"I'm back now," Ponar replied. Stoi raised an eyebrow in confusion, surprised at the simplicity of his answer.
"Ponar has offered to help Laan with your trade routes for as long as you need," Kait said, shifting Stoi's attention.
Relief erased the furrows in his brow. "That's good, but I don't want to stop the shipments from his routes in the swamplands altogether either." His attention drawn away from the sleeping Chirey in the next room, Stoi appeared to be calculating something. "Meik, could you alternate routes with him? Go from here to Resounding Cliffs, and then turn around and go to Kiya's Grace on the next loop? That way Ponar can run big loops from here through Kiya's Grace to Barrow's Grove and back. I think we'd lose less business that way." Stoi wiped his brow with his hand.
Meik and Ponar both nodded in response. "It will mean fewer days off between trips, and I'll have to use your narrower wagon to make the Northern pass on the Baris Spine, but whatever you think is best." Meik agreed. Ponar suspected he wasn't the only one who found Meik's unusually agreeable attitude refreshing.
"That's fine, Meik," Stoi replied, gratitude tangible in his voice. "It means a lot to me that I can rely on all of you." His comment received reassuring smiles all around. His eyes strayed to the bedroom door and Chirey's presence beyond.
"You know you can. Always," Laan replied.
Stoi looked at them and cocked his head. "I get the impression that isn't all you dropped by to discuss. Did you discover something new about Rai's amnesia?" He directed this at Kait, who looked a bit surprised at the question. Ponar's curiosity piqued at Stoi's mention of Rai.
Kait shook her head. "Not yet, but I'm still waiting to hear back from some of my associates on that one. The only new rumors leaking out of the Temples recently have been whispers of a possible vaccine. Now mind you, I don't give those any credence. After all, these are the same folks who can't keep the simpler treatments safe!" Kait said. She skipped the obvious connection; that Chirey's birth brother wouldn't be dying if the Temple healers were indeed competent.
"Well, what did you all want to talk about?" Stoi asked.
"I overheard something in the Formulary at Resounding Cliffs," answered Meik. "And I don't think you're going to like it."
"We've talked about this amongst ourselves," Laan jumped in. "As Ponar and I are heading out today, we wanted to bring you into the discussion."
"What did you hear?" Stoi asked Meik.
"One of the Formulary Priestesses told Journeywoman Teirna to have our medicinals tested. Not all of them, mind you, just the luna berries. They had me separate out the bags into a different pile and everything," Meik said.
Stoi looked confused. "Don't they always test some of the herbs?"
"Yes, they always set aside a bag or two for testing," Meik replied. "But I overheard them talking, and they were specifically waiting for the luna berry shipment from Sept Durmah. All of the bags were to be tested. They're looking to stick the blame on someone else!"
"They did just have problems with the eczema treatments ... what if they added new purity testing to help prevent future contamination-related illness?" Stoi asked.
"That's possible," Meik answered. "But you didn't see the looks on their faces. Journeywoman Teirna was quite cheery until she saw the luna berries. She was afraid of them."
Ponar's mind flashed back to his last conversation with Rai in the storehouse. "You're sure it was luna berries, Meik?"
"Yes," Meik replied. "Why?"
"Because the day I left Kiya's Grace I reviewed with Rai our procedures for warehousing product. She smelled the piles of luna berry bags ... I guess out of curiosity ... and said one of the bags smelled odd; like it wasn't luna berries at all. Neither Jesse nor I smelled the difference, and the bags were all tagged the same. Everything appeared normal to me, but now I'm wondering: did she somehow pick up on some off smell?" Ponar asked.
"Our little Rai's full of tricks, isn't she?" Meik said. With the harsh glances he got, Meik realized that no one else appreciated his joke and sought to defend his stance. "What I mean is you've told me about her shooting skills, and now this scent thing ... I just can't wait until her memory returns and we get to know where she learned all this stuff."
Stoi redirected the conversation. "So Ponar, the bags Rai thought smelled off, did you bring those here on this trip?"
"No, I'm afraid not. I'd assumed you and Laan would transport them on the next loop," Ponar replied.
