“What can you see?” Tel asked the question the princess was probably afraid to ask.
“There’s nothing physically wrong, but . . .” Ker hesitated, worried that she couldn’t accurately describe what she saw. “She’s been jeweled by two different mages.” Ker didn’t want to say the word “Shekayrin” aloud. “There’s the original net, from a powerful Poppy Shekayrin, and a more recent misting. The misting was intended to weaken you,” she told Bakura. “It’s quite clever, actually, because it sustains itself by drawing on your own energy.”
“This must be what tires me so quickly.” Bakura pressed her lips together and nodded. “Jerek said—we hoped—that you would be able to free me.”
* * *
“So, what does the Council of Faros say?”
The lean graying woman sitting in front of her tossed back the cup of wine Tonia Nast had given her and wiped the corners of her mouth with her fingers. Carmad, her Laxtor, looked exhausted, but worse, she wore her bad news face. “You may want to eat first, Tonia.”
“As bad as that.”
Carmad shrugged. “A great many words, and not much to the purpose.”
Tonia set aside the wine and handed her Laxtor a cup of the brandy she’d been warming over a candle. “But are they for the Brightwing boy, or not?”
“Yes, and no.”
“Carmad, if you do not immediately tell me all, I will demote you.”
Now came the grin. “Then I’ll shorten it since I smell the stew coming. They’re willing to consider the claims of Jerek Brightwing to be Luqs of Farama. As soon as he arrives in Juristand.”
“Arrives in Juristand?” Tonia set the brandy down slowly. “If the boy goes to Juristand, the Council of Faros will shift the capital there, and the Peninsula will be lost. We’ll have given everything south of the Serpents Teeth to the Halians.” Tonia sat down, suddenly less than sure that her legs would hold her. “I told the Faro of Bears this could happen, back before we found the Brightwing Luqs. I thought I was exaggerating.”
“There’s another way to look at it,” Carmad said. “There’s more to this than where the Luqs of Farama sits. From what we’ve been told—and what we’ve seen for ourselves—the Halians are unlikely to stop at the Peninsula. It’s not as though they are limited to movement on land. They can reach Juristand by sea, and sooner or later they will.”
Tonia nodded, but she hadn’t really heard anything. “And what about the Eagles and the Bears that have been captured or taken over by the enemy? Do we just abandon them, too? Many of us have family and friends in the Peninsula.” My father and my stepmother. Her half-brother Fraxim, her grandmother. She didn’t need to say this aloud; Carmad knew perfectly well that Tonia had family in the Peninsula. And Ester? Does she live?
She took a deep breath and refocused her attention on her Laxtor. “How do they suggest we get the Brightwing Luqs to Juristand?”
“You are requested to escort him yourself,” Carmad said.
Tonia squeezed the bridge of her nose between her right thumb and index finger. “And the Bears?”
“They are to maintain their blockade of the Pass.”
“I see.” Tonia remembered what her sister Kerida had told her. The Bears, even with the help of their new allies, could not hold the Halians back indefinitely, unless the threat of the Shekayrin could be removed. Had Kerida found the griffins? Had they agreed to help?
“I thought there aren’t enough Faros in Juristand to make such a decision.”
“They are considering suspending that rule. And before you say it, yes, I know, there aren’t enough Faros in Juristand to make that decision either.”
Tonia nodded, her eyes closed.
“My Faro.” Both the tone and the formality warned Tonia that something more was coming. Maybe something worse. She looked up and made a beckoning gesture with her hand.
“I didn’t say the council would acclaim Jerek Brightwing,” Carmad pointed out. “I said they’d consider him.”
Tonia rubbed at her eyes. A moment ago, she’d been starving. Now she could barely stand the smell of her stew. “Oh, Daughter. Don’t tell me they have someone else in mind.”
“One of the other Faros has offered himself as a candidate, pointing out that a military hand is needed at present.”
“I asked you not to tell me.” Tonia pushed herself back as far as she could into her chair. “From the look that’s on your face, there’s still more. Who is it? Or do I really need to ask?”
