“I suppose my first question is, what injuries do Karma and you, Tiari, have that would impede your travel? If it’s not too personal to ask.”
“I burned my feet quite badly while retrieving the Sun Orb,” Tiari said. “Karma was attacked and carried off by a harpy during the battle we told you about here, on the Hidden Sister, a couple of weeks ago. She suffered deep claw marks on her back.”
“I have never seen a demon, but I have read about them,” Ren said. “It’s my understanding that people can die from the infection caused by a single scratch from a harpy’s filthy claws.”
“It’s true,” Kapia said. “Fortunately, the Argiari who stayed here to guard the Sun Orb, had advanced medicine. Otherwise we might have lost both Karma and Tiari to their injuries. Instead, they are already healed.”
“Are you often attacked by harpies?” Ren asked.
“We were, but not anymore,” Kapia said. “There are no harpies left on all of Rathira now.”
“Truly?” Ren asked in surprise. “How did this happen?”
“When the harpy picked Karma up in its claws and flew away with her, Zakiel became Vatra to get her back,” Kapia explained. “When he saw how badly she was injured, his rage was such that he destroyed every harpy on Rathira.”
“Can he destroy all the demons?” Ren asked hopefully.
“No,” Kapia said, shaking her head. “What he did could have killed Zakiel, and according to Nikura, it should have killed him. His metamorphosis into Vatra only began a couple of months ago, and it takes a year to become strong enough to withstand Vatra’s powers. Zakiel can’t risk using that much power again.” Ren blushed, feeling foolish. If Vatra could have killed all the demons, obviously he would have done so already.
“I suppose that you’d like to know why my eyes have no pupils,” Tiari said, deliberately interrupting Ren’s thoughts.
“That is not a question I would have asked,” Ren said carefully, though she had wondered.
“I know, that’s why I brought it up myself,” Tiari said, smiling. “I was born this way. I can see perfectly well by the light of the sun, but otherwise I cannot see at all. Oh, except that I can see in the light of the Sun Orb when it’s fully expanded.”
“That’s why Lashi opened the shutters? So you could see?”
“Yes,” Tiari said. “I thought you should know so that if you see me walking around bumping into walls after the sun goes down, you’ll know why.”
Kapia laughed. “Don’t believe that, Ren. Tiari never bumps into things. She memorizes everything while there’s daylight for her to see by so when it’s dark she can move around as easily as when it’s light.”
“Not quite that easily,” Tiari said with a blush of her own. “Now, on to another subject, please. Do you have any other questions, Ren?”
“I do,” Ren admitted. “I’m curious about our journey. When we travel, where do we sleep?”
“In tents,” Kapia said. “Now that Tiari has married Tomas, you and I will share a tent, if you don’t mind. We’ll each have our own sleeping chamber, so you’ll have privacy. If you’d prefer a tent to yourself, I believe we have a few small ones that aren’t being used.”
“There are extra tents?” Tiari asked in surprise.
“There are now, yes,” Kapia said soberly. “We’ve lost a few men on this quest.” Tiari nodded sadly.
“What is a tent?” Ren asked.
Kapia’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You told us that you traveled for days to get here. Did you sleep under the stars in this cold weather?”
“There are traveler’s huts along the path down Nu Senna. They are somewhat like this building we are now in, though not so large or so well built. We walked each day until we came to one, then stopped, though I’m certain we would have made the journey much more quickly otherwise. From the foot of Nu Senna it was only a few day’s walk to the Hidden Sister, and we did sleep beneath the stars then.”
“Traveler’s huts,” Kapia said. “That must be handy, especially in deep winter when the snow flies, but there are no such huts for us to use. We carry tents, structures made of fabric that are setup at night, then taken down and folded so the diplos can carry them during the day.”
“How clever,” Ren said, trying to picture such a thing in her mind. “Of course I do not object to sharing, Kapia.” She wondered how they cooked inside an enclosure made of fabric without burning it, or how they warmed it, or kept it from blowing away when the winter winds came, but decided she’d see the answers with her own eyes soon enough. She sipped her tea, wondering what to ask next. “Are the diplo really so gentle?”
