Diviner (11 page)

A tear trickled down Koren’s cheek, then another. A spasm heaved in her chest. Weeping, she picked up the stardrop, stumbled toward the breach, and knelt in front of it. She mashed the stardrop between her palms and made a paste, then dug out a glob with her finger and dabbed the top of the rip, smearing it downward across the wound. Like thick honey, the paste adhered to the sides and stitched them together. Every option had vanished. She was either going to be the world’s Starlighter or not a Starlighter at all.

Her vision glazed by tears, she applied glob after glob until she had sewn up the entire hole. She rose and staggered back to the center, lowering her head to get under the radiant dome. As she straightened, she pushed her head up into the cap. When her hair touched the light, the cap snapped down and attached to her scalp.

A shock jolted Koren’s spine. She stiffened, crying out as sizzling pain roared to her fingers and toes. Her arms shriveled and withdrew into her shoulders. Her feet dwindled until only stumps remained below her knees. Finally, her entire body shrank into a ball, and she floated in place.

The shock simmered to raging heat, then to soothing warmth. Every muscle ache and every pang of hunger fled away. She floated in the midst of a river. A warm spring of water buoyed her body, keeping her motionless in the current. Yet she stayed dry. The water wasn’t wet at all. It was light, pure light. And as the energy washed over her, the light transformed into information, a stream of words that jelled in her mind, pushed to the outer part of her spherical body, and sloughed off into whispering streams as Brinella had once created.

With awareness of her surroundings clarifying, she stretched out her body. Arms protruded at her sides, and legs extended underneath. She stood once again at the center of the star’s floor. Below, the chamber rushed away. Above, the mountain exit zipped toward her. Then Exodus shot out of the cone and flew into the open air.

After she and Exodus ascended well above the peak, Koren spread out her arms. “Not so high,” she whispered.

As if responding to her command, Exodus leveled out and began a slow descent. The world of Starlight lay before her—the castle with its sun-drenched turrets and columns; the snow-draped hills of the Northlands, dotted with evergreens and striped by the ice-covered river; the flowered meadows that lay south of the white cap, bordered by the south-flowing river.

Beautiful! Magnificent!

Words flowed into her mind, and a tune sewed them into a song.

Exodus arise and shine,
Cast your light about!
Slaves in chains upon this sod
Dance and sing and shout!
Freedom comes adorned with light;
Make the blinded see.
Love arrives encased in fire;
Set the captives free.

 

As she sang, a gaseous vapor emanated from Exodus’s membrane and diffused into the air.

Koren laughed.
Pheterone!
She was doing it! She was spreading pheterone into the atmosphere! Now the slaves wouldn’t have to drill for the dragons’ precious gas. They wouldn’t have to be slaves at all!

Koren looked at the castle. Exodus drifted that way, apparently following her mental cue. “No,” she whispered. “We need to go south.”

As Exodus began a slow turn, a dark blotch on the snow came into view, slowly climbing the castle’s outer stairs. Koren shifted back and hovered about thirty feet above the creature. With wings folded in, Taushin sniffed the stairs, apparently following a trail.

Koren gasped. He hadn’t gone back to the Southlands! Had he stayed to learn what she would decide? If he was tracking her, he would find her discarded clothing in the star chamber. He was smart enough to figure out why she would leave it behind, and, even blind, he could detect that Exodus wasn’t there.

Taking a deep breath, Koren urged Exodus southward. She was free now. Taushin would trouble her no more. She would spread pheterone throughout the planet and urge the dragons to set her people free. After all, she was a Starlighter, and now she could use her power to persuade even the most stubborn dragons.

seven

 

A
s Xenith dove through a gap in the forest canopy, barely missing branches with her wings, Elyssa hung on to her neck and stayed as low as possible. With Fellina’s help, they had escaped Mallerin’s pursuit. Then, after hiding for a few hours in a remote cave, they flew here to the family’s enclave, whatever that was.

As soon as Xenith landed in front of a moss-covered boulder, Elyssa tossed her sword to the ground, jumped from the dragon’s back, and ran around to face her. “Is your wing all right?”

Xenith nodded. “I think so.”

