Jayne Castle [Jayne Ann Krentz] (28 page)

the small fire she had built. When she realized he was awake, she brought the mug toward the bed,

holding it out to Ridge with grave politeness.

"I thought you might like to drink your tea while you dressed." She didn't quite meet his eyes.

She was embarrassed, Ridge thought with sudden perception. She had never before performed the

traditional wifely duty of bringing him the morning tea in bed. For that matter, the moment was a little

awkward for him, too. Ridge had never had any woman bring him tea in bed. Of course, he had never

been married before. There was a first time for everything. He could get to like this small ritual, he

decided as he took the mug from Kalena's hand.

"Thank you," he murmured as he took a sip of the invigorating brew.

She hesitated by the pallet. "You were kind to me last night," Kalena finally said very earnestly.

"You implied I was a short-tempered, abusive trade husband," he said dryly.

She waved the night's argument aside as if it were an entirely separate matter. "I meant later, in bed. You

held me and soothed me. I was very tense because of what had happened. I appreciate your concern

and care."

Ridge felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the hot tea he was drinking. He wanted to tell her she

had a right to such treatment from him because she was his wife, but he was afraid she would misinterpret

his words and think he was talking about duty and obligation again. So he merely nodded his head as

casually as possible and said, "I appreciate the tea."

They looked at each other for a long moment. Then Kalena smiled tentatively and turned to finish her

packing.

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A short while later, Ridge finished fastening the travel bags to the creet saddles, double-checked the

saddle buckles, and handed one set of reins to Kalena. She took them with gloved hands. The morning

air was chill with the promise of mountain snow In addition to her gloves she wore a furlined travel cloak

over her riding clothes, the hood pulled up over her head. Ridge too wore a lined cloak and warm,

flexible lanti skin gloves. The creets fluffed out their feathers to insulate themselves against the cold and

pranced forward with their usual willingness.

Kalena glanced back at the quiet inn as Ridge led the way out of the yard. "I'm glad you changed your

mind about yelling at the entire Village Council," she said.

"I didn't change my mind," he informed her arrogantly. "I just didn't want to waste any more time."

"Yes, of course," she murmured, hiding a tiny smile. "We wouldn't want to waste any more time. All the

same, thank you for restraining yourself."

He glanced back. "You would have been embarrassed, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," she admitted. "I'm quite sure the Village Council had absolutely nothing to do with the failure of

those lamps last night. Furthermore, I met some nice women in the spa and I would have felt awkward if

you had turned around this morning and humiliated them by using your clout against their husbands."

Ridge shook his head. "Women," he muttered, but he sounded oddly indulgent.

Kalena breathed a sigh of relief and reached down to stroke her creet's neck feathers. Diplomacy, she

was discovering, was another useful skill for a wife. It occurred to her that last night was not the first time

she had managed to douse the Fire Whip's temper. She really was getting quite proficient at the task.

The wind that swept through the mountains had a definite bite to it now. The creets climbed higher and

higher into the pass, following the old trail that had been carved out by the first High Healers when they

had decided to move into the mountain reaches. Even during the height of summer, this trail could be

chilly. The snow on the peaks of the Heights of Variance never completely disappeared.

When Ridge called a halt for lunch he took the time to build a small fire so that Kalena could prepare a

warming mug of tea. He stood watching as she carefully boiled the water and added the yant leaves.

"We should reach the wall of white mist the caravans complained about by tomorrow evening if we

continue at this pace," he remarked thoughtfully.

"Where do we camp tonight?"

"There are some shelters along the trail built by the early traders. Creet rations are kept stocked in them

along with emergency supplies. We'll stop at one this evening."

Kalena nodded and finished the meal preparations. "I'mglad we won't have to spend the night out in the

open. It's so cold here."

Ridge smiled faintly. "You don't have to worry, Kalena. I wouldn't force my wife to sleep in the snow"

"Very reassuring."

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The shelter they located just before the early mountain dusk descended was reasonably cozy once the

lamps had been lit and Ridge had built a fire on the hearth. Stable space for the creets adjoined the main

room, enabling the animals to share the warmth of the fire. The proximity of the animals didn't bother

Kalena. For one thing, she had spent too much time in a farming community to be offended by the idea of

sharing space with animals. For another, she was simply too tired to think much about it. If Ridge chose

to claim his marital rights tonight, he would have to find some method of keeping her awake first. She

was sound asleep before he returned from checking the creets.

Kalena had expected nightmares after the previous evening's horrors, but she had suffered none so far.

The mountains around them were cold, but the temperature was the natural chill of approaching snow.

Kalena shifted slightly when Ridge got into bed beside her. She felt his arms go around her waist before

she drifted back into sleep.

They reached the wall of white mist the following day, just as the last of the sun's rays slipped behind a

high peak. Kalena knew immediately that the mist was no ordinary cloud caught among the mountains.

She reined in her creet behind Ridge and stared at the veil of glistening whiteness that stretched

completely across the pass.

On either side of the trail the mountains rose in stark, snowcapped peaks that were impossible to

ascend. Nor was there any way around the ridges into the valley on the other side. The High Healers had

chosen a well protected location and they had sealed the only entrance with a wall of snow colored mist.

"So this is what the traders meant," Ridge said softly as he swung himself out of the saddle and went

forward to examine the barrier. "Ithought they musthave been talking about snow or clouds that had

somehow blocked the pass. But this is no natural mist." He put out a hand to touch the shimmering wall

and instantly yanked it back, swearing quietly.

