by Clayton, Jo;
“Aleytys.” The voice came again, more demanding, louder. It pricked at her, repeating again and again until she had to answer.
“Harskari.” Calmer … a little … still weeping, face streaming, contorted, accusing. “I didn’t have to do it If I’d just thought …”
“I know.” The voice was quiet and soft now, gently comforting, supportive, caressing. “Come, child, you’ll catch pneumonia here. Think how good a hot bath will feel.”
Aleytys flinched away from her touch. “Humor me! Hah! You knew, didn’t you. You knew I could have got them out without killing her.”
“What I know has nothing to do with the matter. You got what you asked for.” Harskari’s voice was cool, scholarly, detached. Then, shockingly, she chuckled. “I was always a lousy mother. Come on, Leyta, climb out of the slough of self-indulgence. What is done … well, it’s done. Regret is the most futile of all futile emotions we semi-sapiens manage to accumulate.”
Aleytys gasped. “Asshrud is dead!”
“So? It’s done. Forget it.”
“It was unnecessary.”
“Was it?”
“Huh?” Aleytys jerked upright nearly falling out of the tree. She caught hold of the limb she was leaning on and regained her balance. “You know I could have got them out.”
“Crawl out of that self-pity.” Harskari’s contralto deepened with contempt. “You wallow in that maudlin sentimentality until you lose sight of reality.”
Stung to action by Harskari’s scorn, Aleytys scrambled out of the tree and marched across the grass to the mahazh. At the doorway, for just an instant, she hesitated, reluctant, overpoweringly reluctant, to go inside.
The amber eyes opened wide in cool derision.
Aleytys flounced her way inside to the bathroom. She slapped the hot water on, stuck her hand under, jerked it back, exclaiming with pain as the boiling hot water scalded her skin into bright red welts. Defiantly she healed the damage and moderated the heat. With sullen snapping movements she kicked off the muddy robe and plopped herself into the sunken tub, waiting for the water to rise high enough to cover her trembling body.
Harskari chuckled. “Watch it, Leyta; I doubt if even you can cure the common cold.”
Aleytys suddenly saw herself … pouting, petulant child sulking because her hand had been slapped … she burst out laughing. “Ahai, Harskari, even when I was four years old.…”
“Well, it was a shock.”
Aleytys siged and leaned back against the sloping end of the tub. “Why didn’t you remind me that I could find them without the kipu, even get them out without her?”
“Can you?”
Aleytys stared at the water flooding over her toes, surprised. “I.…”
“Can you?”
“I could open the locks.”
“Yes.”
“I could find where they are.”
“Yes.”
“With you helping I could get to them and get them out.”
“Yes.”
“Then.…”
“Well?”
After a long pause Aleytys reached absently for the liquid soap and rubbed it over her arms and shoulders. “I don’t know.” She stopped rubbing a minute. “I don’t know what to do next.”
As her body warmed she felt her mind clear as well. “So it wasn’t useless … not completely.”
“No.”
“I think that was what hit me worst.” Luxuriating in the warm soothing soapy scented water she felt calm even happy after the intense depression of the morning.
“However—” Harskari’s voice cut through the upward swing as it had the downward plunge. “I think we’d better get all of us out of this place within the week. Before the kipu wrings all the advantage she can get out of you and decides to cut her costs.”
CHAPTER XXI
“Damn.” Aleytys crouched in the only bit of shadow the open-faced cell provided, haunches stiff and cold on the grimy stone behind the end of the plank bunk. In the echoing corridor outside small knots of sabutim kept trickling by in both directions, grim-faced and intent on a series of errands that kept them shifting back and forth like busy ants.
Sitting on the bunk as partial cover for her, Burash glanced down. “It’s been like that all night.”
“Think I don’t know that?” She chuckled under her breath. “I’ve rheumatism of the ass from sitting on cold rock waiting for that pack of ants to break up long enough to let me get here. What time is it, anyway?”
“About an hour past midnight.”
“Don’t they ever go to bed?”
