Tiny scales rippled on Mim’s arms, down, over the backs of his three fingered hands; scales of gold, tipped with silver. Gan stared as hard as everybody else, seeing the glowers’ light catch a glitter now at Mim’s throat, now at his temples. Gan’s mind raced. Clearly the Dragon patterns that Mim’s body had accepted were proving stronger than Emla and the three Seniors had thought likely or possible. How far would this change go, and what did it imply? He disregarded the implications – that was for other minds to concern themselves with. For now, Gan had to concentrate on each step on this strange journey, not worry about steps far ahead. The thought whispered in his mind – “steps we may not reach” – but Gan quashed that thought instantly.
‘It is cramped here, for so many,’ Nolli said now. ‘Let us all withdraw to the main tunnel. We will travel no further today but we will talk. At least, I will tell all I know of the appointment of my race as the Kraneechay and maybe the Outside Dragons can tell us even more if they so choose.’
As Lanni came to help Nolli, the company filed back through the narrow space, leaving the Dragons still staring into the chamber. Nolli touched each beautiful slender face as she passed, and each bent to touch their brows to hers.
‘Look!’ said Mim.
Gan and Tika joined him in the centre of the mosaic. He had tilted his head back and was gazing up at the domed roof. A mosaic circle had somehow been set there, and in its centre a blue star pulsed.
‘But,’ Gan bit his lip but Mim and Tika had already turned their eyes to him. ‘This circle below and above, and the blue star – it is exactly so in our Great Chamber of Gathering in Gaharn.’
‘As it is in the Pavilion of the Golden Balance on the Lady’s Estate,’ said Mim.
‘Is it? I have never entered the Pavilion, only stood at the entrance.’
Tika nodded. ‘It is the same though. I wonder if it is in the Guardian’s stronghold, wherever his Balance Weights are kept?’
‘It will be.’ It was Fenj. ‘They were all made the same.’
Gan, Tika and Mim turned to the entrance where the Dragons still clustered.
‘You know how to unseal such doors, do you not Fenj?’
‘It is the same simple seal we use to hide our collections Tika,’ Fenj agreed.’Come Kija, all of you. Mim will hide this place once more.’
Silently Kija and Brin eased their great bulks around to work their way back to the main tunnel, the smaller Dragons behind them. Fenj was able to turn more easily in the emptied space. Khosa yawned delicately, having sat unnoticed at the entrance to the chamber. Fenj looked at her.
‘And you too will speak what you know, Khosa of the Kephi. Those two will need whatever help we can give if they are to hope to succeed.’
Khosa hopped over his tail and danced beneath his chest. ‘You do not need to give me such orders, mighty one. I have every intention of sharing my wisdom.’
Fenj rumbled faintly as he scraped through the passage behind her.
‘You remember how the Dragons did it, don’t you Tika?’ Mim smiled at her.
‘I think so, but you do it and I’ll watch – just to be sure another time.’ She smiled back as Gan watched.
Mim stood quite still, his eyes blank. With a soft grating crunch, the rock closed together, leaving no hint that a chamber lay concealed beyond it. As they began to make their way back to the main tunnel, Gan asked: ‘Mim? Are the scales uncomfortable?’
‘Oh no. At first they itched, but that stopped once they were through the skin.’
As they emerged into the wider tunnel, they found Guards had begun heating water over one of the small braziers they carried in the carts. The usual chatter and movement was noticeably reduced and Mim received many quick and curious glances from the men of Gaharn.
He went straight to Ashta, leaning against her pale green shoulder and speaking only to her mind. Fenj reclined against the wall beside Nolli’s chair with a sigh of relief as Lorak rubbed a salve from one of his numerous containers, on the soles of Fenj’s large black feet.
When all were settled, Nolli began. ‘So far past we do not remember how far, we lived peacefully Outside. But strangers came, bigger than we, and aggressive where we were peaceful. We spoke to all creatures with the mind speech then, including the Snow Dragons. They lived in these mountains always, even further north, to the place of Ice.’ Nolli sipped her tea, then continued.
