The Lodestone Trilogy (Limited Edition) (The Lodestone Series) (88 page)

~

Keris, Shann and Rael stood together in the cavern and watched as the Chandara resumed caring for the Tree.

Boxx stood on its hind limbs and addressed them. “We Must Travel To Drani-Kathaar. Where Are The Others?”

“Others?” Rael asked.

“The Others Of Your Kind. Lyall, Alondo And Patris.”

“They are quite safe,” Keris replied. At least they were when I left them. They should all be waiting in Kieroth.”

“All Must Travel To Drani-Kathaar. Time Is Short.”

“Yes, well there we could have a problem,” Rael called from behind. “My father’s avionic has only two seats, but there are four of us. We managed to bring Boxx here by having it squeeze into the front seat next to Shann. But I’m afraid transporting four is out of the question.”

“Then Boxx and I will travel directly to Drani-Kathaar on foot.” Keris declared. “You and Rael should return to Kieroth and bring the other three to the place of trials. Boxx and I will be waiting for you there.”

“So, where is this place?” Rael asked.

Keris reached inside her tunic and pulled out a folded paper–Annata’s map. She crouched down to Boxx’s level and opened it out in front of the little shelled creature. “Can you show us on this?”

Boxx regarded the map briefly, then extended a forelimb. The middle of its three fingers touched the paper. “Drani-Kathaar,” it said.

Keris made a mark on the spot, then handed the paper to the boy. “Here. Do you know where that is?”

Rael studied the map for some moments. “Yes, I believe I do. This is fascinating.” He turned his attention to Shann next to him. Shann scowled, as if anything that came from Keris must be contaminated somehow. Rael ignored the reaction. “This is the ancient ruined city of Kynedyr, and this here is the Warren, where we have just come from. So this–way to the south across the Vannath range of mountains–must be the Tower of Akalon; the twin of the one that you and I discovered, deep in the Cathgorn Mountains. The ‘Place of Trials’ seems to be right by there. And if I’m not mistaken…”

“What?” Shann demanded.

“Well the location seems to coincide with a place we know simply as ‘The Dais’,” Rael explained. “I read about it once. It’s nothing more than a raised metal platform, about a hundred and fifty ryns across. It dates from ancient times, but it isn’t classed as an ancient site because there’s nothing there–other than the platform, that is. Archaeologists say it was probably used for ceremonial purposes, but they say that about anything when they haven’t a clue what it is.” He turned to Keris. “Where did you get this?”

“I…encountered an old friend. That’s how I found out where the Chandara were.”

“Really,” Rael said. “I’d like to meet your friend some time.”

So would I
, Keris mused.
So would I.

~

The Chandara of the Warren were as good as their word to Boxx. Waiting for them in their cubicle, they found a stockpile of food, from which the three Kelanni were able to fill their packs. As they made their way back through the cave network, Chandara moved to allow their passage. At the entrance, four Chandara waited, standing erect on hind limbs, dressed in homespun brown coverings and carrying short spears. Their promised escort. One of them cocked its head to one side and addressed Boxx. “Kablos. You Honour Us. We Will Accompany You And Kelanni. You Will Be Safe With Us.” Keris marvelled at the creatures’ altered disposition. With a single touch, Boxx had transformed despair into hope. Keris was absolutely determined that that hope should not be disappointed.
We owe them at least that much.

However, it seemed that trust did not come as easily to Kelanni as it did to Boxx’s people. Since Keris and Shann had been reunited, they had spoken little beyond the bare essentials. Both women wore the same ebon tunic and trousers–the same dark flying cloak which flapped gently in the wind. Their uniform marked them as allies, yet there was an unmistakeable gulf between them. The boy had looked from one to the other curiously as they walked, but said nothing.

Keris was genuinely glad that the girl had somehow survived their tempestuous passage through the Great Barrier, along with Boxx. Yet when Shann glanced at her, Keris felt once more the cold flash of resentment.
Perhaps it’s my fault.
When she had first joined the party near the desert fortress of Gort, she had seriously questioned Lyall’s selection of travelling companions. A musician and a kitchen hand. She had made her disdain all too clear in the way she had dealt with them both. However, as time went on, she had gained a grudging respect for both Alondo and Shann, and had been forced to admit that there had been wisdom in Lyall’s choices. She had found Alondo’s irrepressible cheerfulness irritating at first, yet that cheerfulness had held their party together through thick and thin. And through his apparent physical weakness, she failed to discern a tactical sense at least as keen as her own, one that had proved decisive during the skirmish at the tower on the Eastern Plain.

Similarly, it had been easy to dismiss Shann as a petulant child, but the girl was intelligent and learned quickly. What she lacked in height and reach, she more than made up for in speed and agility, and in grit and determination. At the tower, she had held her own against a trained Keltar. And during the encounter with Saccath on Annata’s Reach, she had fought with uncommon bravery, armed with nothing more than a paddle. She reminded Keris more than a little of herself at that age, though without the girl’s fiery disposition. Had Keris still been in service to the Prophet, she might well have recommended her to the keep at Chalimar for training as Keltar.

Yet Shann clearly wanted neither her admiration nor her respect. During their voyage on the Reach, she had made it known that she held Keris responsible for the excesses committed in the Prophet’s name. Yet it seemed deeper than that–as if she held Keris responsible for some personal tragedy. No doubt there would be many who would feel the same way toward a former Keltar.
Even if I succeed in defeating the Prophet, I will probably have to deal with those kinds of attitudes for the rest of my life. And who is to say that I don’t deserve it?

