Perilous Shadows: Book 6 Circles of Light

by E. M. Sinclair

  ‘But in spite of what some of the Dark Ones told me, you at least don’t seem to equate Dark with evil, Light with good.’

  ‘The old temples which the Imperatrix ordered closed and, in many cases, destroyed, were places where people asked the gods of fire, water, earth, fertility and so on, to assist them in their everyday lives.’

  ‘From the little I know of Sedka’s devotion to the Light here in Drogoya, those who transgressed his rules were considered the most serious of wrong doers, and punished accordingly. I don’t think that happens in the Dark Realm, but I’ll ask Essa or Shivan.’

  They sat in silence again for a time, both deep in thought.

  ‘And you have no idea where this island might be?’

  Konya sighed again. ‘Sorry. Not a clue.’

  Essa bellowed from below them that the company were about to starve unless they helped themselves to Konya’s cooking. Konya scrambled to her feet.

  ‘They’re worse than children,’ she grumbled to Tika, hurrying down the ridge. ‘They don’t understand the meaning of fair shares.’

  ‘Well,’ Tika mind spoke Khosa. ‘That was interesting, but hardly helpful.’

  ‘Star Flower had lots of maps,’ Khosa replied thoughtfully. ‘I’m sure they showed all of this world.’

  ‘Navan was the only one of us who could make sense of the bloody things.’

  ‘I wonder if he kept them?’

  ‘Well of course he would have done,’ Tika retorted. ‘They fascinated him.’

  Khosa and Tika stared at each other. If she could persuade Shivan to open a gateway to Sapphrea, would Navan have those maps? Tika felt Khosa’s laugh ripple through her mind.

  ‘Sket would never let you go alone. And if he goes, everyone else will demand to go.’

  Tika scowled. ‘It feels we’ve reached a solid wall here Khosa. Perhaps we should try from a new place. But I fear us bringing danger on Gaharn, if the Crazed One is truly trying to track me alone.’

  Khosa yawned, showing her needle sharp teeth briefly. ‘A few days will do no harm I think. It might be nice to visit Lady Emla.’

  Tika stared suspiciously at the cat curled against her arm, but Khosa’s eyes were shut tight.

  ‘You can carry me down to the camp if you like.’

  Tika was sorely tempted to dump the cat without ceremony on the bare rock, but chose to resist that temptation.

  They ate earlier than usual, while the sun was still above the horizon, and then occupied themselves with routine chores and drills. Tika held her breath when Sket approached Dromi and, politely, suggested he worked through a couple of exercises with him. Dromi offered no objection. He rose and moved to the open area the guards used to practice. People moved aside and stopped what they were doing, to watch Sket put the Old Blood through his paces.

  The guards had marked out a circle in which they fought, and, by Sket’s rule no blood must be drawn. He wanted them fast in all reactions, including being able to hold back on a difficult blow. Dromi drew his sword. All of the company Tika realised, carried blood metal weapons – she had given Dromi the sword she’d taken from Corim.

  Dromi was an unlikely looking swordsman. His body was too plump, his legs and arms too spindly. Tika knew that no power was used, but Dromi moved so fast, so – strangely, forcing Sket’s back foot out of the circle in heartbeats. Dromi raised his sword in salute and stepped back to the opposite side of the circle.

  ‘Excellent,’ Sket commented, genuine appreciation in his voice. ‘If you would take on Fedran, I would like to observe your moves.’

  ‘As you wish Captain.’

  Sket sent Fedran into the ring, then Kazmat, and finally Essa sauntered forward, armed only with her long knife. Dromi had no problems defeating the first two, but Essa held him to a draw. Tika strongly suspected that Essa had held back, to give Sket a better chance to observe Dromi’s method of fighting. She also believed Essa could have flattened Dromi in a very short time, because Essa, like all Dark guards Tika had seen in action, fought to win, and never mind the niceties.

  Neither Essa nor Dromi seemed particularly out of breath when Sket called a halt, but Essa’s light blue eyes were ice, although her lips curved in a smile. It was too dark for much more weapons drill to be done in safety and the men gathered around the fire. Shea and Geffal were fussing over Volk’s horses when Volk loomed into the firelight. He merely nodded acknowledgement to the greetings and went to his horses. Tika waited until Shea and Geffal abandoned Volk and then she wandered over to him.

