The Shadow Realm

by James Galloway

  Keritanima threw the shawl over her shoulders, and Tarrin saw that Miranda had knitted it to fit her perfectly. Obviously, Miranda had an owner in mind for it since she started it. "I'll get an ivory hoop for the ends, and it'll sit perfectly," Keritanima mused. "Just over my neckline."

  "She's fishing," Miranda whispered to Tarrin.

  "I am not! Well, not really," she amended.

  "Oh? And just who is she fishing for?" Tarrin asked.

  "Rallix," Miranda replied with a cheeky grin. "The badger that runs the trading company she owns under one of her other identities."

  "Kerri told me about that," he told her. "Just be careful, Kerri. Workers get nervous when the boss starts flirting with them."

  "He knows who I am, Tarrin," Keritanima said with a face. "It turns out that he knew the whole time," she said in a voice that made it clear that the idea of that still mystified her. "I'm not out to get him, Tarrin. Not yet, anyway. I'm just testing the waters, that's all."

  "She's already picked out the rings," Miranda laughed.

  Keritanima's face fur ruffled so badly it looked like she'd been attacked by a pack of licking puppies. "Well, a girl should be ready for any eventuality, shouldn't she?" she said defensively.

  Tarrin smiled. It was a very good thing that Keritanima had started noticing a man. He'd been worried about her that way, worried that her bad childhood had hardened her to any kind of intimate contact with others. It was a very healthy thing if she'd started noticing a man.

  "Want me to kidnap him, Miranda?" he offered. "We can persuade him that marrying our friend here is the only way he'll live to see tomorrow."

  "Tarrin!" Keritanima gasped in shock. "You leave him alone! I'll get him in my own way, in my own time!"

  "You can't rush these things, Tarrin," Miranda chided him.

  "I'm not too familiar with Wikuni mating habits."

  "It's not a mating habit,"Keritanima said sharply.

  "Do you want to marry him?" Tarrin asked bluntly.

  "Well...maybe."

  "And that means that you want to mate with him?"

  Her fur ruffled furiously.

  "Then it's a mating habit," he said in a calm, logical manner. "Some animals are just more complicated than others."

  "Not like those Were-cat females," Keritanima sniped in reply. "Always ready to rip off their clothes!"

  "They're a bit more honest about what they want than other races," Tarrin replied calmly, taking no offense. "At least with a Were-cat female, you know exactly where you stand with her, and exactly what she wants. There's none of this flirting and deceit and silly games that seems to go on with humans and Wikuni."

  "Were-cats have no romance in them!" Keritanima accused. "None at all!"

  "We're part animal, Kerri. Romance is an alien concept to us," he agreed without batting an eye.

  Keritanima snarled slightly. She wasn't used to losing arguments, especially when the points she was making helped the other side. "Well, it's not right," she growled.

  "For you. It works for us, though. And that's all that really matters."

  "Well, our way works for us," she declared.

  "And that's all that matters for you. Don't compare your culture with mine. They're apples and pears." He turned to Miranda. "Explain this to me, Miranda."

  "Well, Kerri has to attract Rallix's attention first," she began. "She'll do that with low-cut dresses and little hints in her conversation. When she has his interest, she has to show him that she's the only woman for him, and that all other women are worthless. That won't be too hard for Kerri, she's good at making people think the way she wants them to. Then she cleverly guides him into believing that he chased her the entire time, and then dupes him into asking her to marry him, while he thinks he started it the whole time. So he won't think she's too forward, you understand. At least not until after they're married, and he can't do anything about it," Miranda added with a wink.

  "You make it sound so deceitful," Keritanima snapped at her friend.

  "Deception seems to be a Wikuni requirement," Tarrin said dryly. "Where some races find size or attractiveness or ability desirable, I guess Wikuni see deception and glibness as good traits in a mate."

  Miranda laughed. "I think you're right, Tarrin," she agreed.

  It all seemed a bit silly to Tarrin, but to each race its own customs and culture. He wasn't one to pass judgement on them because their ways weren't as simple and uncomplicated as his kind's were.

