Fire Margins

by Lisanne Norman

  Taking it in her hand again, Carrie sat back and closed her eyes. She wasn’t quite sure what she was doing because when she had mentally searched the ruins, it was something she’d done without thinking. She concentrated on the crystal in her hand, probing around it till suddenly, she’d found what she was looking for.

  “I see a time of darkness, of neglect, then suddenly there is light and people—many, many people. Flames leap from a bowl before him … no, closer than that. A bowl in his hands, I think,” she said, her voice quiet so as not to lose the tenuous contact she had with the gem. “There’s incense and chanting—the low, pleasing sounds of worshipers.”

  The scene grew, expanding to fill her mind till she could hear nothing but the chanting, smell nothing but the scent of incense from the nung tree, and see nothing but a sea of heads bowed toward her beyond the flames that gently flickered in her hands.

  “There were so many then, all worshiping me. These ones were peaceful, not like the ones who lived below,” she said, hearing with horror the sudden deepening of her voice. The voice continued as if it belonged to someone other than herself, leaving her terrified as it spoke words in a Sholan dialect she didn’t know.

  “Fire ran through their veins! They were Warriors. At the end, they fought the furless ones, dying like heroes, taking them with them into death.”

  Suddenly finding herself partially released from the spell of the past, she gave a low cry of anguish, putting her hands up to protect her head. The crystal fell to the floor, rolling away to stop by Noni’s foot even as the old Sholan stepped over it to reach her.

  “They destroyed the Shrine and me! I fragment! I am lost!”

  “It’s only a memory, child,” Noni said, pulling her arms down by her sides and holding her close. “A memory, no more.”

  Carrie shuddered several times, then the tension left her body and she slumped against Noni.

  “Sit, child,” she said, moving her grasp to Carrie’s hands as she did so.

  Carrie looked up at her, blinking to try and bring her eyes into focus. She took her hands away from Noni, putting them up to her face as she began to shudder again. “He spoke through me! He took over my voice, Noni!” Even she could hear the panic in her voice.

  “No,” said Noni, gently lowering herself to her chair again. “Your subconscious mind copied the way they spoke and thought in those days, that’s all.”

  “I don’t like it, Noni,” Carrie said, rubbing her eyes. “All these dreams and voices—it’s frightening.”

  Noni poked Carrie’s mug toward her again. “Take another drink,” she said, then bent slowly down to retrieve the crystal orb from the floor. “Don’t be frightened,” she said. “It’s other people’s memories you’re seeing and hearing, not yours. That painter that lives on the Aldatan estate, she sees a picture in everything she looks at, that’s her Talent. Yours is to be sensitive to thoughts, amongst other things. So you pick them up from crystals like this.” She put it down in front of Carrie.

  “I don’t know,” Carrie began dubiously.

  “Well, I do!” interrupted Noni sharply. “Stop working yourself into a panic over something as natural as those damned comm crystals you use every day! They store electronic information, don’t they? Well, these ones,” she said, taking Carrie’s hand from the table and placing the crystal in her palm, “store information from our minds! I want you to keep that crystal. Wear it round your neck. Get a jeweler to put it in one of those silver cage things. Now, put it away, I’ve got more important things to say to you.”

  Holding the crystal gingerly between thumb and index finger, Carrie returned it to her pocket. Noni’s explanation sounded eminently logical and already she was feeling a little easier about the whole incident. Instinctively she reached for Kusac, forgetting about the psychic damper.

  “Yes, I use a damper. I need privacy for myself and those who come to me,” Noni said. “You’d be surprised how many of the Brothers are sensitives if not telepaths. Now we know for sure there was a shrine to Vartra on your estate, that along with the fact that the new Leska pairs dream of the God in Valsgarth Guildhouse, makes it pretty sure there are seams of these crystals on your land. They’re also found here at Stronghold, which would account for the dreams and visions of the Brothers.”

  “Kusac and I camped out for a couple of days in a cave that had seams of those crystals in it. The cave was at the foot of the hill on which the shrine stands.”

