Outcast Chronicles - Sanctuary Part 59

*s.h.a.gging is what animals and the Mieren do. Trysting is something else entirely.' He tugged Ronnyn to his feet. *Come on.'

As they neared the door to the foredeck cabins, Reoden stepped out. She studied the revellers, searching for someone.

Nerazime paused in full swing, and the laughter stilled on her face.

Reoden said nothing.

Nerazime completed the circle, slipping under Toreon's arm and into his embrace.

*Go inside, boys,' Reoden ordered sharply, proving she had noticed them. *Now.'

*I told you,' Sardeon whispered.

They ducked past her and she herded them down the pa.s.sage to the empowered lads' cabin, even as the music and laughter called to Ronnyn, stirring his gift.

*Wait.' She placed a hand on the door they'd been about to open. *Is that your gift I can sense, Sardeon?'

*It's back. I can call it.' He lifted his hand, offering her a taste.

*That's good, but...' She turned her face away. *That's not appropriate. Besides, this power felt different.'

*Then it was Ronnyn. Show her.'

He took the healer's arm and called her power.

She pulled back, outraged. *How dare you!'

He lifted his hands, frightened by the force of her reaction. *I'm sorry, I didn't a"'

*He didn't mean anything,' Sardeon insisted.

She grimaced and rubbed her arm as if something repulsive had touched her. But when she lifted her eyes to them, she was the choice-mother Ronnyn knew and loved.

*I would never do anything to hurt you,' he said. *I'm sorry.'

*I know. It's just...' She reached out to rea.s.sure him, but stopped before touching him. And Ronnyn realised there would be no more hugs from adult T'En unless they were both prepared.

*He's a summoner. It's why my gift came back,' Sardeon said. *He's really lucky. It's a high-stature gift.'

*So it is,' she said. But she seemed sad for him. *Off you go.'

*IMOSHEN?' EGRAYNE CALLED. *You need to see this.'

*A moment.' She tucked the blanket around Umaleni, then came to her feet.

Imoshen joined her voice-of-reason at the door to the deck. Wild music reached them. *What's the problem? We all risked our lives tonight and the warriors paid the highest price. They deserve to celebrate.'

Her voice-of-reason said nothing, leading her over to the rail where they could look down on the mid-deck. Imoshen blinked. A dozen or more brotherhood warriors danced with the women from both sisterhoods.

Imoshen's mouth dropped open. It was like midsummer's night; a night for licence and daring. The music and gift readiness stirred Imoshen.

Egrayne snorted. *What are you going to do about this?'

*Nothing.' Imoshen shrugged. *No point fighting battles I can't win. With everything we've been through, this is a natural reaction. They need this, Egrayne.'

Her voice-of-reason turned on her heel and strode off, returning to the cabin.

TOBAZIM WATCHED THE causare from the shadows near the steps. Imoshen said something to her voice-of-reason, who went back inside.

After a moment, Imoshen left the rail, heading for the cabins. The lambent blue light of the heatless flames still clung to the masts and rigging. It made Imoshen's pale skin and hair glow. A smile played about her generous lips.

His mouth went dry with need and he nudged Ardonyx. *You're the wordsmith. Sweet-talk her before she goes inside.'

His shield-brother laughed and pushed him into the light. *Do your own sweet-talking.'

Quick as a cat, the causare turned to face him.

*Causare, I...' He could not go on, as raw, primitive need gripped him.

He saw understanding dawn. She'd read him. But with the way he felt, she didn't need to be a raedan to know what he wanted, not when it was written in his face and his body.

*Causare.' He managed to give a gracious obeisance. His voice dropped. *Imoshen.'

Her lips parted as she drew in a quick breath. He wanted to kiss those lips. He'd never trysted with a T'En woman, and he wanted the most powerful woman, who could kill with a touch. He must be mad.

But he could not do this alone. One unshielded taste of her gift and he'd be craving her power again. Reaching behind him, he caught Ardonyx's arm and drew him out of the shadows. *My voice-of-reason, your fleet commander...' If he'd been a wordsmith, he would have reminded her how Ardonyx had taken on the role of defender of the fleet, but all he could do was wait for her signal.

Her gaze went to Ardonyx and he thought she winced.

She turned to leave.

Tobazim caught her bare arm, skin to skin.

With a practised flick, she slipped from his grasp but, during that brief contact, his gift had recognised hers and it raged through him, driving him to place his hand to each side of her against the wall to block her retreat. *You reject us? Why?'

She stared pointedly at his arms.

He dropped them, although this cost him.

So close...

They were so close he could sense her gift on her skin, and it called to his. He wanted to roll naked in her power.

*Contain your gift, all-father.'

Her words meant nothing to him. They were just strange sounds that became lost in the rushing in his ears and the pounding of his heart.

