Vagrants: Book 2 Circles of Light series (25 page)

‘So Mim has much more
knowledge of power than he should have? He seems no different –
perhaps a little more withdrawn from the rest of us again. Is it
specifically that the Silver Ones’ knowledge is evil
Fenj?’

‘You know that the
power itself is not evil or good Kera, it is the user who turns it
to right or wrong. No. It is the fact that the Silver One’s mind is
tainted now, damaged, bitter, mad, but oh so powerful, and thus so
tempting. And she tempts Mim, showing him how easily he could
destroy all who displease him. The memory of his village, his
family, is still sharp within Mim and unerringly she found that
memory. In her madness is also great cunning.’

Kera began to
understand the enormity of the burden weighing on Mim’s slender
shoulders. She sat silent, thinking furiously on Fenj’s words. She
stiffened.

‘Has her madness
entered Mim’s mind?’ she asked in horror.

‘That is what I fear
Kera. To withstand a mind such as yours or mine, if we chose to
exert our power fully, would take great strength. I cannot say if
Mim is strong enough to resist the Silver One, but I know he is
balanced on a fearfully narrow ledge.’

A bustle at the far
side of the hall brought their conversation to a close as Delvers
appeared with carts loaded with soil from Asat. The door of Lorak’s
workroom opened and he stared, rather glassily, across the hall. He
rubbed his hands together, reached back for his hat and slapped it
on his head, marching across to inspect the delivery. Bikram
followed the old gardener, unsteadily, Kera noted.

Kera told Nesh all she
had learned from Fenj later that evening.

‘Tomorrow Nesh I will
ask Mim to attend me in our chambers. The only thing I can see to
do is to confront him. If he is not contaminated by the Silver
One’s madness yet, I will suggest he allow us to help him. I
believe enough of us have the strength to channel support to him,
should he need it.’

Nesh nodded but he
looked worried. ‘I do not think the Delvers are too strong, only
Dessi, and she has still to recover from experimenting with the
winds and weather. She was close to death you know. I am a healer
and strong in shielding and channelling power. Fenj is strong I
think, but to what extent or in what particular talent, I know
not.’

‘I remember Tika
telling me that Fenj channelled his strength to her through our
healers after one of the battles with the Shardi. It could work
Nesh. And anyway, I see no other choice. Mim cannot be allowed to
bear this alone much longer.’

Nesh shrugged
helplessly. ‘Then when Mim comes up to see you, I will begin
shielding you and I will ask Fenj to do the same.’

Accordingly, the next
evening, when tired Guards and Delvers filled the hall with
laughter, talk and games of dice after supper, Kera slipped
unobtrusively up to her chambers higher in the stronghold. Nesh
glanced across at Fenj, who was with Lorak, Bikram and Lula. The
immense black Dragon turned to look back at Nesh as he felt the
healer’s light touch on his mind.

Nesh took a deep
steadying breath and leaned across the table. Mim was idly watching
a dice game, Ashta’s head resting on his shoulder.

‘Mim, Kera has some
ideas to discuss with you. She is in our chambers if you can spare
her the time now?’

Mim’s head turned
slowly, fire and lamplight glittering on the red gold scales on his
face. It was a considerable effort on Nesh’s part to control a
shiver of apprehension as the turquoise eyes with their vertical
pupils bored into him. Mim placed a hand flat on the table to push
himself to his feet and Nesh found he was staring at that scaled
hand. The nails were nails no longer. They were talons, not so long
as those of the true Dragons, and not retractable he thought. But
still they were talons. Ashta’s eyes were a buttery gold as she
watched Mim walk to the ramp leading to the upper levels, then she
settled again, her chin on the table to wait for his
return.

Mim tapped Kera’s door
and entered at her call. The Senior sat in a deep armchair beside a
small fireplace from which, nonetheless, blazed light and warmth.
She smiled up at Mim as he came in and waved him to another
armchair opposite her. She watched him settle in the chair,
seemingly relaxed, but she noted a certain tension in his body as
he sat there. Kera drew a breath and met Mim’s stare
squarely.

