Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series (9 page)

‘I fear it will be
soon. Nolli was adamant that Rhaki be stopped as quickly as
possible. But Farn was so hurt Ryla! The healing Tika did, was
beyond belief.’

‘Tell me again who will
come south?’

‘Farn and Tika. Brin,
the great crimson son of Fenj, said he would come. And Kija – she
will not allow her son Farn out of her sight for a good while yet I
suspect! Gan will be with them and one of the Guardsmen, Sket. He
appointed himself personal guard to Tika when she first came here.’
Emla smiled, remembering Sket’s first flight on a Dragon, his eyes
firmly closed.

‘And will your gardener
be with them?’

‘I don’t know. He seems
to have become firm friends with Fenj. I think Lorak was busy
investigating the Delvers ways of plant cultivation. I fear I may
need a new gardener.’

They fell silent again,
slowly turning the pages of old books, hoping some word might snag
their eye. Then Ryla said:

‘You know, I have
thought lately of the time of our coming here. A decision was made
to deliberately destroy or withhold any information of the time
before. The Seniors then – Jerak’s parents among them, said there
was no going back, so those born here, such as you and I, must not
be forever yearning for what was gone.’

Emla watched Ryla
staring unseeing into the fire, her mind far in the
past.

‘But among the things
we were not to know, how much I wonder now, should we have been
told?’ Ryla’s eyes left the fire and settled on Emla’s face. ‘We
tested all the humans for signs of our power, but we did not
consider other races – such as the Merigs. Not until you began,
amidst much laughter I know, did we learn of the Dragons for
instance.’

‘You mean those born
beyond, might have known that the power or high intelligence is
found in races very unlike ourselves in appearance? Yet somehow we
assumed that only those similar in form to ourselves could compare
mentally with us?’ Emla frowned, trying to shape thoughts only just
considered.

Before either could say
more, Kera and Malesh came back from organising various extra
supplies requested by the northern stronghold.

‘I think we can leave
the day after tomorrow,’ Kera said. ‘We are using more kalfi for
the wagons. I think we could let the Delvers keep some of them in
their Domain, the Guards said there was no difficulty with them
underground.’

Malesh was sorting out
the pile of document cases he’d brought from Gaharn. He passed one
box across to Ryla.

‘There are some very
old papers in there. Khalim thinks from soon after our arrival.
There are legends and tales from humans, both in this region and in
the southlands of Sapphrea. Khalim said Nagums are mentioned in a
couple of places.’

Ryla lifted the lid off
the box and began taking out discoloured pages, frayed at their
edges, mixed with newer paper on which were scribbled notes. She
raised an eyebrow at Malesh. He shrugged helplessly.

‘That was how Khalim
found them. The box they were in, fell to pieces as he touched it
and he just put those papers as they are into this box.’

The woman stood again
on the balcony outside the marbled room where the Chimes of Harmony
hung. She looked over the sleeping city and tried to empty her mind
of the riot of arguments that tumbled through it. She sighed. She
couldn’t loiter out here much longer, the council members would be
wondering where she had vanished to. But their circular discussions
had forced her to escape for a few minutes solitude. Softly,
Thryssa closed the glass door to the balcony, crossed the chamber
and went to her room.

Alya was standing by
the window as Thryssa entered, her back to the room. Thryssa
glimpsed her face reflected in the dark glass and knew that Alya
was struggling to maintain her composure. Temno stood with his back
to the fire, declaiming his views to an unmistakably bored Imshish
and Bagri. Maressa sipped her tea, her expression quite devoid of
emotion. Temno broke off what he was saying as Thryssa came into
the room and slipped into her high-backed chair. Alya and Temno
quickly resumed their seats and five faces turned to
Thryssa.

As though there had
been no break in the discussion Bagri said: ‘I strongly advise that
this time of our seclusion be ended Thryssa. We must know, and
soon, what is happening again beyond our lands.’