“Something must have happened. An alert.”
“Ahai, Madar. I should have known.” She shivered. “My fault. I’ll tell you later. It’s not pretty.” She laid a trembling hand on his thigh, touching him to reassure herself. He covered it with one of his. “Let me think a minute,” she murmured.
She closed her eyes. “Harskari.”
“Yes?”
“Can you get us out of here?”
“Time shift?”
“Yes, or.…” With a silent chuckle she added, “Is there an easier way to do this? See, you’ve managed to teach me a little.”
Harskari chuckled. “I don’t know,” Aleytys said thoughtfully. Her amber eyes narrowed and stared out. After a minute, Harskari sighed. “Given all circumstances, no. The best compromise between time limitations and necessity.…”
“Wait. Time limitations. You hinted that before. How long can you hold that no-time thing?”
“About a minute real-time. Not longer. Half-phasing is easier; that I can hold about five minutes, real-time.”
Aleytys frowned. “How.…”
“Later, child. When we have time.” The contralto voice sounded cool and amused. “How close is Aamunkoitta?”
“Five cells down.”
“Nakivas?”
“They have him in interrogation now, damn that bitch.” She gnawed on her lip and bounced up and down until the thin scattering of coarse dust over the stone squeaked in protest. “Ordinarily he’s another five farther on.” She shuddered remembering suddenly the twitching pain-racked form of the hiiri. “Why the hell, with all that’s going on.…”
“Yeah, I know.” She sighed and opened her eyes to find Burash watching her curiously.
She smiled at him. “Don’t ask.”
He shook his head. “I’m confused enough without more.”
She stretched her aching legs out for a moment then pulled them back. “Well.”
“Well?”
“Hurry up and wait.”
“What?”
“Nakivas is being interrogated right now. We have to wait till they bring him back.”
“What if the kipu checks up on you?”
“I left a dummy in my bed. Besides, she’s too busy right now to do more than sneak a peek to see if I’m still where I should be.”
“What about here?”
“No eyes here.”
“How do … never mind.” He settled a hand on her head and gently stroked her hair, running his fingers through the shining tresses.
Aleytys purred like a cat under his caressing hand. “I’ve missed you terribly,” she murmured.
“Leyta. Narami.…”
Time passed slowly as they sat in silence, speech unnecessary, even intrusive. Outside, the nayid traffic died down a bit, though it never quit completely, until finally the solid stamping arrogance of the interrogator’s boots disturbed the gentle dream in the dank cell. Aleytys pulled her legs in and crouched lower. “They’re bringing him,” she whispered.
As the close-bunched group stalked past, she took a quick look past Burash’s knees. One of the group had a limp body tossed carelessly over a brawny shoulder. Nakivas. Barely alive. She felt the pain, the dead cold deep-buried corroding hatred, the stubborn will locked into staying alive, locked into frustrating the kipu.
They slung the body in the cell and came tramping back. To Aleytys’ horror the kuulu-re
sh grunted the squad to a stop in front of Aamunkoitta’s cell. She closed her eyes and extended her vision.
The kuulu-resh flashed a light into the cell, shining it directly onto Aamunkoitta’s face. The hiiri opened her eyes, gasped, scrambled back against the wall trembling into momentary blind panic. The nayid pinned her there for a long minute with the light, chuckling like a rusty wheel. Then she snapped the light off, grunted the grinning squad of nayids into motion again. Ahai Madar! Aleytys thought. If she does that here.…
“Calmly, Aleytys. Animals like those smell fear.” The amber eyes blinked slowly. “Think. Make them not want to look in. Use your gift, Should I need to remind you again?”
“Panic.…” Aleytys leaned back and concentrated, gathering, then projecting negation in thundering waves.
“Moderation, Aleytys,” Harskari cut in hastily. “Make them feel vaguely uneasy, their minds will do the rest for you.”
“No steamroller then.” She moderated her emotive projection feverishly. Outside the stumping footsteps broke their rhythm briefly then speeded up to double time. She risked a glance around Burash and saw the black forms trotting past, sweat a pale sheen on their brutal blunt faces.