“I wish I could do something for you.” Elyssa shifted to Xenith’s side and caressed her wing. A purple bruise covered a double-fist-sized section of the mainstay, the product of her collision with Mallerin in the heat of the battle. Xenith moaned at the touch.

Elyssa grimaced. “Sorry.”

“I require no sympathy.” Xenith’s tone seemed defeated rather than annoyed. “I appreciate your concern.”

“Well, let me know if you think of something I can do.” Elyssa scanned the area. There was no sign of Fellina.

Xenith, too, looked up, her ears twitching. “I hope Mother arrives soon. I know of this place only because she and Father pointed it out from the air. I do not know where to go from here.”

“And I want to find out what happened to Jason and his father. If she wasn’t able to rescue them, I’ll have to go back.” Elyssa pinched a bit of moss from the smooth, dark boulder, a granitelike stone about twice the height of a dragon and sixty feet in circumference. Setting her feet to stay balanced on the sloping terrain, she studied the surrounding flora. A mixture of evergreens and molting deciduous trees surrounded the clearing, dense enough to hide them from ground-level eyes. The arching branches provided an umbrella to keep them from being seen by all but the keenest flying searchers. It seemed to be a good hiding place indeed.

“I think we’re safe until she shows up.” Elyssa drew the moss to her nose, rubbed it between her thumb and finger, and sniffed. The variety indicated a humid region, and its current moisture content proved that it had rained recently. “I tried to keep track of where we are. We’re near the base of the southern mountains, right?”

Xenith nodded. “This is considered the edge of the wilderness. The closest pheterone mine is about five miles to the northeast. In fact, this boulder is the marker where Magnar hoped to extend the western side of the barrier wall, but my father said it was a low-priority goal since slaves fear coming this far, and the wilderness and mountains provide a natural barrier. If you travel farther south, the mountains become too steep and treacherous. Western trails lead to lower elevations, but a traveler will encounter impassable swamps where beasts, snakes, and insects will devour even the heartiest of humans.”

“Interesting.” Elyssa took in a deep draw of air, studying its flavor as it entered her nostrils and coated her lungs with its wild freshness. The environment felt similar to the place she had left Wallace and the rescued cattle children. Maybe they were close by.

She mentally probed the area for other forms of life. Smells, tastes, and sounds proved that it abounded here — birds in the branches, slugs under fallen logs, small mammals hiding close by, one making a chittering noise that reminded her of the silly call Tibalt made while following a rat through the dungeon maze.

Using her mind, she followed the sound as it drew her deep into the thicket. A presence stalked the forest, far more intelligent than a chittering squirrel. It possessed emotions that reflected those of humans, the clearest one being self-defense, readiness to fight or fly. Yet it appeared to be more frightened than menacing, perhaps wary of a dragon intruder.

“Hello?” Elyssa called as she scanned the ground for her sword. “Don’t be scared. We won’t hurt you.”

Xenith blocked her face with a wing. “Quiet! What do you think you are doing?”

Elyssa pushed the wing out of the way. “Just trust me.”

“Trust a human from another world who has spent no more than a few days here?” Xenith wrapped the wing around her, blocking her vision, and dragged her close to the boulder. “You need to consult me before doing something so brash.”

“Unhand that girl!” A rustling noise followed the new voice. “Or unwing her, if that’s what you dragons understand.”

“I will not be commanded by a human,” Xenith growled.

“Then be persuaded by this!”

A stinging odor penetrated Xenith’s protective wing. Xenith sneezed and staggered back, releasing her captive. Now free, Elyssa squinted at a gray cloud hanging in the air and inhaled the peppery dust, then pinched her nostrils shut to prevent a sneeze.

An old man strode into the clearing, a sword in hand, but his unbalanced gait indicated that he was something less than a warrior. His stringy gray hair and unkempt beard prodded Elyssa’s memory. “Tibalt?”

“Yes, of course. How many old coots like me have you met?” He pointed the sword at Xenith and dug into a pouch at his side. “Now if you don’t let her go, I will speak the magic words that will turn a dragon into a chicken.”

“A chicken?” Xenith snorted the remains of the dust from her nostrils and drew back her head. “Beware, foolish human. You will be a torch before you can part your lips again.”

