Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series (16 page)

‘Malesh is examining
the cultivated place in Akan. He says from what he has seen, and
some of their explanations, the Delvers have advanced ideas of
engineering and irrigation as well as the selective breeding of
plants to obtain the best crops they can in such unnatural
conditions.’

Mim nodded, his scaled
cheeks glinting in the firelight.

‘There are a few things
I have told them to try – we will have to get plant roots and seeds
from the south. Some even from Nagum woodlands perhaps. Most of
their crops I nearly recognise, but they have changed them, over
all the cycles of living here.’

‘Their discovery of the
hot springs would have helped them tremendously. I wonder if the
Dragons knew of them, or if the Delvers discovered them
themselves?’ Kera pondered aloud, scribbling on a scrap of paper as
she did so.

Mim grinned at
her.

‘I know,’ she laughed.
‘I’ve heard myself referred to as Lady Writing Stick!’

Ashta nudged Kera
gently. ‘They mean it kindly, Lady Kera.’

‘I know that also, dear
one.’ Kera hesitated. ‘Do you miss Tika and Farn
terribly?’

She was immediately
aware of the link tightening between the slim youth and the pale
green Dragon.

Ashta answered the
question simply. ‘Yes Lady. We fear for them.’ She rattled her
wings and Mim slid his arm round her shoulders.

‘We feel we are safe
here Kera,’ Mim said. ‘And yet they have had to go into danger.’ He
bit his lip, on the verge of saying more.

‘And what has Dessi to
do with this?’ Kera asked.

As Mim and Ashta both
stared at her she smiled sadly. ‘The People may have acted
foolishly of late, but I am not a fool. Dessi has been shut in her
chamber for days. What is she doing?’

Again, Ashta spoke
first. ‘She was protecting them from the ice wind Lady. She was
teaching herself how to do it, even as she did it. It has taken all
her strength but they all reached Gaharn yesterday before
dark.’

‘What?’ Kera was on her
feet. ‘That child? Who is tending her? Why didn’t you tell me? Send
a healer after me – at once.’

And she was striding to
the slope leading to the upper levels.

‘You had best find a
healer, my Mim.’ Ashta said nervously.

He hugged her quickly
and rushed off to do just that.

Kera opened the door to
Dessi’s quarters, afraid of what she might find. For a second, she
thought the room was empty, then a slight movement among the heaped
pillows sent her to her knees at Dessi’s side. Gently, Kera
straightened the tiny figure from the tight ball into which she had
curled herself. Her clothes were damp with sweat, her eyes too
tightly closed for her to be asleep, and her face was
grey.

‘Dessi.’ Kera spoke
clearly. ‘I’m going to get you into a dry gown and lift you to the
bed. I will try not to hurt you dear one.’

A hand groped towards
her and Kera squeezed it gently. ‘A moment,’ she said.

Kera sat back on her
heels and looked round the chamber. The edge of a gown hung out
from beneath the bed covers and she went to pull it free, picking
up a towel from the wash stand as she passed. She was easing the
gown over Dessi’s head when she heard voices outside in the
passage. Then the door opened and closed. Nesh, the Gaharnian
healer who’d come north in Kera’s party, knelt beside her, his long
fingers resting on Dessi’s temple.

‘She’s taken too much
power Kera, the web of her mind is fractured.’

Kera lifted Dessi
easily and Nesh pulled the covers back as Dessi was laid on the
bed. The small hand waved helplessly again and Kera caught it in
hers. The Delver’s eyelids had stayed tightly clenched.

‘Dessi,’ Nesh said
softly. ‘I must enter your mind to try to heal the web. When it is
done, you must drink water and eat some fruit or bread before you
sleep. You must do this, you understand. I can mend the damage but
the pain will remain – that is relieved by feeding your body. Hold
my hand now, so Kera may fetch food for you. It will take a while
for me to do this and you must not fight me in your mind. Hold the
thought that I seek only to help you, never to harm you
child.’