  "When does the quest for the prize begin?" he asked.

  Probably the minute the gangplank hits the wharf in Wikuna," Miranda laughed. "Kerri wants his ring on her finger before we leave for Vendaka. That gives her about two weeks."

  "You can force a man to marry you in two weeks?" Tarrin asked her in surprise.

  "I'm not going to force him," she said challengingly.

  "You call that testing the waters?" Tarrin asked with a laugh.

  "She just didn't want you to think that she was a hussy, Tarrin. It's not becoming for a Wikuni lady to seem too aggressive."

  "But she's a queen. She's supposed to be aggressive," Tarrin scoffed.

  "Then people would think that she's a titled hussy," Miranda told him. "Women aren't supposed to seem too willing, Tarrin. Not in Wikuni society. They have to play hard to get, even when they're playing it against a man they want to get them."

  "What a waste of time," Tarrin grunted.

  "It makes the victory that much sweeter," Keritanima grinned at him.

  "I doubt it'll take that long," Miranda said with a smile. "Rallix is smitten with our cunning little queen here. I'll bet fifty gold marks that he'll fall all over her as soon as he sees her flirting with him."

  "I'll take you up on that, Miranda," Keritanima said confidently. "I'm a good judge of people, and I haven't seen that in him. Not that I don't want him to do it, but I'm not going to be that optomisitic."

  "It's your money," Miranda shrugged. "Or mine now, as it were."

  "Don't count your gold yet, Miranda," Keritanima said smugly.

  The bell rang again, and then Keritanima stood up. "I'm going to go wash up for dinner. See you there," she said, then she sauntered away, her fox tail swaying back and forth behind her with her stride.

  "That's the easiest fifty marks I've ever made," Miranda laughed after Keritanima went below decks.

  "What is this Rallix like?" Tarrin asked.

  "A good man," she said sincerely. "Smart, well educated, and very loyal and dependable. He's known about Kerri for a long time, but kept her secret and kept working for her. Kerri doesn't understand why, not really. She thinks he did it because he was making a fortune at her trading company. But I've looked into his eyes when he's looking at her, so I know that that's not the reason at all."

  "He loves her," Tarrin surmised.

  "You bet," she said with that cheeky grin. "He's devoted to her, and he's absolutely loyal to her. He doesn't even skim off the top. Rallix wouldn't have given away Kerri, not even after a week on the rack. He'll be a good husband for her, because he won't be quite so pliable once they're on even ground."

  Tarrin chuckled. "He's that strong?"

  "He's like steel, Tarrin," she winked. "Kerri's going to have quite a shock waiting for her when she does marry him. She'll be up against someone just as strong as she is."

  "That's good. If Kerri could knuckle under her mate, she wouldn't respect him."

  "I know. Now then, let's get moving before they ring the bell a third time," she announced. Tarrin stood up with her, putting Chopstick up on his shoulder, and they walked towards the stairs. "I think I'd like a nice porterhouse, tender, well aged, and cooked to where it's still pink in the middle," she told him. "Do you do baked potatos?"

  "For you, Miranda, I'll do a banquet."

  "You're such a good friend," she gushed, leaning on his arm girlishly.

  "Flirt."

  "I have to stay in practice, you know," she said with a teasing giggle.

&
nbsp; Chapter 2

  Life aboard a sailing vessel was one of routine.

  Even for the passengers, the days turned into a procession of regular events that made the days blur together, which both made Tarrin feel like time was flying by, even as each individual day seemed to drag out endlessly. Breakfast some hour past sunrise, then for Tarrin, it was long, involved discussion and debate with Camara Tal. The Amazon had decided that simply teaching him the spells of Priest magic wasn't enough. She grilled him on his knowledge of theology, philosophy, and history, and she surprised him with the depth and bredth of her knowledge. Tarrin had never pegged the fiery Amazon as a scholar, but she proved to him that she was easily as well educated as Phandebrass, especially in the realm of multipantheonic theology. Camara Tal knew the name of every god, Elder, Younger, and those not accepted by the organized pantheon, which were called cult gods. She knew most of the beliefs and goals of the religious orders of all those gods, even things Tarrin was surprised an outsider would know, like certain ceremonies they performed. She grilled him about his beliefs in his goddess, even going so far as to ask questions about what she expected of him as a Priest, something even he didn't know.

