Soul Bonds: Book 1 Circles of Light series

by E.M. Sinclair

Guards had checked through all of the lower levels, the kitchens, servants’ quarters, and barracks. Apart from a few Guards on duty, most of the Gaharnian forces had moved into the fighters’ barracks. Brin returned with the Snow Dragons, laden with meat for the Dragons still in the entrance hall. Emla and Kemti had stared in amazement when Mim strolled over to them. He had discarded his cloak and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as if he at last felt warm again. The tiny gold scales glittered across his face as he smiled, sweetly as ever, at their astonishment. Emla’s finger lightly traced along one of Mim’s arms where more scales gleamed.

  ‘It began in the Delvers’ Domain, Lady.’ Mim’s fluting voice was the same at least. ‘I am glad, for now I am truly of the Dragon Kin and I have a family once more.’

  Bark approached to tell Emla chambers had been made ready for herself and for Nolli. It was late in the evening and a good night’s sleep could only benefit all of them, Tika especially. Gan bent to tell Nolli of the arrangements and a small altercation seemed to take place. Gan stood patiently, arms folded, while the Wise One muttered darkly. Finally she banged her stick on the floor and Gan, his face expressionless, lifted her easily in his arms and carried her up to the next level of rooms. Lanni and Berri trotted along behind him.

  ‘Where is Shan?’ Emla looked around the hall, now nearly empty except for the Dragons.

  ‘She sits with Iska,’ Bark replied.

  Emla looked at him in surprise. ‘I will join her for a few hours Bark.’

  ‘I will take my turn watching when you retire to your chamber Emla, but I have been worrying where we should bury her.’ Kemti commented.

  ‘She cannot be sealed in this place.’ Emla was firm.

  Kemti sighed. ‘We will decide tomorrow. I will get some rest while you sit with her Emla.’

  Night quiet slipped over the stronghold. The young Dragons slept curled near Kija and Brin. Mim lay beside Ashta. Only Fenj seemed awake still as Gan softly re-entered the hall.

  ‘She is safe.’ Fenj murmured to Gan’s mind.

  Gan settled himself against the wall and waited, sleepless, for the night to pass.

  As the stronghold stirred awake for its first day under a new rule, Kemti joined Gan in the great hall.

  ‘I have been studying the wardings on Rhaki’s door.’ He shook his head. ‘I see no way myself to unweave it. Tika will need to use power to release it, but how strong is she now?’

  Before Gan could say anything, Kemti lowered his voice further. ‘The healing she wrought in Farn – I have never seen the like, Gan. He should surely have died, yet she wrestled the wound, fought every tear. And she has never seen healing like that attempted, let alone tried any such herself before.’

  Gan studied Kemti’s face. The Senior had dark rings beneath his eyes and a frown above them.

  ‘And the fighting, Gan. You said Tika and Mim were scarcely better than useless with weapons, yet her blade moved like a lightning tongue leaving death wheresoever it licked.’

  ‘Do you think she herself was aware of power working through her, or it was doing so unaware, or was she using the skills we tried to teach her?’

  ‘I know little of the art of swordplay Gan – merely the basics we all learnt so many Cycles past, but she looked a champion blade.’

  As Kemti finished speaking Fenj stretched his neck, revealing Sket and Lorak either side of Tika’s waking figure.

  Groans sounded above Lorak’s gravely murmurs and then Tika hauled herself to a sitting position with the help of Lorak’s shirtfront. She sat slumped against the old man for a moment, then lifted her head, squinting at the glare of snow beyond the hole where the great door had stood. Leaning heavily on Lorak’s shoulder, Tika climbed to her feet, staggered, and would have fallen if not for Sket reaching quickly to hold her.

  Gan and Kemti sat quietly watching as the small filthy figure tottered in Kija’s direction. As she closed the distance between them, a silver blue head lifted waveringly over Kija’s golden back and sapphire eyes whirred in welcome. Ashta nudged Mim and he rose, hugging Tika as she drew level. Then he and the younger Dragons headed for the gate and Brin.

  Servants appeared from the direction of the kitchens and bore covered trays up to the higher levels. One male servant came hesitantly towards Gan and Kemti, offering hot tea and fresh bread.

  ‘Sirs, we will bring a proper meal to you if you wish, but perhaps you will join the Lady and the others?’ He looked nervously towards Fenj and Kija.

  ‘Very well,’ Kemti answered. ‘We will go to her shortly.’

  The servant bowed and retreated. The two Seniors got to their feet and Gan moved in Kija’s direction. Farn’s eyes glimmered at Gan as Gan asked: ‘Will you join us all for breakfast Tika?’