Nesh took Dessi’s hand
from Kera’s and sat in the chair Kera hurriedly pulled to the side
of the small bed. His fingers lightly brushed Dessi’s head again
then he closed his eyes, and began. Dessi’s body spasmed as she
instinctively resisted his first touch in her mind, then the
stiffness went out of her and she lay still.

Two days after Tika,
Farn and their companions arrived at Emla’s house, there came a
surge of power that staggered them all. Farn’s sister Nya was the
worst affected, as she was flying in pursuit of Ikram. She
screamed, tumbling to the ground and lying unmoving. Ikram crawled
towards her, pain roaring in his head. Kija was there at once, her
eyes flaring gold and scarlet despite the thunder in her own mind.
Brin was helping Shar who seemed to have felt the pain as a flash,
which, to her terror, left her sightless.

Uma, who was with Nolli
while Ulla, Meppi and Kadi hunted, had her eyes closed as her head
swung from side to side and a high pitched moan wailed from her.
Lanni was less affected and managed to reach Nolli, while Bara had
no idea what had happened as Ryla pitched forward in her chair.
Lanni gasped out quickly that a great surge of power had affected
them and Bara pulled frantically at the bell cord as she tried to
keep Ryla from falling to the floor.

At the first jolt of
pain, Tika had flung up every barrier she could around her mind and
Farn’s and neither of them suffered, as did the others. Servants
arrived in a rush as Tika assured herself that Farn was all right.
She told the servants to help as they could and to fetch healers
quickly for the two old ones.

‘Shan, help Lanni with
Nolli. Lanni felt it too but less strongly. A great drawing of
power,’ she explained to Shan’s blank face.

She hurried outside to
where Brin was calming Shar.

‘It has affected her
sight Tika,’ Brin said.

Tika slid into Shar’s
mind and as quickly out again. ‘If you can make her sleep Brin,
then do so. Her sight will return. It is the shock, not permanent
damage.’

Brin rumbled his relief
and curved himself around Shar, crooning softly.

Tika ran on down the
path to where Kija was crouched beside Nya and Ikram.

‘Ikram sleeps, Tika. He
was stunned and dazed but otherwise unhurt. Nya twisted her back as
she fell, there is much pain there – can you see?’

Tika first caught
Kija’s long face, holding her between her hands. Kija’s eyes
whirred dark gold then faded to a pale honey. She exhaled softly,
the ache in her head pushed back by Tika’s power. Only then did
Tika move to Nya, checking the small Dragon with her senses as well
as her eyes. She pushed at the inert form then asked Kija to help
her move Nya onto her belly. As they moved her, a long tear was
visible in the wing she had fallen on, dark blood staining the snow
beneath her.

‘She needs to be warm,
Kija.’ Tika looked back to the house. Soran and four Guards were
running towards them.

‘We have to get her
inside. Ikram too.’ She looked hopefully at Soran.

‘Boards Sir.’ One of
the Guards suggested. ‘Three strong boards, a couple of us at each
end of each board. Should manage all right, I reckon.’

Soran nodded. ‘Fetch
them quickly Riff. Is she badly hurt Lady Tika? And what in the
name of the stars happened here?’

‘It was a tremendous
use of power. I’ll explain later but right now I want Shan at the
pavilion, hot water and salves. I don’t think the wing is broken
but the tear is bad. Will you send a healer please
Soran?’

‘Of course
Lady.’

One of the Guards
hurried back to the house as several more Guards came into the
garden carrying three flat boards.

Kija watched closely as
Tika and Soran had the boards slipped beneath Nya’s body. Guards
braced themselves and straightened slowly. A forearm dangled and
Tika dodged between the Guards and gently rested the arm across the
board again. Nya’s tail hung just clear of the snow as the Guards
reached the pavilion. With great care, they lowered her near the
hearth where Shan waited with other servants, several in tears at
the sight of the stricken Dragon.

Soran ordered his men
back to repeat the process with Ikram who was still watched over by
his mother. A healer glanced up at Tika from where he sat on a
stool by the fire. She was shocked to see how ill he looked. Then
it dawned on her. Everyone in Gaharn, all the People who used the
power to any extent, would have felt that assault in their
minds.

