City of Gods [Book 3 of the Teadai Prophecies] Page 11

Those innocent eyes darted around like a cornered beast. Her flaxen hair was matted with sweat and dirt spotted her arms. A tear along the shoulder of her Gypsy dress looked to be from some sort of animal. A claw? Croferituus? Goddess help them, had that woman attempted another attack?

  She stepped to the girl and reached out, only to have her flinch away. “Adelsik? What’s wrong? Who’s done this to you?”

  “What?” Large brown eyes focused on her. “Lyssinya? Oh, Great Goddess. This is your island. I didn’t mean to intrude. Bloody blazes!”

  She started to shimmer into her footprint again, but Lyssinya was quick and grabbed the girl’s arm, her own slumbering Energy stopping any such action. “No. You stay here. I want to know what’s going on.”

  Adelsik’s otherself remained steady but a frightened gaze found Lyssinya’s eyes. The girl shivered beneath her grip. “Where did she go, Lyssinya? Did you see her? She must have come past here.”

  “I saw only you. What has happened? What has frightened you? Is it Croferituus?”

  Adelsik took in a quick breath. “I’m not frightened. I have to go. I’ll lose her for good.”

  She tried to pull away but Lyssinya held her fast. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what in blazes has happened.”

  The girl grunted. “Oh, very well. Anything to get me on my way! Yes, I found Croferituus. I found that vile woman skulking around Henny’s footprint. Now let go of me!” With that, she yanked her arm away and shimmered into her blue acorn.

  Lyssinya hesitated at Adelsik’s news and her audacity but quickly recovered and followed the girl with surprising speed into a memory dream of a long sandy beach. She recognized this as one of Adelsik’s favorite places, her memory dream. “Adelsik!” she cried as she flew after the other slumberer, who was now in her otherself form. Blazes, Adelsik had become quick! Perhaps I taught her a bit too well.

  Just when she thought she’d lost the girl, Adelsik’s otherself stepped from behind one of the few tall, skinny trees with prongs on top, very much like the ones on Lyssinya’s island home. “Adelsik!” She closed in on the figure. Once she got her breath from the unexpected chase, she hooked thumbs in her belt and frowned down on the girl. “What in blazes do you think you’re doing?”

  “I had her! Or, I would have had her. But you interfered, Lyssinya. Why did you do that?”

  She clenched her jaw to keep her anger in check. Otherwise, she might have given the little snit a good slap across the mouth. “You may be new-oathed, Adelsik Nunsey, but I will always outrank you.”

  That got a flinch and those innocent eyes widened with realization. Good. “My apologies. But I would have had her if not for you!”

  “Enough!” She snatched Adelsik by the arm and pulled her close enough that the girl had to crane her neck upward. Lyssinya looked out over the beach. She had seen nothing. Nothing but Adelsik on some wild chase. Even now, she couldn’t see or sense anything except the elusive void. The Energy filled her, yet there was nothing but the girl’s memory dream and thousands of dream bubbles hovering nearby. “Are you certain it was Croferituus?” She relaxed her grip on the girl’s arm.

  “Yes. I’m absolutely certain.” One hand touched the tears in her Gypsy dress. “Skulking, yellow-eyed spawn of fire.”

  Lyssinya cocked a brow at Adelsik’s choice of words. The girl had taken to cursing on occasion, but now the language seemed to flow from her lips in a very natural and disturbing manner.

  Adelsik lowered her voice to a near whisper as though talking to herself. “I knew she would come after Henny again.”

  Lyssinya realized just what this new-oathed had been doing. Heat filled her neck and flowed up to her cheeks. This time, she didn’t hide her anger. “You lied to me.”

  Those eyes widened and Adelsik swallowed. “I—”

  “You lied about being tired so you could go hunting Croferituus alone.” Her hand squeezed tight enough to cause the girl pain but she didn’t care. “How else could you have known she would come for Henny? The youngling is hidden with the Energy. Croferituus can’t see her unless we allow it.”

  Lyssinya and Elder Siri had hidden Henny’s print from the Netherworld, something only strong slumberers could manage. Adelsik could break through Lyssinya’s Energy to get to Henny. She had enough power and knowledge now. Full realization of what the girl had been up to hit Lyssinya like a stone, and her heart raced with anger and fear over what could have happened.

