thefiremargins

by Lisanne Norman

  Garras did as she asked, then pushed the paper back to her. Folding it, she returned it to him. "Give it to Lokki. They're used to him running around Stronghold with my potions and messages. He won't cause any concern."

  * * *

  The comm finally chimed and as Noni answered it, three pairs of eyes, all beyond the comm's pickup range, were focussed on her.

  "What's this all about, Noni?" Lijou demanded. "What's this potion that you want collected by Kha'Qwa?"

  "She visited me the other day, Lijou, asking me for a potion for what ails her belly. It's ready. She needs to come for it today."

  "There's nothing wrong with her." He frowned. "Is there?"

  "You'll have to ask her, Master Lijou," said Noni in an arch tone. "I don't discuss my patients with other folk!"

  "Then why send me the message?" he demanded.

  "Cos the lad knows you. He don't know your Kha'Qwa, that's why! Now, it's got to be picked up this evening. It won't keep."

  "I'll pass the message on," he said tersely and reached for the comm switch.

  "And Lijou!" she said, reaching over for Carrie's hand.

  "Yes?" He was poised ready to cut the connection.

  Noni pulled Carrie's hand briefly into view. "Don't let my work go to waste!" She cut the link.

  "Why did you do that?" demanded Carrie.

  "He had that look on his face," she said, closing the comm and pushing it back to Garras. "He wasn't going to come. Now he will."

  "Wasn't that dangerous if the line's being monitored?" asked Garras.

  "They'll have missed it, don't worry. It's the start of the call that'll interest them, not the end."

  "Now what?"

  "Now we wait for Lijou and perhaps even Kha'Qwa." said Noni, sitting back in her seat. She looked up at Carrie. "You're how many weeks on now?"

  Carrie looked confused for a moment, then flushed. "Twelve."

  "And you're still able to use your Talent?"

  "Yes."

  "No change in it, is there? It isn't becoming erratic or faint?"

  "No!"

  "That's good. We'll need to use that Talent of yours shortly."

  * * *

  It was a good half hour before a knock sounded at the door. Instantly, Dzaka, Garras— and Carrie— had their weapons out, the two males standing to the front.

  "It's Lijou and Kha'Qwa," said Noni. "Don't be so fast off the mark!"

  "I hope a time never comes when you're glad of our speed," said Garras, replacing his gun as he went to the door.

  Noni eyed Carrie as she put her weapon away in the folds of the robe she wore.

  "What you want with that, girl? The males can look after us."

  "I prefer to be able to look after myself," said Carrie.

  Lijou stood in the doorway looking at Garras with his mouth hanging open. Beside him stood one of the Sisters, anonymously wrapped in her grey cloak. Only her nose and eyes were visible.

  Garras reached out and grasped Lijou by the arm, pulling him into the cottage. He turned to the female but she'd already followed Lijou in.

  "It is you!" said Lijou, looking round the room. "You're here for Kaid, aren't you? I dreamed of him last night. Dzaka, Ghezu's got a contract out on you. I'd have thought you'd have the common sense to stay on the estate where you're safe."

  "He's my father," said Dzaka. "I had to come."

  "So you saw him, too," said Noni. "I don't like it. This has me worried."

  Lijou turned to Garras. "You must get him out, Garras! I'm convinced that more than we realize depends on him."

  "Kusac's on his way here. We're going to get him out, believe me, but we'll need your help."

  "What can I do?" asked Lijou, perching on the end of Noni's bed.

  "First I need to know what the situation is like in Stronghold now."

  Kha'Qwa unwrapped herself from her cloak and put it across the end of Noni's bed.

  "Security's tighter," she said, "but not what you could call unreasonable given the state of things out in the desert. Ghezu's had dampers installed in every public area till it's become quite oppressive, though we can still be comfortable in our own quarters," she said, glancing at Lijou briefly, "but our talents are useless for communication everywhere else. He said it was to make the telepaths who'd be coming to Stronghold feel more comfortable, but people like Vriuzu say there's no need for what he's done and they find it as oppressive as we do."

  "What about incoming calls and visitors?"

  "Ghezu has his own people on the comm line in the office, and yes, we do get visitors, once Zhaya's authorized them! We're gradually being cut off from the world outside."

  "Why hasn't anyone reported him?" asked Carrie.

  "To whom?" Kha'Qwa asked, looking over at the Human. "We're only just achieved Guild status. No one wants to lose it."

  "I don't believe there's no opposition to Ghezu," said Garras. "The Brothers can't have changed that much in the last fifteen or so years."

  "Talk, but nothing more yet," agreed Kha'Qwa, moving round to take the seat Dzaka offered her. "One or two of the senior tutors have approached Lijou, asking him if he'd be prepared to take control, but there's nothing really overt for anyone to complain about, that's the problem."

  "There is now," said Garras. "He's been supplying arms and drugs to Fyak. In just over ten hours from now, he's going to be indicted for treason. We've got to get Kaid out before that happens."

  "Ye Gods! Arming the desert people? And drugs?" She shook her head unbelievingly.

