The Dream Sifter (The Depths of Memory Book 1)

by Bundy, Candice

  Bauleel set the report down, overwhelmed with the findings. It broke her heart that something supposed to protect people from illness had instead taken a life. The plague was bad enough; taking the cure shouldn't be hazardous also.

  Bauleel made a mental note to reaffirm publicly the safety of the Temple's medicinals, lest any rumors relating to this contamination spread and panic the populace.

  Just as Bauleel wondered where Camille was with Mala, she looked up to find them both standing awaiting her attention. Bauleel again noticed the bruising around the left side of Mala's jaw and wondered how that had transpired. It hadn't been there when Mala had awoken Rai out of the birthing crèche, but Bauleel had noted it during her discussion with Rai and Mala earlier today in the orchards. The livid blues and greens spoke of the force behind the impact she'd taken.

  "Thank you for coming, Apprentice Mala. I trust I caught you before bed?"

  "Yes, Mother. I was practicing my solitary meditation before retiring for the evening." Mala replied, her eyes respectfully cast downward in the presence of her Matriarch.

  "I wanted to make sure Rai Durmah is in good health. The Durmah were in something of a rush to get her, and I wanted to make sure that we didn't miss something during the transition process." Bauleel eyed Mala closely, hoping she would be at ease to disclose any concerns.

  Per Temple protocol, Mala's eyes left the ground now that the Matriarch had addressed her. "I was transferred to Rai's care just a few days ago, so I can't give you the full details of her recovery history. However, I will do my best to summarize what I have learned since I assumed responsibility for her care."

  Bauleel knew this fact. She'd been the one who ordered the reassignment. "I understand, Apprentice Mala. Please continue."

  "The nature of her amnesia perplexes me. She remembers nothing before two days ago. I have seen cases of short-term, transient amnesia, but this instance is different. I therefore doubt her memory will return anytime soon, if at all. The absence of any memories of her birth family, however tragic, will make her move into the Durmah Sept easier. She's leaving nothing behind."

  "I did have a concern you may find interesting. Rai needs higher levels of medicinals than usual for her size and weight. This became evident on her first night outside the birthing crèche. She slept poorly and had a rather fitful nightmare. It must have involved lashing out at someone, whoever that someone was inside her dream, in the real world it was me." She pointed to the bruise on her chin.

  Camille, who until this point had been quietly taking notes, looked up and studied Mala's chin. Bauleel guessed she'd find a full description of Mala's bruise someday in Camille's notes.

  "Do you think it's a memory from her past?" Bauleel asked.

  "She didn't discuss any details from the dream with me. Nightmares of that intensity are often the result of some major event or past trauma. This might even explain her loss of memory. Trauma-induced amnesia is rare, but it can happen. The dream could have been the result of the special medicinal formula we gave her. It's effects on the psyche have not been researched.

  "This nightmare notwithstanding, however, she seemed in good spirits, though I can't say what the eventual return of her memory will reveal." Apprentice Mala once again fixed her eyes on the floor, awaiting any further questions from her Matriarch.

  Bauleel contemplated all this with furrowed brow. Could the girl's past be returning to her in her dreams? Thinking of this possibility sent an icy chill down Bauleel's spine; she'd risked everything to keep Rai's memories hidden. Bauleel had to take every conceivable precaution to ensure those memories didn't resurface. Considering what she knew of the girl's past, the increased levels of medicinals required for effective dose delivery didn't surprise her.

  "Well, I doubt there's anything to worry about, but it wouldn't hurt if she had a few additional routine exams," Bauleel replied. "The Durmah indicated that the girl will be relocated to their new Waystation in Kiya's Grace. Why don't you contact the Temple healers there and make sure she gets the follow-up care she needs? Make sure they contact me when her amnesia fades. That's something of a curiosity, after all. Make sure they get enough of this new medicinal to administer to Rai for at least the next few days after her arrival at Kiya's Grace." Camille's head nodded as she scratched away at her notes.

