Outcast Chronicles - Sanctuary Part 50

A rushing filled his ears and he was momentarily blinded.

*...you all right?' Nerazime searched his face.

The buzzing pa.s.sed. His sight cleared and he made out the old scryer standing rigid, with her eyes rolled back in her head.

*What's going on?' the causare asked, running across the mid-deck to join them.

*Lysi's regained her gift,' Sarodyti announced. *I felt her gift spike.'

Everyone stared at the old scryer. Her eyes had returned to normal and she focused on Ronnyn.

*You will know great stature, but you will never have what you most want.' She broke into laughter that was almost sobbing. The sound made his skin crawl.

*Make her stop!' Sardeon pleaded.

No one moved.

Darting in front of Ronnyn Sardeon pushed the scryer over. She fell, arms flailing, and hit the deck. The impact drove the breath from her chest, and she dragged in a great gulp of air then curled into a ball, moaning.

At the same moment, Sarodyti pa.s.sed out. The healer only just managed to catch her. As Reoden struggled with the gift-tutor, who had gone completely limp, the causare rushed to help her.

*Go inside, boys,' Cerafeoni ordered. She beckoned two warriors.

*It's all his fault.' Historian Alynar pointed to Ronnyn. *I knew no good would come of taking in the children of runaway Malaunje!'

Ronnyn bristled. He wanted to defend his mother, but Vittor came running onto the deck.

*Come quick. The old devotee fell down. There's blood everywhere.'

*That's Sarodyti's devotee,' Nerazime said. *Of course, she's linked to a"'

The hand-of-force took charge, ordering everyone about. Vittor ran over to Ronnyn, who hugged him. Nerazime drew the boys aside as two warriors carried Sarodyti past.

*Will she be all right?' Ronnyn asked.

*She's been Lysi's shield-sister for seventy years,' Nerazime said. *Sarodyti's strength has helped hold our scryer together since...'

*Since the day she failed to foresee the attack on Lyronyxe,' Sardeon finished for her. *The scryer never forgave herself. And she never forgave me for surviving, when Lyxie died.'

*That's not true, Sar...' Nerazime whispered.

But Ronnyn could tell it was.

WAVES OF WEARINESS rolled over Sorne, and each time he fought them he felt nauseous with the effort. It was only mid-afternoon, but if he was to sail through another night, he needed to get some sleep.

Earlier today, they had seen the sails of a merchant ship, far to the south. Either the lookout hadn't spotted them or they'd been identified as sea-vermin; the ship had veered away.

He glanced to Vivane and Vivore, the Malaunje brothers. The boys had been taking turns with the rudder for a while now. *You're doing well. Remember to keep the sun on your right as it sets, and we'll be on course.'

They nodded earnestly.

*Now I'm going to lie down and sleep. Wake me shortly after sunset.'

In the cabin, Tiasely was asleep on the floor, surrounded by small children. Both bunks were full. Sorne grabbed a blanket and curled up in the prow of the boat.

He lay down, feeling consciousness slide from him.

ARAVELLE LOOKED UP as Saskar returned from spying on All-father Tobazim's brotherhood. She sat at a kneeling desk in the corner of the cabin, making a record of the notes Hueryx had made concerning the last thirty years.

Saskar crossed to where Hueryx and his two seconds knelt on the carpet. They'd been talking over events since the all-father had set off with his voice-of-reason and the injured brother. So far they knew only that the causare had requested a service from one of Tobazim's brothers, it had all gone horribly wrong and the brother had been bundled off the ship and taken to the healer. Not long ago, Tobazim and Ardonyx had returned with his body.

*The dead initiate was a bestiare by the name of Oteon,' Saskar reported.

Aravelle remembered returning to her cabin and seeing the initiate run out of the fog, only to be dragged off. She felt for him, whatever his gift.

*All-father Tobazim just held the farewell ceremony,' Saskar said. *He claimed stature for the initiate and for his brotherhood. The causare has acknowledged the bestiare's sacrifice.'

*Considerate of him to win stature for his brotherhood with his vile gift, then conveniently die,' Hueryx observed. At that moment, Aravelle hated him. *Did you learn exactly how the causare planned to use the bestiare in the first place?'

