Devan Chronicles Series: Books 1-3

by Mark E. Cooper

  “Kadar was mad, I can tell you!”

  “I’m not surprised. How could Kerrion think to get away with leading warriors on a raid without Kadar’s permission?”

  “That’s what I said, but Kadar soon settled down when he met Julia. She’s amazing. Kerrion said the pain would have driven anyone else insane, but somehow she survived it. She’s strong Shelim; her magic is…” he shook his head unable to explain. “It’s like the sun coming out from behind the clouds when she uses it!”

  “Kerrion said he has learned a few things since we last met. Did Julia teach him?”

  Darnath nodded. “Not just him either. All the shaman are meeting with her in the ruins to learn what she has to teach. Her two friends have been helping us with linking and warding, but it’s really hard, Shelim. Will you help me?”

  He smiled; Darnath hadn’t changed. “Of course I will help you. You’re my apprentice, but it will have to wait until I can learn it!”

  Darnath chuckled. “I forgot you don’t know how yet. Hey, that means I know more than you for a change!”

  “Not for long,” Amara said nodding at Emma.

  “That’s right!” Emma said.

  Shelim laughed and put an arm around each of his daughters as they walked through the camp. It would be hard watching these two choose someone else to be their father, but he wouldn’t step in their way. Once they began to meet other families, they would want a mother as well as a father and shamen never married. What woman would marry a despised shaman?

  He ushered the girls inside to find Selima sitting alone working on a tunic for Torin.

  “And who are—” Selima began but broke off as Shelim ducked into the tent. “You’re back! Why didn’t Tomik say something?”

  Shelim grinned and hugged his mother. “Probably because he doesn’t know yet. I sent Darnath to find him and Torin.” He released Selima to bring the girls forward one under each arm. “Emma, Amara, this is your grandmother Selima—”

  Selima gasped in surprise.

  “—she’s the best weaver in the Night Wind.”

  “Hello,” Amara and Emma said together.

  Selima looked at each of them in turn and back to him, before greeting her guests. “Welcome to my tent. What I have is yours,” she said and gestured for them to sit.

  After they were seated and Selima served them food and drink as courtesy demanded, Shelim told his mother all that had happened to him over the last two seasons, but much of it was not a surprise to her.

  “Kerrion told us of your battles, but he never mentioned the little ones.”

  “We’re not little!” Emma said.

  “That’s right!” Amara said backing her sister. “We’re to be warriors in two summers.”

  “Only if you’re ready,” he cautioned.

  Both girls shook their heads as if tied together. “Of course we’ll be ready; Tomik will help.”

  “And just what will I be helping with?” Tomik said as he entered the tent with Torin just behind him.

  Shelim stood and embraced his father and brother. “I think you have just volunteered to train my young warriors.”

  “Yours?” Tomik said looking at the children.

  “It’s a bit sudden I know, but you’ve just become a grandfather. Congratulations!”

  Selima and the girls laughed at the amazement on Tomik’s face, but Torin was looking from the girls to Shelim in puzzlement.

  “How can you tell them apart?” Torin said.

  Shelim and the others groaned.

  “What?” Torin said even more confused.

  “Everyone says that!” Shelim and the girls chorused.

  A short while later, Shelim had told his story and it was now Emma’s turn. Tomik was very interested in her knowledge of Navarien’s battle at Calvados. They were quiet when she spoke of the people leaving the city in a snowstorm, and Tomik held Amara close when she cried at the retelling of her parent’s deaths. Emma was stronger than Amara; she held back her tears.

  “They defeated themselves,” Tomik said shaking his head.

  “How so?” Torin asked.

  Tomik explained. “Stones from the sky are frightening, but by Emma’s account not many were killed by them. It was the fear of being struck down in such a way that made the Lost One’s flee. Had they thought about it they would have realised there was more chance of dying by arrow than by stones from the sky. They missed their chance to destroy Navarien that day, and now we are paying for it. Dragon Clan has already paid.”