Elyssa eyed Tibalt’s fingers. Did he really have something more than sneezing powder in there, or was he bluffing? “Xenith, he’s a friend of mine. He’s harmless.”

“Very well.” Xenith drew her wing in. “But I do not trust humans who threaten me.”

Elyssa bolted forward and embraced Tibalt. “It’s so good to see you again!”

Tibalt patted her on the back. “The feeling is mutual.” He drew away, lowering his sword. “So is this dragon on our side?”

Elyssa glanced at Xenith, then lowered her voice to a whisper. “She is loyal to the ideals of her parents, Arxad and Fellina. They are on the side of justice and liberty, but their love for their own species comes before regard for humans.”

“Fair enough.” Tibalt sheathed his sword. “I feel the same way … but humans first, of course.”

Elyssa took him by the arm and led him closer to the boulder, picking up her sword along the way. “We’re waiting for Xenith’s mother to join us. Tell me what’s going on back home.”

As they settled cross-legged on the carpet of grass and leaves, Xenith shuffled to the center of the clearing, her gaze constantly focused on the sky.

“Well,” Tibalt began, “Orion would have us believe that he has had a change of heart. He says that he’s given up his witch hunting. When you come back, you will abide in peace.”

Elyssa rolled her eyes. “The peace of the grave. If you believed him, then you must have contracted dungeon fever.”

“Oh, I didn’t believe a word of it. You can’t fool an old fooler like me.”

Elyssa laughed. “Okay, but how did the old fooler find his way here?”

Tibalt touched the side of his nose with a gnarled finger. “I’m a tracker, I am. Better than a palace hound.”

“Really? Whose scent did you pick up?”

“Whose scent?” Tibalt pushed his finger into the moist soil and drew a line. “Well …”

“C’mon, Tibalt. You can’t fool a Diviner, either.”

“Well, the truth is, I didn’t have a clue where to start looking for you, so I followed a flying dragon’s trail for a while, but I lost sight of him. Then I saw a different dragon fly down into the woods, so I figured that was the best place to start.”

Elyssa grasped his arm. “Thank you, Tibalt. I’m glad to have a warrior at my side.”

For the next several minutes, the two exchanged stories, Elyssa finishing with their recent rescue attempt at the grinding mill. “So we’re waiting for a report, and if Jason and his father are still in trouble, I have to get back to that basin.”

Tibalt touched the hilt of his sword. “You mean
we
have to get—”

“She is here.” Xenith scooted back toward the boulder. From above, Fellina glided into the clearing, the breeze from her wings tossing damp leaves, plastering one on Elyssa’s cheek. A girl in a baggy tunic rode atop Fellina’s back, both arms clutching a spine as she trembled.

Elyssa jumped up and reached for the girl. “Slide down. I’ll catch you.”

The girl looked at Elyssa as she slowly unwrapped her grip. Fellina drew in her wings, clearing the dismount path.

“I could not find Jason.” Fellina breathed so heavily, tiny sparks flew from her mouth. “This girl, Solace, said that he has returned to the mill to rescue the others, but I did not see him there.”

“The others?” Elyssa asked as she caught Solace and swung her to the ground. “Who is still alive?”

“I do not know. After I eluded Mallerin, I hurried back to find Jason, and although I flew close enough to see that the basin was empty of humans, I could not tell if anyone was in the holding cage. Solace believes Jason’s father died in the mill, but I could not verify that.”

Solace crouched at Elyssa’s feet, nearly buried in the oversized tunic. “Solace is such a lovely name,” Elyssa said as she reached down a hand.

“Jason gave it to me.” Solace took Elyssa’s hand and rose. “He also gave me this shirt.”

Elyssa touched the sleeve. Yes, it was Jason’s. “Fellina, I know you must be weary, but can you take Tibalt and me back to the mill?”

Fellina extended her neck and set her face in front of Tibalt. Her head swayed slightly as she looked him over. “Not to offend the gentleman’s resolve, but he is better suited to stay here with Solace while we return to the mill.”

Tibalt gripped the hilt of his sword and thrust out his chest. “I’ll have you know, lady dragon, that I, Tibalt Blackstone, was once captain of Mesolantrum’s first regiment, a champion swordsman, and the most decorated warrior during the frontier campaign.”

