Sage Truth [Book 2 of the Teadai Prophecies] Read online

  Maesa moved closer and placed an arm around the woman’s shoulders, making certain to keep her essence to herself, something she didn’t have to think about except when she got excited. “Sounds as though she loved you very much, gave up a lot for you and your parents and grandparents.” Zarenia nodded, rolled the note and stuffed it into her purse. “What did she mean, Elder Yuri? About the texts? Surely they can’t be in the Netherworld.”

  The Elder, who wasn’t much taller than Maesa, offered a thoughtful gaze then pushed a dark hand over his partially shaved head, until his fingers touched the single braid in back. He let out a long breath. “The Netherworld can’t be used in that manner. I believe one of the texts is hidden in the Means somewhere.”

  Raith, who had been silent until now, grunted. “Then why hasn’t anyone found it there?” His ruddy complexion made him look perpetually angry but Maesa knew better. The man simply took his position among the Gypsies to heart, and he enjoyed teaching. He had been very kind in the Land of the Goddess, even kept his temper with younglings when other teachers couldn’t. “We’ve had Gypsies traveling in and out of the Means for nearly a year now. Longer if we count past generations.”

  Elder Yuri pursed his lips. “Perhaps the text is still shrouded as well as hidden within the Means. These texts are very old. The Gypsy kin who protected them are gone now. Even Gypsies don’t live forever, Raith.”

  That last statement sounded much like a chastisement, and the teacher’s complexion reddened even more. “Yes, Elder. Apologies for my impatience.”

  “Accepted. This will make our search even more difficult. Gypsies can’t stay in the Means for extended periods. This task will be up to our servants, I’m afraid.”

  Maesa placed a hand on the Elder’s arm. “But servants can’t sense the Energy, Elder. They would be searching the Means blind, not knowing which way to look. A hunt like that could take an eternity.”

  “You’re right, youngling. But we have little choice.”

  “What about the other text, Elder?” Hallia said this time. She faltered only for a second as all eyes focused on her.

  Maesa had often wondered whether middlings saw the power in a Gypsy’s gaze, but lessons in the Land of the Goddess had taught her otherwise. Only those who harnessed the Energy could see or feel power in another.

  Yuri rubbed his chin. “I don’t know where the other one is located. I believe Evin left a clue that only Zarenia can translate.”

  Maesa forced her mind to work. “Sludge of days past. Sludge of days past. Perhaps the text was destroyed and the knowledge is kept in someone’s memory.” That was all she could think of just now.

  Yuri shook his partially shaved head. “No. Knowledge from the texts can’t be stored that way unless it survives somewhere. Once a text is destroyed, all that it contained is lost, even memories.”

  Now she was beginning to understand the constraints on this quest and why the Vedi insisted they leave so soon, even before she and many others had a chance to move to new-oathed status. They had to find the texts to reverse the void and save the Vedi’s child, yet if anyone, perhaps Cholqhuin’s followers, destroyed the texts, there would be no way to reverse the damage to the Energy. Ved’nuri had explained that the longer they took, the greater the void became, and reversing the damage had an even higher price. They had to hurry.

  “My apologies, Elder,” Zarenia said. “I don’t know what Evin meant.”

  “No need for apologies. You’ve been through a lot lately. Just keep thinking on it. From all that we’ve found so far, Evin was a wise woman. She wouldn’t have given you a clue you couldn’t puzzle out.”

  Zarenia nodded but Maesa wondered whether her confidence matched her appearance. Why did this have to be so difficult? Not only did Zarenia have her estate to worry about, now it was up to her to save her kin. Maesa definitely didn’t envy her former clan sister any longer.

  “I would have enjoyed meeting your grandmother once removed, Zarenia. She’s probably the last kin who knew that type of shrouding.” The Elder nodded his partially shaved head toward where the candle once sat. “She would’ve been a welcome addition to the kin.”

  Zarenia nodded but her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere and worry colored her face.

  Hallia placed a hand on her arm. “Demargina. I often find that a walk clears my mind, and things I’ve forgotten will sometimes show themselves.”

  There was nothing here anymore. Evin’s note had been clear on that. Nothing else remained among the debris. Nothing of Zarenia’s father’s grandmother except in the Demargina’s memory and in the journals.

  Maesa mounted her horse, saddened once again by their losses.