“Enough.” The sound was a thready whisper. Well, she thought, I wonder what other little gifts my mother passed on to me. Shaking her head she turned and touched the nayid on the knee. “Burash?”
“Yes, Leyta?” He sounded strange.
Aleytys jerked her head up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He pushed himself onto his feet. “What do you want me to do?”
“You sure you’re all right?”
“Just a little overwhelmed. Like riding a cataract on a leaky raft.”
“Sorry. But.…”
“I know. Go ahead, Leyta. I’ll keep up if it kills me.”
She laughed. “I know, love. Stand over by the door. I’m going to unlock Kitten’s cell door and ours. See if you can spot a clear space so we can get there.”
“Right.” Relief at being something other than a passenger on the escape vibrated in the word. Aleytys tightened her mouth, angry at herself again. She swore a quiet but fervent oath that she would make sure he had a part in what followed.
Quickly she threw back the tumblers in the two locks. “That’s done. Doors unlocked.” She touched his shoulder. “How about the traffic?”
“A space coming up, Leyta. Clear both ways for several minutes.”
“Sure?” When he nodded Aleytys closed her eyes. “Save it, Harskari, I think we won’t need you this time,” she whispered.
Burash touched her arm. “The whole hall will be empty after those.” Three shadows sped past, nayid sabutim armed to the eyebrows.
As soon as the sound of their boots grinding on the stone died away, Aleytys jumped to her feet. “Go,” she whispered urgently.
Burash pushed the grating open and ran down the hall, counting as he ran. In front of the fifth cell he halted, pulled at the grating and slid aside, Aleytys on his heels.
Aamunkoitta was on her feet, surprise and fear in her face, terror suffocatingly thick around her.
“Kitten, we’ve come to take you out.” Aleytys broadcast soothing patterns of emotion but it was scarcely needed. Aamunkoitta reacted swiftly to the new situation, immediately excited. “Burash.” Aleytys slid behind the bunk, crouched out of sight. “How’s the traffic outside?”
“Still clear.” His antennas strained erect, quivered, visibly searched. “At least another minute.”
Aamunkoitta rushed to the grate.
“Wait,” Aleytys said hastily.
Burash touched the hiiri on the shoulder. “Leyta has to unlock Burash’s cell and make sure he’s alone.”
“Nakivas!” Her small three-fingered hands pressed against her full lips. “Jumala! I forgot about him. I didn’t even think of him.”
Burash laughed softly. “You had other things to think about. He’s just down there.” He flicked a hand to the left.
“Burash, I’m finished.” Aleytys joined them at the door. “Is it safe to go?”
“Wait a moment.” Once again his antennas quivered intently. “No! Kitten, stand here, screen us as much as you can.” He stepped quickly back from the grating. “Leyta, you’d better get your magic working, there’s a whole squad coming.”
Aleytys made a sharp impatient sound, then crouched behind the plank bed. “This damn stone gets colder every time I have to sit on it.” Burash knelt close behind her and held her against him. “Mh, naram, that feels.…”
“Mind on your business, narami.”
“Ha!” She closed her eyes again. “Harskari.”
“Yes, Aleytys.”
“Something I forgot to ask. I remember, I think, you took a horse along in the time spell, for a while anyway. You can take all of us under spell? When Stavver and I were in the hall on our way to steal the poaku on Lamarchos, Stavver … I had to push him along like a doll. What about now? Do I have to drag these behind me?”
There was silence in her head. “If it’s absolutely necessary,” Harskari said after a while. “I can take the three over a very very short distance. It’s very debilitating; it’ll drain you of nearly every ounce of energy you have.”
“We’d better wait here, then, until the hall clears out.”
“I concur.”
Opening her eyes, Aleytys concentrated once again on the subtle negation she spread in waves around the cell.
