The World Weavers (23 page)

“You say you know this gentleman?” the Crone said to Jonas.

He nodded. “Kadar and I took classes together when I was a pledge. His sister, Sulis, shared my pledge class but returned to the desert before she could be chosen by a deity.”

Kadar smiled slightly, enjoying Jonas's tact. Sulis had been the troublemaker in that pledge class, and Kadar had been forced to rescue her from the then-­Templar, who had nearly killed her during the Pledge Ceremony. Kadar decided to twist their tails a bit.

“I'm also the heir to the Hasifel caravan trade,” he told the Voices. “Until this past spring, I ran the caravan routes from Illian through the Sands to Frubia.”

Kadar narrowed his eyes as the Voices exchanged uneasy glances. The Crone put her hand casually around Kadar's arm, as though he were escorting her. She tried to dig her mental claws in more deeply.

“Unfortunately,” Kadar said, wondering how much he could stretch the truth before they'd sense he was lying. “I was sent to study with scholars in the south this past spring and have not had any contact with my uncles or friends in Illian since then.”

They relaxed a little, except Jonas, who seemed more horrified. Kadar was fascinated to realize none of them could tell it was a lie. Did their deity need to possess them to tell if he lied? Kadar didn't know, but he was willing to take full advantage.

“You have traveled the Sands?” the Crone asked, her eyes wide. “So you have been to the Obsidian Temple?”

The Templar coughed, but Kadar smiled, staring into her eyes, pretending to be entranced by her.

“No,” he said. “But I know where the caravan route divides to travel to the temple. My grandmother was a desert priestess and told me how to reveal the way. One path goes to the Obsidian Temple, the other to the next oasis. Only the truly devout are permitted access to the temple.”

She laughed softly. “I think the Voices of the deities would be considered devout, don't you?” she asked.

Kadar laughed. “Indeed you would, my lady,” he said.

“Then you will travel with us,” she said. He was drawn away from the waymarker, as she motioned to her guards. “You will be our leader, our guide in this terrible wilderness we face. You will share a tent and campfire with us.”

Kadar laughed again, as a guard brought his humpback to him. He ordered it to kneel and flung a leg over the saddle, leaving his tent.

“It isn't a terrible wilderness, once you know it,” he said as his humpback rose. “I think, my lady, you will find a great deal of beauty in the sunsets over the undulating dunes.”

“And you're a poet as well,” the Crone said, riding close to him. “I do hope it is as you say, and your protection will show us the beauty you speak of. The last oasis was only a half day away. We should be able to reach it before night. Then you can tell us what to expect for the rest of the trip.”

Kadar could feel her gently trying to pry into his thoughts, to insert her will more deeply, and he smiled blandly at her as he made his surface thoughts ones of attraction to her and anger for the warriors of the One.

As the Templar shouted orders to his Knights leading the army, Kadar caught Jonas's thoughtful gaze upon him. He looked levelly at the former scholar, until Jonas flushed and looked away.

As they rode away from Sulis's death site, Kadar thought she and his grandmother were spinning in their graves.
I will avenge both of you, and Uncle Tarik,
Kadar silently promised her.
You will be able to rest in peace, knowing that the person who loved you made you proud.

 

CHAPTER 18

J
onas watched Kadar as he helped them set up camp for the evening. It had been a shock, seeing him at the oasis. It had been even more of a shock realizing that Sulis was dead. Parasu had read Kadar's surface thoughts, and his grief and pain were real. Kadar was not lying—­the desert warriors had sacrificed his sister and grandmother. The Southerners had used death and blood energy, which had been forbidden to acolytes of the deities since the last war, five hundred years before.

This should not surprise you,
Parasu said, in the back of his mind.
These Southerners are barbarians. Living out in this wasteland leaves no room for civilized behavior. They do what they can to survive and can be quite ruthless, spending lives to protect what they have.

Jonas had felt rather sick, watching the Crone sink her claws into Kadar, a man he'd considered a friend in Illian. The intelligence in the man's face had turned to fawning adoration.

Would you rather that the Templar used his brutal ways upon your friend?
Parasu asked.
After what he did to Kadar's uncle? I am rather pleased with this Crone for her alertness. His great pain and the sundering of his twin bond left a gap where she could insert her will. No pain, no blood, and it diminishes his despair. She has done him a great favor. She will prevent him from feeling the sadness of his sister's death.

Jonas nodded to himself. It was true. Kadar no longer looked like his heart were being torn asunder. He looked peaceful—­if a bit silly, following a woman twice his age around like a puppy.

It is strange, though,
Jonas said to his deity.
That Kadar doesn't look at the army following behind us. He doesn't seem to see the thousands of men threatening his home.

Parasu laughed in the back of his mind.
That is the Crone's doing. He doesn't see them, or she prevents him from processing that they follow. That way he is serving only her and her “friends,” the other Voices. The same way she is preventing him from thinking about his sister. It is a manipulation of the single-­minded fascination that comes with being in love. I've never seen an acolyte wield it so deftly. She is truly worthy of being Ivanha's Voice.

