Seeking the Dream

by Marcia J. Bennett

  Thura went to the roof door and opened it, then noticed that she was alone. “Adda?” She turned and found Gi-arobi already several steps up the stairway, his nose fur twitching with an unpleasant smell.

  “Something burns,” Gi said, looking at Bhaldavin.

  Bhaldavin crossed the tower floor and looked up-ward. Thura ran to him and caught at the back of his tunic. “Adda, let’s go! I don’t like it here! I want to find Mother!”

  “In a moment, Thura,” he answered, as he elbowed her back a step. “You stay here. I want to look upstairs.”

  “No, Adda! Don’t go up there!”

  “Thura, I’ll be right back. I promise. You stay here.”

  “What be up there?” Gi asked.

  “Machines left by the Ral-jennob,” Bhaldavin answered. “I think we’d better take a look. It does smell like something is burning.”

  Gi-arobi preceded Bhaldavin up the steps, carefully keeping to the inside wall. Thura watched the two through the widely spaced spindles on the railing. She finally followed them up the steps, fearing to be left behind.

  Gi-arobi was the first into the large circular room at the top of the stairs. He whistled excitedly for Little Fish to come and look.

  Bhaldavin stepped into the room a moment later and saw the reason for Gi’s outburst. Two Wastelanders lay on the floor next to one of Gringer’s machines. Both were dead; one had a hand and sleeve of his garment scorched badly. Just beyond them lay Gringers, bathed in an eerie green light that came from the panel on the machine near the Wastelanders. And nestled in that panel sat Mithdaar, glowing brightly.

  Bhaldavin first went to Gringers and felt for a pulse at his throat. The man was alive, but his heartbeat was irregular and his breathing was not good at all.

  Bhaldavin jumped as a hand came to rest on his shoulder. It was Thura. “Adda, is Gringers—dead?”

  “No, but he needs help. I can’t lift him, nor can you.”

  “What’s wrong with him?” Thura asked, crouching down on the other side of Gringers. She touched one of his hands. “He’s so cold.”

  Bhaldavin turned and looked at Mithdaar’s radiance. It was nearly blinding. “Gringers must’ve been showing them how the crystal works. Maybe one of them tried to touch it. Maybe all of them. I don’t know.”

  He caught movement out of the corner of one eye and turned. Gi-arobi had climbed up on the panel of the star beacon and was down on all fours moving toward Mithdaar.

  “What this?” Gi piped up. “This be crystal Amet wants?”

  “No, Gi!” Bhaldavin cried, springing up. “Don’t touch it!”

  Gi stopped and sat back on his haunches as Bhaldavin stepped between him and the crystal. He peered over Bhaldavin’s arm, eyes partially hooded against the bright light. “Is Mithdaar?” he pressed.

  “Yes! But it’s dangerous to anyone but me,” Bhaldavin said, glancing at the crystal. He had never seen it shine so brilliantly. He remembered his vow never again to let Gringers use Mithdaar for one of his experiments. He cursed softly as the memory of what had happened before came back clearly: he and Mithdaar lost in a dark void with no sense of direction, then the oval room with the yellow spheres of light, and within those spheres—faces and eyes of amber gold that did not belong in his world.

  “The Ral-jennob! Damn you, Gringers!” In that moment his fear of the unknown was brushed aside as he reached out with his bandaged hand to pick the crystal up, breaking any possible link with men’s gods.

  There was a moment of disorientation, followed by a feeling of being wrapped in warmth. Mithdaar! No!

  Welcome.

  The words flowed brightly through Bhaldavin’s mind. They were not his own. Mithdaar?

  So you have named me. It is a good name. I will keep it.

  You’re speaking!

  Yes. I learn—from you—and others.

  Bhaldavin’s amazement left him stunned. A dozen questions flitted through his mind but he could not think where to start.

  You will teach me?

  Yes, Mithdaar, I’ll teach you, but—not now! There is danger here. We must leave. Release us from the machine!

  Cannot. Must wait.

  Wait? For what?

  Others come. Must wait.

  Mithdaar, no! We can’t wait! Release us now!

