Kadi groaned and rose carefully to her feet. ‘I will explore a little.’ She answered Hargon’s thought: ‘Dragon Kin see as well by starlight as by day. I will not be too long away.’ She stretched her wings and leaped into the sky.
‘And you, tiny one, how are you named?’ Kija bespoke the small female inching closer.
‘I am Mena, the Lord’s female child.’
‘You have hurt your face.’
‘Oh. That’s all right. May I ask you a question?’
‘Only if you call me Kija.’
‘Oh. Well. Kija, is the small blue Dragon called Farn really your son?’
‘He is really my son.’
‘May I ask another question Kija?’
The golden face bent closer to Mena. ‘Ask.’
‘Is Chena, I mean Tika, really your daughter now?’
‘She is in truth. You knew her then before she left this place?’
‘Oh yes. She was one of the pets. She told stories and she could think of the best games. She stopped him hurting me so much too.’ Mena clamped her hand over her mouth, even though she had said nothing aloud.
She felt sympathy, warmth, flowing from the huge creature beside her but before Kija could say anything, Mena asked: ‘He is very young, your Farn then? Tika has been gone only half a cycle and you said they became ‘soul bonds’ when he hatched from his egg?’
Where Mena had felt warmth, now she was swamped with sorrow as the long beautiful head swung to look across at Farn.
‘He is indeed but a hatchling, and yet he has been in such perils already. He was wounded near to death in battle and his soul bond healed the wound using power unheard of. Remember, little Mena, he is only a baby even compared to you.’ Kija’s sorrow folded away again. ‘And how old are you?’
‘Ten cycles.’
‘And the one who hurt you, how old is he?’
‘Six cycles, but I have never said he hurts me.’
‘It is as Tika told us then. Females in this land are thought worthless indeed if a male of six cycles can hurt a female of ten cycles with no fear of chastisement for the deed.’
Kija lowered her face close to Mena’s. ‘Go and speak with your friend who is my daughter, tiny one. But not for too long.’ Her eyes flickered softly in the light of lanterns brought from the lodge. ‘I suspect that you should be sleeping, as is my son.’
Mena’s hand lifted and Kija brushed her cheek lightly against it before rising. ‘I will fly for a while I think. I have not been to these lands before. But I will not be long.’
The golden Dragon moved away to where she had the room to spread her wings safely and rose gracefully into the night sky.
Tika watched Mena come slowly across to where she sat cradling Farn’s head in her lap. Riff and Drak were talking with several of Hargon’s armsmen a little distance away, helping themselves to the food generously piled on tables. Nomis had joined Gan and Kemti, perched on the edge of the balcony with Navan.
Sket reached Tika at the same moment Mena arrived. He glanced quickly at the small girl then squatted before Tika. He held a large plateful of food in one hand and two bowls of steaming spice tea precariously in the other. He set his offerings down before Tika. His eyes twinkled although he was straight-faced.
‘Sustenance for two Ladies,’ he announced. ‘I’ll just get a bite for myself.’
Tika grinned suddenly, finally letting the tension of this difficult meeting with her previous owner drain away.
‘Hello Mena.’
As Mena smiled hesitantly back, Tika leaned forward, turning the child’s face to catch the lantern light.
‘Still hitting you is he? I’ll stop him for good this time.’
‘No Chena, I mean Tika. Please – do nothing. It only makes him worse.’
Tika studied the girl then handed her one of the bowls of tea.
‘Sit with me Mena. Tell me your news.’
Mena dropped to the ground, her eyes fixed on the sleeping Dragon resting his head only a handspan away. Tika caught Mena’s hand, laying it lightly on Farn’s cheek. Mena gasped.
‘He wouldn’t mind? Will he spit fire if he wakes?’
Tika laughed. ‘He only does that if he is upset, and he likes to be made a fuss of.’
Sket returned again with food for himself and sat discreetly at Farn’s back. He understood as perhaps not even Lord Gan did, just how nervous Tika felt at being once more within Lord Hargon’s reach.
Mena chattered about the females Tika had known in Hargon’s household and how Rhaki’s appearance in Return had stirred everyone up.
‘You are even smaller than my Tika.’
