Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series (35 page)

‘Know that I can help
him child. And as he is the one who carries you, and you have been
Chosen to carry what you do, every Dragon of my Flight will defend
and protect you should such need arise.’

Tika’s jaw dropped in
astonishment. Mist’s words rang with simple truth and Tika believed
them. But she had felt the independent wildness within the sea
Dragons and had not thought that they would bother overmuch with
the fate of two legged strangers. Again Tika revealed her oval
pendant.

‘Is it because of this?
Is it so important? Mim and I do not even know what they really
are.’

Mist’s eye was glued to
the gently revolving pendant and Tika stared at it too.

‘Inside, there is -
’

‘I know what is
inside,’ Mist interrupted her. ‘And I marvel that I have survived
long enough to see such a thing.’

‘Are they so very
important?’

Mist shifted her weight
to lean against the cliff side. ‘Oh yes. We have stories that tell
of their hiding long ages gone. Before the two legs built their
strange cliffs here. And I knew when they were taken from hiding
half a cycle past.’ She tilted her head to see Tika clearly. ‘More
have been freed of late. There is one which is the most precious
and that one too is in the world again.’

Tika had no idea what
Mist was talking about. She knew the strangers from Drogoya had
brought a pendant with them – she must ask Ren more of
that.

‘One of our company
comes from the land on the far side of this world – you will have
heard his story? The leader of the people who fled from here, she
told of something called the Void. We think it was creatures from
that place who attacked us when we arrived here.’

‘And attacked some of
my Flight a few days before.’ Mist’s eye flashed with sudden
anger.

‘If you know of these
pendants, do you know aught of these other things?’ Tika pressed
on.

Seboth’s scouts had
informed him of Hargon’s arrival at the way station close to Far.
He was told at mid morning of Hargon’s approach to the town itself
– with a minimum escort. Seboth quickly ordered two squads, already
positioned in the thinly wooded hills near the way station to be
watchful for the prearranged signal. Then the Lord of Far went down
to the main courtyard to be ready to receive his
visitors.

Lady Lallia waited
above stairs beside a screened grill set high in the wall of the
reception hall to which Seboth would invite Lord Hargon. Lallia
heard the hooves ring on the stones of the yard and kept watch on
the door below her. Armsmen in the green uniforms of Far entered
and stood to either side of the doorway. Then Seboth walked into
sight, Hargon at his side. Behind, but only by half a pace,
slouched the newly appointed Armschief of Return, Trib, of whom
Lallia had heard much and none of it pleasant.

Three paces behind him,
walked officers Tarin and Fryss, and Lallia knew instantly how
unhappy they were with the present state of affairs. Their
expressions were blank, notice in itself of their confusion. They
halted and stood smartly to attention, stark contrast to Armschief
Trib’s casual stance and crumpled dark grey uniform.

Meran stood by the
inner door, overseeing servants who offered refreshments to the
visitors. When dishes had been set for the men to help themselves
and jugs of ale and water stood ready by a line of goblets, the
servants disappeared with Meran.

‘No females flocking
about you Seboth?’ Hargon’s voice was cold and harsh. ‘How can you
bear to be parted from them – I thought they were always permitted
to attend you in your household?’

Seboth poured himself
some water and sat down.

‘My wife is unwell at
present.’

‘Unwell?’ Hargon barked
a laugh, although it sent chills down Lallia’s back. ‘How
opportune!’

Seboth studied the Lord
of Return coolly. ‘She is breeding again, so I command her to guard
her health at such times.’

Hargon flinched and
turned away at this subtle stab at his now childless state.
Armschief Trib was already pouring a second goblet of ale for
himself, Lallia saw, although the two officers had not
moved.

‘I come to persuade you
from your foolhardy ways Seboth. All aspects of life in Sapphrea
have become too lax in this generation, and you exemplify this
laxness even in the way you allow such ridiculous freedoms to your
females.’

To Lallia’s practised
eye, Seboth’s mild expression had become somewhat strained and she
clenched her fists, willing him not to lose his temper.

‘There are no more
Gangers to war with now Hargon. Our lands are secure. Some
tolerance is but small reward for the hardships our people endured
but a few cycles back.’

‘Tolerance.’ Hargon
spat the word out. ‘You have allowed the old blood to revive and
strengthen among you – I could smell it from the moment I reached
your town border. I tell you, you will cull it from your people, or
I will.’

Seboth placed his
goblet deliberately and carefully on the table and got to this
feet. He stood easily, his hands loosely hooked on his
belt.

‘I give the commands in
Far, Hargon, and never will I command that any man, woman or child
be killed because they “might” have old blood in their veins. And
you are no longer welcome here. You and your men will leave now,
unharmed. But the instant that you clear my boundaries, we are
foes.’

Hargon’s hand slammed
onto his sword hilt as he glared across the room at Seboth. Lallia
saw her husband’s face lose colour, his eye widen in surprise
before cold determination clenched his jaw while he stared back at
the Lord of Return. Hargon glanced at his Armschief, who was
peering into the depths of the ale jug with an air of dejection,
then at his two unmoving officers.

‘You have let your
armsmen grow soft, Seboth. My men will treat them as playthings ere
they kill them. Come.’

Hargon strode to the
door, Trib staggering in his wake. Seboth gestured to his own men
to follow Hargon and then eyed the officers still standing before
him. They dropped to their knees, unbuckling sword belts and laying
the weapons on the floor in front of them. The veteran Tarin looked
up at Seboth.

‘Kill us now Lord
Seboth. We cannot serve whatever has possession of Lord
Hargon.’

Seboth raised his hand
to silence the elderly armsman.

‘This constant talk of
killing grows tedious. If you ask for refuge in Far then be assured
you are offered it. The price is information regarding Hargon’s
immediate plans for my town.’

