by Tora Moon
* * *
The next morning Rizelya woke up refreshed and full of energy. Leistral was already up and dressed. She sat on the stool in the bedroom, braiding her freshly washed hair.
“You look perky this morning,” Leistral commented. Rizelya was glad she was around to help them with all the preparations.
“I feel good,” Rizelya said, stretching. She stopped in mid-stretch and lowered her arms. “Oh! I just realized since coming to the Sanctuary I haven’t had any dreams featuring that awful Malvers woman. I hope they’re gone, but I suspect it’s the power of all these priestesses living here that’s blocking them.”
“You will have two priestesses traveling with you. If the dreams come back, perhaps they can help you block them.”
“That’s a good idea, Leistral. I’ll have to remember it.”
Later in the afternoon Rizelya found Jaehaas in the common room, with Wisah sitting next to him. He was attaching sharp, deadly looking arrowheads to arrow shafts. After he fastened on the arrowhead, he handed the bolt to Wisah, who then methodically affixed feathers to the opposite end. Jaehaas looked up and smiled at Rizelya when she approached.
“You be coming to help?” he asked hopefully and gestured to the pile of arrowheads, shafts, and feathers. “After hearing about the dangers we be heading to, I decided I needed more arrows. I spent all morning in the forge creating these beauties.” He pointed to the arrowheads.
“Sure, I could help. Just show me what to do.”
Rizelya sat next to Wisah. Jaehaas started to hand her an arrow to fletch when he paused and looked at her funny.
“What?” she asked.
“You’re a Red!”
“Yes, and …”
“The Reds at home cast a fire spell on my arrows.” Jaehaas twirled the arrow still in his hand. “They put a delay on it so I can activate it when I shoot it. Can you do something similar? We probably could use fire arrows where we be going.”
“What word do you use? It can’t be an everyday word or you’d have exploding arrows in your quiver when you didn’t want them to.”
“Yeah, that happened when they first made them,” Jaehaas said with a smile. “So they made up a word to use, ‘oyt.’ It be short and easy to say and you’d never say it any other time.”
“Oyt, huh?” Rizelya said the word several times under her breath while mimicking drawing a bow. “Do you have any of the spelled arrows I can look at?”
“Sure.”
He told Wisah where to find his stash. She ran to his room, returning quickly with a quiver full of red-fletched arrows. She pulled one out and handed it to Rizelya.
Rizelya took the arrow, closed her eyes, and concentrated. She ran her other hand above the arrow, not touching it. She began to sense the spell and how it was held in stasis until the proper word released it. She opened her eyes to look at Jaehaas. “Okay, I think I can figure this out. Can I have a few of these?” She held up the fire arrow. “And I’ll need some blanks to practice with.”
Jaehaas handed her a half dozen of each. He smiled at Wisah and asked, “Do you think we can find some red feathers around this place? We’ll need them to differentiate the two types of arrows.”
“I’m sure we can,” Wisah said. “If not, I know a Green or two who could change the feathers to any color you want.”
Rizelya found Leistral, told her about the experiment, and together they went to the outdoor arena.
“This is just like old times,” Leistral commented, “trying new things.”
“Well, this one is just recreating what someone else has done.”
“It’s still new to us. Too bad Saffren is in Strunlair Keep. We could use her water abilities since we’re playing with fire.”
“Then this will be good practice for controlling our fire,” Rizelya said with a smile.
Leistral threw an arrow into the air and laughed when it fluttered a few feet away. “I guess we need a bow, too.”
Leistral ran back to the pack-house to get Jaehaas’s bow. Instead, she came back out with Blazel.
“Jaehaas has been teaching me,” Blazel said, holding out his bow. “This will give me good practice. We haven’t worked with the fire arrows yet. It was too dangerous in the wilds.”
“For now,” Rizelya said, “I just need you to shoot the arrow for me while I try to see what was done.”
He nodded and took the red-fletched arrow from her. Their fingers touched and a thrill went through her. Seemingly undisturbed by the touch, he nocked the arrow and pulled it back, the muscles in his arms and back rippling. He waited patiently for her signal.