  Mala hesitated before answering. "But Mother, what of any side effects that could result from this medicinal? Without further testing, we have no idea what will happen to her. Should the girl not be made aware that there could be unforeseen side effects?" Apprentices were encouraged to question things they didn't understand. Even so, Bauleel sensed the girl's trepidation in questioning the Matriarch herself.

  Bauleel understood Mala's concerns and nearly sighed in agreement. Mala had even more cause for concern than she knew! This medicinal formula contained some controlled ingredients that had the unfortunate side effects of drowsiness, mental fog and diminished sensory perception in the extremities. The reputation of these herbs was exactly why Bauleel had ordered them for use with the girl.

  "This is indeed a possibility," Bauleel said. "But the only way to ensure a full recovery for the girl is to keep her on this formula, despite any potential risks. Hers is an unfortunate situation, and there are no easy answers. Keep a close eye her situation so we'll be alerted to any potential issues before they become a problem for her or her new Sept. Please send word to Kiya's Grace as I requested. In addition, I'll need regular progress reports on the girl's health sent to the local Matriarch at Kiya's Grace. I'd like a copy of each update to her medical notes as well," Bauleel concluded. The edge in her voice made it clear there was no further room for discussion.

  "Yes, Mother," Mala replied. Bauleel thought she heard doubt in her voice, but she knew that Mala would carry out her orders. "I will convey the message this evening before retiring. Do you know when the Durmah will be moving Rai to Kiya's Grace? I want to make sure she has an adequate supply of the new medicinal on hand."

  "In two days at most, potentially even tomorrow. They delayed one of their shipments specifically to reduce the trip cost by relocating the girl at the same time. I don't know if you could find more shrewd business folk than the Durmah on all of Az'Unda! Regardless of when they're leaving, you could deliver the medicinals first thing in the morning to the Durmah Sept house. I'm sure they'd appreciate your speed and attention to detail." Bauleel noted that the implied flattery brought the ghost of a smile to Mala's lips.

  Mala bowed. "Yes Mother, I will heed your wise directives. Is there any other way I may assist you tonight?"

  "No, child, that is all I require of you tonight. Go mindfully with joy."

  Mala sank lower in her bow, and then arose and left the room, a pleasant but tired look on her face.

  "Is there anyone else you need to speak with tonight, Mother?" Camille queried, still jotting down notes from Mala's visit.

  "No dear, my remaining plans for the evening are to finish this paperwork. You may retire for the evening. I doubt staring at me doing paperwork in the middle of the night will be entertaining," Bauleel said, not wishing to overtax her indispensable--if somewhat quirky--aide.

  "Oh, it's no bother, Mother. I'll just get a head start on some letters for your review tomorrow." Camille sat at her smaller desk in the corner and picked through her own stack of papers. The quiet company would be a boon through the long night after such an emotionally draining day.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Even before the butler Nimma had a chance to wake her, Rai awoke from her peaceful slumber to the sound of activity and bustle from outside her room. Rai got out of bed and changed into the clothes laid out the night before. They included heavy boots and a cloak--did it mean she'd on the road already today? The idea filled her with excitement and let her know, once again, that she truly was a member of this family--if a new one.

  Venturing from her room Rai got a few steps when she encountered Nimma in the hallway. Nimma gave a hearty laugh.

&nb
sp; "Ah, a true Durmah! Out of bed before I have a chance to wake you!" Rai couldn't help smiling back at the woman. Rai continued down the hallway toward the source of the commotion.

  At the end of the hall, Rai dodged a pair of young girls running around the corner screaming in delight. Straight from the kitchen with steaming hot sweet rolls in hand and mischievous grins on their faces. Now they have the right idea.

  She continued in the direction they'd come, her diminished olfactory sense nevertheless sufficient to guide her around another few turns to the kitchen--and the potent scents of breakfast therein.

  She'd found the source of the activity that had awakened her: the Sept's massive kitchen. The complexity of preparing just one meal at the Sept house amazed her. She saw a plate of the sweet rolls like the ones the girls had absconded with in the hands of a scullery boy on his way out the door to the main dining hall.

