Tidul looked into Gi-arobi’s eyes and smiled. “It’s been several weeks since you’ve been to visit any of my classes, Gi. We miss you. What have you been doing with yourself, little friend?”
“New shipment at market—from Tre-ayjeel. Good food grows there,” Gi answered.
“You’re going to get fat one of these days, Gi,” Chulu said, teasing the olvaar.
Gi patted his round stomach. “Eating muscle. Not fat!”
Amet crossed the room and passed around behind Chulu’s chair, glancing into the open hall leading to the bedrooms. He continued moving restlessly around the room. At last he paused before a series of finely woven reed and grass mats that hung on the wall. “Who did these?” he asked.
Gi saw what Amet was looking at and answered. “Big Fur weaves grass. Pretty, yes?”
Amet looked at Screech, who had not moved since their arrival. “I had not realized that you were such an artist, Ssaal-lr,” he said, using Screech’s formal name.
Screech just stared at Amet.
A chill slipped down Amet’s spine as he turned back to the room. The derkat had their own laws and form of government. Nomadic, traveling in large groups called radgs, they hunted for their survival and traded both with men and Ni, but it was hard to ignore the aura of wildness suggested by their powerful teeth and clawed hands and feet.
Amet finally took a seat on the opposite side of the couch from Tidul, his eyes never leaving the derkat. It was unusual for a derkat to choose the companionship of any other than its own kind. He was sure there was a story behind Ssaal-lr’s close ties with Pocalina and Dhalvad, but so far he had not an inkling of what those ties might be.
Poco returned to the room carrying a tray of stoneware mugs filled with steaming rayil tea. “I thought you’d like something while you’re waiting,” she said, passing the tray around. She set it down on a low table near Chulu and took the baby from him. After she had settled herself in a chair nearby, Tidul handed her a cup.
Poco turned her attention to Chulu and asked after his wife, Naalan, who had recently returned from a trip to Uala, a growing Ni city on the western tip of Lake Haddrach. For the next few minutes the conversation revolved around Chulu’s oldest son Telav, who lived in Uala and was helping the city council set up its own Learning Arc.
“They’ll need a Singer to teach the young ones soon,” Chulu told Poco. “Ever thought of becoming a teacher?”
Poco laughed. “I’m still learning myself. But yes, someday I think I might like to teach others what I’ve learned.”
Amet watched Poco closely as she talked with Chulu. He, in turn, was watched by Screech, who could read body language as easily as others might read a passage in a book. A soft, low rumble of uneasiness escaped his mouth, and the fur on his back raised slightly.
Gi-arobi’s sensitive ears caught the soft rumble of displeasure, and glancing over at his friend, he quietly slipped off the couch and padded over toward the kitchen doorway. He stopped by the derkat’s legs and patted the nearest one.
Screech dropped a hand to the olvaar and drew him up to sit straddling one shoulder.
“What wrong?” Gi whispered in Screech’s tufted ear.
“Later,” Screech signed.
“Gi not like later,” Gi muttered. “Want answer now!”
“Later,” Screech repeated.
Gi leaned forward and grabbed at the top of Screech’s arm. Screech caught him instinctively and lowered him to the floor.
Tidul caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and turned. “Where are you going, Gi?”
Pausing in the doorway, Gi saw the worried look cross Poco’s face. “Gi hungry,” he answered. Without another word, he turned and ambled into the kitchen.
“I’d better go see what he’s after,” Poco said, rising with the baby. “I’ll be right back.”
She crossed the room quickly and caught a look from Screech that said he would remain on watch. She was not surprised when she did not find Gi-arobi in the kitchen. The olvaar were curious creatures by nature; it was obvious that he had all the mystery he could stand and had gone to find Dhalvad to get some answers. She stepped to the back door, which was open for the breeze, and saw the last of Gi’s hindquarters slip over the edge of the roof. How he knew Dhalvad was there was anyone’s guess. She reentered the kitchen, hesitated a moment, then returned to the living room.
Amet watched closely as she took her seat again. She pretended not to notice.
Amet rose suddenly. “I’d like to warm my tea, Pocalina. Is there more hot water?”
“Yes. Let me get it for you,” she said, starting to gather Jiam in her arms.