  "I knew he was mad," said Lijou, "but I'd never have expected that of him!"

  Carrie raised her head, looking over to the door. "Kusac's here," she said, moments before they heard the knock. Dzaka answered it.

  Grim-faced, Kusac and T'Chebbi entered.

  "Noni, I apologize for descending on you like this, but we needed ..." Kusac began as he approached the table.

  "Never you mind that," Noni interrupted. "You get on with your organizing. I'll see to getting something for you all to eat," she said, beginning to rise. "My attendant's gone home for the night but I can call him in if need be."

  "No," said Kusac, looking across at Garras as he approached the group round the table. "Better if we don't eat first. I want to go in as soon as possible."

  Garras nodded. "A quick in-and-out mission is best. My bet is Ghezu'll have him in one of the holding cells in the basement level. They were hardly ever used even in my day. What do you think, Kha'Qwa?"

  She nodded slowly in agreement. "Makes sense. He'd have to be somewhere off the main trail for none of us to be aware of what was going on."

  "We need to get into Stronghold without being seen," said Kusac. "Suggestions? I don't know the territory."

  "Kha'Qwa, do you know the upper tunnel entrance? The one that brings you in on the west side of Stronghold?" asked Garras.

  "The one that was supposedly blocked off because it was unstable?" she grinned. "Who doesn't?"

  "Can you get one of your friends to make sure that the door into Stronghold is open and our way in is clear?"

  "I can do that."

  "Where will it bring us in?" asked Kusac.

  "The upper level back tunnels. They in turn lead to the floors above ground, or down to the basement levels."

  "What can I do?" asked Lijou. "I feel partly responsible. I should have been aware sooner ..."

  Kusac put his hand on the older male's shoulder. "With the dampers on, how could you have known? Ghezu's the only culpable one. What I'd like you to do is gather a few of the Warrior Brothers you trust and be ready to help if need be. Should we end up in a face-to-face with Ghezu, we may need you to rally the Brothers against him."

  "One other thing you might do," said Garras thoughtfully, "is get someone to disable as many of the damping units as they can without it seeming suspicious."

  "We can do that," said Lijou.

  "If you can, then we should be able to locate Kaid," said Kusac, looking over at Carrie.<
br />
  "I'm coming too," she said.

  "Carrie, you know ..."

  "An injury to you will harm me just as much," she said firmly. "If you want to guarantee my safety, you'll have to stay here with me."

  Kusac made an exasperated noise. "Very well, you can come."

  "You can make arrangements for me too," said Noni, glaring up at him.

  "You wouldn't make it along the tunnels, Noni," said Kha'Qwa gently.

  "In that case, I have to return with you, Lijou. This female of yours is more ill than you think, aren't you Kha'Qwa?"

  Lijou frowned. "Yes, what's all this about her being ill? She'll tell me nothing!"

  Noni laughed. "Got you worried, didn't it? Knew it would! You were out here as fast as a youngling in her first season, worried she'd got it wrong and was pregnant! There's nothing wrong with her, but you wouldn't be believing that now, would you? Kha'Qwa, you'll find your bottle of oil over on the chest behind me."

  Lijou looked baffled. "Oil?"

  "Sand fleas at Laasoi," Kha'Qwa said. "I got an allergic reaction to the bites and Noni gave me something for it when we came back. I needed some more, that's all."

  "You're an evil old female," growled Lijou, frowning at her.

  Noni continued to chuckle. "You just call Stronghold and tell them Kha'Qwa's been taken poorly and I need to nurse her. Get them to send an aircar for us."

  "It's not a bad idea," said Garras. "It would explain why you came out here so hurriedly."

  "No. We need Kha'Qwa and Lijou working on the inside for us," said Kusac.

  "Then Lijou can find someone I can visit when he gets back," said Noni. "You're not going without me!"

  Carrie took the old Sholan's hand in hers. "Wait here for him, Noni. We'll bring him back to you, I promise."

  Noni pulled her hand away, grumbling under her breath. "I'll not have those butchers at Stronghold treating him!"

  "They won't."

  "Actually, keeping Lijou out of the line of fire would be better," said Garras. "He's no fighter, and as you said, he'll be needed to take over the Guild when Ghezu's arrested. Kha'Qwa can easily ask for a friend to come to her and set it up that way. Noni returning with them helps dispel any doubt that the visit here was genuine, especially as it's known she refuses to travel."

  Kusac flicked an ear. "Very well. You've got a point," he conceded.

  "Now that's sorted, you and me got some work to do first, girl," Noni said to Carrie, content now that her part in the proceedings was secure. "We're going to try and reach Tallinu using that crystal he has."

  "You can't reach him, Noni," said Kha'Qwa. "I told you, there are dampers on all over Stronghold."

  "Stronghold's full of these crystals," said Noni, fishing one out of her pocket and holding it up for them all to see. "We'll reach him, never fear. Makes sense to try and locate him first, though, then you don't have to go searching for him." She pushed herself up from the table. "We'll go into my bedroom," she said to Carrie. "It's too damned noisy here!"

