Deadly Fate [Book 1 of the Teadai Prophecies] Page 19

  Haranda turned her intrusive gaze on Saldia. “That was for your benefit as much as Eletha’s. I thought you’d like to see what you’ve been missing out on.”

  Saldia couldn’t help but smile. She gave an apologetic glance to Eletha but the little woman didn’t seem troubled by Haranda’s actions.

  “Try harnessing again, Saldia.”

  Her shoulders ached and she rolled them. After placing hands on her knees, she closed her eyes and envisioned the Energy. It didn’t take long to pull the silky warmth inside. She held onto it as the awareness filled her, along with a great desire to shade walk. The urge to disappear pulled at her but she fought it and concentrated on keeping the Energy still, counting to keep her mind focused. Thunder cracked and sent a blinding noise to her ears, rattling her head like a giant bell in a cavern.

  “Bloody blazes!” She slammed her hands over her ears and the Energy retreated into the earth below. There was no chance to amend her speech before Haranda’s hand came up, so she quickly said her apologies before a spark could fly her direction.

  That must have surprised or impressed the Gypsy, for her brows went up, her hand went down, and she smiled. “Apology accepted, youngling. Try again.”

  Chapter 18

  Two days had passed since Saldia received the calling, and Haranda felt the Land of the Goddess pulling even stronger now against her senses. She was still confused as to why Zarenia Va’pash had come to her instead of going through to the others, but the Goddess had Her reasons and they were not for Haranda to question. Zarenia thought she had ventured into the Land of the Goddess, but the mist she described fit Haranda’s lessons about the Means, the area that separates the middling world from the Gypsies’ home. Now, Haranda needed to get her younglings there. Saldia should have enough control to make the trip, and Haranda would keep the shade walker close, as she would all in her brood.

  Something was happening, something that felt like an absence within the Energy. She couldn’t explain it but she sensed it and followed her instincts. Whatever was going on within the Energy was a threat. That much she could tell. The younglings wouldn’t notice. Only an experienced Gypsy would be able to sense the minute change.

  For centuries, Gypsies and servants scattered in frantic hopes of finding as many younglings as possible before something happened to them. Now, the Vedi had been chosen and probably crowned. Haranda had sent a carrier pigeon with her choice for each position a while ago. The Vedi had to be strong in the Energy and still able to bear children, something uncommon among Gypsies. Her choices had been younglings with her all those years ago and she trusted them with her life.

  Harnessing the Energy left most barren, something younglings did not learn until after they were oathed. A few could still create offspring, but the odds of getting a healthy one that didn’t die before or soon after birth, were so low most didn’t attempt pregnancy. On very rare occasions, a healthy babe was born to one who harnessed the Energy, usually an errant who hadn’t yet been found. And in an event even rarer, that child could harness the Energy once it became old enough. Thad was one such child and the healers would no doubt take special interest in him. It wasn’t unheard of for a Gypsy to have a known ancestor who harnessed, but that too, didn’t happen often.

  The Goddess had ways of compensating Gypsies for their losses, and they got a small but steady influx of younglings. Of course, the past year had seen quite an increase in those numbers, all in preparation for the Teadai Ved’cosima, the New Age of the Goddess. In her fanciest dreams, Haranda never thought she would live to see the beginning of the New Age, and she used all her will and control to keep her emotions tied to the ground. Else, she might be tempted to do cartwheels, much the way Saldia did when the girl thought no one watched.

  Younglings seemed to pop out of nowhere these days, and Haranda’s instincts pulled her toward the back of the cave, to the place where Zarenia had come through. To the life circle that would lead them home. It would be a difficult journey. No trees grew in the Means, which meant she could count on Eletha’s temper flaring until they reached the lush area of the Land of the Goddess. She needed to keep tight reins on her charges. Their very lives depended on her.

