The Wraiths Of Will And Pleasure Part 41

'Aruhani,' Lileem said and her voice sounded tiny, like the whirr of an insect's wing. 'Help us...'

The dehar paused. When he breathed, plumes of smoke poured from his nostrils. His eyes burned and his braids writhed like Colurastes hair. The sound of his breathing was like the rumbling of a volcano.

'Please...' Lileem said inadequately.

Aruhani stamped again and roared. Lileem had to cover her head because chunks of stone rained down from above. She cried out in terror and was thrown back into her own reality.

For some moments, she was confused. The rain of stone had become a rain of icy seawater, equally as bruising. In the brief time she'd been absent in her mind, the situation had worsened. She knew Flick and the others were standing by her, but could not see them. She closed her eyes and let her instincts guide her. Blindly, she groped for Flick's hand, drawn by the essence of his spirit. Her fingers curled around his and she spoke to him in mind touch. Call upon Aruhani, Flick. Call upon Aruhani, Flick.

She heard his shocked response. No! No!

Yes! Bring Mima and Ulaume to us. We must do it together. I know this. Don't question. Just do it. Trust me!

The moment the four of them joined hands Lileem could see them again. Everything else around them was a frenzied ma.s.s of moving light. Call Aruhani, Call Aruhani, she said in mind touch. she said in mind touch. All of us. Now! All of us. Now!

Their combined effort was enough to conjure up the energy of the dehar. He was their focused intention, their desires, their need. He came as a giant, striding through the whirlpool. With one black talon, he tore a rent in the spiralling power, a fissure through which the ship fell with a cascade of water. It was like riding a tidal wave.

Lileem would afterwards remember hardly anything of those moments. There were brief flickering images. Thrown into the water, her head colliding with something sharp. Limbs floundering around her. Cries. Screams. The sound of breaking timber. Down, down into the boiling black depths.

Chapter Twenty Eight.

There are tales in the north of those who come out from the sea. Some say that survivors of shipwrecks are not really hara at all, but sea creatures clothed in borrowed flesh. It is said that these creatures walk the sh.o.r.e at night, singing in wailing voices to call forth their brothers from the depths. They are never happy on land.

Living in close proximity to the ocean, and attuned to its moods, the hara of the tribe of Freyh.e.l.la have a host of superst.i.tions a.s.sociated with what they see as the most powerful element on earth. On that strange day, when the winds died, and the sky turned into a boiling soup of cloud, they took their fishing boats to dock. They stood upon the harbour of their town and watched fearfully all that occurred. They saw what at first they took to be a waterspout on the horizon, but the most sensitive among them spoke of winged creatures in the whirling phenomenon. They spoke of voices crying out in fear, the inner voices that only the inner ear can perceive. They spoke of magic bled of power, words that had lost all meaning.

When sky and sea appeared simultaneously to burst into one chaotic element and rush towards the land as a devouring tidal wave, the Freyh.e.l.lans fled to the hills behind the town. The great wave broke upon the fierce black rocks around the sh.o.r.e and flung itself over the dwellings, shops and workshops of the town, but nothing was destroyed. The Freyh.e.l.lans descended the hills, and they found a strange sight. Fishes flopped in silvery heaps upon the eaves of the houses and seaweed draped the doors and windows. The main road was paved with sh.e.l.ls and sand and the splintered spars of a dead ship. And on the roof of the Great Hall an octopus lay splayed out like a star.

The Freyh.e.l.lans went down to the sh.o.r.e, knowing that they would find the dead in that place. Their shamans shook their staffs, which were hung with ta.s.sels of horse-hair and dried weed and carved with powerful runes, to ward off any malevolent spirits. Rangy dogs with long tails ran among the wreckage, sniffing for survivors. As hara turned over the hanks of weed and sodden planks, they found many limp bodies. But the strangest thing of all, given the ferocity of what had happened, was that none of them were dead.

Lileem came to her senses in a small, dark room that smelled of tar. She was lying in a bed beneath a thick quilt and was wearing some kind of long shirt. For a moment she couldn't remember a single thing, like who she was and what her life had been. The light in the room was brownish, and she saw a porcelain bowl standing on a table, the only bright thing to be seen. A cloth hung over the edge of the bowl, and a slim figure emerged from the gloom and picked it up. As this individual approached her, Lileem recognised him as har. His hair was almost white, and hung over his chest in two thick braids, but his skin was dark.

