Exile's Return (Book 1) (16 page)

*

Robert stood in the doorway of Ayn’s bedroom while Finnlay hovered behind. Patric and Micah waited in the next room. Ayn, leaning on her walking stick, settled the covers around Jenn’s neck. Then, with a gentle hand on the girl’s forehead, she turned and shepherded them out, closing the door behind her.

‘She’s almost asleep.’

‘Are you sure that’s all it is?’ Robert asked, afraid to trust to so simple an explanation.

‘Robert,’ Ayn said wearily, ‘I’m a Healer, trust me – Jenn is fine.’

He waited for her to sink into the comfort of a padded chair, then said, ‘I’m sorry.’

‘What for? For bringing her here? Those old fools haven’t had so much fun since the day I brought you into the hall and the Key spoke to you in front of them all! Things do get a little dull around here sometimes, you know.’

Robert perched on a stool and clasped his hands together. ‘Yes, I suppose you’re right – and things could be worse.’

‘Please,’ Micah raised both hands in appeal, ‘don’t say that again.’

Laughing softly, Robert nodded submission.

Finnlay had hardly moved from the bedroom door, but now he took a few steps forward to a seat opposite Robert. ‘So what did she do? How did she put your
ayarn
back together?’

‘I don’t know. I mean, how did she split it in the first place? If we knew that, we’d be halfway to understanding.’

Patric leaned back against the wall and folded his arms. ‘Well, since she obviously doesn’t need an
ayarn
as we do, then perhaps she has some kind of antipathy towards it. Then again, that doesn’t explain her putting it back together again. Robert, have you tested it? Does it still work the way it used to?’

Robert briefly closed his eyes and sent his senses out through the door and into the tunnels of the Enclave. Here and there he caught familiar auras. After a few seconds he returned, and opening his eyes again, said, ‘Yes, perfectly.’

Ayn was staring at him with a frozen expression, but it was Patric who spoke. ‘You can do that? Without even taking your
ayarn
out?’

‘Come on, Patric, don’t digress,’ Robert shook his head. ‘We were talking about Jenn. Whatever she did to my
ayarn
seems to have had no effect on it.’

With a huge sigh, Patric shook his head, ‘Then we’re back where we started.’

‘I just want to know one thing,’ Finnlay held up his hands and sat forward, his gaze intent on Robert. ‘What are you going to do now?’

‘Do?’ Robert passed a weary hand over his forehead. He could be wrong, but he had a sneaking suspicion another argument was brewing. But this time he was not in the mood.

‘About Jenn.’

‘I’m sorry, Finn, but I don’t understand the question. Are you under the impression that there is something I should do?’

‘Oh, for Mineah’s sake, Robert! I’m asking if you still intend to take her to some town in the middle of nowhere.’

Robert looked up at Finnlay. For some reason, he suddenly felt very cold. Not his flesh – his body – but inside. Deep inside. ‘Yes, if that’s what she wants.’

‘But you can’t! Think of what she could mean to us here? You’ve already said you know nothing about her abilities. What better place to study them than here, in the Enclave, with so many skilled people around?’

Robert turned away, unwilling to respond. Finnlay, on his feet now, carried on regardless, his ambition now raw and unfettered. ‘Jenn could live here, so much better off than working as a serving girl in some tavern – and she’d be safe. You can’t let her go and wander the country. Who knows what she might be able to do here? And who would know? She has no family, no friends. No one would miss her.’

The point dawned on Robert slowly. Finnlay had excitement in his eyes, the certainty of success. ‘Well, that’s just typical! We rescue her from a band of fanatic Guilde soldiers
– only to imprison her in a cave full of people who would use her themselves. Is that it, Finn? Who would know? Jenn would know – everyone here would know. What kind of community is it that makes decisions for its newest members without even telling them why? Is this what you’re fighting for?’

Robert rose and took a step towards Finnlay, his voice no more than a husky growl. ‘You want to keep Jenn here so you can study her powers, find out what use she can be. At the same time, you want me to Stand the Circle so the Key can choose me as next leader. Is that what you want, Finn?’

Still moving forward, he backed his brother to the door. He could see the edge of fear on Finnlay’s face, but did nothing to ease it. This was too much – even for him.

