Dark Realm: Book 5 Circles of Light series (42 page)

They reached the
southern gate into the village – not a proper gate, just a space
between the stone walls, much wider than the northern entrance.
They turned in through it.

‘What you said, about
our people keeping apart from the rest of the world. There has been
much debate among those of my generation on that
subject.’

‘I think mostly I was
angry because you do send out spies, and then you do nothing. You
knew the Crazed One was causing terrible trouble in the land of
Malesh and yet your people made no contact, gave no warnings, no
hints of what he was or how we might counter him.’

‘You’re right of
course,’ Daylith agreed. ‘But I think you should understand how
badly weakened we were long before the troubles began in Malesh.
Yes,’ he raised his hand palm out to stop Tika’s words. ‘We knew of
the great battle there a thousand years ago, when the gijan race
came close to extinction and most of the mages of that land died.
But we were, still, too weak then to offer any assistance. We too
had suffered enormous losses. You’ve probably guessed that we have
few children, no one seems to know why the number of live births
has fallen so drastically among us.’

‘And were these lands
occupied when you claimed refuge here?’

‘Yes. Even thousands of
years ago, the people lived in tribes, as they do today. But they
knew of the Dark and revered Mother Dark. There is a trace of Dark
blood in nearly all of these people, although we don’t know how or
when or why it got there. My people have done nothing to change
their way of life, only building the town and Palace of Karmazen.
We have garrisons throughout this Realm and we take volunteers from
among the tribes to train in weapons skills and tactics. Until now,
the mountains have proved our greatest protection.’

‘What will happen, do
you think, when all these soldiers fail to return to
Kelshan?’

Daylith led the way to
the small round house which was used to accommodate guests to the
village.

‘We have a certain
period of time,’ he said. ‘General Whilk told us that the
Imperatrix expected reports sent back to her constantly. He pointed
out that, given the unknown terrain, that could well prove very
difficult. She gave him twenty days. There are eleven days left of
those twenty.’ He shrugged. ‘I’ve remained here partly to open
gateways should Jemin ask it of me, either into Kelshan City or to
the wild clan lands. And you, what are your plans? What of your
friend Gan?’

Tika met his bright
gold eyes, her expression stricken.

‘I thought I had Gan
back, but he’s not back. At least he’s here only for a while. I
think he hates being as he is, but I can’t tell him to go, it
sounds so cruel. As for plans, I have none. It’s clear, even to me,
this Crazed creature has ideas of using me for his designs in some
manner. Therefore, I have to oppose him. But how – I can’t
imagine.’

General Whilk, his
remaining officers and the still battered second captain Sekran,
were in constant discussions with Jemin. While all of the Kelshan
officers were firmly convinced that Jemin should become Imperator,
ousting Veranta’s rule, no one was happy with the idea of a civil
uprising within the City. They agreed that any strike must be made
within the Citadel itself, at the heart of Veranta’s
power.

The General conceded
that the support of the wild clans would be most helpful, but they
were many days ride from the most outlying Kelshan towns. Jemin
knew it would take maybe thirty days at best for a large force of
clan warriors to reach the City and they would not be able to pass
through the Confederacy unchallenged. Local militias and guard
garrisons would certainly delay the warriors further, so Jemin
could not count on immediate assistance from the north.

General Whilk was
adamant that he should go through a Dark gateway, alone, and
assassinate Veranta. Jemin was equally determined that he would be
the one to deal with the Imperatrix. To try to ease the tension
that had arisen, Kestis asked after the fate of four Kelshan
scouts.

‘I heard talk among
some Bear warriors that scouts came through ahead of Strannik,
saying they wanted only to give warning to the people
here.’

The General frowned.
‘Which scouts?’

‘Chak and Weasel were
two I think,’ said Kestis.

‘And Keff and Cully,’
Sekran put in. ‘They were sent south.’

‘They were all men I’ve
worked with.’ The General turned his frown on Kestis. ‘Why do you
ask about them?’

