by Janet Woods
The man she’d spoken to at the pool on Soran was standing with Danea. He had an elegant stance to him. He was handsome in a lean, predatory sort of way. She suspected he might be a hesp, and wondered if she’d be able to make contact with him.
‘Tighe,’ she whispered, and he turned, his eyes silvery and sharp like those of her wolf.
Wulf must have sensed something for he gave a quiet growl, until she placed her hand over his snout and whispered, ‘No, Wulf. See how complete a being he is in himself.’
Wulf licked her hand.
Tighe gave a faintly crooked smile, though he didn’t acknowledge her. ‘Ask Laek to come for me at the tower in Karshal,’ she whispered.
His smile fading, Tighe shrugged and turned back to Danea. The chimera had limitations, she realized, and therefore it was dangerous place for the uninitiated. Hence, Sybilla’s tight hold on her. This was a learning process and her mentor was telling her to beware. She needed to take control of her thoughts, not let them run riot.
She gazed into the water and thought of her brother Emrys, wondering how his tracking of them was progressing. At first she couldn’t see anything, and then a figure in a black cloak came into her vision. Emrys stood in an alleyway, almost indistinguishable in the shadows. A second man came into view. He stopped a bare heartbeat away. Emrys spun and chopped him across the throat. He fell.
The man emerged from the shadows into the light and Jynx held her breath when he seemed to look straight into her eyes. ‘Emrys, don’t do it,’ ... she whispered, her heart cracking at the thought that he could bring himself to kill herself and Remy.
When her brother moved on she exhaled. He’d tracked them to Karshal. But as long as she stayed here with the followers, and as long as the chimera tower didn’t topple, then she’d be safe.
Wulf had gone into a clearing up ahead, and there was the sound of water. She hurried forward and found herself in the High Place.
A smiled touched her lips. Slipping from her tunic and breeches she swam to the flat rock, flopped on to her stomach and gazed down into the water. Though the water was clear she couldn’t see the bottom, which disappeared into the gloom.
As she watched, a figure of a woman appeared, swimming up out of the murky depths, twisting and turning gracefully and leaving a trail of luminosity behind her.
‘Tiana,’ Jynx whispered.
The woman came up through the water fast. ‘Jynx, did you dream me up, very few do these days.’
‘I don’t know. This is my first time in the chimera.’
‘Are you alone?’
‘No ... I have Sybilla with me.’
A smile spread across Tiana’s face. ‘Sybilla was my mentor once, only her body was old and when it wore out I buried her in a cave in the desert. Then she renewed, and she fell in love with Kavan’s most trusted trooper and wed him. Sybilla is an ancient, and her spirit will never die.’
‘Why not?’
‘She’s the daughter of the grand alchemist, she trains his disciples and carries out his work.’
‘Are they the followers? My mother said I’m one.’
‘Not all the followers are disciples, and not all live with the sisters. Some have healing powers and can appear in spirit if they have a close genetic tie with someone. Some have the ability to renew themselves completely, like Sybilla. It’s not for me to know how you will develop. Will you come into the water with me? It’s cooling.’
Tiana had eyes as green as emerald and her hair streamed about her in moonlit strands. Jynx slid in beside her and the two began to swim down into the depths. Soon Jynx began to run out of breath, but as she turned to swim upwards her hand tangled in Tiana’s hair.
She began to panic, until she saw a hole in the rock near to the bottom. There was the door set in it, the one she’d seen with Remy. Tiana dragged her towards it.
Something took hold of Jynx’s feet and there was a tug of war, so she felt as though she was being torn apart. Jynx took a knife from her belt and hacked at Tiana’s hair. Freed, she was pulled rapidly upwards, until she was dragged on to the shore.
Releasing her held breath she rapidly gasped in a fresh one and began to cough. Wulf licked her face, and the world spun around her. Gradually it settled.
‘Thank you,’ she croaked. ‘Tiana was going to drown me.’
‘Not on purpose.’ Everything that happens here comes from your own mind.
