Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series (35 page)

She was astonished at
the intricacy and strength, realising at the same time that they
held enormous power as yet in reserve. Kera gripped Dessi’s hand
tight as their minds were taken up by Fenj himself and suddenly
they were hurtling outward far beyond the Stronghold. She saw
nothing, no sky, no mountains, no Wilderness, all was a whirling
greyness. Somehow Kera was aware of Fenj’s thought – the mind he
had met before was not now in the air currents but within one of
the craters. She had a sensation of breathlessness and then
abruptly everything stilled.

A woman appeared to be
staring directly at her until Kera realised that, with Fenj, she
was inside another mind. The woman staring at her was human, she
had dark red hair streaked with white, and a rotund man in a brown
robe stood beside her.

‘Speak then Kera. I
will show them how you appear – they are all linked with each
other,’ Fenj murmured.

‘Maressa?’ Kera thought
hesitantly.

‘Yes.’

‘I am called Kera. I am
able to speak to you from the northern Stronghold only with the
help of the Dragons. I could not do so otherwise. There is so much
I would know of you and your people, but it is imperative for now
that you tell us what you know of the Silver Dragon.’

There was no reply from
Maressa except that she moved her gaze from the red- haired woman
to another figure and Kera nearly lost the mindlink in
shock.

Emla, the Golden Lady,
stared straight back at her.

The morning after the
rainstorm, another band of green uniformed armsmen appeared on the
trail from Return. This band included the Lord Seboth of Far.
Introductions had to be made to Tika and her escort, and to the
Great Dragons. Seboth was clearly impressed with such allies. It
was arranged that Seboth and Hargon would travel back to Return
with their men. Navan and a veteran armsman, Tarin, would remain
with Tika’s group until they had made up their minds as to their
course of action.

‘The Lady Mena will
remain with us of course,’ Kemti said as Hargon prepared to move
out of the way station.

Hargon opened his mouth
but Kemti continued smoothly: ‘She will be in much less danger from
the Grey One, or anything else, protected as she will be by four
Great Dragons.’

Bartos was already out
of sight down the sloping track but Bannor stood white-faced beside
his father. At Kemti’s words he turned abruptly, stalked across to
his konina, mounted and kicked it after the armsmen. Hargon watched
him go, anger mixed with regret on his face and his feelings all
too easily read by the Dragons.

Slowly Hargon nodded.
‘You are no doubt correct. Then I will leave too – you will send
word as soon as you have decided your plans?’

Gan saluted formally.
‘Of course Lord Hargon.’

Tika noticed that Kadi
and Kija were communicating privately when she turned back to her
small company and wondered briefly what they might be discussing.
Then she realised everyone was looking at her and drew a deep
breath.

‘Has anyone any ideas?’
she asked. ‘Mim has given us no hint at all about our course now,
so – suggestions would be most useful.’

Sket grinned. ‘A proper
breakfast perhaps Lady?’

Navan looked horrified
at a mere Guard speaking so to Tika, who was after all the leader
of this group, in spite of her previously low station as Hargon’s
slave. But Tika only grinned back.

‘See what you can
concoct then Sket.’ She turned to Kemti who shook his head before
she could speak.

‘I have no ideas at
all.’

‘Kija?’

The golden Dragon
remained silent for a moment then spoke to all their
minds.

‘I have flown over this
tower Rhaki has built. I sensed his mind, which grows stronger each
day. But his body is weak – there is a strange lassitude which I
cannot understand. The Delver Serim attends him with great devotion
but he is worried by Rhaki’s failure to strengthen
physically.’

‘So he would be
vulnerable to attack now?’ Gan suggested.

‘No.’ Kija was adamant.
‘His mind is stronger than before although it is – different. He
could destroy you with a thought, very simply.’

‘Then what can we do?’
Tika asked in exasperation.

