"I think they've scented water," Leena said. She wondered suddenly how she knew that. Was it part of her mysterious power?
"Give the horses their heads, they'll take us right to it." Varley dropped his reins. Instantly his horse's head swiveled off to the left. All three trotted eagerly to a deep little stream, snaking its way through the dry grass.
"Break for lunch?" Camryn suggested, dismounting so he could stick his head in the creek. He came up sputtering and shaking water everywhere.
"Izzy, what—" Leena watched, amazed, as the tiny white and orange kitten climbed down her pantleg, then jumped to the ground from her foot. "Well, okay, but don't get stepped on." A disgusted tail flick was his response to that.
They broke out the packets Mairead had prepared for them, finding more filled rolls.
"Anybody know how far to the next town?" Leena asked.
Varley pulled out his map. "According to this, there's nothing until we reach the other side of those hills. Then there's villages all along the road. The next city of any size is Caissa, and that is perhaps a week away."
"Blast. This grit is getting into everything. One of those villages better have a bathhouse."
"You and your baths," Camryn teased fondly.
"Yes, and who was it that just stuck his head in the creek? It wasn't me. . . although that may be a good idea."
"Try it, you might like it!"
"I may, at that." She finished her meal, then followed Cam's example and stuck her head in the creek. When she straightened back up, the wet slap of her braid against her back made her gasp. She did feel better, though.
Back on the road, Leena gave Cam a significant look as she pulled her horse up beside Varley. He nodded understanding and dropped back out of earshot. This was the first complete privacy they had enjoyed since the night in the forest, and Leena meant to make use of it.
"So what's wrong, my friend? There's something bothering you, I can tell, and it has been for a long time. What is it?"
"I shouldn't have left."
"What?"
"I ran, with no thought for my people. What will happen to them now?"
"You had to run, to save your life. Cam's argument still stands. What would happen to your people if you died screaming on a stake?"
Varley shuddered but made no reply.
"Your father will choose an heir from a collateral line of your house. Surely you know that."
"But he will not be trained to rule my people. He will at best be a competent manager of a small estate, with no knowledge of how to care for the people of an entire barony."
"Look at it this way. Is your father ailing in any way?"
"No. Why?" Surprise colored his voice.
"Then he will not only be strong enough to deal with your mother, but he will live long enough to school the one he chooses as his heir."
A look of understanding passed across his face. "But I still ran, with no thought but to—"
"To save your own life, and the lives of those you love."
"It is still cowardly."
"Not even the bravest man in the world would walk willingly to his own burning. Look, if you want to beat yourself over the head and wallow in guilt, go right ahead. But there is no reason to. Everything will work out fine."
With that, Leena slowed her mount and allowed Camryn to catch up. "He can be so stubborn sometimes."
"So what is it? Worrying abut his people?"
"Right you are."
Camryn sighed. "Ah well. He'll brood about it until he figures out that there really was no other option."
"And until then, we get to deal with mopey Varley."
Cam snickered. "Remind me never to say that in his hearing. He'd probably knock me flat."
The ride continued on uneventfully. Towards late afternoon, the land began to change. Scattered piles of rock began to appear, offering a break from the monotony of the landscape.
"What is that?" Camryn asked suddenly, breaking a long silence.
"What is what?" Varley looked in the direction Cam pointed. "Smoke. Must be somebody camping there."
They followed the smoke to the largest rockpile they had encountered yet. An old man sat by a fire there, roasting a rabbit on a spit.
"Hail, travelers!" he called in a scratchy voice. "Well met. Care to join me? This here is the finest campsite to be had for many a mile."
Izzy, riding on Leena's shoulder, arched his back and hissed. "Hush, kitten," she soothed.
"We would be glad of the company indeed." Varley dismounted and introduced his companions. Leena wondered if she was the only one who noticed that the old man gave no name.