“The operative word being
was,”
Fellina said. “Your age, while dressing you with boldness, will not help you run from a pursuing dragon.”

Tibalt touched his bag. “My age has also made me wily. I have a few tricks you dragons have never seen before.”

“Let him come,” Elyssa said. “With Xenith’s injury, she should stay with Solace.”

“What?” Xenith shouted. “I can still fly. I flew all the way here with Elyssa on my —”

“Silence!” Fellina glared at Xenith. “You did well, but now we need you here. If the old man wants to risk his life, that is fine with me, but I will not risk yours any further.”

Solace wrung her hands, trembling. “Do I have to stay here alone with a dragon?”

“Don’t worry,” Elyssa said as she stroked Solace’s hair. “She won’t hurt you.”

“Not intentionally,” Xenith muttered.

“Xenith!” Fellina slapped her daughter’s flank with a wing. “What is wrong with you? You never spoke to Koren or the other girls this way.”

“They were self-sufficient. I am not a nanny for valueless humans.”

“We have no time for more impertinence.” Fellina spread out her wings. “Stay and protect the girl. Behind the boulder you will find an entrance into an underground hideaway. Just step on the flat stone and the ground will angle downward, allowing entry. When you step off, it will spring back. Below, you will find a rope that will open the door again. The refuge is small and dark, so there is no need to go in unless you detect danger.”

Xenith bowed her head. “Yes, Mother.”

“Elyssa, you and Tibalt climb on. We should waste no more time.”

While Tibalt scaled Fellina’s side, Elyssa set a hand on Xenith’s neck, whispering. “Sometimes it takes more courage to accept menial tasks than it does to risk our lives in battle.”

Xenith opened her mouth to speak again, but after a sharp glare from her mother, she nodded and backed away.

Elyssa climbed up to Fellina’s back and settled behind Tibalt, a shoulder-high spine jutting between them. As Fellina rose into the sky, Elyssa watched the ground fall away. Xenith and Solace stood face-to-face, Xenith apparently talking, but the wind swept her words away.

“That was a fine speech, Miss,” Tibalt said, looking back at her. “Where did you get all that wisdom?”

“At the school of shame. I learned it the hard way.”

Tibalt turned to the front. “Say no more. I understand.”

Fellina stayed low, skimming the trees, flying barely high enough to keep her wings from brushing the tops during her down strokes. Elyssa surveyed the land. With the mountains at the rear, the mining mesas ahead and to the right, and the barrier wall coming into sight to the left, they appeared to be flying northward. The village lay nearly due north, and the grinding basin sat to its west between the dragons’ grottoes and the river.

Since the basin sat in a treeless area, a stealth approach seemed impossible. If Fellina had a plan, she hadn’t mentioned it, so the human passengers had to rely on the dragon’s wisdom and experience.

Elyssa fidgeted on her rough seat. This was how it felt to be the ignorant party when someone skipped steps — helpless and dependent, not in control. Literally going along for the ride was foreign and unsettling.

She sighed. Another lesson learned. For now, without a plan simmering in her mind, what could she do? It seemed so wasteful to allow these minutes to pass without doing something to aid their cause.

Inches in front of her, Tibalt clutched a spine and bowed his head. Elyssa bent around to get a look at his face. Was something wrong? Had the flight brought a spell of nausea?

With his eyes tightly closed and a fist clenched, Tibalt moved his lips silently, speaking with passion at a level that only he and his Creator could hear.

Elyssa settled back and slapped herself on her thigh. Of course!

As she closed her eyes and took on Tibalt’s pose, a hundred thoughts raced through her mind. The most painful one? Shame. Again that school lashed her with its sharp whip. All this time she had fretted about not being in control and wasting precious minutes, when the option to pray had never crossed her mind.

Slowly letting out a breath, she concentrated, pushing out the stinging thoughts and probing the sky with her mind. As tears welled, she whispered, “Is someone really out there? Are you so intelligent that you can process and understand a thousand simultaneous cries for help? Are you so compassionate that you can dry the tears of countless tortured souls? Are you so patient that you will take time to listen to a bullheaded girl who couldn’t remember to talk to the one who is really in control? Why should you listen to someone who obviously believes more in herself and her own abilities than you who bestowed those abilities?”