Fire Margins

by Lisanne Norman

  Angrily she’d stormed off down to the lower cavern where several of the Sholans were still working on the vehicles. They’d not been overjoyed to see her either. Well, damn them all! She wasn’t going to be told by anyone what she could and couldn’t do!

  Going over to Jack’s table, she’d collected a brush and trowel from there and headed off to the place Dzaka had been uncovering several days before. She squatted down in front of the metal plate he’d been working on and had a good look at it. He hadn’t done any more since that day. Well, she’d finish it off for him. With any luck he’d be in later. She’d seen him the day before but Kitra had been hanging around him, and there wasn’t a lot she could do with Kitra’s father there as well.

  She became quite engrossed in what she was doing and it came as a surprise when she heard Dzaka’s voice.

  “What are you doing, Mara? That’s the piece Kitra and I were working on.”

  She looked up, pleased to find him on his own. “I thought I’d help you,” she said, sitting back on her heels. “Look, I’ve uncovered another three letters.”

  “That’s not the point, Mara,” said Dzaka gently, bending down to her level. “You know enough about the way things are run here to know you mustn’t work on someone else’s finds without permission. Working on this with me meant a lot to Kitra. She’ll be disappointed that you’ve done so much.”

  “Oh, come on, Dzaka. She’s only a child! She can find somewhere else to dig, surely,” she said, putting her head to one side in an unconscious parody of a Sholan gesture.

  “Why should she?” asked Dzaka. “Why couldn’t you have found somewhere else to work?”

  Mara looked up at him, her mouth an O of surprise. “I didn’t realize that the feelings of a kitling were that important to you,” she said, hearing the touch of anger in her tone. “I’d have thought you were beyond playing nursery games, but it seems I was wrong!” She stood up, and throwing down her brush, stormed past him and out toward the exit.

  She passed Kitra on the way and stopped to turn her temper on the young Sholan as well. Taking her by the shoulders, she pushed her back against the cavern wall. It was all her fault anyway!

  “Just you keep out of my way, Kitra! I’m sick to death of finding you hanging round Dzaka every time I want to talk to him! Go and play with the other cubs and leave the grown-ups to get on with their own lives,” she said, her face a spiteful mask of anger.

  “Hey!” a voice yelled from the mouth of the tunnel. “Leave Kitra alone!”

  Mara looked up to see Rulla heading toward her. She gave Kitra one last thump against the wall. “Remember what I said.” Releasing her, she turned and ran out past Rulla.

  Rulla ignored her, going instead to Kitra who was still standing there too stunned to move.

  Dzaka was heading toward her at a run from the other end of the tunnel.

  “Are you all right?” asked Rulla, skidding to a stop in front of her. “Did she hurt you?”

  Dzaka pushed Rulla aside, reaching out to gather her close against him. “Are you hurt, little one?” he asked, touching her face gently, ears laid back in concern. “I didn’t think she’d dare go near you.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, her voice shaking as she took hold of his hand. “She told me to leave you alone. I think she wants you for herself. Why would she want that? Why is she being so unpleasant to me?”

  “I don’t know, Kitra,” said Dzaka, resting his cheek on her head. He looked across at Rulla, his eyes challenging him to say anything. “Perhaps Rulla knows.”

  Rulla found himself looking at Kitra, and he didn’t know quite what to say.

  “Rulla and I’ll talk about it later,” said Dzaka, turning his attention back to her. “Don’t worry, Kitra, we’ll see someone speaks to Mara.”

  She nodded, moving closer to him. “Can we leave now? I don’t think I want to stay here any longer.”

  “Of course. Where do you want to go?”

  “The villa. I want to see Carrie, please.”

  His arm around her shoulders, Dzaka led Kitra past Rulla and toward the exit. He stopped a moment, turning to speak to the other male over his shoulder. “You have some responsibility for Mara, Rulla. Make sure she comes nowhere near my Companion again,” he said with a low growl.

  Kitra didn’t want Dzaka to mention anything about the incident with Mara either to Carrie or her brother, but they did spend the rest of the day within the villa grounds. Consequently Dzaka was unable to speak to Rulla about the matter and had to leave it till the following day.