  She studied Saldia. The girl’s footprint still amused her. The image of a gray and white raccoon represented concealment and playfulness, a mischievous creature that suited the tavern girl’s character, and shone just above Saldia’s head now that she’d been through the calling. Saldia’s Energy footprint was already stronger than the other younglings’ prints, even Thad’s snake. Adelsik wasn’t far behind, either, from the steadiness of the blue acorn above her head. She would be a fine slumberer, much stronger in the Netherworld than Haranda, once she grew out of her childish ways. The acorn stood for inexperience, something that fit Adelsik like a fine glove, but it also represented mystery. An intriguing combination.

  Haranda took in a long breath to steady her nerves. “All right. Is everyone packed?” A round of affirmations. “Good. Zarenia, come here.” She waited until the girl was at her side before leading her brood to the rear cave wall. “Show me where you came through.” She could find the circle herself, using the Energy, but it would take longer.

  “I don’t remember much.” The girl’s northern accent made her slur several words together. “Thad grabbed me as soon as I stepped into the cave.” One dark brow rose as she swung her head to face the man.

  “I apologized,” he said a bit defensively. “She came through here, I think.” He pointed to an area of the cave wall.

  “Are you certain?”

  “I’m fairly certain. That a fact.”

  “Should be enough then.” Haranda stepped to the wall and placed both hands against it. Immediately after she harnessed the Energy, the wall pulsed beneath her hands. “Yes, this is the place.” Strange, how she couldn’t feel the pulsation without touching the rock. She took her hands away but held on to the Energy. “We need to find the life circle. It will be hidden somewhere nearby.”

  “Yes,” Zarenia said. “That’s how I got through from my father’s dun—my dungeons.” Her face grew solemn and she quickly smoothed her features.

  The girl’s parents, brother and future husband had all died when a plague came to Pashdad, wiping out many of its people. Zarenia came from wealth, which showed in her carriage and flawless skin, but the sadness in her eyes aged her beyond her eighteen years. The way she negotiated arguments, Haranda guessed she’d been bred into responsibilities the others couldn’t have imagined. She felt for this young one even more than for Saldia.

  “There was a life circle hidden behind a stone,” Zarenia continued. “It was gold with a handprint carved in the center.”

  “Yes.” Haranda nodded. “That’s a life circle, all right.” Though she had never actually seen one, the description had been etched in her mind as a new-oathed Gypsy many, many decades ago.

  Soon everyone searched the wall and ground, creating dust as they worked. Since the life circle only created a pulsation through the Energy and did not reveal its exact location, they had to touch everything and dig around. Haranda thought she might have to call Adelsik and Maesa down, since the two frowned at getting their hands in the dirt, but they worked alongside the rest, much to her relief. They searched for quite a while.

  “I think I found it.” Henny crouched beside a large boulder with her lantern and moved to let Haranda in.

  Part of the gilded circle protruded from underneath the boulder. “Yes. Good, Henny.”

  “How are we going to get to it, Haranda?”

  “Step back. All of you.”

  Once the younglings were clear of any danger, she clasped her hands together, forefingers erect, and touched the boulder. With careful precision, she pushed a sufficient amount of warm yellow sparking Energy to her fingers, changing the Energy to hot white streaks just as they left her fingertips. White sparks created before the Energy emerged from her fingers, left burned and blistered skin, just one of the painfu
l lessons she had learned as a youngling. She worked her way across the fattest part and sliced the boulder in two. The large halves fell away and she hopped back to avoid getting her feet caught. The life circle was clear now. When she turned to the others, they stood gaping at her.

  She smiled to herself. “If you freeze every time you see something new, we’ll be forever searching for the Land of the Goddess.” That seemed to break through their astonishment. “Now, come, younglings. I wish to get home.” Longed for home was more the feeling. She crouched, placed her hand flat into the carving until it pulled Energy from her and moved beneath her touch. No middling could ever open one of these doorways. Thank the Goddess.

  An area of the cave wall swirled and left an opening, which led into a tunnel pulsing with Goddess Light. Beautiful! Haranda felt the power of pure Energy even before she entered. Goddess help them, it was strong! She only hoped the others had learned enough to keep them from getting lost. Saldia worried her still, with the strength the girl possessed. However, Zarenia had maneuvered through alone so there was hope.