She watched how the
healer swayed as he got to his feet and bent to stretch out Nya’s
wing. His human assistant, who held a bowl of water, took a quick
look at the healer’s trembling hands and, putting the bowl on the
floor, began to gently swab the gaping tear himself. Tika groaned
inwardly. She didn’t know how she’d healed Farn but she was going
to have to use her power again on Nya too.

The gash could be sewn
but she could clearly see how it would shorten some of the muscle
fibres, making Nya’s flight uneven and probably always painful. She
touched the healer’s shoulder.

‘I’ll try, but you must
also try – to lend me what strength you can.’

He nodded as she knelt
beside him. Once again, Tika went deep inside herself and then sent
her mind into the ripped wing. She was inside the hide, untangling
sinew from tendon, realigning the ropes of muscles. At least there
was no hurt to the great blood vessel that lay along the top edge
of the wing, a mere two handspans above the wound.

Then she withdrew and
began merging the hide back together, and looked along Nya’s spine.
She could see where the Dragon’s back was twisted and although
nothing was torn or broken, muscles had been stretched awkwardly to
their limit. When she’d done what she could, she leaned against the
healer for a moment. She could feel him shivering with strain from
channelling strength into herself. His assistant pushed a mug of
water into her hands and she drank thirstily.

The Guards had laid
Ikram opposite Nya. Kija had followed them and reclined, watching
Tika work.

‘She must rest Kija,
very little movement of her wing or her back for a few days. The
muscles around her spine will be very sore although her wing will
just feel weak. But she must stay still to let them heal
fully.’

‘Thank you once more
small one. I will watch over them. Brin cares for Shar but if she
wakes, let him bring her here.’

Tika got to her feet
feeling as old as Nolli, and spoke quietly to Shan.

‘Make sure the pavilion
stays warm for them, Shan. If you feel any concern, send someone
for me. I will see if I can help the old ones.’

Shan nodded. ‘And my
Lady Emla?’ she asked anxiously. ‘I think she was in the library
but she would have been hurt too wouldn’t she? Will you find her
for me please Tika?’

Tika touched Kija’s
long beautiful face as she stepped round her and the golden Dragon
bent her brow to Tika’s in silent gratitude. Tika was glad to find
Gan at the door as she left the pavilion. It had begun to snow yet
again and she peered up at him through fat flakes.

‘Are you all right?’
she asked.

He gave a grunt of
humourless laughter. ‘After what you’ve been doing, you ask if I am
all right?’ he asked in return. ‘I have a headache which is
lessening, but you look dreadful.’

‘Thank you so much,
kind Sir.’ She grimaced. ‘How are the old ones?’

‘Ryla seems better than
Nolli, but both are badly shaken. Emla too. She came downstairs a
few moments ago.’

They’d reached the
house where Brin sheltered Shar. He regarded them, gold and red
colours in his prismed eyes.

‘She should be under
cover, Tika.’

She rested a hand on
Shar’s neck and slid into her mind again, testing the strength of
the small Dragon’s web of power. She withdrew gently.

‘I think you could wake
her, enough to make her walk to the pavilion Brin. Once she’s
there, make her sleep again. Kija is keeping Nya and Ikram asleep
until morning. She will allow them to wake when I am with them
then.’

Brin started to uncurl
himself from Shar’s body. ‘I would seek Kadi and the Snow Dragons,
Tika. I hear nothing from them but pain.’

Tika looked
aghast.

‘Where are they? I’ll
go with you. Let me look at the old ones while you get Shar to the
others and I will come.’

Unaware, she clutched
Gan’s hand as she hurried into Emla’s house. Kemti was sprawled on
a couch, a pale faced healer working over him. The healer’s
assistant replied to Tika’s question.

‘He was far speaking
someone in the city Lady, so his mind was open. He will recover
though.’

She nodded and went on
to the two old ones. Emla slumped on a stool leaning against Ryla’s
chair, looking haggard. Nolli was pale but managed a toothless
smile when she saw Tika approach. Somehow Ryla appeared almost
transparent, her skin tight across the high cheekbones. But her
eyes sparkled with rage Tika was relieved to see.