01 - The Compass Rose
Page 43
“You’ve been busy this last week, haven’t you?” Torchay said accusingly, moving to put himself between the Tibran naitan and Kallista.
“Adaran?” Obviously she still couldn’t tell which language was spoken.
“Good Adaran. Better than Aisse’s.”
“Peace, Torchay.” Kallista set her hand on his arm. “If he can see without eyes, why shouldn’t he be able to hear without ears, understand more quickly?”
“I cannot see,” Gweric said. “Only all of you. I see the magic flowing between you, weaving back and forth in a pattern. It is beautiful. It is why—how I know you are good. I didn’t see it at first, but now I do.”
“What will you do with him, Kallista?” Torchay didn’t relax, didn’t move back.
“Turysh, I think. We need to go there for Fox. Maybe my mother can do something for Gweric’s feet. After that—” Kallista studied him. Gweric might be able to see her magic, and she might still be able to feel the links, sense the magic that bound her ilian together, but she could no longer reach it. The healer Merinda had told her that pregnant naitani gradually lost their ability to call magic, but hers seemed to have left all at once after the demon died. She could not read Gweric’s magic.
“You need to learn how to use your magic,” she said. “What you can and cannot do with it. We will have to find the proper place for you to do that.”
Gweric looked alarmed. “I—find magic. That is what I do.”
“Most naitani can. But all of us have a magic that is our own primary gift. I think it’s time you discovered yours.”
“I…” He fell silent, motionless.
“Come.” Obed rose smoothly to his feet. “I will show you where to sleep. You will not mind sharing with the cabin boy.”
As they entered the door beside her, Kallista tipped her head over onto Torchay’s shoulder. She was tired of thinking, tired of running and worrying. For just a moment, she wanted to simply be.
“I heard you name the demon.” Torchay put his arm around her, adjusted her head to a more comfortable position. “I saw it.”
“Did you?” She did not want to talk of this now. Determinedly, she shut her eyes.
“None of the others saw it. I might be the last of us marked, but I believe the link between us is closer. For instance, I know you don’t want to discuss this.”
“That isn’t magic. That’s nine years at my side.”
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Likely true. But it was the magic that let me see the demon. And the magic let me hear what it said before it died.”
“Oh?” Kallista rolled her head back onto his arm and opened an eye to look at him. “And what did it say?” She truly hoped he hadn’t heard.
“Zughralithiss.”
A chill ran down her spine at the hissing sound.
“What is it, Kallista? What does it mean?”
She sighed and ran a hand up under his loose hair to his godmarked neck and hugged him tight. “I don’t know. Nor does Belandra, except…”
“What?” He tightened his arms around her.
“I fear it means we are not done with whatever the One has for us.” Kallista closed her eyes again, breathing in his familiar scent. “It will be on us soon enough, but not right away, I think. My magic is gone until after the babies are born. We have this time to rest, to be together. To be happy. Let’s not look for trouble before it comes. All right? Can you give me that?”
“Aye.”
Kallista could see the worry lurking behind the smile in his eyes. Torchay was a professional worrier. But he only kissed her and lifted her across his lap.
The future would bring what it brought. Until then, she would be more than content.
THE COMPASS ROSE
ISBN: 978-1-4268-4899-5
Copyright © 2005 by Gail Shelton
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Worldwide Library, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Table of Contents
CAST OF CHARACTERS
GLOSSARY
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY