Deniably Dead (Arucadi Series Book 4)

by E. Rose Sabin

  They had willing workers; what they lacked were supplies that had to be purchased and brought from elsewhere: bags of seeds, replacements for rusted and unusable tools, food for goats, chickens, and the few pigs that could be captured and kept for later slaughter. The nearest sources for these items were in Highport and Marquez, a long distance in either direction. They had no way to get to those cities and no funds with which to purchase supplies if they got there.

  It was while Camsen listened as they mulled over this seemingly insurmountable problem that Renni’s mental call came, announcing that she’d found Lore. He stepped outside where he could concentrate on mindspeaking, not distracted by the lively discussion going on inside the house. You found Lore? Alive? Camsen could scarcely believe it. Where? How is he?

  Her anger and disgust came through clearly as she detailed her discovery and her desire to leave Lore behind when they resumed their trek to Hillcross.

  But you say this woman, Maya, claims he was near death when she rescued him. He was finding it hard to understand the sequence of events.

  Yes, but either she’s lying, is badly mistaken, or she’s a healer. In which case she’s gifted. Too bad Marta isn’t here to tell us if that’s the case.

  Kyla’s dear friend Marta Robbins had many talents, one of which was recognizing giftedness in others. After Kyla’s apparent death, Marta had reluctantly taken over the leadership of the Port-of-Lords Community of the Gifted on a temporary basis. She and her husband Ed had been eager to return to their home in Sharpness in central Arucadi with their adopted infant daughter Dreama as soon as Dreama was old enough for the long train journey to be feasible. Camsen thought it possible, given the time that had elapsed since the four coffin-bearers had left Port-of-Lords, that Marta and Ed had already returned to Sharpness.

  Wherever she was, Marta wasn’t here, so Camsen couldn’t find out what other abilities Jac Thornbridge might have. Jac’s healing of Ril’s burns had come as a surprise. And for that matter, what abilities might Vic have? Surely the ability to mindsend and receive would not be his only talent.

  There could be an easy way to learn whether this Maya was gifted. Renni, try to mindspeak to Maya. See if she receives. If she does, she’s gifted.

  I’ll tell Lore to try that,” Renni sent. He’s more in tune with her.

  There was that anger again. Renni’s dislike and distrust of Lore was never far beneath the surface. Camsen had always been aware of it and tried to keep it from bursting out. But both young people were hotheads, and now Lore’s ill-advised behavior had aroused Renni’s wrath. That could adversely affect the conclusion of their journey. Camsen would have to find a way to defuse it. Unless … Zauna could surely do that better than he.

  Zauna was still trying to find transportation from Highport to some midpoint between Pescatil and Highport from which they could meet her and then head northward to Hillcross. She’d have with her supplies for the rest of their journey. Camsen recalled Renni's suggestion that Zauna could perhaps bring some bags of seeds and some essential tools for the people here. That would be asking a lot of her, and it would mean that they would have to remain here in Pescatil until she arrived, three more people to help with the work, but also three more mouths to feed.

  But if Lore were as healthy as Renni indicated and, as she also indicated, had regained his powers, there might be a better solution for all of them.

  §

  Lore wasn’t eager to face Camsen. Not that he thought Camsen would be as angry with him as Renni was. On the contrary, Camsen would be more inclined to be forgiving, which would be worse. He deserved Renni’s anger; he did not deserve forgiveness. He was too aware of how badly he’d messed up. He’d found Kyla only to lose her again, and the fact that Renni and Camsen had found her did not ease his pain. His pride at having found her had turned to shame. Then he’d killed the first horse by riding it too hard for too long, and nearly killed himself at the same time. He’d hoped the horse he’d taken from Blue had escaped, so Maya’s declaration that it had been caught and slaughtered was another blow to his pride, another reason for shame. The thought that it could be the source of the meat Maya had brought home last evening filled him with revulsion.