“No. Sit still,” Amet said, moving toward the kitchen. “I’ll help myself.”
Screech straightened slightly as Amet approached. He cast a quick glance at Poco. She gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head.
Amet nodded to Screech as he passed the derkat and entered the kitchen. A minute later he returned carrying his tea. There was no steam rising from the cup.
“Gi doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the kitchen,” Amet observed casually as he crossed the room.
“I gave him a piece of fruit and told him to eat it outside,” Poco said matter-of-factly. “He can be messy when he eats.”
Amet looked down at Poco, his face cold with suspicion. He set his unheated cup of tea down and straightened. “I think we’ve wasted enough time here. Chulu. Tidul. Please come with me. We’ll have to catch up with Dhalvad tomorrow.” He looked at Poco. “Tell him that he’s to meet with us in the morning at ten o’clock in my rooms. There can be no further delays. It’s imperative that we know what transpired between Dhalvad and the Tamorlee as soon as possible!”
“Why don’t you just ask the Tamorlee?” Poco snapped.
“I’ve already tried that!” Amet snarled. “It doesn’t seem to feel like talking to me right now—only to Dhalvad! Tell him to come tomorrow! Ten o’clock! Is that clear?”
“Perfectly clear,” Poco answered with icy calm.
Chulu heard the rebellion in Poco’s voice and realized that Amet was making a mistake. She was not the kind of person one pushed. He touched her arm in passing and paused for a moment as Amet and Tidul stepped out onto the porch.
“Thanks for the tea, Poco. Tell Dhal, when you see him, that Amet is just worried. Also tell him that if he’d like to talk about what happened today with the crystal—well, I’d be happy to listen.”
Poco relaxed slightly as she looked Chulu in the eyes. “Thank you for your understanding, Chulu. I’ll tell Dhal what you said.”
She waited until Chulu left, then signed for Screech to go after Dhalvad.
Screech remained where he was and raised his hands to sign. “Amet threaten the radg. I’ll kill him if my tiyah commands it.” The word tiyah in derkat meant “leader of the clan”; the tiyah was always female.
Poco laid Jiam down and went to stand before the derkat. She knew he was serious and actually perceived Amet as a threat to the family, but the simple codes of the derkat radgs did not always apply to the dealings of Ni-lach or men.
“Screech, you may be right about Amet,” she said, signing as she spoke so there was no chance of misunderstanding. “You may also be wrong, and we must give him the benefit of the doubt. A few minutes ago I could have happily shoved Amet out our door, but that doesn’t mean that I want him dead.”
The tip end of Ssaal-lr’s tail twitched back and forth. “It is unwise to give your enemy the first move.”
“Screech, I don’t look upon Amet as our enemy. He is the Speaker, and he’s worried about the crystal. His behavior just now, though rude, does not call for drastic action on our part. Go now and find Dhalvad. We have a lot to talk over.”
Chapter 3
POCO STOOD WITH Dhalvad at the edge of the porch.
“I’m afraid, Dhal,” she said, “What if something goes wrong?”
“Nothing’s going to go wrong! We talked this over last night. T
his is the only safe way to get you all out of here. Amet won’t turn his attention to you as long as they have me, which should give you long enough to get where you’re going. If my meeting with Amet goes well, there’ll be nothing to worry about and I’ll meet you in the village inn in Cybury in three days to decide what to do from there. If things don’t go well, I want you to continue south along the Owri River to the Reaches. Screech will see you reach Bannoc from there. I doubt the Ni would try to bother you in Utura territory.”
He caught her face with his hands and kissed her soundly. “You, Jiam, Gi, and Screech are all the family I have, and I want you safely away before I try to help the Tamorlee.”
“If we’re forced to go to Bannoc, how long before you come for us?”
“As soon as I can, I promise. A lot will depend on how fast I can secure a Seeker ring.”
“Or the Tamorlee,” she said softly.
Dhalvad nodded. “Or the Tamorlee.”
“What’re you going to tell Amet and Chulu this morning?”
“Part of the truth. If I speak to them as a Healer, perhaps they’ll listen and be sympathetic to the crystal’s need. If it was Chulu alone, I think I could convince him to let me take the Tamorlee for a little while. Amet is quite another matter.”
