Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series

by E. M. Sinclair

  ‘That is what I am trying to work out Finn.’ Ren looked a trifle abashed. ‘I could do with some help with the equations.’

  Finn Rah studied him for a moment. ‘I will rearrange my schedule for tomorrow and you will show me what you think you have found.’ The green pupils in her silver eyes glinted at him. ‘And it had better be worth it.’

  Discussion continued in a circular fashion until Cho Petak called a halt.

  ‘We will convene each evening I think, until we have some real idea of what we might be able to do.’

  He got to his feet and the Offerings accepted his dismissal, filing quietly from the chamber. Cho Petak sighed, slid his arms into his sleeves and crossed to the window. The constellation of the Weeping Willow was just rising below the new moon. He watched for a while, his mind turning over possibilities and ideas, and discarding them all.

  Ren Salar was in his small set of rooms three levels below Cho Petak, but still high above the ground. He too was staring out at the night, watching the constellations move in their familiar rhythms. He had an affinity with all four elements, an absolute requisite for all Aspirants, and a much stronger feeling for two in particular – earth and fire – which had led to his selection as Offering.

  Ren always thought of Cho Petak as the Sacred One, aware of how amusing his attitude was to the more senior Offerings. But to him, Cho Petak was truly the Sacred One, a man amazingly gifted in all four elements yet always approachable and willing to listen to the humblest student.

  Ren glanced over his shoulder as his door opened. He blinked as a white robed figure entered, closed the door softly and bowed. Observer Babach folded his hood back from his face and smiled at Ren, the blue of his pupils seeming even more faded against the silver of his eyes. He lifted a large, leather-bound volume onto Ren’s work table.‘All day I have been searching for this one,’ he said, putting a thin age-spotted hand flat on the book. ‘May I stay and look through it with you?’

  ‘Of course, of course!’

  Ren cleared a stack of papers off a chair for the old man and sat next to him as he eased open what Ren could now see was an extremely ancient book indeed. Ren wondered, not for the first time, just how old Babach might be, and why the Observer appeared to have taken such an interest in him.

  The Observers were retired Offerings, who mostly lived within the Menedula and either followed their own interests or taught certain courses of study to advanced students. Babach had been an Observer ever since Ren had first entered the Menedula nearly thirty years before as a six year old, and light only knew how long it had been before that since Babach had retired as Offering.

  Babach nudged him and Ren looked up guiltily. Babach smiled sweetly and indicated the page before them. The pages were incredibly thin Ren saw, almost transparent, but whether due to age or the material they were made of he didn’t know.

  ‘A map,’ said Ren, stating the obvious.

  Babach nodded. ‘You understand of course that the maps of Drogoya are wonderfully accurate?’

  ‘Because they are made and checked constantly by the air masters,’ Ren agreed. ‘This map is very old?’ he queried.

  ‘But still very accurate. I was interested in finding it, for see – it shows more than do the later maps.’

  Babach’s finger hovered above the page where he wished Ren to concentrate.

  Ren frowned then rummaged through a pile of books beside his chair. He opened the one he wanted and found a recent map, laying the book in front of the old volume. He pulled at his straggly beard as he compared the two.

  ‘There are less than half the islands shown on the western side of our land in this more recent map,’ he said finally. ‘But we know that many small isles surface and vanish due to the volcanic activity in that area.’

  Babach patted Ren’s arm. ‘We could Travel to check together at dawn if you wanted to,’ he suggested. He got up as he spoke and pottered over to Ren’s fireplace. He swung out the simmering kettle and poured the water into the teapot while Ren considered the suggestion.

  Obviously Babach did not believe so many islands had disappeared. Ren watched the old man stir berry leaves into the pot and tried to imagine why the maps would be falsified, and by whom – which is what Babach was implying. Ren Salar believed totally in the rightness of the Order of Sedka – the ceaseless nurturing of the land and its magic. The people who lived in this land were of far lesser importance except as their activities impinged on the land itself. He had no conception of recording false information on any subject but Babach clearly felt something was very wrong.

