Seeking the Dream

by Marcia J. Bennett

  “Unbar the door and go in. Pocalina is inside,” Amet directed.

  Dhalvlad had moved only a step or two into the room when something hurtled at him from the side. He saw a cloud of black hair and the blur of a face, then Poco was on him. The momentum of her attack drove him back against the stone wall. His head struck the wall, and for a second or two he almost lost consciousness. He heard Amet’s laughter as the door slammed shut. That sound was followed by the heavy thunk of a bar dropping into place.

  “Dhal!” Poco cried, realizing her mistake too late. She grabbed his arms and helped him up. “Are you all right? I thought it would be Paa-tol or Amet or one of their lackeys.” Tears began to trickle down her face. “I’m so sorry, Dhal. Please tell me you’re all right.”

  He straightened and tried to shake the fuzziness from his head. “Let me sit down.”

  She moved in under his arm and helped him across the room. Screech, who had watched from his place in the doorway to the next room, moved forward as far as his chain would allow and helped Dhalvad over to Poco’s bed.

  Dhalvad gently rubbed the back of his head and used his healing skill to banish the pain. “That was quite a reception,” he murmured.

  Poco shook her head. “I said I was sorry, Dhal. I’ve been planning that move for the last few hours. I was sure it would be Amet or Paa-tol. I was hoping to knock whoever it was off-balance and get him across the room to where Screech could help me. The last one I expected to see was you.” She hugged him tightly and gave him a kiss. “Not that I’m not glad to see you all in one piece. I was afraid they’d done something to you.”

  He stroked her hair as he held her. “They’ve done nothing to me but make me worry about you, Jiam, and Screech.” He glanced around the room, a worried frown creasing his forehead. “Where is Jiam?”

  “He’s in the other room. We thought he’d be safer there if the fighting got rough.” She turned to Screech. “Go get him.”

  Screech returned carrying Jiam bundled in a blanket. Dhalvad took his son in his arms. Large crystal-blue eyes stared up at him, then Jiam grinned and gurgled happily.

  “Glad to see me, little one?” Dhalvad crooned. His relief at finding all three alive brought tears to his eyes. He brought Jiam up against his chest and held him tight, listening to his baby sounds as he grabbed a small handful of his father’s hair and pulled on it.

  Poco’s heart ached to see the tears in Dhalvad’s eyes. It isn’t right, she thought, that so gentle a person should be subjected to this kind of torment. Though Dhalvad had proven to be strong, resilient, and more than capable of holding his own—from the dangerous days of their trek from the Deep, to near-slavery in Port Sulta, to their almost fatal crossing of the plains where derkat radgs roamed freely, to their final trek through a World Gate where Dhalvad had saved the living essence of the Tamorlee—there was a streak of gentleness in him that remained firmly entrenched. Her thoughts went to Haradan, Dhalvad’s foster father, to his slow easy ways, his silent laughter, and his love and concern for a child not his own. If anyone was responsible for Dhalvad being what he was, it was probably Haradan.

  “What are we going to do, Dhal?” she asked softly.

  Screech, who had settled on the end of the bed watching the small family, growled. “Escape!” he signed.

  “Yes,” Dhalvad agreed, looking at the derkat. “You three must escape. Then Amet no longer has a hold over me.” He told them briefly what had been happening since the day of their capture and ended with Amet’s plan to get the crystal called Mithdaar no matter whom he hurt in the process.

  “It doesn’t sound good,” Poco said. “What does the Tamorlee think about all of this? Surely it doesn’t approve of what Amet’s doing to us.”

  “It doesn’t know yet. Each time I’ve linked with the crystal, Amet is there listening to whatever is said.”

  “So what? Let him listen!” Poco said sharply. “The Tamorlee should know what’s going on! It might even be able to help us in some way. The next time you link with it, tell it what Amet’s doing!”

  “I do that and Amet is sure to retaliate.” Dhalvad glanced down at Jiam, who was still playing with his braid. “I can’t take the chance, Poco, not until I’m sure you three are safely out of Amet’s reach.”

  Poco wanted to argue but knew Dhalvad was right.