Carmad nodded. “It’s Rexun Pilari, all right.”
Tonia pushed away her bowl of stew without looking at it. “Have I told you how my father had him transferred from the Panthers, back when I was just a Barrack Leader?”
“Many times. I’d be surprised if there are any senior officers anywhere who haven’t heard the story.”
“But they’d consider this yammerhead for Luqs?”
“You know that kind always finds friends—otherwise, how did he get to be Faro of Wolves?” Carmad shrugged. “There was another name proposed.”
“I’m afraid to ask.” Tonia sighed again and sat up straight. “All right, who?”
“You.”
Tonia opened her mouth and closed it again.
“You’d make a good Luqs, Tonia. Everyone knows it—you know it.” Carmad tapped the table with her index finger. “Even some who support Pilari said they’d back you instead if you wanted the throne.”
Tonia fought against the sudden need to laugh. “You’re right. I’d make a much better Luqs than Rexun Pilari. Maybe even a better Luqs than Jerek Brightwing.”
“But?”
“But my father would never speak to me again. My grandmother would die of disgust and then come back from the Mother’s Land to haunt me.” This time Tonia did laugh, imagining the look on the old woman’s face. She shook her head. “This is not what we do, we old Shield Families. We serve. We go out into the field and hold back the enemy and bleed and die and get cold. We sit in tents, not on thrones. Besides, if I agree and they put Jerek Brightwing aside, it will make the Bears renegades for having acclaimed him.”
“What are you going to do, then?”
“What do you think?”
Carmad nodded. “I’ll have the Cohort Leaders summoned.”
* * *
• • •
“How will we contact them?” Carmad asked, once the Cohort Leaders had been informed of their Faro’s decision. “Do we go to Oste Camp?”
“They’re not at the camp,” Tonia said. “The Bears are watching the Pass. We’ll present ourselves there, and they’ll contact us.”
“My Faro, we can’t enter the Pass, not without the Luqs’ permission.” Faros asked for permission to enter the Peninsula and left their Battle Wings behind. An old law meant to keep any Faro from usurping the throne.
“Teach an owl to hunt.” Tonia frowned. “The law says that I can’t cross the Teeth, not that I can’t send an envoy. That old law might work in our favor this time. I can’t be expected to fetch the boy out if I can’t go in to get him.”
* * *
• • •
Much later, the Faro of Panthers stopped kneading her Laxtor’s shoulders and sighed. “What is it?”
“You didn’t tell them. Are you planning to?”
When Tonia didn’t answer right away, Carmad twisted around to peer up at her. “Come on,” she said, shrugging on her shirt. “Your turn.”
Tonia waited until the muscle in the top of her shoulders had begun to loosen under Carmad’s oiled hands. “Did I ever tell you I saw the Daughter once?”
The hands stopped moving. “My Faro?”
Tonia tilted her head and skewed her eyes over. “I know what that tone means, Carmad, and I know what people think about the poor unfortunates who believe they’ve seen one of the gods.”
&n
bsp; Carmad resumed her massage, pushing her thumbs into the hollow above Tonia’s collarbone. “No offense meant.”
“Of course, there was.” Tonia turned her head slowly from one side to the other. Carmad took a step back. “She was shorter than I expected,” Tonia said, looking into the shadows at the far side of their bedroom. “Somehow you always think of the gods as being taller than ordinary people. She was beautiful, her hair all twisty, curly, like a black cloud, and her skin very dark, like some of her statues you see carved out of ebony.”
“Darker than you, Tonia? Is it possible?”
Tonia twisted around until she could look Carmad in the eyes. “You know perfectly well we old Shield Families are only considered to have olive skin.”
“And her eyes? What color were her eyes?” The teasing note had left Carmad’s voice.
“Gray, of course.”
“There are dark women with gray eyes,” Carmad pointed out. “It’s not that uncommon even among you old Shield Families. Your sister . . .”