  Three cooks worked furiously over hot stoves and took no notice of her arrival. A few feet away from her, a cook placed the final touches on an egg and cheese casserole; he looked up at her, with a frown on his heat-reddened face. Either the cook had been expecting someone else or he just perpetually wore that sour expression. He placed a dish on a long counter filled with platters of food appeared ready for serving. As she watched, another scullery boy attempted to juggle two large platters at once. Walking over to the counter, Rai picked up a platter of fried sausages, and headed for the door to the main hall.

  She popped a hot, juicy sausage into her mouth and opened the door to the main hall. This was just as busy as the kitchen had been, if not more so -- clearly setup as the staging area for the morning's activities. In the light of day, Rai could now make out the details of the room's structure. The great hall was twice as long as it was wide, large enough to hold three tables across and six tables long. Along the length of the room, there were two fireplaces on each wall. There was one fireplace at each end of the room. Family members sat and ate breakfast in groups across the room. A group of children hovered around the large fireplace at the far end of the hall. Their jubilant laughter echoed with the high ceiling. Rai couldn't help but join in until her chest ached and her cheeks felt stuck, full and rosy with joy.

  At this end of the room near the large fireplace stood a larger, round table, which served as the hub of activity within the large dining hall. Stoi gave orders to various Sept members while Meik scribbled down notes and reviewed a large map spread out upon the table. Rai noticed plates on the table holding half-eaten chunks of food. It appeared Stoi and Meik had too much to do to devote themselves to their breakfasts.

  A Sept member stopped next to Rai on his way into the kitchen. She recognized him from the feast the night before.

  "You're the new adoptee?"

  "That's me! Rai Durmah, at your service," she replied with a proud smile. Wiping her slightly greasy hand against her pant leg, Rai offered it up in greeting.

  "Yarron Durmah," he said as they shook hands.

  "What's going on out here?"

  "Oh, just the usual daily travel preparations. Kiya's Grace is the destination for today. I can't remember whose all going." He pointed toward the far end of the room. "Those are travel packs. We assemble them here and then carry them out the side door into the courtyard outside. Then they're loaded onto the wagons. If you listen, you can hear the wagon wheels' creaking as each pack is loaded. I LOVE that sound!" As if on cue, Rai detected the sound of the wheels of a wagon creaking and groaning.

  Yarron smiled and clapped her arm. "Welcome to Sept Durmah! I'm sure I'll be seeing you around," he said, and then headed into the kitchen.

  Rai approached the table Stoi and Meik were working at, and Stoi turned to her, his greeting radiating genuine warmth. "Our new girl has some initiative!" His voice boomed through the rafters. "Up with the rays of dawn and already providing us with sustenance. Meik, I believe this one's a keeper."

  Meik laughed. "Good thing, she's stuck with us either way." His easy smile didn't quite match the challenge in his eyes, letting Rai know she'd have to prove herself to him.

  "We're discussing the plans for our travel today, Rai. Why don't you have a seat and join us?" Rai saw Stoi was still quite handsome, despite the scar running down his face.

  "Sure." Rai handed Meik the sausage platter and sat down opposite Stoi. Stoi and Meik both grabbed some of the sausages. She noticed for the first time how profoundly the scar had affected Stoi's visage. The deep purple welt puckered the healthy skin around it, giving his face a puffy and round appearance.

  "Wait, you said 'our.' Does that mean I'm coming along on this trip?" Rai asked.

  "Yes," Stoi replied. Rai just looked back at him in confusion. It's not as if anyone had taken the time to explain this to her yet. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess things have been so busy I'd figured someone told you you're stationed at Jesse's Waystation. She's Kait's eldest daughter, and runs the Waystation in Kiya's Grace."

  The travel clothes she'd been given to wear now made more sense. "I thought the Durmah were traders?" Rai asked.

  Rai felt a twinge of disappointment. The Durmah life of travel appealed to her, and the letdown of an assignment to a single location stung.

  Rai took the opportunity to have a closer look at the maps, and she recognized the overall shape but nothing specific. The amnesia wasn't letting up yet. Still, Rai didn't know how excited she should be over identifying the familiar landmasses of Az'Unda and city locations.

