“You, too, eh? I hope she’s a better choice than mine. They tried to foist a widow with two kitlings on me. Me! A Guild Master, with all the work it takes to run this place and oversee all the other telepath guildhouses on Shola!” He snorted his disgust before seeming to take in what Sorli was actually doing.
“Packing? What are you doing, Sorli? I thought you’d returned to your post.”
Sorli hesitated. “It depends, Master Esken.”
Esken frowned, coming round to sit on the chair opposite him. “Depends? What kind of talk is this? You’ve had a break. Surely it’s time for you to resume your duties now.”
“I made my position clear the last time we spoke, Master Esken,” said Sorli, looking across the bed at him. “This hasn’t been a break.”
“Oh, that,” said Esken, waving his hand dismissively. “That’s dealt with, Sorli. You made some good points, ones that Khafsa echoed when I had to see him later that day. I need to take it easier now, my health’s not up to all the recent stressful events. It’s time for you to take on some of my duties, help me run things around here, move up in the world. Having a mate will make it easier for you, I’m sure.” His mouth opened in a large smile as he positively beamed at Sorli. “Now, start unpacking while I tell you what I’d like you to do.”
Sorli stood dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected this at all. Was it genuine though, or was Esken hoping to bribe him into staying?
“What duties would I be taking over?” he asked, finding his tongue at last.
“The mixed Leskas for one. You get on far better with the Aldatans than I ever did,” Esken said frankly. “The less I have to deal with them, the better it will be for my blood pressure. If Governor Nesul is agreeable, you can replace me on the World Council. I’ll brief you fully, and you’ll keep me informed as to what’s going on, of course. I’m going to handle the business of overseeing all our guildhouses and the Terrans. You can see to the day to day running of this guildhouse. You’ve been involved in it anyway for several years now. It’ll mean giving up most of your teaching duties, but you’ll still have your Leska pairs to work with.”
Sorli found his legs didn’t want to support him, and as a consequence, he sat down rather more heavily than usual on the bed. “Your health must indeed be bad, Master Esken,” he heard himself murmur.
“It’s nothing that taking it easy and the right treatment won’t cure,” said Esken. “Now, Mentor Sorli, are you going to unpack?”
He pulled his thoughts together hastily. The promotion seemed genuine, even down to him now being recognized officially as the next Guild Master. While he hesitated, Esken began to speak again.
“There are a few people I can afford to lose, Sorli,” he said quietly. “You, however, are not one of them.” He sighed. “You want the cold truth? My only way out is through you; I cannot back down. All that’s left to me is to retire from the fight gracefully. Now will you stay?”
“Your health?” Sorli asked.
“That’s genuine. Anger will be my undoing if I let it, Sorli, and I won’t.”
“If your offer is genuine,” said Sorli, “then I accept, but should it happen that you…”
Esken waved his hand again. “There’s enough to keep me busy in the areas I intend to pursue. I was spread too thin anyway. If I concentrate my efforts, I can still make my mark on this new society we’re building.” He leaned forward. “Now to what I want you to help me with. I need you to find out which of the Consortia Houses would be the best for me to contact regarding finding a wife.”
Sorli began to frown.
“I have the right, Sorli,” said Esken hastily. “My age alone qualifies me to choose a Consortia. Even Konis Aldatan has admitted that. Can you honestly see me with a young wife and two kitlings?”
“The purpose of these marriages is to have cubs,” Sorli felt obliged to point out. “Telepathic cubs.”
“I’m not a clan heir, the law doesn’t force me to accept the Clan Leader’s choice, nor to father cubs, you know that as well as I do.”
Sorli sighed. “Very well, I’ll do what I can, Master Esken.”
“Thank you, Sorli,” said Esken. “If you wish to leave your unpacking, one of the younglings could do it for you later. You’re entitled now to appoint an assistant.” The Guild Master got to his feet. “Why not come and have some c’shar with me?”
“You know,” said Sorli, getting up and turning his back on the packing, “I think I will do just that. Thank you, Master Esken.”
