The Sage Seed Chronicles: The Unraveling (13 page)

Lor slapped Erin on the shoulder and gave her
a wink, which included Tempo. Raising his voice to a normal level
he said, “Now, my young helper, leave Tempo with the wagon, unless
he wants to hunt. Then please take our dirty clothes into the city.
There is a laundry business on the second lane to the left. When
you come back we can both check how the animals are doing.” He
reached into the wagon and pulled out a pile of clothes in a
basket. Taking Erin’s hat off he ruffled the patchy haircut and
plopped the hat back on. Erin set down Tempo and made a point to
speak out loud to the little animal. Pointing to the trees she
said, “If you need to hunt go ahead but don’t get under foot.
Otherwise you can stay with Lor.” She stroked Tempo’s back in
farewell and lifting the basket headed for the city.

She found the shop easily by the smell of
soap and clean clothes. The business used the geothermal vent to
heat the water and the captured steam produced by the hot water,
ran gears that agitated water in the wash and rinse tubs. The
laundress had power wringers for the clean clothes and even a
drying system where the moist air was vented by strong fans out of
the room, through the central heating apparatus for the city. The
woman was tall, strong and quick to laugh. She took the clothes,
counted the pieces and marked them with a colored thread. Then she
gave Erin a receipt and told her they would be ready by the next
morning. If she needed them earlier they would be damp but clean
and could continue their drying in the wagon. Erin thanked her and
picking up the basket, left a little bemused. Her mother would have
loved the drying fans. Shaking her head at the thought she returned
to the outside to see what she could do to help Lor.

It was hard to believe that it was still
early morning, so much had happened. Erin’s stomach knew what time
it was, though, and that was past time for breakfast! She found Lor
talking to Kennet and as she walked up to them her stomached
growled. The two men smiled at the sound. “Because of the quake,
the baker’s boy is circulating with rolls, to help out. Let’s find
him and stop that awful noise coming from young Terran.” Kennet
said to Lor.

Erin grinned. She knew they were teasing her.
“I’ll put the basket away and be right with you.” she called back
over her shoulder as she ran for the wagon.

She opened her mind to Keir and quickly
brought him up to date. Erin told him the names of the three men,
their guilds and how to identify them. She went on to describe the
mysterious person in the woods, the night before and the
information she had learned. He said he would keep a look out for
anybody who looked like that and pass the information back to Ree.
Keir was not at all surprised about Erin being a sage. Who else
would speak to him!

Erin put the basket away. Tempo had opted to
be in the wagon instead of hunting. The meal he had the night
before has been enough to tide him over. She did the double slap of
her palms against the floor of the wagon and asked if he would like
to accompany her. Soon Erin was on her way back to Lor and Kennet,
with Tempo on her shoulder.

Cob had just walked up to the two men when
Erin arrived. Cob’s eyes got big when he saw the little skunk and
he backed up a step. “This is my pet, Tempo. He is wild but will
mind his manners unless he, or I am threatened.” said Erin to
reassure Cob.

‘He is your watcher, last night in the
woods.’ said Tempo’s voice in her mind. ‘Same smell.’

The conversation returned to food and
everybody made their selection. As Cob hurriedly left, saying that
he had to refill his tray, Erin discretely studied him. She had
never seen him without his bakers’ cap. Though his brows were brown
the few wisps of hair coming out from under the edge of the cap
were blond. She stroked Tempo’s head and back thoughtfully. Kennet
gave a laugh. “I don’t think Cob is comfortable with skunks!”

They ate in silence for awhile and Erin felt
much better for filling the hole in her stomach. Kennet decided
they should check on the animals and were making their way there
when Tempo dug his claws into Erin’s jerkin and gave a strange
growl. Erin reached out and grabbed the side of the nearest wagon
as Kennet and Lor looked at the two in surprise. Lor, catching on
to the message, yelled to Kennet. “Hold on!” just as the ground
under their feet gave a little shake. As a aftershock it wasn’t too
bad but was enough to rattle things a bit. A few people stumbled or
sat down abruptly and those who had been securing things in their
wagon had to re do a few items.