‘You want to keep us both here, knowing that the moment the Key chose me I would also be a prisoner for life, never able to leave this mountain. By Serin’s blood, Finn, you wanted to know why I don’t seem to care about people any more – and yet you yourself don’t even give your brother or this poor girl a single thought!’

He paused, the icy hand gripping his heart. ‘Get out. Get out of my sight!’

Finnlay fled the room, but Robert was blind to his leaving. It had been a mistake to come here, a mistake to think he could pass through untouched. He took a deep breath, warming the cold inside.

After several calming heartbeats, he felt a hand on his arm. ‘You know, Robert,’ Ayn said with a fresh smile, ‘sometimes I wonder how you refrained from killing Selar all those years ago and taking the throne yourself.’

Robert turned away. ‘Don’t say that, even in jest.’

‘Perhaps I wasn’t joking.’

‘Even more reason not to say it. I swore an oath to serve the King solely and above all others. To break that oath would not only dishonour myself but everything I believe in.’

Ayn edged her way forward until she stood before him, gazing up into his face. ‘And is that really it, Robert? Is that
why you won’t join us now – because of your oath? Because you hold honour as high as that? But what price honour?’

Softening, Robert placed his hands on her shoulders. ‘What would be the worth of any oath I could give the Enclave if I broke my oath to the King first? Eh? I’m sorry, Ayn, but I think you’ll find that most arguments end up being circular. At least they are with me.’ He glanced at the bedroom door. ‘Will she be all right?’

Ayn nodded. ‘Yes. You go and get some sleep. Even if you don’t Stand the Circle tomorrow, your presence will still be expected.’

‘And is that all that will be expected of me?’ Robert asked from the door.

Ayn shrugged. ‘Who can answer a question like that at this time of the night?’

*

The only way she knew it was morning was by the subtle increase in little noises which drifted around the caves and tunnels of the Enclave. Feet moving along sandy passages and greetings called between friends. The clink of glass and scrape of wood upon stone. Jenn had slept fitfully in the unfamiliar bed. Twice during the night she’d woken, certain she could hear the sound of horses coming towards her. But when she’d opened her eyes all she could see were the shadows cast by an oil lamp in the corner, and she knew she’d been dreaming.

Long before Ayn had come in to wake her, Jenn had lain still in bed, going over the last few days in the first peace she had had since the moment she had said those hasty words in front of the Guilde soldiers. So much had happened, and so little of it believable. Even now, in the cool fresh morning, she didn’t understand what had possessed her to pick up that
ayarn
last night. At the time it seemed a reasonable thing to do – the only thing, in fact – but looking back, the most overwhelming memory aside from the pressure she had felt was the enmity of those strangers around the table. Their questions and their insistence filled her with disquiet
even now and dampened her natural curiosity about the Enclave.

‘I heard you talking last night,’ Jenn admitted as Ayn passed her a bowl of thick meaty broth. The smell drifted to her nostrils and made her stomach yearn for nourishment. She pushed the cushions up against the bedhead and picked up a spoon. ‘I couldn’t help hearing, I’m sorry.’

‘I’m sorry our voices kept you awake,’ Ayn replied evenly. She came around the bed and sat on the side.

Jenn was silent for a while, then, realizing the old woman was noting her every move, she coloured in embarrassment.

‘I wouldn’t worry about it, child. There’s a lot you need to learn simply in order to survive. You’ll have to listen with ears more sensitive than that.’

Still only halfway through the bowl of broth, Jenn paused and rested it on her lap. She shook her head, utterly bewildered. ‘You have no idea how confusing this is. Until two days ago, I’d always believed sorcerers had died out. To find now that you all live here on top of this mountain is unbelievable. But what is more incredible is that I … I can do these strange things. I can’t help wishing that someone would just tell me what’s happening!’

She couldn’t continue even though she wanted to. Tears stung her eyes and her throat constricted until it hurt. She took a deep breath and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes.

‘What do you want to know?’ Ayn asked gently and handed her a piece of crusty bread. ‘I don’t know everything, but a little …’

Looking into her soup, Jenn suddenly found it difficult to put her questions together – which was annoying, since she’d just made such a fuss about them. Glancing up, she asked the first one which came to mind. ‘Last night you said something about Robert and how he didn’t kill the King – and before about how the key spoke to him. What were you talking about and what is this key and … what is standing the circle?’

