Outcast Chronicles - Sanctuary Part 23

*You radiate determination and anger. His gift is unusual. It feeds on emotions. I could feel his exultation from out on the mid-deck.'

*How? I thought Malaunje...' She ran down, seeing his expression. It was an odd combination of embarra.s.sment and pride.

*I'm his devotee,' Saskar confessed.

A conversation Aravelle had overheard between her parents finally fell into place. Her mother had run away before Hueryx could make a devotee of her.

*We're linked,' Saskar explained. *I feel what he feels. Surely your mother told you?'

*It seems there was a lot my mother didn't tell me,' Aravelle said.

He went to the cabinet and poured them each a gla.s.s of wine. *Drink this. You need it.' His hands shook only slightly now.

She drained hers in one gulp. So did he.

*How?' she asked, voice rasping. *How does a Malaunje become a devotee?'

*With Reyne and I, it was an accident... Back when King Charald attacked the city, his men overran our palace. I was fighting at the bottom of the courtyard stairs, trying to protect the Malaunje women and children. It was hand to hand. Finally, there was only Reyne and I holding the stairs, but we'd killed every Mieren.

*Then another dozen charged through the far arch into the courtyard and saw us. Reyne tried to link to the all-father to call for help. It took everything he had. When his gift surged, it breached my defences and tapped into my life force to empower itself. I pa.s.sed out.

*When I came round, the Mieren were attacking again and Reyne was holding them off. I staggered to my feet, just as Hueryx led a dozen warriors to take the Mieren from behind.' Saskar met her eyes, half defiant, half apologetic. *I'm Reyne's devotee, Vella. I'm linked to him, imprinted on his gift. My affinity for the gift is enhanced because of the link, my stature as well. This is what your mother gave up when she ran away.'

Aravelle nodded, not at all surprised that her mother would make this choice.

Saskar studied her. *From what All-father Hueryx let slip, he loved your mother and believed she loved him.'

*She loved her freedom more,' Aravelle said, and found her anger draining away, to be replaced with pride.

*At least she had a choice. If Reyne dies, I die.'

*Oh, Saskar.'

He shrugged. *Reyne didn't mean for it to happen, but the gifts have a way of looking after themselves. Besides, there are some who would be willing to swap their independence for a devotee's life. There are compensations.' His voice dropped. Then he swallowed as if something tasted bad. *And there are drawbacks.'

*I don't want to be Hueryx's scribe anymore,' Aravelle decided. *I'll ask him to send me back to the Malaunje.'

*You can't do that. You'd insult him. He honours you with this position.' Saskar took the cup from her hand, put it aside and clasped both of her hands in his. *Trust me. I will protect you from Reyne.'

*Why?'

*Because I serve the hand-of-force, and seeing that he does not dishonour himself is part of my duty.'

Her mind reeled with the implications.

*Your gift defences are surprisingly strong, considering you haven't been trained. But you also have a strong affinity for the gifts, Vella. And you feel very intensely. This will entice him. So...'

She caught a glimpse of the scar where his ear had been. *Did you lose your ear fighting the Mieren?'

*No.' He grinned. *It was a bet, a silly bet that went wrong.

*It was back in the Celestial City. I was sixteen. Having come into the T'Enatuath as the unwanted child of Mieren parents, I was greedy for stature. I bet that I could steal a rival brotherhood's banner. Some of their warriors caught me and sent me back minus an ear.' He saw her expression. *They spared my life. Only T'En had ever attempted to steal a banner before. As a Malaunje, I overreached myself. So it was nothing glorious, you see. Just foolish bravado on my part. '

She decided she liked him better for admitting it.

Deep, angry voices made them both look to the mid-deck.

*That's Reyne.' Saskar ran to the door and she followed him out onto the deck to see Kyredeon's hand-of-force and half a dozen of his warriors confronting Reyne. Saskar joined him, and other brotherhood warriors came to his aid.

*Why would we shelter your runaway devotee?' Reyne asked.

*We've searched our side of the ship and she's not there. She must be with your brotherhood.'

*Well, she isn't. You should take better care of your devotees so they don't want to run.'

*You should mind your tongue!' Oriemn reached for his weapon.

*What's this?' Hueryx came down the steps. *Kyredeon is missing a devotee? What did she look like?'

*She was young and beautiful.'

*Of course she was. If we see her, I'll be sure to send her your way. But I can tell you right now. We are not sheltering her.'

Even from a body-length away, Aravelle could feel the force of Hueryx's gift.

Kyredeon's hand-of-force backed down.

No one moved until the rival brotherhood's warriors had returned to the rear-deck.

Then Hueryx's supporters slapped him on the back and laughed as though they were drunk on power. But Aravelle thought of the poor devotee. There was nowhere she could have run to; if she was not on the ship, she must have thrown herself in the sea. How horrible to feel such desperation.

Chapter Seventeen.

RONNYN GUIDED THEM to an island where they pulled the boat onto the hard-packed sand revealed by low tide. He grabbed the bundle, and they climbed up the steep rocks. He'd had his eye on this island for a while, after he'd glimpsed the golden stones of an abandoned building amidst the trees.

*Wait...' the girl gasped.

He turned to find her flushed and breathing hard. It was no wonder she was unfit. *Why do they shut you up?'

She would not meet his eyes. *Please don't ask.'

He gathered it was something shameful and blushed for her. *I'm Ronnyn.'