  Haranda retrieved her pack and waited until the younglings wore theirs. “All right. Stay close. Don’t let the Energy distract you.”

  “We’ve been over this, Haranda,” Eletha said in an exasperated tone.

  “And we’ll continue to go over it until I’m certain you understand.” She leveled a gaze at the small girl. “Or do you need some other encouragement to do as I tell you?”

  Eletha pulled her back straight. “No, Haranda. I’m good.”

  Despite the girl’s strong will, she had cowed at the threat of another punishment ever since Haranda had wrapped her in a sparking blanket. “Good. Come.”

  She stepped through the opening and turned to make certain the others followed. They were practically on top of her. Zarenia stood at her elbow. Henny and Adelsik held hands, eyes wide, while Thad held Nym’s hand in his larger one. Pressed close to each other were Saldia and Maesa, with Maesa gripping the shade walker’s arm. Kal and Eletha brought up the rear. They stood slightly apart from the others but stayed close. The doorway vanished behind them and Eletha gave a pained look to Haranda, but the expression was brief.

  Zarenia pointed toward the Goddess Light at the end of the tunnel, and Haranda stepped in that direction. The ground beneath her had become a hard floor and she wondered at the creation of this secret world. A place that defied distance and disregarded location and the passing of years. An inner world created by the ancient gods themselves. They walked on, no one saying a word. After a while, Haranda had no idea how long they had been here.

  Suddenly, Nym screamed and she turned to see the image of a giant, sea creature looming over the cowering boy. It looked much like a fish but huge and with giant teeth. Water and seaweed dripped from its mouth. Some of the others cried out in terror too.

  “Quiet, younglings! Remember, it’s an illusion.” She crossed to the boy and stood to block his view of the monster. “It’s not real, Nym. Clear your mind.”

  But the boy didn’t seem to hear her. His eyes widened like saucers and his breath came in shallow, frightened sucks as he crouched in fear.

  Haranda lifted him to his feet. “Nym. You think that monster away.” She took his chin when he didn’t respond. “Now, youngling. Do you hear me?” He ignored her so she swatted his leg with her hand to get his attention, something she hadn’t done until now. He was no more than a babe and hadn’t had the best father. He flinched and looked at her. A tear fled down his cheek. “That’s it, Nym. Focus on me. Think the monster away.”

  He swallowed hard and closed his eyes. Soon the monster was gone.

  “Good, youngling.” She pressed him to her breast and stroked his hair until stopped sobbing. “Remember everything you see here is illusion. You must keep your mind clear.” Haranda swiped thumbs across his wet cheeks and he gave her a tiny smile.

  “I’ll carry him.” Thad handed Nym’s small pack to Kal and scooped the boy up to sit on his shoulders.

  As they walked the distance through the tunnel, a few stray apparitions appeared, but one look from Haranda and the illusions popped out of existence, thankfully. The Energy was strong, stronger than she had experienced since her calling so long ago, and she fought her own urges to remain here. As they grew closer to the Means, she felt melancholy at leaving the tunnel. The Elders had warned her of that too. If she lost herself, what use would she be to the younglings? She pushed down those thoughts. She was in charge of these Gypsy-children. Their very lives depended on her.

  Keep your wits, Gypsy Haranda Banwidden. The sadness left her, much to her relief.

  The others were children in the Energy and her eyes drifted to Saldia, the strongest of her little clutch. The tavern girl had stopped several paces behind with Maesa tugging at her arm. Haranda immediately went to them and motioned Maesa toward the front.

  Saldia sat and wept. “I won’t leave. You can’t make me leave.”

  Haranda turned to Zarenia. The girl had a pained look on her face. “Can you get to the Means? Can you feel it?”

  “Yes. It’s stronger in me than the pull to stay here. I have been here before. I know how to leave.”

  “Good, lead the others to the Means and wait for me. I’ll bring Saldia. We won’t be long.” She hoped. “Now go. The longer you stay here the harder it is to tear yourself away. Go!”

  Zarenia ordered the group to link hands, which no one protested, and she pulled them at a quickened pace toward the Means.