  She looked at him and it was an effort for Gan to keep his expression neutral as his heart tightened with pity. She was really dirty, her clothes stiff with dried blood, her hair a tangled mess and her eyes – so very tired still. She touched Farn’s face gently and Kija’s, then took a pace towards Gan.

  ‘I am hungry I think, but I need to get cleaned up first.’ She gestured at her clothes.

  ‘There are chambers above for you to use, and I’m sure Shan will enjoy scrubbing you.’ Gan allowed a tentative smile to touch his face. ‘Let me clean your sword and I will return it to you at breakfast.’

  Tika looked at her hands and shuddered at the now brown blood clogged under her nails. Carefully, Gan bent and unbuckled the sword belt and lifted it away from her as Kemti held out his hand.

  ‘Come then Tika and submit to Lady Shan!’

  Tika glanced at him as she hesitantly took his hand. ‘I thought I dreamt hearing Shan ordering Emla – it wasn’t a dream then?’

  Kemti chuckled. ‘Oh no. We seem to have a rather different Shan now!’

  When Tika came into the chamber Nolli had been given and where breakfast had been set, her hair was still damp and her skin tingling from Shan’s ministrations. Emla rose immediately to enfold Tika in a close hug, deeply relieved to see her so recovered. Nolli stretched out a twisted hand and Tika went round the long table to kiss the wrinkled old cheek. Shan began to serve their food from another table but Emla caught her maid’s arm.

  ‘Sit down, dear one. You eat with us now.’

  Shan’s cheeks paled, then flushed scarlet. ‘My lady…’ she began.

  ‘Sit down,’ Tika ordered from Emla’s other side.

  Conversation was slight, as they were all hungry for decent food after the dull trail food they had eaten for days. As Tika reached for another hot roll of black bread and a thick slice of cheese, Gan appeared carrying her sword. He looped the belt over the back of her chair without a word and went round the table to sit beside Kemti.

  Last to arrive were Mim and Bark together, and the difference between the two caused what little talk there was to cease completely. Bark looked more frail and spectral than ever, having sat with Iska all night, while Mim shone with strength and vitality. He brought the sharp smell of frost and snow with him from his hunting flight with the Dragons and his eyes sparkled with life.

  When they had all eaten enough, it was Nolli who spoke: ‘Tika, the Grey One learnt far more than we realised. The wardings he has set on his door are beyond both the Lady and myself. I believe Dessi will be able to help you – if only to bolster your own strength as you work.’ She struggled to her feet. ‘We must make a start.’

  Tika stood to buckle on her sword belt, wincing at the aches still in her shoulders and arms, as Mim said: ‘Ashta and Jeela are outside – and so is Farn.’

  Tika’s gaze met Gan’s and he read her terror that her soul bond was nowhere near fit enough to have climbed the slope from the lower floor, let alone go with her further still.

  Dessi had opened the door and the two young female Dragons stood either side of Farn, Sket behind them all. Farn’s eyes whirred as Lorak moved out of the chamber first.

  ‘You look much better, young Farn. I must go down to Lord
Fenj – things to do, you know!’ He winked as he went past the Dragons.

  Tika stepped close to the silvery blue Dragon, her hand moving just above the long line of his wound. ‘Oh Farn, you should not be up here. You need much more rest. I cannot let you come any further.’

  ‘Of course you can.’ Farn sounded indignant. ‘Bark said it is not much further at all now.’

  Tika looked at him then turned to Mim. ‘Well – let’s get on with it.’

  The slowness with which Farn moved the relatively short distance along to the Guardian’s quarters underlined just how badly weakened he was. Emla, Kemti and Dessi drew level with Tika and Mim when they were several paces from the warded door.

  ‘Complicated,’ said Mim, then he frowned. ‘But maybe not.’

  Tika gave him a weak smile. ‘Two different types of wardings – one laid over the other?’ she suggested.

  Mim nodded. The Seniors, Nolli and Dessi, watched as Tika began unravelling the weave of the warding. They could see the pulses of white, flickering erratically through the more solid red. Slowly, inch by inch, Tika snuffed out each white flash until at last only the red glimmered around and across the door. She blew out a gusty breath as tension drained from her shoulders.

  Mim lifted a hand and concentrated on eliminating the red lines and as they vanished he grinned at Tika. Bark slipped past them and put his hand on the latch. The latch snicked and Bark took three paces inside before stopping abruptly.

  ‘What is it Bark?’ Emla called.