  “Where is Little Fur?” Screech signed. “Amet took him from us yesterday.”

  Dhalvad’s eyes brightened. “He was with me until just a little while ago. The last time I saw him he was down on all fours running for all he was worth. He slipped out of the room before Amet or Paa-tol could stop him. Paa-tol got a good bite on the hand trying to stop him.”

  Poco’s hopes rose. The olvaar was small but he was clever. “What will Gi do?”

  Dhal shook his head. “I’m not really sure. He may try to find you three, or he may go to someone he trusts, like Chulu or Carras. At the moment, he’s our only hope of reaching someone on the outside.”

  Screech’s tufted ears tilted forward. He turned and looked at the door. “Someone comes,” he signed. “Do we attack?”

  Dhalvad had lost track of the time. He stood up and handed Jiam to Poco. “If it’s Amet, he’ll be ready for something like that, so I doubt he’ll come alone, but if he is…”

  Dhalvad moved over to the side of the room and signed for Screech to be ready.

  The door opened and swung all the way back, exposing the room. Paa-tol was the first through the doorway. He was armed with a drawn sword and was followed closely by Amet, who was also armed.

  Dhalvad moved back to stand beside Poco. “Did you find Gi?”

  Amet looked at Dhalvad a moment or two before replying. “Yes. We found him just where you said he’d be, in the marketplace.”

  Disappointed by the news but not willing to let on, Poco frowned at Amet. “What did you do with him?” she snapped.

  “He’s safe enough,” Amet replied, “if he behaves himself. If not—” Amet shrugged “—then he’ll have to suffer the consequences.”

  Amet motioned Dhalvad forward. “Hurry or we’ll be late for our meeting with the Council,” he said.

  Dhalvad turned and touched Screech on the shoulder. It was an intimate gesture among derkat showing great trust. “Watch over them, friend.”

  Screech growled softly in the back of his throat, his amber eyes round and filled with silent promise.

  Dhalvad stepped close to Poco and Jiam and gave them a quick hug. Poco’s lips met his in a kiss as tears sprang to her eyes. “Watch yourself, Dhal,” she whispered. “Don’t trust either of them.”

  “I won’t,” he replied, fighting the lump in his throat.

  Amet watched the farewell scene with impatience, his thoughts already on the Council and what he was going to say. He was going to have to be extremely careful not to give too much away, which would mean he would have to guard his own tongue as well as Dhalvad’s.

  “Come on, Dhalvad,” he snapped. “We’re in a hurry!”

  Dhalvad kissed Poco one last time and tore himself from her hold. As he walked toward the doorway, he was touched by a sudden premonition that he would never see his family alive again. He turned and looked at Poco, then Amet grabbed him by the arm and hurried him out through the doorway, leaving Paa-tol to close and lock the door behind them.

  Dhalvad glared at Amet. “If anything happens to any one of them,” he swore, “I’ll kill you—slowly—so you can taste some of the pain you’re putting us through!”

  Amet was startled by the maniacal look that had come to Dhalvad’s eyes. He cast a nervous glance over his shoulder and was relieved to see Paa-tol hurrying after them.

  Amet’s chin lifted. “Nothing is going to happen to your family as long as you do as you’re told. I give you my word!”

  “Which at the moment is worthless, as far as I’m concerned,” Dhalvad said.

  Paa-tol came up on Dhalvad’s free side, his sword back in its scabbard. There was a question in his
eyes as he caught Amet’s glance. “Anything wrong?”

  “Nothing that concerns you,” Amet said coldly. “Come, the Council will be waiting for us.”

  The Council chamber was situated in the right wing of the Learning Arc, a long, crescent-shaped building that was the center of learning among the Ni of Jjaan-bi. The spacious chamber was furnished with soft cushioned chairs and low tables. Wood sculptures and woven grass hangings decorated the walls, and intricate mosaic patterns made from a variety of woods covered the floor. A heavy table of black odak wood stood in the center of the room, and at that moment, seven of the eight official Council chairs were occupied, six by Council members and the seventh by Dhalvad, as Amet’s guest.

