"This is Ross Derwent," said Brynne, indicating his friend.
"Please, be seated," said Dhaika, indicating the easy chairs. He switched to speaking English. "What brings you to the Retreat? You're the first of our new Guild members to visit us."
"Ross asked to come. We were in the area on a rock and crystal gathering expedition."
"You've certainly come to the right place. The whole mountain range is blessed with a multitude of different crystals, depending on which part you're in. Are you looking for anything in particular?"
Brynne looked over at Ross.
"Oh, I'm interested in comparisons with Earth," said Ross. "On our world, crystals often give access to great power."
"Indeed," said Dhaika. "I'm afraid you're more likely to find that kind of crystal a little closer to home. In your comm, to be exact," he smiled. "The kind of crystals you speak of are grown industrially, not found naturally."
"Your world must be very different from ours, then," murmured Ross. "At home, natural crystals magnify natural energy, and many people can tap that power, people who are attuned to the earth we live on, and believe Her to be a living entity."
"We have such a cult here," nodded Dhaika. "The Green Goddess, we call Her."
"Not the same," smiled Ross, settling himself more comfortably. "Your Green Goddess isn't the incarnation of the planet."
"I can't say, Mr. Derwent. As I'm sure you'll appreciate, we're of a different belief here," said the Guardian gently.
"A reverence for Mother Earth should be common to us all, Guardian Dhaika."
"Perhaps, were we on Earth, Mr. Derwent. But as you yourself said, Shola is a different world." The reprimand, though gentle, was there and Brynne winced. "Perhaps a visit to Her temple at the Ferraki hills would be of more interest to you."
"Perhaps. Tell me, Guardian, do you have ley lines on Shola?"
"Ley lines?" Dhaika raised an eye ridge. "I'm unfamiliar with the term."
"Lines of power that cross the planet. They usually join sites of ancient religions."
"We've certainly got ancient religions, but as for lines of power ... What kind of power do you mean?"
"Psychic power. You can tap into these lines and use the power."
"Interesting theory," murmured Dhaika, glancing toward Lhea. "Not one I've come across, though. Is that what brings you to our Retreat? A quest for power?"
"A search for the natural power of the planet," cor-rected Ross.
"Why would you want to locate such areas of power, Mr. Derwent? I must admit to being baffled as to any practical value that these lines of power could have."
"They're a source of energy when you work."
The Guardian looked toward Brynne, then back to Ross. "When we work as telepaths, Mr. Derwent, we use our own power and energy. We have no need for any outside source."
"Oh, I'm not talking about the commercial work," said Ross, warming to his theme. "I mean the real work, when you bless a holy site, or when you repair the damage caused to it by thoughtless youths or pollution. Then you need to draw on the power of the earth, and make use of the crystals that channel this power."
Brynne was beginning to get concerned. He was increasingly aware of the Guardian's feelings about Ross and the topics he was determined to discuss. It was time to bring the discussion to an end.
"Ross, you didn't tell me you wanted to discuss this with the Guardian," he said. "If you had, I could have told you we'd come to the wrong temple."
"That's all right, Brynne," said Ross. "I'm sure that now the Guardian is aware of these powers, he'll want to look into them for himself. After all, only earth endures forever, doesn't it, Guardian Dhaika?"
"If you allow for erosion," Dhaika murmured in Sholan.
Brynne bit back his smile. There were times when even he found Ross too much to take seriously. Still, he'd learned a lot that was useful from him in the few months since they'd met him.
Dhaika rose to his feet, indicating their meeting was at an end. "I won't keep you from your expedition, Mr. Derwent. It's been interesting meeting you. Do come again, Brynne, and bring your Leska next time," he said. "Sister Lhea."
They made their way back through the main temple area till they reached the open air.
"Where now?" asked Brynne.
"We'll just have a wander round," said Ross, sticking his hands in his pockets and strolling toward the exit. "I've picked up a ley line around here somewhere and I'd like to follow it. I'm sure it'll cross another somewhere over there," he said, nodding toward the south. "We may even find an old shrine or something there that we can look at."
"Stronghold lies that way," said Lhea. "You will not be allowed to visit there."
"Oh? What makes you so sure, my dear?" asked Ross.
"Stronghold doesn't allow visitors."
"I wouldn't be a visitor if I accompanied you, now would I? There must be some business you have to do there today," he said, stopping and turning toward her.
"No," was her short answer.
"Brynne, that Guardian chappie said you were a member of the Brotherhood now. What about you? They'd allow you in, surely?"
"No way, Ross!" said Brynne, beginning to walk on again. "I haven't been sworn into the Brotherhood yet. That place is just not open to the likes of us, take it from me. Even if it was, I wouldn't go there! I haven't forgotten the night they had Vanna kidnapped!"