  Yet Ren gained no clues from Babach’s face which wore its usual expression of faintly amused serenity. He accepted a bowl of tea from the old man.

  ‘The coast is several hundred leagues from here, how much further are these islands?’

  Babach shrugged. ‘A little less again, maybe a little more. Have no worries Ren, I can support you should you find the distance overlong. I am strongest with air and water,’ he chuckled. ‘ We are an invincible pair, with your talents for fire and earth. Come to my rooms before dawn then.’

  ‘But I have to see Finn Rah,’ Ren suddenly remembered.

  Babach wrinkled his nose. ‘I will speak to her and tell her I have need of your assistance. And I have the seniority remember - there will be no difficulty.’

  Ren finished his tea and met Babach’s eyes. ‘Then yes, I will join you before dawn.’

  ‘And then we will see what we will see,’ Babach concluded softly.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Mim had been very concerned that his warning to Tika should reach her in time to prevent her from confronting Rhaki. It was nearly ten days before the news reached the Stronghold that Tika had been given Mim’s message on her way down to the town of Return. No one was entirely sure why Mim was so adamant that Tika delay her meeting with Rhaki. Fenj had told Kera that he had no notion of what might have so perturbed Mim.

  Kera had gone to talk to Fenj after the midday meal, when the great hall had emptied of its crowd of just fed men. She noted his black scales had regained some of their lustre and he seemed much brighter in mood again. The young Kephi Lula was perched comfortably on Fenj’s head, her paws tucked neatly beneath her chest.

  ‘Yes,’ thought Kera. ‘Tiny you may be compared to this Great Dragon, yet you have surely returned him to life when he could so easily have slipped away.’

  Lula twitched her black ears and blinked. ‘But of course,’ she replied saucily to Kera’s mind.

  Fenj’s prismed eyes whirred as Kera folded her long legs beneath her and sat on one of the many pillows scattered around the hearth. Very cautiously he lowered his head toward the Senior, clearly concerned lest his minute passenger be dislodged.

  ‘Lady Kera, is all well?’ he asked.

  ‘As far as I know, but I seem to know less as each day passes.’ Kera grinned and laid her hand lightly along Fenj’s face. ‘Everything is happening and changing so fast. We People in Gaharn have sat smugly complacent for too long and now we find ourselves unaccustomed to sudden alterations.’

  Fenj rumbled but made no reply.

  ‘I thought perhaps you could tell me more of the other minds near where the Silver One dwells.’

  Fenj’s eyes whirred more rapidly but Kera continued inexorably. ‘I have seen you and the Snow Dragons huddled here when you know that Mim is in contact with the Silver One.’

  ‘We do not huddle. I at least am far to large to huddle.’ Fenj sounded unusually huffy but Kera was not to be diverted.

  ‘You know exactly what I mean Fenj, so I insist you tell me what you’re up to.’

  Fenj swung his head away from Kera, forgetting Lula’s presence. There was an alarmed screech and the Kephi slid over the Dragon’s shoulder to the curve of his forearm. Instantly he was contrite, crooning nonsense to this small creature that had wormed her way into his affections. Kera waited until peace was restored to Lula’s satisfaction, caught Fenj’s eye and held hi
s gaze determinedly.

  ‘I have not been sure,’ Fenj said at last. ‘It is only very recently that we have had communication with your species.’

  ‘And you are far from convinced that we are terribly intelligent,’ Kera finished for him. ‘Be that as it may Fenj, if it has any bearing on the safety of Tika and her companions, I insist that you tell me what you have discovered.’

  ‘They are human. They live in old volcanoes. I think there are five such, in one of which lives the Silver One. I believe they are the remnants of a tribe that left the far western lands ages past – where Tika came from.’ He gave Kera a mind picture of five interlocking craters, surrounded by empty plains, as if seen from high above.

  Kera frowned. ‘I did not think you could observe like this – from such a distance? I know speech from mind to mind can be done over considerable distances by those greatly skilled but - ?’

  Fenj peered down at Lula, now fast asleep on her back, her tail draped carelessly over his talons.

  Kera waited patiently until Fenj had to accept that she was not giving up.

