“Why would he go across the Forest?” Bron asked.
Orleus shrugged. “I hoped you might know. He was chased.”
Clev made a warding sign. “Spirits!”
Orleus shook his head. “No. His pursuers were definitely human.”
“Only Spirits live in the deep places,” Clev said.
“Do Spirits bleed? Do they die of a spear thrust?” Orleus asked. “Whoever chased Vatar did both. We found the grave of one of them back there.”
By their posture, neither Bron nor Clev seemed convinced by this. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.
Cestus broke it. “Can you take us to the Dardani? They will have left Zeda by now. I don’t know where to find their autumn villages.”
“Which Clan?”
“Vatar’s. The Lion Clan. We should tell his family what we’ve found.”
“We can,” Bron said with a nod. “They’re not far from here.”
~
Orleus and Cestus walked through the wide-spread oaks toward the collection of sod huts that marked the Lion Clan autumn village.
“Cestus! Orleus! We didn’t expect you back so soon,” Danar said when they arrived.
Lucina came from the women’s hut to join Danar. “What news of Vatar?”
Orleus took a deep breath. “We never found him. We followed him all the way across the Forest to the mountains on the other side. But we were too late.”
“Too late?” Lucina clutched her throat.
“Too late to catch up to him,” Cestus said quickly giving Orleus a dirty look for his tactlessness. There wasn’t any need to frighten Vatar’s mother unnecessarily. The truth was scary enough. “We believe he went or was taken to the other side of those mountains. But the pass is closed by the snowfall. We can’t go back to find out what happened to him until spring. We’d like to stay here with you until then. That way we can get an early start.”
“Of course,” Danar said. “You couldn’t cross the plains safely this late in the year anyway.”
“Why would he cross the Forest?” Lucina asked.
Orleus shook his head. “He was being chased by someone. We never caught up with them, either. But they may have caught him. It’s likely he was injured.”
There was a long moment of stunned silence.
“I have to find a way to send word to Veleus,” Danar said suddenly.
Orleus winced. “He already knows.”
~
It was an unusually sunny and warm day for the season, so the children laughed and played out in the open while the adults worked to set up the winter camp nearer the Forest. Oreus and Cestus paused to watch with amusement as Fenar, Zavar, and Savara squealed and toddled away from Kiara, who’d been set to watch the younger ones. She was pretending to be a tiger, who’d catch and eat them if they didn’t get away.
Orleus looked up toward the edge of the Forest. “I wonder if I’ll get a chance to hunt one of those tigers this winter. That could liven things up.”
Cestus shook his head. “If you’d ever seen a live one, even you would think twice about that wish.”
Orleus’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Forest edge. “What’s that moving back among the trees?”
Cestus stiffened. “Tiger?”
Orleus gave a quick shake of his head without taking his eyes off the trees. “No. Too tall. Human, I think. But . . . why are they staying hidden? Why not just . . .” His eyes dipped to the ground just in front of those trees, where Zavar toddled happily . . . straight toward whoever was hiding back there. His voice rose to the pitch he was more accustomed to using as the Captain of the Tysoean Guard. “Lords of Creation! Attack!” He sprinted for the little boy.
Before Orleus could cross the distance, a man stepped out of the Forest and grabbed Zavar. He tucked Zavar under his arm like a sack of grain and started back into the cover of the trees. Zavar wailed loudly.
Savara and Kiara both screamed. Another man tried to grab Savara, but Kiara grabbed the little girl up and pushed Fenar behind her. As she reached for her belt knife, a third man tried to pluck Savara from Kiara’s arms. Kiara bit his hand hard, drawing blood.
The raiders retreated, carrying Zavar off with them. Orleus, Cestus, and Danar were right behind them. Arrow streaked past them, Seeker close behind.
The man carrying Zavar fell slightly behind the others due to his awkward, struggling burden. Arrow caught him easily, sinking her teeth deep into his thigh. The man fell, dropping Zavar, who wailed more loudly. The other two men turned to see what was happening. It was all the opening Orleus needed. He threw his belt knife, striking one of the men in the shoulder. Seeker knocked the third man to the ground, biting his arm savagely.
