Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series (38 page)

Mim nodded slowly.
‘They seem peaceful words – as though they fear we might offer a
threat to them.’

Kera drew the second
scroll free and studied it quickly then began to read it again more
slowly. ‘Mim,’ she whispered. ‘This woman Thryssa, she is called
the High Speaker of Vagrantia, she has given us the instructions on
how to use the circles! At least between here and Vagrantia and
also here to Gaharn.’

Mim stared at the
parchment over Kera’s arm. ‘We will go over these later,’ he said
quietly.

Kera reached for the
last scroll. ‘From Emla!’ she cried in delight, and began to
read.

Fenj sat up so fast
that he dislodged Lula, but he ignored her, looking towards the
gateway and calling warning to Mim and Kera. They looked across to
Fenj even as Snow Dragon voices also cried beware. Ashta reared up
at Mim’s side, her eyes whirring green and gold fire.

A harsh shriek and the
flurry of wings sounded and then a great bird appeared at the
entrance. Fenj reared upright but even then he only just overtopped
the bird, which tilted its head to one side and stared at him with
one coldly insolent, yellow-rimmed eye. Kera closed her mouth with
a snap as a strangely accented voice spoke in all their
minds.

‘I believe you are the
creatures I was asked to seek. Do you usually welcome guests in
this fashion?’ The bird’s head twisted again, noting the Guards who
had leaped for weapons moments before.

Kera touched Mim’s arm
lightly and moved in front of him, halting several paces from the
huge bird.

‘We would welcome any
who come peacefully to this Stronghold. I am Kera of Gaharn, and
this is Fenj, Elder of the Broken Mountain Treasury.’

The bird stepped
further inside the hall, folded its legs and settled for all the
world like a roosting hen.

‘I am Baryet, and I
come from Drogoya with news for you from Chakar.’

Kera inclined her head
politely while her mind raced. Drogoya? Chakar? Before she could
think of a reply, the bird – Baryet – spoke again.

‘You of course know
nothing of Drogoya.’

Kera swallowed. ‘Well,
no, I must admit I have never heard the name.’

She noticed what a
fearsome weapon Baryet’s hooked black bill would be as he turned
his head again to study Mim. He lifted one of his wings back and
revealed a black leather tube – another scroll case, Kera thought
wildly. Perhaps she would wake up in a minute and laugh at this
perverse dream.

‘I suggest you untie
the case and see what Chakar tells you.’ Baryet sounded overly
patient, his wing still raised rather awkwardly.

Kera advanced and
discovered the long case was secured to leather straps which
encircled the bird’s heavy body. She freed the case and backed away
when a screeching, spitting ball of spiky black fur exploded close
to her feet. Baryet cocked his head to survey this phenomenon and
smoke wisped from Fenj’s nostrils. Dessi shot forward, scooped Lula
into her arms and retreated to Fenj who, in turn, held his precious
Kephi close to his chest.

Kera felt laughter
threatening to overwhelm her – the situation was definitely
hurrying towards the bizarre. It was with great relief that she saw
Mim walk forward to greet Baryet. The bird was immediately
distracted from his intent scrutiny of Lula and chittered his
massive bill in a daintily suggestive manner.

‘I am Mim, Guardian of
this Stronghold. I think you have travelled long and far to reach
us, mighty Baryet?’

‘Far but not long – I
am used to travelling great journeys but it is the first time that
I have landed here. Usually I fly over the great waters that
stretch between Drogoya and these Night Lands.’ The yellow rimmed
eye was fixed on Mim. ‘I have never seen one such as you,’ Baryet
remarked thoughtfully. ‘Are you mad?’

The Guards stiffened
again but Mim took no offence, merely raising his brows in
surprise.

‘I do not believe I am
mad Baryet. Why should you think I might be?’

‘It seems to be
happening a lot in Drogoya – only amongst humans of course,’ Baryet
replied dismissively. ‘Is that small thing your food?’