  *

  The silence of the night was split by a shrill scream. Before he’d time to put on the light, Dzaka’s bedroom door was flung open by T’Chebbi. Taking one look, she straightened up from her crouch and switched her gun to standby, the slight whining noise sounding unnaturally loud in the small room.

  As Kitra put the light on, Kusac, closely followed by Meral, came running through the small lounge to stop beside T’Chebbi.

  Dzaka removed his knife from Mara’s throat and released her.

  “Mara, what the hell are you doing here?” demanded Kusac, seeing to his gun as he came into the room. “Excuse me, Dzaka, Kitra,” he said, remembering his manners.

  Dzaka nodded to him and moved back to his bed, sitting down beside Kitra.

  “Me?” said Mara, passing her hand across her throat to make sure it wasn’t bleeding. “Me? What about them?” she demanded, pointing to Dzaka and Kitra. “She’s only a child! He’s seduced her!”

  T’Chebbi began to laugh softly. Mara rounded on her.

  “What’s so bloody funny about it? Don’t you care about that cub?” she demanded.

  “More than you,” she snapped back. “You attacked her in the cavern today!”

  “What?” demanded Kusac. “Is this true, Kitra?”

  Kitra looked from her brother to Dzaka.

  “Yes, but Rulla and I were there almost immediately. Kitra wasn’t harmed,” said Dzaka, answering for her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want to,” said Kitra in a small voice, speaking for the first time.

  “Liege, could you …” began Dzaka, picking up her distress at being disturbed in his bed.

  “Of course,” said Kusac, turning to Meral and T’Chebbi. “Out, you lot,” he said amicably. “Meral, you go back on duty. T’Chebbi can stay to escort Mara home.” He took Mara firmly by the arm and pulled her outside with him.

  “I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” said Meral, cocking his ears backward as the faint sound of the door buzzer was heard. “I think that’ll be Zhyaf now.”

  “See to it, please,” said Kusac, shutting the bedroom door firmly behind them. He turned back to Mara.

  “Have you any idea what trouble you’ve caused?” he demanded. “Kitra isn’t a child, she’s just entered adulthood, and your behavior could have spoiled what should be a pleasant time for her! The family knows all about Dzaka. We’re all in favor of their relationship, and anyway, it’s none of your damned business! You have a Leska, you don’t need to try and spoil my sister’s first relationship!”

  “But …” began Mara, backing away in the face of Kusac’s obvious anger.

  “If you’re interested in someone, you ask them! If they say no, you leave them alone! Did you bother to ask Dzaka if he was interested in you?”

  “No, but…”

  “Then you had no right to pursue him as you have! This matter isn’t over, Mara. I’ll be seeing you and Zhyaf tomorrow! Now get out of here and go home!”

  Mara fled.

  “See she reaches her home,” Kusac ordered T’Chebbi. He knocked on Dzaka’s door and opened it. “Kitra, I’m sorry you’ve had all this bother. You should have told me before now,” he said, going over to sit on the bed beside her. He took hold of her hand, giving it a comforting pat. “This won’t happen again.”

  “Liege,” began Dzaka.

  Kusac looked at him. “At this time of nigh
t? Don’t be foolish, Dzaka.”

  “Kusac, if Mara could get in unnoticed, then we need to check the security,” said Dzaka.

  “We will,” said Kusac. “I’m getting Ni’Zulhu onto it immediately.” He stretched forward to stroke his sister’s cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, getting up. “Sleep well,” he said, with a humorous look at Dzaka.

  *

  They’d passed on their findings concerning the drug and the green stones, along with Kaid’s recent “dreams,” to General Raiban. No trace had been found of Ghezu, and Kaid’s claim that he was with Fyak came as no surprise to her.

  Back on his feet, over the next few days Kaid worked with Ghyan on the En’Shalla ritual, learning the different phases that led to the gate, and what the gate itself looked like.

  He’d read the description himself some time before he’d been captured by Fyak’s warriors, but now it held disturbing echoes for him.

  “Twin pillars of flame between which are two wooden doors bearing the sign of …”

  “A burning sun,” finished Kaid. “I also saw it on the doors of the temple at Khezy’ipik, Fyak’s lair.”