‘And I strongly advise
against any such foolishness.’ Temno glared at Bagri. ‘What happens
outside of the Vagrantian lands is of no concern to us.’

Thryssa lifted her
hand. ‘You are both right, and both wrong.’

Alya closed her eyes
briefly, suddenly aware of what Thryssa was going to suggest. She
opened them to find Imshish staring at her and knew he too had
guessed what Thryssa would announce.

‘We must ask for a
seeing from one of the Kedara Circle. There is no one here in
Parima Circle who has studied those talents to any degree of
expertise. I have already sent for Jilla to apprise her of my
decision. My request, I should say.’ She stared Bagri to silence as
he began to object. ‘No Bagri. I will only compromise this far as
yet. Until we know more of what is happening in the western lands,
I authorise no envoy to leave Vagrantia.’

‘There is no need for
scrying,’ Temno argued. ‘We are safe here and undisturbed in all
these Cycles. Thus we can remain. But once news spreads in the
Circles of what might be discovered beyond Vagrantia, all the
reckless and adventurous fools will yearn to venture
forth.’

‘I think not,’ said
Maressa calmly. ‘Those who scry, have rarely been
gossips.’

Alya remembered that
several members of Maressa’s family had studied the arts of
Air.

‘So any rumours that
might whisper among the Circles, could only come from one of us,’
Maressa continued.

Temno’s face flared
scarlet but Thryssa spoke first, her eyes on Maressa.

‘Enough. Already you
encourage discord. If you do so easily among us of the council, how
much more easily and quickly will it thrive among the people of the
Circles?’

Imshish nodded slowly.
‘I agree with Thryssa.’

Temno scowled at
him.

‘And I agree,’ said
Alya.

‘And I.’ Maressa smiled
distantly.

‘I agree so far,’ said
Bagri. ‘But I would beg that we begin to prepare, in case there is
a need to consider defending ourselves.’

There was a silence as
Thryssa pondered Bagri’s suggestion. ‘I think you can prepare to
the extent of written plans, for our perusal Bagri, and no
more.’

Bagri nodded, relieved
that he had persuaded Thryssa that far at least. Everyone looked at
Temno. His flush had faded but his eyes were defiant.

‘I disagree with any
sort of contact outside of Vagrantia. We were forced to find refuge
from the cruelty of that outside world. Let us remain aloof from
them forever. If they now find themselves in difficulties, let them
discover their own solutions.’

‘Your objection is
noted Temno. I suggest we end now and meet again in four
nights.’

Thryssa stood and the
five councillors also rose and left the room, wishing Thryssa
goodnight.

Thryssa moved to a
chair by the fireside and sank into it with a tired sigh. An inner
door opened and a man came in and sat opposite Thryssa. She
smiled.

‘You heard most of
that, I presume Kwanzi? It went as I’d thought. Maressa, as always,
is so damnably enigmatic, I wonder sometimes if she herself knows
what she’s thinking.’

Kwanzi chuckled. ‘I’ve
wondered the same myself,’ he agreed. ‘Alya and Imshish would
follow you to death itself, and beyond.’

‘I know. I think Bagri
is of a similar mind but he yearns to protect us all. That could
lead to difficulties, the line between defence and attack blurs too
easily in such a determined mind, I fear.’

‘You hadn’t mentioned
to me that you had requested Jilla’s presence? Will you not have to
consult with the Speakers of all the Circles to allow a far-seeing
attempt though?’

‘Yes. I sent messages
today asking for them all to attend me as soon as they
may.’

‘Not
immediately?’

‘Kwanzi, I do not wish
a panic. I personally believe that we have some time to make our
decisions – not much, but enough. I have not summoned the Speakers
urgently, as to do so would arouse too much interest as
yet.’

Kwanzi stretched and
yawned. ‘I think it’s time we went to bed, my dear.’ He rested his
hands lightly on Thryssa’s shoulders looking down at the dark red
hair now streaked broadly with white.