  During the evenings or on storm-darkened days, the room was lighted by overhead chandeliers that held fayyal rocks, but on that day, the rocks’ light gave way to the sister suns shining brightly through the bank of eight tall windows that overlooked Lake Haddrach.

  Dhalvad watched Chulu from across the table. They had been in the room for several hours, and the older Ni had been unusually quiet throughout Amet’s talk about the Tamorlee and the planned search for a second crystal. It was almost as if Chulu sensed the undercurrent of tension between Amet and Dhalvad. He knows something is wrong, Dhalvad thought as Chulu’s glance touched him again. He’s waiting for me to say something.

  For a few seconds he considered openly denouncing Amet before the Council. Once they knew the full story, he could beg their help in locating and freeing Poco, Jiam, and Screech, and put an end to Amet’s control over his life. Then he thought of Paa-tol, whom Amet had sent from the room shortly after their arrival in the Council chambers. A knot of fear twisted his insides when he thought of his family at the mercy of the cold, calculating Second Commander. He firmly believed that Paa-tol would follow Amet’s orders to the letter, without regard for the consequences.

  No! he thought. I won’t risk Poco’s and Jiam’s lives. There has to be another way!

  As Amet paused to look around the table, asking for any further questions, Chulu spoke up. “Then yesterday Dhalvad told us the truth.”

  Amet heard the accusation in Chulu’s voice. “He did. I have already apologized for doubting him.”

  Dhalvad clenched his fists beneath the table, swallowing the word “liar” before it could reach his lips.

  “What about the other things Dhalvad told us?” Chulu continued. “About your being replaced as Speaker at the request of the Tamorlee? You haven’t touched upon that. Was it also the truth?”

  Dhalvad grinned inwardly, hope rising as his friend cut through Amet’s carefully prepared story to hit upon a truth Amet had tried to sidestep. How would the Speaker answer? He could lie, but that was not Amet’s way.

  Amet glanced down the table at Dhalvad, his look warning of retribution should the Healer speak out of turn. Dhalvad glared back at him, his lips grimly set.

  “Dhalvad told the truth about the Tamorlee requesting a new Speaker yesterday, but since then I’ve linked with the Tamorlee with Dhalvad’s help, and the crystal has reconsidered its request. The Tamorlee is intent on finding this other crystal and for a brief time believed that Dhalvad could be of more assistance than I. The three of us have now come to an understanding and will work together in this search. It doesn’t matter who holds the title of Speaker right now. That can be decided on our return. What does matter is finding this other crystal and bringing it back to Jjaan-bi.”

  Davano and Tidul nodded, but Lurral still had reservations. “I agree that finding another crystal like the Tamorlee is extremely important, but I question whether it’s wise to take the Tamorlee from Jjaan-bi and chance losing it. Remember, we lost it once before by moving it to another location, and now that it’s so much smaller in size, it will be that much easier to lose.”

  “We don’t intend to lose it,” Amet said firmly. “Dhalvad, Paa-tol, and myself are all capable of a quick return to Jjaan-bi if anything goes wrong. The crystal will not leave our sight.”

  “Still,” Lurral said, “only three to guard the Tamorlee… It sounds risky. Why not take more? There are over fourteen Seekers in the city at the moment, and if we put out a call, others would come surely.”

  Amet shook his head. “I don’t think such help will be necessary, Lurral.” He saw Chulu’s frown deepen and changed what he had intended to say. “But you may put out a call if you like and await our report. Once we’ve located the other crystal and have had a chance to look over the situation, we’ll be better able to judge if more help will be needed.”

  Chiilana cleared her throat and caught the eyes of the others around the table. Her gaze fastened on Amet. “How long will it take you to find this other crystal?”

  Amet shrugged. “I’m not really sure. The Tamorlee has linked with the other crystal several times but hasn’t been able to speak directly to it. That may take actual physical contact to accomplish, but it does know the general direction of the sending, and that’s what we’ll follow until we can get a good visual sighting that’s not too distant. It may take three or four time jumps to get us where we want to be; it may take twice that many. We just don’t know.”

  “Dhalvad? What do you think?” Chiilana asked.