Danar stooped to pick up the still-wailing Zavar. The fallen man drew his belt knife and slashed at the baby. Danar turned his body to protect the child. The knife slashed instead across Danar’s back, almost making him drop the boy. The other man struggled to his feet, kicking Arrow aside, and ran after his fellows. Cestus took the terrified child while Orleus bound up Danar’s wound and supported him back toward the huts.
As they went, Orleus whistled his dogs back from the pursuit. Time to regroup and see to everyone’s safety. With Seeker’s help, he could hunt down the attackers later.
Chapter 53: Far Sight
Vatar sat dozing in the sun outside his infirmary room, hoping that Thekila would come by to visit with him, as she usually did. Over the last month or so, as he regained his strength, they’d talked and shared their life stories. Well, everything but Avaza and the twins. Vatar hadn’t found a way to mention them yet. Still, Thekila’s visits were the highlight of his day. It was amazing how close he felt to her in such a short time. Closer than he’d ever felt to Avaza.
Suddenly, he jolted upright, ignoring the pain from his broken ribs. Zavar! Zavar was in danger! Something had frightened him. Badly. Vatar struggled to his feet, still clumsy with his crutch, and hobbled back into his room. He looked up from trying to force his boot on over his broken ankle when Thekila stopped in his doorway.
“What are you doing?” she asked, hands on her slim hips.
Vatar went back to trying to pull his boot over his swollen ankle. “I have to go back. My son is in danger.”
Thekila shook her head. “Vatar, you can’t go back now.”
“I have to.”
Thekila let out her breath in a long sigh. “It’s not possible. The Pass is blocked by at least twenty feet of snow. No one can get through.”
Vatar paused. He knew she was right, but he could feel his son’s panic like an itch at the back of his mind. He shook his head. “I have to try.”
Thekila sat down next to him. “And if you succeed? How many days did it take you to cross the Forest? With two good legs? And what about the terms of your Ordeal? You can’t leave the Forest to the west even if you could get that far.”
Vatar sagged. “My children are in danger. I can’t ignore it. I can’t.”
Thekila laid her hand on his arm. “No. I don’t suppose you can. How do you know they’re in danger?”
“I don’t know.” Vatar shook his head. “I just feel it. He’s afraid.”
She nodded. “All right. A distance viewing, then.”
“Far Sight?” Vatar felt a shiver of fear at the thought. He’d rejected the idea when Father suggested it, but now . . . if it would somehow help Zavar, or at least let him know what was going on so it didn’t drive him crazy, he’d try anything.
Thekila nodded. “That would be a fairly accurate description. Now, if you can sense the danger, you can expand your senses to see what’s happening. I’ll help you.”
Vatar shook his head. “Even if I had the Talent, I don’t know how. And I can’t be calm and focused. Not right now.”
“Calm and focus are an excellent way to access one’s Powers. The best, in fact. But they are not the only way. Emotion works, too. For now, we’ll work with that. Concentrate on your son. Think of nothing else.” T
hekila’s voice was almost hypnotic.
Vatar concentrated on Zavar. Behind his closed eyes, he saw the interior of a Dardani hut. At first it was distant and hazy, but as he concentrated it became clearer. Then he saw Zavar and Fenar with someone’s arms around them.
“What is he doing?” Thekila asked.
“He’s . . . he’s in a hut—my parents’ hut, I think. He and Fenar—my baby brother—are being comforted by someone.”
“Good. You have other children?”
Vatar nodded. “A daughter.”
“Concentrate on her, now.”
Vatar squeezed his eyes tighter in concentration. “She’s more difficult to see.”
“Try,” Thekila said.
“She’s with Kiara, my sister. Kiara’s holding her on her lap.”
“Good. Now expand your senses. Who else is near them?”
Vatar drew in his breath sharply. “Pa’s been wounded! He’s bleeding.” He winced in sympathy. “Mother’s cleaning the wound.”
