Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series

by E. M. Sinclair

  Kera advanced and discovered the long case was secured to leather straps which encircled the bird’s heavy body. She freed the case and backed away when a screeching, spitting ball of spiky black fur exploded close to her feet. Baryet cocked his head to survey this phenomenon and smoke wisped from Fenj’s nostrils. Dessi shot forward, scooped Lula into her arms and retreated to Fenj who, in turn, held his precious Kephi close to his chest.

  Kera felt laughter threatening to overwhelm her – the situation was definitely hurrying towards the bizarre. It was with great relief that she saw Mim walk forward to greet Baryet. The bird was immediately distracted from his intent scrutiny of Lula and chittered his massive bill in a daintily suggestive manner.

  ‘I am Mim, Guardian of this Stronghold. I think you have travelled long and far to reach us, mighty Baryet?’

  ‘Far but not long – I am used to travelling great journeys but it is the first time that I have landed here. Usually I fly over the great waters that stretch between Drogoya and these Night Lands.’ The yellow rimmed eye was fixed on Mim. ‘I have never seen one such as you,’ Baryet remarked thoughtfully. ‘Are you mad?’

  The Guards stiffened again but Mim took no offence, merely raising his brows in surprise.

  ‘I do not believe I am mad Baryet. Why should you think I might be?’

  ‘It seems to be happening a lot in Drogoya – only amongst humans of course,’ Baryet replied dismissively. ‘Is that small thing your food?’

  Fenj tightened his hold on a furiously hissing Lula.

  ‘No, she is not. Nothing living within my Stronghold is to be considered food Baryet. The Dragons hunt outside these mountains for their meat.’

  ‘It would make but a poor morsel anyway. Are you not interested in my Chakar’s words?’ He stared coldly at Kera who still stood clutching the leather tube.

  ‘Oh, yes, of course.’ Kera untied the fastenings and a roll of thin paper slid into her hand.

  It was nearing the time for the evening meal and Guards who had been labouring in the garden chambers below were starting to wander into the hall. They stared in astonishment at the giant bird, settled as though nesting, near the entrance. Mim ordered the Guards to sheath their swords but to remain watchful of their visitor, then went to where Kera was poring over the papers.

  ‘It is an extremely complex map Mim – so many details.’ She glanced up. ‘Where exactly is this land of Drogoya Baryet?’

  The bird ruffled his neck feathers and set Lula to renewed hissing.

  ‘It is on the other side of this world of course. When it is day time there, it is night time here, which is why they call this place the Night Lands.’ He yawned, revealing a black tongue and a startlingly pink lining to his mouth and bill.

  Mim left Kera studying the documents and strolled back to the bird again. ‘And who is Chakar, who sent you with these papers?’

  For the first time there was a warmth to Baryet’s mind tone. ‘Chakar is an Observer in the Order of Sedka. She found me when trappers had caught my parents. I would have died but she looked after me and so I grew to my present magnificence.’

  Choking noises came from several places in the hall and Dessi put her hands over her mouth.

  ‘Indeed’ Mim agreed, absolutely straight-faced. ‘You are indeed magnificent Baryet – a credit to Chakar.’

  ‘He reminds me of Brin and Farn,’ Fenj suddenly announced.

  Baryet tilted his head to stare at the black Dragon. ‘And who are Brin and Farn?’ he asked suspiciously.

  ‘They are two noble and heroic Dragons,’ Fenj replied.

  Babach spoke to Ren Salar at night when he could easily enter the Offering’s dreaming mind. Ren suspected that Babach was being economical with the information he gave him but he didn’t question Babach as closely as he might. Ren had more than enough to think of without Babach making things more complicated.

  Finn Rah had called on him several times since the morning in her study, and such unaccustomed attention made Ren more nervous than he usually was. Cho Petak had twice paused to speak to him when they met in the corridors of the Menedula. That was unusual in itself: Cho was rarely seen these days so for Ren to meet him twice was worthy of concern.