As he followed Esken from the room, he resolved that from now on, he would take full advantage of his new position. In the past he’d been too readily available for the Guild Master to call on, to the extent that he’d ended up replacing any assistant Esken might have appointed to do his day to day running about. Not any more: never again would he contribute to his own servitude. Esken would find him a changed person indeed.
*
It was two days since the incident in the temple, and Kaid had been released from the infirmary back to his own room. For the time being, there was a guard outside his suite, and Vriuzu and a couple of the Brothers who also had enough telepathic ability were keeping him under constant surveillance. So far, there had been no more episodes.
Noni had located every memory from his childhood in the Margins, and from the time when Vartra had called him back. She’d made him relive each one and had tried to help him understand it before finally pronouncing that nothing was left to resurface unexpectedly. What did remain, however, was his sense of betrayal and outrage at what Vartra had done.
He felt empty, without a purpose. Now he saw everything to do with the Marginsâ including the Triadâ as a plot on the part of Vartra to fill him with a need to return to the past. Turning over on his side, he winced. His shoulder and head were healing, but slowly. Noni’s ointments worked, he’d say that for them, but he’d have preferred fastheal.
Noni had argued with him for hours, trying to get him to admit that the Triad was genuine, nothing to do with Vartra, but he wouldn’t accept it.
“You were pulled to her by the bond you share,” she insisted.
“No. It was nothing but an obsession.”
“It works the same as a Leska Link, only slightly weaker, Tallinu!”
“If that’s true, then it’s because of Vartra’s tampering with our genes.”
“It is not!”
“The Triads came after the Cataclysm, after the enhanced telepaths.”
“It didn’t enhance the warriors, it couldn’t! Why won’t you listen to me, boy!”
“They had minor talents, like the Brotherhood today. It enhanced that as it’s enhanced the Brothers today.”
“Dammit, boy! Does it matter? You have the female you wanted, and legally, not just as a lover! You belong with each other, all three of you! Would you now break the oaths you made with them?”
He refused to answer, and in a rage, she left.
*
“What is it, Noni?” asked Kusac as her attendant opened the door to him.
“Come in, young Aldatan, come in! How’s that cub of yours, eh? She’ll be beginning to get lively now, I’ll be bound. You’ll have some c’shar with me?”
Realizing she didn’t want to talk in front of anyone else, Kusac said no more. As he joined her at the table he handed her a large package.
“I brought some more coffee for you,” he said, sitting down.
Noni accepted the package and sniffed at the wrapping. “So this is the instant stuff. Then we’ll try it now. Teusi, you can go for the next hour. We’ve business to discuss.”
Teusi nodded. “I’ll get the supplies from the village for you now,” he said, collecting his coat from the hook near the door.
Noni pushed the tray of dried herbs she was mixing aside, waiting till they were alone.
“What’s all the mystery?” asked Kusac, getting up and going over to the stove to heat some water. “You said you’d tell me when I got here.”
/> “Rhyaz asked me to go up to his bird’s nest once a week to hold a clinic, as he calls it,” she said.
“That’s good, isn’t it? You usually treat the Brothers and Sisters anyway.”
“Don’t know that I want to do it,” she grumbled, watching him spoon the brown granules into the mugs.
He turned to look at her, leaning against the cold portion of the hob. “You’re flattered, but it would mean there’d be fewer of them coming here to see you. I expect you see their visits as social occasions. If you had a clinic, you’d have less time with them.”
She opened her mouth in a grin. “Not bad.”
“So why did you send for me?”
“Tallinu. He needs you here with him.”
Kusac frowned. “What’s happened?”
He listened while she told him, only turning aside to make the drinks when the water boiled. Picking up the mugs, he returned to the table.
“You say the incident’s been contained? Only those involved know about it?”
“And you,” she said, sipping her drink. “It’s got almost as strong a taste,” she observed, taking a larger, second sip. “Still makes our c’shar taste bland by comparison.”
“What? Oh. Yes, it does,” he said, momentarily thrown. “What is it you want me to do?”