“Now!”
He shot the arrow so it arced high in the air and sped to the ground.
On its downward path, Rizelya barked, “Oyt.” The arrow tip burst into flame. By the time the arrow hit the ground, only the back third remained.
“There appears to be an optimal distance from your target to activate the flame,” she said with a small laugh.
She had Blazel shoot again. She waited until the arrow was closer to the ground to release the spell. This time the arrowhead punched the ground and little damage was done to the shaft.
Her next step was to try placing the spell on the normal arrows. The first time, the flame erupted in the shaft’s middle and the arrowhead dropped harmlessly to the ground. The second time, the flame burst all along the shaft and burned it to ash in a heartbeat. The third time, the fire was on the arrowhead but went out before the arrow hit the ground. Rizelya conferred with Leistral and tried again. This time, it worked in a similar fashion as the ones Jaehaas had given her.
“This time, you activate the spell, Blazel,” Rizelya instructed him.
Blazel took the arrow and in his excitement yelled, “Oyt!” The arrow immediately burst into flames. He dropped it, and it was ash in moments.
Rizelya looked at him like he had sprouted another head. “That shouldn’t have happened. That was more fire than the spell should have used, especially for someone with little Red Talent.”
He put the bow down and grinned. “I have more than most. See?” He held out his palm, and in a few moments fire danced in his hand.
Rizelya gasped. She had never seen a male able to do that trick. She looked at Blazel with more respect. “This time,” she said, handing him another arrow, “don’t add any of your fire magic to it. Just let the spell on the arrow do the work.”
This time it took only a little longer for the fire to eat the arrow, making it useless before hitting the target. Three more tries resulted in the same thing. Rizelya sighed. They were out of arrows.
“Go get more arrows and bring Jaehaas out,” she told Leistral.
Leistral nodded and jogged off.
Rizelya looked at Blazel and slowly shook her head. “We need someone without fire magic to test this on. You keep burning them up with your Talent. You don’t need the delay spell. You could light the arrows with your own magic. But you have to control it better. How often do you use your magic?”
“I was fortunate to have been taught how to use and control my fire magic when I was young. The Supreme saw to it because she didn’t want me to burn things up accidentally. I use it more often than most men, especially when I’m alone. I don’t have the luxury of a Red to dry wood for me and such.”
“Well, I won’t do it for you now so you keep in practice. It’s too bad you don’t have more. I’m the only one with magic that will be effective against predators. Wisah and Chariel’s magic won’t help us out there. I’d feel better if Leistral and Eidstrun were going with us.”
“It’s different up there than down below,” Blazel said, touching her shoulder. “The warrior gifts and your helbraught will be enough to protect us. And we’ll have enough people that I doubt the predators will attack us. Most of them are solitary hunters and wouldn’t be a match for a group our size.”
Leistral walked out of the building, followed by the others.
“Hey, we wanted to see the show,�
�� Aistrun said in explanation.
Rizelya held her breath, hoping she’d set the spell correctly. But with Jaehaas activating it instead of Blazel, it worked perfectly. The group sat under the trees, and made arrows while Rizelya and Leistral placed the fire spell on half of the stock.
Rizelya was concentrating on the fire spell when Chariel came up with another batch of arrows for her to spell.
“When we’re on this quest,” Chariel said quietly, “I’ll need someone to saddle my horse for me.”
“What?” Rizelya looked up confused. Chariel was hunched over and rocking from side to side. “You don’t know how to saddle a horse?”
Chariel shook her head. “No, and neither does Wisah. We’ve always had the stable mistress do it for us.”
“That will have to change. We won’t have time for someone to do it for you. We’ll teach you. First lesson is in the morning.”
Right after breakfast the next morning, the group tromped to the stables. The stable mistress, Shaela, met them at the doors.
“So, Chariel, Wisah, you’re finally going to learn to care for your own mounts, eh?” Shaela asked. “I’ve picked out a few horses for you to choose from—or more rightly, for them to choose you. Come on in, and let’s find out who your mount will be.” She pushed open the doors and led the way in. Eight beautiful plains mares waited in the center aisle.
