The Way to Freedom: The Complete Season Two (Books 6-10) (The Way to Freedom Collection Book 2)

by H. M. Clarke

  “The newcomers were the ancestors of the Hadrians weren’t they, my ancestors,” Dearen said this more as a statement.

  “Yes.”

  “Did the dragons follow the bison north?”

  “No. They knew that their time had passed and they had made their own plans to help them survive and to help those generations in the future.”

  “What did they do?”

  “That, I cannot tell you.”

  Dearen glanced sharply back at the Pydarki, not quite believing his words. His tone gave her the impression that the man knew damn well where the dragons had gone. But she was the guest here so she turned back to the door and did not push the issue.

  “I’ve not heard that story before.”

  “As a lowlander, you wouldn’t have. I do not think your ancestors even realized what had happened except that there was no longer any more easy meat. But we Pydarki and Dymarki did and we recorded the legend in the face of the door you now stand before.”

  “And what of the hall behind it?” Dearen asked.

  “The Hall of the Black Bison keeps our legends and preserves our past. It is the heart of this land.”

  Dearen looked again at the door. There was no handle, no mechanism that she could see to open it. But the murmuring in her mind wanted her to open them.

  She pressed her hands flat against both doors, expecting them to be cool to the touch as bronze should be, but instead she felt the metal was warm. As soon as her skin touched the metal, heat pricked across her senses and flowed effortlessly from the door into her hands and arms, quickly filling them and pushing away the cold of the surrounding mountain stone from her bones and skin. The heat then flowed up her neck and began to tickle at the scar behind her ear. At the scar left behind by the Krytal.

  A loud creak resounded through the corridor and the metal behind her hands began to vibrate. And then move.

  Dearen jerked her hands away and jumped back, surprised, as the giant doors slowly opened inwards by themselves.

  Beyond the doors, Dearen saw a huge space open up before her. But the room beyond was not dark. The doors revealed walls that flashed and glittered in a multifaceted play of light as every inch of their surface was covered in varying sizes of pink crystal forms that each produced their own inner light. Painful memories of Sethi’de’hasma rose in her mind as Dearen noted the cosmetic similarities between this Hall and the hidden cavern at Darkon.

  Whispers of many voices teased at the edge of her hearing, their sibilant sounds calling to her to come in and talk to them. Dearen stepped forward and the voices instantly fell silent.

  She looked back again at Angrave who motioned again for her to go through the doors. Dearen hesitated. She did not really feel threatened by the Hall, or the crystal, or her memories of what happened the last time she entered a crystal room, but Dearen still felt uneasy. Maybe it was Adhamh’s warning still echoing in her head.

  The voices began to whisper again and this time, Dearen felt an answering tingle in the back of her mind answering their call and working to impel her to walk past the doors. It was her Krytal. She didn’t know how she knew that, but she was certain of it. A faint tugging told her that the Krytal link with Adhamh was also active. Whatever was calling to her was calling to him as well.

  Dearen turned away from Angrave and looked back into the Crystal hall behind the ornate doors. There was only one way to find out what was going on.

  She took a deep breath to steel herself and stepped through the doors.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  By the One, where is she?

  There was no sign of Kalena-Dearen anywhere. Tayme winced as he corrected the name in his mind. She wanted to be called Dearen and Dearen it shall be. Now if only his subconscious will let him do it.

  He and Hauga had searched more rooms, halls, and corridors than he could count. And judging from the set of the big cat’s shoulders, he was just as frustrated as Tayme. Hauga’s signed gestures were stiff and jerky and Tayme made sure to stand outside of the cat’s reach in case the Dymarki wanted to hit something with his tree trunk arms.

  ‘Trar, ask Hauga where he thinks we should search next.’

  ‘Yes, Kral. I warn you, I don’t think he’s in much of a good mood at the moment.’

  ‘I gathered that Trar. I’m not in that fine a one myself.’ On those words, Tayme mentally took charge of himself. It would not do to let the worry or the dread he felt rising up from the pit of his stomach to overwhelm him. He had lost her once; he was not going to let it happen again.