  “I know that these crystals store memories,” said Noni. “I use them for healing. I used one when I healed you. Because I was working with your mind, it picked up the essence of what and who you are. It also picked up the feelings and emotions of my helper.”

  Carrie looked up at her, puzzled. What was Noni getting at?

  “I wanted Tallinu to be an element in that crystal.”

  “Kaid? But why?”

  “I wondered that myself, till now,” Noni said. “Part of it was because you would become a Triad. Now, with Tallinu missing, and Ghezu wanting him dead, it suddenly makes sense.”

  “How does it make sense?” Carrie asked. “You’ve lost me, Noni.” She was thoroughly confused now.

  “I’ve used that particular crystal for more years than I care to remember, but this time, I knew I had to give it to Tallinu just as it was, with both of you a part of it. His link to you is now something tangible that he can believe in every time he touches the crystal.”

  “Are you telling me that he can somehow contact me through it?”

  “Not quite. He isn’t a telepath, after all, but he can sense some of what’s in it because he’s also a part of it. It sensitizes him to you. It’s possible that you could use it to try and locate him. Perhaps you’ll pick him up anyway.”

  “Pick him up how?”

  “You ask too many questions!” Noni growled. “Try thinking for yourself, girl! You might have dreams that show you where he is or what’s happening to him. Anything’s possible! Just be on your guard for any strange feelings regarding Tallinu, that’s all. Who knows? After you’ve paired, he may be able to reach you mentally by using it himself.”

  She stopped talking and leaned forward. “What is it? You’ve already felt something, haven’t you? I can sense you thinking about it. Tell me!”

  “It’s nothing, Noni.” She wasn’t happy about anyone else being able to know her thoughts. “Just that I’ve been sleeping badly. No dreams or anything, just unable to sleep.”

  “Since he left?”

  “Round about then,” Carrie admitted, looking away from her as she toyed with her mug. “Noni, this pairing. I know you have a different outlook on pairings from Humans, but in my experience, all the people around me except Vanna seem to have only one partner.”

  “What people do in their private life isn’t usually common knowledge,” said Noni. “Many Leska pairs have a mate as well, and I remember times when your bond-parents had a lover or two.”

  Carrie looked up quizzically.

  “No, I won’t tell you,” said Noni. “Private is private. My knowledge was legitimately come by, not gossip. What is it that bothers you about the pairing? Do you dislike Tallinu?”

  Carrie could feel her curiosity. “No. He’s never been anything but kind and understanding with me,” she said.

  “He’s older than Kusac,” said Noni, “but that’s no bad thing. You’ll not find him causing trouble for either of you.”

  “How could he cause trouble?” She watched Noni’s eyes narrow.

  “How much do you know about the Triads, girl?”

  “Only what the Brotherhood and Ghyan at the temple in Valsgarth have in their records.”

  Noni made a noise of disgust. “They know nothing!”

  “How do you know more?”

  “Knowledge passed down through our families, girl,” said Noni. “Our knowledge goes back further than theirs! At the time of the Cataclysm, there was a hatred and fear of the Telepaths. Many believed they caused the disaster tha
t swept across the face of Shola, but that wasn’t so. Theirs was a time when the guilds grew up out of the ruins of the past, a time when people fought to keep as many of their skills alive as possible so they could rebuild their world. Warriors were needed, and to protect those telepaths that were left, they formed Triads with the Leska pairs.”

  “The telepaths would have been able to sense danger.”

  “And the Warriors could protect them from attack,” finished Noni.

  “I suppose it was easier for lone telepaths to go unnoticed.”

  “Within reason. With people trying to loot all they could from what was left of their world, telepaths were easy to spot because of their inability to stand physical violence. So they set up their own guild and retreated to defensible places with Warriors to protect them.”

  “There were the Valtegans as well,” Carrie reminded her.

  “We’ve only just begun to learn of their existence in the past, we can’t assume they survived the Cataclysm. In time, some of the Warriors became the Brotherhood. Perhaps they were the result of pairings between Warriors and Telepaths. Who knows? Be that as it may, these Triads had to be close, had to trust each other. Especially if there were cubs,” she said quietly.