  When he failed to get a response, Bhaldavin tried to free himself by moving his fingers and nudging the crystal out of its place on the panel, but suddenly he could not feel his fingers or any part of himself; even the pain in his hand was gone, and he was floating and growing more relaxed as the seconds passed. Images of Thura and Lil-el crossed his mind, but he could not hold onto them. His thoughts began to drift.

  Chapter 19

  POCO LAY A sleeping Jiam on the floor wrapped in her own over-tunic and went to the door for the eighth or ninth time in the last few hours. She was feeling better physically as the effects of the drug they had used on her wore off. She still was not hungry, but she was thirsty.

  Screech was in his corner, still worrying at the metal pin driven into the wall. If he could free the peg and ring attached to his leg chain, he would be able to add his strength to hers against the door.

  She peered through a narrow crack on the left side of the door. It was still dark outside. She had tried calling for help several times, but had received no answer. Wherever they were, they had to be far from any settlements. She used her fingers to trace the outlines of the doorway once more, looking for a loose board or a crack that would give her some kind of purchase. She found nothing and, in frustration, banged the door with her hand, cursing as tears sprang unbidden to her eyes.

  Screech growled and jerked harder on the metal pin, his own patience wearing thin. His growling ceased abruptly. Seconds later he made a coughing sound to get Poco’s attention.

  She heard and moved away from the door, brushing the tears from her face, angry at herself for losing control. Using the wall, she felt her way over to Screech. She could hear his claws digging at the wood around the pin.

  “Any luck?” she asked.

  For an answer, Screech reached out, took one of her hands, and placed it around the metal pin; then he jerked the chain first right, then left.

  “It moved!” Poco cried. “It moved a little, Screech! I felt it!”

  Screech growled softly and nudged her aside. She wanted desperately to help, but realized that she would only be in the way. She returned to Jiam and picked him up. He made soft baby sounds and snuggled into his mother’s arms, unaware of the peril they all faced.

  Poco leaned back against the wall and licked at dry lips, trying not to think about water. By her reckoning, they had been in the cabin well over two days. Why had someone not come to feed them or check on them? Where was Anwhol, or the other young Ni who had accompanied him before? Had they simply been left to die of thirst and hunger? Or had something gone wrong with Amet’s plans?

  She held Jiam closer and rubbed her chin across the top of his downy head, her thoughts on Dhalvad as she drifted off to sleep.

  Chulu paced the room restlessly, waiting for Caaras to return. After Caaras had reported his brief encounter with Gi-arobi several days earlier, he and a few others had been busy trying to get at the truth behind the sudden disappearance of Pocalina-fel-Jamba, her child, and her derkat companion. A Seeker had been dispatched to Cybury where she was supposed to have gone, though no one had seen her leave, and discreet inquiries were being made throughout the city, inquiries that had turned up nothing so far. Now they were concentrating on questioning some of Amet’s people in the hope that someone might have seen or heard something that would be helpful.

  Chulu dropped into his favorite stuffed chair in the far corner of his living room and tried to recall everything that Dhalvad had said to him the day before he, Amet, and Paa-tol left. He recalled the strange look on Dhalvad’s face when he had said good-bye, and the feeling he had had that Dhalvad was trying to tell him something more than farewell.

  Na
alan came into the room, handed Chulu a cup of mint tea, and sat down in another chair nearby. Her eyes were full of worry. “I can’t conceive of Amet doing anything to Pocalina or her child,” she said. “What purpose would it serve?”

  Chulu had told his mate of his suspicions just that morning, unable to keep it to himself any longer. He rubbed his eyes and let his head fall back against the back of the chair. “I don’t know, Naalan, unless it has something to do with that other crystal. We should’ve gone slower, taken time to think things through, but Amet was so sure of himself, and Dhalvad seemed to go along with him.”

  Chulu nodded to himself. “I think that’s it. Dhalvad seemed to go along, but he didn’t really want to!”

  “Why didn’t he come right out and say it then?” Naalan asked as she set her cup aside on a small table.

  “What if he couldn’t say anything? What if Amet was threatening his family in some way?”

  “Amet wouldn’t do such a thing!”

  “Wouldn’t he? I’m not so sure. I’ve known him a long time, and though I’ve always thought of him as a friend, I can’t say that I’ve ever gotten close to him, really felt that I knew him. If he wanted something badly enough, yes, I think he would use any means at his disposal to accomplish his goal.”