  ‘We’ll find her Trar.’

  ‘I know. I’ll ask Hauga where he wants to go next.’

  Trar was only gone a few moments before she was back in his mind. ‘Hauga’s just had word from Raga.’ At the same time, Hauga had turned to him and started excitedly gesticulating.

  ‘He’s found her?’

  ‘No. Not that. Raga has found Asnar. He is taking him back to our room. Raga thinks that he knows where Dearen is.’

  ‘Does he now…’

  Tayme smiled grimly and looked up at Hauga.

  “Trar just told me Raga has Asnar, and that he thinks Asnar knows where Dearen is.”

  Hauga nodded, gave a few brief gestures along with a snarl and started back down the corridor, leaving Tayme staring after him.

  ‘He’s heading back, he wants to be there when Raga drags him in,’ Trar told him.

  ‘Okay.’ Tayme replied to Trar before scurrying to catch up with Hauga.

  “Do you really think Asnar would do something to Dearen?” He asked Hauga as he fell in beside the big cat.

  Hauga made a few gestures with his hands along with some threatening grunts while he continued his quick pace through the hallways.

  ‘He says that he wouldn’t put anything past that Ajunti. After they found out the Pydarki lied to the entire Dymarki people whose to say what he wouldn’t do,’ Trar relayed to Tayme without much enthusiasm. The Hatar did not agree with Hauga.

  “How would that help him though?” Tayme asked Hauga. “I can’t see what he could gain from her disappearance? After all, the council is now supporting the Dymarki which is what he wanted isn’t it?”

  ‘Who can say what that fool thinks or really wanted. If Raga says he had something to do with Dearen’s disappearance then I believe him.’ Trar’s voice was monotone, something Tayme was not used to hearing from her.

  ‘Trar, are you okay?’ He asked the Hatar in concern.

  ‘Yes, I’m fine. It’s just Hauga’s thoughts are not very coherent. He cares about Kalena very much and he is slowly building himself up to do something he might regret later. He won’t listen to me though.’

  ‘He’s not going to be listening to me either Trar. The only human he will listen to is the one who is now missing.’

  ‘Just be sure that nothing untoward happens to Asnar when Raga gets him back. He may not be well liked here but he is still a Pydarki. You never know how they are going to react if something happens to one of their own.’

  ‘I know Trar. I know.’

  After that, they walked together in silence with only a cursory nod given to any Pydarki they passed. Tayme used the time to furiously think of ways to divert any Dymarki ‘excess’ used in any ‘talk’ with Asnar. If the man did have anything to do with Dearen’s disappearance then Tayme would be the first in line to get answers. But until they knew that for sure, he will need to make sure that Hauga did not do anything that he might later regret.

  As they approached the door to their room Tayme could hear the sounds of raised male voices mixing with the agitated snarls of a Dymarki. He glanced at Hauga and without a word, they both sprinted to the door and Tayme flung it open to let the big cat storm through. Hauga was the only one here that could physically hold Raga back from doing something stupid.

  Before Tayme could shut the door behind them, Hauga had reached out to grab Raga by the shoulders and pulled him back into a nearby wall. A disheveled Asnar was standing not th
at far away from him and between Raga and the Pydarki stood Lieutenant Peana, his arms still raised out like a bulwark between them.

  Raga was bigger than Hauga but did not inhibit Hauga from neatly pinning him to the wall and grabbing Raga’s attention enough to calm him a little. Asnar looked no better. His face was red with fury and with his hair and clothes in disarray, looked more like a raging harridan than an ascetic Pydarki. Tayme tried not to laugh at the comparison, he shouldn’t be insulting old women like that.

  A slight nod from Hauga told Tayme that the Dymarki had Raga under control and so he moved his attention solely on the irate Pydarki who was now yelling at Peana.

  “-LET ME OUT. YOU’VE NO RIGHT TO KEEP ME HERE.”

  “Just calm down. We cannot sort this out until you have both calmed down,” Peana replied to him, his voice measured and even and reminded Tayme of a trainer talking to a skittish animal. Once Asnar had stopped his yelling and Raga his snarling, Tayme stepped forward and pulled a chair out from the table.