Mena froze. Under her lightly stroking fingers a faceted eye reflected starlight as Farn studied her. She snatched her hand back as he uncoiled from around Tika and stretched his neck carefully. Tika smiled watching Mena’s face.
Finally Mena said: ‘I may be smaller than you, but I am older.’
Farn blinked. ‘Bigger is better than older I think,’ he said solemnly.
‘But I am much older than you too,’ Tika said mildly.
‘Aah.’ Farn’s eyes whirred. ‘You are the same age as me in Dragon ways though my Tika.’
Sket choked on his tea as Tika laughed aloud, turning to hug Farn’s silver blue shoulders. Farn leaned over Tika and pushed his snout gently against Mena’s chest.
‘Perhaps, as you are so tiny, you might like to fly with me and Tika in tomorrow’s daylight?’
And Lord Hargon’s worthless female child stared at Farn, speechless with delight and wonder.
For three nights now, Mim had slept in the hall with Ashta curved protectively around him. Several Delver healers, strong in the power, had come from Asat to join Kera and Nesh. The Snow Dragons too had joined with the Great Dragon Fenj, and together all had worked to shield the stronghold.
The first night the work had been relatively simple. The second was harder. But last night they had struggled as Gremara, unable to locate the Dragon Lord, battered them with her mad screams. At dawn Mim awoke and instantly poured his strength into the shielding.
Several Delvers slumped where they sat, utterly drained. Nesh was as white as snow, Kera in not much better shape. But she was able to totter towards Mim as he got to his feet and asked him how he fared.
He gave her a bow. ‘I can manage again now Lady. I may have to beg you to do the same in the future sometimes though.’
Kera nodded. The thought of another night like the one just endured was too appalling to even consider at that moment. She put one hand to the wall beside Fenj to keep herself upright and managed to focus on the ancient Dragon. His eyes were dulled slate and Lula paced back and forth across his broad shoulders wailing anxiously.
Lorak and Bikram emerged from Lorak’s workroom, carrying a supply of leather flasks. Lorak came straight to Fenj as Bikram hurried over to Nesh and the Delver healers.
‘Come my old friend, let Lorak give you some of his special potion – the beverage you like.’ Lorak slipped the top of a flask between the Dragon’s lips. ‘Come now my old dear, drink it down for Lula – she be feared you know.’
Lula jumped to Lorak’s shoulder and peered worriedly into Fenj’s face. A slight sparkle glinted in his dimmed eyes and Lula jumped from Lorak back to Fenj’s forearm. She pressed close to the black scales, buzzing furiously. Lorak turned to Kera, handing her another flask.
‘Drink, Lady. Won’t do you no hurt and might do you some good.’
Kera’s eyes watered as the potion seared her throat, but after the second gulp she thought she might actually be able to walk back to Nesh without falling over.
A firm hand took the flask from her. ‘Enough for now. You should sleep. All of you should sleep. The boy’s all right for now, so you be seeing after yourselves.’
It was midday when Kera woke. She had no recollection of how she had reached her chambers but she was in her own bed anyway.
‘Are you well Kera?’ Dessi bent over the Senior,
her face puckered with concern. Rofu clung to Dessi’s shirtfront, his furry face as upset as Dessi’s.
‘I think so,’ Kera groaned as she pushed herself up on the pillows. ‘And what are you doing here – there is no trouble with Mim is there?’ she asked in sudden alarm.
‘No, no.’ The worry smoothed away from Dessi’s expression. ‘He is much improved. I should have guessed his weariness far sooner Kera.’
‘No more than I should.’ Kera patted the Delver’s hand. ‘Last night though,’ she closed her eyes briefly at the memory. ‘The Silver One loosed such rage against us, yet she professes to adore and serve him.’
‘It is her madness twisting her,’ Dessi said sadly. ‘I believe we may be able to help her only a little – she will never regain her sanity completely. Mim said to tell you we should gather soon – the Silver One is usually quiet around the middle of the day – and he will tell us what he can.’
‘Then I must get up.’ Kera swung her long legs over the edge of the bed and reached for the trousers folded on a stool. ‘Where is Nesh?’