Tonia nodded without speaking. “I know,” she said finally. “But this woman turned to look at me, and her eyes were as deep as the ocean, and as wide as the sky.” She looked at Carmad. “Not human eyes, not a normal person’s eyes. And when she smiled at me, time stood still and the world around us stopped.”
“A girl smiled at me like that once,” Carmad said. “It was in a tavern west of Juristand, I forget the town, but I’ll tell you, she could make time stop all right. She—” Tonia swung at her, but Carmad ducked. “Kidding!” she said, still smiling. But then her smile faded. “I believe you, you know, my Faro of Panthers. You’re very pragmatic, very practical. You don’t see things that aren’t there, so if you say you saw the Daughter, then I believe you.” Carmad picked up the stone bottle of brandy she’d brought with them, hefted it to judge its contents, and poured exactly half into each of their cups. “What I’m not sure of,” she continued, once they’d saluted the gods and each other, “is why you’re telling me about these allies, and why you didn’t tell the others.”
“It’s a little like what you just said,” Tonia told her. “How would people react? But I know my sister, and I know what she’d likely lie about, and it isn’t this.”
“Well, it certainly isn’t a useful lie, is it? If anything, it’s more likely to make us think twice about having Jerek Brightwing as Luqs. Someone who’s allied himself with Feelers? Whether people believe or not, that wouldn’t be practical.”
Tonia massaged the fine muscles around her eyes. “Of course, she’s not my sister anymore. She’s a Talent now.”
Carmad grinned. “Our three didn’t like that much, did they?”
“They don’t like much ever, as far as I can make out.” Momentarily distracted, they shared the look that everyone in the Wings occasionally had when thinking about the Talents that traveled with them. “But that means Kerida’s doubly honest, doesn’t it? Once as my sister, and once as a Talent.”
“Who we won’t be telling about this, am I right?”
“If the old stories are true, if Feelers actually exist—”
“Then the animosity between Feelers and Talents might also exist?”
Tonia looked at her coldly. “What have I told you about interrupting me?”
“Yes, my Faro.” Carmad began bowing to her, hands crossed over her chest. “Sorry, my Faro, never again, my Faro.” She looked at her from under her eyebrows, and Tonia snorted.
“All right. What do you think? Am I going to tell them?”
“I say no.” Carmad drained her cup and frowned at the empty bottle.
“And what is my reasoning?”
“You won’t tell the Cohort Leaders because the Diamond is sleeping with one of the Talents. No one’s quite sure what a Talent can Flash about a person’s knowledge and thoughts under such circumstances, but it’s as well not to risk it.” Tonia signaled her to continue. “And you’d like the Talents to find out only after they can’t do anything about it.”
“It’s like you read my mind.”
* * *
Svann: I fear we may have been uncovered. A Poppy Shekayrin has come, and Barid has been with him since last evening.
Kerida: What are you doing about it? Tel was saying something to her, and Ker held up one finger to silence him.
Svann: I have sent little Wynn Martan away, and Pella Dursto with her. Since we do not know what may come, we must act on the worst. My Far-seeing is not great, but I have been able to see that they have escaped through the kitchens and outbuildings.
Ker nodded. She, Jerek, and Wynn had escaped from the administrative compound in Gaena once before. Wynn had probably taken Pella the same way.
Kerida: Why aren’t you with them?
Svann: If there is any way to recover Barid, I would wish to do so. But it made no sense for all of us to wait here. This way, if the worst happens, they—at least—will be able to return to you.
Kerida: Try not to let the worst happen.
Svann: As you wish.
She could feel him smiling. It didn’t help her feel better. “I’ve got some bad news,” she whispered to Tel.
* * *
Juria Sweetwater received word while she watched the training of a Barrack of Miners. These were some of what they called UnGifted, those who were not Feelers themselves, but were daughters and mothers, sons and fathers. Unexpectedly, it was a Feeler who brought the news to her, a man named Palin, one of those who could see things at a distance or around corners. Juria supposed that Luca was busy elsewhere. Though it was a good thing, on the whole, that the Feelers felt comfortable in coming directly to her, without using a Guardian or one of the UnGifted as a spokesperson.
