Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series (19 page)

‘It was the silver
Dragon Fenj told us of then, Mim?’ Kera asked.

Mim nodded. He was
chewing a chunk of roasted meat and Soran made a mental note that
the Nagum boy was changing in so many ways, so rapidly now. He’d
rarely eaten meat before, preferring fruits and vegetables, but now
he ate more meat than anyone. Soran, watching Mim swallow a
mouthful, also guessed that Mim found the meat too well cooked. How
long, Soran wondered, before he would eat his meat raw, like the
Dragons did?

Mim took a gulp of
water from a mug and finally answered Kera’s question.

‘Yes Lady. It was
Gremara. She knows now where I am, but she is nearly mad. She is
unaware of the destruction she causes when she screams as she did
today. She gave me some of her memories in that brief moment – as
Hani gave Ashta and me her memories at Ashta’s
hatching.’

He took another swallow
of water.

‘Some of it makes sense
to me but some I fear is muddled. Whether I can heal her madness or
at least, halt it as far as it’s gone, I can’t say. I hope that her
excitement at having found me will not increase the
madness.’

‘Do you know why these
changes have happened to you Mim, or what the task of a Dragon Lord
will be?’

Mim watched Rofu,
daintily accepting morsels of meat from Dessi’s fingers before
replying.

‘Some things are now
clear while others are not.’ His tone made it plain that he would
say no more on the subject.

Kera suddenly sat up
straight. ‘Oh dear stars! Mim – how far would Gremara’s power
reach? Will she have caused havoc in Gaharn? Further? Oh, here we
calmly sit and I’ve only just spared thought for Emla and
Nolli!’

‘And Tika and the
Dragons!’ Dessi added in alarm.

Fenj rumbled gently,
cautious of disturbing Lula who slept on top of his
head.

‘We will bespeak the
Snow Dragons and ask them to relay news from Gaharn. Merigs may
already have begun to bring messages to the tunnels.’

Talli’s eyes began to
flicker, the ice blue facets darkening as he
concentrated.

Jal asked hesitantly:
‘Does this silver Dragon live cross the wilderness Mim? The Master
– the Guardian before – he said it was a barren land except for a
small amount of vegetation at the feet of these mountains. But
perhaps there is fertile land the other side, after
all?’

Mim glanced at Jal, who
held his gaze steady with some difficulty. Mim appeared quite
unaware of the way his eyes had changed. The turquoise irises now
filled the eyes, showing no white at all. The vertical golden
pupils had expanded and seemed lightly prismed. Ashta moved closer,
resting her head over Mim’s shoulder. He reached his arm round her
neck as he replied.

‘There is fertile land
far across the Wilderness, and a great stretch of water leagues
past that. Gremara lives in one of a group of five mountains, such
as I have never seen.’

Kera produced a piece
of paper from a pocket. ‘Can you draw what you mean?’

Mim threw his head back
as he laughed, firelight flashing on the scales covering his
throat.

‘Yes, Lady Writing
Stick, I could try to draw them!’

He sketched quickly on
the paper and pushed it along the table.

‘Volcanoes!’ Jal
exclaimed.

Kera nodded as Mim
looked blank.

‘No. You would not have
seen them Mim in your southern woodlands. But there are ancient
craters in the Spine and Moon Mountains.’

She glanced at Jal for
his nod of agreement.

‘And there are some
active still near to the Salt Sea in the west.’

‘Volcanoes?’ Mim
queried.

Kera gave him a
lecture, best Discipline Senior style on the cause and effect of
volcanoes. Jeela fidgeted and looked to Fenj for permission to
speak.

‘Brin spoke of such
mountains in his stories.’

‘I had wondered Lady,’
Jal offered. ‘If perhaps these tunnels were made by the heat inside
the world. I only thought of it while I lay ill,’ he admitted.
‘Before, I thought perhaps some monsters, worse than any the Master
brought into being, had caused them.’

‘Possibly Jal. There
are of course the hot water pools the Delvers find so greatly
useful.’ Kera chewed the end of her writing stick until Dessi
removed it from her mouth. ‘But I know of no craters in these
ranges.’