"What's wrong?" Kalena asked. She dismounted and went to stand beside him. "Is your hand all right?"

"Damn Healers," Ridge muttered, shaking his hand as if to rid it of something that still clung. "Yeah, it's all

right. What in the name of the Stones have those women done?"

"They've sealed themselves off from Quintel's traders."

"Obviously, but why? And how? What is this white stuff?" Ridge paced across the width of the pass

peering closely at the curtain of white. He pulled his sintar out of its sheath and probed cautiously at the

veil.

The reaction was immediate. The sintar glowed in his hand, just as if he had somehow activated it in the

heat of fury. Ridge stared at the blade in amazement, knowing that for the first time the steel had

responded to something other than his rage. Slowly, the glow died and he resheathed the weapon.

"This could get tricky," he finally announced.

"Let me try," Kalena said impulsively.

"No, wait, Kalena, I don't want you—"

But it was too late. Kalena had already reached out to touch the white mist. Her hand went into it easily

with no obvious effect, disappearing up to her wrist. "It's like touching fog," she said wonderingly. Slowly,

she withdrew her fingers. They felt fine. "I don't think this is going to be any problem at all, Ridge."

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"Kalena, several trading caravans led by experienced traders have been turned back by this stuff. One

trade master didn't return at all. Don't be too sure of yourself."

She glanced back at him, confidence flowing through her. "But I amsure of myself, Ridge. Very sure.

You brought me along to get you through this veil, didn't you?"

"You're here to deal with the Healers," he stated. "Not to take chances. I'm the one who's paid to take

the chances."

"But to deal with the High Healers, I have to go through this." She turned back to the white mist and

stepped into it before Ridge realized exactly what she was doing.

"Kalena!"

His anxious shout faded almost instantly as Kalena moved into the mist. It closed gently around her,

cutting off all sound and all sensation. She no longer felt the mountain chill. She felt nothing except a sense

of peace. She felt as if she were suspended in a universe of shimmering white. There was no feeling of

impending danger as there had been with the black mist in the caverns. Just the opposite, in fact. Here lay

safety and serenity and warmth.

Opposites. Natural opposites. When one existed, so must the other. All things on the Spectrum seek

their natural states of balance.

The words drifted through Kalena's mind as she floated in the strange cloud. This glistening white veil

was the opposite of what she had encountered last night. The exact counterpoint to that dark, endless

cold.

Kalena moved her hands and looked down at them. She could see her gloved fingers clearly, so she

wasn't completely devoid of sensation. Carefully, she took a pace forward, unable to see the rocky path

on which she must be standing. She stretched out her hand, wondering how thick the veil was. Her

fingers disappeared. She moved forward again, following them. At least she thought she was moving

forward. There was no true sense of direction in the mist.

Two more paces brought her through to the other side. She emerged from the shimmering white barrier

and found herself looking down into the greenest valley she had ever seen. It was a small valley, with

steepcanyon walls embracing it and its cluster of cottages. Fields of flowers, herbs and vegetables were

laid out from one side of the valley to the other. The cottages were dottedabout in apleasantly random

arrangement, smoke wafting invitingly from the chimneys. Thepath on which Kalena was standing

descended easily into the heart of the valley. This was the chosen home of the High Healers. She would

have known that without being told. Some, part of her recognized this place—recognized it and

responded to it. For a moment Kalena simply stood and stared in wonder,and then she remembered

Ridge.

Without any hesitation, Kalena stepped back into the mist. It swirled around her as before,but this time

she kept moving. A moment later she steppedout on the other side and found herself in front of Ridge.

"Whathappened in there?" he asked tightly. The tension on his face was obvious.

"Nothing. I just walked through to the other side. It's a little disorienting, but not too difficult to move

through the mist. Let me see if I can lead you through." She reached for his hand.

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"I don't know, Kalena. I couldn't even touch the stuff a few minutes ago. It may be something only a

woman can pass through. You may have to go contact the Healers yourself and see if they'll let me

through."

"I'll try taking a creet first," Kalena suggested, reaching for a set of reins.

The creet stopped at the wall of mist, opened its beak and stuck out its tongue as if to taste the

shimmering barrier. Kalena waited until it had satisfied itself that there was no danger and then she

stepped through, tugging on the reins. The creet followed obediently. On the far side she tied the reins

around a small rock and went back for Ridge and his animal.

"The creet went right through with no trouble. Come on, Ridge. Try it."

His mouth hardened but he didn't argue further. He put his

hand in hers and allowed Kalena to lead him right up to the wallof white. She stepped in, but when she

tried to pull him after her there was a sudden, fierce resistance. He snatched his hand from her grasp and

Kalena turned to find herself alone in the mist. She walked back out and stood staring at him. Ridge was

cradling his hand, his jaw rigid with pain.

"It's not going to work" he said grimly. "You'll have to go on by yourself and see if you can talk the

Healers into letting me through."

"Something's wrong." Kalena frowned thoughtfully. "You can say that again."

She shook her head. "No, something's wrong with you. There's something that's keeping you from

following me into the mist."

"I'm a man. The Healers have probably rigged this thing to keep out males. Typical piece of female

idiocy."

Kalena ignored that, her mind concentrating on the problem. She knew instinctively that she should be

able to lead Ridge through the mist. There was something on him that was interfering. "Have you still got