  ‘Well. I have a better recognition of the way human minds seem to work so the Snow Dragons you saw huddled’ he gave her a rather icy glare, ‘were adding their strength to send my thought so far. I contacted a female mind which was high in the air currents. Her name was Maressa and she was rather surprised.’

  ‘I imagine she was,’ said Kera dryly. ‘Did she tell you anything about the Silver One?’

  ‘She was most disorganised in her thoughts. I felt it best to withdraw after telling her that I would try to reach her again in the next day or two.’

  ‘Did you tell her you are a Dragon?’

  ‘Well of course I did – I projected an image of myself into her mind.’

  ‘No wonder the poor woman’s mind was disordered. She is probably still wondering if she is sane or not.’

  Fenj snorted but there was more amusement in the sound than annoyance.

  Silence fell between them, Kera pondering Fenj’s revelations and Fenj gazing fondly at the now snoring Lula.

  ‘Fenj, could Dessi and I link minds with you next time, do you think? We might be less startling to this unfortunate Maressa.’

  Fenj rumbled to himself. ‘I think that would be possible,’ he agreed.

  The next two days passed slowly for Kera as she anticipated the mindlink to come. On the first day, she explained to Dessi her conversation with Fenj and Dessi nodded slowly.

  ‘I told you that I sensed someone else when I was trying to redirect the snow winds away from Farn. I think perhaps it may be the same mind. Clearly this Maressa must be a powerful weather mage. I wonder if there will be a chance to meet in person – there is so much she could teach me if she was willing.’

  ‘That will have to wait Dessi,’ said Kera firmly. ‘It would be a long journey across the Wilderness. Although from the glimpse I had from Fenj’s picture the land is grass grown now, we cannot tell if it is yet safe to travel there.’

  ‘And we say nothing to Mim of this plan?’

  Kera paused. ‘Mim needs all his strength to control the Silver One. Let us not distract him now, before we know how useful our new contact might be.’ She hugged the small Delver girl. ‘It is truly not a matter of distrusting Mim in any way dear one, but you know yourself how exhausted he becomes. Let us discover if we can help him for sure, before burdening him with yet another concern.’

  Dessi returned to the high chamber she had chosen for herself and continued the mental exercises Kera and Nesh had helped her develop.

  Kera worked with Nesh in the large lower cavern where the Cansharsi had until only recently been penned. Jeela and Ashta had been trying to make much smaller holes high in the outer walls, to act as extra vents. Besides the still all too pervasive stench that remained despite many work teams of Guards scouring the chamber over and over again, there was also an unwholesome feel to the very air in there. Braziers burnt strong cleansing herbs but were only making slow inroads to the unpleasantness.

  Lorak scratched his chin when Kera asked his opinion.

  ‘Don’t know Lady. It’s a big chamber, suitable to turn into a good growing area but no one likes working in here see? Bikram and me put that there tray of seedlings in here a while gone and they be doing fine. Maybe by the time we’ve got good soil and plants in, the feel of the place will change?’

  ‘We can only try Lorak. How is the first area coming on?’

  Lorak smiled up at the tall Senior.

  ‘Seeds are already in,’ he said. ‘Three different sorts. Bikram recommended them for the first try in the new soil, and all three are fast growers. May not be as long as we feared afore we get some fresh greens right here Lady!’

  ‘How long before you can go back to Gaharn then Lorak?’ Kera asked straight-faced.

  ‘Aah,’ Lorak’s smile turned shifty. ‘Still a very great deal to see to you know.’ He waved a grimy hand vaguely. ‘A great deal,’ he repeated.

  ‘I see. So I think Lady Emla had best look for another Chief Gardener then, don’t you?’

  Lorak scowled down at his boots, removed his hat and scratched his head vigorously. ‘I could go back and just give a quick eye to the Lady’s gardens, but I should stay here I do believe.’

  ‘And when Fenj returns to the Ancient Mountains?’

  Lorak met Kera’s eyes steadily. ‘Then I’ll go with the old fella, should he allow me. Be new plants to find there I’m sure.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I should not tease you Lorak. You have served us all well and Fenj particularly. You are free to do as you wish – you must know that.’