  Both times the Sacrifice had gently enquired about the progress of Ren’s research into the part the Night Lands could be playing in the strange outbreak of madness in Drogoya. Ren had to confess each time that he had discovered nothing further. It was two weeks since he had spoken to Voron on the Aspirant’s return to the Menedula. He had not even caught a glimpse of him in any of the places he was most likely to be found.

  Now it was early evening, the time Babach had most often visited Ren, and he sat by his fire missing the old man’s company. He looked up with a start as his door latch clicked shut, half expecting to see Babach pushing back his white hood. But it was Voron who stood there, his finger against his lips indicating that Ren was to stay silent.

  Voron stood listening by the door for several moments then slid the bolt securely home and joined Ren beside the fire. Ren looked questioningly at Voron.

  ‘Why the secrecy my friend?’ he asked softly.

  Voron leaned forward and replied just as quietly. ‘Finn Rah suggests I am Examined more thoroughly.’

  Ren frowned, shaking his head. ‘You have made a proper report to the Master of Aspirants I presume? Then why ever do you need to be Examined? I have only once heard of such a thing in my time here and that was for the serious misuse of certain magics.’

  Voron sighed. ‘If only Observer Babach would show himself, but I’ve been unable to find him.’

  ‘But he is away from here at the moment.’ Ren blurted in surprise. ‘Were you not told – surely you must have asked for him in the Observers section?’

  Voron stared at Ren. ‘Well of course I asked, but I was told he was too busy to see anyone.’

  They looked at each other, confusion mirrored on both faces.

  ‘For the first time I feel unsafe here,’ said Voron at last. ‘Tell me where Babach is and I will go to him. I have been told I may not leave the Menedula until I am informed otherwise, but there are still ways in and out that I remember you showing me before you became Offering.’

  ‘You would be traced at once through your mind signature – you know how simple that is!’

  ‘I could shield myself for a while, at least a few days.’ Voron didn’t sound as convincing as he wanted, but went quickly on. ‘And they ask me about you. Every time the questions start, sooner or later I am asked if I have spoken to you.’ He shrugged. ‘I did not want to involve you in whatever is going on Ren so I made no mention of our talk the day I returned.’

  Ren began to pace in agitation around his work table. ‘I do not like any of this Voron.’ He paced two more circuits then halted by Voron’s chair. ‘We will both go to Babach. I will not tell you where he is yet – the fact that you have been lied to appals me. Babach made no secret of his trip away from the Menedula. If you do not know where he is, you cannot reveal anything if you are questioned again.’

  He swung away and trod his endless path round the table. ‘At dawn tomorrow I will be at Sedka’s Meadow. Meet me there. And I think it better if you try to get out of here at once rather than stay a moment longer.’

  Voron nodded in relief. He had feared Ren might disbelieve his unlikely story – he found it hard enough to believe it himself.

  Sedka’s Meadow was a league and a half west of the Menedula. It was the place where, so legend had it, Sedka had spoken with the old gods of Drogoya. They told him that their time was ended with this world and they sought a man to whom they could entrust the continuation of their work.

  Some stories related that Sedka spent but a single day and night in the Meadow: that he slept deeply and all the gods’ knowledge was implanted in him while he slept. Others said that Sedka dwelt there for several weeks, learning all the workings of the magic that welled from the land. Yet other tales held that Sedka’s wife, Dalena,
was the one to whom the gods spoke. Those stories said that Sedka was the one whose name lived on because he was more competent at spreading the words of instruction throughout the land. Dalena stayed there all her life, tending the Meadow and teaching any who came to her for instruction.

  Ren pondered on these different stories of the founder of the Order as he rode through the opalescent light before dawn. At such an early hour, no one had been about in the stables. He had saddled two horses and ridden out unseen. The sun was just peeping over the great outcropping which housed the Menedula as Ren reached the Meadow. He rode along its northern edge, looking for Voron but he still nearly fell off his horse when Voron stepped out from the line of trees.

  ‘We should ride fast until midday,’ Ren said while Voron settled onto his horse. ‘I will shield us better than you can, but I need to concentrate. You ride ahead and don’t lead me into any ditches.’

  Voron grinned at him and urged his horse past Ren. ‘Where are we going?’ he asked over his shoulder.