“They really are,” Tiari said earnestly. “I spent my entire life locked in a dark little hut, alone, until Kapia and Karma rescued me. The first thing I saw when I stepped out into the light was a diplo, and it scared me so badly I nearly ran back inside. But they truly are very gentle and sweet.”
Ren stared at Tiari, dumbfounded yet again. She thought she’d been lonely living among people who mostly shunned her. In one sentence Tiari had shown her that, in comparison, her own life had been easy. There was a lesson there, somewhere.
Kapia really wanted to ask about the stones on Ren’s forehead, but felt that was a subject best saved for another time since she didn’t appear to enjoy talking about herself much. In fact, Ren was looking as though she could use a break. “How about you and I go for a walk to the paddock, Ren,” she suggested. “I’ll introduce you to the diplos, and we can ask the head drover to help us pick one out for you to ride.”
“I would like that very much, Kapia,” Ren said. “Will you come, too, Tiari?”
“Tiari won’t be able to walk for another couple of weeks,” Kapia said. “In fact, I bet Tomas is hovering outside as we speak, waiting to take her home so she can rest.” Kapia looked at Tiari carefully. “From the looks of you Tiari, you need it.”
“Yes, I am a little tired,” she admitted. “But first, we should do as Karma asked and check Ren’s clothing.”
“Oh yes, I’d forgotten,” Kapia said, turning to Ren. “A divided skirt is necessary for riding comfortably. If you don’t have one, Caral can alter something of yours, or I can loan you one. You’re taller than me, so it might be a bit short, but otherwise I think it would fit you well enough.”
“You’re very kind,” Ren said. “However, Brai Adaya had an entirely new wardrobe made for me before I left, and insisted that several divided skirts be included.”
“If you have no objection, Hara Ren, I will be glad to unpack your things for you,” Caral offered.
Ren stared. No one had offered to do anything like that for her before. She glanced quickly at Kapia, who nodded. “Um…I would appreciate that, Caral, thank you,” she said finally. As soon as Caral disappeared into the next room, Ren turned to Kapia. “Will you please explain to me why everyone uses the word Hara when they speak to me?”
“It is a term of respect,” Kapia said. “You are the Maiden of the Heart Orb, so everyone will use Hara when they speak to you. If anyone fails to do so without your permission, it’s a sign of disrespect, and you should let me or Karma know immediately.”
“All right,” Ren said. “What word should I use if I must speak to any of the men?”
“Normally that would vary, but you’re lucky,” Kapia said. “All of the warriors with us are Knights, though they took a temporary cut in rank to Hunter to be included on the Orb Quest. That means you can use Sir for all of them, except Zakiel of course. You don’t use an honorific with the servants and drovers because you outrank them.”
“Thank you,” Ren said, relieved that it would be so simple.
“Shall we go now?” Kapia asked, stepping to the window and looking out. “It’s warmed up since this morning. I don’t think we’ll need cloaks.”
“It’ll be nice to walk without being encumbered by a pack or a cloak,” Ren said, smiling.
“No doubt,” Kapia said. “That pack you carried is quite heavy, but y
ou won’t have to carry it anymore.”
“You two have fun with the diplos,” Tiari called as they walked out the door. “If you see Nosey, give him a treat from me.”
“I will,” Kapia called back, grinning to see Tomas hovering nearby, exactly as she’d expected. She laughed as he hurried inside, then she turned to lead Ren away.
***
Marl stood in the shade beside the building Prince Zakiel used as a meeting hall, watching as Princess Kapia and the new woman, Ren, Maiden of the Heart Orb, stepped outside. The air in his lungs stilled as he watched her tall, elegant figure walk beside Princess Kapia.
When he’d seen her on the trail only her face had been visible, and that shadowed by the hood of her cloak. But it had been more than enough. For the very first time in his twenty-eight years, he desired a woman.
That was not to say that he had never experienced sexual urges before, for he certainly had. But it had never been more than an urge of his body, like thirst or hunger. This was different. Much different. This was deep, insistent, persistent desire caused by, and directed toward, one specific woman. And that was after seeing no more than her face. But what a face!