*Tobazim.' Ardonyx slid an arm around him, pressing against his back. Chin on Tobazim's shoulder, he siphoned off a little of his excess power.

The causare a" she was every bit the causare now, and not the sweet sister he'd glimpsed before a" glared at Ardonyx. *How dare you bring him to me in this state?'

*It's you. You breached his walls the night you gift-infused him.'

Horrified to think his shield-brother had betrayed his weakness, Tobazim flung off Ardonyx's restraining arm and ran across the deck, heading for his own ship. Shame stung his face, burning his cheeks, driving him to seek the privacy of his cabin.

He didn't bother to light a lamp, but stood staring out the windows. How had it come to this?

His gift still raged for the causare and it took all his self-control to contain it. He didn't know how long he stood there.

Eventually, the cabin door opened behind him and he turned, furious. *Why did you tell her? How could you shame me like that?'

*What? After you'd already shamed yourself?'

He turned away, grasped the bulkhead above the bunk in both hands and thumped his forehead on the polished wood.

*Tobazim.' Ardonyx crossed the cabin, caught him around the chest. *Listen...'

Tobazim went to brush him off, but his shield-brother would not be diverted. Furious, Tobazim tried to overpower him. But, fast as he was, Ardonyx countered him. Neither went for painful blows, it was all quicksilver skill a" even so, a chair went flying and Tobazim ended up pinned to the wall, panting with exertion and emotion.

Short of hurting himself or Ardonyx, he could not break free. He groaned and threw his head back, skull thumping against the wall. *She'll think me a fool.'

*She apologised.'

*What?'

*She apologised for breaching your walls. Said she would never have gift-infused you if she'd realised you had a concussion.'

*Really?'

Ardonyx nodded.

They heard running feet, feminine laughter and a slamming door in the hallway outside.

*She also said there was no privacy for trysting on board ship,' Ardonyx said.

*She's not angry with me?'

His shield-brother shook his head. *She was angry with me for not protecting you as a shield-brother should.'

Tobazim took a moment to think this through. *We weren't shield-brothers when I was gift-infused.'

*No.' Ardonyx grinned. *But I should have been looking out for you.'

Tobazim pulled him close, forehead to forehead. *I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I...'

Ardonyx kissed him.

And he forgot what he was about to say. He forgot everything, because he felt the causare's gift riding his shield-brother.

He pulled back. *She a"'

*Gift-infused me. Her apology to you, through me. Don't worry. Her power's safe for you. I've taken the edge off it.'

But that wasn't what Tobazim truly wanted. He wanted to immerse himself in her gift until he lost all sense of self. Just as well his shield-brother was here to protect him. It was the last coherent through he had, as he reached for Ardonyx.

ARAVELLE PRESSED HER hand to her split lip, tears of pain stinging her eyes. She hoped Ronnyn and Sardeon had escaped Dragomyr and made it back to their ship.

If they had slipped away, the voice-of-reason would be coming for her. Even though there was more to clean up, she darted out of the cabin, running down the pa.s.sage towards the door to the mid-deck.

Only to meet up with Dragomyr as he flung the door open.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her back to the cabin, where he spun her around and shook her. *They got away, the empowered lad and young sisterhood initiate. What were you up to?'

She was glad they'd escaped. Glad, even if it meant she was in trouble.

*What's a sisterhood initiate doing in here?' He raised his hand, threatening to slap her.

She didn't answer. Dragomyr had never liked her. He'd find a way to make this her fault.

He shook her. *Who were they?'

*I'm not telling you. I'll tell the all-father.'

*Hueryx is busy. So tell me.'

She pressed her lips together and shook her head.

He glared at her, then flung her away from him. *Clean up, then get out. They'll be back here to tryst before long.'

Face burning, she finished cleaning up and left.

Tomorrow she'd tell Hueryx the truth. She had a suspicion that even though Ronnyn had left the sisterhood ship and entered brotherhood territory without permission, Hueryx would be proud of his daring.

Slipping through the dancers, she climbed down the ladder onto the Malaunje deck and headed for the cabin. She was proud of Ronnyn. He hadn't forgotten her and Itania. He...

As she opened the cabin door, Charsoria's hard palm connected with her cheek, splitting her lip further and knocking her sideways.

Aravelle staggered several steps and hit the cabin wall.

Charsoria stalked towards her.

For a moment, she had no idea why the all-father's-voice was angry.

Then she saw Redravia's worried face in the background.

And it all came back to her. *I didn't mean for it to happen. Hariorta panicked. She was going to a"'

Charsoria covered her mouth, stepped in close, shoved her against the wall and spoke in a voice so thick with hatred it was almost unintelligible. *So you killed her.'