City of Gods [Book 3 of the Teadai Prophecies] Page 18

Xiath fought a sigh. Good news marred by another kin’s death. Will nothing come without a price?

  Chapter 13

  The streets of Lost Miner’s Hamlet bustled with urchins on errands for various Gypsy and Sage kin, and Snowy stretched as he glanced out the narrow window during a break from chores. Taverns were being cleaned and converted into housing for the many inhabitants and this one held several Gypsy couples. Where he stood now used to be the main room and several wooden tables decorated the place. He frowned when he saw Adelsik saunter by. The new-oathed girl seemed increasingly bitter and argumentative since Maesa’s death, despite Henny’s recovery. News of Henny’s recovery had been sent to Ved’nuri and the crowned woman had ordered all unoathed adults to be oathed at once as servants.

  The Elders took care of the hamlet adults yesterday, with the exception of two very pregnant ones. They would be oathed as soon as their babes were born. LaNar the Poisoner had also been allowed to take the oaths and had seemed particularly eager. Snowy still had prejudices against her for what she did to Eletha, but the Goddess had accepted her without incident at the oathing. The treewalker and Mistress Norine’s family had accepted LaNar’s apologies, so Snowy figured he had no right to stew about it any longer, though that was extremely difficult. LaNar agreed to take punishment for what she’d done under both Gypsy and Bankari laws. Once the ceremony had ended, she was publicly whipped, then Siri and Mistress Norine took her away.

  Snowy fought a shudder at the memory of his own beating when he and the others followed Taniras into the Land of the Goddess uninvited. The Vedi had healed him soon afterward but he would never forget the pain of that day, a day that altered his life.

  LaNar was walking with a stiff gait when Snowy saw her earlier this morning. She trailed Eletha like a pup followed its mother, quite a humorous sight considering the vast size differences between the two. The little treewalker seemed to enjoy having her own personal servant, for however long the Bankari had decided on that.

  Snowy put one hand on the wall next to the window as he watched Pim make her way across the cobblestone street toward Elder Siri. He didn’t approve of the girl’s former husband, Shon Denintrop. The forced marriage had been absolved by the Elders of course. Shon didn’t quite understand that and insisted the girl was still his wife. Since Pim had been the object of his abuse, she had a say in his fate and had agreed to let him take servant oaths, provided he left her alone. Shon survived the ceremony, so the Elders would surely set him straight on everything else.

  Also at yesterday’s oathing, one middling received a forceful jolt of Energy that kept him in a petrified state ever since, something that caused chills up Snowy’s neck even now. Evidently, the Goddess had seen through some ruse or other the idiot man thought he could get away with, and he served as a harsh reminder to the rest of the kin, especially the new ones, that they served a greater power.

  One of the Sages pushed back his cloak hood and crossed the street toward two squabbling servants. He made several large hand gestures that sent the servants scrambling in different directions.

  Cass and Ebbi wandered by huddled together. The woman’s root father hadn’t been invited to take the oaths. Haranda, along with Predula and Wren, gave witness that the man’s presence would cause Cass undue harm. The foul-mouthed middling went on and on about how he would beat his daughter when he escaped. He also swore loyalty to Lombreeth, so the two would face the Elder’s tribunal after today’s oathing ceremonies.

  Of course, there would always be broken rules, either by accident or stupidity or for the good of kinfolk. Or from a new-oathed or youngling who just wanted to get away with something. But the Goddess saw a person’s true essence, good or evil, and dealt with each justly. Snowy had wondered why She missed Lombreeth’s future all those many decades ago, until Xiath assured him the man was very different then. So, perhaps the future wasn’t as rigid as many believed. Or maybe the Goddess relied on the oaths to keep Her children obedient and honest and chose to punish those who had already turned against Her in their minds. Snowy could only guess.