  “Asnar, sit down. We need to talk.” Tayme patted the top of the chair as he spoke, getting a raised eyebrow from the Lieutenant. The expression so mirrored one of Dearen’s that Tayme had to forcefully stop himself from sniggering.

  After all that shouting, the Pydarki now stood looking at him through narrowed eyelids as if sizing him up. Asnar was a big man, Tayme would give him that. But just because Tayme looked slight didn’t mean he couldn’t hit hard. The Hatar Kalar stared calmly back at him, daring the man to try something. They both stood staring at each other as if competing in a silent battle of wills until the spell was broken by a loud snort from Raga.

  ‘Raga says to stop pissing around and make him talk.’ Trar said with a touch of distaste. Tayme knew that she wasn’t one for vulgar language. ‘Adhamh is acting strangely. He says that there is something happening with Kalena, though he can’t pin point where. He also says that his connection with Kalena flashes on and then disappears again but it is not enough for him to locate her.’

  ‘Is he saying that something or someone is blocking her?’

  ‘Maybe. He doesn’t say that outright, what he does say doesn’t make much sense.’

  ‘What exactly is he saying Trar?’

  ‘Well-‘ There was a pause as Trar’s presence in Tayme’s mind retreated. Within a heartbeat, she was back. ‘He says that it feels like the block is coming from her or something near her.’

  ‘What? That’s what he thinks? You’re right; he’s not making much sense.’

  “Wing Second?”

  ‘Keep me updated Trar.’

  ‘Yes, Kral.’

  Tayme’s ears focused on Lieutenant Peana voice, but his eyes were still staring at Asnar who was standing as still as stone.

  “Asnar, I suggest you sit,” he said tapping the back of the chair again.

  After another moment’s hesitation, Asnar slowly moved to sit stiffly down on Tayme’s chair. He then sat like a stone statue, staring out across the wooden table to the fireplace as if he was waiting for someone.

  “Did Raga tell you why he bought you here?” Tayme began, still standing behind the chair just outside of Asnar’s field of view. When the Pydarki did not answer the Flyer continued. “Dearen has disappeared. We’ve no idea where she is or who could have taken her.” Tayme leaned forward and gripped the back of the chair. The Pydarki still did not move. “This has me worried, and our Dymarki friends are very eager to get her back by any means necessary. Very eager.”

  “How do you know someone has taken her? She may just be lost. Daegarouf is a big place.” Asnar’s voice was soft and even, a complete opposite to his shouting earlier. Something has steadied him.

  ‘You have something there Kral,’ Trar’s voice slipped easily into his mind. She had been listening in to his thoughts and conversations.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Adhamh’s been focusing on him since he is our only tangible lead at the moment. And he felt something pass between Asnar and someone else.’

  ‘You mean he’s in contact with someone?’

  ‘Adhamh seems to think so. He could not hear the exchange though. The link is shielded.’

  ‘Trar, tell Hauga. He may have better luck with cracking a Pydarki’s thought shields.’

  ‘Yes, Kral.’

  “Kal- Dearen would never wander off by herself. Not without telling someone what she was doing.” Not strictly true but Asnar did not need to know that Tayme reasoned. From the corner of his eye, Tayme saw Hauga’s reaction to Trar’s message. And then a heated look passed between Hauga and Raga before Hauga released his grip from Raga’s shoulders.

  Asnar’s head suddenly whipped round to stare at the Dymarki and Tayme saw Raga take a step forward. Raga must have said something.

  ‘I’d back away if I were you, Kral.’

  Trar’s urgent warning automatically jerked him back a few steps from the chair. Asnar must have noticed the movement as he glanced at Tayme before quickly focusing back on Raga.

  ‘What’s going on Trar?’

  ‘The four of us have planned something.’

  ‘Four?’

  ‘Adhamh and me and the Dymarki. Just guard the door and watch.’