*My friends call me Sar.' She smiled. *Thank you, Ronnyn, I didn't know how much I missed the sky.' Tilting her head to the sun, she spread out her arms and breathed deeply.

He watched, happy for her. *Let's explore and then we can have some lunch.'

They headed for the ruin, glimpsed through the trees.

*Is it Mieren or T'En in origin?' the girl asked.

*I don't know.'

They entered the courtyard where weeds grew thick between the paving stones. Inside the ruins, there were places where the roofs had fallen in, leaving the rooms open to the elements. But in the deepest corners they found colourful frescoes on the walls, depicting people dancing and singing.

*T'En, like us,' she said, eyes glittering with excitement. *Do you think this could have been abandoned three hundred years ago, during the first war with the Mieren?'

*Possibly.'

*Look.' Sar pointed to a T'En man and woman dancing. *What if this place predated the covenant that divided brotherhoods from sisterhoods? Maybe they held midsummer trystings here?'

Ronnyn's mother had told him stories, but he hadn't spent years locked up reading books like Sar. She made him feel ignorant.

*I wonder why it was abandoned?' She wandered into another chamber. *It could be a tainted site.'

*Tainted?'

*In some places, the walls between this plane and the higher plane are thin. We're lucky it's not season cusp. That's when the walls are thinnest. Sometimes predators come through. They crave our power, and gift-warriors have to protect us. I used to hope I'd be a gift-warrior. But...' She turned away.

*I don't think it's a tainted site,' Ronnyn said. *I can't sense anything.'

*Is your gift manifesting?'

He looked down, avoiding her gaze. *I'm hungry. Come on.'

They went outside into the courtyard, where he spread the blanket in a patch of sunlight and unpacked the food.

She tucked her legs neatly underneath her. *This is wonderful.'

He grinned and devoured a chicken leg.

Selecting an apple, Sar nibbled it with delicate, precise bites, studying him. *I heard the inner circle talking. You're All-father Hueryx's son and your mother ran away so she could keep you. What was it like growing up free? And how did you hurt your arm?'

As Ronnyn answered her questions, he wondered what she had done that was so terrible that All-mother Reoden would keep her in seclusion.

*WHAT'S WRONG, REE?' Imoshen put her notes aside. It was late afternoon and Frayvia was teaching Deyne to speak T'En language, while Umaleni joined in. Baby Aro slept in her cradle at Imoshen's feet.

The healer glanced around the crowded cabin and gestured for Imoshen to follow her to the doorway where they could speak privately.

*One of the rowboats is missing,' Reoden revealed, *along with two children.'

*Which children?'

*Ronnyn, the runaway, and a"'

*You think he's run away again?'

*No... he's very protective of his little brothers. But Imoshen, he's taken Sardeon. I kept him in the cloister, and he's gone.'

*Why did you shut him away?'

*For his own protection. His father is a brotherhood leader and for his son to be trapped in the body of a twelve-year-old boy with no gift... the shame!'

*There is no shame, Ree,' Imoshen said. *If there is any shame, it should be Kyredeon's. He sent the warriors who killed your daughter. Sardeon saw it happen. Even though he had no training, he segued to the higher plane to escort her shade to death's realm. If anything, he should be honoured for his bravery.'

*But he's crippled, Imoshen. He hasn't grown in almost five years. And now he's missing.' Tears filled her eyes. *He's such a good boy. He never complains. I failed him a"'

*Hush.' Imoshen hugged her. *Ronnyn probably thought he was setting him free.' Imoshen caught her devotee's eye. Frayvia nodded; she would watch the children. *Ronnyn and Sardeon can't have gone far. We a"'

*The tides!'

Imoshen went cold. It was getting close to winter's cusp, when the moons were both full and the tides were higher than usual.

She took Reoden's arm. *We'll send out Malaunje to look for them. They'll be all right. You'll see.'

But when she went up on deck, the ship's captain was not eager to send the boats out. *Send them out anyway. Just tell them not to venture near the rocks.'

RONNYN WOKE WITH a start.

He didn't remember falling asleep. It was twilight and he was cold. *We should be getting back.'

As Sar woke, she frowned and bit her bottom lip, obviously regretting their escapade. But if their absence had been discovered, then so be it. He didn't care what the reason was, it was wrong to keep her shut away.

*Hurry up,' Sar pleaded, as Ronnyn rolled up the bundle.

As soon as he was ready, she darted off, running through the trees to the place where they'd climbed up from the beach.

Sar jumped down to the next rock, before they realised the tide had risen. The swirling water swept her legs out from under her. Terrified, she reached for Ronnyn. He darted forward, grabbed her arm and pulled her up to safety.

The pair of them lay panting for a moment. Then Ronnyn stood, pulling her to her feet. *That was close. You all right?'

Sar seemed stunned. *You saved my life.'

*Not really.' But when he studied the way the rising water swirled around the rocks, he shuddered. There was no sign of their boat, not that they could have risked launching it. *We're trapped.'

*Look.' Sar pointed to spots of light floating in the bay. *Boats with lanterns. They must be looking for us.'

Ronnyn climbed onto a rock and waved.

After a few moments the nearest boat headed their way. It was clear they'd been seen, but the sea was too dangerous to venture close. Someone signalled with the lantern and the boat went back to the ship.

Ronnyn jumped down from the rock. *They know we're safe. We can spend the night in the ruins. It'll be fun.'