  “Is that doorway the Gateway? Will it take you there?”

  “I don’t know. There are three sites that I know of for the crystals, Ghyan. Khezy’ipik, Stronghold, and the ancient monastery up on the hill. All of them have something that represents pillars of fire at their entrances. Perhaps the other travelers arrived at the wrong temple, maybe even the one Kezule controls, and were killed by him.”

  Ghyan put the book down and leaned forward on his desk. “So how will you decide which is the correct one?”

  “I’ll know,” said Kaid confidently. “I’ve seen the one at the monastery. I’ll take us there.”

  “How? Will you change the nature of the gate?”

  “As far as I’m aware, I didn’t use a gate, but yes, I can try to make it look like that one.”

  “Kaid, what you did, what allowed you to travel back and return, won’t necessarily work for Carrie and Kusac as well. All three of you have to travel together. Your way is untested. You were called. You didn’t travel there voluntarily.”

  “I went there and returned alive,” said Kaid. “That’s better than any other traveler has done, isn’t it? Yes, it’s a risk, but so’s the other way. I’m sure the two can be combined.”

  “What we need is the time to test your theory.”

  “Time’s what we haven’t got. This is a one-shot journey, Ghyan, we all know that,” said Kaid, making sure his private thoughts stayed just that.

  Ghyan sighed. “We don’t have to like it, though. Incidentally, how is your telepathic training progressing?”

  “It’s going well. Kusac gave me the knowledge I needed and he and Carrie have been making me practice using my abilities whenever they can. It’s hard work, Ghyan,” he said, opening his mouth in a small grin. “I never realized how tiring it could be.”

  “Everything has its price,” said Ghyan.

  “That, I do know!”

  *

  Toward the end of the week, Garras came round to the villa to see Kaid. He came across the back gardens and in through the lounge, heading for the family kitchen.

  Second meal was not long over, and Kaid was still sitting at the table over his mug of c’shar.

  “Where is everyone?” asked Garras, joining him.

  “Kusac’s around, and Carrie’s resting. As for the others …” he shrugged.

  “Good. I’m glad I caught you on your own.” He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small box and handing it to him. “The la’quo. He could only get one phial, I’m afraid. Profuse apologies and all that, naturally.”

  Kaid picked it up, opening it to check. Wedged in protective packaging was a glass phial of the green liquid.

  “Thanks, Garras,” Kaid said, taking the phial out of the box. He’d been both dreading and anxiously waiting for it to arrive.

  “What d’you want it for?” Garras asked, helping himself to the jug of c’shar on the table.

  “Research,” he said. “I’ve a couple of theories I want to try out and I need this to do it.”

  “Tell me more,” his friend said, lifting his mug.

  “Not a lot to tell. I could do with your help, though.”

  “In what way? Are you planning to give it to lab animals? See what happens to them?”

  “Not exactly,” he said, holding the phial in his palm.

  “There’s a gate to the Fire Margins, Garras. One with pillars of fire outside it. The problem is, there are three temples like that, each one slightly different. I think the previous travelers may have gone to the wrong one, perhaps one where Valtegans were waiting for them. I saw the doorway of one of them through a dream that Kusac, Carrie, and I shared. It’s the monastery on the hill. What I need to know is, can I use the drug to take us there?”

  “Well, you said it responded to your state of mind, so I expect you could,” he said. “But I don’t see how you can devise a test for that.”

  Kaid took the phial between his fingers and broke off the red paper seal.

  Garras watched him, suddenly realizing what he was going to do. “You can’t seriously be going to take more of that damned stuff, Kaid! For Vartra’s sake, leave it alone!”

  Kaid smiled. “It is for Vartra’s sake, Garras,” he said, taking off the stopper.

  “No!” Kusac’s shout rang through the kitchen.

  Kaid and Garras looked up at him.

  “You will not take that drug, Kaid,” said Kusac, coming into the kitchen.

  “I have to. We need to know if it can take us to the monastery, Kusac,” he said, raising the phial to his mouth.

  “I said no!”

