Dark Visions (43 page)
Kaitlyn narrowed her eyes. There had been no pictures in her head to accompany Timon's last words.
"This—destruction," she said. "It wouldn't have involved a continent sinking or anything, would it? Like a lost continent?"
Timon just smiled. "Ours is certainly a lost race," he said, then went on without answering the question.
"This little enclave is all that remains of our people. We came here a long time ago, with the hope of living simply, in peace. We don't bother the outside world, and most of the time it doesn't bother us."
Kaitlyn wanted to pursue her question, but Rob was asking another one. "But, you know, Mr.
Zetes—the man we ran away from—he has a crystal, too."
Members of the Fellowship were nodding grimly. "We're the only pure survivors," Mereniang said. "But others escaped and intermarried with the natives of their new lands. Your Mr. Zetes is a descendent of one of those people. He must have inherited that crystal—or possibly unearthed it after it had been hidden for centuries."
"It
looks
different from yours," Rob said. "It's all covered with things like spikes."
looks
different from yours," Rob said. "It's all covered with things like spikes."
"It's evil," Mereniang said simply, her ageless blue eyes clear and sad.
"Well, it did something to Gabriel," Rob said. In the web Kaitlyn could feel Gabriel tense in anticipation.
Although he was keeping himself under tight control, she could tell he was both hopeful and resentful.
And that he was beginning to suffer as he did every night—he needed energy, soon.
"Mr. Z hooked Gabriel up to it," Rob was going on. "Like you said, for torture. But afterward—well, it had permanent effects."
Mereniang looked at Gabriel, then moved
to
look at him more closely. She put a hand on his forehead, over his third eye. Gabriel flinched but didn't step back.
to
look at him more closely. She put a hand on his forehead, over his third eye. Gabriel flinched but didn't step back.
"Now, just let me…" Mereniang's sentence trailed off. Her eyes were focused on something invisible, her whole attitude one of listening. Kaitlyn had seen Rob look like that when he was healing.
"I see." Mereniang's face had become very serious. She took her hand away. "The crystal stepped up your metabolism. You burn your own energy now so quickly that you need an outside supply."
The words were dispassionate, but Kait was certain she could detect something less impartial in those ageless blue eyes. A certain fastidious distaste.
Oh, God, no, Kait thought. If Gabriel senses that…
"There's one thing that might help," Mereniang said. "Put your hands on the crystal."
Gabriel looked at her sharply. Then, slowly, he turned to the crystal in the center of the garden. His face seemed particularly pale in the cool white light as he approached it. After a brief hesitation, he touched one hand to a milky, pulsating facet.
"Both hands," Mereniang said.
Gabriel put his other hand on the crystal. As soon as it touched, his body jerked as if an electrical current had been sent through it. In the web Kaitlyn felt a flare of power.
She was on her feet in alarm. So was Rob, so were the others. But what she felt in the web now was energy flowing, flowing
into
Gabriel. It was cold, and it elicited none of the wild gratitude and joy she'd felt in Gabriel when he took energy from her—but it was feeding him nevertheless. Sustaining him.
into
Gabriel. It was cold, and it elicited none of the wild gratitude and joy she'd felt in Gabriel when he took energy from her—but it was feeding him nevertheless. Sustaining him.
She sat down again. Gabriel took his hands away.
He stood with his head down for a moment, and Kaitlyn could see that he was breathing quickly. Then he turned.
"Am I cured?" he asked, looking straight at Mereniang.
"Oh—no." For the first time the dark woman looked uncomfortable. She couldn't seem to hold Gabriel's eyes. "I'm afraid there is no cure, except possibly the destruction of the crystal that made you this way.
But any crystal which produces energy can help you—"
Rob interrupted, too overwrought to be polite. "Just a minute. You mean destroying Mr. Zetes's crystal will cure him?"
"Possibly."
"Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's destroy it!"
Mereniang looked helplessly at Timon. All the members of the Fellowship were looking at one another in the same way.
"It isn't that easy," Timon told Rob gently. "To destroy that crystal, we would first have to destroy
this
crystal. The only way to shatter it would be to unite it with a shard from a crystal that is still pure. Still perfect."
this
crystal. The only way to shatter it would be to unite it with a shard from a crystal that is still pure. Still perfect."
"And this is the last perfect crystal," Mereniang reminded them.
"So—you can't help us," Rob said after a moment.
"Not in that, I'm afraid," Mereniang said quietly. Timon sighed.
