Corvus used Wolloh’s crystal to slice an opening in the wards, stepped through, and sealed them behind him. He knelt beside the Oracle and placed the crystal on her forehead. She did not respond. Stasis continued to hold her in its grip.
The sound of scuffling feet and the thump of fists against flesh sounded a warning. Nissasa’s wards began to sing. Holding the crystal above his head and placing his hand on WoNa’s arm, he pictured the northwestern side of the plateau, and teleported.
One Man stepped from the shadows. “Nissasa is right behind us. Another mass teleport will bring him down our necks faster than a bee to nectar.”
Corvus noted a tear in his kcalo. “A fight?”
“A diversion.” He knelt and placed WoNa’s snake on her chest. It thrust its head forward and flipped its tail to form a circle around her heart.
Corvus placed the crystal on her forehead. A breath inflated her chest. The saffron and glacier eyes flew open. The snake hissed. Removing the crystal from her head, he laid it within the snake’s circled length.
A hawk landed and shifted. Allynae joined them, rubbing his cheek where a bruise had already begun to show. “Sorry for the commotion, but at least we kept them busy for a few minutes. The Fire ConDra’s are massing, and the sun is close to the horizon. We have to move and fast.”
The snake slithered into the neck of WoNa’s kcalo. She wrapped her fingers around the crystal.
“WoNa, it’s me…Corvus.” He put an arm around her and helped her to sitting. “Can you shift?”
She shook her head, tucked the crystal in a small drango skin medicine pouch on a thong around her neck, and grasped his hand. “Help me to stand.”
Corvus and One Man helped her to her feet. A chorus of fluttering flames warned of the Fire ConDra’s rising. A shrieked call announced preparation for flight.
At the far side of the plateau, Allynae could feel the chaotic bustle of men preparing for the chase. He searched the sky for signs that the Fire ConDra had discovered their position. A glow of wavering light coloring the southeastern side of the plateau warned him that it was only a matter of time.
“Gotta hurry,” he said. “If WoNa can’t shift, what do we do?”
WoNa held out a hand. “Come to me, brother of Almiralyn. Your daughters and I are blood-bonded. Their blood pulsing in my veins ties me to you. Corvus and One Man will distract the soldiers. And you, my friend, will carry me home.” She lifted her arms to the sky, where a swath of stars sprinkled the heavens with specks of diamond light.
Allynae gasped as stars flew earthward, swirled around him, and engulfed him in a current of cool, pristine air. His body trembled and shifted. He shook a midnight mane from moonlit eyes and flicked his haunches with a midnight tail. Star-spangled hooves pawed the ground as One Man lifted WoNa onto his back. She grasped his mane and whispered his name. “Starfire, ride.”
A stallion’s power sent him racing across the sand. A canyon yawned, wide and deep, a short distance ahead. The Human part of his mind balked, almost panicked. WoNa urged him faster. He hit the lip and leapt forward. Huge wings unfurled. Tremendous power carried him into the star-studded sky. WoNa’s voice in his head sent him soaring over the desert after the white moon, where it began its final slide below the horizon.
A rush of air and the flickering of pale flames surrounded them. Three Fire ConDra, one on each side and one overhead, tried to force horse and rider to land. Allynae pressed his strong wings against the air in an attempt to put distance between WoNa and the ConDra’s fire. The faint beginnings of heat enveloped them in a blur of colors—golds and oranges, blues and greens. WoNa’s knees squeezed his sides. His wings pressed harder, sending them through the haze of flames into the first faint light of morning.
“Starfire, faster.” Like a blast of fuel, her command sent him soaring higher, his mighty wings pushing the air, his legs pumping a galloped path. A wafting inferno of flames licked his flanks and tangled in the midnight strands of his tail. He raced the sun across the sky, the heat of the ConDra’s fire increasing as the moon inched lower and the sun’s rays flared golden along the eastern horizon.
On his back WoNa’s voice filled the pale morning sky. “ConDria, rise!”
