Several voices in the crowd rose in reply, shouting denials.
“We will not exchange our gods for these corrupt sorcerer priests!” Juran continued.
“No!” came the reply.
“We will drive them back to their heathen temples.”
“Yes!”
“We will show them what it is to worship real gods, with real power.”
The crowd began to cheer. Juran smiled and let them yell their enthusiasm for a while before speaking again.
“The gods have entrusted us, the White, with great power in order that we can protect you. We have called together an army of our own. We Circlians are not a violent people. We do not relish bloodshed. But we will defend ourselves. We will defend each other. We will defend our right to worship the Circle of Gods. And we will win!”
He raised a fist and shook it at the crowd. The response was deafening. Danjin resisted a smile. With the sun shining and Juran’s confidence infecting all, it was hard to imagine them losing this battle. Not that I can imagine us losing the battle anyway, he mused. How can we fail, when we have the gods on our side?
“Follow us now!” Juran called over the cheering. “Follow us to war!”
He stepped off the platform and mounted his Bearer. The other White followed suit. They urged their magnificent white reyer toward the crowd. High priests and priestesses stepped back to allow their leaders through.
Gradually, everyone began to follow. Danjin edged toward the platform, then climbed a few steps so he could watch as the great mass of people shuffled inward to become part of a column marching out of the Temple. Hearing a distant roar, Danjin looked over their heads. The White had just passed through the archway into the city. He took another step up, and saw that the streets beyond were lined with people.
The stairs vibrated from another’s steps. Danjin looked down to see Lanren Songmaker, one of the military advisers, climbing toward him.
“We should move closer,” the man murmured. “I doubt the army will wait for us if we aren’t ready to step in behind the priests.”
“Yes,” Danjin agreed. He descended to the ground and joined the other advisers. As the last of the priests and priestesses joined the column, Lanren ushered them forward to take their place.
Auraya looked at the remains of the previous night’s meal and grimaced. She liked fish, but the only species she had been able to catch last night was woodfish. They were notoriously bland and she had found no spices or herbs with which to add flavor. She had resigned herself to this tasteless fare only to be tormented by impressions of the fine feast Danjin was enjoying during their mental conversation last night.
If I had known I’d be camping on an uninhabited cliff top for days I would have brought a bit of food with me. And some soap.
She had just washed herself in a small pool of rainwater she’d found the day before. Her circ was far from its former dazzling white, though she used her Gifts every day to help remove dirt and stains. Sometimes it seemed the only use she had for magic was everyday chores.
Well, apart from flying and reading people’s minds, she amended.
Moving to the cliff edge, she looked out toward the islands of Borra. She had returned there every day for the last four days. Each time her request to meet with the king had been denied. Yesterday, however, the message the courier had memorized had been different.
“Tell her that I will meet her only if she comes to the palace.”
Was he afraid she was trying to trick him into emerging from the safety of his underwater city? Surely the Elai who had seen her would have reported that she had always come alone. Or had he made the condition out of spite, thinking that she would not be able to reach the city, or would drown in the attempt?
She smiled and leapt off the cliff. While she could easily enter it via the secret path to the lookout, that was no way to earn their trust. If she was to meet the king’s challenge she must enter by the underwater way. Her arrival would generate as much curiosity as fear. They’d be as interested in knowing how she had managed to get to their city without drowning as frightened that a stranger had reached their home.
While waiting for Elai messengers to deliver her request for a meeting to the king she’d had plenty of time to think about how she would get to the palace. She had watched these strange sea people, noting how quickly they could swim and for how long they could hold their breath—which was not as long as she had expected. They could remain underwater for only about three to four times as long as a landwalker. They could swim remarkably fast, however. Her experience of swimming had only ever been a little paddling in a quiet bend of the river near her village. That should not be a problem, though. She was not intending to swim.
The air was moist today. Wind teased the waves, sending spray upward. It buffeted her, forcing her to slow down, so she arrived an hour later than she had the previous days. Once she sighted the islands she headed for the one with the two peaks. She descended slowly, noting that the beaches of this island were deserted. Searching with her mind she found several pairs of Elai keeping watch from the highest peak and more in the water. As she landed on the sand she caught a thread of thought from the watchers. She had been seen. She smiled and walked toward the water.
Just before she reached the waves lapping the sand, she stopped. She created a magical shield about herself and then, still upright, lifted herself a little above the ground and moved forward. When she was above deeper water she allowed herself to descend. The shield dipped into the water. The water resisted the intrusion, but she had practiced this many times now. The bubble of air around her wanted to bob to the surface, but she didn’t let it. She strengthened her shield, sent herself downward, and entered a ghostly world.
Ripples of sunlight produced an illusion of movement all around her. The waves, whipped up by wind, in turn stirred the sea floor into clouds of sand. In the gloom she could see bizarre shapes. Structures in the form of trees or fungi or huge patterned eggs loomed around her, all fringed by sea-grasses and weeds whipped back and forth by the waves. Fish hid in this strange sea garden. She suspected they were the same species of fish she had been dazzled by during her experiments at travelling underwater, but their colors were muted in the diminished light.