Jemin grinned at
Kestis’s embarrassment. ‘I think he was trying to change the
earlier subject.’

The General slapped his
hands on his knees. ‘Insubordination!’ he barked, but smiled at the
same time.

‘One more thing before
we get some food,’ said Jemin. ‘The Bear insists he comes with us
if we decide on the Citadel.’

‘Why?’

‘Kerris and
Shea.’

The General grunted at
Jemin’s succinct reply. ‘I’d noticed that.’

Jemin laughed again.
‘Don’t worry General, there is no hidden motive behind The Bear’s
affection. He sees both girls, particularly Kerris, as two more
cubs in need of his care and protection. He wants to see the woman
who bore them.’

The men were meeting in
the large ground floor room of Lemos’s house. The Bear’s mage had
offered them the room which was mostly used in the winter days as a
school room for the children, and in the evenings for story telling
for all. Like all of the village houses, this was round and built
with thick stone walls. Stone slabs jutted from the wall, making an
open sided stair to the higher floor where Lemos lived and worked.
Jemin wandered to the wide open doorway.

‘Who will have taken
your place General?’ he asked over his shoulder.

‘Veranta said she had
sent for Beslow.’

Jemin swung round.
‘Beslow? I thought he was dead long ago?’

Whilk laughed. ‘I
forgot. He always accompanied your father on those hunting trips to
the Eagle Mountain didn’t he?’

‘He did. He was always
such fun to be with but he seemed so old to me then. I can’t
believe he’s still alive!’ Jemin’s smile faded. ‘And would he truly
work for the Imperatrix?’

General Whilk joined
him at the door. ‘You knew he asked to retire when your father
died?’

‘No, I didn’t. I just
heard no more of him and assumed he’d passed away.’

‘Well, he’s kept well
clear of all court and government matters. I’ve visited him a few
times – he has lands south west of Kelshan City, but he has never
returned to Kelshan since he retired. I guess he would have been
travelling the coastal road even as I was riding the inland route
in pursuit of the “expeditionary force”. He will not obey any order
he feels undermines the importance Jarvos gave to morality and
right.’

‘What happens if he
refuses a direct order straight away?’

Whilk grunted. ‘The
cells if not immediate execution.’ He considered what he’d just
said. ‘The people love him still though. All those tales of the
Imperator pacifying the Confederacies, negotiating treaties with
the clans. And always his faithful General at his side. The people
would not approve of ill treatment to him – if they heard of it of
course.’

Captain Lessur
hesitantly posed a question. ‘If Prince Jemin gains control of the
Imperium, will mention be made of this Realm and its
people?’

‘When, not if,
Captain,’ replied Jemin. ‘The people here wish to keep their
seclusion for a while at least. Corman, the Palace Master,
spokesman for the Dark Ones really, he has suggested that word is
spread carefully, through stories and the like. He said, and I
fully agree, that he does not want the Kelshan people frightened
out of their wits by the idea of the “monstrous magical folk” of
the Dark Realm suddenly appearing in their midst. He also asks that
no mention be made of their Dark gateways.’

The youngest officer,
Fent, coughed nervously. Jemin gave him an encouraging
nod.

‘The woman, Lady Tika.
Is she coming to Kelshan? I spoke to Lady Shea yesterday and she
said it was Lady Tika who had helped get Lady Kerris out of the
Citadel. Will the –erm - Dragons go with Lady Tika if she chooses
to go to Kelshan?’

Jemin sighed. ‘I don’t
know. But Fent, neither she nor Shea wish to be called lady, so try
to remember that. Tika has another foe to fight. I am only party to
some of the information concerning that problem but it could well
mean she must go to Kelshan.’ He shrugged helplessly. ‘I’d be
grateful for any ideas on how we might explain the arrival of at
least one Dragon. Now, let’s get some food.’