  * * *

  He was shivering, whether with cold or fear he didn't know. He wasn't even sure he was awake as there was only the darkness, and the pain. His scalp ached as did the side of his face that lay against the cold floor. That was nothing compared to how his right hand felt. It throbbed with an agony that dominated his senses just as much as the flog-ging had.

  He tried moving his arm, bringing it closer to his body for protection. There was a strange noise. His ears tried to focus on it, then he realized it was himself whimpering gently. He was glad of the darkness then: he wasn't ready to see what Ghezu had done to him.

  Carefully he pushed himself into a sitting position. Moving slowly, using his good hand, he felt around till he located something solid— a metal strut. Recognizing it as one of the legs on his bed, he inched his way over to it. By the time he finally reached it, he was sweating with the exertion. He hauled himself up against the side of the bed, leaning against it with relief.

  His recollection of what had happened after Ghezu injured his hand was hazy. Had he told him the codes? He couldn't for the life of him remember. For the life of him, he thought. What life? Ghezu's breaking every law of civilized behavior, let alone the Brotherhood, in treating me like this! He's insane, beyond reason! His fear now was that Ghezu wouldn't kill him. There were worse things than death: however painful it was, it was an end.

  Unclothed as he was, he had no way to end the torture Ghezu was inflicting on him. All he had was a mattress, a blanket and a sheet— even his jacket had been taken from him. The walls, though roughly carved from the rock, had no projections onto which he could tie anything. His meals were served without knife or fork, he had to use his hands to eat.

  The temporary warmth his exertions had generated had gone now and he began to shiver again. The movement jarred his hand, reawakening the pain he'd managed to push a little distance from the forefront of his mind. Death was preferable to this. One thing all warriors feared was dying limb by limb. Better a clean death than living with a broken or maimed body.

  An inch at a time, he'd said. The words echoed inside Kaid's head and he felt the fear grow. To have the strength to make one attack! Even if he didn't take Ghezu with him, the guards would be sure to kill him. But Ghezu was keeping him weakened with pain and the drug.

  Forgetting his new injuries, he clenched his fists in anger, coming close to blacking out with the agony it caused.

  Tallinu?

  Gods, I'm still hallucinating! he thought, lightheaded.

  Tallinu, damn you! Listen to me!

  His reserves were gone, there was no more fight left in him. He let the dream flow through him.

  Tallinu!

  The tone was familiar. Noni?

  Vartra be praised! You're still alive! Where are you?

  Where am I? Why was she asking that? The basement cells. But you aren't real, Noni.

  They're here, Tallinu, and they're coming to get you out! Hold on for just a little longer, and for the God's sake, boy, use that damned crystal so she can keep track of you! Ghezu's got that place sewn up tighter than a highlander's purse! We're real, never fear.

  What's real, Noni? I can't tell any more. The drug ...

  Touch the crystal, then you'll know what's real. Trust me. Have I ever lied to you, boy?

  I don't know that I can hold out any longer. The admis-sion hurt.

  The crystal, Tallinu. Hold it, then you won't be alone, she'll be with you. Only an hour, maybe two at most, and we'll be there.

  She'd gone. His mind was silent once more. There was an inevitability about the dreams: once they had started, he had no choice but to follow where the storyteller led. Twisting round slowly, he reached up under his pillow and tugged his sheet back till he could find the hole in which he'd hidden his crystal. Probing through the stuffing, his finger finally touched the leather bag and pulled it free. There was no reason not to do what she'd said, but he didn't believe anything would come of it. Holding the neck between his teeth, with his left hand he poked the opening wider till he could reach inside and take the crystal out.

  As soon as his hand closed around it, it warmed to his touch, releasing memories, not of their time at Noni's as he'd expected, but of the dream meeting at the Valsgarth Shrine. He could smell her scent, sense her presence. Then he felt her unmistakable mental touch. Embarrassed, he backed away, only to find his mind held by hers.

  Kaid, we're here. We got your message. Ghezu has been indicted for treason. We didn't wait for the warrant. One of Lijou's people is letting us in through the tunnels. Just keep hanging in there, Kaid. We ... I ... don't want to lose you again.

  His thoughts were too confused to be coherent even to himself.

  I'm keyed in to you now, Kaid. Put the crystal back into its pouch, but keep wearing it, and don't give up. I promise you we'll be with you soon.

  He sat there for several minutes before rousing himself to return the crystal to its bag and putting it round his neck. T
hen he waited for Ghezu— or the dreams— to return.

  * * *

  Carrie hiked her robe up yet again as it got tangled between her ankles.

  "Damned thing!" she muttered. "Never could stand skirts!"

  "Ground's uneven here," said T'Chebbi from in front. "Watch your feet, Liegena."

  Reaching out for the tunnel wall, Carrie used it to steady herself as she cautiously picked her way among the fallen debris. T'Chebbi's torch shed enough light for her to see by and she silently thanked Vartra that she had functional Sholan eyes. Had she had Human eyes, the journey would have been virtually impossible for her.