When Elyssa arrived at
the Corvida next day Alya’s room and the balcony were empty. She
hung her light jacket behind the door and swung the kettle further
over the fire. She looked at the papers scattered on the table to
get an idea of what Alya’d been working on last night. She sat
down, slowly deciphering the strangely spelt and archaic writing.
The lines were faded in places and several interpretations could be
made of single words.

Elyssa drew a blank
page and a writing stick towards her and began making notes. She
became so engrossed that she didn’t realise Alya was there until a
mug of redberry tea was pushed under her nose.

‘You’re getting through
that quite fast,’ Alya commented.

Elyssa rubbed her
forehead and picked up the tea. ‘Once you get the feel of it, it
isn’t too bad. Look. The writer forms several letters in a very odd
way. But once you recognise them, it’s fairly
straightforward.’

As she sipped her tea,
she studied Alya. The older woman looked tired, her brown hair
fraying out from its rough braid and shadows under her grey
eyes.

‘Thryssa has asked
Jilla to come from Kedara. And all the Speakers.’ Alya said
quietly.

‘Jilla?’ Elyssa’s mind
was already absorbing the implications of the High Speaker asking
one with an air talent to visit her. ‘The Chimes rang only once did
they not

Alya?’

‘Once is once more than
at any time since we created Vagrantia.’

‘All knowledge of the
use of circles was destroyed though. We were taught that in our
earliest classes Alya. Every one of the people agreed that after
the circle in the upper chamber here was laid, all knowledge of its
making and its use should be lost.’

‘The written
information was surely destroyed.’ Alya shrugged. ‘How can you make
anyone forget that which is in their minds? I would guess most
secrets would have been passed on within the families most
concerned with particular areas of power.’

‘Can’t Thryssa just ask
outright if anyone has the memories within them?’

‘Can you seriously
think anyone would admit to keeping such forbidden things alive in
their families?’

‘Oh.’ Elyssa frowned.
‘I suppose others would begin to wonder who else had kept
secrets.’

‘And so suspicion and
discord would spread,’ Alya finished for her.

‘It is common talk that
the ones who study air could scry the lands far from here as well
as just the weather patterns. Do you think they do?’

‘We will know soon
enough Elyssa. Meanwhile, we’ve piles of records still to check
through.’

Jilla’s short reddish
gold hair blew across her face as she walked steadily through the
passage that tunnelled between the overlapping first and fourth
crater circles. She wore a fleece-lined jacket, trousers and boots,
a travel pack on her shoulders. As she emerged at the Parima end of
the two-league passage she stopped, leaning on the staff of pale
wood that she carried.

Parima spread below
her, its fields and farmlands slowly stirring to life in the
growing warmth, as was the case in her own Kedara Circle. The paved
path led down to the crater floor nearly a league below. She looked
further along the great black encircling walls to her right, and in
the distance saw the building of the Corvida. The single central
chamber of the topmost storey glittered in the afternoon sunlight,
its black façade inlaid with crystal in geometrical
designs.

Jilla knew Parima and
the Corvida buildings well from frequent visits, but this visit was
different from all previous ones. She wriggled the pack more
comfortably on her shoulders and began the descent to the
wayfarer’s lodge where she would spend the night. With an early
start tomorrow, she should reach the Corvida by mid afternoon, and
find out for sure what Thryssa would ask of her.

Chapter
Seven

Hargon told Rhaki that
he had to make another trip away from Return shortly. Raben of
Tagria was expecting him – he usually visited as the warmer weather
began. Rhaki nodded, these untrusting little men and their odd
ways!

‘Perhaps you will find
my tower’s first floors completed when you come back
Hargon.’

‘Will we not witness
this lifting of the stones?’ Hargon asked innocently.

Rhaki’s lips pursed
then he said: ‘Maybe your children might like to observe the event.
It was pleasing to meet them Hargon. The eldest – Bannor was it? –
seemed well mannered and a sturdy child.’