The Voices met once camp was settled. The Crone left Kadar in her tent, guarded by a ­couple of Voras's soldiers.

“I don't like this,” the Templar growled. “It was too easy. He barely even resisted the Crone meddling with his will.”

“Easy for you,” the Crone shot back. “It took all my focus and skill to insert my will into his mind. His mind has strong shields. He kept trying to slip away from me. I've got him sleeping right now, but it takes a good deal of focus to keep those bonds strong.”

The Herald coughed and grimaced. “The Crone used his intense distress and grief to entrance him,” she told the Templar, her voice hoarse from incessant coughing. “She showed a good deal of finesse and skill. More subtle but more effective than your blunter
geas
where the bespelled spends much of his time and energy trying to fight you. This man doesn't even realize he is
geased
and will not fight it.”

“I don't like that I cannot see deeper into his mind, past those shields,” the Crone said, frowning prettily. “I've pushed any thoughts of his sister to the back of his mind, but I can't see if he has a deeper alliance that would interfere with my
geas
.”

“I am certain this is the man who aided the Forsaken when they rose up this spring. We should break his shields,” the Templar said.

“No!” the other three Voices protested in unison.

Jonas shook his head. “Breaking those mind shields killed his uncle,” he said. “Kadar said his grandmother was a desert priestess. No doubt she inserted the powerful, killing shields in her family. I remember Sulis saying her grandmother helped raise the twins after their parents died.”

“You kill this guide and we have no one to replace him,” the Herald added. “No one. The other Southern caravan leaders are useless now that the wards to Shpeth are changed. We use this man, or we have to turn back.”

“How do we know the wards at the oases in the Sands haven't been changed?” the Templar asked.

“Kadar told me,” the Crone said. “They could not find anyone of the same blood or anyone powerful enough to change those wards. He also told me he'd been sent to the South as punishment for helping the Forsaken woman. He has been fairly isolated since, studying with a master teacher of languages. He is easily manipulated by feelings of love.”

“That certainly works out well for her,” the Herald murmured to Jonas, who hid a smile.

“What do we do with the
geased
Southerners we were using as guides?” the Templar asked. “Should we dispose of them?”

“They will be handy as we get deeper into the desert,” the Herald said. “They've been valuable at giving advice on watering the horses and preparing for the dry heat of the desert.”

“Kadar mentioned a Descendant of the Prophet here in the desert,” Jonas said. “Do we need to worry that they have infiltrated the Obsidian Temple?”

The Templar pursed his lips and looked up, thinking. He grimaced. “I'm not certain. My Knight in Illian has said the only threat up north is a small Forsaken revolt heading for Illian from Stonycreek. The Descendants have not yet shown any power.”

“My Mother Superior believes that one of the turned Counselors is actually a Descendant and may be making the other Counselors heretics,” the Crone said.

“I've heard nothing of this,” the Herald said with a frown. “I don't see how a deity could miss that a pledge was a heretic during choosing, unless they turned against the deities once pledged and never did energy work again.”

“The alleged Descendant is Tori, one of the pledges who circumvented the proper ceremony,” the Crone persisted. “She pledged to Parasu before becoming a Counselor.”

Jonas opened his mouth, but it was Parasu speaking. “All who have pledged to me have done so wholeheartedly,” he said. “It is not the fault of my altar that the One has taken so many.”

That silenced the Crone. Jonas knew many of her pledges had been forced into Ivanha's ser­vice when a Templar impregnated them.

The Herald sighed. “We can hardly call the Counselors of the One heretics, Crone. They serve the highest power.”

“I agree,” the Templar said. “Your Mother Superior is imagining things. As for this Descendant in the desert, he has done us a good deed. He has broken up the Chosen of the prophecy, causing several of them to sacrifice their lives. I'd been worried that these Chosen would be guarding the Obsidian Temple against us. The prophecy said they would be very powerful and a match for us.”

Jonas nodded. “I am beginning to believe the letter the Descendants sent to us. They truly do seem to wish for the deities to reunite to balance the world once again,” Parasu said.

The Crone pursed her lips. “There is one more oasis, and then we reach the final town before the deeper desert the Southerners call the Sands. Kadar suggests we switch as many ­people to humpbacks as we can. Then it is less than a ten-­day's journey to the Obsidian Temple.”

“Where will we get humpbacks?” the Templar asked.

“He says stockyards sell them right before the Sands. I hope we can appropriate enough for us and all your mounted troops.”

“We'll guard against Tigus while traveling through the Sands region,” the Templar said. “Never let your
feli
out of sight. The
feli
can see through their desert magic. The Tigus have lesser numbers, but could destroy everything with assassins directed at us.”

Jonas glanced around and realized none of the Voices had their
feli
with them. He glanced over at the Herald, who was realizing the same thing. She shrugged.

“Hopefully the
feli
will be willing to stay beside us,” she said.

“If we have to, we'll stick collars on them,” the Templar growled.

Parasu stirred and spoke through Jonas. “We deities will speak with your
feli
. They will obey us.”