Ross frowned. "You're being overcautious, Brynne. There's no reason why they shouldn't let us in, is there? Still, we can always try another day," he said. "Now, let's find out exactly where this ley line is, shall we? What I want you to do is be aware of the earth, feel its power under your feet. Watch for any changes in that power, because that's where you'll find the ley lines."
Lhea walked a few feet behind them, keeping her senses alert for any potential dangers. She was glad Brynne had told the old one to stop talking to the Guardian the way he had. He was always going on like that. Why he had come to Shola, she couldn't understand. Nothing was as good here as it was back on his Earth. She wished he'd head back there, and as soon as possible! All this mysticism rubbish he was talking was just that— rubbish. Only the younglings he told it to didn't know that. If Brynne kept company with him for much longer, she was afraid he'd end up in trouble too, and her job was to keep him out of trouble!
She sighed and shook her head. She felt really sorry for Physician Kyjishi. All the troubles she'd had with him, and now this Ross Derwent came along making more for her.
CHAPTER 12
From the safety of the bushes on the rear slopes of the village, he'd kept watch on the comings and goings of the inhabitants for several days now. He'd a good idea where she was— in a small cottage just to the right of where he was concealed. It was one of the few dwellings where the sole inhabitant was obviously ill. Once a day, in the evening, a neighbor would call with hot food. On the third day, by a stroke of good fortune, he'd heard the female call out to her. Khemu! she'd shouted. I'll be late tonight! The Faithful have called a prayer meeting.
The next day he stayed hidden till an hour after sunset when all the villagers and Faithful alike closed their doors for the night. Slowly, cautiously, he climbed down the slope to the pathway at the back of her house. Staying close to the wall, he crept along to the partially open window. He stood up, slipping his claw tips between the shutters, easing the left one outward just enough to allow him to see the interior. Across from him there was a bed with a long mound in the center of it. He waited, watching to see if she moved. She didn't: she must be asleep.
Pushing the shutter open a fraction more, he vaulted quietly to the window ledge, balancing there momentarily till he could see what was in front of him. It was the sink, and it was empty. To one side of it was a work surface, also clear of any implements. Stepping onto the surface, he leaped quietly to the floor. After a moment or two's stillness, when he knew he hadn't wakened her, he turned and drew the shutters closed.
* * *
"Who's there?" she demanded, suddenly raising herself up on her elbow and peering toward the window. "I know you're there. Show yourself!"
Kaid turned round again and stepped out of the shadows, standing so the moonlight from the front window fell full on him. He should have known he couldn't surprise her.
Khemu sucked in her breath with an audible hiss. "Tallinu!"
He stayed where he was, unmoving. "I heard you were ill, Khemu."
"You haven't changed," she said abruptly. "How did you find me after all these years?"
"I didn't. Ghezu did."
"He's still around, is he?"
Kaid flicked an ear in agreement. "He's the Leader of the Brotherhood Warriors now."
"Huh," was all she said as she tried to push herself up into a sitting position.
Kaid came forward, reaching out to help her.
"I can manage. I don't need your help," she snapped, pulling away from him before he could touch her. "What brings you here anyway?"
"I needed to see you, to apologize for that night ..."
"Apologize?" she said, frowning. "Just how do you intend to apologize, Tallinu?"
Shifting from one foot to the other, he tried not to look away from her. He'd forgotten how piercing her gaze could be. "It all happened so quickly. I'd never been with a telepath before, I didn't know what could happen ... what would happen," he said, aware of how lame he sounded.
"You knew what you were." Her voice was unforgiving.
"Suspicions, nothing more. Dammit, Khemu," he said, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. "I knew nothing for sure! You ran off before I could speak to you— ask you what had happened! By the time I'd made some sense of it all, you wouldn't see me!"
"Vartra's bones, Tallinu! What did you expect of me? I was no older than you! We were just younglings then. You scared the life out of me! I couldn't cope with what you were— what you'd been."
"I realize that now."
"Then there was the cub. You left me pregnant, Tallinu!" Her voice cracked and broke, sending her into paroxysms of coughing.
Turning, he went to the stone water cooler by the sink and fetched her a drink. "Here," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed and handing her the mug.
Ears flicking in thanks, she took a couple of shuddering breaths. Her hand closed over his as she took the mug from him. She sipped the drink, not taking her eyes from his face.
"Did you find the cub?"
"Yes, I found him," he replied, moving his hand from under hers so he could reach up to touch her face. "No one guessed who he was except old Jyarti who let me foster him." He let his hand fall to rest on the covers beside hers.
She handed the mug back to him. Taking it from her, he leaned forward, placing it on the night table.
"I kept trying to see you. I called at the house daily," he said quietly. "I wanted to do what was right, Khemu. Not just for your sake, but for the cub's. Why didn't you ..."
