Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series

by E. M. Sinclair

  But now he wondered: had he brought it into being as he had believed, or, had it been existing in that other place and chosen to attach itself to Rhaki? He knew better than most – if not all – of the fools in the Asataria of the existence of other worlds. He had not thought before though that perhaps a powerful mind, enhanced with the power, could contact the minds of otherworld beings. Briefly, Rhaki regretted Bark’s death. He had been useful in his way and Bark too had studied the most ancient and forgotten texts in the Asatarian library archives. Indeed, Bark had been the one to draw Rhaki’s attention to them, and he had never known that Rhaki had stolen many of them.

  Rhaki smiled, then frowned as he felt the dried blood on his lips crack apart again. A few of those old texts he had destroyed, enraged that he could not decipher them. A few he had taken to the Ice Realm, where all but one scroll in the hidden chest remained on the shelves of his old study. And a few others were still hidden in the Asataria itself. If he could get hold of them again! It was from some of those documents that he had learned of the strengthening power of both blood and incantation. None of the People other than he knew that that was the way to move one’s mind into another’s body, as he had done with the Shardi.

  Patience was difficult to endure at any time, but Rhaki forced himself to accept that he needed to recover fully before he could actively move in his search for power over all things. Feeling wearier and older than ever before in his already long life, Lord Rhaki slept once more.

  Never before had life within Vagrantia’s sheltered Circles been so disrupted. Only the youngest of the children carried on in their usual way. Everyone else talked of the notices posted in all the places where people gathered, of the public announcements made by High Speaker Thryssa herself.

  There had been no reaction whatsoever for the two days following the appearance of the first notices. Then Thryssa had emerged from the great Corvida building and addressed the people right there in the middle of the main market square. She spoke clearly and kindly, and as she left the square she stopped to talk to many in the crowd.

  Thryssa was known to all in Parima of course, but usually now she only came from the Corvida for official occasions, naming ceremonies for new-borns, graduation celebrations of students, and the like. It had been many cycles since she had stopped her old habit of wandering the streets, speaking with shopkeepers and artisans.

  The day after Thryssa’s speech to the market crowd, rumours began to creep in, naming many who remembered the forbidden things. By the fourth day, the Scribes and Assessors were working non-stop, talking to and testing everyone who claimed special knowledge.

  Thryssa’s worktable was now covered with hurriedly written reports of all those tested so far. She was trying to put them into some sort of order before working her way through each and every one when Kwanzi’s head poked around the edge of the door.

  ‘Alya begs a few minutes. Shall I ask her to come later?’

  ‘No.’ Thryssa closed a folder, written by stars knew whom, but whoever – they could certainly do with instruction in the art of writing legibly. ‘I’ll see her now.’

  A moment later Alya came in and dropped onto a chair across from Thryssa.

  ‘Elyssa,’ she said succinctly.

  ‘Well, don’t just sit there looking smug. What about her?’

  ‘She is stronger than you could imagine.’ Alya jumped to her feet and paced restlessly to the window and back. ‘Poor child is rather shocked of course, but the strength she has Thryssa!’

  ‘Yes, but strength to do what Alya?’

  ‘Well,’ Alya sat down again, leaning her elbows on the table. ‘She says she has always called it ‘daydreaming’ and never thought seriously about it. She stares at a candle flame or into the fire and she sees things. Sometimes, she says, she ‘goes to other places’. Usually places she doesn’t recognise.’

  ‘So she is a fire adept?’ Thryssa asked sharply. ‘The last of those was generations ago Alya.’

  Alya pulled her lower lip between her thumb and forefinger. ‘I think she may be, but we have only just begun to test her. She uses fire in whatever form as the focus to enter a trance we believe.’

  ‘She does it only with fire, not with standing water?’

  ‘We haven’t tried water yet. But she can do it with a crystal – we tried today.’ Alya looked slightly guilty. ‘We are so excited, I fear we may have overtired her.’

  ‘What exactly do you mean by that?’ Thryssa fixed Alya with a piercing stare.

  ‘She set fire to the table and burst into tears.’ Alya mumbled.

  ‘For stars sake!’ Thryssa slapped her hand on the pile of folders. ‘Kwanzi,’ she called.