A racket came from one of the closed stalls. Frantic banging from the horse’s hooves shook the door. A white stallion with wide black stripes reared up, whinnying wildly. Shaela quickly pulled the mares out of the way.
“Tejen, be easy, boy,” Rizelya crooned as she raced to his stall. The big plains stallion had followed her and Aistrun when they left Strunlair Keep and wouldn’t turn back. He’d been Keandran’s ride until Keandran had disappeared. She reached up and grabbed his headstall and pulled his head down.
He quieted and stared at the people assembled in the aisle. When Wisah moved nervously away from Aistrun, Tejen whickered, bobbing his head, and kicked at his door again. Wisah cringed behind Aistrun.
“Wha … what’s happening?” Wisah cried. “Why is he after me? I didn’t do anything to him.”
Jaehaas clattered in, saw the scene, and rushed to Tejen’s stall. “What be the matter, boy?” Jaehaas took Tejen’s head in his hands and stared into the horse’s eyes. The stallion stilled and whickered softly, then lifted his head to gaze at Wisah over Jaehaas’s shoulder. Jaehaas released his head and turned to look at Wisah with wonder in his eyes.
“You be his rider,” he said to her. “He be excited to finally see you. He’ll behave now.” He slowly opened the stall door.
The stallion stepped up to Wisah and delicately reached out his muzzle until he was nose to nose with his chosen rider. The very large, very tall horse dwarfed the much smaller woman. Where most plains horses had fine, pale stripes, Tejen had bold, wide black stripes on a white hide. His black socks reached up to his knees, and his mane and tail were a deep gray. Wisah rubbed Tejen’s nose. He closed his eyes with pleasure.
“Now we know why he followed us,” Aistrun said. “The damned horse broke out of his stall in Strunlair Keep and came running after us. He likes Kymaya, and we thought he was just protecting his mare.”
“He may have, but it not be all,” Jaehaas said. “He knew his rider be here and you be going in her direction. Plains horses know these things. I’ve seen horses run off and turn up several territories away, or even in a different province, where their rider lived. We don’t have an explanation, other than that be the way the Goddess made them. Here, girl, come with me and get to know your horse.”
Jaehaas led Wisah and Tejen to the back of the stable where they could be alone to show Wisah how to groom her horse.
Shaela had left when it was obvious what Tejen’s problem was and now returned leading the mares. “Well, Wisah may have a mount, but you don’t, Chariel. Come and let these beauties get a look at you.”
Chariel went to Shaela and held out her hand, letting each horse snuff at it. All except one turned away from her. The remaining mare stepped closer to Chariel and whuffed softly. Chariel reached out and rubbed her muzzle. The mare was a light golden brown with pale cream stripes. Her mane and tail were the same cream as the blaze that stretched from her forehead to her nostrils, and her left hind leg had a cream sock.
“This is Chaezreen,” Shaela said. “She’s a good horse with a nice smooth gait. You’ll like her.”
“I’ll help you, Chariel,” Aistrun said, taking the lead rope from Shaela. Together they found a quiet corner.
Aistrun worked with Chariel, while Jaehaas worked with Wisah, teaching them how to properly groom their horses and put on and remove their tack.
As she watched, Rizelya thought more was going on besides teaching. Between the stolen glances and giggling, it was a wonder they were accomplishing anything. She rolled her eyes when Aistrun stood behind Chariel and wrapped his arms around her waist to show her how to curry her horse’s coat.
She turned away with a sigh, wishing Blazel would flirt with her.
Chapter 11
At breakfast the next morning, a messenger brought them the news that the Supreme would see them shortly. Wisah led the small procession, followed by Rizelya and Aistrun. Rizelya was conscious of Blazel just behind her—if he didn’t make a move pretty soon, she was going to have to show him how it was done. Leistral, Eidstrun, and Chariel were next in line, with Jaehaas bringing up the rear.