  “But this crystal isn’t for himself, it’s for the People,” she argued.

  “That’s what he told us. It may even be what he believes to be the truth, but think a moment. Amet will gain both honor and prestige for this find, and as Speaker for the crystals, he will also gain great power and influence.”

  Chulu drank from his cup, his thoughts running quickly ahead. “The more I think about it, the more I believe we should open the search for Pocalina and her son. The more people we have looking, the better our chances of finding her, and if we’ve made a mistake and jumped to the wrong conclusions, we can always apologize to Amet later.”

  Naalan started to say something but was interrupted by a knock on the front door of their tree home.

  “Sit still. I’ll get it,” Chulu said, rising.

  Caaras was at the door. The light coming from inside revealed beads of perspiration on his face, and he was breathing heavily. Clearly he had been running.

  “What’s wrong?” Chulu asked, ushering him inside.

  “The Seeker who went to Cybury has just returned,” Caaras began. “The village has been searched thoroughly. No one has seen Poco or the baby, or knows anything about their coming for a visit. Chulu, I think they’re all in trouble. Dhalvad, too! What can we do?”

  Chulu’s heart thudded heavily in his chest, fear for his three young friends sweeping over him. “We’ll find them,” he said, straightening his shoulders, “and quickly! Gather the Seekers and send them out. They’re to start looking for Amet and Dhalvad. Tell them that they’re to report back here immediately if either one is seen. They’re also to keep an eye out for Poco and her child—and Screech. As for here in Jjaan-bi, I think our search had best remain discreet. I don’t want anyone to panic and do something we might regret. Contact your friends in the watch. Tell them what we suspect and make sure none of them is connected to Amet. They’re to arrest any who seem suspicious, and bring them to me in the Council hall.”

  “Are you going to tell anyone else on the Council about this?”

  “I’ll have to. I may regret sending out this alarm, and may pay for it with my chair on the Council, but—I won’t turn my back on Poco or Dhalvad, either!”

  Chapter 20

  ADDA?” EYES ROUND with fear, Thura watched her father. What was wrong with him? Why was he suddenly so still? She approached him from the side and saw that he was staring straight ahead as if he saw something she could not. She started to reach out, but a small furred hand caught at her wrist; small, sharp nails pricked her skin gently, then let her go.

  “Not touch him,” Gi said, instinctively sensing danger. “Come. We go find Dhal. He know what to do.”

  “I can’t leave him! He’s my father!”

  Gi looked at the distraught Ni child and made a quick decision. “You stay, but no touch! Gi go find help. No touch! Promise?”

  Thura licked at dry lips as she nodded. “I’ll stay, but please hurry. My mother is somewhere down…”

  Thura’s words trailed off at the sound of someone on the stairs below. She and Gi both looked around, but there was no place to hide except another set of stairs going up to the next floor in the tower.

  “Come! Hurry!” Gi said, jumping down from the panel.

  Thura glanced at her father, then followed Gi-arobi without another word of protest. They reached the top of the steps and quietly positioned themselves on the next floor above, where they could hear but not be seen.

  Theon reluctantly led the way up into the tower, fearing that he was making a mistake. If Gringers was somewhere in the melee below and ended up getting hurt or killed, he would never forgive himself. The only thing that drove him onward was the hope that the Wastelanders had their prisoners together and that Little Fish had somehow managed to hang onto his crystal.

  He saw light coming from above and cautioned the others to be quiet as they ascended the last few steps. He reached roof level and hesitated. A cool draft of air came from the open door leading out onto the roof. He took a quick look outside, but there was no one on the roof.

  “Is the crystal still above us?” he whispered as he turned back to the room.

  Amet went into a momentary link with the Tamorlee. Seconds later he opened his eyes and nodded. “It’s somewhere above and it’s giving off a steady charge of energy. Let’s go.”

  Theon hefted his knife as he crossed the room and started up the stairs. Amet came next, followed by Dhalvad and Lil-el.