‘These strangers killed many of us – we did not understand why. They trampled our gardens, they didn’t take over our land so why kill us? Then the Snow Dragons invited us here to share their lives, telling us there were many more of this killing race spreading across the world, and that we would die if we remained on the Plains.
‘We were always led by Wise Ones, and they told tales of Dragons from an even older age, who had ruled the whole world with great wisdom and kindliness. The tales spoke of a Dragon Lord – or a Dragon Lady – one who was neither Dragon nor human yet was both – who came in times of great turmoil. When we moved into this Realm of Asat, we found the Snow Dragons had very similar stories to tell. The Eldest of the High Land Treasury told the Wise One of that time of the chamber I have just revealed to you. It was then that we took the name Kraneechay.’
Fenj had listened with his eyes closed and his chin resting on the top of Lorak’s head. Now he stirred. ‘Our memories tell of a time we lived here too. We remember Shardi appearing, and seeking out our nesting caves, destroying hatchlings. Most of us fled further south, although a few chose to remain. We always believed that they had all perished long ago. The eggs in this chamber – we have no memories of such things.’ He pushed himself further upright. ‘But there is something. When the Golden Lady showed me what we must provide for Tika from our collection, I felt something stir.’ He shook his head. ‘I have tried to follow the thread of this memory, but have failed.’
A voice called from among the Guards. ‘Is it all to do with magic?’
‘No!’ Nolli and Tika spoke together, then Tika stood up to speak. She was so small, those sitting further back could not see her otherwise. ‘Magic is not good or bad,’ she explained. ‘It is the use of a Power which is all around us, and it is “making” rather than “magic”.’
She saw puzzled faces in front of her. ‘Like this. Only really you don’t need to do any movements, it is all inside your thoughts.’ She reached a hand out as though taking a handful of air. Using both hands, she appeared to be moulding invisible clay. But then, as they watched, they saw something between her fingers, something which seemed to uncrumple and stretch and become a single bloom of a white cup flower.
Held breath was released in a sigh as Tika held the flower towards them. Mim grinned. ‘Anyone can see you know little of plants.’ He went to where she stood and delicately touched the petals. Faint green veins webbed the whiteness. A tiny drop of moisture clung to the lip of the cup and Mim laughed. ‘Like so!’
Gan sat watching, totally amazed at this simple yet so powerful example of using the Power – an example such as he had never seen before. As the flower was passed among the men, Jeela sprang to her feet, her eyes quite still. Kija called to Tika urgently, to see what or who was mind calling the little Dragon. Tika went quickly to Jeela’s side, her mind already burrowing along the beam Jeela held.
She spoke the words aloud, that all might hear: ‘I will give what help I can, but I am weak, and time is short. Listen for me again my friends.’
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tika spun round to face Gan, her eyes green fire. ‘Who is it?’ she asked furiously. ‘It is a male voice, not Delver, not human. The voice of one of you People! Emla said only the Guardian came north, none of you would travel with him. He took human servants and soldiery, so who called us? Is it the Guardian himself? Does he know we are here and he thinks to play games with us?’
Before Gan could reply, a Snow Dragon, Uma, spoke. ‘No Tika. It was not the Grey One. We would know his mind’s voice. We hear him often – his voice is a wild, h
igher, sound.’ Her wings quivered and her eyes shone clear crystal prisms as she fell silent again.
Tika and Mim continued to stare at Gan. He stood up, towering suddenly over them all. ‘None of the People come north with Rhaki. He made it plain he wanted no one.’ He spread his hands towards the whole company. ‘Truly. He was a magnet to many when he was first a Student – quick minded, loving fun and pranks, but it became more of an unpleasant bullying and bragging. An uncomfortableness surrounded him and after a Cycle or so as a Student, he was usually alone.’
He stopped, frowning. ‘There was one – the Silent Thinker. He was called that because he was so quiet and thought so deeply on every matter. No harm in him though, I am sure.’ Gan still frowned, trying to recall far off days at the Asataria. ‘I wonder. I left the Asataria just before Rhaki was Raised, and I have seldom returned for more than a day or two. Iska would know. But Bark – the Silent Thinker – may just have accompanied Rhaki here.’