Ayn nodded. ‘The two questions are very separate. The
Key is something you’ll see later this morning, when the Circle is formed. Our leader, called the Jaibir, is chosen by the Key in the ceremony. When he is chosen, his powers become permanently intertwined with the Key. The Jaibir’s power keeps the Key alive. As a result, he must live for ever within the confines of the Enclave. Anyone can Stand the Circle and be chosen, but since the Key needs someone with strong powers to wield it, traditionally only the strongest of us do so.’

‘Like Robert?’

‘As you may have already guessed, Robert refuses to Stand. He has always remained independent of us, despite our attempts to convince him otherwise.’

‘Why?’

Ayn shrugged. ‘I won’t pretend I understand him, child. He says he has his reasons. One way or the other, he refuses to go near the Key.’

‘So, what does the Key do?’

‘Many things. We use it to help decipher some of our older records, as an aid to teaching. Any important decision is usually put to the Key for approval. Its most important purpose is to keep the Enclave protected and invisible from the outside world. Without it we would have been discovered centuries ago. Our main problem is that we know it has a great many more uses, but without someone strong, we can only scratch the surface. We believe that there is a way we can live in the outside world without being destroyed, that we can be free – and that the answer is within the Calyx. But to find the Calyx, we must first wield the Key fully. Two of our major surviving records show it to be so. As it is, the Key is very helpful. It’s quite a sight to behold. Grown men tremble in their shoes when the Key rises to question.’

‘And is that what happened with Robert?’

Amused, Ayn nodded. ‘He was nine years old at the time, but already strong in his powers. I’d found him and brought him back here – we didn’t realize Finnlay had the same abilities at that point. Of course, Robert’s father was still
alive then. He thought his son was going to spend a month at a monastery in the hills. Robert was an odd child. Always asking questions, most of which nobody could answer – and never taking any answer he did get for granted. He had a quick temper and a ready laugh. He was open and affectionate, with an extraordinary ability to make friends with anyone. Marcus took an instant shine to him.’

Ayn paused, smiling a little, before continuing with her story. ‘Anyway, I brought Robert to the hall where the Key had been set up for some work. Robert walked straight up to it. Then the strangest thing happened. We began to hear a voice speaking in a whisper. I knew it was coming from the Key because I’d heard it before. You can imagine our surprise. Nothing like that had ever happened before. The Key only ever spoke to the Jaibir – certainly never a child.’

Jenn held her breath. ‘What did it say?’

‘I don’t know.’ Ayn shrugged. ‘I couldn’t hear it properly – neither could anyone else. Robert knows but, true to his stubborn nature, he’s always declined to illuminate us on the subject. He just says that it was personal.’

‘And what did you say about the King?’

Ayn’s smile faded as she drank some more. ‘That’s something else entirely. To be honest, I think you should ask Robert. However, be prepared for the possibility that he may not answer. He retains some loyalty to Selar and consequently cannot be drawn on the subject.’

‘And now,’ Jenn murmured to herself, ‘he won’t do anything no matter how important – because it would break his oath to the King. No wonder he’s so lost.’

‘Eh?’ Ayn started at the comment, but as Jenn looked up with an innocent smile Ayn shook her head. ‘You’d better get dressed, my girl. I’ve laid out a new gown for you, one my daughter has grown out of. The ceremony will start soon and you wouldn’t want to miss it.’

Jenn climbed out of bed as Ayn poured hot water into an earthen bowl for her to wash. Ayn set out clean linen and soap, then disappeared for a few minutes. When she
returned, Jenn was clean and dry and struggling to get into a gown of soft deep blue wool.

‘Here, let me help you,’ Ayn said with a motherly smile. She took the dress and dropped it over Jenn’s head. It slipped down into place, then Ayn held first one, then the other sleeve for Jenn’s arm. As she got to the second sleeve however, Ayn paused.

‘What’s that?’ she whispered, her eyes widening.

Jenn glanced at the old mark on her shoulder and shrugged. ‘A birthmark. Why?’

Ayn dropped her hands and stared openly at Jenn.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, Jenn moved to pull the sleeve up but Ayn’s hand shot out to stop her.