  Bark moved aside so all could see the litter of books and papers, but eventually all eyes lowered to the circle inlaid in the floor.

  Nolli grunted. ‘I said he used the circles to escape this place.’

  Khosa walked stiff legged, tail upright, through the group outside to stalk around the circle. Suddenly she jumped and landed hissing, fur on end, at the bare rock wall.

  Tika managed a smile. ‘Khosa, that is hardly nice language for a queen to use.’

  Bark had moved towards Khosa and now said: ‘This is the door Rhaki believed no one else but he knew of. But it is warded anyway.’ He looked back at the others. ‘I have never known of the circle here.’ He pointed to the carpet heaped at the end of the room. ‘Always it has been covered – I had no idea.’

  Tika and Mim approached the wall and studied the pattern of warding again.

  ‘Not as complicated as the first one,’ Mim said in Tika’s mind.

  ‘No, but I wager there will be more traps beyond this one.’

  Steadily, they focused their attention on the unravelling of the threads of power criss-crossing a section of wall.

  ‘It’s clear,’ Tika said.

  Again Bark moved ahead and his bony fingers seemed to caress the rock. As he stepped back, the door slid open, revealing the dark passage behind it.

  Rhaki woke again and smiled. He propped himself on an elbow and poured some of the still-cool water. He drank thirstily and refilled the goblet, taking smaller swallows this time. He opened the metal box and took a handful of dried fruits. As he chewed he reviewed his plans.

  He was but a few leagues from Return. The so-called Lord, Hargon, was a smart fellow – for a human, but Rhaki had no doubts that he would be able to manipulate him with ease. He had contemplated going to the town of Far, but the Lord there was little more than a brutish simpleton. Hargon had demonstrated a certain inventiveness on past occasions and Rhaki felt he showed promise.

  He got to his feet and lifted his scrying bowl from the leather bag. Unwrapping it, he placed it on top of the wooden chest and sat cross-legged on the floor. He visualised the Lord of Return clearly in his mind, put his hands to the sides of the bowl and demanded: ‘Show this one to me.’

  The blackness swirled and blurred then cleared to reveal a stocky, fair haired man resting on brilliantly coloured pillows as two women wearing nothing that could honestly be termed clothing, swayed around him. Rhaki snorted. That sort of amusement did not appeal to him. But at least it meant that Hargon was occupied in his manor. His men would also be nearby, which would allow Rhaki to move closer to Return unobserved. He had previously arrived in this fashion. Sentries found him sitting calmly beneath a tree at the edge of the town at dawn. It all added to his air of mystery and power.

  Rhaki sorted the contents of his leather bag into two piles. Two ancient books, a small roll of blank paper and his precious record book went back into the bag, along with several small packets of certain herbs. The rest, he packed carefully inside the chest with his scrying bowl. He folded the blankets and put them on the lid again. Finally, he tied a heavy leather purse to the belt around his waist and pushed it to his right side. A slender knife was sheathed at his left side. Hooking the bag over his shoulder, he glanced around the small cave, lifted the lamp and unsealed the door. Resealing it, Rhaki skirted the mosaic circle and opened the second door.

  For a moment he stood thinking, then decided to leave the door closed but unwarded, in case he needed to let himself back inside in any haste. On this trip through to the outer cave, Rhaki trod with firm steps, unlike the staggering crawl of his earlier visit. The sound of the spring splashing steadily into the basin warned him of his nearness to the exit. Extinguishing the lamp, he set it on a high ledge to his left. If any dared creep into the cave, they would not be tall enough to see the lamp, let alone reach it.

  Stars glittered through the branches ahead and Rhaki studied their position and that of the moon. Halfway to dawn, he estimated. Time enough to walk to the outskirts of Return. He walked steadily, not striding out, and noted the fields cultivated with beans and corn in the faint moonlight. Hargon had a few good administrators and the sense to let them get on with their work without his interference.

  The moon was low in the sky as dawn began to hint at its arrival when Rhaki reached a small grove of fruit trees. He sat himself down at the edge of the track and waited patiently. The town of Return was but half a league distant and he saw the thin threads of smoke crawling up from the earliest risers’ cooking fires. The growing light slowly revealed the high mud brick wall circling the town and tiled roofs grouped around a higher central building, like chicks round a mother hen.

  As the sun finally rimmed the horizon, a flock of goats came noisily from the town’s main gate, followed by two young boys. They turned away from the main track on which Rhaki waited, disappearing beyond the curving wall. Next came a squad of armed men. They split into three groups, one following the boys with their goats, another turning along the opposite curving wall. The third group came towards Rhaki.