She sat off to the side, out of the main circle of firelight, as the night grew darker. The three men were laughing and chatting like the best of friends, but Leena could not be entirely at ease with Izzy fussing and growling all evening. The cat did not like the old man at all, and she was inclined to trust his judgment. There was something just not right about the man.
When the second moon rose, the nameless old wanderer decided to call it a night. Leena placed her bedroll on the far side of the fire, away from the men. She was glad, this once, to adhere to social conventions. She didn't think sleeping next to the stranger would be very restful. The last thing she heard before sleep claimed her was the kitten's grumbling complaint, ending in a sharp hiss.
Chapter 11
Leena regained consciousness all in a rush. Completely disoriented, she could make no sense of her surroundings at first. What was that reddish blur in front of her face? And why did her head hurt so bad?
Then she tried to move and realized she was slung facedown over her horse's back. An attempt to move brought agonizing pain to life in her arms and legs. She had been tied to the saddle tightly. She grunted and thrashed, which only succeeded in spooking the horse.
"Now, now, missy. None of that," a scratchy voice admonished.
"You! How dare you—" she gasped and coughed painfully. The dust of the plains threatened to smother her in this position.
"I was just following orders, dear."
"Orders? From whom?" She tried to twist her head so she could see who she was talking to.
"My Master. He told me to go get you, so get you I did. You belong to the Master now." He cackled gleefully.
"Like hell I do! Let me go!" Leena began thrashing and struggling in earnest. Her horse neighed and half-reared. Then pain blossomed in her head and the world went dark.
* * * *
"Leena? Leena, can you hear me? I think she's coming round!"
Leena groaned. "Wha—" she coughed weakly and her head exploded. When the pain subsided, she became aware that someone was holding her up against his chest, while someone else was sponging her face with a wet cloth.
"Shh, don't talk. You're safe now." She should recognize that voice. . . she knew she would, if she could only think. . .
Blackness claimed her again.
* * * *
Urgent meowing roused her this time. A small weight rested on her shoulder, and the meowing aimed directly into her ear. She reached up to brush it away, and the meow broke into a thunderous purr.
"Izzy?"
"Leena? Are you back with us?"
"Cam—what happened?" She was leaning against Camryn. Varley was no longer washing her face. Now he crouched over a small fire, watching a pot anxiously. Apparently satisfied with it, he poured its contents into a cup. The sharp scent of a restorative tea rose into the still air.
"The old man stole you away in the night," Camryn replied grimly. "He left us both with gooseggs on our heads and a highly upset kitten. The horses were spooked and running loose. It took a long time to catch them. Thank God he wasn't trying to hide his trail. We were able to catch up to you by midday. Too bad you weren't awake to see it when we rescued you. I've never seen anything like it. Varley charged the old bastard with his sword out, just like in the tales. . . and just like in the tales, a monster appeared. Hi
s horse stopped and reared, but Varley just cut it in half and did the same for the old man."
Leena tried to sit up, but her head, the kitten, and Camryn all conspired against her. Varley brought the tea over then, helping her hold the cup so it wouldn't spill.
"Thanks," she croaked. The tea eased the burn of her throat, washing the dust away. She leaned back against Cam and waited for the headache-damping properties of the medicine to take effect.
"How can I ever repay you?" she asked, voice still hoarse. Varley shook his head.
"No need. There's no debts among friends."
She wrapped her free hand around his, and he smiled.
"Your poor hands. . ." He lifted it, examining the rope burns and the swelling.
"Frankly, I'm more concerned about my head," she said carefully. The pain was easing back a little bit with the medicine, but it was still dreadful. "Bet I have quite a bump back there. . ."
"Time for you to rest now," Cam said, hearing the way her words were starting to slur. "We'll have to wake you though, with that head injury."
"'sokay. . ." and she was drifting aimlessly through billowing clouds. The pain dwindled down to nothing as she drifted. She was aware of them rousing her periodically, but what her body did was of less interest than the peaceful sensation of floating. Once she brushed up against a glowing something, and sensed startlement, but nothing happened so she drifted on.