  ‘Just keep us in a line a little north of west,’ Ren told him, then began constructing a spider’s web of light which would hide them from any searching minds.

  Midday found them entering a narrow valley gouged between two steep cliff faces. A few scrubby trees clung to the walls as if determined to gain precedence over the gray rock. A stream, swollen from the melting snow from the north, poured down to a pool by which Voron pulled up.

  ‘Ren? Shall we have some food now?’ he asked, not sure how total Ren’s concentration needed to be to maintain the shielding.

  Ren nodded and halted beside Voron. He dismounted with a groan, rubbing his thighs and leaning against the horse. Voron also dismounted and tied both horses to the twisted trunk of the nearest tree.

  ‘You did think to bring food, didn’t you?’ he asked, digging into one of the saddlebags.

  Ren glared at him. ‘Of course I did.’

  Voron had by then found a sack of dried fruits and a large lump of cheese wrapped in oiled cloth.

  ‘Can you keep the shield when you sleep?’ he asked curiously, cutting slices from the cheese and handing some to Ren.

  Ren grunted, his mouth full of fruit. ‘I can hold it for a week continuously, ten days at most. Then I will tire too much. We should be where we’re going by then.’

  ‘There have been no farms since mid morning. Does no one live in these lands? I’ve never been this way, only south.’

  Ren shrugged. ‘Some live here but mostly it is part of the wild lands, watched over by several Observers.’

  ‘Must be a bleak kind of life,’ Voron mused. ‘Short growing season, no grazing. Would people find enough to hunt to survive do you think?’

  Ren stretched his legs and winced. ‘I have no idea Voron. Let’s water the horses and move on. I would prefer to be many leagues further from the Menedula before we camp tonight.’

  Voron glanced across his horse’s neck. ‘This is quite out of character, well as I thought I knew you Ren. Why did you so readily agree to flee with me? Because that is what we’re doing isn’t it? I still haven’t worked out why we feel so sure we have to. Are you any wiser?’

  Ren climbed into his saddle and groaned again. ‘I do not know what is happening Voron. I do feel something is very wrong within the Order. Some things that Babach suggested lodged in my thoughts, unwelcome though I found them.’

  ‘And what did Babach suggest?’ Voron prompted when Ren fell silent.

  ‘That perhaps the Sacred One’ he bit his lip for a moment. ‘That perhaps the Sacred One is no longer what he should be.’

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  To everyone’s concern, Tika became feverish during that first night after they arrived at the ruined fort. Her eyes glittered and her skin was dry and hot. She brushed off the worries expressed, particularly by Kemti, saying she was quite well enough to ride into Return. After hasty consultation between Kemti, Gan and Navan she was overruled and a Merig sent to tell Hargon that it would be another day before they joined him.

  Farn was most agitated and refused to leave Tika to anyone else’s care. He curled himself around her where she lay, fitfully sleeping, on a bed roll against a wall of the fort. Three Guardsmen used the extra day to strengthen the roof of the one intact room in the fort while Tarin took Drak in search of larger game than hoppers to cook for their supper.

  Mena spent the time with Kadi, listening to the midnight blue Dragon’s tales of Farn’s brother and sisters, and of the Lady Emla’s city of Gaharn. Kija draped herself over some fallen masonry and soaked up the sunshine, appearing to doze. Navan drew rough plans of Return for Gan to study prior to their actual entry into the town.

  Near midday, Gan and Navan climbed the tumbled slabs of stone to reach Kija. One eye flickered open, then closed again.

  ‘Do you know what could be wrong with Tika?’ Gan asked, sitting in front of the Dragon. Navan perched beside him in silence.

  ‘It is a different thing from what I would call a fever,’ she eventually replied.

  Gan waited but Kija said no more.

  ‘How “different”?’ he asked in exasperation.

  This time Kija opened both eyes, the honey coloured prisms reflecting the sun. She blinked slowly, turning her head away from the light to stare at Gan and Navan.

  ‘Something is changing in the net of power that encloses her mind.’ Kija sounded annoyed. ‘I knew Kadi was up to something with the child Mena. I think that when Kadi removed the shield that had been set around Mena’s mind, there was some sort of overflow.’ She rattled her wings irritably. ‘Something touched Tika and has caused a change of sorts.’