"What do you have in mind?" Kait asked Stoi.
"I wouldn't think this if Ponar hadn't shared that bit about Rai getting an odd smell off of the berries, but frankly I think we should be on the lookout. If the Temples are testing for contamination of those same berries ..." Stoi looked at Kait, his voice fading.
"This is a serious cause for concern," Kait replied. "If they trace any befouled product back to Durmah, they may also blame us for the illnesses. The contamination may not be in any berries Durmah shipped, but I want to trace down the producers of that bag Rai hit on. We're better off finding the cause before the Temple does. If another Sept is responsible for the contamination, then we're just being cautious. The farmers may not even be aware there's a problem, so we might be able to stop it at the source. Above all, we don't want to draw the Temple's attention or ire down upon Durmah."
"Agreed. Do you remember which Sept that bag came from?" Stoi asked Ponar.
"No. It was a busy morning," Ponar replied. That's something of an understatement. "I'm positive that with Rai's help I can locate it when Laan and I arrive back at Kiya's Grace."
"Review the logs and determine what farm or vendor the bag came from. I know they're not always very specific, but do your best," Kait directed. "Meik, travel with them to Kiya's Grace to help out. I'd like all our resources on this one. Ponar, once you know which farm or swamp we're dealing with, I want you to head up into Barrow's Grove and the swamplands, wherever the source of the affected bag is, and find out what you can."
"I'll need to take Rai with me," Ponar replied. His motives weren't the most pure, but he kept this to himself. "To help identify the off scent she smelled."
"That's a great idea," Laan agreed. "Perhaps Meik or I should go along too, in case the farmer doesn't cooperate. There's always a possibility they know about the taint because they put it there in the first place. Perhaps they're trying a new fertilizer or made a mistake, and don't want anyone to know."
"It's a less than ideal situation," Kait replied. "If you even suspect that's the case, involve the Guardians. Either way, Durmah will not take the blame for this. If I find out someone is setting us up ... they will pay, and pay dearly."
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Rai fell into the dream again, but this time she recognized it as the dream. It was ever the same: a tall forest of immense trees and widely fanned ferns, the distant melodies of a stream, and shafts of light landing in dappled puddles along the fog-laced earth. Her feet were sore and muddy from running barefoot and her short, chin length hair was peppered with bits of fern leaves and moss. Her tunic and cape were black this time, and Rai wondered if this reflected her mood or her more recent clothing choices. Everything was so clear and vivid, for a moment Rai didn't believe this was a dream--and yet she knew without a doubt that it was.
The echoing voices came again, malicious in pitch and pressing down on her from all sides. They accused her of violations, of crimes, of murder. They called for her death.
However, this time she wasn't scared. Rai was angry. This dream had made her injure people on previous occurrences. Perhaps because of her lucidity, knowing it was indeed just a dream, she wouldn't take the threats the voices uttered seriously. Remembering the direction she'd taken running through the forest on previous iterations of the dream, Rai deliberately sought out a new path. Turning uphill, she walked toward the voices and fog, and entered a wall of mist.
She walked slowly, unsure of her footing in the mist. The whispers became roars, but Rai steadily moved forward, undau
nted by their threats. The light grew, and pierced the mist, and Rai stepped into a bright, quiet glen. The voices didn't follow her here. The glen was framed by the ancient forest she'd become so familiar with, but the fog dissipated, yielding to a dazzling, midday sun.
At the far end of the glen, Rai spied a pond, dotted by large ferns. She jogged toward it, hoping to find some new landmark in this expanding landscape. She wasn't disappointed. With the pond to her right, she saw a small hillock nestled amongst tree trunks, covered with ferns and fallen leaves. Rai might have thought it just a large mound of earth, but a shiny glint caught her eye, and in turn drew her attention and footsteps.
She reached the mound and inspected it. If it hadn't been for the glittering brightness reflecting the sun, Rai doubted she'd have noticed the metal door lock hidden under some leaves and soil. She brushed away the debris covering the panel. It appeared a normal lock, simply located a third of the way from the bottom of the somewhat steep-sided mound, located at chest height. Inspecting the moss and fern covered mound, Rai found no outline of a doorway, but that didn't mean anything. Why have a door lock, without a door?