  Chapter 13

  Night seemed to pass quickly, probably because Cass slept without so much as a dream. She had awakened along with the others to Pim’s cries. Still shaken by the youngling’s description of Death, she fought a shiver at the image that came to mind and cradled her cup of tea as she sat across the table from Thad. According to the youngling, Death appeared as a shadow separated from his body and able to move about by himself, murmuring just low enough that Pim couldn’t make out what he said. One shadowy hand carried a misty orb and his hollow eyes searched both present and future.

  Pim claimed Death had come for her. Siri tried to explain that wasn’t possible, as her injuries were mended and she wasn’t close to dying. According to the Elder, there hadn’t been a Gypsy who could see Death in many centuries and no descriptions of the shadow had survived the ages. Perhaps this was to be Pim’s Energy, though her footprint suggested otherwise. The black pecan that hovered above her head meant folly. Not a footprint of someone destined to deal with Death. The youngling had steadied herself after the ordeal but still insisted Death had come for her. It seemed to Cass that no amount of cajoling would convince the youngling otherwise.

  Thad and Siri also made attempts to convince Pim of her new status among the kin. She had believed nothing they told her, except that Thad had the sight and knew of Nym. So Cass decided she would try to reason with the girl. A girl who was much too young for what life had thrown her way. The Goddess had plans for Pim, confusing plans perhaps, or they never would have found her.

  Thad reached across the table and touched Cass’s fingers until she looked into his steady brown eyes. “You all right?”

  She smiled. He was the first man she’d ever trusted. In fact, she trusted all of her kin now because she sensed no deception from them, something she never thought possible. Everyone had secrets, of course, and Cass knew how to distinguish those from harmful lies. Pim had secrets too, hid things from them, but that was to be expected. Younglings couldn’t lie without a flickering footprint to give them away, and Pim’s always burned steady. Nonetheless, Cass sensed the girl didn’t tell the entire truth, a feeling that left her a bit uncomfortable, and she wondered what things Pim kept hidden. At least the youngling didn’t give off a stench of anyone dangerous.

  Middlings were another matter altogether, especially middling men, and her root father’s image still lingered in the back of her mind. She would find the son of a goat someday and exact punishment for all the things he’d done to her.

  Despite her kin’s company, Cass missed Gwen. The woman had become her mentor ever since she was in youngling classes. She let the woman’s name roll around in her head a heartbeat, Adsagwen Becumarhod. Such an unusual, yet beautiful, name. Cass admired the strength Gwen possessed, the ease with which she assisted youngling classes. Gwen’s patience intrigued her too, and she wondered if she would ever develop such tolerance. She wished the other woman had been assigned to this quest instead of the one headed to Beir Lake. There was still so much Cass needed to learn, so many things she needed to overcome. And she preferred the company of women.

  But that wasn’t to be just now, and she cocked one brow at the man across from her.

  “Cass? You all right?”

  “Thank you for your concern,” she said in the fashion of Haranda
and numerous other Gypsies. “I’m well, just in my head a bit this morning.”

  Thad smiled. “That understandable. I wouldn’t want to see Death. That a poor lass, that is.”

  Cass nodded her agreement. Poor lass, indeed. Death disturbed her more than any man. At least she could defend herself against a man. What chance did she, or any Gypsy, have against Death. Poor Pim.

  “Would you like to take a walk this morning before we set out?”

  She offered an apologetic smile. “I promised Siri I’d try and talk sense into that youngling.”

  He laughed. “Well, if any Gypsy can do that, you’re the one I’d wager on. That the truth.”

  She chuckled. “I hope you’re right. Pim is so skittish after what happened this morning. I’ll be lucky if she sits still long enough for me to get a word out.”

  Thad laughed again. “She not that bad. Just keep reminding her of Nym.” He leaned toward her. “Only, I wouldn’t tell her how old he is just yet.”

  “Mmm.” Cass nodded. That certainly would surprise the youngling. After all, she had just met her first Gypsies. Cass shoved a dry biscuit in her mouth and downed the remainder of her warm tea, leaving only a few grounds in the bottom of the cup.

  The raiders left flour behind but Pim’s goat never returned. With no milk to add to the biscuits, they ate a meager breakfast today, mainly quest rations. Supplies needed to last until the next untouched farm, however far that might be, and Anais didn’t take time to make a fully cooked meal. They had expected to trade for goods, not bury the dead on this quest.

  Cass stood. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that walk later.” Thad gave her an odd smile but she simply nodded and headed into Pim’s room. When she opened the door, the youngling was nowhere. “Bloody little chit.”