'Lie still,' he said in a strongly accented voice. Lileem could tell her language was not his native tongue. He placed the cloth over her forehead. It was damp and warm and smelled of lavender.

'My friends!' Lileem said. Her mouth and throat were dry and sore, and filled with the taste of salt.

'All of you survived,' said the har, 'which is a miracle. Be at rest. You will see them soon.'

Lileem remembered then: the awful power of the elements, and she like a sc.r.a.p of cloth hurled around in them. She should be dead. She knew she should be dead. 'Tell me where I am,' she said.

'This is Freygard, domain of the tribe of Freyh.e.l.la,' said the har. 'And I am Galdra, chesnari of our leader, Tyr.'

Lileem closed her eyes because her head was aching. Would they be safe here? Would the Gelaming a.s.sume they'd all been killed? She remembered calling upon Pellaz and how he had inspired her to summon Aruhani. Pellaz must know she was alive. But perhaps all that she had done was use her own energy to help them escape. The Tigron she had met might only have been a dehar, another Pellaz, created solely in her own mind.

Galdra wiped her face gently with the scented cloth and then offered her water to drink. Lileem told him her name. He clearly did not realise she was anything other than har.

The Freyh.e.l.la are by nature superst.i.tious, and therefore their leader, Tyr, interviewed the bewildered crew and pa.s.sengers of Night's Arrow as soon as they were able to rise from their beds. He was anxious to know exactly what his hara had witnessed on the day the winds had died and whether there would be any repercussions for his tribe, whether practically or magically.

The day following Lileem's awakening, Galdra took her to a council chamber in the Great Hall, in the centre of the town. Its ceiling was supported by vast wooden columns, covered in carvings. Tyr sat upon a throne of carved wood, on a raised dais, with a company of warriors arranged to either side of him. He was a tall har with frightening pale blue eyes. His hair was like unravelled silk, which had somehow got into a tangle. It fell over his breast, where an armoury of metal amulets clanked on chains. Around his shoulders was a cloak of wolfskin.

Before the dais, stood Flick, Ulaume and Mima. Tyr was not paying any attention to them: he conferred with his hara. Lileem's companions appeared well, if exhausted. They were dressed, as she was, in Freyh.e.l.lan garb of tunic and trousers, decorated with embroidered designs of sea creatures. Lileem went to them and embraced each in turn. The same words were on all their lips: 'We should be dead'. Lileem said nothing to this. She needed to speak to Flick in private about it first.

When Tel-an-Kaa strode into the chamber, only minutes after Lileem's arrival, Lileem did not recognise her. For a few moments, she thought this was a high-ranking har she had never met before, but then realised it was actually the Zigane, shorn of all her glamours and disguises. Tel-an-Kaa would speak for them, for she radiated authority.

Flick said to Lileem, in an undertone, 'We have died after all. We are in Valhalla among the Norse G.o.ds.' He had told her about the Norse legends long ago, in the lost days of curiosity and play at the white house.

Lileem smiled. 'Then Tel-an-Kaa is the trickster Loki come to fox them.'

'Let's see,' said Flick.

One of Tyr's advisors addressed the Zigane. 'Where is the captain of your ship? Archon Tyr wishes to speak with him.'

'I am sanctioned to speak on his behalf,' Tel-an-Kaa replied. 'It is with me and my companions you should talk. We were pa.s.sengers on the ship, and what happened was because of us. This is why I have requested this audience with you and why our captain has given me authority to speak.'

'Then speak,' Tyr said, gesturing with one hand.

Tel-an-Kaa inclined her head. 'Thank you, tiahaar.'

Surprisingly, Tel-an-Kaa mostly told the truth. She said perhaps guessing the independent Freyh.e.l.la would not hold a high opinion of the Gelaming that she and her companions had been pursued by Gelaming, who wished to take them to Immanion. She said that some of them were former friends of the Tigron, and held sensitive information about his past. For this reason, the Gelaming were keen to capture them. She spoke of the efforts of the Roselane shamans to combat the magical attack, and how they had managed at the last moment to create a fissure in the vortex, thus enabling an escape. It was Roselane magic that had protected them during their tumultuous journey towards the land. Such was the power of the shamans.

Tyr seemed to accept this explanation, although he was clearly not happy about fugitives from the Gelaming being in his domain. 'You will travel to Roselane now?' he asked.

'As soon as we are able,' Tel-an-Kaa said. 'Any help you could give us regarding transport would be much appreciated. I don't know what remains of our possessions, but we did begin our journey with a substantial amount of Parsic currency. You are welcome to that if you find it.'