Fenj tightened his hold
on a furiously hissing Lula.

‘No, she is not.
Nothing living within my Stronghold is to be considered food
Baryet. The Dragons hunt outside these mountains for their
meat.’

‘It would make but a
poor morsel anyway. Are you not interested in my Chakar’s words?’
He stared coldly at Kera who still stood clutching the leather
tube.

‘Oh, yes, of course.’
Kera untied the fastenings and a roll of thin paper slid into her
hand.

It was nearing the time
for the evening meal and Guards who had been labouring in the
garden chambers below were starting to wander into the hall. They
stared in astonishment at the giant bird, settled as though
nesting, near the entrance. Mim ordered the Guards to sheath their
swords but to remain watchful of their visitor, then went to where
Kera was poring over the papers.

‘It is an extremely
complex map Mim – so many details.’ She glanced up. ‘Where exactly
is this land of Drogoya Baryet?’

The bird ruffled his
neck feathers and set Lula to renewed hissing.

‘It is on the other
side of this world of course. When it is day time there, it is
night time here, which is why they call this place the Night
Lands.’ He yawned, revealing a black tongue and a startlingly pink
lining to his mouth and bill.

Mim left Kera studying
the documents and strolled back to the bird again. ‘And who is
Chakar, who sent you with these papers?’

For the first time
there was a warmth to Baryet’s mind tone. ‘Chakar is an Observer in
the Order of Sedka. She found me when trappers had caught my
parents. I would have died but she looked after me and so I grew to
my present magnificence.’

Choking noises came
from several places in the hall and Dessi put her hands over her
mouth.

‘Indeed’ Mim agreed,
absolutely straight-faced. ‘You are indeed magnificent Baryet – a
credit to Chakar.’

‘He reminds me of Brin
and Farn,’ Fenj suddenly announced.

Baryet tilted his head
to stare at the black Dragon. ‘And who are Brin and Farn?’ he asked
suspiciously.

‘They are two noble and
heroic Dragons,’ Fenj replied.

Babach spoke to Ren
Salar at night when he could easily enter the Offering’s dreaming
mind. Ren suspected that Babach was being economical with the
information he gave him but he didn’t question Babach as closely as
he might. Ren had more than enough to think of without Babach
making things more complicated.

Finn Rah had called on
him several times since the morning in her study, and such
unaccustomed attention made Ren more nervous than he usually was.
Cho Petak had twice paused to speak to him when they met in the
corridors of the Menedula. That was unusual in itself: Cho was
rarely seen these days so for Ren to meet him twice was worthy of
concern.

Both times the
Sacrifice had gently enquired about the progress of Ren’s research
into the part the Night Lands could be playing in the strange
outbreak of madness in Drogoya. Ren had to confess each time that
he had discovered nothing further. It was two weeks since he had
spoken to Voron on the Aspirant’s return to the Menedula. He had
not even caught a glimpse of him in any of the places he was most
likely to be found.

Now it was early
evening, the time Babach had most often visited Ren, and he sat by
his fire missing the old man’s company. He looked up with a start
as his door latch clicked shut, half expecting to see Babach
pushing back his white hood. But it was Voron who stood there, his
finger against his lips indicating that Ren was to stay
silent.

Voron stood listening
by the door for several moments then slid the bolt securely home
and joined Ren beside the fire. Ren looked questioningly at
Voron.

‘Why the secrecy my
friend?’ he asked softly.

Voron leaned forward
and replied just as quietly. ‘Finn Rah suggests I am Examined more
thoroughly.’

Ren frowned, shaking
his head. ‘You have made a proper report to the Master of Aspirants
I presume? Then why ever do you need to be Examined? I have only
once heard of such a thing in my time here and that was for the
serious misuse of certain magics.’

Voron sighed. ‘If only
Observer Babach would show himself, but I’ve been unable to find
him.’

‘But he is away from
here at the moment.’ Ren blurted in surprise. ‘Were you not told –
surely you must have asked for him in the Observers
section?’