Tarin did not hesitate.
‘He has a large force at the way station. They will attack at his
signal.’

For the first time,
Tarin glanced at Fryss before looking back to Lord
Seboth.

‘I think he suspected
that we would try to stay here – he did not tell us what his signal
was to be.’

Lallia felt a sudden
surge of power and realised that her husband was checking the truth
of Tarin’s words. He nodded slowly and beckoned the two armsmen who
remained by the door.

‘I think you had best
change your clothes – that uniform will be inviting target practise
from now on. Keep your daggers but for the moment I would have you
leave your swords here.’

Seboth picked up the
two swords and put them on the table.

‘My men will get you
other clothes,’ he continued, but was interrupted by
Fryss.

‘We would both be proud
to be permitted to take the uniform of Far Sir Lord.’

Seboth paused then
nodded. ‘Very well. Take them to Meran when they have changed their
clothes,’ he instructed one of his armsmen. The other was ordered
to fetch Seboth’s first and second officers at once. The room
emptied and Seboth looked up at the grill with a rueful
smile.

‘No worse than we
anticipated my love,’ he said.

‘But what was wrong
Seboth? Hargon had his back to me so I could not see his
expressions.’

‘His eyes. There were
flames within them – did you not see how red they have
become?’

‘Do you think it is the
affliction Lady Emla spoke of?’

An armsman came
hurrying in and Seboth swung round to hear his message.

‘Sir Lord, the two
officers say that Lord Hargon seeks information of the strangers
who travel with Dragons. He has scouts ranging across most of the
northern territories looking for them.’

‘There is more,’ Seboth
stared at the armsman.

‘Officer Tarin said
Lord Hargon’s methods of questioning folk is extremely unpleasant
and it involves much torture Sir Lord.’

‘If Officers Tarin or
Fryss have any other details, tell them I will see them later.
Meanwhile, begin the signal procedures at once.’

The armsman trotted
away while a group of Seboth’s officers came quickly into the
hall.

‘All defensive
positions are manned Sir Lord.’

Lallia heard that one
report as she slipped away from her watching post and climbed up to
the floor which led to the sun tower. She stretched her hand to
open the door to her apartments, and froze.

‘Lallia? Is it safe to
speak with you?’

‘Maressa?’ Lallia
whispered both aloud and in her mind. ‘Wait one moment and I will
be alone.’

Lallia went swiftly
into her maids’ sitting room, heading for the winding stair up to
her private chambers.

‘No, no,’ she assured
the girls. ‘I wish to sleep for a little while. I will call should
I need you.’

Once in her own sitting
room, Lallia sat on a heap of pillows. ‘Maressa? How can you speak
to me from such a distance as I believed the coast to
be?’

Maressa laughed. ‘I am
but twenty leagues west of you Lallia. Brin and I come for some
supplies. We hoped you would be generous enough to provision us
once again.’

Lallia clasped her head
in her hands. ‘Maressa, listen.’

As quickly as she
could, Lallia explained how the problems with Lord Hargon of Return
had degenerated into a war situation. Maressa remained silent while
she tried to decide on her best options.

‘Maressa, you must not
come any nearer Far, and Brin must not be seen – Hargon is
determined to kill you all.’

Maressa described the
area in which she and Brin were currently resting, relaying an
image of sparsely wooded slopes and coarsely grassed plains
stretching east and south.

‘Seboth will know where
you are. I will try to organise what you need.’

Lallia squeaked when
Maressa began to recite a list of requirements.

‘Wait! Let me write it
down!’

When the list was made,
Lallia studied it for a moment. ‘None of this should pose any
problems, but getting it to you may take a couple of days Maressa.
I will try to speak to Seboth, but you can imagine he is a little
busy just now,’ she finished with wifely understatement.

She sensed Maressa’s
amusement.

‘I will leave it to you
to mind speak me when you can Lallia. I am sorry it seems unlikely
that we shall meet for now.’

The link was broken and
Lallia sat staring at the scribbled list. She went to the door and
called for one of her maids to summon Meran. Meran arrived in a
short while, suggesting to Lallia that he was keeping close
personal watch on the sun tower. Rapidly she explained that Maressa
had bespoken her and that she needed these supplies for the party
who had travelled to the coast. Meran knew all that had transpired
while the strange visitors had stayed in the House of Far and
accepted all with equanimity. He had sworn his life forfeit to the
wellbeing of Lady Lallia in her cradle at Tagria, and had been
prepared to pay that forfeit every day of her life
since.

‘I shall gather these
items in one of the empty stables,’ he told her now. ‘Do you wish
me to tell Lord Seboth? He is at present checking that the people
are secure within the town. Many farmers have come in the last few
days seeking refuge, as you know.’

It was growing dark
before Seboth appeared in Lallia’s chambers. ‘I cannot stay long.
There is much fighting around the way station. According to reports
I am getting, the Return men fight like madmen whenever Hargon is
in their midst but seem to have no heart for it when he is
elsewhere. They have taken heavy losses but still Hargon urges them
to fight on.’

‘Did Meran tell you of
Maressa’s presence but twenty leagues west?’

‘Yes.’ Seboth frowned.
‘He has arranged for the provisions I understand so that two riders
can leave at full dark. Show me the place Maressa pictured for you.
Oh yes. I know it.’ His frown deepened. ‘It is too exposed there,
particularly for such a very large, very red Dragon.’ He chewed his
lip. ‘There is a ravine a few leagues south of that spot, they
would be safer there. Call Maressa’s mind and I will explain it to
her.’

Lallia concentrated as
Maressa herself had taught her. She concentrated harder. Then she
looked at her husband in horror.