"Ah, very good, Hilse. You can tell Jesse I'll be down in a moment." Rai opened the bathroom door.
Hilse shot her a penetrating stare. "Is anything wrong, Mistress? You look pale."
A thin smile was all Rai had to offer. "Bad dreams."
Hilse looked at her a second longer. "I see. Perhaps the Temple could provide you with a medicinal that also helps you sleep. It's amazing what they can do these days."
Amazing indeed, Rai thought to herself. "Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into it. Can you please tell Jesse I'll be downstairs once I've cleaned up?"
"Very good, Mistress," Hilse replied.
Once inside the bathroom, Rai slid into the tub, anxious to remove the Tinker's smell and blood from her skin. She submerged under the water for a few seconds, taking in the underwater silence--the only true silence she'd known since her awakening--and then emerged, feeling refreshed. She was so sensitive to smells she could tell every place he'd touched her flesh.
Rai climbed out of the tub and dried off. Still frustrated with her inability to remember the details of the newest dream, she decided to try a new tactic: she reviewed every detail of the dream she'd had back at Temple, and then focused her thoughts on the dream this morning. To her surprise, it worked! The particulars of the dream came flooding back to her, the voices, the landscape, the fog, the dirt and leaves in her hair, everything. She remembered it all, and she froze.
Her hair.
She remembered that in the Temple dream her hair was long--as she had it when she'd awoke in the Temple, but in last night's dream it was short, as she currently wore it--a reminder of her unmarriageable status. She couldn't believe that this was at all significant, but she decided to write it down in her journal. When it came to her past, she couldn't afford to make assumptions about anything. A dark thought then came to her: what if these dreams were somehow related to her past. She shivered for a moment, wondering what she could possibly have been running from in her past that would compare with the malevolence that had haunted her dreams.
A dark thought came to her: what if those angry voices in her dreams were real. Most likely, her dream metaphor represented the disappointment she brought to her Sept by being barren, and thus why they cast her out. What if they were something else? Something darker, malevolent? Whatever, or whoever could she have been running from?
She wondered, not for the first time, if she should forget about her past.
*
By the time Rai emerged on main floor, the dining hall was bustling with activity. She looked around the room for Jesse, but didn't locate her. She walked over to the front desk, where Hilse was dealing with a patron.
Hilse called over to her. "Jesse's out in the stable yard."
Rai walked toward the staircase leading to the stable yard, stopping only to retrieve her journal from the cubbyhole behind the bar and stepped out into the yard, and saw that the Tinker's wagon was still there. She had half-hoped he'd left by now, but perhaps she'd have another chance to patch things up with him. The afternoon sunlight filled the yard with a rosy warm glow.
Markel emerged from the open storehouse sporting his trademark grin. "Mistress Rai! Greetings this fine afternoon!"
"And good afternoon to you, Markel." Rai returned his smile. "Have you seen Jesse around?"
At that moment, Jesse appeared from behind the wagon carrying a large bag over her shoulder. "Oh he sure has, but he woke up at a reasonable hour and didn't sleep the day away, unlike you." Rai chuckled at Jesse's familiar sarcasm, and was glad she was in good spirits, but also made a mental note to have Hilse awaken her a bit earlier from now on. Her face must have given the thought away, because Jesse said with mock amazement, "Wait, I'm gone for a day and people don't get my jokes anymore? What's the world coming to, Markel?"
Markel responded with laughter and then disappeared behind the wagon to fetch another load.
Rai fell in with Jesse in the direction of the storehouse. "How are you feeling?"
Jesse rolled her eyes. "I'm fine! I wish people would stop asking me that! After spending a lovely evening with the Temple healers--who are about as lively as hibernating toads, I might add--I feel exactly the same as I did yesterday." She paused, contemplating for a moment. "On second thought, I do feel a bit different somehow. Ah yes--I'm a bit surlier, that's it." Laughter erupted from Rai and Markel.