Silver glistened against the shadowed land below. Liquid wings fanned the sand into a small tornado as the ConDria lifted skyward. It arced above them, a sparkling gem in the first bright rays of morning. A song burst from its throat. A Fire ConDra roared a response and swooped to meet it. Shimmering water wings opened to receive the blazing beast. The air filled with the crackle and hiss of water against flame. Blackened bones rained from the sky.
Allynae registered the sound and the sight. His shifted form raced onward, the blaze of a Fire ConDra’s heat searing his sides as the sun topped the horizon line. Its partner banked away, a body of flame streaking ahead of him toward its target.
Again, the ConDria soared to meet its fiery adversary. The song from its throat made the air tremble. The glistening body absorbed the Fire ConDra’s blazing, red hue. Like partners, they danced a duet, circling and swooping around him and his rider. The ConDra’s lava tongue splattered the air with specks of blistering heat that hit the ConDria and sizzled into nothing. It closed the gap with a sudden thrust of liquid wings. Howling its rage, the second Fire ConDra fled.
The third lashed its tongue along his horse’s flank before it arced away into the rising sun. Starfire’s body spasmed in response to the searing heat, then calmed as the ConDria’s wing tip swept the pain away.
Ahead of them, the lake at Eissua gleamed. Relief flooded Allynae’s Human mind. His massive wings carried him to the edge of the lake near the outcropping. He landed, tossed his star-speckled head, and snorted the heat from his nostrils. WoNa slid to the ground and felt her way along his side until she faced him. “Thank you, Starfire.” She blew a soft breath that tickled his nose and flitted over the surface of his horse’s body.
Conscious of his Human feet planted firmly on the desert sand, Allynae tried to blink the stars from his eyes. He heard a woman’s voice. “Allynae, you’re back.” He strained to gather the pieces of himself into an order he recognized. The hiss of a snake and the flick of its tongue on his forehead cleared his vision. He searched the dome of soft morning light. “I saw a ConDra made of water. It saved us.” His voice sounded strange to his Human ears.
An osprey soared over the oasis and landed atop a tall palm. A melody of fluid notes filled Allynae’s heart. The ConDria crested the top of the dunes. Its glistening wings rained sparkling drops of water over the oasis. For a brief instant, it hovered above Eissua, and then joined the departing osprey and disappeared behind the sand dunes of DerTah.
Allynae’s heart, emptied of song, ached.
WoNa moved beside him. “You will be with your daughter soon.”
He sucked in a breath. “That was Brielle ?”
A hawk swooped over the palms and landed next to WoNa. One Man appeared and touched her arm. “You must hide WoNadahem Mardree. Sebborr ride this way.”
“And what about us?” Allynae asked.
Corvus appeared from a stand of palm trees. “You and One Man must go to Shu Chenaro. I will take WoNa to safety and bring Nichi back to her people. I’ll join you when I can.”
Allynae gathered the Oracle’s hands in his. “Thank you, WoNa, for a ride I will never forget.”
“Starfire is a part of you, brother of Almiralyn, or I could not have called him forth.”
“Do you mean I can shape him again?”
She smiled. “Time is the revealer of all things. You must go.”
Awash with the wonder of a creature created from moonlight and stars, Allynae watched Corvus guide her through an opening in the outcropping. With a horse-like shake of his head, he shaped a hawk and soared after One Man.
The dramatic departure of Brie and Wolloh left Torgin wondering. He had thought his adventures in Myrrh were strange, but the past few turnings had been stranger still. Sorting his
compositions into piles, he grinned, put them in a folder, and slid the flute into its case. Composing always put him in a good mood.
He glanced up to find Yaro looking down at him. His face was grim. “We need to talk, Torgin. I have disturbing news. I can tell you alone, and then we can share it with your friends. Or they can join us, and you can hear it with their support.”
“Why do I need their support?”
“Because what I have to say won’t be easy to hear.”
The good mood fled. A tinge of his old trepidation flared. “I’d rather you told me first.”
At a signal from Yaro, Gerolyn herded Ira, Esán, and Desirol beyond the panel. Yaro shoved his braids away from his face and sat down. “Voer is here in DerTah. He brought a message to you from your father.”
“M-m-y f-father. How did he speak to my father?”
“He came to Myrrh to ask Almiralyn to help find you.”