  ‘Well, a bit long in the tooth to start this adventuring, but I’ve enjoyed it all so far.’

  Finally the time arrived when Mim was in a high chamber with Ashta and Jeela, contacting Gremara. Kera and Dessi sat with Fenj and three Snow Dragons from the Domain in the great hall. Kera caught Dessi’s mind, binding them close for this attempt at long-range mind travel. Then Kera slid their joined minds into the web of power the Dragons had woven.

  She was astonished at the intricacy and strength, realising at the same time that they held enormous power as yet in reserve. Kera gripped Dessi’s hand tight as their minds were taken up by Fenj himself and suddenly they were hurtling outward far beyond the Stronghold. She saw nothing, no sky, no mountains, no Wilderness, all was a whirling greyness. Somehow Kera was aware of Fenj’s thought – the mind he had met before was not now in the air currents but within one of the craters. She had a sensation of breathlessness and then abruptly everything stilled.

  A woman appeared to be staring directly at her until Kera realised that, with Fenj, she was inside another mind. The woman staring at her was human, she had dark red hair streaked with white, and a rotund man in a brown robe stood beside her.

  ‘Speak then Kera. I will show them how you appear – they are all linked with each other,’ Fenj murmured.

  ‘Maressa?’ Kera thought hesitantly.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I am called Kera. I am able to speak to you from the northern Stronghold only with the help of the Dragons. I could not do so otherwise. There is so much I would know of you and your people, but it is imperative for now that you tell us what you know of the Silver Dragon.’

  There was no reply from Maressa except that she moved her gaze from the red- haired woman to another figure and Kera nearly lost the mindlink in shock.

  Emla, the Golden Lady, stared straight back at her.

  The morning after the rainstorm, another band of green uniformed armsmen appeared on the trail from Return. This band included the Lord Seboth of Far. Introductions had to be made to Tika and her escort, and to the Great Dragons. Seboth was clearly impressed with such allies. It was arranged that Seboth and Hargon would travel back to Return with their men. Navan and a veteran armsman, Tarin, would remain with Tika’s group until they had made up their minds as to their course of action.

  ‘The Lady Mena will remain with us
of course,’ Kemti said as Hargon prepared to move out of the way station.

  Hargon opened his mouth but Kemti continued smoothly: ‘She will be in much less danger from the Grey One, or anything else, protected as she will be by four Great Dragons.’

  Bartos was already out of sight down the sloping track but Bannor stood white-faced beside his father. At Kemti’s words he turned abruptly, stalked across to his konina, mounted and kicked it after the armsmen. Hargon watched him go, anger mixed with regret on his face and his feelings all too easily read by the Dragons.

  Slowly Hargon nodded. ‘You are no doubt correct. Then I will leave too – you will send word as soon as you have decided your plans?’

  Gan saluted formally. ‘Of course Lord Hargon.’

  Tika noticed that Kadi and Kija were communicating privately when she turned back to her small company and wondered briefly what they might be discussing. Then she realised everyone was looking at her and drew a deep breath.

  ‘Has anyone any ideas?’ she asked. ‘Mim has given us no hint at all about our course now, so – suggestions would be most useful.’

  Sket grinned. ‘A proper breakfast perhaps Lady?’

  Navan looked horrified at a mere Guard speaking so to Tika, who was after all the leader of this group, in spite of her previously low station as Hargon’s slave. But Tika only grinned back.

  ‘See what you can concoct then Sket.’ She turned to Kemti who shook his head before she could speak.

  ‘I have no ideas at all.’

  ‘Kija?’

  The golden Dragon remained silent for a moment then spoke to all their minds.

  ‘I have flown over this tower Rhaki has built. I sensed his mind, which grows stronger each day. But his body is weak – there is a strange lassitude which I cannot understand. The Delver Serim attends him with great devotion but he is worried by Rhaki’s failure to strengthen physically.’

  ‘So he would be vulnerable to attack now?’ Gan suggested.