them and her. Running till she could go no farther, she collapsed to the ground, sides heaving, gasping for air.
Gradually her breathing slowed and the ache in her lungs eased. In its wake came the dull, dragging pain of her injuries. Whimpering, she curled up, hugging her belly and straining to lick at the still-weeping slashes on her flank.
They were deep, and the fluid they wept was bitter, making her feel sick and light-headed again. Only hunger had driven her from the safety of her den in the first place. It was a miracle she'd managed to escape the hunters at all in her weakened condition.
She had to keep moving, find shelter and food before morning left her exposed to the light. Still whimpering softly, she uncurled and staggered to her feet.
* * *
On board the Rryuk's Profit, a level on one of the cryo units fluctuated. The computer registered it, initiating a first-level diagnostic check on the system.
* * *
On Shola, Brynne stirred in his sleep, muttering incoherently before settling again to dream of moonlit forests.
* * *
In Vartra's temple at Stronghold, Lijou crumbled the incense into the brazier on the God's right. His mind was wandering, and not, for once, fully on his task. He was thinking of Kaid, what it must have been like for him to go back in time and meet the God, Vartra, in the flesh.
"Disbelief," said a voice in his ear as a strong grip closed on his forearm. "The first time is always the worst," it continued conversationally.
Around him, the temple seemed to darken and swirl. Lijou made a mewling noise and tried to pull back.
"So you're the new Guardian. And Tallinu's mentor."
Lijou was suddenly very afraid. The hand grasping his arm was real; the claws were sharp and beginning to prick into his flesh. It was none of the Brothers, he knew the smell of each one and all he could smell now was the scent of the nung tree. He peered through the dim, flickering light at the figure beside him but the face was hidden in deep shadow.
"Who are you?" he asked, hearing the tremor in his voice.
A gentle laugh. "You shouldn't need to ask," the voice chided. "How could I neglect you, the head of the En'Shalla Order? I have work for you, Father Lijou. I see your esteemed matriarchs neglected to tell you that participating in the ritual of dream-walking made it possible for me to reach you easily."
Half an hour later, Lijou stumbled from the temple, blinking rapidly in the brighter lights of the entrance hall. The night watch were at his side instantly, only to be dispatched by him for his co-Guild Master. Instead they sent for L'Seuli, who fetched Master Rhyaz.
* * *
"He gave you this?" asked Rhyaz. Stunned, he stood looking at the metal disk L'Seuli had put into his palm.
"Yes, Master," said L'Seuli. "I recognized it immediately."
"Take me to him."
When they stopped outside the watch ready room, Rhyaz looked again at the coin in his hand. "Tell me once more how he said he got it."
"He said the God gave it to him. How did he get the Brotherhood Sigil, Master Rhyaz?"
"I hope I'm about to find out, L'Seuli," Rhyaz answered as he placed his hand on the door, ready to push it open. "I keep this in the safe. No one has access to it but me. It's the original sigil, minted when our Order was founded."
CHAPTER 2
Day 2
KAID'S sleep continued disturbed, bringing memories forgotten for months to the surface.
"You!" said Kaid angrily, fists clenching at his sides as he stopped. "You dared to use the Goddess to bring me here!" Kaid was speechless with rage as he watched Vartra set down the scythe he'd been sharpening.
"Oh, it was real," the God said, taking him by the arm and drawing him toward the cottage. "The crystal in the rock face, everything. It was Ghyakulla's doing, not mine. She wanted us to talk."
"I've nothing to say to you!" Furiously he resisted.
"Maybe not," said Vartra, "but I do have things to say to you. Do you know where you are, how you
Gradually her breathing slowed and the ache in her lungs eased. In its wake came the dull, dragging pain of her injuries. Whimpering, she curled up, hugging her belly and straining to lick at the still-weeping slashes on her flank.
They were deep, and the fluid they wept was bitter, making her feel sick and light-headed again. Only hunger had driven her from the safety of her den in the first place. It was a miracle she'd managed to escape the hunters at all in her weakened condition.
She had to keep moving, find shelter and food before morning left her exposed to the light. Still whimpering softly, she uncurled and staggered to her feet.
* * *
On board the Rryuk's Profit, a level on one of the cryo units fluctuated. The computer registered it, initiating a first-level diagnostic check on the system.
* * *
On Shola, Brynne stirred in his sleep, muttering incoherently before settling again to dream of moonlit forests.
* * *
In Vartra's temple at Stronghold, Lijou crumbled the incense into the brazier on the God's right. His mind was wandering, and not, for once, fully on his task. He was thinking of Kaid, what it must have been like for him to go back in time and meet the God, Vartra, in the flesh.
"Disbelief," said a voice in his ear as a strong grip closed on his forearm. "The first time is always the worst," it continued conversationally.
Around him, the temple seemed to darken and swirl. Lijou made a mewling noise and tried to pull back.
"So you're the new Guardian. And Tallinu's mentor."
Lijou was suddenly very afraid. The hand grasping his arm was real; the claws were sharp and beginning to prick into his flesh. It was none of the Brothers, he knew the smell of each one and all he could smell now was the scent of the nung tree. He peered through the dim, flickering light at the figure beside him but the face was hidden in deep shadow.
"Who are you?" he asked, hearing the tremor in his voice.
A gentle laugh. "You shouldn't need to ask," the voice chided. "How could I neglect you, the head of the En'Shalla Order? I have work for you, Father Lijou. I see your esteemed matriarchs neglected to tell you that participating in the ritual of dream-walking made it possible for me to reach you easily."
Half an hour later, Lijou stumbled from the temple, blinking rapidly in the brighter lights of the entrance hall. The night watch were at his side instantly, only to be dispatched by him for his co-Guild Master. Instead they sent for L'Seuli, who fetched Master Rhyaz.
* * *
"He gave you this?" asked Rhyaz. Stunned, he stood looking at the metal disk L'Seuli had put into his palm.
"Yes, Master," said L'Seuli. "I recognized it immediately."
"Take me to him."
When they stopped outside the watch ready room, Rhyaz looked again at the coin in his hand. "Tell me once more how he said he got it."
"He said the God gave it to him. How did he get the Brotherhood Sigil, Master Rhyaz?"
"I hope I'm about to find out, L'Seuli," Rhyaz answered as he placed his hand on the door, ready to push it open. "I keep this in the safe. No one has access to it but me. It's the original sigil, minted when our Order was founded."
CHAPTER 2
Day 2
KAID'S sleep continued disturbed, bringing memories forgotten for months to the surface.
"You!" said Kaid angrily, fists clenching at his sides as he stopped. "You dared to use the Goddess to bring me here!" Kaid was speechless with rage as he watched Vartra set down the scythe he'd been sharpening.
"Oh, it was real," the God said, taking him by the arm and drawing him toward the cottage. "The crystal in the rock face, everything. It was Ghyakulla's doing, not mine. She wanted us to talk."
"I've nothing to say to you!" Furiously he resisted.
"Maybe not," said Vartra, "but I do have things to say to you. Do you know where you are, how you
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