Dark Lightning (2 page)

Guiltily he gazed at the Karshal princess, who appeared not to have noticed.

Laek joined his companions and the three of them shadow boxed each other until the master-at-arms barked an order at them. They boarded the third trimarine, ignoring the gangplank and leaping over the side in a display of youthful zest.

The mariners cast off and there was a blare of trumpets as the sails were hoisted. Caught by the breeze they billowed into fullness, and with Cynan’s colors streaming out from the mast they slid silently from the dock like three elegant birds, to the cheers of the crowds.

Cynan felt a moment of regret. The next time he saw his son he would be a man.

* * * *

After the ships had gone, Jynx turned to Remy. ‘It’s going to be lonely without Laek, Jon and Iago. Let’s go to the High Place and see if we can find the door again.’

‘Nobody is supposed to set foot there. Besides, I think we were enchanted, because when we took Laek to see it the door had vanished. He thought we were making it up.’

‘You know we saw it, and we both heard a humming noise from inside. It made me feel odd, as though every sensation inside me was a separate thread unraveling from the thicker one. My hair stood on end. Why do they call it the High Place, anyway? It’s not so high, though the lake is cold and deep. I couldn’t touch the bottom the last time I swam there.’

‘The lake used to be shallower before the rift came together and formed the mountain ranges beyond. And the waterfall was higher. There was a cave behind the fall in which the Alchemist’s remains were kept. It was a sacred place even then. But it sank under water in the land upheavals when Truarc and Cabrilan became one under Lord Kavan.’

Jynx stared at her twin. ‘How do you know all this?’

Remy shrugged and fondled Wulf’s ears, unable to quite meet her eyes. ‘I expect I read it somewhere.’

‘You’re lying, Remy. You’ve been to see that sage again, haven’t you?’ she accused.

‘What if I have?’

‘Saire has magic. We’re supposed to stay away from him.’

‘But he has such interesting stories ... you know that pod in the museum’

 Intrigued despite herself, Jynx gazed at him, eyes widening. ‘The crystal one?’

 ‘Saire said it was forced up from the crystal pipes and washed down the river, over the fall and on to the shores of the lake when the land last settled. It carried inside it the great leader Kavan and his lady, Tiana, who were thought to have perished. Touched by the sun the pod fell open and allowed them to escape. Then they rose to defeat the usurper, Javros. There was a long period of peace and happiness.’

Propping her chin on her hands, Jynx sighed, and said, ‘If you look carefully at the pod you can see the outlines of where their bodies lay entwined together. What happened after that?’

‘Saire told me a child was created between them at the time of enchantment in the High Place. Dawn and dusk appeared in the sky in honor of the infant’s birth, but he was claimed by the gods.’

‘I would hate it if the gods claimed any of my children.’

‘They had other children, but as Kavan and Tiana grew old the issue from their union began to quarrel.’

‘What happened to Kavan and Tiana?’

‘They handed power over to their eldest son and walked off into the desert together. They never returned and were never found.’

‘That’s so romantic.’ They fell silent, and then Jynx smiled and sprang to her feet. ‘If you can visit Saire I can visit the High Place. It’s warm today, we can swim in the lake below the fall.’

Remy’s dog wagged his tail.

‘Yes, you as well Wulf.

‘I don’t like swimming there. I’ll sit on the bank and read and make sure you don’t get into trouble.’

The route to the High Place was a hardly discernible path through a thicket of trees and thorny undergrowth. It was strewn with rocks, too, as though someone had deliberately tried to make it a difficult place to reach. The nearer they got, the quieter it seemed to grow, as though the birds songs were muted.

They stepped into a warm, grassy clearing, where the only sound was the splash of water. Very little light penetrated through the thicket around them. Columns of rock stretched upwards and beyond, jagged, black and sinister, leaning against each other like tall shadows whispering together. Jynx put her head back and gazed towards the top, where a silver ribbon of water dashed down the side of the mountain, jumping from rock to rock, disappearing into it only to reappear somewhere else. The water’s path was decorated with bracken and ferns, flowering vines that hung in scented curtains, drifting mist and multiple rainbows where beams of sunlight penetrated.