  “You used Henny as bait.” Wide eyes stared, as though amazed someone figured out the scheme. She lowered her voice so Adelsik would have to listen intently just to hear her. “Did you at least protect her again?”

  “Of course! I’m not stupid.”

  “I am not so certain of that, new-oathed.” Though doing that alone meant Adelsik’s slumbering Energy was very strong indeed. “We’ll see just how bright the Elders think you are. And Ved’nuri will have something to say about your conduct, believe you me. Back to your body. Now!” She prepared to shove the girl back to her mundane body but Adelsik fled with surprising speed.

  When Lyssinya pulled from slumbering, anger still simmered in her, partly for Adelsik’s lack of thought over the youngling, and partly because the girl had blatantly lied. In the light of the burning hearth fire, she adjusted the cloak she wore to bed for extra warmth, and wasted not a heartbeat getting into her boots, careful not to wake the others. With haste, she opened the door and headed straight for the other stone building. She trudged in the light of a full moon through newly fallen snow to find Adelsik sitting on a straw bed in her cloak, tying her bootlaces.

  Without so much as a word, Lyssinya stepped over three sleeping girls, grabbed the little chit and lifted her to her feet, quelling the urge to smack that child-like face. Bloody Gypsy promises! If they’d been on Dragon Island, she would have wrapped Adelsik in a sparking blanket, new-oathed or not. She just might do that anyway.

  Taniras, who still insisted on sleeping in one of the tents with her husband, opened the door and stared with black eyes that reflected the hearth firelight. The wolf singer said nothing.

  Lyssinya pointed to Henny, who looked as though she slept peacefully. “Check her,” she said in a low voice she knew only Taniras could hear.

  The singer stepped over sleeping bodies to the youngling and placed her fingers on the girl’s neck. After a heartbeat, she nodded that Henny was all right.

  “Stay with her.” She didn’t wait to see whether Taniras acknowledged her. Instead, she hauled Adelsik around the sleepers and outside toward one of the large, fire pits the servants kept burning throughout the night. The girl tripped on her skirts in the thick snow as they walked around various firepots, barrels, woodpiles and sleeping tents. Adelsik uttered several protests but Lyssinya wouldn’t be swayed. Once near the large fire, she flung the girl around to face her. “What in blazes do you think you were doing?” Both fished goatskin gloves from pockets and pulled them on.

  A servant glanced at them then went back to stoking the various fires.

  “It’s cold, Lyssinya.” Adelsik pulled her hood down to her nose and yanked her cloak tighter, where she held it with folded arms. White breath came from her lips and nose.

  “It’s about to get colder.” Lyssinya pulled her own hood up but kept it where she could still see the girl. “What fodder got into your brain that you would put your clan sister in jeopardy?” She knew full well that Henny was Adelsik’s former clan sister and wondered whether the new-oathed girl would challenge her on that.

  “It was the only way to get Croferituus to come out of hiding. I didn’t want to do it.” She brushed her wrist across her cheeks. Someone inside one of the tents coughed.

  The Energy helped Lyssinya put the cold at a distance but she couldn’t hold it forever. She wasn’t used to this biting weather. Dragon Island stayed temperate throughout the seasons, and she hadn’t lived on the mainland in almost a century. “Take in the Energy. It will warm you,” she said without much sympathy.
She still felt as though this girl belonged to her clan as one of her younglings, the one she’d found abusing slumbering Energy in the Netherworld. And here we are again. Will this one never learn?

  “I am holding the Energy.”

  Lyssinya glanced around and saw ice dangling from several nearby tree branches. It had grown even colder since yesterday. But Adelsik was strong, more powerful in the Energy than Lyssinya. She shouldn’t feel this cold for a while, unless she had already tired herself in the Netherworld. Another thing to cause Lyssinya concern. Ved’nuri had ordered them to conquer the hamlet too, and her gaze drifted to the shadowy buildings. Pale smoke rose from various chimneys. They looked nice and cozy in the light of the nearly full moon. Peaceful.