The groups of nayids, moving swiftly past, twitching her nerves, clumped rapidly on their way, too involved with their own necessities to waste even a casual glance at the dark cells. As a last pair of stragglers hastened past, Aleytys felt giggles bubbling in her irresistibly. Oh, damn it, she thought She bit down on her lip and buried her head against Burash’s arm. Her whole body quivered with those insane giggles.
“Leyta?” Burash’s concerned whisper almost was the straw too much but she clung desperately to the flickering tail of her sanity. In another minute she sucked in a lungful of air and went limp in his arms. “I’m all right, love. For some dumb reason I nearly had a fit of giggles.”
“Giggles.” The disgust in his voice nearly sent her off again.
“Don’t,” she gasped.
He got up and lifted her onto her feet. “Get busy.”
With a long quivering sigh she pulled her scattered mind together. “His cell is unlocked, he’s alone. All we need is a little clear space. Burash?”
He moved to the grating beside Aamunkoitta, antennas quivering intently. “Miles of them,” he muttered. He moved away again and sat down on the bare wooden planks. Looking from one disappointed face to another, he said, “Groups of two or three. Both sides. Scattered just close enough to … too close.”
“Damn, we haven’t got time.” She stared down at her hands. “And the kipu could get a bright idea any minute.” Abruptly she stood up. For the first time she spoke aloud to the dweller in her skull. “Harskari.” With Burash and Aamunkoitta watching, curious and more than a little awed, she went on, “Can you do it? What do I do?”
“Take a hand of each. Get the grating open first. You’d never shift it even half-phase.”
The amber eyes glowing behind her own, Aleytys turned to Burash. “Let me know when the corridor’s going to be clear for at least half a minute.”
“But.…”
“Don’t worry, I’m going to pull some of my magic. I think. You’ll both be feeling damn uncomfortable but it won’t last long. Trust me.”
He nodded. Hands on the bars he searched. “Space coming up,” he said tautly, restraining his excitement with difficulty.
A pair of shadows flickered past the grating. As soon as the sound of their feet faded, Aleytys used her own clairvoyance to double check the hall. It was clear, just as Burash had said, but only for a heartbeat or so. She shoved the grating open and seized the disparate hands of her companions.
The diadem flared and chimed, the air turned still and stiff. Ignori
ng the startled gasp of the hiiri she tugged at the hands, communicating the urgency and the need for haste through the tightness of her grip. Wading against the thrust of the air the three fought down the hall, taking an eternity, an eon, a dream-fantasy of futile running before they reached the fifth cell door. The chime swung uphill.
Hastily Aleytys tugged the grating open and slid through the opening as soon as it was wide enough, the other two tumbling in on her heels. Burash pulled the grating shut and stood beside it while Aamunkoitta ran to the crumpled body on the planks and crouched beside it staring wide-eyed at Aleytys who lay gasping in exhaustion on the grimy floor.
Weaker than she had ever been in her life, Aleytys sucked, in lungfuls of the filthy air, struggling to regain some of the strength drained out of her. In her head she heard a whisper almost beyond her ability to decipher … heal … heal … exhaustion … a kind … of … sickness … heal. She fumbled for the power, the effort almost beyond her. Then the water poured over her, restoring her strength. She sat up.
“Watch the door.”
Burash nodded and turned back, his body taut with concentration.
Aleytys put her hands on the unconscious hiiri and reached back for her river. Her arms still felt like clumsy lead weights, her head woolly, thoughts blundering and indistinct, but her talent flowed smoothly, the healing got done, the hiiri sat up and stared around from lively dark eyes.
“The traffic’s thinning, Leyta.” Burash’s quiet voice broke through her tiredness.
“Good. Because I think that sort of magic has worn thin for me.” She took hold of the edge of the bunk and sat up, staggering as her knees buckled briefly. “Madar! I’m weak as a two-day kitten.”
CHAPTER XXII
Nakivas slipped out of the chill soggy shadow and knocked at the patched rickety shutter of a crumbling house on the outermost rim of the city, a house that seemed to owe its continued existence to the massive wall it leaned against like a decaying wart. He rapped again, repeating the pattern twice this time.