Poco hugged him. “I wish I could come with you. I don’t like being left behind.”
“If this involved anything other than the Tamorlee,” he said, pulling on the braid down her back to force her face up, “I’m sure you would be safe right here in Jjaan-bi. But the Ni aren’t rational when it comes to the crystal, at least Amet isn’t, and I won’t take a chance of his trying to get to me through you and Jiam.”
Dhalvad left Poco and hurried down the trail, praying that his fears were groundless. If anything should ever happen to Poco or Jiam… A sudden feeling of being followed made him pause and look back, but he saw nothing unusual.
A short time later, he walked out from under the cool shade of the giant aban trees that sheltered the lane leading along the lake shore. He caught movement out of the corner of one eye and turned just as someone stepped out from behind the tree he had just passed.
Startled, he backed up a step and slipped off the trail. He almost lost his balance as leafy ground gave way to a muddy spot that grabbed at his foot.
Someone caught at his arm before he could fall, and he looked up into the face of the Ni who had startled him. His momentary flare of irritation turned to anger as he recognized Paa-tol, one of Amet’s closest subordinates. So his earlier feeling of being followed had not been imaginary!
Paa-tol was tall and broader through the shoulders than the average Ni. His eyes were slate gray, and his hair was a deep forest green. His eyebrows slanted sharply upward, and his arched nose gave him a predatory look. He was fifteen years Dhalvad’s senior and stood high in the ranks of the Gerri-Mountain Draak Watch. He was also a Seeker.
Dhalvad had dealt with Paa-tol on several occasions and had found him laconic and extremely careful with his opinions, which meant that one never knew precisely where Paa-tol stood on any given subject. Poco called him opportunistic. Dhalvad thought that dangerous was a more apt description as he glanced at the three knives sheathed in Paa-tol’s chest harness. The older Ni also carried a long sword at his left hip and a length of narrow draak-hide rope at his belt.
Paa-tol’s eyebrows lifted in question. “Going the wrong way, aren’t you?”
Dhalvad frowned. “Was Amet afraid I’d forget our appointment?” he asked sarcastically.
“No,” Paa-tol replied. “He only sent me to ensure you were on time.”
Liar, Dhalvad thought as he glanced downtrail past Paa-tol. Seeing the direction of Dhalvad’s gaze, Paa-tol stepped to the left, effectively blocking the path. Twice in the past he had underestimated the Healer. He would not do so again.
“If you don’t want to be late,” he said, “you’d better go along now.”
Dhalvad shot him a venomous look. “Do I have a choice?”
Paa-tol crossed his arms before his chest. “Your argument is with Amet, not me.”
Dhalvad thought about Poco and Jiam and realized that refusing to go along and insisting upon going home first was sure to rouse suspicions. Better to go and meet with Amet than to risk anyone discovering Poco and the rest of the family in the midst of leaving.
Without a word, Dhalvad turned and headed for the main entrance to the caves. Paa-tol hesitated a moment, then followed, giving Dhalvad an escort whether he wanted one or not.
Dhalvad greeted Jeran and his wife, Thayla, who were on watch that morning, but he did not pause to visit as was his usual custom.
Jeran raised an eyebrow in question as Dhalvad passed by followed closely by Paa-tol. Thayla caught his glance and shook her head frowning. Paa-tol was well known among the Guard, and it was obvious that he was escorting Dhalvad to some particular destination. Paa-tol ignored both guards and closed the distance between himself and Dhalvad.
The tunnels between the caves varied greatly in width, and the fayyal rocks that illuminated the passageways were not all of the same brightness, giving the tunnels an eerie glow.
Dhalvad heard Paa-tol’s footsteps close upon him and cursed silently. He did not like the feeling of being herded like some straying bomal, nor did he like the feeling of being under guard, which was what it must have seemed like to those they passed as they wound their way toward Amet’s quarters.
Dhalvad came to a fork in the tunnel and paused. The left tunnel led to the chamber holding the Tamorlee; the right went to Amet’s rooms. He started to the right.
Paa-tol stopped at the junction and waited for Dhalvad to get a short distance down the tunnel before saying “They’re waiting for you in the Tamorlee’s chamber.”