  “Has Tobiah beaten Kadar yet?”

  Tomik frowned. “They fight tomorrow. Do you know something of who will win?”

  “Tobiah will be chief of chiefs. I have seen it. Whether he will be a good one is another matter—one I know nothing of. I told Mazel just the other day that it matters not who leads us as long as he leads us to victory.”

  Tomik agreed, but Torin was less sure. “It does matter who leads. There is much honour to be gained from leading the clans.”

  Shelim sighed. He should remember that warriors were greatly concerned with the gaining of honour. Here was another thing that brought home the changes he had undergone when becoming a shaman. All he thought of now was saving the clans. If he could think of a dishonourable but nonetheless sure way to defeat Navarien, he would seize it and to the winds with his honour. That thought would have been shocking a mere summer ago, come to that he still felt uncomfortable with it, but that did not change his determination. Unfortunately, he didn’t know of a way to defeat the outclanners except by fighting them to a standstill.

  “Defeat in this fight will mean the end of us all, Torin,” Shelim said. “Honour has no place in this kind of fight. We are not raiding for horses now. We are trying to save our families and clans from extinction.”

  Tomik nodded, but Shelim could see Torin was not convinced. Torin was not ready for change. Most would prefer to live as the clans had always lived, but until Navarien was defeated that would not be possible. Change was the order of the day. Could the clans change enough to cooperate in this war? He hoped so.

  By the God and all that is good, let it be so.

  * * *

  Julia supposed the ruins were impressive, they were ten thousand years old after all, but she wished they had a decent roof. The weather had improved markedly, but it was still cold. She warmed herself with magic, and sighed in contentment. She was really supposed to be supervising her students as they practised mind-speech, but they needed little help. Mind-speech was easy, it was what came next they had difficulty with, just as she had done. Shields and warding would be extremely important in this war, but they were hard to learn. She knew they would get there eventually, but did they have enough time?

  Lucius and Mathius were not here today. They had stayed with Keverin to talk with the chiefs. The loss of Cadell as a candidate for chief of chiefs was causing problems. Many felt Tobiah unsuitable, but they had fallen victim to their own honour. They had all agreed that the leader would be whoever won the contests, but they had been confident it would be Cadell. Julia thought Kadar should have made certain Cadell won by throwing the fight, but of course, that would be dishonourable! Now they were stuck with hoping Kadar could win against Tobiah—a near impossibility.

  Larn was chatting with Kerrion using mind-speech. She was very pleased with him. He and the other Horse Clan shamen had only been here half a day and already they were making themselves understood via mind-speech.

  “You are a quick study, Larn,” Julia said. Larn smiled but was obviously puzzled by her expression. “I mean you learn fast.”

  “Tell that to Kerrion. When I was an apprentice he often said I was taking too long.”

  “Humph!” Kerrion shook his head, “It made you work harder. Be grateful.”

  Julia laughed, but thoughts of Keverin dampened her good spirits. They had not spoken again today. Jihan and Adrik returning to Deva had not helped the situation. Jihan had waited as long as he could, but his responsibilitie
s had called him home. Ahnao had a lot to do with it of course, and in all honesty, Julia wished she could have gone with him to see that the birth proceeded without complications. Jihan had understood, but she wondered if he would have insisted she accompany him had the birth been imminent. Ahnao wasn’t due until summer, and spring had barely begun, she therefore had plenty of time to help Kerrion and reach Malcor in time. Still, whenever she thought things were settled, they had a tendency to spin out of control.

  “Shelim is on his way here,” Kerrion said with pleasure.

  Julia smiled. “If he’s as good as you say, Larn, he should have little trouble with the wards.”

  “I don’t know about that. From what you say a personal shield is unlike a ward.”

  “That’s true, but they’re made on similar principals. I thought I told you to talk using mind-speech.”