‘Perhaps you should
enter the town Lady Tika,’ Navan offered hesitantly. ‘You would be
closer to Rhaki’s tower and you might even find the cave you spoke
of before.’

Sket called from the
door of the way station and, leaving the Dragons reclining on the
verge of the trail, everyone went inside to investigate Sket’s
breakfast-making skills.

‘I do not like the
thought of my Tika within this town – she should remain close to
me.’

‘Hush now,’ Kija
admonished her son. ‘We could reach her so quickly should the need
arise – the distance is very small in truth and you can watch
through Tika’s eyes should you wish.’

Farn fidgeted his
wings, not convinced that even a league or two between him and his
soul bond could be anything but a bad idea.

‘If you are strong
enough, young Farn, you and I could go towards the coast. I have
only travelled there once before. Your mother and Kadi would never
let harm come to Tika whilst we were gone.’

Farn was clearly
tempted by this suggestion but he hesitated to reply.

‘I will first see that
my Tika is safe in this town. When I know exactly where she will
be, perhaps I could come with you.’ His sapphire eyes began to
sparkle as the thought of flying to new places with the wonderful
Brin took hold of him.

At that moment Tika
emerged from the way station and Farn surged to his feet to join
her.

‘It may be a good thing
to occupy Farn for a day or so Brin, but don’t you dare let him fly
out over the ocean. If he tired too far from land - ’

‘As if I would!’ Brin
was indignant. ‘I am not as stupid as you persist in thinking me.’
Smoke drifted from his nostrils and Kadi moved between the two,
brusquely changing the subject.

‘I wonder what Mim
could have discovered that he would send such an urgent
warning?’

Kadi’s tact was met by
glares from both the other Dragons and neither offered her a
reply.

Gan had learnt from
Navan that there was an old fortified building two leagues to the
west of their present position. It had been abandoned years since,
when the remaining Gangers had retreated ever further north and
Hargon had built defences beyond this old structure. Navan thought
it would be a possible place for the Dragons to wait for Tika and
her escort. Still within the forest that covered these slopes yet
close enough to Return for the Dragons to reach Tika in moments if
the need arose.

‘Very well Navan, we
will go to this place and then make our way into Return.’ Tika
glanced sideways at the Armschief. ‘You realise that I hardly know
my way in the town?’

Navan nodded
uncomfortably.

‘But why my Tika? Were
you not hatched in this place?’

‘Yes Farn I was, but I
was restricted to Lord Hargon’s compound. Very occasionally I
accompanied the senior women to the merchants but never was I
permitted out alone to wander around. Most females aren’t,’ she
finished. ‘It isn’t only slave females who are confined to one
house.’

Farn digested this, his
confusion apparent. ‘I do not understand,’ he finally
announced.

Khosa stretched herself
in a patch of sunlight in front of Farn’s feet. ‘There is a great
deal you do not understand hatchling.’

Before Farn could
retaliate, Mena emerged from the way station, chattering to Nomis.
Navan noted the child held herself straighter this morning and as
she jumped off the porch step, she met his gaze squarely, something
she would never have done even yesterday. He hid his surprise when
she stopped directly in front of him and spoke to him
uninvited.

‘Lady Tika says the
Golden Lady of Gaharn lets girls train at arms. I will do so also.
Would you teach me Navan? Captain Gan and Nomis have already shown
me some stretching exercises to strengthen my muscles.’

Navan cleared his
throat. ‘I think you need your father’s permission rather than
mine, but if he agrees, then yes, I would teach you armsdrill at
least.’

‘No,’ Mena insisted.
‘Not just armsdrill. Proper sword work.’

‘We will if he won’t.’
Tika laughed at the discomfort on Navan’s face, but then Drak came
from the stables, leading a string of koninas left for their use by
Hargon’s men. Tika regarded them dubiously.

‘I think I will go with
Farn,’ she said.

‘It is no more
difficult than sitting on the Dragons.’ Mena said
helpfully.