Dhalvad took another step or two before the words sank in. He stopped, turned, and came back to Paa-tol. He paused in front of him and looked him in the eyes. “You like playing with people, don’t you?” he said softly.
Paa-tol returned Dhalvad’s glare in silence. His expression was one of wry amusement.
“Some day, Paa-tol, you’re going to push the wrong person,” Dhalvad said. “And when he or she pushes back, you’ll find yourself at the chewing end of a draak with no weapon at hand and no place to run!”
Paa-tol’s eyes narrowed; his smile disappeared. “Is that a threat, Healer?”
“No threat, Paa-tol, just a warning.” Dhalvad passed the tall Ni and headed toward the Tamorlee’s chamber. When he reached the two guards stationed at the entrance to the chamber, he stopped and glanced back. Paa-tol was still standing where he had left him, his face deep in shadow. Dhalvad suppressed a shiver and turned back to the open chamber doorway.
Amet stood there watching him. “Come in,” he said, stepping to one side.
Dhalvad walked into the room and heard the door close ominously behind him. He tried to shake the chill that skittered down his spine by concentrating on the five other Ni in the room. Besides Chulu and Tidul, he recognized the Master Singer, Lurral, a Seeker named Davano, and Chiilana, a female deldar, or psychic. Tidul, Lurral, and Chiilana were dressed in long ankle-length tunics, a mode of dress common for those working in the Learning Arc. The others wore short tunics and pants.
Dhalvad greeted everyone with a nod, honoring Chiilana by addressing her first. She was austere in dress and demeanor, but there was a lively wit behind those blue-gray eyes and a gentleness of spirit that spoke of a deep understanding of life. As a far-seer, Chiilana was often called upon to aid in decision making for the Ni of Jjaan-bi. Dhalvad had liked Chiilana from the moment he had met her almost a year earlier. He wished Poco shared his liking, but such was not the case; he thought it might have something to do with Chiilana’s youthful beauty and a slight case of jealousy—which Poco vehemently denied.
He grinned to himself as he bowed to Chiilana and took her hand in his, thinking what Poco would say when he told her who had been at Amet’s special meeting.
“It’s good to see you, Dhalvad,” she said as he released her hand. “It’s been awhile since we’ve spoken.”
“I’ve been busy with my studies on healing,” he offered as an excuse.
“That’s not all you’ve been busy with, according to Amet,” she chided gently. “What have you done to the crystal?”
“Done? I don’t understand.”
“Nor do we,” Amet said.
Dhalvad started, not realizing that Amet had moved to stand behind him.
The Speaker’s hand fell heavily on his shoulder. “No more evasions, Dhalvad. We must know what happened between you and the crystal yesterday.”
Dhalvad shrugged out from under Amet’s hand and turned to face him. He started to speak but swallowed his angry response when he saw the haunted look in Amet’s eyes. He glanced over at Chulu, Tidul, and Lur-ral; all wore that same look of fear. What in the name of Rabin’s Oath is wrong now? he wondered.
Chulu came up beside Dhalvad and motioned him toward a thick carpet of woven mats overlaid by a cushioning layer of spidermoss and an exquisitely designed handwoven blanket. “Please, Dhalvad, sit down and tell us what you can about yesterday. Pocalina told us you were disturbed by what had happened, but she couldn’t tell us anything more.”
Dhalvad relented and followed Chulu toward the improvised seating. Lurral, white-haired and oldest of those present, took a seat beside Dhalvad and gave him an encouraging smile. The others quickly made themselves comfortable, forming a circle on the large, cushioned blanket.
Dhalvad looked at the expectant faces surrounding him, then gazed past Amet at the crystal, set in its special place within the star-shaped carving on the floor. Where to begin? he thought. And how much to tell?
He looked into Amet’s eyes and decided to withhold the part about his losing his position as Speaker, at least for the moment.
“We’re waiting,” Amet said impatiently.
Dhalvad’s glance swept around the circle. “I came here yesterday at Amet’s request,” he began. “He said the Tamorlee wanted to speak to me. I linked with the crystal and discovered that it had called me because I was a Healer.” His glance stopped at Chiilana.
Seeking the Dream Page 4