  Renni spoke to Maya, quite pointedly turning her back on him, telling her that a man named Vic would be coming to repair the door. Maya seemed to know who Vic was, and his coming was acceptable to her, despite her stated aversion to having anything to do with the townspeople.

  “I passed up breakfast to search for Lore,” Renni told Maya. “Would you be willing to cook some of those eggs for us? I’m guessing you haven’t eaten yet this morning either, and I’m sure they could be put to better use than throwing them at me and my horse.”

  Maya grinned. “You’re right about that. I’ll get a fire goin’ in a place I got outside for cooking. I guess you and him got a lot to talk about while I fry up some eggs and taters. Th’ taters come out of a little garden I got in back. I’ll fix enough for Vic too, ’case he’s hungry.”

  Maya seemed to have gotten over her initial fury at seeing Renni’s horse in her house and her front door bashed down. In fact, she seemed to be taking a liking to Renni. Lore wondered at that.

  Renni offered to help with the meal preparations and went outside with Maya, ignoring Lore except to say as she stepped out the door, “Let me know when Vic gets here.”

  How was he supposed to recognize Vic? Someone else might come just wanting to see if anyone lived in this old house. Or someone might see Dark Star and come to steal the horse. Had Renni thought of that? As crazy as she was about that horse, he would have thought she’d have asked him to keep watch over it. Maybe he should do that anyway.

  He went outside through the open doorway, walking around the splintered door, and looked around for Dark Star. He spotted the black horse tethered behind high bushes that concealed him fairly well from anyone approaching the front of the house. Renni had after all taken care to safeguard the horse. If he remained standing just outside the open doorway, he’d be far more visible and likely to arouse curiosity than Dark Star.

  Lore went back inside to await the arrival of Vic or of breakfast, whichever happened first.

  Vic arrived on one of their two draft horses. Unexpected and startling was that after Vic dismounted and tethered the horse, he nodded in greeting and used mindspeech to introduce himself. I’m Vic. Camsen sent me to fix a door. Are you Lore?

  Camsen hadn’t said that Vic was gifted. But why was he using mindspeech?

  That question was answered when Vic, apparently sensing Lore’s confusion, sent, They call me “Voiceless Vic” because I’m a mute. I can only communicate like this. But I’m not deaf, so you can speak with your voice.

  “Oh. Yes, I’m Lore. So—you’re gifted.”

  Guess so. I never knew it till yesterday when I met Miss Renni and Master Camsen. That the door I’m supposed to fix? He pointed to the fallen and badly damaged door.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so. Did you bring any tools?”

  I have the toolbox from the wagon, but I’ll need some boards, looks like. I can fix it back on its hinges okay, but it’ll need a board put over where it’s broken there in the middle.

  “I’ll go tell Maya what you need. She’s out back fixing eggs and potatoes for our breakfast.”

  Vic grinned at that and nodded. Lore went to tell Maya Vic had come and relay his message. He found Maya and Renni in conversation, a conversation that ceased abruptly when he walked toward them. Maya was cooking over a fire in a brick-lined pit with a cone of metal arranged above it to funnel the smoke and restrict it to a slender column that would be unlikely to be noticed.

  “Food’s about ready,” Maya said. “Vic come yet?”

  “He’s here. He needs boards to patch the door.”

  She nodded. “Figgered he would. There’s some boards leanin’ up against the back of the outhouse. See if he can use any of ’em.”

  During that exchange Renni stirred the pan of
eggs, not looking up or in any way acknowledging his presence.

  Instead of leaving, as Renni and Maya probably expected, he mindspoke to Vic, telling him where to find the boards. Renni would certainly guess he’d done that, but Maya would wonder why he was dawdling here instead of returning to help Vic get the boards.

  “Those eggs look almost ready,” he told Maya. “Mind if I wait for them? I’ll bet Vic might like some too, though he said he had breakfast at the Carrans’.”

  She turned to him, wooden spoon in hand. “Vic said he had breakfast? He said?”