Rai looked around, yet was still alone. The only motion in this unnatural, quiet place was of a slight wind upon the ferns and pond upon the brilliant foliage. This place felt familiar to Rai, comfortable. She should be able to name it, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Delaying no longer, Rai placed her left hand firmly upon the door lock.
The cool metal at once became smoldering hot, glowing red at the contact. Pain seared up Rai's arm, blinding her with the overwhelming shock of the sensation. Blood-curdling screaming filled her ears. Pulling her hand quickly away, Rai ran the few dozen steps to the pond and jumped in, submerging her pain in the meager relief of the cold water. Only as the pain subsided and her vision returned to normal, did Rai realize that the screaming hadn't yet stopped. Placing her right hand over her lips, she discovered them closed and knew then the screaming issued from the mound itself.
The serene landscape belied the hideous, high-pitched shriek. The screaming continued and grew in volume, filling Rai's ears and mind until she thought her eardrums might burst. To avoid the noise, Rai submerged again under the water.
The screaming disappeared, replaced by the sensation of the water moving around her, pulling her back and forth. Rai knew she'd jumped into a pond that shouldn't have waves or tides, so she opened her eyes and pushed herself up out of the waist-high water, and into an altogether different location.
Gone were the forest, mound, and pond. Instead, Rai stood in the freezing ocean looking up at Jeweled Cove. Rai walked toward dry ground, not wishing to remain in the chill ocean any longer than necessary. The bright sun hid behind dark, roiling clouds, portending a thunderstorm. Everything seemed dark here: the caves were black, the sky was dark and angry, and the ocean turned foreboding.
The chill wind blowing in off the surf made Rai's fingers ache, and she rubbed them together to warm them. Realizing that this didn't hurt, Rai looked down and discovered her left hand recovered. She also now wore a simple, dry white shift that offered little protection from the cold. Emerging onto the sand, Rai gazed down the beach and spotted a form lying motionless in the distance. Rai ran toward it, the cold air biting into her skin.
When she reached the body, which was lying facedown in the damp sand, Rai fell to her knees beside it. The tide must have been shifting, as the surf now rhythmically crept toward them, soaking them within the swirling waters. She turned over the body, and came face to face with a woman of strikingly beautiful features and long, jet black hair. Rai studied her pale, cold, face and was startled when the woman opened her eyes.
She gasped for air, coughed up briny seawater, and then gasped again. Looking up at Rai, terror and confusion filled her eyes. "You can't be here!" she croaked at Rai. "You weren't ever supposed to come here!"
"Why? Why can't I be here?" Rai asked, cradling her closer.
The sky abruptly darkened, and the flapping sound of a large, winged creature moved overhead. Looking up, Rai couldn't see the beast but instead the clouds appeared to reach down toward them.
"What is it?" Rai asked.
Dark, angry tendrils of cloud met with the ocean offshore, closing in the landscape. Rai heard wings beating against the mists. A sharp screech echoed off the craggy cove walls and reverberated through Rai, impossibly loud.
"What is it? Rai yelled over the sound. Rai searched the sky, trying to sight the creature, but all hid within the rapidly approaching clouds and fog.
"Retribution," the woman answered. Rai looked down at her, and was shocked as arterial red blood soaked through the white shift the lady wore. The woman's face paled further, and when the surf rolled in the water was blood red. Looking out into what she could still see of the ocean, all was crimson. The fog and clouds picked up the scarlet tones, and now surged forward again. Soon the blood mists would envelop them both.
"What did I do to deserve all this?" Rai cried out in frustration.
The woman looked up at her, eyes full of loathing. "More than enough." The beast screeched again, the sound now directly overhead. Blood oozed out of the woman's mouth, and she sneered at Rai.
The quiet blood fog rolled over them. The silence lasted but a moment, and then a shrill cry from the winged beast shattered her thoughts. The sound was in front of her, and the creature's hot breath was upon her face, but Rai could only see the blood-red haze all around.
Razor-sharp claws sliced into and across her right shoulder. Screaming with the pain of her now useless arm, Rai blocked with her left arm, only to have the beast grab and bite into her left hand.
