me,
that I realise they were ones who, probably accidentally, revealed
they had some remnant of power through their old blood.’
Only a snore answered
her, and Brin’s chuckle. But Tika stayed awake much longer,
wondering why it was that Hargon should nurture such an enduring
hatred for magic.
Lashek departed for the
circle on Brin’s back. He carried with him separate messages from
those left in Far, for delivery in Gaharn and the Stronghold. He
had spent some time with Maressa and Ren trying to ascertain the
location of two of the coastal cities of Valsheban days. Tika was
stunned when Elyssa told her she would travel to Gaharn with
Lashek. She argued, begging Elyssa to stay in Sapphrea.
‘As you are drawn to
the west, I am not. I sense that I must go to the Stronghold,’
Elyssa said gently. ‘But see, I have drawn a circle and I will show
you how to read the pattern and teach you the words, and how to
identify the different ones. Maressa will go over it all with you
on your travels.’
Farn also could see no
reason why Elyssa should leave and added his arguments to Tika’s.
But Elyssa remained steadfast in her determination to leave with
Lashek. Farn carried his two girls to the circle in silence on the
morning of departure. Elyssa hugged Tika hard.
‘I promise we will soon
meet again Tika, but I must go to the north for now.’
Tika nodded. ‘It is
just that it seems such a short time to have known you.’
Elyssa hugged her again
then turned briskly to the circle. Lashek put his arms round Tika,
resting his chin on the top of her head.
‘Find what you can of
our old world, my child. I long to be with you as you go
searching.’ He held her from him and smiled down at her. ‘You must
promise me to add your thoughts to Maressa’s reports on all that
you discover.’
Tika managed a smile,
then reached into a pocket. ‘A little squashed I’m
afraid.’
Lashek raised the
package to his nose. His eyes rolled in delight. ‘You didn’t manage
to wheedle the recipe from that dear Lady Lallia, did
you?’
Tika handed him a
folded paper. Lashek smacked a kiss onto her brow and joined Elyssa
on the circle clutching parcel and paper to his chest. Elyssa
glanced once across the circle into Tika’s silver eyes then looked
down at the pattern she was about to walk. Seboth, Gan and Tika
heard her low murmur as she began the chant. There was a soft gulp
of air and the circle was empty.
Gathered in Seboth’s
library that night, Tika asked if he had any strong objections to
their searching the salt lands for the lost cities.
‘None at all,’ Seboth
replied promptly. ‘I only wish, like Speaker Lashek, that I could
join you. Unfortunately, the reports from Return make me chary of
leaving Far at the present.’
Gan frowned. ‘Is Hargon
ill – in your honest opinion Lord Seboth? I know he was sorely
disturbed by the recent events concerning his sons.’
‘No.’ Seboth sighed.
‘Since the Ganger Wars ended, cycles past now, most of us Lords
have enjoyed the chance to get on with our lives in our own areas.
We keep a force of armsmen, trained and ready, but we enjoy our
peaceful ways now. Hargon has always been the sole one of us to
fret about keeping our men battle ready. He is also the only one of
us who tries to keep alive the old fear of the power users – as I
am sure you must have noticed.’
‘I have been wondering
about that,’ said Tika. ‘Sket made me think of it the other night.’
Silver eyes gleamed when Tika turned to face Seboth. ‘Do you kill
any of your people who show they have some unexplained way of doing
something? Healing perhaps, or making plants grow?’
Seboth looked shocked.
‘Of course I don’t.’ Understanding dawned. ‘You mean Hargon
does?’
Tika shrugged. ‘I know
one of the old women “died” just before I – left – Return, half a
cycle ago. She taught me to read and write, and she had also
shielded my mind somehow. She tried to protect
that I realise they were ones who, probably accidentally, revealed
they had some remnant of power through their old blood.’
Only a snore answered
her, and Brin’s chuckle. But Tika stayed awake much longer,
wondering why it was that Hargon should nurture such an enduring
hatred for magic.
Lashek departed for the
circle on Brin’s back. He carried with him separate messages from
those left in Far, for delivery in Gaharn and the Stronghold. He
had spent some time with Maressa and Ren trying to ascertain the
location of two of the coastal cities of Valsheban days. Tika was
stunned when Elyssa told her she would travel to Gaharn with
Lashek. She argued, begging Elyssa to stay in Sapphrea.
‘As you are drawn to
the west, I am not. I sense that I must go to the Stronghold,’
Elyssa said gently. ‘But see, I have drawn a circle and I will show
you how to read the pattern and teach you the words, and how to
identify the different ones. Maressa will go over it all with you
on your travels.’
Farn also could see no
reason why Elyssa should leave and added his arguments to Tika’s.
But Elyssa remained steadfast in her determination to leave with
Lashek. Farn carried his two girls to the circle in silence on the
morning of departure. Elyssa hugged Tika hard.
‘I promise we will soon
meet again Tika, but I must go to the north for now.’
Tika nodded. ‘It is
just that it seems such a short time to have known you.’
Elyssa hugged her again
then turned briskly to the circle. Lashek put his arms round Tika,
resting his chin on the top of her head.
‘Find what you can of
our old world, my child. I long to be with you as you go
searching.’ He held her from him and smiled down at her. ‘You must
promise me to add your thoughts to Maressa’s reports on all that
you discover.’
Tika managed a smile,
then reached into a pocket. ‘A little squashed I’m
afraid.’
Lashek raised the
package to his nose. His eyes rolled in delight. ‘You didn’t manage
to wheedle the recipe from that dear Lady Lallia, did
you?’
Tika handed him a
folded paper. Lashek smacked a kiss onto her brow and joined Elyssa
on the circle clutching parcel and paper to his chest. Elyssa
glanced once across the circle into Tika’s silver eyes then looked
down at the pattern she was about to walk. Seboth, Gan and Tika
heard her low murmur as she began the chant. There was a soft gulp
of air and the circle was empty.
Gathered in Seboth’s
library that night, Tika asked if he had any strong objections to
their searching the salt lands for the lost cities.
‘None at all,’ Seboth
replied promptly. ‘I only wish, like Speaker Lashek, that I could
join you. Unfortunately, the reports from Return make me chary of
leaving Far at the present.’
Gan frowned. ‘Is Hargon
ill – in your honest opinion Lord Seboth? I know he was sorely
disturbed by the recent events concerning his sons.’
‘No.’ Seboth sighed.
‘Since the Ganger Wars ended, cycles past now, most of us Lords
have enjoyed the chance to get on with our lives in our own areas.
We keep a force of armsmen, trained and ready, but we enjoy our
peaceful ways now. Hargon has always been the sole one of us to
fret about keeping our men battle ready. He is also the only one of
us who tries to keep alive the old fear of the power users – as I
am sure you must have noticed.’
‘I have been wondering
about that,’ said Tika. ‘Sket made me think of it the other night.’
Silver eyes gleamed when Tika turned to face Seboth. ‘Do you kill
any of your people who show they have some unexplained way of doing
something? Healing perhaps, or making plants grow?’
Seboth looked shocked.
‘Of course I don’t.’ Understanding dawned. ‘You mean Hargon
does?’
Tika shrugged. ‘I know
one of the old women “died” just before I – left – Return, half a
cycle ago. She taught me to read and write, and she had also
shielded my mind somehow. She tried to protect
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