Keris had no idea how to reach out to her. The best thing to do seemed to be not to try, but rather to allow the girl her space. Hence the return journey to the edge of the plateau was conducted largely in silence. Keris took the lead along with two of the Chandara escort. Shann and Rael followed, with Boxx shuffling along beside Shann. The remaining two Chandara covered the vanguard. The snow had stopped falling, but there were no suns visible. They marched together under a leaden sky.

Finally, they reached the spot where the avionic rested. Keris stood with the Chandara and watched Shann and the boy, Rael, climb aboard the tiny flying craft. It looked far too fragile–too precarious to bear a person aloft into the far reaches of the sky.
Rather you than me.
Rael started the machine up, and then shouted above the growing whir of the fans.

“Safe journey. We will meet you at Drani-Kathaar.” The girl in the front seat turned her head and said something to Rael that Keris could not hear. Then the cockpit canopy came down and the fans rose in pitch. Moments later, the flying machine lifted off the ground, turned one hundred and eighty degrees and shot away toward the west. Keris watched until the sound of the engines died away and the avionic was a distant point against the clouds.

She turned to the little shelled creature that was looking up at her expectantly. “Time to go.”

“A Moment,” Boxx chirped.

It scuttled over to the other four Chandara that made up their escort. The five of them stood erect on their hind limbs in a circle and touched hands. Then they lifted their round heads, closed their eyes, and their mouths began to ripple. Harmonious voices filled the air, growing in pitch and varying in cadence. The Chandara were…
singing
. Their voices were ethereal, like nothing she had ever heard before. Keris listened in awe and wonder as the air was filled with the achingly beautiful melody. Snowflakes began to drift down lazily over the high plateau.
Could it actually be that this madrigal had first sounded forth at a time before Kelanni had appeared in this world?
Finally, the song died away and the creatures lowered their heads once more. The Chandara escort slowly turned away, and Boxx made its way back to where Keris stood.

“Time To Go,” it said.

<><><><><>

Chapter 28

Their sleek silver craft swooped in low over the snowy plains. Shann watched as the familiar structures of Kieroth grew in her vision. She spotted the recharge station with its single squat construction, surrounded by slumbering avionics, glinting in the late afternoon suns. The landing field passed beneath them, and their flying machine continued on toward the town.

Shann called out to the boy seated behind her. “Where are we headed?”

“I’m going to set her down at the observatory,” he said.

“You’re going straight to Hannath?”

Rael chuckled. “I may as well. I’d rather not run into Ravid right now. The last time I saw him, I knocked him to the ground and stole one of his machines. I imagine he’d probably wish me ‘good day’, then knock my teeth out.”

And you think the reception from Hannath is going to be any better?
Shann had known this day would come. With all that had happened since their hasty departure from Kieroth, it had been easy to forget that one day they were going to have to come back and face the music. Rael had told her that he didn’t think it was likely that he would lose his position at the observatory, but Shann was astute enough to realise there was no guarantee of that. The boy had placed his career, his future on the line to help her. It was something that had bothered her ever since they had left. Now, if he were censured, she didn’t think she would forgive herself.

The high dome of the observatory came into view, dominating the snow-covered hill west of the town. Shann could see the thin ribbon of road, and the strange cylinders that stood in the fields to either side. Rael took the avionic in a wide arc, making for the side of Hannath’s dwelling, where there was a flat area. As their craft descended, her eyes were fixed on the approaching ground. It felt odd, but she had almost come to think of this place as home. Suddenly, she caught sight of two tiny figures running from the house toward the landing ground. They were too far away to make out, except…one was wearing a distinctive red hat.

“
Alondo.
” she screamed. “It’s Alondo.” She began waving madly. He probably wouldn’t be able to see her inside the cockpit, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered right now other than the two people below. Their hair and clothing were being blown about madly by the downdraught from the twin fans, although impossibly, the red hat stayed firmly on. The avionic touched down and settled back on its landing struts. Shann gestured to Rael for him to pop the cockpit cover, but he seemed to take forever switching off and locking down the controls. Finally, the canopy lifted and she scrambled out and dropped to the ground. Alondo and Lyall were waiting expectantly. She ran and hugged each of them in turn. Alondo held on as if he were going to crush the breath out of her.

She hammered on his shoulder with her tiny fists. “What happened? Where were you all this time? I waited and waited. Where were you?”

Alondo tried half-heartedly to fend off the assault. “I…I’m sorry. We never gave up hope. By the time we found out you and Boxx were alive, you had already left, and no-one knew where you’d gone…Where is Boxx?”

“Boxx stayed with Keris,” she answered.

Lyall’s eyes widened. “You met up with Keris?”

“Yes, and we found the Chandara. We know where Annata’s instrument is. We have to go there together–all of us.”

Lyall put a hand on her arm. “I want to hear all about it.” He looked over her shoulder. “You must be Rael.”

Shann had not noticed the boy standing behind her. She shut her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry. Rael. This is Lyall…and Alondo.”

The tall young Kelanni bowed formally to them in turn. “I am honoured to meet you. Shann here has told me a great deal about you–your journey here and your mission.”

“Come on, let’s get inside,” Lyall suggested. “We can get better acquainted in the warm.”

In spite of the frigid air, Shann already felt a cosy feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. Lyall and Alondo were here. Now everything would be fine.