  Theon cursed softly to himself as several of the steps squeaked beneath his weight. He was halfway up the flight of stairs when he, too, caught the scent of burned flesh. A sudden premonition of disaster and the possibility that the Wastelanders might have cut the odds against them by killing their prisoners when they realized they were under attack spurred Theon up the last few steps. He lunged into the room without hesitation and almost tripped over the two Wastelanders on the floor. He saw Bhaldavin standing in front of one of Gringers’s machines, his hand lost in a blinding glow of light.

  “Davin! Where are the others?” he demanded, starting across the room. Then he saw a body lying beyond Bhaldavin. He ran and knelt beside Gringers, fear for his friend making it difficult for him to breathe. He felt for a pulse and drew a shaky breath when he found one.

  Amet and Dhalvad followed Theon more cautiously into the room. Lil-el came last, but when she saw Bhaldavin, she pushed by them and hurried toward her mate. She started to reach out to him but was stopped by Amet, who caught at her arm.

  “Don’t touch him! He’s in link with his crystal!”

  Lil-el looked from Amet to Dhalvad, who nodded. “It’s dangerous to touch a crystal of Mithdaar’s power without a fire stone to absorb some of the energy. It can be done, but one must be attuned to the crystal. Are you?”

  Lil-el shook her head. “I don’t know what you mean by attuned. I’ve touched the crystal several times, but it carries quite a jolt. I passed out both times.”

  “You’re not attuned then,” Amet said, “but it seems that your mate is. It will be most interesting to speak to him when he comes out of the link.”

  “We’re going to wait?” Lil-el demanded.

  “We must. The only other thing to do would be for me to try to enter the link using the Tamorlee, but without knowing Mithdaar’s power that, too, could be dangerous.”

  As Lil-el and Amet spoke, Dhalvad moved closer to Bhaldavin to study his face. Though it was bruised and discolored about the eyes and mouth, he saw hints of himself in a shadowy mirrorlike image. Was the strange Ni truly his brother?

  Suddenly something pricked his side. He turned and found Theon standing near, his knifepoint brushing Dhalvad’s tunic.

  “You’re needed
,” Theon said softly. “Come with me.”

  “What are you doing?” Dhalvad said loud enough for Amet and Lil-el to hear. Both turned to see what was going on.

  Theon caught their glances. “I need him to help my friend. I won’t hurt him,” he promised. “Unless he makes me.”

  “Theon, no!” Lil-el protested.

  Amet caught Dhalvad’s glance. “Help the man if you can, but don’t tire yourself out, because we won’t be able to carry you back down out of here.”

  Dhalvad nodded and allowed himself to be drawn over to where Gringers lay. As he knelt to check the man over, he heard footsteps on the stairs leading to the next level of the tower. He looked up and saw Gi-arobi bounding down the steps with blatant disregard for safety, and right behind him came a Ni child.

  “Thura!” Lil-el met her daughter at the bottom of the steps and caught her up in her arms. “Thura, I was so afraid for you! How did you get here?”

  Gi came straight to Dhalvad, whistling madly as he ran and trying to tell him all that had happened to him. As Dhalvad and Gi traded information, and Lil-el and Thura talked, Amet stepped closer to Bhaldavin and the crystal. Greed and desire lighted his face as he drew the Tamorlee from his tunic pocket and slipped it on.

  “Come on.” Theon scowled, tapping Dhalvad on the shoulder. “You can say hello later. Help Gringers before it’s too late!”

  Gi looked at Theon and for the first time became aware of the knife in his hand. It was dangerously close to Dhalvad’s neck. A soft growl escaped his lips as he eyed the small man.

  “Easy, Gi,” Dhalvad said soothingly. “He won’t hurt me or anyone else. All he wants is for me to heal his friend. Why don’t you stay right here beside me and keep watch. All right?”

  “Gi watch,” the olvaar replied firmly, his glance never leaving Theon.

  Dhalvad nodded and went to work. He entered his trance state quickly and easily. The body beneath his hands was well made and strong, but it had received a high jolt of energy that had affected the heartbeat and respiration. There was also some minor damage to the spinal cord at the base of the brain. He first corrected the rhythm of the heart muscles, then eased the spasmed throat muscles, which were making breathing difficult. He then turned his attention to the spinal cord and caused regeneration of damaged cells and a general strengthing of the entire life cable.