“Did you bring your things like I said?”
“Yes. They’re out in the aircar.”
“I want you living with him four days out of five,” said Noni. “On your Link days, that T’Chebbi female can come over. He’s not to be left alone. He’s seeing the world aslant at present and needs you there to keep putting him right.”
“Has he asked for me to do this?”
“Don’t be foolish! He won’t even admit he needs help, let alone ask for it! And before you suggest physicians and hospitals, that’ll only make him worse. He’ll lose all touch with reality and become completely isolated.”
“What about Carrie and our cub? They need me too, especially at this time. And just how am I supposed to force my presence on him?”
“She’ll be going to that Warriors Guild shortly. Won’t do her any harm to do it without you. Remind her how strong she can be on her own. She’ll do fine. Get T’Chebbi to keep her company. When she isn’t with Tallinu.”
“What’re you scheming at now, Noni? Are you trying to match Kaid and T’Chebbi? At this time, surely you’d do well to leave that alone.”
“You were telepath reared, weren’t you? I keep forgetting,” she muttered. “It’s different for the rest of us. You isolate yourselves.”
“We don’t. Far from it, in fact.”
“Compared to the rest of us, you do. You go to the Warriors Guild. How do they live? They don’t shut themselves up alone in one room unless they’re with a lover, do they? They have dormitories. They sleep several to a room, share beds. That’s the normal Sholan way.”
“We did as cubs at the Guild.”
“But not when you all got older and your Talents got stronger.”
“We need the mental privacy, Noni,” he said, irritated. “What’s your point?”
“That’s my point!” she snapped. “You’re different. Tallinu, now, he was brought up sharing quartersâ and more in his case,” she muttered darkly.
Kusac’s ears flicked forward and unconsciously his mind reached out to learn more. Not too subtly, it was thrust aside.
“None of your business. Brothers, especially those like Tallinu and Garrasâ and Dzakaâ did you know he worked as a team with Nnya, his dead mate? No? Thought not. Lijou told me. Anyway, those who become swordbrothers depend on each other for their lives. They trust each other, know each other. And how do they do this?” she demanded. “They live together: they share a relationship closer than family, or lovers. That’s what you’ve got to build with him.”
“You’re asking a lot, Noni,” he said, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze. “He may not want such a relationship with me, especially if I have to force it on him.”
“You’ll find a way,” said Noni, raising her mug. “Drink up, or I’ll start thinking this brew of yours is poisoned. Go talk to Lijou and Rhyaz. They’ll tell you how it is at Stronghold. Vriuzu, now, he’ll probably have most experience of it, and the Talent to give you a sending so you really know.”
Kusac took a drink, thinking through what she was saying. “When you said Dzaka and Nnya were sword brothers, does that mean…” he began.
“You’ll have to see for yourself where it leads,” she said. “Everyone makes their own rules, young Aldatan. Depends what you wantâ what he wants. Garras certainly had his fair share of female lovers, so did Tallinu before Khemu.”
“Have you spoken to T’Chebbi about this? Is she… are they…?” He stopped, unsure what to ask.
“Comrades in arms,” she said. “The rest is their business. Yes, I spoke to her, and she’ll be looking out for Carrie personallyâ as Tallinu intended she should if the Triad hadn’t gotten in the way. Now you finish your drink and get over there. Speak to the folk I’ve mentioned, then start helping Tallinu.”
“Are you going to take Rhyaz up on his offer?” he asked.
“Impudent youngling!” she snorted, banging her mug down on the table. The glint of amusement in her eyes belied the words. “You’ll have to wait and see like the rest of them, won’t you?”
*
Kusac realized that the last time he’d been this anxious about a confrontation had been when he’d asked his father to dissolve his betrothal contract to Rala Vailkoi. Nodding to the guard on duty, he hesitated outside Kaid’s suite, glad he’d decided to leave his bag with Lijou for the time being.
“You can go now,” he said.
He waited till he was alone in the corridor, tugging nervously at the belt on his robe, trying to settle it less awkwardly round his waist. It was the first time he’d worn a priest’s robe, and it sat uncomfortably on him, psychologically as well as physically.