'Any ship that founders upon our sh.o.r.es is our property,' said Tyr. 'Therefore, your currency is ours anyway.'

'Then I hope that in the spirit of kinship, and a mutual respect for freedom, you will lend us your aid regardless,' said Tel-an-Kaa.

Lileem was greatly impressed by her courage.

Tyr appeared slightly stunned by the Zigane's forthright approach and perhaps found himself agreeing to help without realising it. 'We can provide a boat to take you upriver,' he said. 'Will that suffice?'

'We would also appreciate supplies,' said Tel-an-Kaa.

Tyr nodded. 'Galdra will see to it.' He stood up. 'You may leave.'

Once outside the council chamber, Lileem and her companions praised Tel-an-Kaa for her handling of the situation.

'We need to be straight forward now,' she said. 'We cannot waste time. The Gelaming could reappear at any moment. I trust you are all ready to resume our journey?'

Lileem was disappointed they must move on so quickly, because she'd have liked to explore Freygard and learn about the Freyh.e.l.la, but she could see the sense in Tel-an-Kaa's words.

Galdra, as Tyr's chesnari, was second in command of the Freyh.e.l.la, even though he was quite young. He was as interested in their temporary guests as they were in his tribe, as he was second generation har, and liked to hear about harish life in other countries. He knew the language well because many hara had joined the Freyh.e.l.lans fleeing from Varrs, Uigenna or Gelaming. While some of his hara prepared a boat for the travellers, Galdra took them all to a feasting chamber in the Great Hall. Here, he offered them a meal and for a few short hours they could enjoy good company in comfortable surroundings.

While Galdra was still supervising the dispersal of food, at a distance from his guests, Mima c.o.c.ked her head towards him and said, 'Well, is anyhar here going to state the obvious?'

'What do you mean?' Tel-an-Kaa asked coolly. 'And do I take it Lileem and I are included in that request, seeing as you put it to "anyhar"?'

Mima gave the Zigane a narrow glance. 'Just a word,' she said, then turned back to her companions. 'Who does Galdra remind you of?'

Flick shrugged. 'Nohar. Although he's quite a stunner.'

'He looks like Cal,' Mima said.

Flick glanced over to where Galdra was issuing orders to the serving staff. 'No... You're wrong.'

'I'm not. I'm talking physically, nothing else.'

'She's right,' Ulaume said. 'He does.'

'Another Tyson?' Flick mused. 'Did Cal pa.s.s this way once?'

'Who knows?' Mima said, 'but the similarity is uncanny.'

'When you look for it,' Tel-an-Kaa said. 'Personally, I find Galdra a far more attractive har, in every sense. Cal is diseased.'

Mima laughed at this remark, and even Flick was moved to smile.

'I'm the only one who's never met him,' Lileem said. 'Now I feel like I'm missing out!'

'At least we can laugh about him now,' Ulaume said. 'A welcome change.'

Tel-an-Kaa grimaced, and when she spoke her tone was enigmatic. 'Don't laugh too long.' She stood up. 'I want to speak to our charming host. Please excuse me.'

'Now what did she mean by that?' Mima asked.

Flick and Ulaume seemed eager to discuss it, revelling in the chance to indulge in idle gossip, but Lileem had other matters on her mind.

Tel-an-Kaa monopolised Galdra for the entire meal, which gave Lileem the opportunity to speak to Flick away from the Zigane's ears. She beckoned to Flick and led him to the hearth, which was some distance away from the table where all the others were sitting. 'There's something I have to tell you,' she said, 'but I don't want Mima to hear it.'

Flick glanced to where Mima sat talking with Ulaume. 'That means Ulaume can't hear it either,' he said. 'He won't like that. He already thinks you confide in me too much. It's not really fair, Lee. He cares for you deeply.'

'Oh, do shut up!' Lileem said. 'This isn't about my relationship with Lormy. This is important. You can tell him everything later.'

'Well, what is it?'

Lileem took a deep breath. She antic.i.p.ated an unfavourable response. 'I think Pell helped us escape the Gelaming.'

Flick's eyes seemed to glaze over with a film of ice. 'Now what makes you think that?'

'I called upon him. And he came. He told me we should invoke Aruhani.'

Flick exhaled long and slow. 'Lee, Pellaz knows nothing of the dehara, and knows nothing of you. This is not a time for games or fantasies.'