This fantastic underwater forest ended abruptly. She moved over the edge of a cliff and looked down into an endless gloom. The sea floor could be a few hundred paces down, or several thousand. She shivered and began to descend. From the Elai minds she had read, she knew her destination was not too far distant.
As she dropped down, a dark shape veered around her and stopped. The Elai—a woman—turned back to stare at her. Auraya smiled, but this only startled the woman out of her shock, and she fled.
More Elai appeared. They too stared at her then flitted away. Faint lights drew Auraya to a great hole in the cliff side. Elai were swimming in and out of this constantly, but as they saw her the flow stopped. Some rushed around her and away, others turned and disappeared back into the hole.
The light, Auraya saw, came from the ugliest fish she had ever seen, imprisoned in small cages. The cages were positioned in pairs, and their occupants appeared entranced by each other. As she entered the hole, she passed a pair. One darted toward the other, but the cage prevented its sharp teeth from meeting the flesh of the other fish.
The air within her shield was growing a little stale now. She resisted the temptation to move faster, not wanting to frighten the Elai any more than she already had. After what seemed like an eternity of travelling along the slowly ascending tunnel, she reached the first pocket of air.
It was only shallow, but it was wide enough that several Elai could dart up for a lungful of air when they needed to. She knew from the Elai that narrow vents and cracks between the rock and the surface above kept the air in the pocket fresh.
She opened the top of her shield and let fresh air in. It was cold. When she could feel cold air touch her ankles, she sealed the shield and descended again.
Though she could not see them, she was aware of Elai minds in front of and behind her. If they had wanted to, they could have fled. Instead they remained close enough to watch her. That’s good, she decided. They’re not as skittish as they first appear. Their eyesight must be better than mine, too.
She stopped for air eight more times, then the sides of the tunnel widened abruptly and numerous lights appeared above the surface. She moved herself upward. As her shield broke the surface of the water she found herself at the edge of an enormous cavern.
Thousands of holes had been carved into the walls, and more than half of them were filled with light. At the other side of the lake was a wide archway. The floor of the cavern sloped upward from the water like a giant ramp, and a crowd of Elai milled about by the water’s edge, staring at her. As she watched, more hurried up out of the water to join them.
A horn sounded, filling the cavern with echoes. The Elai scattered to either side of the ramp. From behind them appeared a group of Elai men, carrying spears and wearing proud expressions. They stopped at the edge of the water and formed a defensive line.
Auraya moved forward slowly until she was floating just before them.
“I am Auraya of the White. As the king requested, I have come to the Elai city to meet with him.”
The warriors did not move, but several frowned. From one side came a voice.
“So I did. Come, then. These men will escort you to the palace.”
Auraya searched, but could not see or sense the owner of the voice nearby. Intrigued, she moved forward and set her feet on the ground. The warriors moved apart and formed a double row on either side of her. She drew her shield in close and followed her escort into the underground city of the sea people.
31
Leiard looked down at the snow collecting on the tufted ears and stubby horns of the arems before him. The plodding gait of the large, spotted beasts pulling the four-wheeled tarn was soothing. Arems were strong, placid creatures well suited to hauling vehicles or plows. He could remember seeing carvings of arems hauling carts in ruins from ages long past, so he knew they had been tamed thousands of years before. They could be ridden, but were slow to walk and respond to instruction, and too broad of back to make a comfortable ride. No noble man or woman would ever deign to ride an arem. The fine-boned, flighty reyer that nobles rode did not make good harness beasts, however, though they could be trained to draw racing plattens.
Unlike other animals, arems didn’t appear to have any Gifts. Most animals or plants used magic in small ways that helped them find food, defend themselves or search out a mate. If arems had a Gift, he suspected it was the ability to sense the destination in their driver’s mind. They had an impressive memory of the roads and places they had visited, and many stories were told of them bringing drivers who had fallen into a doze, due to drink or illness, home. Or to the houses of their mistresses.
The Dreamweavers were taking turns driving the three four-wheeled tarns they had purchased in Jarime to carry their food, tents and supplies. Some walked ahead to melt or sweep away snow where it had blocked the road. All Leiard could see of the cart before him was the oiled cloth covering the large bundles of supplies strapped onto it. There was no point looking over his shoulder; his view was blocked by his own equally loaded tarn. He could hear the voices of the Dreamweavers that made up Arleej’s group.
“Do you think the army will catch up with us?” Jayim asked.
Leiard looked at the young man sitting beside him, then back at the arems.
“No. Most are travelling on foot.”
“Why?” Jayim asked.
Leiard chuckled. “There aren’t enough trained reyer in Hania for half the local army, let alone for the Somreyans as well.”
Jayim chewed his lip. “We’re hardly travelling much faster than a walk, and we keep having to stop because of the snow, so we won’t get much farther ahead of them.”
“We might. Remember, we don’t have an army to keep in order. Imagine the time and effort it will take for them to camp each night, to arrange distribution of food and fuel for fires, settle disputes, rouse everyone in the morning, get them to pack up and start marching. Even when these last snows stop and the weather warms, there is much to do.”