The Templar bowed slightly, and then stared at Jonas. “That's a little frightening, you realize. I never know if I'm speaking to Parasu or speaking to Jonas.”

Jonas shook his head. “The acolyte who was Jonas does not really exist anymore,” he said. “Parasu is always with his Tribune. Always assume you are speaking to Parasu. Always believe you are hearing his voice.”

T
he ground trembled under Sulis's feet, and she grabbed on to Ashraf's arm for support. They were outside after midmeal and had been walking to the temple for afternoon practice. They clung to each other as the tremor died down.

“What was that?” Ashraf asked, looking at Sulis.

They turned at the sound of ­people running. Grandmother and Sari dashed past them, heading to the temple at full speed with Anchee and Lasha on their heels. Sulis ran after them.

Sulis gave a cry of dismay when she entered the temple. Ava lay motionless on her back in the center of the circle of the statues, inside the energy mandala she'd been creating. Dani lay on his stomach outside the mandala energy lines. Alannah lay in a heap beside Amon, also outside the mandala. Lasha bent over Dani and Sari ran to Alannah. Grandmother and Anchee stood at the edge of the mandala. Grandmother pressed her hands against an invisible barrier and jerked back again with a curse.

Only Sanuri was awake, staring at them with bright eyes.

“Sanuri,” Master Anchee called. “We need you to release the energy from within, so we can tend to Ava. Can you do that?”

Sanuri clucked her tongue. “Too much,” she said as she climbed down from the Altar of the One and picked her way carefully off the mandala, not smearing the inner lines. At the far edge, she bent over and made a brushing motion, like she was sweeping invisible sand. Sulis could feel her opening an energy shield that had been closed.

“Careful, Anchee, there's still a lot of energy in here,” Grandmother warned, as they carefully picked their way through the mandala to Ava's side.

“Where are you going?” Sulis asked Sanuri as she walked past Anchee to the exit.

“Hungry,” the girl said.

Sulis knelt beside Sari as she examined Alannah.

“Is she alive?” Sulis asked.

Sari nodded. “Yes. Her pulse is fine, if a little slow. She doesn't have any visible injuries. But I can't get her or Amon to wake up. What about the rest of them?”

“Same with Ava,” Grandmother said.

“Dani won't wake up either,” Lasha said. “Where are their
feli
? Usually they're here, working with them. Yaslin should be right by Alannah. She's never absent.”

Sulis looked around and realized the
feli
weren't in the Obsidian Temple. Even Nuisance was missing. She reached in her mind for Djinn, but he was nowhere close. “All the
feli
are missing,” Sulis said. “Where are they?”

“We'll figure it out after we get these four to the infirmary,” Grandmother said. “Sari, do you think it is safe to move them?”

Sari stood. “There isn't anything wrong with them,” she said. “They seem to be drained of so much energy, they need time to replenish it so they can wake up.”

“There was quite a surge,” Grandmother said as Sari went to the doorway to summon help. “I believe Ava has connected to the very stones under us.”

“Look at this pattern, Sulis,” Anchee urged. He picked Ava up, and he and Grandmother gingerly tiptoed around the lines of the mandala. He handed Ava to a guard arriving at Sari's summons.

Sulis stepped away from Alannah's body, closed her eyes and studied the pattern. It seemed normal, until she got to the unfinished part of the pattern, where Ava's body had lain. She walked around the pattern to feel the energy lines more closely.

“What is that?” She asked, pointing to a strange energy connecting two spaces. “That doesn't relate to a specific chakra.”

“No. It is pure elemental earth energy,” Anchee said, coming up to stand beside her. “It is a mix of three chakras.”

“The line is connecting the smaller mandala of Ivanha with the larger whole mandala,” Sulis said, tracing it. “And to the energy of the One.”

“If you look closely, Ava has connected this mandala to the very bedrock beneath our feet,” Anchee said.

Sulis studied the mandala. It was so complicated she wasn't certain how they would dance it. The four deities each had a complex mandala that linked to the Altar of the One, like four petals of a flower. But each mandala was then connected to the others in an overarching pattern.

“Look.” She pointed. “On the other deities' patterns she has left open the same space she was filling in with the earth line on Ivanha's. Does that mean she will have to connect to wind and water and fire as well? What will that do to everyone?”

Anchee sighed and watched as Alannah, Dani, and Amon were carried out. “I don't know,” he said. “All I know is that the deities will arrive in less than a ten-­day, and three of our most important Chosen are unconscious.”

“And the
feli
have disappeared,” Ashraf said, leaning against Sulis.

“Let's see if we can go to the infirmary and feed them energy to wake them,” Sulis said. “It shouldn't be that hard, after all the linking we've done at the wards.”

Lasha was already feeding energy to Alannah when they arrived in the infirmary. Sulis put a hand on her back while holding Ashraf's hand, and Alannah stirred, opened her eyes, and blinked.

Alannah tried to sit up, but lay down quickly. She put a hand to her head and winced.

“Ouch,” she said. “I've a One-­awful headache. What happened?”