voice grew softer still, “or who he once was, before you claimed him?”
“I never thought to …” Rieuk suddenly began to understand what the Guardian was implying.
“I will give you an answer to your question,” said Anagini and her eyes darkened until he felt as if he were gazing into fathomless waters, “but you must be prepared to live with the consequences. It may not be the answer you wish to hear. You may even come to wish you had never made this journey.”
Was she testing him? “I am prepared,” he said.
“Then summon Ormas and ask him yourself. But be careful; there is always a risk that you may lose him.”
Oranir leaned back against the rocks beyond the waterfall, arms folded. From time to time he turned to glance uneasily toward the mist-wreathed springs. He didn't trust the serpent woman. And the longer Rieuk was gone, the more suspicious he became as to what her true motives might be. The light began to fade, and the luminous glow emanating from the effervescent waters grew more intense.
Suddenly a cry rang out, chilling and inhuman, echoing around the barren mountainside. The cry of a shadow hawk. Oranir turned and ran back beneath the arch.
Ormas fluttered down to alight on Rieuk's outstretched forearm so that Rieuk could gaze searchingly into his Emissary's smoky eyes of topaz flame.
“Ormas, who are you?”
“ I am Ormas, your Emissary.”
“But before we were bonded together?” Rieuk had to know, even if the knowledge was going to shatter his most cherished beliefs.
“ I was a shadow hawk. I hunted with my kin in the place you call the Rift. I flew from haoma tree to tree, drinking the nectar from its flowers. ”
“And before that?”
Ormas blinked.
“Ormas, forgive me for what I'm about to do.”
“Master?” Ormas stared at him trustingly.
“Lady Anagini?”
The Guardian suddenly raised her hands and flung a skein of phosphorescent mist from the jade waters over the hawk.
Ormas let out a cry, and in a dark shudder of wings, took to the air. Trapped in the net of mist, he fell back to the ground. Glimmering particles drifted down, forming a gauzy curtain, behind which Rieuk saw a shadowy form beginning to take shape, writhing and twisting as though in silent agony.
What have I done to him? A terrible cramping pain gripped his heart. It felt as if Ormas were trying to claw his way out of his body, out from under his skin. Rieuk slipped to his knees, clutching his arms across his breast to try to hold in the agony.
“Rieuk!” He heard Oranir's alarmed cry, and felt his hands close around his shoulders, supporting him.
“No, stay back.” Rieuk managed to grit out the warning between clenched teeth. But Oranir stayed there, bracing him against his body as the flickering shadow shape that had been Ormas grew taller, looming over them both as they crouched on the ground.
“Who are you?” Rieuk whispered. Rising out of the darkness was a smoke-winged figure, as tall as he, gazing at him through wild eyes of topaz and jet, just as he had seen the night of his initiation.
“I no longer remember my mortal name.” The voice was still Ormas's but deeper, riven with anguish.
“Show me your mortal form, Ormas,” commanded Anagini. In the swirling mists, her eyes gleamed, three emerald stars. That green, unearthly shimmer. It was like the light cast by the emerald moon over the Rift…
The mists melted away and Rieuk saw a man staring at him, a man clothed in the ceremonial robes of a magus of Ondhessar, with long, dark brown hair and beard touched with threads of silver.
“Ormas?” Rieuk said uncertainly. The magus gazed back at him, frowning, as if he were a stranger.
“Who are you?” he said in bewildered tones. “What am I doing here?” He turned to Anagini. “Why have you summoned me, lady?”
“Ormas, don't you know me?” Rieuk demanded. The topaz eyes still stared at him and he saw the faintest flicker of madness at their heart.
“I have no
“I never thought to …” Rieuk suddenly began to understand what the Guardian was implying.
“I will give you an answer to your question,” said Anagini and her eyes darkened until he felt as if he were gazing into fathomless waters, “but you must be prepared to live with the consequences. It may not be the answer you wish to hear. You may even come to wish you had never made this journey.”
Was she testing him? “I am prepared,” he said.
“Then summon Ormas and ask him yourself. But be careful; there is always a risk that you may lose him.”
Oranir leaned back against the rocks beyond the waterfall, arms folded. From time to time he turned to glance uneasily toward the mist-wreathed springs. He didn't trust the serpent woman. And the longer Rieuk was gone, the more suspicious he became as to what her true motives might be. The light began to fade, and the luminous glow emanating from the effervescent waters grew more intense.
Suddenly a cry rang out, chilling and inhuman, echoing around the barren mountainside. The cry of a shadow hawk. Oranir turned and ran back beneath the arch.
Ormas fluttered down to alight on Rieuk's outstretched forearm so that Rieuk could gaze searchingly into his Emissary's smoky eyes of topaz flame.
“Ormas, who are you?”
“ I am Ormas, your Emissary.”
“But before we were bonded together?” Rieuk had to know, even if the knowledge was going to shatter his most cherished beliefs.
“ I was a shadow hawk. I hunted with my kin in the place you call the Rift. I flew from haoma tree to tree, drinking the nectar from its flowers. ”
“And before that?”
Ormas blinked.
“Ormas, forgive me for what I'm about to do.”
“Master?” Ormas stared at him trustingly.
“Lady Anagini?”
The Guardian suddenly raised her hands and flung a skein of phosphorescent mist from the jade waters over the hawk.
Ormas let out a cry, and in a dark shudder of wings, took to the air. Trapped in the net of mist, he fell back to the ground. Glimmering particles drifted down, forming a gauzy curtain, behind which Rieuk saw a shadowy form beginning to take shape, writhing and twisting as though in silent agony.
What have I done to him? A terrible cramping pain gripped his heart. It felt as if Ormas were trying to claw his way out of his body, out from under his skin. Rieuk slipped to his knees, clutching his arms across his breast to try to hold in the agony.
“Rieuk!” He heard Oranir's alarmed cry, and felt his hands close around his shoulders, supporting him.
“No, stay back.” Rieuk managed to grit out the warning between clenched teeth. But Oranir stayed there, bracing him against his body as the flickering shadow shape that had been Ormas grew taller, looming over them both as they crouched on the ground.
“Who are you?” Rieuk whispered. Rising out of the darkness was a smoke-winged figure, as tall as he, gazing at him through wild eyes of topaz and jet, just as he had seen the night of his initiation.
“I no longer remember my mortal name.” The voice was still Ormas's but deeper, riven with anguish.
“Show me your mortal form, Ormas,” commanded Anagini. In the swirling mists, her eyes gleamed, three emerald stars. That green, unearthly shimmer. It was like the light cast by the emerald moon over the Rift…
The mists melted away and Rieuk saw a man staring at him, a man clothed in the ceremonial robes of a magus of Ondhessar, with long, dark brown hair and beard touched with threads of silver.
“Ormas?” Rieuk said uncertainly. The magus gazed back at him, frowning, as if he were a stranger.
“Who are you?” he said in bewildered tones. “What am I doing here?” He turned to Anagini. “Why have you summoned me, lady?”
“Ormas, don't you know me?” Rieuk demanded. The topaz eyes still stared at him and he saw the faintest flicker of madness at their heart.
“I have no
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