‘How pretty it looks,’ she whispered, but despite that it was a place with an edge of mystery and danger, where you didn’t feel like talking too loudly. ‘Let’s dive off that ledge.’

‘No, it’s too dangerous, and I don’t feel like swimming now I’m here. We don’t know what’s under the water. Saire told me that the whole place shifted sideways and sank. Poisonous eels guard the area near the entrance to the tomb. I’m going to walk round to the other side.’

Jynx bowed to her brother’s caution, for it often paid off. Discarding her tabard and breeches she swam out to the rock she always used, clad only in her modesty wear. There, she lay on her stomach on the warm surface, gazing down a shaft of sunlight into the clear water. Far below she could see something shining with different colors.

Overcome by curiosity, she stood up, took a lungful of air and slid into the water. She struck out for the bottom, following the sunlit shaft like an arrow, her eyes on the shining object, and trailing a few bubbles behind her. The deeper she got the colder the water became. Her lungs began to hurt, but the shining object drew her down further for it always seemed to be just within her grasp, but not quite.

As her hand closed around it there was a disturbance in the water and a long black shape swirled around her. She shoved the object into her vest, and then kicked at the shape. Her senses began to fuddle, though she thought she saw the face of a young man. ‘Help me,’ she said, and the words left her mouth in a rush of bubbles. Water filled the space and the power fled from her limbs.

Something grasped her braid and she was dragged rapidly upwards through the water. As soon as she hit the air she swooped in a harsh, ragged breath and began to choke. When she’d spat the water out and could breathe comfortably again she looked around her. She was on the bank and Remy was on the far side of the lake, lying on his back and gazing up at the clouds passing behind the towering columns of rock. So her brother hadn’t been her rescuer, she thought. Who, then?

Jynx sensed she was being watched. Carefully she looked around her, and her glance was drawn to the rock she’d first slid from. There in its shadow was the head and shoulders of a young man.

She gazed at him, her eyes widening. Though dampened by water his hair was a light brown, and he gazed back her through eyes of silver grey. When she offered him a smile he placed a finger across his lips, indicating she should hush, and keep what she’d experienced quiet.

He was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving a faint disturbance in his wake.

Remembering the shiny object Jynx drew it from inside her vest. It was a small, shallow dish made from gold metal, and inset with different color crystals. ‘How pretty,’ she murmured. When she pinged a fingernail against the surface it gave a melodious little chime and the water dripped from it in multi-color droplets.

The shadows were beginning to creep across the water. Across the lake, Remy stood, stretched, and began to make his way around the bank, Wulf by his side. Jynx pulled on her outer garments and wrung the water from her hair.

Wulf did a little dance when he reached her, shaking himself so droplets of water flew up in the air and all over them. His damp fur formed into a tawny ruff about his neck and his hindquarters seemed to sprout a spiky pair of breeches. Thin legs stuck out the bottom.’

She laughed. ‘You look funny when you’re wet, Wulf.’

 He yawned, displaying a mouthful of sharp teeth.

‘We’d better go,’ she said to her brother, for the sun had gone and the mist was beginning to creep from the surface of the lake.

The mist seemed to follow them in ragged wisps as they went through the dark thicket. The thorns plucked at their clothes and the undergrowth wrapped around their ankles as if to keep them there.

There was a sense of menace in the air. Wulf’s ears flattened against his head and he made growly noises deep in his throat. When they walked out the other side into bright sunshine there was an immediate lessening of tension.

They looked at each other, giving nervous grins.

‘I love the feeling of danger in the place,’ she said, and shivered as she told Remy about the treasure she’d retrieved. Wulf pressed against her side making little huffing noises. She caressed his chin.

 ‘Anyone would think he was your dog,’ Remy said. ‘Show the dish to me.’

 Jynx took the object from inside her tabard. Now it had dried the gold had faded to a rusty color and there was no sign of the glittering jewels.

Remy laughed at her disappointment. ‘Perhaps you were enchanted.’

‘Perhaps?’ she said softly. ‘Where did you get Wulf from?’

‘Wulf?’ He gazed at the animal in surprise. ‘A man was selling pups in the market place. Nobody wanted to buy Wulf because he was nearly grown, so he gave him to me. But he seems to like you best.’