  “Yes, using mindspeech.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Her question gave him an opportunity to test a theory. Renni might think he’d exaggerated the extent of his injuries and Maya had stretched the truth in saying she’d saved his life, but he knew how badly he’d been hurt. The more he thought about it, the more he recognized that his recovery had occurred while having sex with Maya. But that in itself was incredible. He was certain he’d had broken bones and internal damage as well. Engaging in intercourse shouldn’t even have been possible for him.

  The only logical conclusion was that Maya had healed him, which meant that she was gifted. Did she know? Had she purposely engaged in sex with him in order to heal him? Could that be the only method she could employ?

  If so, it would make him feel less guilty. After all, she, not he, had initiated their congress. Oh, he’d enjoyed it. He’d never forget the marvelous sensation of his power rushing back in a torrent when he climaxed. But the first phase of healing had already occurred, allowing him to stand. And to walk. He’d still been stiff and sore, but their further liaisons last evening had completed the healing, offering further evidence of the extent of his injuries—they’d required two or three more applications of the healing power she bestowed during sex.

  Did she know she had the gift of healing? Could she only administer it through sex? And was he the first sufferer she’d ministered to in that manner? Surely not. Her skill proved otherwise.

  Well, if she was gifted, regardless of the manner of applying that gift, she might also be able to send and receive messages mentally. And this was his chance to find out.

  “You can explain this thing to me while we eat.” Maya lifted the pan off the fire and headed into the house with it. Lore saw that she’d put out onto the table more of the wide leaves that served her as plates.

  “It means just what it says.” He answered the question she’d asked as she scooped helpings of eggs and potatoes onto the leaves. “Just as you would speak aloud to someone, you think to that person. You speak to them in your mind, and if they’re gifted, they hear you in their mind.”

  “That’s impossible.” She slammed down the empty pan. “Come on, let’s eat this while it’s hot.” She placed one of the filled leaves in Lore’s hands and another in Renni’s.

  “I’ll demonstrate,” Lore said. The sound of hammering told him that Vic had returned to the front room with the boards and was working on the door. “I’ll send Vic a mental call to come eat with us.”

  Vic, he sent, I know you’ve had breakfast, but Maya’s fixed you a plate of eggs and potatoes anyway. It looks really good. Come in here and eat it while it’s hot.

  The pounding stopped. Seconds later Vic ambled in. He looked ruefully at his hands. I need to wash first, he sent, pantomiming washing his hands for Maya’s sake.

  “Pour some water from that bucket into the basin on the counter there. There’s a cake of home-made soap there, too.”

  As Vic followed her instructions, Maya asked, “How’d you know to come in and eat with us? Did you hear Lore call you?”

  Vic looked questioningly at Lore, who nodded.

  Vic pressed his index finger against his forehead, then pointed at Lore and with signs indicated that Lore had spoken to him with his mind and he had heard.

  “I think you might be able to mindspeak too, Maya,” Lore said. “Why don’t you try?”

  “That’s nonsense!” she declared, and picking up a spoon from the odd array of utensils she’d placed on the table, she took a big mouthful of the egg and potatoes.

  “It really isn’t nonsense,” Renni said, speaking for the first time since Lore had joined them. “It took me a long time to find out I could do it, simply because I’d been afraid to try. I thought it meant that someone would be poking around in my mind. But it isn’t like that at all. It’s just like carrying on a conversation using regular speech. You hear only what the person intends you to hear—no stray thoughts. And the person hears only what you send back—nothing else that you might be thinking. Lore must have reason to believe that you could mindsend, or he wouldn’t suggest that you try. It’s really a useful ability.”

  Vic had taken only a small serving of the egg dish, and he’d consumed that while Renni spoke. I should get back to work, he sent, directing the sending to all of them, but Lore suspected he put additional effort in to reaching Maya.

  Maya jerked and put both hands up to cover her ears.

  Vic grinned, rose from the table, and before leaving the room sent, Thanks for the food. It was real good.