  After stoking the fire a bit, he sat in a chair and winced when he leaned back. There had been only one scuffle among the newly oathed servants, and that was between two former tavern women. Both claimed the riches of one man, a dead middling, and took to fisticuffs in the middle of the icy street. Snowy and several other servants had separated the two but not without injuries. They had given him several bruises before the fight ended. Elder Finlor didn’t believe a few bruises worth a healing session, especially since they had more important things to deal with like footrot and lung ailments and fevers from this nasty weather. Those who harnessed the Energy couldn’t get diseases like lung fever, but other kin could. And anyone could be injured, starved, poisoned or any number of distasteful things that Snowy forced from his mind.

  Taniras entered from the front hall and clicked her tongue at him. “I don’t know why you got involved.” Snowy had heard those words from her at least ten times since morning meal. She hung her cloak on a hook by the door. “Those two idiot women should have been left to beat each other senseless.”

  Snowy fought a groan as she pushed him forward in the chair, tugged his tunic up and inspected his bruises again. She pulled out a small tin of salve from her belt purse and spread the greasy substance over his sore spots, leaving a mild, herbal scent in the room. He wanted her hands on him but this wasn’t what he had in mind.

  Just as his wife lowered his tunic, he managed to snag her around the waist and pull her onto his lap. “Now, love, you know very well we can’t allow them to cause any type of trouble. Especially this early. They need to learn Gypsy laws. The sooner the better.”

  She relaxed and leaned into him as she screwed the lid back onto the tin. “Yes. I know. But I don’t have to like it.” He threw back his head in laughter and she slapped him playfully on the arm. “Some of the new servants are downright irritating.”

  “You find anyone who’s not a wolf irritating.” She had the good grace to look abashed at his gentle reprimand. “And you must set good examples for them and for the younglings.”

  Taniras nodded gravely and he felt a bit guilty bringing up the younglings. He missed Maesa too, but Har’guana needed guidance. The poor boy barely spoke to anyone in a complete sentence. He was learning, better than anyone could possibly learn his language, but the rift between cultures didn’t help his mood, and he seemed withdrawn lately. Probably didn’t help with all the middling children staring at his misshapen head.

  Snowy wondered why no other Guana had become a Gypsy. Perhaps they’d been smoking dreamweed for so long that none survived the calling. Or else, no one noticed the odd things an errant could do because of the effects of the potent herb. Beir Lake was remote, surrounded by thick forests. Even the tribes there didn’t mingle with any regularity. Snowy had seen the maps and the isolated location of Beir Lake and its villages. Many stayed away from those they didn’t understand, which probably added to their seclusion.

  And there was Henny. The girl recovered each day but she was incredibly weak and needed assistance in everything. And the newest youngling, Mwerynde Va’sith, had been forced to bed Lombreeth, something Snowy wouldn’t wish on any woman, much less a girl. Tsianina had taken a special interest in her along with her distant cousin Zarenia, which Taniras had said was good for all of them.

  Snowy brought his thoughts back to the woman on his knee and bounced her a couple of times. What he really wanted was privacy and a good lay in the straw with his wife. They hadn’t been intimate in a while now. There was no chance to be alone, even when they slept. Perhaps once things settled here, they could have that. He silently chided himself for those thoughts. As Taniras and the wolves had pointed out, this was war, and they still had Lombreeth to deal with. But he couldn’t turn off his feelings, and he shifted his weight to relieve the tightness in his breeches.

  Taniras grunted and quickly stood when several servants began to set the tables.
This part of the tavern, not as large as Valda and Lucy’s place but with ample room on the main floor, had been converted into a dining hall. It had a very large kitchen, which excited the food servants.

  The singer leaned toward Snowy’s ear. “What I wouldn’t give for some privacy.” She placed the salve tin in her purse.

  He smiled. Their thoughts seemed to mesh so well these days.

  Of course. He heard that in his head but it wasn’t his own thoughts. “Did you say something, love?” Snowy studied his wife as he stood.

  “I want privacy.”

  “No. I mean after that.”

  She shook her head and arched her brows. “No.” Then she took his hand, pulled him out into the hall near a glowing lantern. “Are you all right? You look worried.”

  He waved off her concern. “Just tired, I guess.”

  “I know that feeling.” She smiled and her bright teeth stood out against her dark skin.