  Larn frowned in concentration and contacted her as she wished. *I’m finding it hard to overcome the turbulence.*

  Her eyebrows shot up. She checked her hold on her magic. She was causing turbulence in the realm of power, but she had overcome that problem two years ago! What had changed? She snorted; what hadn’t changed? She made the correction in her link as she had back then and the turbulence smoothed out.

  *How’s that Larn?*

  *Much better.*

  “I don’t know why, but I had the same problem when I first came to this world,” she explained. “I fixed it then, and I just corrected my link again, but there’s still some turbulence left.”

  “Perhaps you are stronger now?” Kerrion offered.

  She wondered. She pulled on the magic and floated in an ocean of pure bliss. This was how much she had drawn at the hospital in Devarr when she had accidentally overreached, but she wasn’t overreaching now! Kerrion was right. She was stronger. Did the Tancred have a beneficial side affect? It must have. Tentatively she drew harder and harder again. She was beginning to feel a little nervous now, but thrust it aside and drew a tiny bit more, then again. Shamen all round the room had stopped their lessons and were shielding their eyes. Shelim appeared in the doorway with Darnath and two children. They were also shielding their eyes, all but the two children. She bit her lip and tried just a teensy bit more.

  “Hnnn!” the pain was suddenly there and she released her magic instantly.

  “What did you do?” Lucius said angrily brushing by Shelim. “I felt you clear across the camp! The God curse it Julia, you have to stop this insanity!”

  She glared. “I’m fine, Lucius, stop scolding! I wanted to check something is all.”

  “Check something. Check something she says!” Lucius threw up his hands in despair. “The only thing you’ll be checking is how you look in the mirror at sixty years old!”

  Lucius was angry—much angrier than she had ever seen him.

  “—if she was stronger,” Kerrion was saying.

  “By the God! Why did you not simply ask Mathius! He knew you when you first arrived. He could tell you if your strength has increased!”

  “Enough Lucius,” she glared. “You’re not my father!”

  “Perhaps if I was, you might learn some caution!”

  She sighed. This was going nowhere. “All right! I won’t do it again. Satisfied?” By her tone, Julia made it clear he had better be!

  Lucius stared at her for a long moment before nodding.

  “Back to work all of you!” she called to her students. “I want you good enough to hold a normal conversation with everyone in this room before sunset.”

  “I feel like an apprentice again.”

  “I know what you mean!”

  “I do to, but then again, I still am one!”

  Julia grinned at the grumbles.

  Shelim picked his way through the sitting groups of shaman trying not to step on anyone. Julia and Kerrion stood to greet him and the twins.

  “Welcome back my boy,” Kerrion said. “And who are these two fine warriors?”

  “I think you already know mentor, but this is Emma,” he said bringing the girl forward. “And this is Amara.”

  Kerrion smiled at the twins. “You are very welcome Emma of the Night Wind. You are very welcome Amara of the Night Wind. We have a great deal to talk about. Did you know that your father used to be my apprentice?”

  “Yes,” Emma said.

  “He loves you very much,” Amara said nodding.

  Kerrion blinked and smiled at Shelim’s blushes. “And I love him very much. I’ll have to tell you about the time he came to see me about a curse some time.”

  The twin’s eyes were huge at the mention of a curse.

  “Mentor! Do you have to?”

  “Oh indeed I do, my boy! I remember your first look at my mirror particularly well!”

  Shelim groaned and laughed at the same time.

  Julia was beaming as she watched the by play between the two. It reminded her strongly of her visions of them riding with her across the plain.

  “It’s good to see you again, Shelim,” she said.

  Shelim shook his head. “I know who you are, but I have never met you before today.”

  “I know, but I feel that I know you from my visions. Both you and Kerrion helped me in my dreams.”

  “I see,” he said, but it was obvious he didn’t really.

  “Please join us won’t you?”

  Shelim nodded and seated himself with the twins on each side of him. Julia and Kerrion made themselves comfortable, but Darnath opted to practice with the other apprentices and excused himself.

  “So here we all are,” Julia said. “You have been busy this last season.”