  "Are those maps of the routes between here and Kiya's Grace?" Rai asked because Yarron had mentioned the city just a moment ago.

  Meik finished swallowing a bite of sausage and answered, gesturing to the large, hand-drawn map. "They are indeed! Here's the lowland route, straight east from Raven's Call. It's the faster of the two possible routes by about two days when the road's passable. With the moons in their current alignment with high tides and it being the rainy season, the chances are 50-50 that it's not--well, by anything less than a swamp boat anyway. Besides, the red fruit flies would drive us insane this time of year if we tried."

  "Alternatively, the highland route starts out east, but then veers due north, past the Baris Spine. Navigating the spine takes about a half-day all by itself, including the ever-interesting Baris Pass. The pass can be hazardous, what with the switchbacks and all the loose rock. The Vaagaren Sept has a small house up there, and this time of year, they have plenty of Zander moss to sell us. Do you know how much it goes for in Kiya's Grace? We'd make a par of twenty to twenty-five, and we'd still get there in six days, vs. four--if we're lucky--via the lowland route. Knowing all this, which way would you recommend, Navigator Rai?" Both gave Rai amused looks.

  "Let's see," Rai said. She looked at Meik's notes and considered his question. She knew the question was rhetorical--to everyone but Rai.

  Rai was about to answer him, but then she saw a second map under the larger one. She pulled out one labeled 'The Northeast Coastline.' At about the midpoint along the coastline the map marked a city circle labeled 'Resounding Cliffs.' As Rai read the words, an image flashed in her mind of pounding surf against white and grey marbled rock, with city walls rising in the distance. A thrill of joy surged through her, curling her lips. A memory at last! The amnesia didn't hold total sway over her. However, remembering what a place looked like wasn't useful without also having some context around the memory, but at least it was a start.

  Raising an eyebrow, Rai queried, "What about this map? Is there a trip in the works here too?" Rai realized that she didn't know which city Jesse's Waystation was located in, and thus which trip, and which route, she needed to study.

  Meik nodded with a shrug. Her ability to make sense of the facts at hand seemed to please him. "I have a separate shipment due to Resounding Cliffs in just under a fortnight. My trek will take eleven or twelve days, depending on the weather and the condition of the roads. Unfortunately there are no passes over the Baris Spine in that direction, so the coastal route is the only option."

  "You'
re going to Resounding Cliffs, while Stoi's headed to Kiya's Grace? Is it wise to split up forces?"

  Stoi shrugged. "That's what we always do. As long as we're under Guardian escort, there won't be a thing to worry about. This reminds me, we'd better get the paperwork for that filed soon, Meik. You still haven't answered the question. Which route to Kiya's Grace should you and I take?"

  Placing the route to Resounding Cliffs back on the table, Rai wondered what the Durmah transported in trade along that route. "What's the cargo for Kiya's Grace?"

  "Raw wool for the weavers," Stoi responded. "The Weavers of Kiya's Grace are amazing, and their goods fetch a nice sum at the markets, so it's well worth our efforts." Regardless, wool wasn't perishable, and Rai had her answer.

  "Everything you've said indicates that we'd be better off taking the highland route."

  "Indeed Rai, that's the conclusion Stoi and I came to as well. Do you have any experience with wagon travel? If not, you're in for a challenge!" Meik said. He grabbed another sausage. Rai believed him. Eating like Meik did and still being as wiry and muscular as he was, there must be a lot of work involved.

  "I'm not sure. I'm afraid I'm still suffering the after effects of the Temple medicinals," Rai answered. She didn't know how to bring up the subject of her amnesia. Hadn't the Temple already informed them of her condition?

  Stoi and Meik shared an apprehensive look. "What do you mean, after effects?" Stoi asked.

  "Well, I don't remember a thing before two days ago." Rai admitted, smiling wanly. I mean, I can recognize the cities on this map and some of the other geographic features, but I can't tell you of any time before now that I've even looked at maps like these," Rai explained.