  He bent to kiss her, not caring who saw.

  She didn’t resist. In fact, she responded with full cooperation. When he pulled away, she said, “Snowy Nee’cher. You should know better than to do that where children might see.”

  He grinned and nodded, getting a chuckle from her.

  Several middling children scampered by, chattering on about something, but none paid any attention to two adults embraced in the hallway, and that boiled Snowy’s blood. These children had their innocence stolen and many still tried to offer services to the adults, despite the kin’s efforts to explain that they no longer had to do such disgusting things. One woman had already been punished by Wren for trying to seduce several of the servants, including Snowy, just before she took her oaths. The middling became very pliable after an encounter with Wren’s sparking blanket and said her oaths with fervor.

  Ved’nuri had also ordered the children be kept as runners and brought to the Land of the Goddess, where they would be aged enough to take oaths. The Vedi altered rules to meet the new demands of this uncertain world, and Snowy wondered just what lay in store for his kin. They certainly couldn’t go around oathing every middling they came in contact with. Could they? Not all middlings were as trusting as the Bankari. In fact, most were indifferent at best or just downright hostile. He had to trust the Vedi knew what they were doing and silently scolded himself for even having such thoughts. Of course the Vedi knew what they were doing—the Goddess worked directly through them.

  Another small band of children passed and he studied Taniras. “We should get to the meeting hall before Elder Finlor sends someone after us.”

  Just then, Lyssinya strolled by and he braced for the red-haired Sage’s admonishments, knowing the Sage had spent the last two nights worrying over Adelsik. But she simply smiled and nodded gracefully, before disappearing outside.

  “She’s in a decent mood.”

  Taniras grinned. “Tapnut. He and the others came ashore last night. They’re on their way to the Means.”

  The Elders hadn’t made any kind of announcement about that, and Lyssinya wasn’t one to confide in anyone except other slumberers, especially not in Taniras. If anything, the two seemed to butt heads almost as much as Lyssinya and Haranda.

  Snowy peered down at his wife. “How do you know about Tapnut?”

  She raised a black brow and tapped her head.

  “How do they know?”

  “There’s a pack near the beach.”

  You should know better than to ask that.

  He stared at his wife, studying lips that didn’t move. “What?”

  “Wolves. Near the beach. That’s how—”

  “No. After that? What did you say after that?”

  “I didn’t say anything after that. Are you certain you’re feeling well?” One cool hand reached up to his forehead.

  “I heard someone—scold me.” He leaned toward her to study her lips.

  She pushed her fists into her hips and cocked her head. “Well, you would know if I reprimanded you.”

  “Yes. I certainly would.”

  She slapped playfully at his arm and he gave her a mock act of pain.

  “Oh, love. Your bruises.” He grinned and she pressed her lips together. “Quite humorous.”

  “Well. You do act like a mother hen on occasion.”

  A grown man could live with a few bruises. Sometimes, he thought his kin too quick to relieve mild injuries. Many lessons could be learned from pain.

  For the first occasion in quite a while, they were alone in the hallway. Snowy turned his wife toward the front door and propelled her with a slap to her bottom. She protested then giggled as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door behind her. He gazed around for the wolves but couldn’t see them anywhere.

  We are here.

  Someone tugged at his arm and he realized that he’d stopped in the middle of the street. Servants and children bustled past. “Great fleas on a goat hide.” It was a phrase popular with Maricari Elders and one he hadn’t used since he was a boy.

  “What in blazes is wrong with you?” Taniras reached up to feel his forehead and he laughed. “What’s so bloody funny?”

  “I’m surprised they haven’t told you.”

  “Who? Told me what?”

  “Dar and the others.”

  Taniras stepped back from him and slammed her fists into her belt. One black eyebrow cocked upward.

  Snowy chuckled at his wife. Until she became new-oathed, she wouldn’t have dared take such a stance with him. He had outranked her their entire lives in Maricar and while she was a youngling. He liked her in this mood. Something about that look in her eyes made him want to grab and kiss her. Instead, he leaned close to her ear. “The wolves talk to me.” The singer’s arms dropped to her sides and she stared, open-mouthed, up at him. “Well, now, that’s the first occasion you’ve been without words, love.”