  While Camara Tal and Tarrin argued over finer points of philosophy, the others had their routines as well. Azakar would sit with Dar and play stones or chess. Dolanna would learn the finer arts of needlework or knitting from Miranda, and Allia would usually spend that time in the company of Keritanima, who had gone back to reading books, or going over reports brought in to her by the priest on board the ship, who received them via magic from Jervis or the sashka. Phandebrass and Kimmie would be off by themselves, and they appeared in the most unusual places. One rainy morning, the entire ship was rocked by an explosion in the bilges, and when sailors went to investigate, the found the pair of them in there setting fire to water. That little stunt caused the entire fleet of ships to come to a halt, but then again, it probably was for the best, for the rain intensified into a rather nasty storm. The ships all dropped their sea anchors and rode it out, then continued on that afternoon.

  At noon precisely, they had lunch, and then they all changed their activities. Tarrin sat down to teach Keritanima Sorcery and be taught Wikuni by her and Miranda in return, as Allia, Camara Tal and Azakar sparred on the widest part of the deck. Camara Tal had first done it to see if Azakar had improved, but now she was the student as Azakar taught her some of the forms and techniques the Vendari had taught to him. Allia had watched at first, but she realized that sparring with the likes of the Amazon and the Mahuut would improve her own forms. Basicly, that meant that the two of them suffered as Allia's target dummies as the Selani gave herself a workout. The two of them were good, but they just couldn't match the Selani's blazing, inhuman speed. Kimmie and Phandebrass continued their morning session into the afternoon, often changing locations.

  At an hour before sunset, dinner was placed, and they took the evening meal with the ship's captain, a leopard Wikuni with a chunk missing from his right ear who called himself Karlin, Admiral Torm, and the Wikuni priest aboard, a willowy mammallian Wikuni that looked something like a cross between a squirrel and a chipmunk, with golden fur. Keritanima told him that he was called a prairie dog, whatever that was. It was some kind of animal indiginous to Wikuna. Whatever he was, he was a quiet, observant fellow named Velton, modest and discreet, and someone with whom Tarrin didn't mind sharing company. Given his more aggressive behavior since taking ship, that was saying that the Wikuni priest was almost a friend.

  After dinner, they all generally wound down, drinking whatever was available and sitting up on deck to watch the sunset, sharing company. It was important for them to do so, since they had been separated in one way or another for a very long time. Tarrin needed to reacclimate himself to the others, and those who had been separated from him for so long needed time to readjust to him. Especially Azakar. The Mahuut didn't quite know what to make of Tarrin now, or what to do about him or how to act around him. Tarrin was many things, even to those with him, but Azakar seemed to have the most trouble understanding what had happened and how Tarrin had changed. When Tarrin had been separated from Azakar, Miranda, and Keritanima, he had been a much different person. Young, afraid, and on the edge. His behavior was erratic then, but only to an untrained observer. Now he was gruff, quiet, brooding, given to not speaking unless he had a reason to do so, and more than a little mean. That probably set Azakar off the most, for despite his huge size and impressive fighting ability, Azakar was actually a very gentle and caring person. Tarrin's vicious nature seemed to disturb Azakar, where the others had had time to get used to it.

  Just after sunset, every evening, Tarrin found someplace quiet and talked to Jesmind and Jasana. They talked of very unimportant things, more like listening to Jesmind fume and rant and rail about this or that, venting her frustration. There was little for him to say to them after the fifth day, after he'd described the ship and the sea and the things he saw for the tenth time. Speaking to Jesmind made him a little less lonely, but he had yet to mention the fact that he was having trouble with Kimmie. He was very evasive about it, because Jesmind asked after her almost every night. He wouldn't lie to her, but he'd learned many ways to misdirect the truth when necessary, and he knew his mate. He knew how to deflect her, distract her, make her forget what she was asking.