They entered the storehouse and Jesse shouldered her bag onto a nearby shelf. The large storehouse was a large room separated into sections so various goods were stored for later shipment. From her orientation with Hilse, Rai had learned the back few sections were for the Waystation's operations and held long-term storage goods, while the front sections held the short-term items. Despite Jesse's carefree attitude, she maintained an organized Sept-house.
Jesse turned to Rai. "You, however, don't look to have gotten much sleep. Perhaps a Temple visit might be in order for you as well. I'm told they have some premium sleep aids."
"Oh, I'm fine. Does the Tinker always bring this much stuff with him? His wagon was almost overflowing." This elicited a perplexed look from Jesse.
Markel came in and dropped off the final bag of goods. "That's all of it, Mistress Jesse. Can I help with anything else?"
"No, I think we're done here," Jesse said.
"Very good, Mistress." Markel headed inside.
"I'm sorry, Jesse. I should have gotten his wagon unloaded last night."
"Rai, did you even talk to the Tinker last night?"
"I did. I also got him some food and showed him to his room." The confusion on Jesse's face morphed into laughter. "What's so funny?" asked Rai.
When Jesse finally calmed down, she said, "By the moons, Rai, this isn't Tinker Somnu's wagon. It belongs to your newly adopted brother, Ponar."
"It ... it, can't be. This is a Tinker's wagon." Rai argued, remembering how Laan had described the Tinker's wagons as colorful and flamboyant in style.
"Yes, it does belong to him. Ponar traded with the Tinker Sept for it years ago and refitted it to maximize the storage capacity."
Brilliant, she thought. Uncle Stoi and cousin Laan are suspicious of me, and now I've attacked my brother Ponar--after sleeping with him. She wondered if maybe it would've been better for all concerned if she'd left the Temple Sept-less.
"I can't believe that you didn't even exchange names with him! Were you completely asleep?" Rai blushed in response.
A somber Ponar joined them in the storehouse with a fresh dressing over the cut on his cheek. He was dressed in a high-necked shirt that hid the marks on his neck and shoulder from last night. Jesse looked at her brother, laughter renewing over their predicament.
"Hello, Jesse. I understand the Temple healers have restored you to your normal, jovial self." He nodded toward Rai. "No need for proper introductions, by the way. Hilse just brought me up to date. I'm afraid I assumed you were just another of our hired staff. Regretfully, I didn't know they'd granted our request for a new adoptee. It usually takes years, after all. My ... apologies."
Jesse wiped tears of laughter from her cheek. "I'd have told you about Rai ahead of time if you'd sit still long enough, but you're always on the road." Jesse pointed to his scratched cheek. "You run into Iron Wolves on the road or something? Like Rai did?"
Ponar dropped his gaze. "No, no trouble on the road at all ... though I might have fared better with them." His voice trailed off. Rai steadied against the wall, wishing she was anywhere but here right about now.
Jesse looked from Rai to Ponar and back to Rai again. "So ... Rai hit you?" Jesse asked, turning on Rai. "Why in the world would you hit him?" Rai blushed deeper, the heat from Jesse's anger overwhelming her senses.
Rai answered in a small voice. "I had another nightmare, like the one at the Temple, only worse. Remember me telling you about how I hit Apprentice Mala?" Ponar's gaze caught hers, and Rai knew he would have covered for her, had she lied.
Jesse's eyes widened. "Wait a minute. The two of you didn't .
.."
They nodded in unison, each looking a little sick.
"And then she hit you?"
More nodding.
"Bright moons! I'm away for just one night and this happens?" Jesse exclaimed. It was Ponar's turn to blush.
Jesse caught the look in Rai's eyes, and softened a bit. "Oh, cheer up, you two. You especially, sis. If you can take on an Iron Wolf and win, you can survive this. Besides, you can't feel bad about something this funny!"
"Wait, you took down an Iron Wolf?" Ponar asked. Rai shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I guess I got off light." They all chuckled a bit.
"Ah, there are the smiles!" Jesse said. "Now, I'm sure I don't have to tell you to not to breathe a word of this to anyone. I'll keep an ear open for rumors among the staff here, but I'm assuming no one else knows?" They shook their heads. "Good. Oh, and the two of you will keep your distance for the duration of Ponar's stay here in town, and there will be no sappy pining crap. Mistakes happen. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Ponar and Rai replied in unison.