  He peered down at her when she reached him.

  ‘He came. He got upset about the girl.’

  ‘Did he say why?’

  ‘He said it was all too sad, and that he wished he could do something about it, but he can’t.’

  Volk’s horse blew gently in Tika’s face, startling her.

  ‘Now, now Daisy, behave yourself. Daisy just wanted to meet you.’

  Tika sent a light mental probe to the horse and was astonished at the intricacy of the animal’s mind. But then she was gently but very firmly pushed away as a large brown eye contemplated her. Tika took a deep breath and put a cautious hand on Daisy’s nose.

  ‘I’m – um – pleased to meet you Daisy.’

  Feeling rather like a child who has very nearly overstepped the mark of good behaviour, she turned her attention to Volk.

  ‘We are going to travel a gateway Volk, if Shivan agrees, to my land of Sapphrea. Horses,’ she glanced at the solid mass of Daisy and quickly away. ‘Horses do not travel well I understand. Gateways cause them much distress. We would greatly appreciate your continuing presence with us, but if you prefer to stay – it’s entirely your choice.’

  Volk scratched vigorously under Daisy’s chin. ‘She won’t be any bother wherever we go, but those two,’ he nodded at the other two horses who were dozing behind Daisy. ‘They’ll find their way back to the others on their own.’

  ‘They will? I mean, of course they will, if you say so. Then you’ll come with us?’

  Volk nodded. Firelight reflected for a moment in Daisy’s dark eye and Tika retreated, somewhat confused.

  Farn and Storm tried to inveigle various people to play the riddle game, but without a great deal of success until Shea took pity on them and agreed to play four rounds. Although the others refused to play, they listened to Shea trying to solve the nonsense the two young Dragons thought was the epitome of both intelligence and humour. Under cover of the increasing laughter, Tika leaned towards Sket and Rhaki.

  ‘What was Dromi’s fighting really like?’

  Sket grunted. ‘I don’t think he could have taken Essa, at least not easily. The rest of us were simple prey to one of his ability. He is very, very good.’

  Rhaki agreed. ‘Each of his moves had a formality I thought, almost like a ritual dance rather than a weapons drill. Do you have doubts about him?’

  ‘He asked to join us,’ Tika began.

  ‘He said he’d been told to join us,’ Dog corrected from the darkness behind Tika.

  ‘I need to be sure everyone in my company will be totally committed to each other’s survival. I am not convinced he is. I feel his Brotherhood of Keepers is still the most important thing in his world.’

  ‘So we’re careful with him for a while,’ Sket suggested.

  One of Volk’s horses stamped a foot and whickered beyond the firelight.

  ‘Has anyone noticed anything about Volk’s horse?’ Tika asked.

  ‘Apart from its name?’ Rhaki laughed. ‘She isn’t Old Blood. Shivan and I wondered about her the other day.’

  ‘No,’ Tika agreed thoughtfully. ‘She’s not Old Blood. But she’s definitely more than just any old horse.’

  Shivan arrived soon after sunrise, gliding down to land on the ridge above the mine entrance. When he shivered into man shape, he scrambled down the slope to the camp. He looked rested, Tika noted and indeed his first words explained that fact.

  ‘I fell asleep while I was waiting
for a meal and old Corman left me to sleep. I’m sorry, I could have been back yesterday but I slept half the night then all the next day.’

  Tika smiled at him. ‘You needed the rest, obviously. Did you warn Corman?’

  Shivan nodded. ‘They’ve managed to lose track of both Cyrek and Seola, but they’ve sent warnings to Jemin and to your Lady Emla.’

  Shivan was brought up to date with what the company had discovered in the small replica of the Menedula building in Merriton. Tika showed him mental pictures of the coldly arranged bones in the hall and of the murdered boy Tyen. Lastly, she showed him Mena, sitting dwarfed in the wooden armchair. He listened as the whispery voice spoke those three brief sentences.

  ‘There is something important there,’ he said quietly.

  Tika nodded. ‘Khosa gave me an idea about it,’ she replied. ‘But I want to know if you can take us to Sapphrea?’

  Shivan’s face lit up with delight at the prospect of another new land. ‘I can take you easily. Kija can take the Dragons.’

  ‘She can?’ Tika was outraged that she hadn’t been told that Kija apparently knew how to open gateways.