Gan looked at Tika helplessly. ‘You know I have limited use of the Power – by my own choice. Thus I did not hear the voice you have just heard. If you permit, I would listen through your mind if this voice speaks again.’
Tika removed her hand from her sword hilt, nodding slowly. Gan spoke truly on this matter. ‘If this Thinker has chosen to spend these many Cycles with Rhaki, why would he now say he will help us?’
It was Uma who replied. ‘When I was but a hatchling, there was a great pain.’ Nolli’s head nodded in agreement and it was she who continued.
‘All of us felt it – Dragons and Delvers. There was an agony in a powerful mind. We talked of it when we recovered and we decided that the Grey One had hurt someone irreparably in his mind although the body still lived. Could that be this Thinker?’
‘Bark. His name is Bark.’ Gan sat down again, still head and shoulders above everyone else. ‘He could have argued with Rhaki. He was known for taking so long to think over ideas, but he was also known to be true and honest. That may have been why Rhaki liked his company. Perhaps he thought the rest of us would believe some of Bark’s good character would rub off on himself.’ He looked at Uma then at Nolli. ‘If it was not the Guardian, I believe it could only be Bark.’
‘He has lived all this time with the Guardian, damaged, so Uma believes. Is it possible that he could be able to mind speak us, and should we trust him?’ Tika asked.
Fenj answered: ‘There have been ones of the Kin who have suffered accidental hurt to their minds. Some of them went beyond, some remained with ruined minds, and some recovered part of their abilities. It has always been the hardest thing – to judge truth from just the mind speech. We ourselves see patterns within a mind when we are able to be face to face with another. It is unwise to judge from a distant mind alone.’
Khosa jumped down from Nolli’s lap and did her hind-end-up, front-end-down stretch. ‘Are there really not even the smallest holes where a Kephi might creep through? If I was to find this Bark and one of you stronger mind listeners stayed near me beyond the rock, I could speak what I see to them?’
Farn’s eyes whirred with excitement. Khosa turned her cool stare on him and for the first time, he stared straight back. ‘That is a brave idea Khosa,’ he said admiringly.
Khosa blinked slowly. ‘I know,’ she agreed.
Mim choked but turned it into a cough. ‘This person thinks that is a reasonable idea. Are there any such crevices linking the two sides of these mountains, Nolli?’
‘I will have to think closely,’ replied the Wise One. ‘I believe so, but exactly where will take me time to recall.’
The company began to relax from the formality of the preceding discussion, and as they were staying where they were until the next day, food was set cooking.
‘Uma says you may come with us, if you wish Tika.’ Farn was speaking privately to her mind.
‘Oh yes, I would. Should I tell Gan?’
Farn shifted slightly from foot to foot. ‘Erm, no. Not yet.’
‘Lead on then,’ she laughed at him. She saw Mim move beside Ashta and followed them back the way they had come earlier. An unlit side tunnel dived sharply to their left, and Fenj led the way down it. The faintest light shimmered around the Dragons, enough for Tika and Mim to tread confidently along the passage. Light grew ahead and a gust of icy air whipped past them. They both shivered as they went on round a final tight curve and found themselves on a low-roofed ledge facing the open air.
Despite the coldness, both Mim and Tika gulped in the fresh air. The tunnels of the Domain of Asat were well ventilated, but this was real fresh air, the first they had breathed in nine days, they realised.
‘It is too cold for us to come with you!’ cried Mim. ‘We will wait for you here!’
The Dragons launched themselves one after the other from the ledge, soaring quickly up and outwards. Mim shared the cloak he still wore with Tika and they huddled together, peering out from the lip of rock. Snow covered the land as far as they could see. The sun was nearly set behind the mountains at their backs, and dark shadows stretched far in front. The half moon was risen already and made snow and ice glitter in its light.
‘This is the Wilderness,’ whispered Mim. ‘This one never dreamed he would see beyond his own woodlands, and here he sees the Wilderness!’
‘I wonder why the People never travelled here – there must be volu, and other beasts at least, the Dragons seem to find food quickly enough.’