Erin spun and ran toward the paddock, one
hand stabilizing Tempo on her shoulder. Kennet gave Lor, and the
departing Erin and Tempo a wide respectful look. “That little skunk
is a mighty fine ‘early warning system’. I appreciate the
‘heads-up’, he gave the lad this morning but it doesn’t diminish
the fact that Terran was able to calm down those fractious horses.
Let’s go see if the lad needs any help.” The two men quickly made
their way to the corral. Tempo was firmly attached to the top of a
fence post as Erin worked her way through the milling animals
toward the most high strung of them. She was talking soothingly and
stroking them as she got to the ones with their ears laid back.
Focusing on them she continued to talk with a lowered voice and to
run her hands over quivering hides. Kennet climbed over the fence
to get to other restive horses but Erin had most settled down by
that time.

They were both standing in the center of the
paddock when Tempo raised his tail in alert and gave a low growl.
Lor was standing beside him and called, “One more.” This time it
was hardly a quiver and few horses reacted. Erin and Kennet’s
calming presence near the most nervous animals served to
immediately soothe and reassure. Lor looked at Tempo and found him
curled up on the top of the post. “Tempo doesn’t look like there is
going to be another aftershock. I think it is safe to come out
now.”

Erin and Kennet climbed out of the paddock
and the tanner gave her a hearty slap on the back. “Picking you up,
by the side of the road, was the smartest thing Lor has done in a
long time! Glad to have you with us, boy!” he said with a big grin.
“I need to go back to my wagon and see if those blasted hides have
shifted at all.” he was still chuckling as he walked away.

Lor turned to Erin and asked, “How is your
back? He packs a wallop even with his friendly gestures.”

Erin arched her back and rocked her shoulders
back and forth. “I’m grateful for the jerkin he gave me. It
cushioned me from his enthusiasm.” She stepped to Tempo and stroked
the little skunk from ears to tail. “Tempo identified our
eavesdropper from last night” she whispered. “It was Cob.”

Lor raised his eyebrows. “Interesting.” was
all he said. He waited for Erin to put Tempo on her shoulder and
they went back to the caravan. They circulated by each of the
wagons and spoke to the guild members they saw. At last they
arrived at Alliz’ wagon. She was straightening some of the stock
and trying to secure it to be quake proof. She greeted them warmly.
As Lor spoke to her, Erin asked Keir if anyone was within hearing
distance of them. His shadow went through the campsite and he
answered negatively. She told him of the identity of the
‘listener’. She heard a hunting cry on the wind and a “I’ll watch”
in her head.

Alliz and Lor seemed to be saying
inconsequential things but she put her hand on his arm and turned
to show him a pin in the big wagon wheel. Erin finger tips felt
funny and goose-bumps formed on her arms. It appeared that, at
least when she was near, her body could tell when Alliz
communicated with others. She glanced up to where Keir was sitting
in a tree. ‘Were you able to feel the quakes were coming?’ she
asked.

‘The air changes strange’ he said, ‘I saw
that the little one felt it. I couldn’t warn you without giving
away out relationship so just took to the air. I watched from
above.’

Alliz turned to Erin and said softly. “Can
you accurately sketch people?” At Erin’s nod she said in a more
normal tone, “Could you help me straighten things out inside my
wagon? Lor can you spare Terran for a little while? Tempo can sleep
under the wagon or hunt in the woods. Maybe he can find a fine
feast like he did last night.”

Erin lifted the skunk off of her shoulder and
put him on the ground. She knelt in front of him and scratched
behind his ears. “Hunt or sleep. I will be here for awhile. I’ll
pat the ground when I am ready to leave.” She slapped the ground
twice, then with a last scratch behind the ears, climbed into the
back of the wagon with Alliz. Tempo trotted off into the woods. Two
companions would watch.

Alliz got out some paper and some special
drawing charcoal and said softly, “Can you draw, as best as you
can, Targ and Wras. Have you ‘seen’ Bure enough to draw him?” Erin
shook her head negatively. “We don’t know why Cob was trying to
eavesdrop so draw him also. Do the best you can. I have to check
with Tassy about something. I will be back shortly.”