  “You’re welcome,” she whispered, staring after him with mouth agape.

  “See, Maya. You heard Vic.” Lore gave her an encouraging smile. “I knew you could do it. I was sure that you’re gifted because of the way you healed me. And if you can hear mindspeech, you can send as well.”

  Maya set down her spoon. “That’ll take a lot of gettin’ used to,” she said. “Guess it explains some things, but … well, more’n ever it makes me want to leave this place.”

  “You mean this house?” Lore asked.

  “No, this town. This crazy place where they think a dog’s a god. And where the dead come back to life.”

  “You’re clever,” Renni said. “I’m sure you’ll find a way.” She stood. Lore saw that she’d finished her breakfast. “I’ll help you clean up, and then Lore and I have to get back to our wagon. Our friend is waiting. And Vic needs to join us there just as soon as he finishes fixing your door.”

  So Renni hadn’t gotten over her pique. Not that he’d expected her to, but Lore had thought she and Maya had begun to get along.

  “If you’re in a hurry, you don’t need to help with cleaning up. There’s not that much to do. The leaves just get thrown out, and I’ll wash up the spoons and things, scrub the pot, and clean out the fire pit. It’s won’t take me more’n a blink of a fly’s eye.”

  Lore grinned at that and hurried to finish his food. Despite Maya’s insistence that she didn’t need help, Renni gathered up the leaves, and followed Maya’s instructions as to where to dispose of them. Lore went into the front room to see how Vic was doing with the door. He found that Vic was a skilled carpenter, and though he was working with badly weathered boards and only a few tools he’d borrowed from the wagon’s toolbox, he had the repair work well underway.

  Camsen’s still with the Thornbridges, Vic sent on seeing him. Renni knows where that is. He’ll want you to meet him there, not back at the wagon.

  Thornbridges? Lore could see he had a lot of catching up to do. And with Renni scarcely speaking to him, and Vic busy with his work, he’d get few answers until he rejoined Camsen.

  Renni joined him shortly. “Camsen sent to me and to Vic. He’s eager to see you, so let’s get going. You’ll have to ride behind me on Dark Star. It’s not too far.”

  It wasn’t a comfortable ride. Lore felt certain that Renni was deliberately making it as bumpy as possible. Thankfully he was still in one piece when she brought Dark Star to a stop in front of a house that was looking cleaner and closer to being restored than most of the residences they’d passed.

  As soon as they’d dismounted, Camsen came out and rushed to greet them. He embraced Lore. “I’d given you up for dead,” he said. “I’m so thankful that Renni was more persistent. She kept saying, ‘He’s too stubborn to die.’ Seems she was right. I know you have a lot to tell us, and we have a
lot to tell you, but before we share our stories, come inside. There is something we must talk about. The people of Pescatil need supplies, and I think you may be the key to helping them. Renni said you have your power back.”

  “Yes, I just got it back. I’d lost it entirely for a while. It came back when Maya healed me after some of the people here beat me and left me tied to a tree, unconscious and nearly dead.”

  Renni snorted at his mention of Maya. Apparently she still disapproved of Maya’s unusual method of healing, though she could hardly deny that it had been effective.

  Camsen took no notice of Renni’s reaction but led Lore inside, where he was astounded to be greeted by none other than Ril. The boy jumped up, ran to him, and grabbed his hand.

  “Master Kaplek, we thought you were dead! But I said, no, he can’t be, he’s too gifted. Come meet my father.”

  “Calm down, Ril,” Camsen said, laughing. “I need to introduce Master Kaplek to all these people. And we have business to discuss, so why don’t you go see whether you can help Jeppy.”

  “Oh, Master Wellner, can’t I stay and listen? I’ll be quiet, I promise.” The boy hadn’t changed a bit.

  “You do as Master Wellner tells you,” ordered a tall man with hair a lighter shade of red than Ril’s and eyes the same green as the boy’s. He must be Ril’s father.