‘He suffered greatly Kera. I think he had not fully realised the viciousness of the Silver One’s mind. He is in the hall – some of my people’s healers had kept their minds free of the conflict last night, knowing they would be needed today. They watch over the worst afflicted ones together below.’
Kera went to the washstand and splashed barely warm water over her face. ‘And Fenj and the other Dragons, how are they?’ Kera’s voice was muffled in the drying cloth.
Rofu wailed and Dessi cuddled the Kephi closer, his white tipped tail twitching against her side. ‘All were exhausted Kera, but the Snow Dragons recovered quite fast.’
‘And Fenj?’
Dessi bit her lip. ‘He is so old. Each time he is asked to use great power, there is the temptation for him to let go of this world and to travel beyond. Lula and Lorak are pulling him back but I dare not think how many more times he can withstand the temptation.’
Kera stooped to hug the tiny Delver and together they went down to the great entrance hall. Kera paused to speak to the healers who were sitting beside Nesh and two Delvers. The three patients looked to be asleep, but marks of strain showed on their faces. Mim sat near the hearth with Ashta and Jeela but Kera went to Fenj before joining the Dragon Lord.
At first she thought Fenj slept but as she approached, he looked up at her. She was relieved to see his eyes were less dull, but she felt a terrible weariness in the old Dragon. Lula nestled close under his chin and Lorak sat on the floor leaning against Fenj’s shoulder.
‘Greetings dear one. How do you fare after such a night?’ She felt faint amusement in Fenj’s mind before he replied.
‘Dear Lorak the Gardener has been scolding me as if I were still a hatchling. In truth Kera, I do not know if I could share strength such as last night within the next days. It is long indeed since I spent so much power. I wonder if I can regain even half of it.’
‘’Course you can,’ Lorak interrupted robustly. ‘A few days of everyone fussing over you and a goodly dose of my potions, and you’ll be good as new. That you will.’
‘We must trust this splendid creature then Kera!’ Fenj’s eyes whirred briefly then paled, but to a misty shade rather than the frightening dull slate of earlier.
One of the Snow Dragons, Talli, moved beside Kera and Dessi to join Mim. Mim watched as they settled themselves around him. He smiled slightly, spreading his hands palms up in a gesture of helplessness.
‘I do not know where to begin or what parts to tell you.’
Kera’s eyebrows lifted.
‘Believe me Kera, I do not know how my mind holds all that the Silver One filled it with. Madness would result if you insisted on learning all that is in my head.’
He began to walk to and fro. ‘First of all you must understand that her knowledge, absorbed through memories of all the previous Silvers, as when Ashta and I became soul bonded, is older than any other in this world. The beginnings I do not understand. I think I will be able to consider the first memories only when the present Silver One is dead.’
Dragon eyes whirred in consternation and Fenj mind spoke the group.
‘No Silver was hatched this cycle Mim. Are you saying that you intend to send this Silver beyond, with no successor? She holds all our history.’
Mim projected calmness to the Dragon minds. ‘I have told you – I am the one who holds all your history now, and I believe her understanding is as confused as is mine. It is all there, but there are little or no explanations. If this Silver dies – and die she will, her madness precludes her going beyond – I can put these memories into a new hatched Silver in the future, one who will still be whole of mind.’
Kera broke the ensuing silence. ‘So these Silvers are almost like our archivists, or the humans’ recorders? Do you know if they have always been solitary Dragons and dwelt across the Wilderness?’
‘They have always preferred to be separate, but like Ashta’s mother Hani, the first ones still stayed in contact with the various Treasuries. They attended the Gatherings so they might learn the names of all the Kin.’ Mim resumed his pacing. ‘Something happened to make one of the Silvers flee to the rising sun. When we have the time, I may be able to decipher why.’ He shrugged. ‘It is all confused Kera. It is mostly sequential I think, but a great deal seems to muddle even as I look at it and I can make no sense of it. And,’ he added ruefully, ‘I can find nothing clear in this Silver’s mind of Dragon Lords.’
‘The circles though Mim,’ Kera asked. ‘Is there anything helpful to us concerning them?’