"All right. We're starting over as of now. The herbs Ponar brought from the Barrow's Grove swamplands need to get up to the Temple today. Rai, I'll have Markel help you, so you know where and who to deliver them to."
"Sounds good to me," Rai replied. "It'll be nice to get out and see more of the town."
"Wonderful. That'll give my brother and I some time to catch up with family business before he leaves for Raven's Call in the morning. I'm sure you're looking forward to getting back to the Durmah Sept house and reconnecting with the family. I'm sure Kait can't wait to hug her eldest son again."
Ponar groaned. "Yes, if only to get me to commit to marrying one of her chosen candidates."
"Oh, buck up! I bet marriage will suit you just fine," Jesse said.
"Sure, easy for you to say," Ponar replied.
"Yeah, it sure is." Jesse clicked her tongue at him. "Besides, you can't put it off forever." Ponar frowned, and Jesse shrugged him off. "Rai, I'll go find Markel to help you with the load. Ponar, why don't you show Rai what bags need to be delivered, and then come find me inside. Now play nice, but not too nice." Jesse left, her laughter bouncing off the stones.
Ponar turned to Rai, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, this isn't awkward or anything is it?"
"Oh, I think we'll get past it. Not that we'll ever live it down with Jesse. I hope we're good?"
"Don't even worry about it," Ponar replied, but Rai sensed the trepidation in him. She hoped that one day soon she'd convince him otherwise.
"Anyway, the luna berries are over here." He motioned to a nearby stack of large bags. "They were gathered from various sources, so the bags have different styles depending on the farmer, but they're all labeled luna berries."
Rai stared at them. "That's a lot of berries."
He nodded. "Yes. They're a key ingredient for a variety of medicinals."
Rai walked among them, but detected a difference in one. "This smells different from the others. Are you sure these are all luna berries?"
Ponar checked the tags on the sacks, including the one she'd pointed out. "No, they're all luna berries. How can you tell the difference? They all smell a bit foul to me."
"You're probably right. I guess my nose is just a bit off." The peculiar, acrid odor must only be evident due to her enhanced sense of smell. Ponar must not be able to perceive the difference at all.
"Well, I'm going inside. My apologies again."
Rai nodded, despite the awkwardness in the air. Although they'd chatted these last few minutes, an electric charge still hung in the air between them. "No worries, it was an honest mistake. Besides, it's not as if we'll let it happen again."
"No, never." Was that a note of melancholy in his voice?
Ponar brushed past her on his way back inside. Rai sensed that despite all the reasons why last night shouldn't have happened, Ponar didn't regret it. She doubted things would ever be simple between them.
Soon enough Markel's returned and they hefted the bags onto a cart destined for the Temple. All Rai thought about was the look on Ponar's strangled face and the nightmare that led her to it.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Meik waited in line at the Temple Formulary of Resounding Cliffs Temple with his regular shipment of luna berries and swamp moss. Journeywoman Teirna handled the long line at the Formulary's dispensing counter today. Her lush lips tantalized him, not to mention the slight flush she got in her cheeks while she ran back and forth filling orders.
Journeywoman Teirna looked up and smiled at Meik in recognition, and he reciprocated. "I'll be right with you," she called over the crowd. In the morning light, her long blonde hair swished as she retrieved medicinal packets for an older man, who leered at her with a bit more than simple gratitude.
Meik maintained many such harmless crushes where his regular travels took him, and the fact that he was married didn't deter him one iota. Due to the amount of time he traveled, he deserved a small distraction here and there. Although rather pretty in her own right, his wife Jeri, a match made by his mother and hers, was less than the ideal mate for Meik. She held her own in conversations but she wasn't very bright, and when they did talk, she usually lamented his time-consuming trips.
As a result, Meik had been driven to attain many lady friends over the years, and he'd become friendlier with some than with others. Teirna was someone he'd like to know better, but things hadn't yet progressed beyond the casual conversation level. Still, he liked to think she admired him.