Voron stared at Ren.
‘Well of course I asked, but I was told he was too busy to see
anyone.’

They looked at each
other, confusion mirrored on both faces.

‘For the first time I
feel unsafe here,’ said Voron at last. ‘Tell me where Babach is and
I will go to him. I have been told I may not leave the Menedula
until I am informed otherwise, but there are still ways in and out
that I remember you showing me before you became
Offering.’

‘You would be traced at
once through your mind signature – you know how simple that
is!’

‘I could shield myself
for a while, at least a few days.’ Voron didn’t sound as convincing
as he wanted, but went quickly on. ‘And they ask me about you.
Every time the questions start, sooner or later I am asked if I
have spoken to you.’ He shrugged. ‘I did not want to involve you in
whatever is going on Ren so I made no mention of our talk the day I
returned.’

Ren began to pace in
agitation around his work table. ‘I do not like any of this Voron.’
He paced two more circuits then halted by Voron’s chair. ‘We will
both go to Babach. I will not tell you where he is yet – the fact
that you have been lied to appals me. Babach made no secret of his
trip away from the Menedula. If you do not know where he is, you
cannot reveal anything if you are questioned again.’

He swung away and trod
his endless path round the table. ‘At dawn tomorrow I will be at
Sedka’s Meadow. Meet me there. And I think it better if you try to
get out of here at once rather than stay a moment
longer.’

Voron nodded in relief.
He had feared Ren might disbelieve his unlikely story – he found it
hard enough to believe it himself.

Sedka’s Meadow was a
league and a half west of the Menedula. It was the place where, so
legend had it, Sedka had spoken with the old gods of Drogoya. They
told him that their time was ended with this world and they sought
a man to whom they could entrust the continuation of their
work.

Some stories related
that Sedka spent but a single day and night in the Meadow: that he
slept deeply and all the gods’ knowledge was implanted in him while
he slept. Others said that Sedka dwelt there for several weeks,
learning all the workings of the magic that welled from the land.
Yet other tales held that Sedka’s wife, Dalena, was the one to whom
the gods spoke. Those stories said that Sedka was the one whose
name lived on because he was more competent at spreading the words
of instruction throughout the land. Dalena stayed there all her
life, tending the Meadow and teaching any who came to her for
instruction.

Ren pondered on these
different stories of the founder of the Order as he rode through
the opalescent light before dawn. At such an early hour, no one had
been about in the stables. He had saddled two horses and ridden out
unseen. The sun was just peeping over the great outcropping which
housed the Menedula as Ren reached the Meadow. He rode along its
northern edge, looking for Voron but he still nearly fell off his
horse when Voron stepped out from the line of trees.

‘We should ride fast
until midday,’ Ren said while Voron settled onto his horse. ‘I will
shield us better than you can, but I need to concentrate. You ride
ahead and don’t lead me into any ditches.’

Voron grinned at him
and urged his horse past Ren. ‘Where are we going?’ he asked over
his shoulder.

‘Just keep us in a line
a little north of west,’ Ren told him, then began constructing a
spider’s web of light which would hide them from any searching
minds.

Midday found them
entering a narrow valley gouged between two steep cliff faces. A
few scrubby trees clung to the walls as if determined to gain
precedence over the gray rock. A stream, swollen from the melting
snow from the north, poured down to a pool by which Voron pulled
up.

‘Ren? Shall we have
some food now?’ he asked, not sure how total Ren’s concentration
needed to be to maintain the shielding.

Ren nodded and halted
beside Voron. He dismounted with a groan, rubbing his thighs and
leaning against the horse. Voron also dismounted and tied both
horses to the twisted trunk of the nearest tree.

‘You did think to bring
food, didn’t you?’ he asked, digging into one of the
saddlebags.

Ren glared at him. ‘Of
course I did.’

Voron had by then found
a sack of dried fruits and a large lump of cheese wrapped in oiled
cloth.