Chapter 12
Leena awoke suddenly, completely in her body again. Her head still throbbed, but not with the insistent pain of before. This she could ignore. So she did, struggling into an upright position. Sunrise turned the eastern horizon to liquid gold. Varley leaned against a boulder with his sword laying naked across his lap. Izzy marched up her leg, demanding attention. Camryn lay sprawled nearby.
"How do you feel?"
"Awful. Did you stay up all night?"
"No, Cam and I traded off watches."
Leena shivered, then winced as the involuntary motion jarred her head. "What a barbarian land we have come to."
"Not quite what we expected, is it."
"Not at all." Leena struggled up and saw to her needs as well as she could with no bathwater. She slipped away to relieve herself and returned to find Camryn awake and grumbling.
They decided to press on towards the hills, despite Leena's injuries. The old man had cut off across the wasteland with her, and now the road lay somewhere to the north of them. Hopefully they would strike the road early and make it through the Palantir Hills in time to reach an inn before dark.
As they rode, watchful wariness replaced the carefree air of yesterday. Leena found herself thinking that Malkren must have been right about her. After all, why else would someone want to carry her off? The possibility was at once frightening and exhilarating. To use magic. . .
They struck the road midmorning, and turned west. The hills loomed before them, offering the promise of escape from this wasteland. They pressed onward.
"How are you doing?" Camryn asked. "Both of you," he added, with a frown of concern for Varley.
"I'm fine, Cam. Just a bit tired."
"My head hurts bloody awful, but I'm altogether glad to be riding upright this time." Leena grinned weakly.
"Think you'll make it through the hills?"
"Oh, of course. It's bound to be better on the other side."
They continued ever westward. Soon the horses were climbing the hills, which rose abruptly from the plain. Leena looked about with interest, despite her discomfort. She had never seen hills before, and these looked to be the size of mountains, a feature which she had likewise never beheld. Their native area of Bandor consisted of mostly flat lands, green fields mixed with heavy forests, wide slow ribbons of gently meandering water, civilized farmlands. . .
They stopped at midday beneath a stand of slender trees with smooth white bark, which provided a pleasantly shady area. A small brook threaded its way through the hills. Horses, humans, and kitten all drank thirstily.
Camryn made a small fire and pressed cups of restorative tea on both Leena and Varley. Leena took hers without complaint, sipping to steady her stomach. She had never had such a fierce headache. The constant throbbing made her queasy. She nibbled a bit of dry trail bread, but passed on the dried fruit and meat the others ate. They moved on once Camryn had the fire thoroughly extinguished.
Travel through the steep hills was harder on the horses, but easier on the humans. The temperature even dropped slightly and they no longer rode in complete silence. Leena listened to the men's speculation of what the future would hold, but contributed nothing to the conversation. In her mind, she continued examining the possibility of wielding the mythincal power of magic over and over again, with a growing sense of wonder.
The setting sun painted the hills in shades of orange when they passed through. . . something. Leena felt a cold tingle all through her body, and shivered. "What was that?"
"What was what?"
"We just passed through something that—" she hesitated, unable to find the right words. "Never mind, it was probably nothing."
"No, not 'never mind,'" Varley said, resuming his wary watch of the surroundings. "In this strange place we can't afford to ignore anything, no matter how strange, that may pass for a warning. Stay close, now."
They rode grouped tightly together. Izzy crawled out of the saddlebag, purring. Leena scratched him, wondering how accurate the kitten's senses actually were.
"Greetings, travelers!" A man stepped out into the roadway. He wore a dusty brown robe, calf-length. A pair of well-worn boots and tan trousers showed beneath it. His eyes were warm and friendly beneath his short dark curls.
All three halted their snorting horses. Leena spared a moment to marvel in the change in her companions, suddenly alert and ready for trouble. Both sat straighter in their saddles, hands near weapons and focused on the man with startling intensity.Then she returned her attention to the man in front of them.