‘How are you Mim? I
know you feel you must carry the burden of the Silver One alone,
but I also know that you cannot.’ She stopped. Mim hadn’t moved but
although it was difficult to see expressions now on his scaled
face, she did see pain, and fear, in his eyes.

‘You have set wards
around this chamber,’ he said softly. ‘Do you fear me then
Lady?’

‘The wards are to
magnify the shielding against the Silver One. It is her I fear Mim,
not you.’

Long moments passed.
Kera saw tiny tremors ripple over Mim’s body.

‘I thought I could
withstand her,’ he whispered finally. ‘But she slides thoughts into
my mind which I long to make reality.’

‘Thoughts of revenge
Mim? Does she keep reminding you of your parents, your brother, and
all your village kin?’

Tears hung like
crystals, reflecting from the firelit scales of his cheeks. His
hands clenched on the arms of his chair.

‘It would be a simple
thing to find those Linvaks, to slay them all, to watch them burn
and suffer.’

Nesh suddenly whispered
in Kera’s mind and she gave the tiniest nod. She left her chair to
kneel before Mim, her long-fingered hands resting lightly on
his.

‘Mim, there are
sufficient of us here to conceal you, if only for a while. You have
been shielding all of us for days, fool that I am not to have
realised ere this. Dear one, trust us to shield you for this night
at least and sleep, sleep properly, not half-aware as you have been
doing. If you let your exhaustion grow, then her madness will
overcome you, of that I am sure.

‘Trust us now, regain
some strength, and then you must talk to us of the Silver One’s
aims.’

Kera was silent, aware
of Mim’s craving for rest battling with Gremara’s insidious dreams.
Her knees were beginning to ache when she felt Mim’s hands turn
palm up beneath hers and cling tightly. His voice was a husky
whisper.

‘I would sleep now
please Kera.’

As the Great Dragons
spiralled lower over Hargon’s hunting lodge, they could see a
semicircle of upturned faces watching their approach. Kadi’s
midnight blue scales shimmered in the light of the lowering sun as
she settled first, with Gan and Riff perched confidently behind her
shoulders. She waited as they slid from their places then she paced
slowly to one side. Her eyes shone with glee as the armsmen and
servants moved several paces back with each of her advancing
steps.

Crimson Brin landed
next, his enormous size bringing gasps from his audience. As Sket
and Drak dismounted and joined Gan and Riff, Brin stretched his
chest and neck even more as he moved to the opposite side from
Kadi.

Kija’s golden scales
flashed like mirrors where they caught the sunlight and she settled
smoothly beside Brin. Kemti stayed at her side as Nomis joined the
other three Guardsmen.

And finally, the
smallest Dragon, all silver blue sparkles, eyes glittering deeper
blue and gold lights in excitement, Farn swooped elegantly to land
between his mother and Kadi. Tika slipped from Farn’s back, moving
quickly to stand close to his chest as Gan moved up beside her.
Sket and Nomis stood at attention on one side of her, Riff and Drak
on the other, smart in their blue uniforms.

Before Hargon could
think quite what to do on such an occasion, there were more gasps
as all four Dragons reared erect, the talons on their spread wings
holding them steady. Kadi’s voice rang clear in every human’s head
as she declared her name and Treasury. Kija called next, followed
by Brin who unexpectedly announced that he was ‘Brin the
Traveller’. Kija’s eyes flashed as she gave him a brief
glare.

Then the silver blue
Dragon’s young voice announced: ‘I am Farn, firstborn son of Kija
of the Broken Mountain Treasury, and this is my soul bond,
Tika.’

The Dragons lowered
themselves again and looked towards Hargon.

He hastily released
Mena’s hand and stepped forward, Navan at his shoulder, four
armsmen behind.

‘I am Hargon, Lord of
Return. I bid you. .’ He stopped, staring hard at Tika. ‘You,’ he
spluttered. ‘What trickery is this? This is a runaway slave of
mine. Take her!’ he ordered furiously.

Kija groaned as Farn
raised himself again, eyes whirring red sparks as he
belched.

Shrieks and curses came
from all around as fire whooshed across the ground at Hargon’s
feet. The Lord of Return hopped backward with alacrity and stared
at Farn in horror.