She laughed. ‘I didn’t know you could speak, Wulf. You sound like Sybilla.’
‘It is me. You need to get some air into your lungs. Breathe in ... now breathe out ... good.’
Sybilla smiled and said, ‘Now, listen to me, Jynx. Wulf didn’t rescue you, I did, though he did come to warn me you were out of control. You were messing with some strong magic, since you know the High Place is forbidden.’
‘I didn’t go there on purpose. It just happened.’ Gazing around her she discovered they were back in the courtyard.
‘You must control your thoughts, not allow them to be controlled by your impulses. You must meditate on that before you sleep tonight.’
Gazing at her hand Jynx made a face at the raised welts around her wrist. Where tendrils of Tiana’s hair had clung, it had burned her. Sybilla placed her hands around the injury and the soreness began to ease.
‘There’s a door at the bottom of the rock,’ Jynx told her.
‘The body of the Grand Alchemist is interred there. He created this world, and has a powerful energy source invested in it. If that energy if broken or disturbed the world would begin to crumble, and eventually disintegrate into dust.’
‘There is a noise behind the door, and Tiana was taking me there, I think. She said you’re the daughter of the Grand Alchemist and you will never die, but just keep renewing your body. When you were her mentor she buried you in a cave in the desert. Is that true?’
Sybilla nodded. ‘She could have done. It was so long ago that I can’t remember. What else did you see?’
‘First I saw my brother Emrys. He is in Karshal, and was as still as the shadows he sheltered in. He was followed by a trooper and allowed the man the space of a goat’s whisker. Then as fast as a cat he chopped him down. Emrys is Cynan’s best tracker,’ she said with some pride, forgetting, for just a minitix, that she was half of Emrys prey on this occasion.
‘And then?’
‘I saw Laek, Danea and Tighe, but although I spoke to them they didn’t see me. At least ... Tighe might have. He is a strange one.’
Sybilla caressed her face. ‘Tighe is a traveler. He has many skills and is a master of disguise. He has the ability to change shape and project his familiars away from him, so his presence could be in different places at the same time.’
‘Do you know him?’
‘We have met in another life.’ Sybilla seemed reluctant to talk any more of him, for she caressed Jynx’s cheek and said, ‘Laek thinks of you often.’
‘He is my friend, Remy’s too. I couldn’t see Hal, though I tried.’
‘Scry the scene again so I can see them while they’re in your mind.’
Jynx sent ripples scurrying across the water in the fountain. A scene appeared when the water calmed. It was dusk, and the troopers were lining up, and heading across the plain towards the sea. Some had taken to the air, sitting aside landflights.’
‘Look at the flights,’ Jynx exclaimed in delight, and Sybilla smiled. ‘Sharn would have summoned them, for the trimarine cannot take them all.’
‘I remember Sharn. He helped us escape from Emrys in Arles. He hid us in the cart belonging to Hal and Orish.’ Her gaze went back to the scene. Lady Azarine was at the front of the column, with Laek. She wore the same uniform as the troopers. Although the sea was some distance away, Jynx clearly saw Cynan’s trimarine, and knew it was waiting for them.
‘What’s happening?’
‘They’re going back to Arles,’ Sybilla said. ‘Azarine is going to take her revenge for the wrong done to her family.’
‘She is going to kill Cynan? How can she? She’s only a woman.’
‘The rage she has held inside her heart for all these years will give her strength. Now, find this Hal of yours.’
She murmured his name, almost like a caress. ‘Hal ...’
Uffo came into view, his glossy black hide quivering. She gasped when the flight’s wings extended from his body and he circled in the air. There was a man seated astride his back – a man with dark hair, strong thighs and eyes of deep blue.
Excitement quivered through her as Uffo soared into the air and gave a trill. ‘Hal,’ she called out, even knowing he couldn’t hear her.
More flights arrived and the troopers mounted. How glorious they all looked. She grinned happily at Sybilla. ‘There’s Hal riding on Uffo’s back. He looks so splendid.’