‘A little I think, probably all in fact. But such knowledge is deep in one of the more confused clots of her mind. The pendants,’ he touched the oval shape hanging from its chain at his neck, ‘they are deeply important somehow and hedged about with barriers. I feel the Silvers feared something, something far stronger than they, might penetrate all the lore they hide within themselves, and that is why there is confusion.’
‘You mean a kind of protective device, muddling all the important things whenever they felt challenged or threatened?’
Mim sighed. ‘And each time a new Silver physically challenged her predecessor, so the memories became ever more deeply hidden.’
The Snow Dragon Talli asked: ‘Can you destroy the Silver One Mim? From this distance? I would guess not.’ His eyes flashed frozen rainbow hues. ‘You will have to cross the Wilderness and face her, or summon her here, will you not?’
‘If I summoned her here, could I shield all the races who use the mind speech – those of Gaharn, of Sapphrea, of the Middle Plains?’ Mim squared his narrow shoulders. ‘I could not dare that risk. I will go to her when the time comes.’
Ashta and Jeela moaned as Talli lowered his head in acknowledgement of the Dragon Lord’s words.
Chapter Twenty
Tika and her companions had refused, politely, Hargon’s offer of accommodation within the lodge. They preferred to sleep under the stars with the Dragons, as they had each night of their ten-day journey from Gaharn. Kadi and Kija came back together long after the lodge was dark and silent. But they said nothing of where they might have bee, settling quietly to sleep beside Brin and Farn.
Before dawn Sket lit a small fire and set water to boil as the other Guards slept on. Farn, much restored by a longer rest, left with Brin to hunt for some breakfast. Gan fixed Kija and Kadi with a determined stare.
‘Did you go to Return last night?’ he asked sternly.
Kija’s prismed eyes whirred in annoyance at Gan’s tone. ‘It is not far for a Dragon to fly,’ she retorted. ‘But yes, we thought we would have a look at the area.’
‘And?’
‘And we felt Rhaki.’ Kadi replied. ‘We felt his mind, but sensed his body is very weak. The tower he has made must have taken very nearly all his strength and the blocks of stone are imbued with his own power also. We think that is why the Merig could not sense him before.’
‘But cle
arly he is regaining his strength now.’ Kija added.
‘So if we had reached here a few days sooner,’ Kemti mused, ‘we could perhaps have ended this.’
‘We travelled as fast as was good for Farn,’ Tika snapped.
‘And he is restored more than I dared hope,’ Gan soothed. ‘We could not have guessed that Rhaki might have so drained himself to be an easy conquest so we are no worse off now.’
Tika smiled briefly at Gan’s support but scowled as she looked back at Kemti.
‘I meant no criticism dear one,’ Kemti was truly sorry to have unwittingly offended her.
‘There is a group of men on their way here,’ Kija said. ‘They are not covered in the same way as Hargon’s men.’
Gan frowned. ‘Hargon said nothing of any other company joining him here.’
‘They had green coverings,’ Kadi said helpfully.
‘Seboth of Far then.’ Tika warmed her hands round the bowl of tea Sket handed her. ‘I wonder why he’s coming here now?’
Lamps shone in the servants’ side of the lodge and Navan appeared on the steps. He glanced towards the small fire Sket was tending, hesitated, then walked across to join the group gathered there. He saluted Gan and Kemti, caught a gleam of warning in Gan’s eye and saluted Tika as well.
‘Seboth’s men approach,’ she said. ‘Why is that do you suppose?’
Navan stared at her. She flipped her hand.
‘Kija and Kadi saw them, no ‘foul use of the power’.’
In the slowly lightening sky her eyes glinted like chips of green ice.
‘I do not know. We have had no message from Far.’ But even as Navan spoke, a konina’s hoof beats could be heard coming up the last slope to the plateau through the woods. A voice called a challenge and another voice replied. In moments a rider came into view, guiding his mount to the stable block beyond the lodge. Navan strode back to the building as a green uniformed arms man headed to the main door. He hesitated, glancing back as a rush of air and swish of wings announced Farn and Brin landing.
Khosa picked her way fastidiously across the dew-heavy grass towards the Dragons.
Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series Page 20