Teirna finished up with the man and walked over to Meik, giving him a moment to take in the elegant sway of her hips. "Good morning, Journeywoman Teirna. I trust the health of the city fares well under your watchful eyes?"
Teirna blushed. "Ever the charmer, that's our Meik Durmah. What do you have for us today?"
"Luna berries and swamp moss, about a dozen bags of each." Her sunny disposition clouded over as she peered over the side of the cart at the bags. "Is something wrong? Don't tell me you don't need luna's and moss anymore? I've been carting these things around for miles."
"Oh, no it's not that. It's just that we have plenty of luna berries now, so we can only give you four credits a bag. Is that alright?"
Something about her statement didn't ring true. He'd never known the Temple to have 'plenty' of anything. "So, you don't want them?"
"Oh, we do, but we'll put them in a different area this time." Teirna smiled, but it didn't rest easy on her features.
"That'll be fine," he said. "I'll help carry the bags, if you'd like."
"Please do." Teirna heaved a bag onto her shoulder and led the way.
Meik followed her into the Formulary. They headed toward the back, walking down rows of shelves that held organized groupings of medicinal packets. They reached the back of the room and Teirna plopped her bag down against the wall.
As Meik set down the last bag of berries, he peeked around a shelf and overheard Teirna talking to a Priestess, recognizable by her long, elegant burgundy robes.
"This is the Durmah you spoke of?" the Priestess asked Teirna.
"No mistake, my lady."
"Very well. Don't let anyone touch them. They must be tested at once."
Tested for what? Why his luna berries? Clearly, they'd been waiting for them.
Meik moved on, afraid they'd notice him standing around. He retrieved the last bag, dumped it onto the pile and walked over to the two of them as nonchalantly as he could. "That's the last of them."
"Thanks so much, Sir Durmah. If you'll wait for me outside, I'll bring your payment," Teirna replied.
"Begging your pardons, I couldn't help overhearing you just a moment ago, saying these had to be tested? Is there something wrong with these luna berries?"
The two women exchanged a quick glance. Meik wondered if asking directly had been the right thing to do.
"We're not sure, Sir Durmah," answered the Priestess. "The Temple at Raven's Call had some problems with luna berries recently, and
so we're just being careful and testing all luna berries."
"Problems?" asked Meik.
"Yes, some individuals became sick after being treated. One died," the Priestess replied. Was it just his imagination, or was she watching his face for a reaction?
"Surely you don't think Durmah's responsible?" Despite the day's heat, a cold chill traveled up his spine. Would the Temple's stop buying from Durmah because of a bad batch of berries?
"At this point we are reviewing all possible options and testing all batches." Her eyes were icy, as were their trade options if their products were poor quality.
"Priestess, I can assure you that Durmah is in no way responsible. All we do is transport the product; we never alter them in any way. We don't even open the bags!"
"Then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. If what you're saying is true, I'm sure our investigation will release Durmah from any liability. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to." She walked off, quickly disappearing around one of the many storehouse shelves. Teirna followed close on her heels.
Teirna reappeared after a few minutes, carrying a small pouch. "Here's your payment. As always, we are grateful for the service to the Temple. A safe journey homeward to you." Her previous playfulness was lost, replaced with stiff formality.
"Until we meet again, Journeywoman Teirna." He couldn't help but feel that she was being more polite than usual, not at all her usual self.
Meik pocketed the money and took his horse's reins, wondering what to make of what had just happened. He decided to leave for Raven's Call at once, so he could share with Chieftess Kait what he'd learned. Any suspicion upon Durmah needed quick resolution, lest their Sept suffer the wrath of the Temples.
*
After returning from an uneventful shipment drop-off at Kiya's Grace, Rai spent a quiet evening at the Waystation with Jesse and Ponar. Jesse relayed Sept news to Ponar, whose travels often kept him out of the loop. After they headed off to bed, Rai focused on writing down the events of the past few days in her journal. She recounted the details of the dream, as well as her newfound empathic abilities.
The Dream Sifter (The Depths of Memory Book 1) Page 17