  A look of utter shock crossed Kaid’s face as he realized his body was frozen, incapable of moving. Kusac’s fear for his safety resonated through him and he realized what had happened. Helplessly he watched as Kusac strode over to him and took the phial from his rigid hand.

  “You’re right, Kaid, it has to be tested, but you’ve already got too much of it in your system. What’s your plan? Try to make it take you to the monastery?” He swallowed it quickly, almost gagging as the thick liquid seemed to clog his throat.

  He grabbed Garras’ mug and took a large mouthful of the cold c’shar, then sat down heavily, releasing Kaid from his mental control.

  “What happens now?” he asked, eyes glazing a little as he realized what he’d done.

  Before Kaid could answer, they heard the sound of footsteps racing down the stairs.

  “You fool!” said Garras, pushing his chair back as he leaped to his feet. “You forgot about Carrie! She’ll share the effects! Kaid, is it too late to make him vomit?”

  “Yes. He’s taken the sap, not the stronger narcotic I was given. I’m not sure its effects are the same. I’ve seen Fyak take it and he reacted as quickly to it as I did.”

  “Dammit, Kaid! Why didn’t you stop him?”

  “I controlled his mind, Garras,” said Kusac. “He couldn’t move.”

  Carrie came running in. “Kusac, what have you done?” she demanded, stopping beside him. “What have you done?”

  He took her hand in his. “We have to know if the drug will help us reach the past, Carrie. Kaid has too much of it in his system already. It’s dangerous for him to take any more. That only left me. I’ve known for several days what he intended to do and I’ve been watching him. It had to be me. We’ll know then if what Kaid’s experienced is real.”

  “Kusac … Oh, God! What do I do with you?” she asked, taking his hand to her cheek.

  Kaid stood and looked over at Garras. “Get him to his room now,” he said. “He needs to be kept as quiet and as comfortable as possible.”

  Garras looked at Kusac. “Can you stand?”

  “Yes,” he said, getting to his feet. He staggered as he tried to turn round.

  “He needs help,” said Kaid sharply. “It starts almost immedi
ately. Get him upstairs before he becomes hypersensitive!!”

  Garras nodded, taking hold of Kusac and hurrying him from the room, Carrie following behind.

  Kaid stood still for a moment. Light glinted off something on the floor. He bent down and picked it up: the glass phial. A low growl began deep in his throat and pulling his arm back, he threw the phial as far as he could.

  “Damn you both to hell!” he roared.

  *

  Upstairs, Kusac stood like a giant lethargic child with no will of his own while Garras stripped him of his robe.

  Carrie stood watching, feeling her fear pushed aside by the lassitude that was spreading through him and beginning to touch her. She resisted it, pushing it aside as she reached for the cover on the bed and pulled it off onto the floor.

  Going to a cupboard she pulled out a fresh sheet, waiting while Garras led Kusac to the bed and made him lie down.

  “The God help you, Kusac,” he said, “Because when this is over, I’ll damned well have a few things to say to you!”

  Kusac looked up at him. Everything felt distant, removed from him—or he from it. He wasn’t quite sure which, and it didn’t really matter. He saw a sheet billow up, then settle over him. Something was missing: someone who was always there. Then he remembered. It mustn’t touch her or the cub. He could isolate himself now, he’d been practicing over the last few days in case it came to this. Turning his head, he saw her and reached for her hand.

  “I’ll be fine. You look after our cub.” He heard the door slide back and Kaid enter, but the lassitude had him in its thrall now.

  “Garras, get the house emptied of everyone but us for the next two hours. He’ll hear the slightest noise,” said Kaid. “The drug amplifies the senses.”

  “If I’d known what you planned to do,” began Garras, his voice low and angry.

  “Later. Just do what needs to be done,” Kaid snapped, moving further into the room.

  *

  It was different from what Kaid had described, Kusac realized. Probably because it wasn’t the drug, but the sap. His senses were becoming heightened but with it, the room around him seemed to be draining of its color.

  Curious. There isn’t the sense of fear that Kaid spoke of. Then he remembered that their circumstances were very different. He was safe at home, with those he trusted around him. Kaid had been a captive in a violent environment.