*There was whisper of a sea-eagle and spying on the sea-vermin.'

Hueryx shook his head. *I don't see how that would have helped.'

*Whatever her plan was, it didn't work and he's dead, and just as well.' Dragomyr shuddered. *No one would want to live out their days with the mind of a beast.'

*There's more,' Saskar said, voice sharp with repressed excitement. *They expect the sea-vermin to attack this evening, and the causare has named Captain Ardonyx commander of the fleet.'

*What?' Dragomyr was nearly rendered speechless. *That's...'

*He's not even a hand-of-force!' Reyne sprang to his feet and prowled across the cabin, radiating gift readiness.

*More to the point, he's not an all-father,' Dragomyr said. *How will the other all-fathers feel taking orders from him?'

*Hue?' Reyne turned to the all-father.

*What will you do about this insult?' Dragomyr pressed.

*What insult?' Hueryx countered, coming to his feet. *I haven't sailed to the Lagoons of Perpetual Summer and back. This ship doesn't talk to me as it does to him. Ardonyx has been commander of the fleet all along, in fact if not in name. Imoshen has just made it official.' He gestured to his hand-of-force. *Reyne, go see Tobazim's hand-of-force. I want you to coordinate the ship's defences with him.'

Reyne nodded, beckoned Saskar and left.

*How All-father Tobazim must be gloating,' Dragomyr said. *His brotherhood's stature just grows and grows.'

*Don't be so sure... Have you seen the number of sea-vermin closing in on us?' Hueryx countered. *We'll be lucky to come through this in one piece. When they attack, we're going to lose people, and possibly ships. By appointing Ardonyx fleet commander, Imoshen is one step removed from the disaster that is about to happen.'

*She's sacrificing him?'

*Possibly.'

Aravelle bent her head over the writing desk. Was the causare really so calculating?

IMOSHEN WATCHED THE sling-shot stones fly between the ships, trailing their message ribbons like the plumage of exotic birds. A Malaunje sailor caught her ship's message-stone and came running up to the rear-deck to deliver it to Imoshen.

She read Ardonyx's first message as fleet commander, then handed it straight it to Egrayne.

It pleased her to finally see his worth acknowledged. But more than that, if their secret bonding was ever discovered, his only hope of surviving the all-fathers' vengeance was if his stature had risen high enough to make it impossible for them to touch him.

But it was not all good news. Reoden had examined the scryer, and there was nothing the healer could do for her. Lysitzi's gift had corrupted. This was something every T'En feared.

*You've named Voice-of-reason Ardonyx commander of the fleet?' Egrayne gestured sharply with the message stone, making the ribbon fly. *A brotherhood adept?'

*He's the best person for the job.' Imoshen held out her hand and Egrayne returned the stone. She beckoned the ship's master. *A message from Fleet Commander Ardonyx.'

He read it and headed off, calling orders. Imoshen looked around the fleet and saw the other ships were also reducing sails. Taking a deep breath, she felt her skin p.r.i.c.kle. Was there a storm coming?

*What is it?' Egrayne asked.

*There's an oppressive power in the air.'

*A storm?' Egrayne sounded hopeful. *It could break up the sea-vermin's fleet.'

*It could. But it could also break up our fleet.' She studied the sky. *Looks like it will blow over and spend its force elsewhere. Send for Hand-of-force Kiane, we must prepare to repel the sea-vermin.'

Chapter Thirty-Seven.

ARAVELLE DISCOVERED SHE liked being in the all-father's cabin, in the centre of things, as everyone prepared for the attack. All afternoon, warriors had been coming and going in answer to Hand-of-force Reyne's summons.

*We're as ready as we can be, for now,' Reyne said, seeing the last initiate out. *The Malaunje warriors and initiates are all eager to win stature, and our adepts know what is expected of them.'

*Time to prepare our minds and bodies,' Hueryx said.

As the all-father and his seconds went through to the bathing chamber, Aravelle glanced to Saskar.