  Dhalvad hesitated. One look at Amet’s face reminded him of Paa-tol and his orders. There was nothing he could do for Poco and Jiam except to see that no obstacles stood in Amet’s way. Resigned to the part he was being forced to play, he stood up.

  “I don’t agree with everything Amet has said, but I do know what the Tamorlee wants, and if it doesn’t get it, it’s capable of shutting us out and sealing off that part of our past it holds. I believe that we have to stop thinking of the Tamorlee as some benign servant who’ll give and give of itself and expect nothing in return. It’s a sentient being who, with our unknowing help, has searched long and hard to find one of its own kind. I think it’s time we did whatever we can to help it find the one it calls its dream brother. If we can help it, it may consent to continue being our historian.”

  Amet frowned, surprised by Dhalvlad’s eloquence and help in convincing the Council to stand aside and let the search commence. He looked around. “Is there anything else anyone wants to say? No? Then I suggest a vote.”

  A vote was duly taken and recorded by Lurral. The search for a second crystal was authorized with no dissenting votes.

  “How soon do you plan on leaving?” Chulu asked.

  “Tomorrow morning,” Amet responded. “So Dhalvad and I must leave you now. We each have things to take care of before we’re ready to begin our journey.”

  Lurral pushed away from the table. “If you’re leaving so soon, I’d better get started alerting the other Seekers in Jjaan-bi, just in case you need them.”

  Amet nodded and moved around the end of the table toward Dhalvad. “It will be good to know we have backup should anything go wrong.”

  Everyone was getting up. Dhalvad rose, wishing he had been able to alert at least one of the Council members to his problem, preferably Chulu, but Amet was not about to let that happen. As Dhalvad turned to look for Chulu, Amet approached and dropped a hand on his shoulder.

  “Ready to go?”

  Dhalvad nodded, barely suppressing his irritation over Amet’s possessive attitude.

  “Wait,” Chulu said as Amet steered Dhalvad toward the doorway.

  Dhalvad’s heartbeat quickened as he turned to see his friend pushing past Tidul and hurrying toward him. Perhaps there was still a chance of alerting Chulu to Poco’s plight.

  “We haven’t much time,” Amet said as Chulu stopped before them.

  Chulu raised his hands. “I know, Amet. I know. I just wanted to wish you both good luck.” His crystal-gray eyes grew sober. “And tell Dhalvad that I’ll keep an eye on Poco and Jiam while he’s gone.”

  Amet’s hand tightened on Dhalvad’s shoulder. “That won’t be necessary. They’ve gone visiting and won’t be back for several weeks.”

  “I didn’t kn
ow they were going anywhere,” Chulu said. “Odd that Poco didn’t say something to Naalan the other day. Where’d they go, Dhal?”

  “To Cybury,” Dhalvad improvised quickly. “She met a young Singer from there some time ago and promised her she’d bring the baby for a visit. They shouldn’t be gone too long.”

  “Does she know about this search you’re going on?”

  “She knows.”

  “Did Screech and Gi go with her? I haven’t seen either of them since the other day.”

  “Screech is devoted to Poco and the baby, as is Gi-arobi. Where you find one, you’ll find the others,” Dhalvad answered.

  Chulu smiled. “Leaving you to fend for yourself.”

  Dhalvad nodded, his face sober.

  “I’m sorry, Chulu,” Amet interrupted, “but we must go along now.”

  Chulu nodded. He held his hands out to Dhalvad. “Take care of yourself, friend, and don’t take any unnecessary chances. We’ll all be waiting to hear from you.”

  Dhalvad reached out and clasped Chulu’s arms at the elbows, his fingers closing tight around his arms. “You are a good friend, Chulu. I’d appreciate it if you’d look in on Poco and Jiam when they return, if I’m not back.”

  There was a warning nudge from behind.

  “You know I will,” Chulu responded, frowning slightly.

  Dhalvad released Chulu and, without another word, turned and accompanied Amet from the room.

  Chulu stood and watched them out of sight, the frown on his face deepening as he rubbed his arms where Dhalvad had pinched him so hard.

  “Is something wrong?” Chiilana asked as she approached. “Having second thoughts on the vote?”