"I'd no choice," she said, cutting him short. "My parents knew what had happened by then. They knew it was one of the Brothers and they didn't want any trouble with Stronghold. Because I refused to tell them who I'd been with, they kept me locked in my room."
Her voice had become as bleak as her eyes.
"Why didn't you tell them? Surely they guessed it was me when I kept calling?"
"Why should I tell them? You weren't the only one who came, you know. Ghezu called too," she said. "They weren't interested in who the father was, only in the fact that the betrothal arranged by the Clan Lord had to be canceled. They refused to let the world know of my shame. They told him I'd died ... in a climbing accident," she said contemptuously. "Me, mountain born and bred, killed in a climbing accident? The Guild believed it though, as did the Clan Lord."
"They did that because of our cub?" Anger surged through him.
She put her head to one side, raising her eye ridges. "Our cub?" she said. "I suppose he is. I never thought of him as mine, only yours. They took him from me as soon as he was born."
"Why?" In part he already knew the answer. The depths that families could sink to in their quarrels were no surprise to him. Too often he and others from Stronghold had been called in to settle disputes in a manner that forbade further argument.
She shrugged. "Since I was dead, how could the cub exist?"
"What did they do with him?"
She sighed, moving restlessly, trying to get comfortable. "They gave him to the estate nursery. He grew up there, in the charge of whoever was on duty."
"I know what it's like to grow up on the wrong side of the hearth," he said, his voice betraying an anger he was finding increasingly difficult to control. "I saved him from as much of that as I could at Stronghold. Who brought him to me?"
"Some time after he was born, they sent me to a house near the Clan village. My father's punishment was for me to see the cubs every day but never be able to speak to them. When he was old enough to play outside, I could tell which cub was yours: he was always alone or being picked on. So when I finally managed to escape, I took him with me."
He caught her eyes but with a flick of her ears, she looked away. "I couldn't leave him there. All that pain and hurt in one so little. Yes, I suppose I did care for him," she admitted quietly. "I did what I could to wipe out his memories of the time on the estate so he could have a fresh start. The rest you know. My family couldn't admit I was still alive so they couldn't search for me or him."
Ever alert, Kaid heard a slight noise from behind. Ears pricked as far sideways as they could go, he urgently signed for her to be silent. Turning his head to look over his shoulder at the open window, he leaned forward, ready to spring into the shadows by the front door.
"Don't bother, Kaid," said Dzaka's disembodied voice. "Move, and I will shoot."
Kaid relaxed, his left hand slowly inching toward the knife concealed at the back of his jacket. He was glad the wait was over.
The muzzle of the gun appeared first, then Dzaka vaulted through the window to land on the work surface. The sound of a soft footfall and he stood in the room with them.
"Who the hell are you?" demanded Khemu angrily. "Are you one of Fyak's people?"
"No. I'm Dzaka."
She glanced from him to Kaid then back.
"He's our son," Kaid confirmed.
"You might have taught him better manners. What the hell do you mean by entering my house like that without leave?" she demanded, looking him up then down.
Their attention safely diverted for the moment, Kaid palmed his knife under a fold in the bedcover.
"I've been appointed to protect you," said Dzaka, his gun still trained on Kaid as he stepped closer to where they sat.
"By whom, and against whom?"
"Leader Ghezu told me Kaid intended to harm you because of his guilt over his actions toward you in the past."
Kaid could tell by the constant movement of Dzaka's ears and the occasional jerky flicking of his tail that his son was balanced on a knife edge. Dzaka had psyched himself up to the point where he was prepared to kill him if he thought it necessary.
"Just what did Ghezu tell you?" asked Khemu.
"He said Kaid had drugged you with faka juice so you'd go with him that night."
"Drugged me?" She looked at Kaid. "He certainly hasn't inherited my brains!" She turned back to her son. "Tallinu didn't drug me, youngling. How old are you now? Thirty?"
"Thirty-four," said Dzaka stiffly. "What's my age got to do with it?"
"You've known Tallinu thirty years and yet you believed Ghezu?" She gave a snort of disgust. "I didn't know I'd given birth to a fool! Ghezu's Talent is to cast a glamour over what he says. You've been duped, boy!"
The nose of the gun barrel had begun to droop and a confused look crossed Dzaka's face. "You mean he didn't drug you?"
"That's what I just said, isn't it?"
"But why did you ... How did I come ..." He broke off, obviously at a loss to know how to ask his all-important question.
"That's none of your business!" she snapped, beginning to cough again. "How dare you ask me that!"
Kaid realized she'd staggered Dzaka, making him doubt what he'd been told. Now was the time to push the advantage home. The risk was still there, but it was acceptable.
"I'm going to give her some water, Dzaka," said Kaid, slowly stretching out his hand for the mug. "Either use that damned gun and get it over with, or put it away."
He held the mug to her mouth and this time, when she'd done, her fingers remained curled round his and she leaned against him trying to regain her strength.
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