He didn’t even have to close his eyes to picture every detail of it. Wide sparkling green eyes, framed with thick dark gold lashes. A full mouth with a tiny mole at one corner. High cheekbones and milky skin, accentuated by the intriguing gemstones she wore on her forehead. He’d never seen a more beautiful woman.
This was his first opportunity to see her without her cloak, and there was nothing that could have induced him to turn away from the sight. She wore a plain cream colored sweater and a long brown wool skirt, but the heavy fabrics did nothing to hide her lush figure. He caught a brief glimpse of high firm breasts, a ridiculously tiny waist, and a long, slender neck before the women turned to walk away from where he stood. His gaze caught helplessly on her hips as they swayed in graceful counterpoint to the mass of shining golden braids that fell to the small of her back. It was all he could do to hold back the groan that rose in him. He had to remind himself very sternly, for at least the hundredth time, that he was not worthy of a woman such as Ren. He could look his fill, but he would keep his distance.
“Marl,” a familiar voice said. He’d heard the sound of approaching footsteps so wasn’t startled that someone was behind him. He was mildly surprised, however, to be addressed. He turned around and lowered his head in a respectful nod.
“Sir Garundel.”
“Prince Zakiel tells me that we have you to thank for the safety of the Maiden of the Heart,” Garundel said. “You are to be commended.”
The memory of Ren staring at him in surprise as he ran toward her, oblivious to the bear-cat mere feet behind her, it’s fangs and claws bared as it prepared to pounce, flashed through his mind, freezing the blood in his veins. He pushed the image away. “It was luck,” he replied, glad that leading his own Hunter Pack had taught him how to hide his true thoughts and emotions. “I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time.”
“What of the bear-cat?” Garundel asked, not bothering to argue with the obvious and, from Marl, expected, understatement.
“The spear finished the job before I reached it,” Marl said. “I regretted it’s destruction until I saw that the poor beast had a gangrenous paw. It must have been half mad from the pain.”
“We’re fortunate it didn’t attack anyone sooner,” Garundel said, hiding his surprise. That was the most Marl had said in weeks, and he hadn’t even had to drag it out of him. What had changed? “Thank you, Sir Marl, for your quick actions.” He paused to look Marl up and down with a critical eye. “You appear to have recovered well from your ordeal. What do you think about returning to full duty? Are you ready for that?”
“Very much so, Sir Garundel,” Marl said, mildly surprised. He’d thought he was being kept off regular duty because he was no longer trusted.
“Excellent. I’ll tell Sir Tomas to add you to the rotation beginning tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you, Sir Garundel,” Marl said, trying to quell the rush of excitement that filled him. Regular rotation meant he’d spend at least two hours each day in close proximity to the women. And Ren. He tried to tell himself it was a mistake, that he should ask Garundel to modify his rotation, but he could not make himself say the words.
Instead, he watched Garundel walk away, then turned back to see if he could catch another glimpse of Ren. Unfortunately, the women were nowhere to be seen. He leaned against the building and prepared to wait. They’d return before too long, and he really wanted just one more quick look at Ren.
Chapter Four
“Djeb-Ib,” Zakiel said, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“Djeb-Ib?” Karma repeated slowly. “What does that mean?”
“Ib is an ancient word that means mind, heart, and soul, collectively. It’s that which makes a person who and what he or she is,” Zakiel explained. “Djeb simply means tower. Kapia didn’t tell you this?”
“Not the name, no,” Karma said. “She did say that the palace was built around the tower, and that it’s filled with water.”
“Yes,” Zakiel said. “The water in the tower isn’t river water. It’s spring water brought up from deep within the earth, though no one knows how. It’s said that Vatra Gariel created the tower and whatever method keeps it filled, and I’ve no doubt that’s true. I was taught that the tower was built to help keep the palace cool, and to provide a ready supply of clean water to the palace. Suddenly, I have my doubts.”
“What do you mean?” Karma asked.