  Tayme stared at both Raga and Asnar, trying to keep both in his field of vision. Not a word or sound came from either of them, but something was clearly happening as the expression on Asnar’s face changed from a calmness set in stone to a mix of consternation and surprise, Tayme couldn’t decide which. Then Asnar took a step forward as if he wanted to go toe to toe with the big cat and Raga started to lean out from the wall, daring him to. Tayme was about to move to pull the man back but Trar stopped him.

  ‘Don’t.’

  ‘But Raga could tear him to pieces!’

  ‘Just watch.’

  ‘How is this going to help us find Kalena?’

  ‘Just watch and be patient.’

  The two stood facing each other, angry, bristling and aggressive. But, apart from that first step they did not move. Hauga was staring Asnar down, but not threatening. The two were obviously talking together.

  Then Ansar’s head jerked and turned away from the Dymarki. He closed his eyes and frowned as if in pain and after a sigh and a deep breath, Asnar turned to Tayme.

  “I know where she is. I will lead you to her.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “What have you done to her?”

  Tayme leapt before he had finished speaking and it was only Raga’s speed and dexterity that stopped him from doing harm to the Pydarki. Lieutenant Peana moved behind Asnar, ready to hold him if he tried to engage with Tayme.

  “Raga, let me go!” he cried, straining hard against the Dymarki’s hold on his shoulders.

  ‘Kral, calm down,’ Trar’s voice slipped into his mind and it was her steadiness that helped to settle him.

  ‘He knew all along where she was!’

  ‘No he didn’t,’ Trar replied. ‘But he’s been in communication with the one who has her. Adhamh heard them talk before Asnar spoke. Asnar seemed just as surprised as you are.’

  ‘What?’ Tayme asked as confusion flooded through him, making him relax enough for Raga to risk releasing him from the tight hold.

  ‘Asnar had mentioned to Hauga and Raga that he had been working with a group. We surmised that it might have been someone from this group that has Kalena. We decided that if we put Asnar under enough stress that he might try to contact someone to see what was going on. And he did and got an answer.’

  ‘Does Adhamh know who?’

  ‘No names were mentioned, but Adhamh said that there was something about the voice that was familiar.’

  ‘Okay Trar, tell Raga that I’m fine, he doesn’t need to stand over me like that.’ Tayme looked up into the big cat’s face and after a few moments, Raga stepped away from him though his ears still stayed flat against his head.

  ‘What was Asnar told then?’

  ‘Basically, he was told to bring us to something called The
Hall of the Black Bison. That is where Kalena is.’

  ‘Is that here in Daegarouf?’

  “I know where she is and I’ll take you all to her. The leader of my group has her and that is all I can say.” Asnar’s voice broke the silence of the room. Hauga turned to Asnar and after a moment Asnar visibly stiffened. “No need to remind me that I cannot run, that a Dymarki can chase me down no matter what shape I choose.”

  ‘Trar, what was that about?’

  ‘Hauga gave a warning not to run which seemed to upset Asnar. I didn’t understand it much, it made no sense to me.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter. Whatever it takes to bring Kalena back.’

  “Lead us to her Asnar. And I’ll add my threat to the one Hauga just gave you. If anything has happened to her then you will have to deal with Trar and me.”

  “There is no need for all the threats. Dearen will be fine. She is not being held against her will, she went of her own accord.”

  Raga made a sharp gesture that needed no translation from Trar.

  “We will ask Dearen ourselves when we find her Asnar,” Tayme shot off the comment automatically. Something about the Pydarki rubbed him the wrong way. Lieutenant Peana obviously felt the same way from the expression on his face. The man was looking at Asnar as if he was a cockroach that had escaped being stomped by his booted foot.

  “You all go. I’ll wait here for my men to return,” Peana said, though he still stood behind Asnar as if he thought the Pydarki might try to escape the room.

  Hauga reached out and caught Asnar by the arm and propelled him towards Tayme and the door. Peana jumped back in surprise and Tayme sidestepped to get out of their way. Raga moved quickly to get the door and then before Tayme was really aware of what was going on, they were all in the corridor quick marching as fast as they dared to Asnar directions.