Erin had always liked to draw and had taught
herself to how to capture the essence of something with a minimum
of fuss. She closed her eyes and brought Targ into her mind’s eye.
Then she focused on the paper and started drawing. Occasionally she
had to stop and bring him into her mind again. Soon she had a large
picture of him and a small cluster of images from different angles
with a full body sketch in the margins of the paper. She set that
aside and began on Wras.

Erin had just completed Cob’s picture when
Alliz came back. She laid all three aside and started straightening
and securing the merchandise in the wagon. “Everything is
straightened and secure, Alliz. Would you like me to do anything
else?”

Alliz came into
the wagon and saw the drawings. Her eyebrows raised as she studied
them. “Thank you, Terran. You did a very good job!” she said in a
normal voice. “Great likenesses! You have talent!” she whispered.
She carefully placed the drawings between blank pieces so they
would not smudge, then inside a leather folder. The two got out of
the wagon together. Erin went to the edge of the trees and slapped
the ground. Alliz put the folder under her arm and walked toward
the city entrance. She called over her shoulder to Erin, who was
picking up the little skunk, “I believe you and Lor are eating with
me again tonight. See you then.” and was out of sight.

Erin and Lor spent the day working with the
guild members and the people of Morraton to straighten, strengthen
and support. Though it was technically a rest day, many hands
pitching in made the work light and the feeling of community
stronger. Erin, as was her habit of late, kept her mental door
barely cracked open but did not feel anything unexpected. By mid
afternoon most everything was done. The Mayor and Legist had come
out to the fountain, in the middle of the city commons, and thanked
everyone for their help and support.

There was little fanfare as they made their
way through the caravan shaking hands and having a good word for
everyone. When they got to Lor’s wagon they greeted him warmly,
“Lor, it is good to see you. It has been a year, or so, since you
last stopped.” said the mayor heartily. He was a big man with
intelligent eyes that seemingly missed very little. “Always good to
have you here! I understand that you, lad, were instrumental in
preventing injury to our animals. The city is in your debt.” The
legist, a older man with a lined face, smiled but said very little.
His bright eyes were kind and very observant. They shook Lor’s hand
and the legist slapped Erin on the shoulder then giving Erin and
Lor a nod, the men moved on.

Erin watched the departing dignitaries,
thoughtfully. “I don’t think those two miss much. That is why the
‘how’ of our problem is so deviously clever. Two people, that we
know of, were killing in their province and were under their
jurisdiction. If we could only prove it, I’ll bet they would
prosecute and sentence in a heartbeat.”

She turned to Lor and found him studying her.
“We will prove it, somehow. It is imperative.” he said, “Though the
sage population is not large there are sages living in each
province. We need to somehow safeguard the rest. We’ll talk later.”
he looked at Tempo, who seemed to be drowsing on Erin’s shoulder.
“Put Tempo on the tailgate, lad, and go look in the city. I know
you haven’t had much time for that. You might check on the progress
of your boots and our clothes while you are at it.”

Tempo hardly cracked an eyelid as she put him
in a spot of shade to sleep. Soon she was in the old city and was
absorbing all she could see. She started on the right side and
walked down the small lanes. As she got to the cobbler’s shop she
poked her head in. “How are you, today, Tobl? Did the quakes cause
you any problem?”

“Some small delays, lad, but nothing too much
of a difficulty. Your boots will be done within the hour. Come back
then.” He waved her off and got back to work.

Keeping her mind on the fact that she was
suppose to be a boy she masked her expressions as she window
shopped. Erin paused to look into the apothecary shop and watched
the two guild members arranging the shelves that were then secured
behind glass doors. Wandering on through the lanes she found that
the legist had an office toward the center back of the courtyard as
did the mayor. From their offices they could see the comings and
goings of the city. She found a clothier that was part of the
weaver’s guild and one that was related to the tanner’s. Both had
some ready made clothing but also would make pieces tailored for
the customer. There was a home related mercantile that sold a
sundry of miner guild things from a small selection of glow stones
to appliance parts. She paused a while outside of the jewelry shop,
thinking about the mementos that represented her parents lives and
the two odd stones from Ree. But a boy would not be wearing jewelry
so she put that thought away for later.