Arelnath looked at him in puzzlement.
“Venran’s caravan,” Jaren explained. “Gadrath ordered his men to burn it. However, if Mist is right, the Templemen will be in no shape to burn anything. We should know soon enough; Venran should be here in a little while if he still has his wagons.”
Mist sat with her head tilted to one side, as if she were listening to something far away. “There is no need to worry,” she said after a moment. “Venran will be here soon.”
“Then we can wait by the fire until he arrives,” Jaren said with satisfaction. Arelnath shook her head, but did not say anything. Jaren leaned back with a sigh. “And what are your plans, Ranira?” he asked. “It seems you are free of your Temple at last.”
“I don’t know,” she replied. She felt confused, and a little depressed, and she did not know why. “I don’t know anything about places outside of Drinn, and all I can do is kitchen work. Do you think Venran will need a kitchen girl?”
“You need not work for Venran unless you choose,” Mist said. “If you wish to travel with the caravan, it is your choice. But I hope you will come to the Island of the Moon for training. After the help you have given us, we owe you that. You already know that you have ability, and we would welcome you.”
Ranira’s head spun. She started to answer Mist, then her eye fell on Shandy. The boy was curled into a miserable ball, watching her. When their eyes met his flinched away.
“Shandy!” Ranira said, surprised. “What is the matter?”
“You really are a… witch,” he said uncertainly. “There was fire and light and everything, all over you! I didn’t know that rock would do that. I wouldn’t have thrown it at you if I knew.”
“But it kept Chaldon from eating me,” Ranira said, considerably taken aback by Shandy’s words. “Weren’t you listening? And Mist has been saying I’m a witch—for days! Why should it only bother you now?”
“You don’t act like a witch,” Shandy said. “And you never did anything like that before. But now you’re going off with Mist and take lessons!”
“Is it so bad to be a witch?” Mist asked gently. “Ranira has not changed, after all.”
“But I don’t like magic!” Shandy wailed.
“Neither do I,” Jaren said cheerfully. “What has that got to do with it?”
“You don’t like magic?” Shandy was startled out of his distress. “Then how come you go around with witches?”
“Mist is my friend,” Jaren said. Shandy looked at him, considering.
Ranira turned back to Mist. “What is Shandy going to do if I come to your island?” she asked. “He doesn’t know any more about the world outside Drinn than I do.”
“He will be welcome too, as my friend and yours,” Mist said. “He does not have to learn magic; we teach many other things on the island.”
“Shandy would not be happy among so many sorcerers,” Jaren said firmly. He looked at Arelnath, who nodded once. “His talents lie in other areas. I think he would make an excellent mercenary, if he cares to work that hard. Would you be willing to come with me and Arelnath as an apprentice?”
Shandy’s face brightened, then clouded. He looked at Ranira uncertainly. “Will I still get to see Renra?”
“If Ranira goes with Mist, there is no doubt of it,” Arelnath said. “We are oath-bound to the Island of the Moon. Therefore we spend a great deal of time there.”
Ranira and Shandy looked at each other. “I guess so,” Shandy muttered after a moment, but his eyes were shining.
Ranira breathed a sigh of relief; she had not realized how worried she had been about Shandy’s future. Now there was only her own to consider. She looked at Mist.
“I will come,” Ranira said after a moment. “How will I ever know whether I really don’t want to be a witch if I don’t try?”
Mist smiled and started to reply, but she was interrupted by a shout from the forest. Startled, Ranira turned. A string of glowing lights was winding through the trees toward the clearing. She could almost make out the square shapes of the wagons.
“The caravan!” Arelnath exclaimed. She jumped up and sent an answering shout into the woods, then turned. “Come on. We’ll probably have to argue prices with Venran before he gives us dinner. And I’m hungry.”
“You and Mist can make the arrangements,” Jaren said, climbing to his feet. “I’m sure he’ll allow the rest of us to eat in the meantime.”
“You aren’t getting out of it that easily,” Arelnath said. They started toward the lights, arguing amicably, with Shandy in their wake. Mist rose and looked at Ranira. “Coming?”
Ranira nodded and stood up. There was a sudden commotion ahead; Shandy had evidently decided to join Jaren’s side of the argument, as noisily as possible. Mist shook her head and started toward them. Smiling, Ranira followed.
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[Lyra 02] - Daughter of Witches Page 23