  ‘Keep a picture in your mind of where you wish us to arrive,’ Shivan told Tika as the company collected their packs and extinguished the fire.

  Catching sight of Rhaki’s suddenly apprehensive expression when the companions drew close around Shivan, Tika chose to visualise the further reaches of Lady Emla’s south gardens. She hadn’t even considered what Emla’s reaction might be to the reappearance of her brother, albeit in a different body and much changed in character. Clearly Rhaki was considering that reaction all too well.

  Shivan murmured a phrase and the bleak rocky land of eastern Drogoya vanished and they were plunged into total darkness. They popped back into a bright sunlit day, afternoon by the position of the sun. Sket and Konya groaned and sank to the ground but Tika was intrigued to see neither Volk nor Dromi were adversely affected by this form of travel. Nor were Rhaki or Daisy, although Tika thought there was a hint of irritation in the horse’s dark eyes. After a definite glare in Tika’s direction, Daisy lowered her head to graze on the grass at her feet.

  Farn sent an urgent query to Tika to assure himself she was safe and then he reported that Lady Emla was positively thrilled to see him, and she was on her way to meet Tika and her companions. With a silent curse at Farn’s helpfulness, Tika went to Sket and Konya, using a tiny amount of power to soothe their whirling heads and calm their churning stomachs. Sket climbed to his feet, a bit pale but functioning.

  ‘Lady Emla is the ruler of this land,’ he announced. ‘You’ll look smart when you meet her. Now form up.’

  Shivan, Tika and Rhaki led the way north. Trees, just greening, obscured any sight of the great House but the grounds were already showing how lush they would soon be.

  ‘Are you all right about this, Rhaki?’ Tika asked anxiously. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t stop to think how hard this might be for you.’

  Rhaki managed a smile. ‘However she, or the Seniors, react, I will offer no objection or resistance.’

  He stopped suddenly and caught her hand. ‘I must say, before we meet them, I am glad I have had this much of a chance, to meet you and your friends. Very glad.’

  He released her hand and they walked on. They glimpsed figures through the trees and Tika looked over her shoulder. Her company looked smart, marching behind Sket in their dark blue uniforms with the silver Dragon insignia. She saw Konya and Dromi walking with Volk but was astonished to see a smug Khosa perched atop Daisy.

  A voice called and a thin tall woman came running out of the trees, her escort trotting to keep up. Tika hesitated only a moment then began to race towards the woman, who knelt as Tika neared, her arms spread wide to welcome her. Shivan and Rhaki slowed a little to allow the two women a moment’s privacy, then drew closer even as Lady Emla’s escort caught up with her.

  Emla rose to her feet, a brilliant smile lighting eyes almost the same emerald as Tika’s. Sket brought the guards to a halt and grinned across at Soran, who by chance also had eight guards at his back. Tika drew a deep breath and moved to stand between Shivan and Rhaki.

  ‘Lady Emla, this is the Dark Lord, Shivan, nephew to the First Daughter and a member of this company.’

  Emla smiled at the young man. ‘You are welcome to Gaharn, Lord Shivan, and to my House.’

  Tika noted that Shivan merely smiled and inclined his head: he did not give the formal salute of the Dark Ones. But she couldn’t think about that now. Grasping Rhaki’s right hand tightly in her left, she looked straight into Emla’s eyes.

  ‘This is a new member of my company Lady Emla. His name is Rhaki.’

  Rhaki bowed deeply, his hand still in Tika’s.

  Emla, the Seniors in her escort, and Captain Soran had frozen where they stood. Emla’s eyes devoured this short, sturdy man of middle years, his greying hair and dark grey eyes. Then she touched his mind and gasped. He made no effort to resist, laying his mind open completely. At Emla’s gasp, Soran’s hand moved to his sword, as did the guards behind him. Sket, too, rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and, as he did, his eight guards, including Shea moved out to the sides, only too ready to engage Soran’s men.

  There was a flurry of wings and four Dragons descended to settle close to the humans. Farn bustled forward to stand between the two groups. His eyes whirred pearl and sapphire as he lowered his head to be level with Emla. His mind speech was clear to all.

  ‘Dear Lady Emla, we hated Rhaki before. But that wasn’t really the proper Rhaki. This is really Rhaki and we are very fond of him.’