Kait was looking at Gabriel. His shoulders had sagged abruptly, as if taking on a heavy weight. His head was slightly bent. In the web all she could feel were the walls he was doggedly building brick by brick.
She could only guess what he must be feeling.
She knew what her other mind-mates were feeling, though—alarm. The Fellowship couldn't cure Gabriel's psychic vampirism. Well, then, what about their other problem?
"There's something else we wanted to ask you about," Lewis said nervously. "See, when we were trying to figure out what Mr. Z was up to—well, it's a long story, but we ended up with this telepathic link. All of us, you know. And we can't get rid of it."
"Telepathy is one of the gifts of the old race," Timon said. His old eyes rested on Kait briefly, and he smiled. "The ability to communicate mind to mind is a wonderful thing."
"But we can't
stop
," Lewis said. "Gabriel got us linked, and now we can't get unlinked."
stop
," Lewis said. "Gabriel got us linked, and now we can't get unlinked."
Timon looked at Gabriel. So did Mereniang and several of the others, as if to say, "You again?" Kaitlyn had the distinct impression that they thought he was a troublemaker. She sensed a flash of anger from Gabriel, quickly stifled.
"Yes, well, I'm afraid there's not much we can do about that, either," Mereniang said. "We can study it, of course, but a five-way link is a stable pattern. Usually it can only be broken by—"
"The death of one of the members," Kaitlyn and Anna said in chorus. They looked at each other in despair.
"Or distance," Timon said. "If you were to put physical distance between the members—that wouldn't break the link, of course, but you wouldn't feel it as much."
Rob was rumpling his already tousled hair. "But, look, the really important thing is Mr. Zetes. We understand if you can't fix Gabriel or break the link—but you
are
going to help us against Mr. Z, aren't you?"
are
going to help us against Mr. Z, aren't you?"
There was one of those dreadful pauses which spoke louder than words.
"We are a peaceful race," Timon said at last, almost apologetically.
"But he's
afraid
of you. He thinks you're the only threat to him." Rob glanced for confirmation at Lydia, who nodded.
afraid
of you. He thinks you're the only threat to him." Rob glanced for confirmation at Lydia, who nodded.
"We don't have the power of destruction," Mereniang said. LeShan was grinding one fist into his palm—Kaitlyn sensed that he, at least, wished they did.
Rob was still protesting. "You mean there's nothing you can do to stop him? Do you realize what he's
up
to?"
up
to?"
"We are not warriors," Timon said. "Only the youngest of us can even leave this place and travel in the outside world. The rest are too feeble—too old." He sighed again and rubbed his lined forehead.
"But can't you do something psychically?" Kaitlyn asked. "Mr. Z's been attacking us long distance."
"It would give away our location," LeShan said grimly, and Timon nodded.
"Your Mr. Zetes
does
have the power of destruction. If he discovers this place, he will attack us. We are only safe as long as it remains a secret."
does
have the power of destruction. If he discovers this place, he will attack us. We are only safe as long as it remains a secret."
Gabriel lifted his head and spoke for the first time in a long while. "You're awfully trusting of
us
, then."
us
, then."
Timon smiled faintly. "When you first came here, Mereniang looked into your hearts. None of you has come to betray us."
Kaitlyn had been listening with growing frustration. Suddenly she couldn't keep quiet any longer. She found herself standing, words bursting out of her throat.
"You can't help Gabriel and you can't help break the link and you won't help us fight Mr. Zetes—so what did you
bring
us here for?"
bring
us here for?"
There was age-old sadness in Mereniang's eyes. Endless regret, tempered with the serenity of resignation.
"To give you a refuge," the dark woman said. "We want you to stay here. Forever."
CHAPTER 15"B
ut what about Gabriel?" Kaitlyn said. It was the first thing she could think of.
ut what about Gabriel?" Kaitlyn said. It was the first thing she could think of.
"He can stay, too."
"Without going in the
house
?"
house
?"
Before Mereniang could answer, Rob spoke. "Look,
nobody's
deciding to stay right now. This is something we've got to think over—"
nobody's
deciding to stay right now. This is something we've got to think over—"
"It's the only place you'll be safe," Mereniang said. "We've had a lot of visitors over the years, but we've asked very few to stay with us. We do it when they have no choice—no other safety."
"Are there any here now?" Kait asked, looking at the Fellowship behind Mereniang.
"The last died a long time ago. But he lived longer than he would have in the outside world—and so will you. You are part of our race, and the crystal will help sustain you."