  “It was hectic. Dragon Clan—you do know Dragon Clan is gone?”

  Julia nodded, but Kerrion hedged. “Not all of them. They are less than Cricket Clan now, but they will survive.”

  “Perhaps so,” Shelim said not committing himself. “It depends on whether we can destroy Navarien’s threat.”

  She agreed with that assessment. The clans were now in the same position as Deva was with the protectorate. The clans had a belligerent country to their north, where before they had at worst neutrality. The people of the northern cities had been peaceful toward each other and the clans. Not so the Hasians. Mortain in the form of Navarien’s legion was determined to take the plains as a precursor to attacking Deva. Should Navarien fail, which was not certain at this juncture, Mortain would not give up. Those three cities gave him the staging point he needed, and as long as they remained in his hands, the clans would have a threat to their north that could never be ignored.

  “—Tobiah. I have no doubt of it mentor,” Shelim was saying.

  “You have seen this?” Kerrion pressed.

  Shelim nodded. “Mazel will not challenge Tobiah, not unless it becomes obvious that he is not the one to lead us to victory.”

  “It might be too late then,” Julia warned.

  “There is little else to be done about it. What we need to do is decide how we are going to deal with the sorcerers.”

  “That’s something I wanted to ask you about. Do you know how many sorcerers were with the army that you and Larn attacked?”

  “One,” Shelim said without hesitation. “It was a raiding party only.”

  “Are you positive?” Lucius said frowning.

  Larn nodded. “He’s right. I was using the mirror to aim my fire and I saw the shield snap into place as my fire struck. Later when the outclanners were closer, we could see the man with our own eyes. There was definitely only one.”

  Lucius frowned. “If you’re right, the sorcerer who made that ward is very powerful. Wards that big take a lot of magic to construct. Not only that, it moved with the charge. Can you call this man in the mirror?”

  Shelim shrugged and dug his mirror out of his pouch and handed it to Larn. Larn grasped his magic and called the image. That was the last coherent thing Julia remembered for a while. Her eyes narrowed and her magic leapt into her grasp before she thought about it. Luckily, her rage hadn
’t sapped her wits completely. She didn’t blast the image in the mirror—not quite.

  It was Demophon.

  Lucius cursed. It couldn’t be Demophon. Mathius had killed him and his friends in the palace. Oh God, poor Mathius! He had aged himself ten years in his pursuit of vengeance, and now to find Demophon still lived…

  “How?” Julia breathed.

  “He must have slipped away before we attacked,” Lucius said. “We didn’t have time to see who we were fighting.”

  Julia released her magic, but it was a struggle. She still wanted to obliterate that image. “Poor Mathius, my poor friend. He’ll go ballistic when he hears about this.”

  “What’s ballistic?” Lucius said.

  “It doesn’t matter. I meant Mathius will be very angry.”

  “That’s an understatement!”

  “Who is this Demophon?” Shelim asked.

  “He was the one who led the sorcerers that kidnapped me. They killed a woman, an entire squad of soldiers, and two of my dearest friends to capture me.”

  “I see. This is the man who warded the outclanners.”

  “Just him? What of the ones you saw attacking Dragon Clan?”

  “He was the only one the first time. I’m sure I would have seen any others,” Shelim said.

  Larn nodded in agreement.

  “There were well over a hundred men in black robes attacking Ingharr and his warriors,” Shelim added. “Maybe even two hundred.”

  Julia had watched that battle in her mirror. Mathius and Keverin needed to hear this. She grasped her magic and contacted Mathius.

  *I need for you to bring Keverin to the ruin, Mathius.*

  *What’s wrong?* Mathius said in concern.

  Julia licked her lips. He would know soon enough in any case. *Demophon is alive and well near Calvados.*

  *What!* Mathius shrieked in rage and broke the connection.

  Julia flinched at the blast of hate that came to her down the link. She had never felt anything like that before. He was so angry, the words tasted purple!