The group of men met
Daylith and Tika crossing the village to the guest house where
meals were provided for them. Small children were rushing into
various houses, also eager for a meal, and the massive bulk of the
crimson Dragon paced behind them. Seven children perched laughing
on his back and he lowered himself with great care to let them
slide off. One girl, barely three summers old, tripped as she
toddled under his nose. His enormous head instantly lowered so the
child could grab a handful of his lip and pull herself back to her
feet. She crowed with laughter while a young woman darted from one
of the houses and scooped her into her arms.

‘I do hope she didn’t
hurt you?’ The woman stared earnestly up into Brin’s
eyes.

‘Not at all, my dear,
not at all.’ Brin’s deep voice rumbled through their
heads.

The village woman
retreated to her house, her child waving vigorously over her
mother’s shoulder.

‘Do you know, I’ve
never thought to ask you,’ Tika spoke aloud. ‘Do you have children
of your own Brin?’

A wave of embarrassed
pride swept over them. ‘Well, yes, once you know. Long ago. One
daughter and two sons.’ If a Dragon could blush, Brin would surely
be doing so, although it would never have been visible on his
crimson face.

‘But where are
they?’

‘They all flew to the
south. They wanted adventures.’

‘Like their father,’
Tika teased.

Brin’s prismed eyes
whirred rose and scarlet and he reclined with dignity, watching the
men standing behind Tika. But he pushed himself back up to a
sitting position as a vast black bird thudded to land rather close
to him.

Daylith narrowed his
eyes. ‘Hag,’ he acknowledged. ‘What brings you here?’

Hag shuffled her
feathers into order and snapped her beak at him. ‘I don’t answer to
you young man. I go where I please.’ She strutted across the ground
in front of Brin, beak agape. ‘I shall speak to you later,’ she
said in a kindly tone. Brin’s eyes flashed in alarm but Hag had
turned to Tika. ‘I will talk to you now though. We never had an
opportunity for a private little chat while you were at the Palace,
did we?’

Tika swallowed and
raised her chin. ‘Of course –erm – Hag.’ She nodded to Daylith and
walked to the village boundary wall. Scrambling upon it, she
glanced back at the huge raven. ‘Will this be private
enough?’

Hag spread her wings
and in less than two sweeps, landed beside Tika. Tika smiled
brightly down at the men. ‘Save some food for me. I’m sure we won’t
be too long.’

She braced her
shoulders and studied Hag. The bird was slightly taller than she
was sitting down, and it unnerved Tika to find she had to look up
to meet Hag’s eyes. Those eyes were glittering black beads ringed
with golden yellow. And oh such intelligence lay in their depths.
Tika had instinctively shielded herself when Hag arrived and now
she only loosened that shielding a fraction. Power reeked from the
raven, the strength of it terrifying. Hag cackled
softly.

‘You sense the power
within me. And I feel your power too.’ She strutted away along the
wall, spun round and strutted back. She suddenly thrust her face,
with its dagger long, heavy beak close to Tika’s face.

‘Do you know where your
power comes from?’ she whispered.

Tika was frozen by the
proximity of that deadly beak, but she managed to think.

‘No. I don’t think
anyone has ever said that power comes from a particular source.’
She relaxed as the question genuinely intrigued her. ‘Does it come
from somewhere then? Mine started working when a healer taught me a
little. It’s just seemed to grow since then. Where does yours come
from?’

Hag’s wings, each as
wide as Tika was tall, spread out and she lifted slightly from the
wall. She settled back but was clearly agitated. Tika forced
herself to remain outwardly calm, although she knew she was very
afraid of this bird.

‘From the Dark,’ Hag
hissed. ‘All power comes from the Dark they say.’

But Tika caught a note
of uncertainty in Hag’s words.

‘I was close by when
you went to Kelshan,’ the hissing whisper continued. ‘Oh there was
power there. You felt it didn’t you? Strong. Strong.’ She strutted
along the wall and back again. ‘Different, oh very different, but
it strengthened my powers and yours. Yes, yes, you know that’s
true, don’t deny it. But where is it from? It isn’t Dark. How then
does it make our power grow?’