“Keep expanding your senses. What else can you see?” Thekila coached him with calm authority.
“Cestus! What’s Cestus doing there? He should be in Caere,” Vatar said.
“What is he doing?”
Vatar’s hands clenched with the effort. “He’s the one holding Zavar and Fenar. There’s someone else with him.”
“Who is it?”
“I don’t recognize him. But . . . he feels like a . . . brother?” Was it that he felt like a brother, or that he looked so much like a robust male version of Boreala?
The stranger threw up his head as if he’d heard the word brother. “Who?” The question ghosted through Vatar’s mind.
“He’s bespoken you, hasn’t he? Answer him,” Thekila said.
Vatar’s palms were sweaty and there was a quivering in his belly. Thekila’s calm voice was an anchor. Vatar thought back his name. “Vatar.”
“You’re alive?” the stranger asked.
“Yes.” Vatar had to push himself to concentrate hard enough.
“Where? Beyond the mountains?”
“Yes,” Vatar answered.
“Why haven’t you contacted us before? Father is frantic.”
“Sorry. Just learning how. Who are you?” Vatar had to concentrate very hard now to maintain the contact.
“Orleus. Boreala’s brother.”
Ah, that explained it. He’d thought Orleus seemed familiar somehow. Vatar’s concentration was fading. He needed to make sure of one thing before this tenuous link broke. “Are my children safe?”
“They are now,” Orleus answered. “And I’ll see that they stay safe.”
“Thank you.” Vatar blinked. “I’ve lost it. But they’re safe now.”
Thekila squeezed his hand. “That’s the trouble with using emotion to fuel your Powers. When the emotion fades, so does the Power.”
Vatar blew his breath out. “Thank you.” He turned towards her.
She moved back, putting as much distance between them as the bench allowed. She looked at Vatar for a long moment, then looked away. “You never mentioned that you have children.”
Vatar’s shoulders hunched. “I never knew how to tell you . . .”
“About your children?”
Vatar shook his head once. “About Avaza.”
She pulled a little farther away. “Your wife . . . your ‘life mate’?”
Vatar looked up, meeting her eyes. “No. Avaza was never my life mate. She was my year mate.”
Thekila’s expression softened. “Was? She’s dead?”
“No.” Vatar was silent for a long moment. “I’d better start at the beginning,” he said at last.
Thekila nodded sharply. “Perhaps you should. Starting with what a year mate is.”
Vatar drew another long breath, organizing his thoughts. “Dardani couples start as year mates. If you can live together through two winters and still want to be together, you can declare yourselves life mates. It’s not unusual for a couple not to stay together after the first or second winter.
“A little over two years ago, Avaza and I became year mates. I . . . well, I hadn’t ever . . . It was exciting for a while, but . . . I don’t think we ever would have made it through two winters together.” Vatar snorted. “I don’t think we’d have made it through one. But I was still in the middle of my training as a smith. Avaza came back to Caere with me.
“Caere isn’t an easy place for a Dardani woman to live. I didn’t fully appreciate that at the time. Caereans have very confining rules for a woman’s behavior and Dardani women are used to being able to do and say what they like. Avaza missed the companionship and support of her clan sisters, too. That winter was very hard for her. I probably didn’t help her as much as I could have. But she didn’t seem to be able to cope with anything by herself. Not even my Aunt Castalia.
“Normally, a Dardani woman will chew uza leaf to prevent pregnancy during those first two years. But in Caere, Avaza had to go to the Healers for urulu weed. She said someone there had been unkind to her. I guess she just didn’t go back.” He grimaced. “That would be like Avaza—to just avoid the problem. So, she got pregnant. For which she blamed me.” He smiled briefly. “Not that I’m claiming I didn’t do my part, but not alone. Avaza was always as willing as I was.
“Anyway, by the time we returned to the plains the following summer, we were barely talking to each other. I would have stood by her, anyway. But she left me and returned to her own clan, which was her right. The twins were born later that summer.”
“You don’t love her anymore?”