“The fact that it’s the location of the Heart Orb makes me think that the palace was built around the tower in order to hide it, and the cooling effect is just a benefit that someone noticed after the fact, which became a good excuse for the tower’s existence,” Zakiel said.
“Wait, I seem to remember that the stele at the entrance to the island indicated that Arth Mar, the Builder, built Ka-Teru. Now you’re saying King Gariel built it?”
“Arth Mar did build Ka-Teru,” Zakiel said, proud of Karma for remembering something he doubted most of his own people would know. “Early battles with demons all but destroyed the original palace. After the pyramid was sent away, King Gariel rebuilt the palace, and much of Ka-Teru as well.”
“I see,” Karma said. “You look worried.”
“I am,” Zakiel said. “If the Heart Orb is in the tower, I don’t see how it can be retrieved. The tower is as tall as the palace and we’ve no idea how deeply into the ground it goes. Since we don’t know how the water is pumped into it, we can’t stop it, or empty it. I’d suggest using the power of Vatra, but only an Orb Maiden may claim an orb. I’ve no doubt that tampering with that tower in any way, as Vatra or not, would be an enormous mistake.”
“I don’t think retrieval is going to be a problem,” Karma said. “Ren is Mareon.”
Zakiel stared at Karma for a moment, then chuckled. “I didn’t know that the Mareon still existed. Once again luck shines upon us.”
“I’m not so sure it’s luck,” Karma said. “Not completely, anyway. There are too many coincidences for my taste. Such as Tiari’s eyes being unique in their ability to see the path in the cavern, and only Kapia’s blood being capable of opening the Cradle of the Moon Orb. Now we learn the Heart Orb is in a tower filled with a hundred feet or more of water, and Ren just happens to be able to shift into a Mareon with gills, scales and a tail. It’s too much to be mere luck. And I’m not going to touch my own arrival on Rathira with the Ti-Ankh.”
“I see what you mean,” Zakiel said. “But how could anyone have known so much of what would happen a thousand years in advance?”
“Maybe Vatra Gariel was able to see the future,” Karma suggested. “Or maybe one of the shaman who aided in the creation of the orbs and the pyramid had the ability. Who knows?” Karma sighed. “It doesn’t really matter. All that matters right now is that we know where the final orb is, and how
it can be retrieved.”
“Agreed,” Zakiel said. “Did they get an indication of how much time we have?”
“Only the feeling that we should begin moving again. We all agreed tomorrow was best.”
“Are you sure you’re up to that?” Zakiel asked, torn between the desire to return home as quickly as possible, and the need to protect Karma and their unborn children.
“If I get tired, I’ll let you know,” Karma said. “Tiari says she’s almost fully healed as well, and besides, she’ll be riding, not walking.”
“Very well,” Zakiel said, then called for Timon. A moment later Timon appeared as though from nowhere. “Please summon Sir Tomas, Sir Garundel, and Sir Bredon.”
“Yes, Highness,” Timon said with a bow. He turned and left as quickly as he’d come.
Zakiel got up and went into their sleeping chamber, returning a moment later with his charts which he proceeded to lay out in front of them. “It looks like our best route is to go over the mountains to the northeast to where the river cuts through them. From there it’s a short journey to the desert.”
“Looks like we’ve come full circle,” Karma said, studying the map intently. “An odd, lopsided and uneven circle, but a circle nonetheless.”
“It won’t be easy in the mountains this time of year. It’ll be cold and wet.”
“We prepared for winter before we came north,” Karma said. “We’ll be fine and besides, we have no choice. It’s either that or retrace our steps, and it’s easy to see that would be twice the distance. How long do you think it will take us to reach the river?”
“At a guess, three weeks, depending on the weather. Maybe less. From the river, it’ll take another day through the mountains to reach the desert. It’ll take another three or four days to reach Ka-Teru up river.”
“That’s nearly a month,” Karma said. “We definitely need to get started.”
“Agreed,” Zakiel said. The door opened, and Timon stood aside to let the Knights enter, led by Bredon.
The Quest for the Heart Orb (The Orbs of Rathira) Page 8