‘No Dragon has flown
here for many generations,’ Fenj murmured. ‘So I could not say if
there are. I know several in the Ancient Mountains, and the Sun
Mountains. The Sun Treasury Gathers in just such a
crater.’

Kera rubbed her eyes
wearily. She was tired from the hurried rush back to the stronghold
and the worry of wondering how many others Gremara had hurt or
killed, intentionally or not. Her gaze fell on Lorak and she
smiled.

‘Perhaps a small taste
of your restorative, before we all sleep Lorak?’ she suggested
hopefully.

Bikram and Soran both
grinned as Lorak pushed himself up from the table.

‘I don’t know as what
Lord Gan would think, but a small sip won’t do no harm.’

The usual soft rumble
followed Lorak: ‘Splendid creature!’

A numbness prevailed
over most of Gaharn. The humans who shared Gaharn with the People
were stunned at the number of those, whom they’d regarded as
friends, who had died. Word quickly spread that it was something to
do with the power the People used. A very few humans had also
collapsed in convulsions and died without regaining their senses,
children among their numbers.

Those who survived were
the ones who had instinctively shielded themselves at the first
touch of the wild power. Some of them had shielded others near them
and thus saved their lives. There were quite a few of the students
in the Asataria who survived, but their minds had been
destroyed.

Tika had gone into the
city with Brin and Farn to give what healing she could, but there
were so many needing help that even with Brin’s assistance she was
quickly drained of strength. Farn became more and more agitated,
finally roaring at Tika that she WOULD allow him to take her back
to Emla’s house to rest. In fact, Brin carried her again, with Farn
flying close to him and they landed by the guest pavilion, which
sheltered Kija and her other three children.

Tika fell rather than
climbed off of Brin’s broad back and staggered inside. Kija and
Ikram watched Tika weave across the room towards them and as she
stumbled to her knees, Kija scooped her into the heap of young
Dragons. Farn was close behind, greatly upset still, and Kija
crooned softly, urging him to lie here and rest too. Ikram and
Farn’s silvery blue heads sank lower and Kija sang on over her
children.

It took the People very
little time to collect themselves and the city and Chambers of
Learning were soon functioning normally again. There were many
faces missing in the classes though, and sorrow hung like an
invisible miasma over them all. Nolli had needed sleep, more so
than Ryla. Where Nolli had been shocked, Ryla had been infuriated.
She hid her grief at the deaths of so many of her colleagues – most
of whom she had trained herself, behind her anger. She was
distressed over the mental crippling also, but expressed most
concern for Kija’s daughter Nya.

Kija was keeping Nya
asleep much of the time, to ensure both the torn wing and her
twisted spine remained as immobile as possible. Uma had stayed
close to Nolli, mourning the loss of her brood sister, Ulla. Meppi
had worked hard, hunting for her and for Kija whilst Brin was in
Gaharn with Tika and Farn.

It was the late
afternoon of the third day after the devastating power surge that a
weary Merig plodded into Emla’s hall. He shook snow from his person
with much clattering of feathers, then climbed onto a stool. Only
Kija, Ikram, Nya and Shar were absent as he related the news from
the northern stronghold. Brin and Farn were enormously excited at
learning of Gremara’s existence, even though it had been she who
caused such injuries and deaths. The Merig seemed to doze as
comments flew on the news he’d brought. Eventually he gave another
rattling shake and told them of Rhaki’s appearance in Return and of
the tower he was now raising.

‘Well, I expect it’s
done by now. The messages take longer from the south at this time.
It is egg hatching time there, you understand,’ he
explained.

Ryla studied him. ‘It
should be nest building time here, should it not?’

The Merig blinked
solemnly. ‘The cold and snow last longer than usual this cycle,’ he
agreed.

‘So whatever Rhaki did
to the weather patterns as perhaps a means of defence for himself,
has stayed in place.’ Tika suggested

‘It sounds very likely
child,’ Ryla nodded. ‘Could Dessi work out what he did, and undo it
do you suppose?’