‘Who was the man?’

Remy shrugged. ‘I can’t remember his face. I’d never seen him before, and haven’t since.’

‘Was he young or old?’

‘How would I know? It was raining, he wore a cowl and I couldn’t see his face properly. There was something odd about his eyes, though.’

‘You saw his eyes? What was odd about them?’

‘I can’t remember. Does it matter?’

Jynx gazed down into the silver eyes of Wulf and smiled when his tongue curled around her fingers and he laid his head against her knee. ‘I guess it doesn’t.’

After they’d cleared the harbor the trimarines had set sail in three different directions. Five days later Laek and his friends disembarked on to the thickly forested island of Soran.

Having studied the map in his father’s quarters Laek knew that Soran was the most distant of the three islands. Belia and Abakar were closer to the shore and there was one day’s sailing between each. He was glad his cousins; Kedar and Grise hadn’t joined their group. He didn’t trust either of them. Since childhood, everything he did or said had been reported back to his uncle by one or both of them, and from thence to his father. Now he experienced the euphoria of freedom

Iago and Jon exchanged smiles and stretched their muscles; glad to be away from the confines of the ships. Through the trees they spied the roof of a couple of small buildings. ‘I wonder what our quarters are like. Laek, I wager you’ll be offered the best.’

It soon became clear that Laek was to be treated exactly the same as the others by the commanders. His quarters were the same. They consisted of the contents of the pack on his back and the cloak he wore. Their tools were the knife they wore at their belts, their bow and arrows, and the flint he carried.

The training commanders grinned at each other as they moved into their more substantial quarters. ‘The first thing you recruits need to learn is how to survive and the Isle of Soran has everything you need for that. You just have to find it. Group yourself into fours, and get on with it. In case of accident or distress you know where we are. Report to us in one week for a good meal, a head count and some combat training.’

The three friends exchanged rueful glances and Jon said, ‘Damn, I was looking forward to a good meal.’

Laek shrugged. ‘By the sound of it we’ll have to catch it first. Who shall we have as a fourth?’

The recruits were splitting into groups; some like themselves consisting of old friends, some who’d made friends with strangers on the ships. Laek looked over those least popular. His gaze fell on a quiet youth called Tighe. He was a loner with watchful, secretive eyes, and a manner that kept most people at bay.

‘What about that short jolly one?’ Iago said. ‘He tells good jokes.’

 Laek looked from one group to the other, and smiled, aware, but without vanity, that most of the recruits would want to be chosen by him. He was equally aware it would have to be somebody special, someone able to cope with the close relationship he had with Iago and Jon.

‘I watched him on the ship. He’s lazy and is sneaky, and I don’t think we can trust him. I saw him whispering in the ear of the commanders. I like the look of that tall one. His name is Tighe and he has a mind of his own. He pulls his weight, shares what he has and he looked after another recruit when he was sick during the storm.’

‘I haven’t heard him talk and those light gray eyes of his give me the shivers, they’re so astute. But I imagine I’ll get used to him,’ Jon said.

 Tighe had the air of a loner, and as such he wouldn’t put any pressure on the friendship Laek enjoyed with Jon and Iago. ‘I think he’s a hesp. They’re not very talkative.’

‘What’s a hesp?’ Iago asked.

‘Someone who was born with the powers of heightened extra sensory perception. It’s a throwback. They used to kill them at birth, but there was too many of them. Now they destroy the extra sensory skill instead. If Tighe is a hesp he’ll have a scar on his head where they used the heat probe on him.’

‘Poor sod,’ Iago whispered. ‘All right, Tighe it is.’

Tighe had acute hearing, Laek thought, when he turned to gaze directly at them. When Laek said quietly, ‘Will you join us, Tighe?’ he nodded as though he’d been expecting it, and moved across.

The four made their move into the surrounding vegetation without being told again. Tighe moved ahead at a fast pace, as if he knew exactly where they were going. Laek was contented to follow since he hadn’t had time to take any bearings. Besides, Tighe needed to prove his usefulness as a group member. Not that he looked as though he cared, with that air of independence he wore like a cloak. After an hour they came to a stream that widened into a small, dark pool. Tighe pointed upwards.