*In case they die tonight, they'll meditate to prepare their minds for the higher plane. That way they stand a better chance of crossing to death's realm.' He saw she didn't understand. *Violent death confuses the shade. If the all-father and his seconds fall, there will be no one to escort their shades to death's realm.'

*If they die?' Panic filled her chest. She couldn't imagine Hueryx and his seconds dying, they seemed so powerful and in control.

*When they won leadership of the brotherhood, they swore to protect us. They'll be in the front ranks when the sea-vermin attack.' Saskar resumed oiling the leather straps of Reyne's armour. *If they fall and the brotherhood survives, the high-ranking brothers will be too busy challenging each other to decide the leadership to worry about the shades of the fallen.'

And if Reyne was killed, he'd take Saskar with him.

It wasn't fair.

What would she do without Saskar?

Shocked by the thought, she returned to the task at hand, preparing the armour. Concentrating on each minute detail, she polished and oiled. Something about the armour drew her, maybe because it was both beautiful and designed to deal out death. The chest and back pieces were made of linked plates covered in brilliant enamel that glistened like fish scales. According to Saskar, the brotherhood's armour had been pa.s.sed down from one all-father and his seconds to the next, for hundreds of years. And soon it would be worn again, in defence of their people.

All-father Hueryx returned from the bathing chamber. Through the half-open door, she saw Reyne and Dragomyr's broad backs as they knelt to mediate.

Dressed in supple leather breeches and a cotton vest, Hueryx knelt so that Saskar could help him into his armour.

*Here.' Hueryx called Aravelle, raising his right arm so she could buckle the straps down the join side.

This close, she could feel the gift readiness coming off his skin in waves. With her own awareness heightened by contact, her fingers flew through their task.

*Good.' Hueryx came to his feet and checked his range of movement. *Since my hair's so short, I'll have to pad the helmet.'

Aravelle glanced to Saskar.

*Reyne and Dragomyr will plait their hair and wind it around their heads to cushion their helmets. Hueryx, of course, cannot do that.'

As he spoke, he'd been winding cloth around Hueryx's head. Hueryx reached for the helmet, with its neck and cheek guards, set it in place, and checked the fit.

With his features partially hidden, he ceased to be All-father Hueryx and became every brotherhood warrior from the sagas a" beautiful, dangerous and vengeful.

Deadly.

Aravelle took an instinctive step back.

Seeing her expression, he pulled the helmet off and drew her closer. *Don't look so worried. I've planned for every contingency. You won't suffer at the hands of Mieren again.'

Reyne and Dragomyr returned; solemn and silent, they radiated intensity, and their power seemed to struggle to escape their control. Saskar helped Dragomyr into his armour, then did the same for the hand-of-force.

Aravelle's heart raced as she realised the stark reality of what was about to take place. She was glad the brotherhood had so many warriors. But the sisterhood ships only had their Malaunje warriors, the empowered lads and those sisterhood T'En who had chosen the warrior's path. *My brothers are on the causare's ship with Healer Reoden. How will the sisterhood defend...'

She ran down as Hueryx and his two seconds turned to her. Last time she'd dared to ask after her T'En kin, Charsoria had slapped her.

*Do not fear, Vella,' Hueryx said. *The brotherhood ships will bear the brunt of the attack. I want you to go below to Charsoria's cabin and, whatever happens, do not fail me. Promise?'

*I promise.'

*Good.' He tapped Saskar's shoulder. *Take Vella down.'

Saskar nodded, strapped a belt to his hips and slid two long-knives into the sheaths.

*I thought only T'En could carry knives,' she said.

*I protect the hand-of-force.' Saskar's face had grown so hard and cold, she barely recognised him. *Come with me. I must review the Malaunje defences.'

Dry-mouthed, Aravelle followed Saskar out onto the mid-deck and down the hatch to the lower-deck, where she found the Malaunje youths who had just begun their warrior training.

Saskar signalled for their attention. *If the sea-vermin get down to this deck, it means the more experienced warriors on the upper deck are dead. Don't show them any mercy. If they take this ship, they'll kill all of you. They only want the pretty women and small children who they can enslave or sell...'