  As Kwanzi appeared, Thryssa continued to glare at Alya. ‘Would you please find Elyssa for me? Be kind with her and bring her to our rooms. Feed her if she is hungry or make her comfortable and let her rest.’ Kwanzi turned to go. ‘Alya and her Assessors have been bullying the poor child by the sound of it Kwanzi, so do be nice. And send a message to her family that she is safe and well and staying here this night.’

  Thryssa kept her gaze on Alya as Kwanzi closed the door quietly behind him.

  ‘You will go immediately and tell every Assessor, every Scribe, everyone working with these poor people who are innocently and willingly trusting you to do your testing kindly, to do exactly that. Short periods of tests, do you hear me Alya? Short periods. No matter if one should come forward as talented as poor Elyssa seems to be, you will go slowly. Stars Alya, you are my Councillor and yet you are carried away on the wings of your own excitement, as you admitted, and you put these people through non-stop trials. Go now, and warn everyone that they will hear from me, personally, and very soon.’

  Thryssa strode to the window, her back to Alya. Alya had risen to her feet as Thryssa’s anger flared at her. White-faced, she murmured: ‘I beg your forgiveness, High Speaker.’

  Thryssa spun around, her hands clenched at her sides and her hazel eyes blazing. Even her red hair seemed aflame with her fury.

  ‘Do you still not understand Alya? It is not MY forgiveness you should be begging – it is Elyssa and others like her. For stars sake Councillor, begone from my sight now!’

  Alya stumbled to the door and got herself out of Thryssa’s presence. Never had she seen the High Speaker’s temper loosed before, and to see it now, turned on herself, shook her very bones.

  Thryssa groaned, turning back to the window. She pressed her forehead to the cold glass. She would apologise to Alya for the tone she had used, but not for the words. Had this whole dilemma so unsettled them all? Was Gremara’s madness leeching from Talvo into the other Circles?Thryssa looked out, over the thickly clustered roofs of the town itself, further to the glittering tumble of water gushing down the eastern wall, and out to the farm lands stretching right across the great crater to the sheer black rock directly opposite the Corvida. Behind that section of curving rock lay Talvo Circle – and Gremara.

  But the sun was half-lost below the crater’s rim and Thryssa pushed her anger aside, breathed deeply for a few moments and opened her mind. Kallema’s mind was already waiting for her and her cool thoughts assuaged Thryssa’s temper considerably. Kallema asked at once what had so distressed Thryssa. The High Speaker explained and then felt Kallema’s puzzlement.

  ‘Elyssa is the child under Alya’s tuition,’ she asked. ‘I spoke with her I believe – brown hair, blue eyes?’

  Thryssa formed a picture of Elyssa in her own mind and Kallema confirmed that she had indeed spoken with the girl.

  ‘I would be surprised if she is truly a fire adept – water and fire do not bear friendship, yet I felt no antipathy to her or from her.’

  Thryssa felt Kallema’s mind eddying with concentration.

  ‘In fact, I felt that she perhaps had some affinity with us. I must speak of this to my council. Maybe I will send Prilla back to Parima.’

  Before Thryssa could respond, Lashek’s mind voice greeted them and the subject
of Elyssa was dropped. Nothing new had been uncovered it seemed, although Lashek felt some headway was being made in the decipherment of one ancient text.

  When the mind link was severed, Thryssa sighed, turning back into the room. The pile of reports sat stolidly on her worktable. She regarded them with distaste, shook her head and went past them to her private chambers.

  Kwanzi sat in his favourite armchair and smiled as Thryssa sank into hers.

  ‘Is Elyssa all right?’

  Kwanzi pulled a face. ‘She was nearly hysterical. I thought you went a little far with Alya until I saw the state the child was in -.’ He spread his hands. ‘We all know that drawing power depletes a corresponding amount of the user’s own physical strength, yet Alya and three Scribes and two Assessors have forced Elyssa through test after test this whole day. She is exhausted and she is frightened. I gathered, between the sobs, that no one had bothered to tell her what the various tests were for, or what was the significance of any results.’

  ‘Where is she now?’