“Father ? In Myrrh?” He shook the confusion from his brain. “My father doesn’t even believe in Myrrh. What made him remember it? How did he get there?”
Yaro answered quietly. “Suffice it say, your father does remember, and he is there now. Nissasa’s men have taken over the Five Towers and have imprisoned the Five Fathers. They sent him to find you. Unless you return to The City and give them the Compass of Ostradio, they will kill the Fathers one-by-one.”
Torgin heard without hearing. The predicament of the Fathers is important, but there’s something Yaro’s not telling me. “That’s not all, is it?”
“No, Torgin. To make sure they get what they want, they have kidnapped your mother.”
Air blasting from his lungs almost doubled him over. “M-m-mother! Nissasa has my mother?” The voice was his. The words were his. He wanted to yell, but they came out in a choked whisper. “I have to find her, Yaro. I have to go back to Idronatti.”
“She’s here in DerTah. Going back won’t help her.”
Torgin pulled the compass from beneath his shirt and removed the thong from around his neck. He forced himself to think, to be logical. Fear will cloud my judgment. Mother’s life is at stake. I have to use everything I’ve learned during the past few cycles . The weight of the compass in his hand reminded him of the first time he held it—when Almiralyn entrusted it to me. He swallowed. The stringent taste of bile left its bitterness on his tongue. He hated what he saw in Yaro’s face.
“You are going to tell me that I cannot trade the compass for my mother.”
Yaro’s expression provided the answer.
“Even if I do, that does not mean they will let her go, right? My father is in line to be the next Premier of Idronatti. They will keep her and me, if I go back, and use us to control him. Help me, Yaro. I do not know what to do.” He dropped his head in his hands and massaged his forehead, hoping that when he looked up the nightmare would be over.
55
ConDra’s Fire
Myrrh
A lmiralyn stretched out on her bed, resting from the strain of shielding Elcaro’s Eye. The fountain was protected from outside eyes. She and Nomed had encoded a list of specific individuals who could access Elcaro’s Eye from DerTah through the shields: One Man, Allynae, Karrew, Wolloh, and Gerolyn. When and if WoNa was rescued, she would be added. An attempt by anyone else would shut the fountain down.
Nomed had been invaluable. His power added to hers had surprised them both. Already the personal changes he was making were enhancing his skills. He had left Veersuni in a thoughtful and introspective mood. The trip down the Stairway of Retu Erath coupled with his work with her had obviously given him much to think about.
She stared up at the curve of the ceiling and glitter of quartz in the stone. What to do next? I hate being so far from the action. Her concern forced her from the bed into a restless circuit of her quarters. I could restore the cottage and stay there. At least then I’d be nearer the fight. She pivoted and paced back the way she had come. I’d also be more vulnerable. I can’t afford to put myself in harm’s way. That will be playing right into Nissasa Rattori’s hands. At least in the Dojanacks, I’m relatively safe and so are Sparrow and Merrilea.
Her pacing ended with the rustling of her entryway curtain. The subjects of her final reverie greeted her with tentative smiles. “I was just thinking about the two of you,” she said, motioning them inside. “I imagine you are as restless as I am.”
Sparrow smiled, picked up a forest green pillow, and plopped down on the bench. “We are, and we know all three of us are safest here.” She hugged the pillow to her chest. “But we would really like to know how the children are and what Allynae and Jordett are up to. Can you tell us?”
“Even better, show us in the fountain?” Merrilea asked, eagerly.
“Neither of you has been to the Cavern of Tennisca. All who enter must be initiated by the ancient ones. Are you willing to face your personal fears?”
“Isn’t that what The Unfolding is about?” Sparrow asked. “Coming to grips with who you truly are?”
“For those of us directly involved, that is part of it.”
Merrilea looked thoughtful. “Isn’t life always unfolding in every moment? If walking the Stairway of Retu Erath helps the process, I’m all for it.”
Sparrow jumped to her feet and tossed the pillow on the bench. “So am I. What do we have to do?”
Almiralyn laughed. “For everyone it is different, Sparrow. I’ll take you to Tennisca. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll meet you at the Central Square.”