‘Tika, this one is destined to help you. If we survive,’ he grinned at her, squeezing her closer where they shivered beneath his cloak, ‘then there are things a Dragon Lord must accomplish. But only after your task is complete.’
‘I’m sorry I was so upset when you began to change Mim. I just found it so difficult to understand, or accept. I was afraid you would not be “Mim” anymore, and I have grown fond of Mim, he is the brother I would have chosen if I could, and I feared, having found you, I would now lose you. It was selfish, I know, but that’s why I was angry to begin with.’
‘I know,’ said Mim quietly.
It took a moment for Tika to understand what he had said. She pulled free of him, ignoring the icy wind gusting onto the ledge. She smiled then, putting both hands to Mim’s face where the tiny scales were starting to peep through on the high cheek bones. ‘You said “I” Mim!’
‘My heart tells me I must be responsibly grown now. There are decisions I have already made and more to make all too soon. So yes, I am “I” now.’
The three young Dragons arrived back at the ledge, their eyes sparkling in the cold air. Frost glittered along their backs in the darkening twilight.
‘Jeela still finds the cold hard to bear,’ Farn announced, and Jeela’s tail whipped smartly across his shoulder.
As they moved to find their way back to the company, Tika suggested: ‘A little tact would be good, Farn. Try to think before you say things.’
‘I didn’t mean to offend her,’ he replied sadly. ‘I never do. It just happens.’
Some of the Guards had been telling stories to which the Delvers, and Gan, had listened with close interest. Nolli agreed that many of the Outsiders tales bore strong similarities with the Delvers’ oldest tales.
‘Gan, are there any of the People left now, who were not born in Gaharn?’ Nolli was asking, as Mim and Tika rejoined them.
‘I believe Jerak was the last of those born elsewhere,’ he replied thoughtfully. ‘What do you know of the People Nolli?’
She ignored his question, replying with another of her own. ‘Where was Jerak born then Gan?’
A silence grew as all awaited his answer. ‘I think you know already, Nolli, that Jerak was born beyond, as were all of his generation.’
Tika was aware that there was no surprise in the Dragon minds, or in Nolli’s, as there certainly was in hers. Nolli looked sternly at Gan.
‘Jerak and his generation poisoned the land this side of the High Lands, and they named it Wilderness. In these countless Cycles no one of the People
came to try to mend this land.’
‘I have never heard tell of the arrival of Jerak, Nolli. I know of their travelling but not of their arrival. We were told, as children, of their journey, then of the building of Gaharn. Nothing of the Wilderness was ever spoken.’
The Wise One nodded. ‘We had guessed that the People had said nothing to their offspring. We watched Gaharn grow and saw the quiet learned lives you led. Your Realm is well regulated. The humans who share your lives are content and peaceful. You discovered the Weights of Balance there and then the other Weights in the north, but you guarded them wisely, so we continued only to watch. But we waited in vain for the People to make atonement for what they did in making the Wilderness.’
Gan raised an eyebrow. ‘You speak of watching and waiting Nolli. That implies that you would have attempted some force against us should you have judged us unfit to care for the Balance?’
Nolli gave him her toothless smile. ‘Together with the Dragons, both Inside and Outside, we would have had an effect upon you People.’
Gan looked very thoughtful as Nolli continued to smile. ‘You made a grave mistake in assuming that as none challenged you, physically or mentally, you were therefore superior to all.’
Two days passed before the bodies of four Guards were discovered hidden in the Upper Pass. There was no sign of Iska and the continuing snow had obliterated any tracks that could have been followed. Baras had assumed command as the highest officer on his return to the Lady’s House with the Guards wounded by the Shardi. Now, as his men reported their discovery of their fellows’ bodies, he did not relish an interview with the Lady. Nevertheless, he hurried to the main House and asked urgently for the Lady and the Lords Kemti and Yash. Baras was staring into the flames of the great fire blazing in the chamber’s hearth as Emla descended the stairs with Kemti beside her. Yash appeared as Emla and Kemti approached Baras. Emla stopped, alerted to bad news by the nervousness emanating from the officer.
Soul Bonds Book 1 Circles of Light series Page 26