  ‘I used power to calm her somewhat and she sleeps now in our guest room. I would advise leaving her there – missing a meal will not harm her - sleep will help her more than food right now.’

  Thryssa sighed. ‘I’ve been trying to remember when we abandoned testing as a matter of course for all middle students – it was long ago I think. Why was it stopped though Kwanzi?’

  He shrugged. ‘I did not even know that all students were once assessed for talent. I truly thought it has always been as now – if a person suspects that they, or a dependent child is gifted in a talent, they take themselves off to an Assessor,’

  ‘So very many we may have missed through the cycles Kwanzi. And how many of those missed ones could have proved invaluable?’

  ‘Speculation has never been one of your many faults before, my heart,’ Kwanzi teased gently. ‘But Elyssa – what will you do with her tomorrow?’

  ‘Sort out some of my clothes for her first.’ She grinned at Kwanzi’s expression, then quickly sobered. ‘And very cautiously, I will see how she truly feels at the discovery of her talent. Stars Kwanzi, it takes seasons for apprentices to learn the basic controls – how much have Alya and her fools pushed this one’s mind already in but one day?’

  ‘There was trauma throughout – I checked of course as I calmed her, but I think no permanent damage. I know I have no need to tell you to tread very carefully with her. I would suggest,’ he added, ‘if Elyssa is agreeable, that she stays here for a while.’

  Thryssa looked at him doubtfully. ‘And let her think that we are confining her now?’

  ‘No, no. Tell her she may stay here to study with you or me, and to use our private stairs if she desires to return to her family, or go out into the town.’

  Thryssa nodded slowly. Then she remembered what Kallema had said during the mind link and now repeated the water mage’s words to Kwanzi.

  ‘She said she would send Prilla back here, so it is clear that Kallema thinks there is something important happening.’

  Kwanzi pursed his lips and scowled. Thryssa smiled at these indications of profound thought in her dear husband. Finally he nodded.

  ‘We will suggest that Prilla also stays here as our personal guest. I think it might be wise to invite Imshish too – he is in the Visitor’s quarters still, isn’t he? I cannot explain why, but I feel it may be helpful to have an earth mage close by Elyssa at the moment.’

  ‘What about someone from Kadera then, my dear? Will not the air adepts be somewhat put out if they think themselves excluded?’

  Kwanzi scowled for a while longer. ‘If you think it is best, and I think perhaps you are right, then by all means request young Jilla’s presence here. I feel – again, I cannot explain why – that air is not so important as water and earth in Elyssa’s situation.’

  Thryssa stifled a yawn. ‘Of course, having Elyssa, Prilla, Imshish and maybe Jilla to stay here with us would have nothing to do with your passion for entertaining and fussing, would it?’

  As Kwanzi looked indignant, Thryssa smiled at him. ‘I am sorry I could bear you no children my love. You should have spent your life with someone else, who would have given you a brood to fuss over and cherish.’

  ‘Never could I care for anyone as I do for you. Don’t say such things to me.’ Kwanzi lifted Thryssa from her chair, cradling her close as he carried her to their bedchamber.

  In the guest chamber, Elyssa lay sprawled on her face fast asleep. And she dreamed of a deep darkness, lit by flickering red flames and lancing silver threads.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Kemti studied the dagger Navan had passed to him and weighed it in his long hand. ‘This is all that survived you say? What about any other metal the men may have had on them?’

  Navan shook his head. He tapped his own belt clasp, his badge of rank at his shoulder.

  ‘The armsmen wore these. They may have had a few coins in their pockets, they usually do, but there was no trace of any such things in the ashes. Only these blades.’

  Officer Nomis left Tika’s side to draw closer to Kemti. He unsheathed his own belt knife and handed it to the Senior. Kemti held one on each palm for several silent minutes.

  ‘This one,’ he raised Navan’s dagger, ‘is only slightly the heavier but I sense the alloy is much different from this one.’

  Navan nodded. ‘We use more of the black ore than any of the other Lords’ companies Sir. We have found it keeps an edge better and is less brittle.’

  ‘And obviously, whatever Rhaki used in the destruction of your men, it had no effect on these weapons because of the higher percentage of that same black metal content.’

