strength. Complete recovery would take much longer. The Jaska Bavadi of old had moved with supreme efficiency and complete awareness. Stiffness plagued him now, and worse, his mind was scattered to the winds, broken by the realizations of what he'd done.
The three sat together in the cave, eating but speaking little. Distrust hung between Jaska and Ohzikar. The qavra's presence did little to help. Jaska's eyes often strayed to it, and a forlorn, desiring look plagued his face. Ohzikar countered with a narrow-eyed scowl. Jaska had many days to go before his addiction would break if it were even half as strong as those opiate addictions Ohzikar had witnessed.
Suddenly, a chalk rune on the cave's ceiling flared a brilliant white. Ohzikar leapt to his feet and grabbed his weapons. Zyrella put out the fire.
"I'll scout the canyon," Ohzikar said.
Zyrella hugged him as the rune faded. "Be careful."
"What's going on?" Jaska asked.
Ohzikar ducked outside as Zyrella replied. "Someone attempted to scry us. They weren't successful. Otherwise, the rune beside that one would have flared as well."
"I should go with him. I know how they operate. I probably taught them."
Zyrella put a hand on his arm. "Let Ohzikar do it. Save your strength. He knows what he's doing. We fought palymfar with the resistance, while you were away helping Karphon take Xampaji. Besides, Ohzikar is wearing a scrying ward and you aren't."
"I feel useless."
"Now you know how I feel most of the time. Ohzi and my other templar guards have always . . ." Her voice choked and Jaska looked away.
"I'm sorry . . ."
"It wasn't you. Another man and his acolytes killed them. It's done, and there's nothing we can do to change it." Zyrella drew one of his students' qavra from the pouch tied to her belt sash. "As for fighting the enemy, I have cleansed this qavra of palymfar spells for you. Unfortunately, I don't know how to purify your original."
With an expression of distaste, Jaska eyed the small jet stone embedded in the leather choker. "I can't."
"But you must. Without your powers, you won't be strong enough to combat Salahn."
"I will manage."
"That's a lie, and you know it."
"What if all palymfar qavra can betray me?"
"Impossible. With this one I have erased the previous owner's aura. No spells exist within it, nor does one exist on you."
"But even a lesser qavra such as that one might awaken things within me. Things that I have buried in the past. The old methods may entice me into committing the old acts again."
"If so, you will have to conquer those things. To succeed, we need all your abilities. You know I'm right."
Without looking at her, he nodded. "It must wait, though. I'm not strong enough to bond with the qavra now."
"I can help you."
Zyrella held the qavra out toward him. He stared at it. Minutes went by before Jaska reached forward. His fingertips came within inches, but then a look of horror crossed his face and he withdrew. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He licked his lips and furrowed his brow.
"Conquer your fear, conquer the scars Salahn left upon your psyche."
He leaned forward again and reached, but he still couldn't do it. Just as his fingers pulled away, Ohzikar returned.
"I spotted four palymfar at the canyon's entrance. They ventured a little way in and left."
"We should leave as soon as possible," Jaska said. "If they didn't search the canyon, it means they've figured out that we're here. And there will be more of them. Most of the palymfar groups I have sent into the field number twelve, but they will split up into three teams of four when searching. Those four are likely rejoining the others."
"Are you well enough to move on?" Zyrella asked.
"I crossed the wilderness for days in worse condition than this."
"But that almost killed you. Our position is defensible."
"It's not secure enough to survive a full attack," Jaska said. "Your templar is a good warrior." The two exchanged dark appraisals. "But even with my
The three sat together in the cave, eating but speaking little. Distrust hung between Jaska and Ohzikar. The qavra's presence did little to help. Jaska's eyes often strayed to it, and a forlorn, desiring look plagued his face. Ohzikar countered with a narrow-eyed scowl. Jaska had many days to go before his addiction would break if it were even half as strong as those opiate addictions Ohzikar had witnessed.
Suddenly, a chalk rune on the cave's ceiling flared a brilliant white. Ohzikar leapt to his feet and grabbed his weapons. Zyrella put out the fire.
"I'll scout the canyon," Ohzikar said.
Zyrella hugged him as the rune faded. "Be careful."
"What's going on?" Jaska asked.
Ohzikar ducked outside as Zyrella replied. "Someone attempted to scry us. They weren't successful. Otherwise, the rune beside that one would have flared as well."
"I should go with him. I know how they operate. I probably taught them."
Zyrella put a hand on his arm. "Let Ohzikar do it. Save your strength. He knows what he's doing. We fought palymfar with the resistance, while you were away helping Karphon take Xampaji. Besides, Ohzikar is wearing a scrying ward and you aren't."
"I feel useless."
"Now you know how I feel most of the time. Ohzi and my other templar guards have always . . ." Her voice choked and Jaska looked away.
"I'm sorry . . ."
"It wasn't you. Another man and his acolytes killed them. It's done, and there's nothing we can do to change it." Zyrella drew one of his students' qavra from the pouch tied to her belt sash. "As for fighting the enemy, I have cleansed this qavra of palymfar spells for you. Unfortunately, I don't know how to purify your original."
With an expression of distaste, Jaska eyed the small jet stone embedded in the leather choker. "I can't."
"But you must. Without your powers, you won't be strong enough to combat Salahn."
"I will manage."
"That's a lie, and you know it."
"What if all palymfar qavra can betray me?"
"Impossible. With this one I have erased the previous owner's aura. No spells exist within it, nor does one exist on you."
"But even a lesser qavra such as that one might awaken things within me. Things that I have buried in the past. The old methods may entice me into committing the old acts again."
"If so, you will have to conquer those things. To succeed, we need all your abilities. You know I'm right."
Without looking at her, he nodded. "It must wait, though. I'm not strong enough to bond with the qavra now."
"I can help you."
Zyrella held the qavra out toward him. He stared at it. Minutes went by before Jaska reached forward. His fingertips came within inches, but then a look of horror crossed his face and he withdrew. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He licked his lips and furrowed his brow.
"Conquer your fear, conquer the scars Salahn left upon your psyche."
He leaned forward again and reached, but he still couldn't do it. Just as his fingers pulled away, Ohzikar returned.
"I spotted four palymfar at the canyon's entrance. They ventured a little way in and left."
"We should leave as soon as possible," Jaska said. "If they didn't search the canyon, it means they've figured out that we're here. And there will be more of them. Most of the palymfar groups I have sent into the field number twelve, but they will split up into three teams of four when searching. Those four are likely rejoining the others."
"Are you well enough to move on?" Zyrella asked.
"I crossed the wilderness for days in worse condition than this."
"But that almost killed you. Our position is defensible."
"It's not secure enough to survive a full attack," Jaska said. "Your templar is a good warrior." The two exchanged dark appraisals. "But even with my
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