There were two men in the room, and they were arguing, though Jhond couldn't hear their words properly. He moved closer.

"They're not thinking clearly, leaving so much to chance. The most powerful mage ever known will arise at some distant point in the future, and they're going to leave it to chance from which of the ten families he will be descended? It's ludicrous."

"But, Father, if they can ensure the Eynan will come from one of the ten families, the future will be secured."

"Who's to say what will become of those families over time? If one family were chosen, the one with the best lineage, then it could be protected and more control could be exercised over the continued success and security of that family and the eventual coming of the Eynan."

"I don't really understand, Father," the young man said. "What makes our family the most suitable? We are not the oldest, and I'm not sure we can claim to be the most powerful in terms of magistry."

"I sometimes wonder if you are truly a Thail," the father said disparagingly.

Thail!
Jhond understood where he must be and walked over to the nearest window to look out. He recognized the castle of Garileon, only a crumbling ruin in his day, but now a proud construction of a proud family.

A door opened off to the left, and Jhond watched as another two young men entered, clearly related by their similarity to the father and other young man.

"Ailil, Samand, thank the Lords, my older sons have more sense than my youngest."

"What's Berant done this time?" one of them asked.

"Done? Why nothing and understood even less!"

Berant sighed and backed away as his brothers moved closer. "Do I gather the final decision has been made, Father?"

"Yes and they ignored my advice, Ailil, saying I was being selfish and self-serving. They dared to say that my attitude proved the Thail family was undeserving; that the wheel of chance was the best way to ensure the right person became the Eynan when the time was right. Such rubbish!"

"Now what?" Samand asked.

"Now I will set my plan for retribution into motion."

Jhond listened in disbelief as the man he assumed to be the Doyen of the House of Thail described his plan to his sons. Even though the doyen had hoped he'd be proven wrong, he'd expected the Council of the Magi to deny his request, which would have assured a descendant of the Thail line would one day become the Eynan. Therefore, he had already begun to put his scheme into action. The doyen had used an old forbidden spell to create an entity out of air, fire, water and earth. The entity would bide its time, waiting until the day came when the Eynan emerged, and it would destroy him, leaving the way clear for the descendants of the House of Thail to take their rightful place in the scheme of things.