Vatar shook his head. “I don’t think I ever did. Not really. I cared for her, certainly. But not enough. I was . . . dazzled by her, for a while. Even that first winter, I felt that there was something missing from our relationship. If I’d really loved her, I think I would have tried harder when things got difficult between us.”
Thekila had relaxed and moved a little closer to Vatar as he talked. “Is she pretty? Avaza?”
Vatar smiled. “Yes.”
Thekila tensed again, biting her lip. “Prettier than me?” she asked.
Vatar turned to look her full in the face. He took in the little spray of freckles on her upturned nose. Her slim body that was such a contrast to Avaza’s voluptuous figure. Her eyes were beautiful, though, full of life and spirit and intelligence. He looked directly into those eyes and did not look away. “Yes. But Avaza is only beautiful on the outside. For her it is a tool she uses to get what she wants. You . . . you shine from within. Your Spirit is three times your size. And you are far more special.”
Thekila just looked back at him for a moment. Then she smiled—the crooked smile that matched the mischief in her eyes. The smile that made his heart skip a beat. “Why, Vatar, that may be the nicest thing a man has ever said to me—in a roundabout way. I might almost believe you were trying to turn my head.”
“I won’t lie to you,” Vatar said, his eyes never wavering from hers.
Thekila’s eyes widened. She drew in a deep breath. For a moment her eyes moved to his lips, then she looked away. “So. Tell me about your children. What are their names?”
Vatar smiled fondly. “Zavar and Savara. They’re amazing. This is their second winter—”
What more Vatar would have said about his twins was interrupted by a booming voice from the hall outside.
“Thekila! Are you still here?”
Teran’s voice. Vatar hadn’t seen much of him since he’d been brought to the infirmary. He’d be happy seeing still less. He didn’t like Teran. He especially didn’t like the way the other man kept pulling Thekila away, as if he had some prior claim on her time and attention.
Thekila blinked. “Hello, Teran.”
Teran looked between Vatar and Thekila and scowled. “You’re late for supper so I came to find you.”
Thekila stood up. “It is late, isn’t it? Vatar had a distance viewing of his son. I coached him through it.”
Vatar grabb
ed her hand before she could leave. “Thank you again for helping me see that they are safe after all.”
“You’re quite welcome.” She made an ineffective attempt to look stern. “Now that you’ve demonstrated your Powers, I think you should begin training them.”
Vatar shuffled his legs restlessly. He might have proven that he did have Fasallon Talents after all, but that didn’t mean he wanted them or anything to do with them. Sky above and earth below! Think of the damage Maktaz could do if he knew about that. “I can’t stay here. I have to go back . . .”
Thekila raised an eyebrow. “You can’t go anywhere until the snow melts. And what else do you have to do until then?”
Vatar didn’t have a good argument for that. He was already getting restless. Once more of his wounds healed, it was going to get really boring sitting around with nothing to do all winter. And—so far, at least—his magic had been useful, not scary or evil. It would be nice to be able to see his family and especially his children.
Then, too, Thekila was a teacher. If she taught him, then maybe he could find a way to get closer to her. He wanted to get much closer to her. Preferably without Teran around. Vatar smiled and shrugged. “That’s true. I’ll train until then.”
Thekila smiled. “Good. I’ll send someone to take you to your class tomorrow.” Her smile turned mischievous. “In fact, I’ll send my brother, Theklan. You’re at about the same level in your training. Goodnight.”
Chapter 54: Rival
Teran lingered in the dining hall after most everyone else had left, nursing a cup of wine. He needed to think. He didn’t like the way he’d found Thekila with that newcomer Vatar at all. Much too close for his taste. In fact, Thekila had shown altogether too much concern for the stranger from the very beginning.
Terania sat down next to him. “I know what troubles you, Brother.”
Teran grimaced. He should have known better than to think he could keep anything from his twin. “I’ve never made any secret of my feelings. I don’t like the way Thekila acts around this Vatar.”
The Shaman's Curse (Dual Magics Book 1) Page 27