‘Hmm. Soon enough to
try when we get to this other building.’

‘I think Drak, Nomis
and Riff should go with Navan,’ Gan remarked. ‘They can each ride
one konina and lead another. It would be much easier.’

‘Picture this place in
your head Navan,’ Kija ordered, and Navan obediently thought of the
old building with its cleared area beyond. ‘We will see you there
then.’

‘It will not take us
long to ride there,’ said Navan as he swung onto his
mount.

‘You will ride with
me.’ Kija’s mind tone softened as she spoke to Mena. They were
already in the air while Gan climbed onto Brin and Kemti onto
Kadi.

When Farn flew
alongside Kadi, Kemti called to Tika: ‘Try to see if you can feel
your way through the earth Tika. It might help us find that cave
later and you can practice as we fly.’

It was indeed only a
short distant for the Dragons to travel and very soon after leaving
the way station they were circling above the ruined
building.

‘At least some of the
roof is still on,’ Kemti grumbled, peering over Kadi’s
shoulder.

‘A Merig follows,’ Brin
called as Kija settled on the ground.

Tika blinked, quite
unaware of the short trip, concentrating as she had been on feeling
her way beneath the earth. Khosa’s eyes slitted, her head poking
out of her carrying sack while she watched the Merig drift down to
perch on a crumbling section of wall. Tika patted the Kephi’s head,
hard enough to make Khosa spit.

‘Don’t you dare even
consider hunting Merigs – we would hear no news from anywhere
should you offend them.’

Already they heard the
sounds of approaching hoofbeats and shortly Navan appeared between
the trees below the building. When they’d climbed the path to the
Dragons, Navan set Tarin to arrange a stabling area for the koninas
while Drak and Riff looked for a reasonably whole room for them to
shelter in.

‘I suggest we wait
until tomorrow to move down to Return,’ said Navan, glancing at the
sky. ‘It would be near dusk before we got there if we left now, and
I think it better if we arrive in good daylight.’

Only Kadi remained of
the Dragons, the other three having gone to hunt for their food.
The Merig shuffled along the wall and croaked harshly to gain
everyone’s attention. But it was at Mena that his gaze was
directed.

‘I bring news rather
than messages,’ he announced. ‘The Lord of Return’s son, Bannor,
fell from his konina earlier this day. His neck was
broken.’

Navan paled and looked
towards Mena. Her blue eyes seemed enormous but her bruised face
held no expression at all. Mena turned to Kadi and Tika was
suddenly aghast as she felt a ripple of satisfaction pass between
the two.

‘The death rites will
take place tomorrow, so perhaps we should wait a day.’ Mena’s voice
was clear and steady.

Gan touched Navan’s
arm. ‘Do you wish to go to Return now – will your Lord have need of
you?’

Navan drew in his
breath. ‘No. I will remain here but Mena is right. We should wait
another day.’

Gan nodded and they
went about the task of making a temporary home for themselves
amongst the ruins.

Much later, when a
supper of stewed hoppers, herbs and fresh greens had filled them
all to capacity they sat around the fire outside with the four
Dragons. The sky was packed with the icy chips of stars tonight,
the rain clouds now vanished to the south. Mena fell asleep and
Nomis carried her carefully into the room they had cleared of
debris. The silence continued until Nomis returned and sat beside
Tarin.

Tika broke the silence.
‘Kadi, what happened?’

Navan looked up
sharply, first at Tika then at the midnight blue Dragon.

Kadi answered Tika with
a question for Navan. ‘Who had the raising of that
child?’

Navan stared at his
hands. ‘An old slave woman. Nurse slaves have no names.’

‘Try again.’

‘Her name was Mayla.’
Navan’s voice was low. ‘She was my great grandmother.’

‘Yes.’ Kadi’s eyes
sparkled in the firelight. ‘And very strong in the
power.’

‘She just had a few odd
ways, that was all.’ Navan sounded panicked.