  “Please, Lyssinya. Let’s go inside. You can finish berating me there.” She blew into her gloved hands.

  The little snip. “You were supposed to be sleeping, not traipsing about in the Netherworld.” She hooked gloved thumbs into her belt. A chill snapped through her open cloak but she ignored it. “I have a good mind to ask Ved’nuri for a reversal.”

  “What’s that?” Adelsik slapped at her arms and bounced from one foot to the other.

  Lyssinya simply shook her head, still amazed that Gypsies allowed younglings to take their oaths as soon as they saw footprints. Sage younglings had to prove they knew the rules governing their Energies and the penalties for abusing their status before they were oathed.

  “A reversal,” she said as though talking to an idiot child, “is a punishment given to new-oathed Sages who abuse their Energies. It places them at temporary youngling status for whatever duration the Elders see fit.” She narrowed her eyes. “With full benefits of that rank.” She fought a chuckle at Adelsik’s appalled look. Guess the girl understands that well enough.

  Youngling status wasn’t something anyone longed for, especially when it meant all the restrictions that went along with that status. And most teachers and clan parents were harder on those being punished by a reversal.

  Adelsik swallowed and wiped her runny nose on a crying cloth she pulled from her sleeve. “I never heard of such a thing. You’re just trying to upset me even more than I already am.”

  Lyssinya made her voice as dangerous as possible. “You call me a liar just once more, Adelsik Nunsey, and I won’t wait for Ved’nuri to come up with a punishment.”

  The girl seemed to figure out her mistake and lowered her eyes as she shivered. “My apologies, Lyssinya.”

  “Accepted.” Lyssinya began to feel the chill even through the Energy. Though neither of them would become ill, they could certainly freeze. The healers didn’t need any more work put upon them, so she took Adelsik by the arm again and led her through the thick snow back to the stone building. When they got inside, Lyssinya released the Energy. Heat from the burning hearth soothed aching cheeks, fingers and toes. The sudden warmth also left her with the need to urinate, but she ignored that feeling. She motioned Adelsik toward the hearth, careful not to disturb the sleeping girls. Cass, Saldia and Gwen were awake but none had moved from their blankets.

  Taniras sat near Henny and watched them in silence. Lyssinya didn’t know whether the singer conversed with the wolves now, but those reflective eyes seemed quite animal-like.

  She focused on Adelsik again. “You are in more trouble than you realize. While you were slumbering, Ved’nuri made a decree to discipline any who confront Croferituus alone.”

  “I didn’t hear that decree. Nothing Ved’nuri could do to me can be worse than what I experienced losing Maesa. And I found the idiot Croferituus. You forget that. I know what she feels like in the Netherworld now. Ved’nuri will need me to locate her again.”

  Such a smug attitude now that Lyssinya had been ordered to treat Adelsik as a new-oathed. An attitude she would gladly bring down a notch or two. Someone touched her arm and she turned to see Taniras standing by her side. That woman can sneak up on a bird!

  Dark eyes focused on Adelsik. “What did you do?” the singer said in a low voice.

  Lyssinya allowed the interference since most younglings and new-oathed seemed more afraid of Taniras than of any full Gypsy or Sage.

  “That’s not your business, Taniras.” Adelsik stuck her rounded chin out.

  Did this girl have no shame? Lyssinya hooked thumbs into her belt. “You’re the lowest ranking kin awake, girl. I would quell that attitude if I were you.”

  Taniras turned her gaze to Lyssinya. “I can persuade her. You look tired from your Netherworld travels.”

  Tired, yes. But still livid with Adelsik’s behavior. At least the girl had the decency to flinch at the wolf singer’s offer. “Thank you, singer. But Ved’nuri has first rights to her.”

  “Very well. I’ll keep watch on the two of you from here. If I notice your mundane bodies growing tense, I’ll send for Predula.”

  There was something old about Taniras now. Her face held the youth of a woman just into her twenties but something behind her eyes gave her a wise appearance. Especially in the firelight.

  Lyssinya motioned Adelsik to her blankets. The girl dropped her shoulders and obeyed. Finally, that arrogance is gone.