  ‘To go back to the caves you spoke of Lord Hargon,’ Tika intervened. ‘Exactly where are they?’ She frowned. ‘I remember hearing stories of a magic cave I think.’

  ‘Tales told by old females,’ Hargon said dismissively. He noted Tika’s frown deepen, glanced at Farn’s glittering eyes and continued in a more polite tone: ‘We do not know for sure that these caves exist at all. It could have been that Rhaki took exception to armsmen being too near his building, or he guessed they had been set to watch him.’ He shrugged. ‘I have my doubts as to the existence of caves there. There is a low ridge, but caves?’

  ‘Has anyone bothered to ask the eldest females, those who tell children stories? Bessa, or Mayla perhaps?’ Tika’s tone was neutral but her eyes were frosty.

  Navan had resumed his seat at Hargon’s side and he answered quickly: ‘Mayla died. Soon after you – er – left. I did ask Bessa and she believes her tales are true and that caves do lie hidden there. There is no way of checking without Lord Rhaki’s awareness of what we would be about.’

  Kija shifted her weight more comfortably as she said: ‘The Merig said Rhaki is hidden within his tower these past days. He said he could find no awareness of his presence though.’

  Hargon stared at the golden Dragon. ‘Do you mean the Merig can use the power to seek someone’s mind Lady Kija?’

  He sounded suspicious again and Kija sighed audibly.

  ‘Please, call me Kija and I will call you Hargon. But as to your question – I think in my mind and your mind receives my words. Yes?’

  Hargon nodded cautiously.

  ‘Try it the other way around,’ she invited. ‘Think a message to me and let me hear you.’

  Hargon bit his lip, then stared hard at Kija.

  She jerked her body half upright. ‘Quieter, quieter! You two legged ones always shout so at first.’ Kija slowly relaxed to the ground again.

  Hargon looked surprised, then an unwilling smile glimmered across his face.

  ‘You see, none of the others heard you speak to my mind, or my reply to yours. But tell us Hargon, what did you sense as you came to my mind?’

  ‘A sort of covering, a net, and a feeling of largeness, warmth?’ He waved a hand helplessly, clearly floundering to describe what he meant.

  ‘Try my mind,’ suggested Kadi, adding qui
ckly, ‘but softly remember!’

  Moments passed then Brin suggested Hargon mind speak him.

  Kija asked: ‘Did you feel we were all the same?’

  ‘No.’ Hargon frowned. ‘Not the same.’

  ‘So Hargon, now say aloud the name of which one of us touches your mind. We will not speak, merely touch your mind.’

  ‘Kadi,’ Hargon said and looked stunned as laughter flooded his mind.

  ‘Just so,’ said Kadi. ‘You recognised just the touch of my mind. So those of us who use mind speech recognise each other by the merest touch. Many of us know the touch of Rhaki’s mind. The Merig searched for that particular pattern when he went to Rhaki’s tower. And he says he found it not.’

  Hargon raked his hands through his hair.

  There was amusement in Kadi’s tone as she murmured: ‘Perhaps we have burdened you with too many new thoughts too quickly. Why do you not go to your cave and sleep Hargon?’

  Hargon realised with surprise that the sky was already dark, speckled with countless stars. He glanced about him and saw that most of his people had stayed, despite his dismissal hours ago. They had sat quietly watching and listening to all that occurred. He saw Bannor cross-legged by a pillar, but Bartos was nowhere to be seen. Mena sat hugging her knees to her chest, much closer to the golden Dragon than she had seemed to be before. Of the orange Kephi there was no sign, although a black blob on the balcony railing suggested the Merig’s position.

  Hargon turned back to the Dragons, suddenly loath to break this strange dream. He saw the silver blue Dragon who had spat fire at him was asleep, his neck curved so that his head could rest in the slave’s lap. Hargon climbed to his feet, the stiffness in his legs and back convincing him that they had indeed spent half a day sitting here.

  ‘Hot food!’ he called, and servants stirred from the shadows as though they all had been asleep and dreaming.

  ‘I am known as a teller of tales,’ Brin announced modestly. ‘I would gladly amuse you until you feel the need for sleep.’