‘That’s Falcon Darkwater, true Lord of Karshal. He will not be going since he and his troopers have Karshal to conquer.’
‘It can’t be ... it’s Hal. He’s changed, but I know him well.’ Her fingers went to the peregrine on the amulet she’d carved and the breath stilled in her throat.
Sybilla nodded. ‘Being here has encouraged you to think with the deepest level of your mind. You knew he was special right from the beginning, even before he knew himself that he was Falcon Darkwater, son of Sabarin, brother to Azarine. As well as having the ability to scry, you are a seer. You also have the skill to heal. Now you know the extent of your skills you must learn to handle them, for you have it in your to achieve everything you deserve.’
‘I have seen how riches corrupt people. I only want what I need, Sybilla.’
‘Of course you do ... I would think no less of you if you wanted more.’
‘Tell me of Falcon. I thought he perished in his mother’s womb.’
‘Esbel and Azarine tricked Servish, and they removed the infant before Yvaine died. Giving Falcon life and the will to defeat their enemies was Yvaine’s ultimate sacrifice. Falcon was raised by the ancients’ brotherhood and taken under the wing of Orish, who taught him and gave him wisdom. Now he will claim his birthright.’
‘Why didn’t he tell me?’
‘Falcon didn’t know who he was until he went through the ceremony to unlock his memory and learn the reason for his being. It almost killed him, and the lady Azarine who gave him her strength.’
A glossy black feather fluttered down from the sky and Jynx caught it. Uffo had known she was there and had sent her a gift.
She stuck it in her hair, coiling a strand around it to secure it. ‘Will Falcon forget me now he has changed?’ she asked, as the water cleared.
‘You can only wait and see, little one.’ Sybilla took her in her arms and hugged her tight. ‘Come, that’s been enough excitement for one day. We’ll go back and continue cutting up the herbs.’
Jynx groaned, but didn’t argue. She would come back to the chimera later when she was alone, to see what else she could find out. She had to learn to control her impulses, Sybilla had said. She shrugged. What better way than to practise them, then she would know what she was capable of.
Later, in the dark blue twilight of night Jynx crept from her chamber and made her way to the hall. But no matter how much she searched, she couldn’t find the door to the chimera.
Back in her chamber she sat on her meditation cushion and placed her mind to the problem. As she concentrated on the door her mind kept wandering on to other things. Gradually, she became aware of a low hum, so concentrated it was hard to distinguish where it was coming from.
She fixated on it, and she found the same note quivering inside her. Softly, she began to hum. There was a faint blue glow outside her window, and a deep bracelet of stars slowly circling. The noise grew louder. Reaching out, she closed her hand around a pulsing thread of light. It pulled her into the sky and she floated there in absolute peace and perfect contentment. She could feel the presence of Remy, but like her he had no substance. A light began to spark inside her and she began to giggle, as if she’d been synergized into energy and had become an infinitesimal part of a something bigger.
Sybilla looked up from her own meditation and smiled. The youngster had a lot of love and laughter inside her ... and good ... she was beginning to respond to the forces around her and realize she was a part of a whole.
When Jynx woke she knew what she was, and sought Sybilla out. ‘Why didn’t you tell me I’m like you?’
‘Immortality is a gift from the Gods, and is rarely given to twined spirits. You had to discover it for yourself and accept what you are without fear. Remy knew he was immortal from an early age, which is why Sair was sent to act as counsel to him.’
‘What does this mean, Sybilla; that I’ll never die?’
‘When your body dies your spirit will inhabit another form. It could be old or young. You will always be a healer.’
‘What if I want to wed and have children?’
‘Then you can. Be warned though. You’ll have to find your happiness and rewards in the best way you can, and you must learn how to hide your skills unless they are needed.’
For a moment Jynx fell silent. The future that stretched in front of her was almost too awesome to contemplate. How long was forever? How many times would she lose somebody she loved? How many children would she mourn before she moved on in her everlasting life? Did she even want to live forever, continually adjusting? Did she have any choice?