‘Mim or Kera would know
more of Dessi’s abilities now, than I would. Could you ask about
that, Merig, when you hand on your messages north?’

The Merig clattered his
horny beak, blinking rapidly as he drew himself up.

‘Any message you tell
me, will be passed exactly as you speak it.’ His tone was one of
injured dignity.

Emla managed a faint
smile. ‘In that case Merig, we will compose a suitable message for
you to take on in the morning. You look weary now – why not rest
here tonight? Erm, we have no meat quite as old as I know you
prefer, but there is fresh meat?’

The Merig stared at
her. ‘Kind of you Lady. Perhaps this once. The snow and wind do
make flying hard work,’ he admitted, hopping off the stool. ‘I will
visit the golden Dragon now.’

He plodded towards the
double doors, one half of which was propped ajar, and peered out at
the everlasting snow. As he disappeared from view, Tika
asked:

‘Do you suppose Merigs
are ever jolly?’

Shan giggled. ‘Likes to
seem important. I’ve found a lot of males are like that.’ She
blushed, realising everyone had heard what she’d meant only as a
murmur to Tika.

‘Time is all that will
mend the hurt ones now. But time is moving too fast.’ Nolli spoke
over Shan’s embarrassment. ‘I grieve for my people hurt by the
silver Dragon, and all the others, but Tika must go south now. I do
not know if Mim will try to seek out Gremara at once, or if he will
hold back, but Rhaki must be confronted.’

Ryla’s long fingered,
bony hand enveloped the ancient Delver’s misshapen one.

‘You speak truly I fear
Nolli. Our concern must concentrate first on Rhaki.’

‘Farn is still not
fully fit,’ Gan objected.

Farn stretched his neck
up, eyes flashing blue glints. ‘Of course I’m fit now. We can leave
whenever you wish.’

Brin’s eyes whirred
scarlet in agreement. Gan groaned.

‘Go to Kija and discuss
it with her,’ he ordered them both.

‘And what will you do
when you actually face Rhaki?’ Nolli asked quietly. ‘It seems clear
that Mim has gained great strength from within himself and from
Gremara. You are strong Tika, but – strong enough for
Rhaki?’

‘Do you envisage a
battle of power, such as that between him and Jerak?’ Ryla asked
Nolli.

The Wise One sighed. ‘I
fear so. Although Tika has grown in the power, so, it would seem,
has Rhaki.’ She shrugged helplessly. ‘But Tika is the one who is
sent to face him. That I know to be the truth.’

‘Tika will not only
face Rhaki but her previous owner, Hargon of Return,’ said Gan. ‘Do
you imagine he will welcome her reappearance, accept her changed
situation and agree to help her? Stars, do you seriously think he
will even speak to her? These Sapphreans do not speak of ‘women’,
only of ‘females’. Females are defined by their connection to men,
as breeders of sons and grandsons.’

Khosa yawned
prodigiously from her pillow by the hearth. ‘They will have to
learn differently then, won’t they Gan?’

Ignoring the Kephi, Gan
turned to Tika. ‘Will Kija travel with us, now that Nya is hurt?
Farn may just be fit to carry you, and Brin can take myself and
Sket. I would feel happier with two more Guards to accompany us at
least. You must know what store the southern lords set by
escorts.’

Nolli spoke then,
repeating what she’d said earlier. ‘With or without the golden one,
you must leave no later than the day after tomorrow. I feel an
urgency now, worse than before.’

Emla seemed about to
speak but Ryla forestalled her.

‘No, you will not be
going with them Emla.’

Emla bit her lip then
asked: ‘Should not one of us go though – Gan has little talent in
the power, and I think Tika should have some support.’

Silence reigned as the
suggestion was considered. Finally Ryla asked: ‘How badly was Kemti
affected Emla? He is at least known to Tika. She has enough to deal
with without having to get used to yet someone else.’

Emla smiled. ‘He was
fortunately one of the few who instinctively shielded against the
cry from Gremara. He was thus unharmed. Would you agree to Kemti
joining you Tika?’