  Carrie looked away, picking up her mug and taking a drink. “That’s not likely in our case.”

  “What made you choose Tallinu?” asked Noni, sitting back in her chair.

  “What d’you mean?”

  “Just what I said.”

  “I feel I can trust him,” said Carrie, refusing to look her in the eye. “He’s the only other male I know well enough.” She had no intention of telling Noni, or anyone else, that she’d sensed the presence of his mind several times.

  “What else?”

  “His touch doesn’t make me want to move away.”

  Noni made a small, noncommittal noise.

  Carrie looked up at her. “I like him! Is there anything wrong in that?” she demanded, angry at being goaded into admitting it.

  Noni spread her hands expressively. “Did I say anything?” she asked. “Your reasons are good. Most people choose lovers for less sound reasons.”

  “I didn’t say I was choosing him as a lover!” Carrie exclaimed.

  “What do you think the third in a Triad is, if not a lover to one of you? It isn’t a one-time tumble just so you can walk the Fire Margins! Think Sholan, girl, not Human!” said Noni, her voice sharp. “If you don’t, you’ll hurt them both.”

  “But… Surely Kusac doesn’t want me to …”

  “He’s Sholan, girl, just remember that. For all his understanding of your Human side, if you confuse the Human and Sholan ideals, you’ll cause your mate more hurt. Tallinu needn’t mean to you what Kusac does, but treat him as less than a lover and you’ll hurt him too. Just enjoy the pairing when it happens. It’s a pleasure the Gods gifted to us, to be enjoyed for what it is, no more. Your loyalty to your life-mate isn’t affected by that, is it?”

  “No,” said Carrie dubiously.

  “Ha! I’d heard you Humans didn’t pair for pleasure but did it for duty and cubs. I didn’t believe it till now!”

  “I’m not Human,” said Carrie, stung by her words.

  Noni leaned forward, taking hold of her chin. “Then show it! Trust your Sholan side, girl, and enjoy what the God gives you!”

  “My Sholan side is male, Noni,” said Carrie, pulling herself away. “I only have Kusac’s view of his world, not a female’s.”

  “So what? There’s no difference between male and female Sholans when it comes to that!”

  “There is with Humans. What’s acceptable for males, isn’t for females.”

  “Think Sholan!” repeated Noni. “When it comes time for you and Tallinu to pair, what will you do? Run from him? How d’you think he’ll feel? Or your Leska? You’ll shame Kusac in Tallinu’s eyes if you do! Another Sholan male would assume your mate was an uncaring lover. Is that how Tallinu should see Kusac?”

  “Of course not! He’s nothing of the kind,” she said angrily.

  Noni sat back again, mouth opening in a small grin. “Then make sure Tallinu doesn’t think so. Kusac wouldn’t want the pairing to be unpleasant for you, so if he knows you’ve enjoyed it, he’ll be pleased.”

  “Yes, but… Our Link!”

  Noni shrugged. “If he’s sensible, he’ll be with your friend Vanna. You don’t mind them pairing now and then, do you?”

  “It’s not like that!”

  “Like what? You don’t want them to enjoy?” Noni raised an eye ridge in her direction.

  “Of course I do, but …” She knew then she’d been trapped in her own logic.

  “So, why shouldn’t it be the same for you?” asked Noni quietly. “Think Sholan, child. There should be no guilt over this, only sharing pleasure. In time, Tallinu will find his own female. Trust the Gods, child. They know what They are doing.”

  “Kusac’s said that,” Carrie said quietly.

  Chapter 11

  Jo, Davies, and Kris had been lucky enough to find employment as guards for a small caravan heading north toward a town called Forestgate. Only a few kilometers off their route, traveling in company afforded them protection not only from the armed bands of raiders, but from the starving wolfish creatures similar to the one at the spaceport, who’d come down to the plains looking for food.