  Well, thought Tika, not the clearest of explanations, but perhaps it would do. For slow heartbeats Emla still didn’t move, then a breath gusted out between her lips.

  ‘We will accept him as one of your company, but I ask that we test his mind.’

  Tika’s chin came up. ‘You will do nothing to harm him. He is our friend and we will not permit any hurt to him.’

  Tika’s words rang with an authority none of the Gaharnians had heard from her before, and they watched her with different eyes.

  ‘Are we still welcome here, Lady Emla? We will not remain if it displeases you.’

  Again there was a pause, but briefer. Emla’s rigidity relaxed a little.

  ‘You are truly welcome, all of you. Come, refreshments await you and we would know your news.’

  Her eyes were drawn again to Rhaki, who stood patiently at Tika’s side. Tika made a quick decision.

  ‘Emla, why don’t you walk with Rhaki, just for a while? I think you will find a brother returned who you only knew in the nursery.’

  Emla slowly nodded and indicated a gravelled path. Rhaki moved towards her and Soran instantly swung in behind Emla. Before Tika could speak, Emla raised a hand.

  ‘No Soran. Leave us. We will join you in the house shortly.’

  When Emla and Rhaki passed from view, Nesh looked down at Tika. ‘Is that really Rhaki?’

  Tika sighed and began to walk in the direction of the House.

  ‘Yes he is. The one we’ve learned is the Crazed One, has been interfering in this world much longer than we had guessed. He influenced Rhaki’s mind when Rhaki was only a boy. You’ll hear it all in full I’m sure, but something happened and Rhaki’s spirit, soul, whatever you want to call it, fled and hid. His spirit was found by an old man who walked in dreams. He chose to give Rhaki a second chance with his life and he surrendered his body to Rhaki’s spirit.’

  ‘And where is the old man now?’

  ‘He made it clear that he no longer felt a need to be embodied. It’s all there, in Rhaki’s memory.’

  They rounded a towering clump of shrubs full of glossy green leaves, and Lady Emla’s House was before them, its white stone glowing in the afternoon sun. They reached the steps and Sket paused, but Tika caught his arm.

  ‘We will all go inside.’

  She glanced at Soran, saddened to see the suspicion on his fac
e. Sergeant Essa strolled up, trailed by Volk and Daisy. Essa smiled her purple smile in Soran’s direction while Volk removed the halter from Daisy’s head and turned her loose. The horse began to browse on the grass edging a flower bed and Tika trusted that Daisy had no taste for dainty spring flowers.

  Nesh led the way up the steps and through the open doors into Emla’s hall. Tika’s throat tightened, looking at the familiar room, but she recovered by beginning to introduce all of her company to Nesh and the other Seniors. Then she saw a man lying on a couch and sped towards him.

  ‘Kemti! Are you sick?’

  ‘Broken leg.’ He reached for her , hugging her tight. ‘It will be all right,’ he whispered, lips against her ear. ‘Emla has accepted him as he is now. I long to meet him.’

  He held Tika away and studied her. She hadn’t grown at all but her face was no longer a child’s face. He looked surprised when one of Tika’s new companions came close and regarded him with interest.

  ‘Broken leg, did you say?’ Dog enquired. ‘She’s good with broken bones. Fixed mine.’ She saw Sket glaring at her. ‘Well, it’s nearly as good as new.’

  Tika pushed aside the blanket covering Kemti’s legs and saw the right leg splinted from hip to ankle.

  ‘However did you manage this?’ she asked, seeking the broken bone with her mind even while she spoke.

  Kemti looked deeply embarrassed. ‘I fell off a ladder.’

  Dog snorted and Kemti scowled at her. He began to say something else when a look of surprise crossed his face. Tika was undoing the straps which held the splints secure and taking them off his leg.

  ‘It will feel a bit odd for a day or two, but it’s quite strong enough to use normally.’

  She put the poles and straps on the floor under the couch and found another Senior looking at her with a welcoming smile.

  ‘Yash!’ She held a hand out to the older man.

  ‘And what are you doing to my patient?’ he asked genially.

  Kemti swung his legs over the edge of the seat and stood, cautiously. ‘Healing me, that’s what she’s done.’

  Kemti studied Tika again. ‘Your power has grown, as Iska foretold,’ he said softly. He tested his weight on the mended leg and laughed. ‘Just let me go and change from this robe.’