He was afoot, with no visible weapons. He looked to be in his middle years, strong and healthy.
"I've been waiting for you. My name is Vindra. Will you join me?" His voice was rich, with the control of a trained musician.
Izzy scrambled down to the ground and launched himself at the stranger, to purr and twine about his ankles. Vindra smiled and bent over to scratch the kitten, then straightened.
Varley and Camryn's hard, wary expressions did not change. Both had eased their horses together in front of Leena.
"And why have you been waiting for us?" Leena hadn't known Varley could sound so cold.
"I am a sorcerer, from Friseia. I sensed your companion back there last night. She was hurt, and bears the mark of the Nameless Ones. I can help."
"And how are we to know you speak the truth?" Camryn had become a stranger as well. Leena was unsure how to deal with this dangerous new side her friends were showing.
"You are not." Vindra smiled pleasantly. "You can only take my word for it. This area here is all under shield. No servant of darkness can penetrate it. I can offer help to your friend, a way to discourage the dark mages who want her."
Leena nudged her horse forward. "What is this help you offer?"
Vindra bent down again and lifted the rapturously purring kitten. He stretched out his hand, and Leena reclaimed Izzy. "I would show you how to disguise your power, so that none can see it without much effort."
"And what will this do to me?" She shuddered at the memory of being cut off from everything.
"Nothing but protect you."
"Well, friends?" She looked at her companions.
"I think this one is your call," Varley said slowly.
"Very well, then." She dismounted. "So, what was that you said, about a mark?" She rubbed the backs of her always-gloved hands unconsciously.
"I shall tell you over supper. Am I right, that you are strangers to this land?"
"We came from Bandor," Varley dismounted also.
"Ah!
That explains a great deal. Come, then. We shall go to my campsite, and I shall make things clear to you."
Vindra had camped in a shady hollow, filled with fresh new spring grass. A shallow pool provided water, and the hollow was ringed with more of the slender trees. A fire burned cheerfully within a ring of stones.
Once the horses were cared for, the three friends joined Vindra at the fire. They all ate a supper of travel rations, washed down by tea and water. When they were finished, Vindra stretched and spoke.
"So, friends, let me tell you why it is that Nameless Ones wish to harm you."
"Wait," Leena interrupted. "First tell us what a Nameless One is."
"It must be wonderful to live in a land where the hand of the Dark One has not touched. . ." he mused. "Nameless Ones are the servants of the Dark One. They have lost their names as a result of a soul-eating ritual, in which their very soul is consumed by the entity which serves the Dark One. There is nothing left of them but the need to follow his orders at all costs."
"And who is this Dark One?"
"He is the most powerful dark mage the world has ever known. He constantly struggles to conquer all the lands, but so far the Old Guard of Larantyne still holds firm against his armies of evil. Should the Old Guard ever fall. . ." he shook his head.
"Larantyne. . . that is where we are going." Varley spoke with sudden interest. "Are you telling me that this Larantyne is engaged in a war with an evil mage? How can an army fight against magic?"
"You take this news calmly, for one who was raised to believe magic is pure nonsense. The Dark One is not all-powerful. His armies of demons die as readily as his armies of Nameless Ones, with the proper weaponry. He has been struggling to win for a thousand years, yet has not overcome the Old Guard yet."
"A thousand years?" Disbelief was plain in Camryn's voice.
"Indeed. The entity which he controls has granted him immortality along with vast powers."
"This is all well and good, but how am I supposed to protect myself from these Nameless Ones?"
"I shall show you now, my dear."
Leena concentrated fiercely as Vindra walked her, step by step, through a basic magic lesson. He taught her how to find her center and ground herself, a way of balancing and stabilizing her mage-energies. Once she had done this, he showed her what her power looked like. Leena was amazed. Once she knew how to look, her whole body was filled with light. Tendrils of light reached out from her to everything around her. Then he showed her how to use her voice to focus her power.