“There’s a great many soldiers, if you please, my lady Faro, and they’ve stopped a good few spans from the Pass.” The man shut his eyes. “They’ve unfurled a great banner, my lady, and it has a big cat on it, long and sinewy like, my lady Faro, if you take my meaning.”
“It is just Faro, Palin Far-seer. You do not need to call me ‘my lady’ as well.”
“Whatever you say, m— Faro.”
“Thank you, Palin.” Juria waited until the man had gone his way before signaling to the aide standing closest to her. “Ask the Laxtor to join me at his earliest convenience,” she said.
He joined her a few minutes later, strolling as if there was no urgency. When he was close enough to speak privately, she told him. “The Panthers are at the Pass.”
His brow furrowed. “Will the news they bring be good or bad, do you think?”
“To know that we would have to ask the little Time-seer, and we would probably get an answer we do not understand.” She nodded at the soldier in charge of the training, a second officer from the Eagle Wing. “Well done,” she called, and turned to leave the chamber.
Juria stopped so abruptly Surm almost walked into her back. “If the Panthers have come to join us, then Tonia Nast will require the Luqs’ permission to enter the Pass, or the Mines for that matter. I can convey that permission.”
“And if they haven’t?”
“We will play those cards when they are dealt.”
* * *
• • •
“Can you tell us why they’re here, Larin?” Jerek’s heart beat so rapidly he suspected that Juria Sweetwater, standing at ease in front of his chair, could hear it. There was no doubt at all, unfortunately, about Luca Pa’narion, standing to the other side.
This would be the first time that the amplified Council of Feelers had met for anything of consequence since Jerek had forced the Miners and the Springers to tolerate each other better. The new councillors had been provided with seats. Though one was only a cushion, the Far-thinker occupying it didn’t seem to mind. Everyone looked to the little girl swinging her feet in the thronelike chair that was the seat of the Time-seer. Without stopping her f
eet, she wrinkled her brow and narrowed her eyes.
“I like cats,” she said. “Panthers are just big cats, aren’t they? Not as big as Weimerk, though, right?”
Jerek nodded. “That’s right, not as big as Weimerk. I’m not sure anything’s as big as Weimerk.” He smiled at her, and Larin’s lips spread wide in the biggest grin he’d ever seen from her. “Have you ever Seen these big cats in the Mines and Tunnels?”
She frowned in concentration, and her legs started swinging again. “Of course.”
“Does it frighten you? Are you afraid when you have the vision?” Luca asked.
Now the child shrugged and smiled again.
“Encouraging, but not so very helpful,” Ganni said. “Seeing as the child’s afraid of nothing. What’s the nearest exit to these big cats?”
Midon, the Far-seer on the council, spoke. “If what Palin told me was accurate, it’s Rose Blossom Exit.”
The exits, Jerek knew, were usually named after some characteristic of the exterior. This probably meant there were wild roses growing nearby.
“It is best if the Faro of Panthers comes to you, my Luqs.” Juria never called him by his name in public, no matter how many times he asked her to. “But for that she needs your permission.”
Jerek nodded. Juria herself, as a Battle Wing Faro, was here only because Jerek had given her his permission. And it was by her accepting it that she officially recognized him as Luqs. What changes were the Panthers bringing with them?
“In that case, tell her that she may come herself, but only her and no one else.”
“A Faro would normally have a lesser officer accompany her, my Luqs.”
Jerek shrugged. “Not this time, Faro of Bears. If she doesn’t trust us, she can go away.”
* * *
• • •
Juria took two Cohort Leaders and four guards with her. Surm would wait with the rest of the Wing, just in case. Rose Blossom may have been the closest exit, but it was not what Juria would have called close. It took the better part of an hour at double pace to reach the Panther Wing.
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