  But she thought she caught a secretive look between the girls. When she studied the singer and got nothing more than a studious gaze, she shifted focus to Saldia, Cass and Gwen but they simply lay on their blankets, watching. These girls were up to something, all five of them, she could feel it. And she had excellent instincts.

  She could coerce Adelsik well enough but the wolf singer had a much tougher hide. And Saldia, well, that one had been Ved’nuri’s pet and wouldn’t act intimidated even if the Elders called her down. Lyssinya knew nothing about Gwen but those bangles reminded her of Siri. The girl was probably from the Twin Valley area. Those from Twin Valley were as tough as Bankari. The truth-seeker, Cass, had lived the hardest life of them all.

  It would take much more than a tongue lashing to get any of them to break silence, and Lyssinya was just the Sage to do it.

  Chapter 8

  Thad practiced his sparking skills with Haranda while the Elders met to decide how best to approach the hamlet. They wouldn’t say outright but they must expect some violence from those villagers.

  He drew his eyes from the hamlet buildings and gave Haranda a frustrated gaze. “I still can’t get it. That a fact.” Most of the other skills she’d taught him seemed within reach after only a few tries, but this one did nothing but elude him.

  How did the woman ever master splitting a rock in two? He’d seen her do that back at the shore cave when a boulder covered half of the life circle they needed to gain access to the Means. Tight, thin lines of white sparking Energy had exited her fingers and created a near perfect cut and completely separated the huge rock.

  Since then she never failed to do it and didn’t tire that he could see. Sparking was her strongest Energy, even stronger than her urging abilities, and he doubted the rumors that his sparking would ever match hers.

  “Keep practicing, Thad.” Her tone reminded him of his youngling days. “I won’t let you give up on this.”

  “Yes, Haranda.” She would outrank him the rest of their days, though he no longer thought of her in a mother role. The oaths had changed that and he forced his eyes to stay away from her womanly curves.

  He placed his palms together, fingers interlaced, two extended like a steeple and took aim at yet another large rock. With all the snow around, at least he didn’t have to worry about causing a fire. One small consolation. He focused his mind and allowed the warm tingling movement to travel from the ground, into his right leg, and all the way to his shoulders. Splitting the Energy in two had taken him a few tries but now he could do it without too much trouble. Once he had two strands, he nudged them down his arms. When he felt the tingling sensation in both hands, he prepared to send the Energy from his fingertips.

  He knew better than to create white sparking while it still traveled through his body and had no desire to experience the pain of
that mistake again. In fact, his muscles tensed at the thought of this morning’s lesson. A hard one that Haranda let him figure out on his own. She had seemed amused by it, and he suspected that was how she had learned.

  In the past, his anger had unconsciously affected his sparking methods. His first outburst, back at the Wilambrooges place, had been one of pure instinct and rage. Even now, he only remembered the damage to the cabin afterwards and the soreness in his fingers, not how he’d done such a thing.

  Now, with conscious effort and awareness of what he was doing, Thad didn’t think his anger would ever get the best of him again. At least, he hoped. Elder Siri walked by for the second time, a tall and imposing woman, and nodded at Haranda. She checked on his progress no doubt. She was supposed to be at a meeting and none of the other Elders had come out of the stone building. He watched as she disappeared behind one of the supply wagons, now stacked high with firewood and covered with a makeshift roof to keep the snow out.

  Haranda tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the rock.

  His hands still held the sparking Energy and the warm tingle made the rest of his body feel even colder. He pushed yellow sparks out, careful not to let them burn him, and quickly concentrated on merging and heating them at the same time, using the air to accelerate their movement, much like quickening life particles when he healed.

  He then moved his extended fingers down the center of the rock. The combined Energy stream made contact with the rock in pulses that Haranda called a sputter, so that the cut he made along the center was uneven and jagged. When he reached the bottom, he stood back to look at his handiwork. The cuts were longer this time but still didn’t connect and he had to run his sparking over the rock twice more before the thing split in two.

  “Much better,” Haranda praised.

  How could the woman make such a clean cut every time? Her Energy never sputtered. And Thad had never noticed the slightest hesitation when the streams left her fingers. But then, she did have decades of experience on him.