Jayim looked thoughtful. “It would be interesting to watch. I almost wish we were travelling with them, though I understand why we aren’t.”
Leiard nodded. During a mind link a few days ago he had shown Jayim a few link memories of previous wars. Because Dreamweavers did not take sides, and treated the sick and injured no matter what the nationality or creed of their patient, this often caused resentment. In the past, more than a few Dreamweavers had been killed for “helping the enemy.”
Dreamweavers did not travel with armies. They travelled before and behind, in small groups. They waited at a distance during the folly of battle, then, afterward, they entered the battlefield and the camps of both armies simultaneously to offer their assistance.
Jayim glanced at Leiard, then quickly away.
“What is it?” Leiard asked.
“Nothing.”
Leiard smiled and waited. It was unusual now for Jayim to hesitate to speak. After a few minutes, Jayim looked at Leiard.
“Do…do you think you’ll meet with Auraya at some point?”
At her name, Leiard felt a thrill of hope and expectation. He took a deep breath and reminded himself why he was here with Arleej.
“You’d have to meet in secret, wouldn’t you?” Jayim persisted.
“Not necessarily.”
“I guess you’ll be safe so long as the other White aren’t around to read your mind.”
“Yes.”
“Do you think you will…get together? One last time?” Jayim asked.
Leiard glanced at Jayim. The boy grinned.
“This is no small matter, Jayim. I’ve put us in great danger. Don’t you understand that?”
Don’t be such a bore. The poor boy is a virgin. What he saw in your memory was more interesting than anything he’s imagined before.
Leiard frowned at the familiar voice in his head. Not quite gone yet, are you, Mirar?
It’ll take a few more mind links to get rid of me. Maybe a lot more.
“Of course I understand,” Jayim replied, his expression serious. Then he grinned again. “But you have to see the funny side, too. Of all the people you had to pick. It’s like one of those plays the nobles enjoy. All scandalous affairs and tragic love.”
“And their consequences,” Leiard added.
I like the boy’s attitude, Mirar said. He has a sense of humor, this one. Unlike the man I’m stuck inside…
“Sometimes the lovers get away with it,” Jayim pointed out.
“Happy endings are a luxury of fiction,” Leiard replied.
Jayim shrugged. “That’s true. Of all the secrets you could have had, I wasn’t expecting something so…so…”
“Risqué?” Leiard offered.
Jayim chuckled. “Yes. It was a surprise. I don’t know why, but I thought the White wouldn’t be…um…they’d be celibate. I suppose if you’re immortal it’s a bit much to expect. Perhaps that’s why Mirar was like he was.”
Leiard choked back a laugh. Well? Was that the reason you were so badly behaved?
I don’t know. Maybe. Does any man know why he does the things he does?
You’ve had plenty of time to work it out.
Sometimes answers can’t be found, even when you have all the time in the world. Immortality doesn’t make anyone all-knowing.
“I wonder if all of the White are like that?” Jayim wondered. “If immortality makes them…you know. Surely people would have heard about it if the other White were bedding everyone in sight.”
Leiard scowled in indignation. “Auraya has not been bedding everyone in sight.”
“She might be. How would you know?”
“Enough gossip,” Leiard said firmly. “If you’ve time for gossip, you hav
e time for lessons.”
Jayim made a disappointed sound. “While we’re travelling?”
“Yes. We’re going to be travelling a lot for the next few years. You’ll need to become accustomed to receiving your training on the road.”
The boy sighed. He half turned to look over his shoulder, then changed his mind.
“I can’t believe I’m not going home after this,” he murmured, almost too faint to be heard. Then he straightened and looked at Leiard. “So what am I going to learn today?”
Something has happened, Imi decided as she followed Teiti, her aunt and teacher, along the corridor. First there had been the messenger, panting from exertion as he hurried up to Teiti, whispered something in the old woman’s ear, then limped away. Then Teiti had told her she must leave the pool and the other children, and would not listen to any of Imi’s protests as she dragged her home.
They had taken one of the secret routes, which instantly made Imi suspicious. When they had reached the palace the guards hadn’t smiled at her like they usually did. They ignored her completely, looking stiff and serious. The guards who always stood beside the doors to her room smiled, but there was something in the way they then glanced up and down the corridor that told her that they, too, were nervous about something.
“What’s going on?” she asked Teiti as the doors closed behind them.
Teiti looked down at Imi and frowned. “I told you, Princess, I don’t know.”
“Then find out,” Imi ordered.
Teiti crossed her arms and frowned disapprovingly. Unlike the rest of the palace servants, Teiti wasn’t easily intimidated. She was a family member, not a hireling, and of a status only a little lower than Imi.
Teiti did not scold Imi, however. Her scowl of disapproval changed to a frown of worry.
“Sacred Huan,” she muttered. “Wait here. I’ll go and see if I can learn what is happening.”
Imi smiled and pressed her palms together. “Thank you! Please hurry!”