Lewis was twisting his baseball cap. "What do you mean, 'part of your race'?"
Timon spread his hands. "All psychics are descendants of the old race. Somewhere among your ancestors was one of the people of the crystal. The old blood has awakened in you." He looked at each of them earnestly. "My children, you
belong
here."
belong
here."
Kait didn't know what to say. She'd never felt so confused and disoriented in her life. The Fellowship was nothing that she had expected, and the discovery left her numb, in shock. Meanwhile, the web was a jumble of conflicting emotions that made it impossible for her to tell what any particular one of the others was thinking.
It was Rob who saved them, speaking steadily. "We're proud that you think we're good enough to join you, sir," he said to Timon. He'd regained his natural courtesy. "And we'd like to thank you. But this is something we're going to have to talk over a bit. You understand that." It was a statement, but Rob scanned the faces of the Fellowship questioningly.
Mereniang looked vaguely annoyed, but Timon said, "Of course. Of course. You're all tired, and you'll find it easier to think tomorrow. There's no hurry."
Kaitlyn still felt like arguing with somebody—but Timon was right. She was swaying on her feet.
Tomorrow they'd all be fresh, and less emotional.
"We'll talk to them again about Mr. Zetes then," Rob whispered to her under cover of the meeting breaking up.
Kaitlyn nodded and glanced around for Gabriel. He was talking to Lydia, but he stopped when he saw her looking.
"Are you going to be all right?" she asked him.
His eyes were opaque—as if they'd filmed over with gray spiderweb. "Sure," he said. "They've got a little cot for me in the toolshed."
"Oh, Gabriel… Maybe we should all stay there with you. Do you want me to ask Meren—"
"
No
," Gabriel said vehemently. Then he added more smoothly, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Get your sleep."
No
," Gabriel said vehemently. Then he added more smoothly, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Get your sleep."
Walls, walls, walls. Kaitlyn sighed.
Then, oddly, he said: "Good night, Kait."
Kaitlyn blinked. Had he ever said good night to her before? "I—good night, Gabriel."
Then Mereniang gathered them up and took them into the house, leaving Gabriel with a couple of the men.
It was as they were entering the house that Kaitlyn remembered a question she'd forgotten to ask.
"Meren, do you know about the
inuk shuk
on Whiffen Spit?"
inuk shuk
on Whiffen Spit?"
"Timon knows the most about them."
"Well, I was just wondering why they were there. And if they meant anything."
Timon was smiling reminiscently. "Ancient peoples started the tradition. They came down as traders from the north and left some of their stone language here. They called this a place of good magic, and they built their friendship signs on the spit that points to it."
Timon was still smiling, lost in thought. "That was a very long time ago," he said. "We've watched the world change all around us—but we have remained unchanged."
There was a note of pride in his voice, and a tinge of arrogance in Mereniang's face.
Kait looked at Timon. "Don't you think change is sometimes good?"
Timon came out of his reverie, looking startled. But no one answered her.
Kaitlyn's bedroom was very plain, with a bed built into the wall, a chair, and a washbasin under a mirror.
It was the first time she'd slept alone—without the others—in a week. She didn't like it, but she was so tired she fell asleep quickly anyway.
Alone in the tool shed, Gabriel was awake.
So Mereniang had "looked into their hearts," had she? He smiled wryly. What the Fellowship didn't seem to realize was that hearts could change.
He
had changed since he'd come here.
He
had changed since he'd come here.
It was a change that had started last night. Last night on the wharf when he'd discovered his feelings for Kaitlyn—and Kaitlyn had made her choice.
It wasn't her fault. Strangely enough, it wasn't Kessler's, either. They belonged together, both honest, both good.
But that didn't mean Gabriel had to stick around and watch it.
And now, tonight, his last hope had disappeared. The people of the crystal couldn't free him. They didn't even
want
to. And he'd seen the disgust and condemnation in their eyes.
want
to. And he'd seen the disgust and condemnation in their eyes.
Live here? In their outbuildings? Face that condemnation every day? And watch Kessler and Kait romancing each other?
Gabriel's lips drew back from his teeth in a fierce smile. He didn't think so.
I should be grateful to the Fellowship, he thought.
They've shown me what I really am, simply in contrast to what
they
are. Back in the old days I'd have joined the Dark Lodge and hunted these gutless wimps out of existence.
they
are. Back in the old days I'd have joined the Dark Lodge and hunted these gutless wimps out of existence.
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