  The journey was slow and uneventful. Once away from the shelter afforded by the port and the shanty houses, there was nothing to break the bitter winds as they swept across the barren snow-covered plain that stretched for miles around them. For once, Jo appreciated the fact that the women lacked any parity with the men on this world. As a female, she wasn’t expected to stand sentry duty and was allowed the luxury of sleeping in the back of one of the goods wagons. Helping the camp cook also meant she had plenty to eat.

  The first night, sitting round the camp fire and using the Jalnians’ equivalent of playing cards, Davies introduced the other two off duty guards to the concept of a poker school and promptly proceeded to divest them of their hard earned coins. When Jo heard about it, she was livid.

  “Our instructions were clear: nothing above the cultural level of Jalna was to be brought with us. That includes gambling!”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it,” said Kris, testing the edge of the axe he’d bought at the shantytown before continuing to hone it with his stone. “I don’t know of a species that doesn’t gamble. All he introduced was a new game.”

  “That’s not the point! We can’t afford to draw attention to ourselves, or earn the dislike of these people! Taking their money from them in a card game is really calculated to make us friends, isn’t it? Tonight, Davies, you’re going to have the worst run of luck imaginable, d’you hear me? You’re going to lose all the money you took from them! And don’t try to justify keeping it,” she continued as he opened his mouth to speak. “As far as I’m concerned, there is no justification for what you did!”

  “Okay, Okay, I get the point,” he said, getting to his feet. “D’you know, you’re getting to sound like one of the Jalnian women as well as look like one?” Turning his back on her, he stalked off to the campfire.

  Jo, arms still akimbo on her hips, stared after him.

  “Though I agree with you, you might have been more subtle about it,” said Kris.

  Jo turned to look at him. “What d’you mean?”

  Kris put the stone aside and bent down to pick up his oily rag. “Just that it might have been less degrading for Davies to not have had me here, Jo. He’d have still got the point without feeling humiliated by it. Little things like that matter you know. Give respect and you get it back.”

  As she stared speechlessly at him, she simultaneously heard a chittering sound and felt the presence of something alien in her mind. Frozen in shock, she watched as from the neck opening of Kris’ jacket, a small white head appeared. It turned toward her, eyes bright and nose twitching as it very obviously began to scold her.

  “
There’s a … creature in your coat,” she said, taking a step backward and trying to keep her voice low and controlled so as not to startle it.

  With a sigh, Kris laid his ax aside and reached for the animal, pulling it free. It sat upright in his hand, holding onto his fingers while it continued to chatter angrily.

  “I know,” he said. “It was only a matter of time till you found out. I’m surprised Scamp managed to stay hidden for so long.”

  “He’s a pet? You’re keeping an alien creature as a pet?”

  “Calm down, Jo. He’s only a jegget, he’s not alien. I’ve had him virtually since I arrived on Shola.”

  Jo took another step backward and fell over the small pile of logs, landing with a thump. She remained where she was, just staring as the jegget, its scolding over, turned away from her and wound its long sinuous body around Kris’ hand till it was looking up at him. With a flick of its long bushy tail, it leaped to his shoulder and settled there, curling itself around his neck.

  “You brought an animal all the way from Shola to here?” She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “Am I the only one here who has any idea of the importance of not drawing attention to ourselves?”

  “No, Jo, you’re not,” Kris said, reaching in his pocket for a piece of dried fruit which he held up for his pet. “Scamp fits the niche of an animal that’s a cross between a ferret and a squirrel back on Earth. I’d bet if he’s common to both Earth and Shola, there’s something like him here. It’s one thing to not draw attention to ourselves, and another to be so unremarkable that we also stand out. A little idiosyncrasy like him makes us more, not less, normal.”

  “I felt him in my mind!”

  Kris grinned. “You would. He’s telepathic, like all jeggets. They’re the only other species on Shola that are.”

  Jo watched the jegget accept the piece of fruit and sit up, daintily holding it between both paws to eat it.

  The cold dampness of the snow she was sitting on finally penetrated enough to remind her to get up. Keeping her eyes on the jegget, she scrambled to her feet and moved closer.

  “Are you going to give me earache for bringing him?”