  The animals they rode were similar to the fengars of the north, but these were not carnivores as were the fengars, and were more peaceable. They had no taloned feet but solid hooves and nor were they fanged. Rhaki had studied these koninas, as the humans called them, and had tried breeding them with fengars, but the fengars had always attacked and killed the koninas at first sight.

  The rising sun shone directly into the faces of the four oncoming riders and they were quite close before they saw Rhaki sitting at the side of the track. The two leading men pulled their mounts up sharply and stared at him, blades already drawn, before one recognised him. He controlled the konina with his legs as he reached a restraining hand to the blade arm of the man beside him.

  ‘It is the Lord from the North,’ he hissed.

  He sheathed his blade and walked the konina nearer to Rhaki. ‘It has been several Seasons, Sir Lord, since you visited Return. We will escort you to Lord Hargon if that is your wish?’

  Rhaki stood, his great though slender height drawing a gasp of surprise from one of the mounted men. Obviously he had never encountered one of the People before. Rhaki inclined his head graciously.

  ‘I would indeed be pleased to see Lord Hargon.’

  The riders edged to the sides of the track as Rhaki strode between them, then turned their mounts and trotted to keep pace with him.

  The townsfolk were stirring as Rhaki entered the gate, a
lthough most who were about were still too sleepy to take notice of him. The road, if it could be termed such, was just wide enough for three koninas abreast and twisted its way round the town, slowly circling inwards. The way was eventually barred by a pair of wooden gates guarded by two more of the Lord of Return’s armsmen. They sprang to attention as Rhaki halted in front of them. He smiled pleasantly as the mounted man who had first recognised him barked: ‘The Northern Lord is here to see the Lord of the South!’

  The door guards hurriedly pushed the gates open as Rhaki laughed inwardly at Hargon’s temerity to title himself thus. Another armsman inside the gate saluted Rhaki and led him across an outer yard to another, open, gateway. The building beyond was stone built rather than mud brick as all the buildings so far had been. There seemed to be no doors in the lowest level of the manor, only a narrow set of stairs leading up to a wide door above. As they climbed the steps, an elderly man awaited their arrival at the door. He bowed deeply.

  ‘It has been a while, Lord, since you honoured us with your presence. Would you like to rest, or wash, before you join Lord Hargon? The first meal will be served shortly Sir.’

  Rhaki smiled. ‘You may show me to a guest room, seneschal, so I may remove the grime of my travelling before I meet your Lord.’

  As he followed the seneschal, he was aware that another servant would be scurrying to alert Hargon to the arrival of an unexpected guest. By the time Rhaki had washed his face and hands, and brushed the worst of the dust from his robe and boots, there was a rap at his door. He opened it to find a half-grown boy bowing to him.

  ‘My Lord Hargon asks me to conduct you to the dining hall, Sir Lord.’

  ‘Certainly. I will be a moment if you please.’

  Rhaki closed the door and put his leather bag in the corner of the room near the bed. He closed his eyes, murmuring softly. When he opened his eyes, the bag was still plain to his view, but no one else would see it should they stare hard as they could. He nodded in satisfaction and went to follow the boy to meet his host.

  Hargon stood at a window at the far end of the room, talking with another man as Rhaki entered. The armsman at the door announced: ‘The Lord of the North Sir.’

  ‘Welcome!’ Hargon walked towards Rhaki, a smile on his squarish face. ‘You honour us Lord Rhaki. This is Navan, my Arms Chief – I believe you met him before.’

  ‘Indeed I did, Hargon. I am glad to at last be able to enjoy your hospitality once again.’

  ‘Please, be seated.’ Hargon waved towards a long table set for three places. As they took their seats, serving men brought dishes of hot stew, fresh bread, vegetables and fruits. Three pitchers were placed in the middle of the table.

  ‘There is ale in the green jug, water in the brown and spice tea in the black Lord Rhaki. If you don’t mind serving yourself, we can be more private if you wish?’

  ‘I need none to serve me,’ Rhaki said jovially. ‘But private matters are of no urgency. Tell me how things progress in your Domain. It seemed very peaceful and prosperous as I arrived. Don’t tell me you have routed all the gangers in the region?’

  Hargon laughed serving himself from the bowl of stew. ‘Very nearly it seems, Sir Lord. I fear life may become rather staid with no gangers to fight!’

  Rhaki sipped the tea he had poured. ‘I’m sure there will be something to replace the hunting of gangers Hargon.’ He smiled at both men. ‘Oh yes. I am quite sure of that.’