  Gan looked worried. ‘But what exactly did Kadi do that may have affected Tika?’

  Kija snorted and Navan noticed thin trails of smoke drift from the golden Dragon’s nose. Gan also noticed it and looked even more worried.

  ‘Kija what is it? You are clearly upset, tell me what you can.’

  ‘You must have noticed Gan. I spoke severely to Kadi, as is my right as her elder. She replied in anger and we are not in communication at present. Brin is also sulking.’

  Gan sighed. All of them gazed across at the huge crimson Dragon sprawled, like Kija, across sun warmed stone at the furthest end of the building. Navan ventured a question.

  ‘Is this change you can detect quite unknown to you? Will it prove harmful to the Lady Tika?’

  Kija stared at him and for one appalling instant, Navan felt himself being turned inside out.

  ‘I would like to have met your great grandmother – a most interesting creature I suspect.’

  Navan began an automatic denial of Mayla’s relation to himself, then stopped. Kija’s mind sent warmth, security, wrapping round him. He nodded slowly.

  ‘I loved her greatly until I was sent to the men’s quarters when I was seven cycles,’ he admitted. ‘But we have no contact with females once we leave the nurseries, except for nursing if we are hurt or sick, or for - ’ he stopped, blushing faintly.

  ‘You have very strange mating rituals,’ Kija observed, disapproval clear in her tone.

  Gan cleared his throat. ‘If we could get back to the subject of Tika’s fever?’ he suggested.

  ‘There is nothing more I can tell you,’ Kija snapped. ‘It is not harming her – that I can assure you. We will have to wait for now. The fever is merely a minor symptom of adjustment to change. Did she not become ill in Gaharn when Kemti and Iska, stars keep her, sought to release her from what we now know must have been Mayla’s protective shield?’

  Gan thought. ‘Kemti would know, but I seem to remember that she fainted and was a little unwell for a day or two.’

  Kija closed her eyes. Gan and Navan left her to her basking and climbed down the wall. They strolled slowly across the open area in a thoughtful silence.

  ‘Captain Gan? I am unsure of this, but I have a strong suspicion that Mena somehow contrived her brother’s accident.’ Navan glanced quickly up at Gan’s face then resumed hi
s inspection of the distant hilltops.

  ‘I think there is no need for formality between us now Navan.’ Gan’s tone was neutral. ‘I confess I had similar thoughts myself. Also that Kadi either showed her how to manipulate the boy’s konina into unseating its rider or actually assisted her.’

  Navan stopped. He sounded relieved. ‘I feared you would laugh at the idea,’ he admitted. ‘I have to tell you I was surprised it was the elder boy who was killed. As far as I am aware, he had little to do with Mena: it was the younger who tormented her, although Bannor knew of it and did nothing to curb it.’

  ‘Will you tell Hargon these thoughts Navan? How would he respond to such an idea?’

  Navan continued walking. ‘My lord has only these three children. He was proud of Bannor – the boy tried hard to be the son his father wanted, but I think he would have become a much harsher lord. There was an inflexibility to his character that is not in Lord Hargon. You must have seen how your respectful treatment of his sister angered him? He has been taught that females are animals, to be used as animals, and when he saw his father change, even in the small matter of speaking kindly to Mena, he despised Hargon.’

  ‘If we regard Bannor’s death as perhaps an error on Mena’s part, will she try again to eliminate the younger boy?’

  Navan sighed. ‘Bartos will now be elevated as his father’s successor, so he will have greater authority to hurt her. I understand nothing of this power which has been so long forbidden throughout Sapphrea. What could Mena do? Will she become as strong as the Grey Lord, Rhaki?’ Navan shuddered. ‘Better she dies than that.’

  They walked back to the building and watched the Guards making what repairs they could, and no more was mentioned of Mena or Kadi.

  Next morning, Tika declared herself completely recovered and indeed, she appeared her usual self. Farn continued to fuss until a sharp remark delivered privately by Kija, made him fall silent.