They passed through the courtyard to the temple grounds beyond, and followed the garden pathways to the huge temple. This time Rizelya wasn’t as stunned by the size. The Sanctuary was the home of the Goddess and Her Priestesses, and the temple reflected this.
Inside, three of the public chamber’s walls were filled with familiar murals and statues depicting the Goddess’s four faces. Rizelya couldn’t help but look again at the one wall dedicated to the Consort. Many of the images that filled it were familiar as the Consort cycled through the stages of life, beginning as a small boy experiencing the joy of shifting to his wolf form for the first time and finishing as a venerable sage with a long beard, wrinkled face, and kind, wise eyes.
Rizelya paused, waiting for Aistrun to notice the one image that wasn’t familiar—the Consort in his warrior form. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Hey,” Aistrun exclaimed. “He has a black pelt. I haven’t ever heard of a man being a Black.”
A warrior’s pelt was the same color as the man’s hair. A person who could work all the forms of magic had Black Talent—rare for women and unheard of in men.
“The Consort is the epitome of all that men may become,” Wisah explained, her voice a bit pompous. “It is fitting he should be shown in all His glory.”
Chariel had stopped to admire the mural. She added, “Once, we weren’t separated by magical Talent. We could access all the streams of magic, even the men. This mural is ancient, older even than the Great War.”
Rizelya wondered what it would be like to access more than fire or earth magic. Water and fire never mixed; how could one use both at the same time?
Wisah strode off again toward the door in the back she and Rizelya had used before. Beyond it, the corridor was richly painted, stunning murals of the Goddess and Her Consort filled the walls. But once again she was rushed through the corridors and couldn’t stop and study them.
They stopped finally at a huge, black ironwood double door. On it were painted the symbols of the seven Talents in a circle. The black background represented the eighth Talent, Black. The cycle of the three moons, Kelar, Zelar, and Chelar, was depicted on the lintel above the door. Two veiled women stood guard, one either side, each holding a helbraught. At the group’s approach, the one on the right opened the door.
Rizelya felt a tingling along her skin as she passed through the threshold. A spell guarded the entrance just as surely as the two women outside the door did. The audience chamber could fit several hundred people in it. White
sheadash and marble formed the floors and walls, and white curtains hung on the windows. White pillar candles lit the room.
The Supreme was already sitting in her throne on the dais across the room. The throne was carved from one massive piece of clear quartz crystal. Ten paces in front of the throne, Wisah stopped. Together, the group made the gesture of obeisance and honor to the Goddess’s representative and dropped to their knees.
“You may rise,” the Supreme said after several long milcrons. When they were all standing, she continued. “I have weighed all you have said and listened to the reports of my priestesses. I have prayed to the Goddess for guidance. Chariel, your gift is true, there is no doubt in that. What you have seen will come to pass. The six of you are commanded to go into the Deep Mountains and find the Phengriffs.”
“Six?” Rizelya asked. “What about the rest of my squad-pack?”
The Supreme frowned at Rizelya for interrupting her. “They will go to Strunlair Keep and wait for your return. There is war coming. The Malvers chafe after all these years at their exile. As both Chariel and I have seen, madness stalks our people. We must have allies if we are to win this war. Blazel, your friends the Phengriffs are needed. It is time for them to remember their duty.”
Blazel stared at her. “And what duty would that be?”
“They were created during the war to defend us against the flying beasts the Malvers sent against us. It is their duty to protect us. I fear the Malvers will send such beasts against us once more.”
“If they’ve had such powers,” Rizelya said, “why haven’t they used them before now? There haven’t been any new monsters since the war. The new one is just a janack variation.”
The Supreme’s lips thinned and her fingers drummed an irritated staccato on the arms of her crystal throne. Rizelya froze. The Supreme stared at her for a long moment, then said, “After the first monsters appeared in our land, a barrier was placed around their island exile, preventing them from doing such things again.” She paused, her fingers stilled. She looked away, then back at them, and admitted, “The barrier is failing. Their magic is growing and is now penetrating the veil. I have mended it, but my repairs won’t last long. You must hurry. Blazel, convince the Phengriffs to join us once more.”