Farn’s voice rang in
their minds once more, but his eyes were fixed on Hargon. ‘My soul
bond Tika is free. You held her once she told me, but never again
will another think they own her. You threaten her Lord Hargon, and
you threaten me. And I do not like to be threatened.’

‘Oh well done
hatchling,’ Brin murmured.

Farn lowered himself
again, smoke wisping around his nose. Kija intervened as she saw
Tika’s hand move to her sword hilt.

‘Lord Hargon, this
child is my daughter since she bonded her soul to my son’s as he
came from the egg. She is of the Dragon Kin. Perhaps you should try
to think of her thus from this time?’

Hargon stepped
carefully over the line of charred grass and inclined his head
towards Kija.

‘I have been warned
that many thing must change – maybe this is but one of those
things.’ He shot a quick glance at Tika. ‘I will recognise this
girl as Dragon Kin.’

A faint smile twitched
at Tika’s mouth, but it did not reach her eyes. She nodded. ‘I am,
by my own free choice, Tika of the Dragon Kin Lord Hargon. They
have my first allegiance. This is Gan, Captain of the Golden Lady’s
Guards.’

Gan’s tall figure came
forward and he saluted Hargon, hand on Emla’s emblem embroidered on
the breast of his cloak.

‘Captain of the Golden
Lady’s Guards,’ he repeated. ‘Now assigned to serve the Lady
Tika.’

Hargon absorbed the
implication. This was one of the People, highest-ranking officer in
the Lady Emla’s service, and he was telling Hargon that by his
presence here as her escort, Tika was held in great
esteem.

Hargon introduced Navan
as his Chief Arms Man, and with a glance at the Dragons, suggested
refreshments in the lodge.

‘We have eaten,’ Farn
said shortly, red lights still flickering in his faceted
eyes.

‘But we will talk
beside your cave,’ Kija interposed smoothly. She paced regally
towards the shallow steps leading up to the balcony, armsmen
rapidly making way for her. Kadi and Brin moved closer and all
three reclined in their elegant fashion before the
building.

Feeling almost a guest
at his own lodge, Hargon dismissed most of his armsmen, ordered
food and drink to be brought outside and firmly seated himself on
the top of the steps. His eye was caught by Mena, still standing by
the pillar clutching the Merig, her eyes huge as she gazed at the
Dragons. Bannor and Bartos stood to the other side and Hargon
nodded to the boys to remain where they were.

Kemti had moved forward
beside Kija and he now bowed formally to Hargon. ‘I am the Senior
Kemti, here by command of the Golden Lady, to be of what service I
can,’ he said.

Another one of the
People, Hargon thought. Is this one a power user like
Rhaki?

‘No,’ Tika replied
aloud. ‘Not in the way you mean.’

Hargon relaxed, then
jerked his head up as he realised that this SLAVE had answered his
thoughts, not any words spoken aloud.

An orange face,
turquoise eyes glinting, appeared over Tika’s shoulder and a small
Kephi scrambled down to the ground.

‘I was not introduced,’
she announced. ‘I am Khosa, Queen of the Kephi of the Lady’s
Estate.’ She stared icily at Hargon then her gaze drifted on to
Mena, standing there with a Merig tucked under her arm. Khosa
licked her lips daintily and moved purposefully in that
direction.

Servants carried out
bread, fruit, pies and jugs of ale and tea, and placed them on a
bench hastily brought from within the lodge. Tika and Farn had
moved closer now and as he reclined, Tika sat cross-legged on the
ground before him, his head resting on hers. Sket poured a bowl of
tea and carried it to Tika, winked, and resumed his position at her
side.

‘We come because of
Rhaki,’ Tika said aloud. ‘We failed to destroy him in his
stronghold in the north and he vanished. It is only lately that we
learned he came here.’ She glanced at Kemti. He nodded
encouragingly. ‘The Merigs say he has built a tower near your town
Lord Hargon. But we need to know how Rhaki arrived here. Did he
just ride in with an escort or with a group of traders?’

Hargon struggled with
the idea that a near-worthless slave, and a female at that, seemed
to be the spokesperson of this company even over the Senior Kemti,
but he eventually managed to reply: ‘We believe he came by some
foul use of the power. And he came from the south-eastern side of
Return, where he chose to build his tower.’