He’d followed Noni’s advice to the word, speaking to the two Guild Masters, explaining what it was he hoped to achieve. Then he’d seen Vriuzu. He now knew as much as it was possible to know about life at Stronghold without actually having experienced it. All that was left for him to do now was open the door.
From Master Rhyaz’ office, the palm lock had been activated to accept his print and, taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on it. From now on, he had to remain confident of what he was doing, for if he had doubts, Kaid would pick them up.
The lounge was empty. As he walked through it to the bedroom, he felt the touch of Kaid’s mind at the edges of his own.
“How’s the shoulder?” he asked, stopping just inside the doorway.
Kaid was lying on the bed watching a vidcast. Using the remote to switch it off, he looked up.
“They shouldn’t have sent for you,” he said. “I’m not going back to the estate yet.”
“They didn’t send for me, I came on my own. I realized the Warrior Guild isn’t enough. I need the specialized training I can only get here. It was bunk in with you, or Vriuzu. So here I am.”
Kaid looked at him blankly. “You’re joking.”
“No. They haven’t made any other rooms over for telepaths yet. Is there a problem? You shared with Garras, didn’t you?”
“Yes…” The but was unspoken. “What about Carrie? Does she know?” he asked, sitting up.
“That I’m coming here to train with you?” asked Kusac, going over to the dispenser. “Of course. She’ll be fine. She’s got T’Chebbi and Dzaka to watch over her. Do you want a drink?”
“No. Look, Kusac, you can’t come here. I can’t teach you,” he said.
“Are you refusing?” Kusac asked quietly, punching his choice of drink into the dispenser keypad.
“It’s not that simple. You don’t understand what…” Kaid began, getting to his feet.
“I understand that on Jalna our lives will depend on each other,” Kusac interrupted. “I’ve only just s
tarted to get to know you, Kaid.” He turned, holding his drink in front of him. “We’ve begun to be friends, but we’ve a lot more to learn about each other, haven’t we? I want to know the person who’s guarding my back. You can’t deny me that. It’s part of the Brotherhood Creed, and we’ve both sworn to Father Lijou to uphold it.”
Kaid stopped in front of him. “It’s all an empty sham, Kusac, you know it is! The god Vartra doesn’t exist! The rituals are meaningless, invented to feed the ego of one maleâ one who’s used us and lied to us!”
“I’m not here to argue with you, Kaid. You know well enough that the Creed’s a way of life that’s worked for the Brothers since the Order was founded. Whether Vartra was a person or a god doesn’t affect that.” Kusac walked past him to sit on the end of the bed. Kaid’s impotent rage was only too tangible on every level. Sitting down, he presented less of a potential threat.
“And just when did you swear the Creed?” Kaid demanded.
“Today, when I saw Father Lijou,” Kusac replied more calmly than he felt.
“Did he tell you what happened to me? That Vartra pulled me back to the past? How he told Jaisa to bear my cub?” The bed bounced as Kaid flung himself back down on it, letting out a low grunt of pain as he jarred his shoulder.
Kusac put the glass down on the floor, shaking the spilled liquid off his hand. “He told me. Damned foolish thing to do, trying to set fire to the temple, don’t you think?”
“I was angry. I still am,” Kaid snarled. “He used me! Messed with my mind and stole a cub from me! All because he wanted to play god some more!”
“We were the ones who went back and told him he’d be a god,” said Kusac. “And you name me any god that isn’t mean, devious, and downright nasty according to the legends!”
“You think you’ve got all the bloody answers, don’t you? What if I do refuse to train you? What then, Kusac Aldatan?”
“Then,” said Kusac, picking up his glass again and taking a mouthful of ale, “you’re forsworn to me by oaths that don’t involve Vartra.” He locked eyes with Kaid. “But you’re not going to refuse, are you?” he said quietly. “I know what I’m asking you to do, and I know you’re going to delight in making my life hell because I’ve asked, but we’ll be doing this together.”
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