  Little had changed in Suld since they'd left, nearly twenty days before. Jesmind and Jasana stayed on the Tower grounds with Jenna most of the time, as his sister continued to write her book and teach Jula about Sorcery. Jula had regained her powers already, and had just begun the practical exercises to learn Weavespinner magic. Since the ship was moving, and Tarrin couldn't enter the Weave unless he was stationary, he was missing out on quite a bit of what Jenna was teaching his bond-daughter. He would have liked to have been there for that. Triana too remained in the Tower, to watch over Jesmind and Jasana and, to his surprise, to get to know his parents and Jenna intimately. Triana had adopted Tarrin, and now she was coming to know the other side of his family. His mother and father were planning to return to Aldreth, but had delayed that at Triana's request, so they could get to know each other. Tarrin imagined that Triana was very impressed with his parents. They were very strong, very admirable people.

  After his nightly talk with Jesmind, Tarrin spent special time with Allia, usually in his cabin but sometimes walking around on deck, to reinforce the powerful bond they shared. They didn't have to speak or do anything, or even interact with one another. They only had to be in the same room together, and be alone. That was all either of them needed. It was their time to speak to each other of things they didn't tell any of the others, not even Keritanima, where Tarrin told his sister the whole truth about anything she wanted to know. Tarrin held no secrets from Allia, just as she held no secrets from him. After Tarrin finished telling her about what happened to him, Allia told him about what happened to her after they parted, things even of the most intimate nature, personal observations and such that would offend all the others, even Keritanima. Allia was like that sometimes.

  Everything else may change, but the powerful bond between Tarrin and Allia would always remain.

  After spending time with Allia, Tarrin went to bed. It was a bed he now shared with the two drakes, curled up with them on top of the covers in his cat form, because the bed was too small for his tall body. Tarrin liked sleeping with the drakes, because they were cozily warm all the time, and Tarrin liked heat. They would sleep through the night, and then when the sun came up, the cycle would repeat itself again.

  It was a day, much like any other. Tarrin had just finished teaching Keritanima about the intricacies of Weavespinner magic, teaching her techniques for controlling the magic, trying to jar her powers back. She'd yet to regain her powers, though he could sense in her that she was very close to them. Any day now--any time now, for that matter--she was going to realign herself and find her magic again, and it was what Tarrin was waiting to happen. He couldn't re
ally teach her anything else until she regained her powers, so his tutoring lately had only been various exercises and observations, trying to help her regain her powers more quickly. But he couldn't go too far, because Sorcery was still a very private affair, even Weavespinner magic. Keritanima's method of using her magic was her own, and trying to teach her his own methods would interfere with her ability. He could only tell her what to do; the method of going about doing it would be uniquely her own. The only thing that they would share would be generalalities defined by the laws of Sorcery, laws by which they had to operate.

  He heard her growl as she closed her eyes and raised her muzzle. "I can feel it right there," she growled in a low tone. "I can sense it. Why can't I use it, dammit! It's getting frustrating!"

  "Relax," he told her. "You can't do it if you're agitated."

  "Then that's the problem," Miranda winked at him. "She's been agitated ever since you started teaching her. She's too impatient, she wants it all right now. If you'd just relax and let things happen yourself, Kerri, you'd have been using magic again days ago."

  "Like you know anything," Keritanima huffed at her in irritation.

  "Kerri," Tarrin chided. "Calm down."

  "Don't tell me to calm down!"

  "Someday you'll learn not to order me around, Kerri. You know I'm not going to obey you," he said evenly, adjusting himself on the stool that a sailor had brought for him. Since many Wikuni had tails, much of their furniture either didn't have backs or had split backs, making it easy on the tail to use the seat. "Remember the exercises in mental discipline that Allia taught us?"

  "Of course I do," she replied. "I--oh, I see," she said with a sudden toothy grin. "That might work. If I can use the meditation trick to focus myself, I might be able to regain my magic." She glanced at him. "That's a clever idea, brother. I'm surprised you thought of it."