  The Goddess be with you, my younglings. Haranda turned her attentions to Saldia. “Listen to me, girl. You’re a Gypsy-child. Now act it and stand.” She didn’t seem to be getting through. “On your feet, youngling!” She pulled at the distraught and weeping girl. It took some effort but she finally got Saldia standing.

  “No!” The girl pulled violently away and started to run back.

  Haranda sent her thoughts with the slightest amount of Energy she could manage. Stop! Saldia stood still but only for a heartbeat. When Haranda gripped the girl’s arm, a burst of Energy pushed at her, nearly knocking her down. She grunted and lost her grip. The girl was stronger here, just as Haranda was, but Saldia didn’t have experience, or the control she needed to keep from harming herself. Haranda pushed more Energy into the urging, so much that Saldia’s face contorted with effort in trying to resist. She couldn’t allow the girl to shade walk.

  Not here! Sweat beaded on Haranda’s face. She couldn’t hold Saldia long at this intensity, not without harming them both. Go! Run with me! Now! She grabbed Saldia’s hand and pulled her as she sent the urging words and the girl finally moved. Haranda kept a tight grip on the youngling and ran with her toward the Means. Run, Saldia. Run! Your life depends on it.

  Suddenly and without warning, Haranda found herself face down on the hard floor with Saldia near her. The girl grunted. Haranda’s knees felt bruised and sore as she looked around through the mist of the Means. The others sat nearby, in parting patches of fog, and nursed injuries. Thad made his way from one to another. His hands touched limbs, ribs and skulls, and he looked frustrated that he couldn’t do anything. Haranda had ordered him not to use the healing. They couldn’t afford anyone unconscious, not here.

  “Everyone all right?” Haranda got to her feet and winced. She took in the Energy that she had released upon her fall, and the bruising became a distant pain that seemed to belong to someone else.

  “Nothing broken, I think,” Thad told her. “Lucky I put Nym down just before I fell. That a fact. How about you?”

  “Just some bruises. Hold the Energy, younglings. It will give you strength.” They would have little trouble here. They’d left the tunnel behind and the Means couldn’t harm its wielder no matter how strong. Her only fear now was that they could get lost here, wandering in the mist. “Saldia?”

  The girl sat with her head down, her pack on the ground near her feet. “My apologies, Haranda. I could have gotten us both trapped back there.” She wept.


  “Nonsense, youngling. I told you this trip would be hardest on you. We still have to get to the Land of the Goddess.” She crouched beside the girl and stroked her hair. “Are you injured?”

  Saldia sniffed and wiped her face before looking up. “No. I don’t think so. Unless you count my pride.” She sniffed again and flicked a smile at Haranda.

  “Your pride could do with some bruising, my little shadow.” She helped the girl to her feet, relieved that they’d made it safely through the tunnel.

  She could see nothing except white mist but the pull from the Land of the Goddess was definite. The Energy filled her here, more than she had ever felt before. A smile danced on Zarenia’s lips and Haranda glanced around at the others. They looked much the same way, in ecstasy. At least the little treewalker wasn’t complaining. But they needed to get out of this place, exit the Means and enter the Land of the Goddess. The pull to remain here was gone but they could still die in the Means if they didn’t find their way out. Not even a Gypsy could forgo food and water for long.

  “Get your packs and keep up with me.” She got annoyed looks at the interruption. “I mean this. All of you.” A round of reluctant nods answered her. It was enough for now. But if the Energy was this intoxicating in the Means, what would it be like once they crossed into the Land of the Goddess where it was pure, untouched, and unfiltered?

  They walked for a long while. Haranda occasionally reminded them to stay focused and keep moving. Where was the exit? Everything seemed distant, muddled, in the cool mist. Her senses played tricks on her. And the Energy was astounding! The strength Haranda felt gave her hope the Land of the Goddess was close and she stopped her group. Her eyes drifted shut and she listened with the Energy, aware of herself and her younglings, but nothing else. Then she felt it. A touch of warmth, like a summer breeze, caressed her senses and the smell of new life found her.