After the women left, she couldn’t help but wonder at the workings of The Unfolding…change and upheaval on all fronts. Settling into her chair, she allowed herself a few minutes of quiet contemplation. Taking Sparrow and Merrilea to see the fountain will be interesting. With luck, it will show us if WoNa has been rescued and whether Nissasa’s troops have attacked Shu Chenaro. She narrowed her eyes. I hope Elcaro’s Eye will recognize our need to know and answer our questions. I never know what it will share .
Jordett and Yuin arrived at Nemttachenn Tower via the Intersect. After conferring with Paisley and CheeTrann, Yuin shaped a vulture and carried him to a clearing near the RewFaaran camp on Almiralyn’s land. The ruby Pentharian then flew on to join Jeet at Demrach Gateway.
Jordett peered after him. Wonder what kind of reception I’ll get when I walk into camp? He straightened his crumpled uniform jacket, adjusted his tie, and strode out of the woods.
A RewFaaran soldier stepped into view. “Who goes there? Stop where you are.”
Jordett complied. “Major Jordett of the Peoples Plan Protectors. The Guardian of Myrrh sent me. I’m here to see Tinpaca Mondago.”
The soldier saluted. “This way, sir. We’ve been expecting you.” He walked briskly between tents. “A Nyti girl and her dragonfly let us know you were on the way. The Tinpaca asked me to bring you straight to him.” He stopped by a large tent. “Please remain here.”
While he waited, Jordett scrutinized his surroundings. He liked what he saw—soldiers at their posts, soldiers on patrol, and soldiers talking to each other with the quiet dignity of well-trained troops.
The tent flap flipped open. “Tinpaca Mondago will see you now.” The soldier stepped aside and motioned Jordett to enter.
A stocky man with dark graying hair met him with an offered hand and a harried smile. “Good to meet you, Jordett. I have my hands full at the moment. The soldier who brought you here will escort you to your tent so you can settle in.” He handed him a packet of papers. “Take a quick look through these. They will help you familiarize yourself with RewFaaran protocol. When you are ready, come back here. Hopefully, things will have calmed down by then.”
Jordett accepted the packet. “Thank you, sir. I’ll let you get back to business.” He exited the tent and fell in step with the soldier who had waited for him outside. “What’s your name, soldier?”
“Tunet, sir.” They stopped by a tent pitched a short distance from the Tinpaca’s. “This is your quarters, sir. We were told
you arrived with no personal belongings. You’ll find a clean uniform and a kit on your cot. Can you find your way back to headquarters?”
“I can. And thanks, Tunet.”
“You’re welcome, sir. We’re glad to have you join us.” He saluted and walked back the way he had come.
Jordett ducked into the tent. A cot, a collapsible washstand, and a camp chair were the only furnishings. A clean uniform lay on the cot beside a duffle bag. After washing away the dust and dirt of what seemed like a lifetime, he changed clothes and sat down to peruse the papers from the Tinpaca. They provided him with an overview of the camp’s resources: the number of men, available weapons, technology, etc., as well as an organizational chart and list of ranks for the RewFaaran military. Aware of the importance of his first impression on Mondago’s men, he committed the information to memory and headed back to headquarters.
His arrival at the tent coincided with the return of soldiers from Demrach Gateway. Staying out of the way, he watched Mondago dispatch Nissasa’s men to be placed under guard and interrogated and the one dead soldier to be prepared for burial. After these orders had been carried out, he placed a guard on the four soldiers who had used the portal from DerTah. Finally, he invited Jordett and the Grantese who had been in charge of the returning soldiers to join him.
Once they were inside the tent, he made introductions. “Major Jordett…Grantese Tesilend. Jordett will be acting as my adjutant and Theran advisor.”
Jordett offered his hand. “It’s good to see you, Grantese.”
Tesilend shook it warmly. “I look forward to working with you, sir.”
A dragonfly buzzed to a clear spot, and an emerald Pentharian materialized.
Mondago gave him a nod of recognition. “Tesilend, I see you’ve met Stee. He will also be acting as an advisor. I imagine the men now know that there are Pentharian in Myrrh?”
“I swore them to secrecy, sir. But you know how word travels around here.”
The UnFolding Collection Two Page 46