  She snapped her mouth closed then said, “How long have they been talking to you?”

  “Since we were in the dining hall. At least, that’s the first I noticed.”

  “Impossible. You can’t harness.”

  “He may not have to.” Haranda’s voice made them both turn.

  Several kin had already gathered and stopped a few arm’s length from the couple.

  Taniras studied her former clan mother. “What do you mean?”

  Haranda’s lips curled into a slight smile. “Well, he is your husband. You’re marriage oathed, remember. Mated. You said yourself the wolves worked through you to free Siri from Croferituus’s hold.”

  “Yes. Perhaps they work through me to talk to—no. I didn’t hear them speak to you, Snowy. I’ll have to ask Dar.”

  “Later,” Wren told her. “We have another oathing and the tribunal.”

  They made their way toward the flat-roofed building that had been converted into a meeting hall. Tonight they were oathing prisoners who could harness, and the Elders had requested all guards and hunters present, just in case there was trouble. Younglings didn’t attend oathings, but new-oathed trickled into the street.

  Dar stepped from one of the alleys.

  You can hear me? Snowy thought. Not knowing just how Taniras communicated with the beasts.

  Yes. Dar’s voice caressed his mind like the fancy, marriage scarf Taniras had received from her former clan sisters.

  How?

  You’re the singer’s mate. It was inevitable. With that, Dar loped off toward the icy stream.

  Snow turned to his wife. “She really hears me.”

  “Yes. She told me.” One corner of Taniras’s mouth turned up in a crooked smile and she brushed a gloved hand over his arm.

  They followed Haranda and the others to the meeting hall and the large fire inside felt especially nice after the cold outdoors. Taniras headed to one area of the room with the other new-oathed, and Snowy took his place with the other servant hunters near one of the exits. Camlys and Greges had already arrived and they nodded to him. He inclined his head and gave a tiny smile to his Maricari frien
ds. He was very relieved when Taniras had stopped tormenting Camlys and renewed the lifelong friendship. Those two had been at each other’s life veins when Taniras was a youngling. Greges looked as though he would burst from the grin he returned, and Snowy knew the man had a secret to tell. Well, that would have to wait. As would Snowy’s news of communing with the wolves. He still couldn’t believe that had happened.

  Believe.

  He shook his head and glanced at the prisoners, who looked none too happy, but they still had their essences intact. That, at least, was something. Of course, Snowy couldn’t detect a Gypsy’s essence, but he paid close attention at every servant briefing. The guards had the prisoners tied to a large, stone bench and Elder Siri stood nearby, probably to keep them bound. Snowy wished he could see the Energy work, like his wife and the other Gypsies could, but that wasn’t the Goddess’s plan.

  Finlor stood behind a long table with the other Elders. The stout, tiny-eyed man took a crystal from Siri and made his way around the front of the table. He waved LeChamb to bring the first prisoner, an errant male. The prisoner eagerly apologized, one brow twitching all the while he held his hand on the crystal, and agreed with the oaths Finlor dictated. Snowy held his breath but the man was accepted and introduced to the kin. The man seemed relieved, even when Finlor announced that he would be punished according to Gypsy laws, and he kissed several women on their hands before sitting with the other new-oathed.

  The next prisoner, quite a skinny young fellow, struggled with LeChamb, but the huge Gypsy servant moved him about with ease.

  When Finlor held out the oath crystal, the scrawny man fell to his knees in tears. “I’ve already been oathed.” Convulsive sobs wracked his thin body. “I’m oathed. Forgive me, Great Goddess.”

  If Finlor and the other Elders felt surprised, they didn’t show that. Instead, the stout Elder motioned the man up. “Rise, oathed, and explain yourself.”

  The prisoner, who had a very prominent reddened nose and pale skin, wiped his face on his sleeve and got to his feet, head bowed. “I’m Sage Balen Foel, Earth Designation of the Goddess Ways.”