Her eyes met Sybilla’s and her mentor smiled. ‘I know your doubts too well, Jynx. There will be times of sadness, and of passion and of great joy. Then there will be times when you will be persecuted, and your body will feel pain. Then you may draw on the collective strength of the followers, and if need be, the grand Alchemist. But your spirit will never grow old ... it will just become wiser.’
‘What if I don’t want to be a healer, or to live for ever?’
‘You can’t change what you are, since you have the same genetic pattern as Tiana had, only it’s stronger.’
‘How can that be, when I was born to Yegan and Greer Colban?’
‘In the days when the world was split apart, there was chaos. The gene banks were destroyed ... except for those of the wisest leaders and the strongest troopers. They were stored in a place of safety, and only a few true-bloods know of their existence. They have been used in a way that has carried them down through their hosts for generations, sleeping until it was needed. Meditate on this, for you need to accept what you are before we take the next step.
‘Which is ...?’
Sybilla laughed. ‘You’ll just have to curb your curiosity.’
Which was probably the hardest discipline Jynx would ever have to master.
Chapter Twelve
When the alert drum was sounded Cynan deserted the parade ground and made his way to the battlements. Apart from a small attachment, the new recruits were a sorry lot ... due no doubt to the desertion of many of his troopers and commanders
Penn was already there, a spyglass held to his eye. ‘The Soran trimarine has just come over the horizon. It’s hard to see, but I think they have Lady Azarine aboard. The ship’s sails are in tatters, as though she ran into a storm. They’re using the oars.’
‘The weather is unpredictable at this time of year, but I always knew they’d turn up eventually.’ Cynan’s statement was a lie. His embarrassment over what he’d thought was Azarine and Laek’s defection ran so deep that he felt the need to excuse their behavior, both to himself, and any other who’d thought he’d been made a fool of. Especially those who’d secretly gloated over it, like his brother, Penn.
Cynan hid his relief. He shouldn’t have thought of such a thing. Azarine wouldn’t desert him. Where would she go? Nobody would take her in on pain of death. All the same, once the ship had docked and he’d counted heads, he’d have a list made of every one of the deserters. They’d be hunted down, tortured and executed – made an example of.
He drew in a deep breath. Yes ... he’d make an example of them. It had been a long tim
e since he’d given free rein to his anger. His woman lacked aggression and he’d tried to please her in the past. But he was sick of playing the pacifier. Azarine could have sent word that she’d be delayed, using one of the carrier birds. When she finally turned up he’d give her a well-deserved and long-overdue beating. Laek could watch. That would teach everyone, including Penn and Laek that he was boss of his own household.
‘I imagine you’ll be going down to the dock to greet them.’
‘They won’t arrive until fall of night, and you imagine wrong. They should have arrived days ago. Laek can escort his mother to the manor. If I feel there is a need for a welcoming ceremony we will reenact it on the morrow.’
‘Should I send one of the other trimarines to tow the Soran into her berth?’
‘Let them row. When the marine commander makes his report he can be flogged for his bad seamanship. Only a fool would sail into a storm ‘Desii, you can yield the cat.’
Desii’s eyes gleamed. The sea commander of the Soran had taught them some navigational skills on the way to the island, and had berated Desii for plotting a course that would have taken them out to sea and into the area where there were jagged rocks and massive whirlpools. Desii had smarted under the lash of his tongue and suffered the derision of the other cadets.
Not from Laek and his friends, he had to admit, who’d patted him on the back with a show of false comradeship and sympathy. It had turned out to be more patronizing than anything because, although he’d tried hard to ingratiate himself with the group during the voyage, they’d chosen the silent and slightly mysterious Tighe over him for the group.
At the least, he’d be able to get his own back on the commander.
* * * *
The fact that Cynan wasn’t there to greet herself and Laek, signaled to Azarine that the hold she’d managed to keep him under had weakened without her constant reinforcement. Her opponent would have reverted to type, and be stronger than she’d expected. He would be puffed up with bloodlust and looking for someone to vent it on. Her heart thundered deafeningly in her chest and a pulse beat against her eardrums.