Flailing against the beast's bloody vice grip, it forced Rai on her back flat onto the sand. Its weight pressed against her belly, claws digging into her flesh and viscera. It's weight pressed against her, and Rai screamed as she sank further and further into the sand. The bloody tide washed over her, and she inhaled in shock as it burned in her wounds. Bloody seawater filled her nose and throat as the beast's claws ripped out her intestines.
*
Rai awoke screaming and drenched with sweat, her arms beating against the boards above her. Someone pounded at her bedroom door, calling out her name, demanding to know if she was all right. Was she? Becoming more conscious of her surroundings, Rai realized she lay naked under her bed, with no idea how she'd gotten there. Crawling out from under the bed, scratches and cuts covered Rai's hands, arms, and knees--probably the result of thrashing against the rough wooden slats under the bed.
Standing up, Rai found her legs shaky from the dream fight and her hair around her face damp with sweat. She took a deep breath in an effort to steady herself, and puzzled over her present naked state. Jesse's voice called from the other side of the door, and then the jingle of keys. Panicked, and not wishing others to find her naked, Rai grabbed a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around herself just as the key turned in the lock. The door swung open, Jesse and the maid Kasha hot on her heels.
"Is everything okay?" Jesse asked.
Still in a daze from the dream trauma, it was all Rai could manage to stare back at Jesse. Things were nowhere near all right. Not only had she experienced another instance of the recurring nightmare, but she'd woken up naked under the bed, with no idea how she'd gotten there. Where had her clothes gone? The thought that her terrifying dreams now had her sleepwalking made Rai lightheaded and shaky. It was now obvious to Rai the effects from the post-waking episodes were escalating or deteriorating, depending how you looked at it. Rai searched the room with her eyes, looking for something out of place but found all else was as she'd remembered.
"Begging your pardon, Mistress Rai. I heard screaming so I fetched Mistress Jesse," Kasha explained.
Jesse walked cautiously toward her. "You're bleeding." She pointed to Rai's scratched hands. "Kasha, fetch a towel, a warm basin of water, some salve and bandages, quickly!" Kasha ran out of the room.
"Why don't you sit down, Sis?"
Jesse, now standing next to Rai, reached out and took hold of her shoulders, pulling her to sit at the end of the bed.
Rai avoided touching those around her in case someone picked up on her reading them. She also wanted to insulate herself from often overwhelming emotional experience. This time, however, the deliberate and focused essence of Jesse came to Rai's aid. Through Jesse's touch, and thus perception, Rai grounded her consciousness and brought herself into focus—because that's how Jesse felt right now. Immediately calmer, Rai allowed Jesse to guide her to the bed.
"It was the nightmare again," Rai explained. Rai soaked up Jesse's emanating clarity and solidity. Jesse sensed her contact was a comfort to Rai, so she kept a hand on Rai's shoulder when she sat down next to her on the bed.
"I assumed so. How did you scratch yourself up?"
Kasha returned, bearing a tray with items Jesse'd asked for. "I'll take that," Jesse told her. Jesse placed it on the bed between them. Rai noticed the loss of their physical connection, but the support she'd gained from those brief moments had calmed her trembling.
"Why don't you shut the door on your way out, Kasha? Thanks," Jesse said. Kasha bowed and left, not one to question her Mistress' orders.
Alone again, Jesse wet the towel and cleansed Rai's scratched hands and forearms.
"I got them beating against the wooden slats under the bed," Rai replied.
Jesse paused, brows furrowing in confusion. "Why were you under the bed?"
"Don't know. What's really confusing me is that I have no idea what happened to my nightshirt."
Both sisters looked around the room, searching for the elusive garment. Everything lie in place in her tidy, simple room.
"Well, at least I now know why you're wearing a blanket." Jesse laughed. "I'll make sure and have Hilse check the entire second floor for your missing nightclothes."
Rai blushed deeply at the thought of sleepwalking naked through the halls of the Waystation. "My door was locked, so it must be in here," Rai said, flustered.
The Dream Sifter (The Depths of Memory Book 1) Page 25