'And I am no longer a child,' Lileem said, 'so don't speak to me as if I am. This isn't an idle fancy, Flick. I feel feel it.' it.'

'But why would Pellaz help us escape? It doesn't make sense. We've been led to believe he wants us or at least me in Immanion.'

'We saw him at Atagatisel,' Lileem said. 'He let us go then. He helped us escape. I'm sure of it. And now he has done so again.'

'We have no proof of that. It stretches belief, to say the least.'

'We don't know everything,' Lileem said, 'and as Cobweb told Ulaume, we don't really know what's going on in Pell's head. Maybe he's more constrained as Tigron than he ever was as a normal har.'

Flick c.o.c.ked his head to one side and regarded Lileem through narrow eyes. 'You know what?' he said. 'You have a thing about the Cevarros. You have a secret liking for Terez and now you want to have a spiritual connection with Pellaz. You already have Mima as a roon friend: can't you be content with that or is it your aim to collect the entire family?'

Lileem could not repress her laughter. 'Now that is an attractive thought! I'd not considered it, but perhaps you're right.'

'Ah so you do have a soft spot for Terez! I thought as much.'

'I'm not sure it's that. He fascinates me. But anyway, it's irrelevant now, because we are so far away from him and I know now I can never...' She paused. 'Stop sidetracking me. We were talking about Pellaz. You are prejudiced against him, and I understand your reasons, but can't you just have an open mind about this?'

'I find it hard to believe he'd know about Aruhani.'

'Seeing as you've been trying so hard these past few years to uncreate the dehar you created?'

'What do you mean by that?'

'You know.' Lileem knew this was not the time and place to introduce such a sensitive topic, but couldn't help herself. 'Ever since the Uigenna took you, you've turned your back on all your work. Something happened, didn't it? Something you didn't like. I felt you call upon Aruhani, when I was crouched in the cellar of the white house with Mima. He came, didn't he?'

'Maybe I was playing with fire,' Flick said in a fierce low voice. 'I am not like Orien, or even Ulaume. I thought I was something, then I found out I wasn't. I'm not a great magus, Lee. I called up a demon and learned how dangerous that can be. That's all I'll say.'

'You're wrong,' Lileem said. 'Whatever happened, you shouldn't turn away from the dehara. Aruhani helped us escape the Gelaming. He is not a demon.'

'I created him from the darkest corners of myself,' Flick said. 'Perhaps he can be something else for you, but for me he will always be the amoral force that made me...' He shook his head. 'You don't understand. I was like them, Lee. It was pelki, and I wanted it. Enjoyed it. I never want to feel like that again.'

Lileem stared at him for some moments. She wasn't absolutely sure what he was trying to tell her, but it was nothing like she'd imagined. She'd believed Aruhani had made him violent, made him kill. He hadn't spoken of this before, she was sure. He hadn't even told Ulaume. 'He is the dehar of life and death,' she said, 'as well as aruna, in all its aspects. Maybe you didn't know him then as well as you thought you did, and maybe you called upon the wrong aspect, or weren't specific enough, but you can't blame him for what happened.'

'I don't. I blame myself. Aruhani came from me.' Flick rubbed his face with his hands and pushed back his hair. For a few moments, he stared up at the smoke blackened beams of the ceiling, his fingers pressed against his scalp. 'Strange I should speak of this now. I never thought I would.'

Lileem embraced him and he laid his head on her shoulder. 'It's gone,' she said. 'You let it out like Ulaume let out the scream ghosts from Pell's old home.'

Flick squeezed her briefly. 'I wonder,' he said.

A fog descended from the mountains and poured over the river. The Freyh.e.l.lan long boat moored at the river docks looked ghostly in its misty shroud. Galdra accompanied the travellers to the boat to see them off, as did many other Freyh.e.l.lans. Lileem felt as if they were leaving old friends: the visit here had been too brief. But perhaps a day would come when she could return.

For some reason, Galdra singled Lileem out as they walked to the docks. She sensed he had something to say, something he didn't want the others to hear. While they engaged in small talk, he wouldn't reveal what was on his mind, so Lileem fell silent, hoping that Galdra would find the silence too uncomfortable and open up. After a minute or so, he drew in his breath. 'Last night, I dreamed of my son,' he said.

'Your son?' Lileem frowned. She hadn't seen a harling of Galdra and Tyr's in Freyh.e.l.la.

Galdra sighed. 'I do not yet have a son.'

'Oh...'