  “What wrong?” Thad got to his feet.

  “Pim’s gone. Out the window, I imagine. The others are outside somewhere.”

  “I’ll find them. You start packing up. Couldn’t have gone far, that one.”

  Cass cursed under her breath as she unceremoniously shoved belongings into bags. She had everything packed by the time the others returned. Xiath looked extremely upset, and Cass guessed that he blamed himself. As quest leader, responsibility fell on him more than the others.

  He took up several bags and tossed them to the guards and hunters. “Get these things tied onto the horses. Kal found Pim’s tracks. We have to hurry.”

  Once they burdened the horses with everything they could carry, the group mounted and set out on the youngling’s trail. Not too far up the river, Pim had ducked back into the forest so they split up, leaving the horses tied to some trees with Anais and Greges to watch them.

  Cass walked next to Thad as they followed Jin and Kal through the thick trees. Occasionally, the listener would stop and study something, while Jin concentrated his seer Energy. Cass suspected it worked much like Eletha’s treewalker Energy, though Jin couldn’t see nearly as far. The group walked as silently as they could manage among the sticks and leaves. Siri had even tied her gray-streaked braids together to keep the gold bangles from tinkling. High in the trees, birds created a cacophony of songs mixed with those of insects and frogs.

  Before long, Kal stopped and fingered the ground beneath a tree. Cass studied the chain tattoo around her wrist. “Her trail ends here. I still don’t hear anything from her.” That still seemed to trouble her, but Siri had assured her that it wasn’t unheard of for an untrained youngling to instinctively build a mind wall.

  “She’s close.” Jin’s eyes grew distant.

  Everyone looked up the tree but the youngling wasn’t there.

  Cass glanced around. “Where is she?” She kept quiet when Siri closed her eyes. The Elder’s awareness could sense what the others couldn’t.

  Jin uttered an abrasive word in another language, and Cass wagered it was a curse.

  An instant afterwards, Siri opened her eyes. “Bloody gooseneck on a duckling.”

  Cass gaped at the Elder. She’d never heard that expression before and fought a chuckle, but Siri didn’t look amused.

  “What is it, love?” LeChamb pressed. “Where is she?”

  The Elder pointed to the ground with one hand and placed the other on her hip. “If my senses are right, the little imp has gone underground.”

  All eyes moved to Jin, who nodded. “Elder Siri is correct. There’s a large burrow down there.” He rubbed the stubble on his head. “The youngling has wedged herself in as far as she can go.” Tear-shaped eyes focused on Xiath.

  The large man nodded. “Must be an entrance around here somewhere.”

  They spread out and brushed away leaves, pushed on tree trunks, and pulled at branches. Nothing.

  When Cass’s foot landed against a large rock, she cursed and nursed her toes until the pain subsided. Then she noticed a gap near the rock’s edge where it sat on the ground. “Here.” She pushed the rock, which moved much easier than she expected, and revealed a hole large enough for a person to get through. How Pim had managed to move the rock back into place from below, she could only guess?

  Xiath and LeChamb hurried to her, and LeChamb tossed the rock completely out of the way as though it weighed nothing.

  “None of us men can fit through that,” Xiath said. “I don’t think you could either, Elder.”

  Siri stood with hands on her ample hips and studied the hole. “Cass will have to go.”

  Xiath nodded and looked to Jin. “Is there room enough for more than Cass?”

  Jin’s eyes narrowed on the hole a heartbeat. “Two or three her size can fit in the area beneath this opening. But the youngling is down a tight tunnel. They’ll have to go in singly.

  Xiath nodded and turned to Cass. “Take Kal and Bel’keive with you. Jin can keep track of you from up here. Harness the Energy and use your awareness. You’ll probably have to use orbs down there just to see your hand in front of your face. Find the youngling and drag her out if you have to.”

  It took some effort, but Cass managed to squeeze her hips and shoulders through the hole and landed on her feet with a thud. The drop wasn’t far but the burrow was dark and narrow. She pulled the Energy into her body as the other two dropped down and stood with her. Pim’s heat pulsed against her senses from the darkness. The girl was close, yet Cass couldn’t see much of anything. She pushed warm, yellow sparking Energy from her fingertips and mixed it with the air to create an orb. It floated just ahead of her in the darkness. Kal and Bel’keive added orbs of their own and the place lit up.

  After three or four paces, Cass dropped to her hands and knees as the burrow narrowed. They had to go through in a single line just as Jin had predicted, so Bel’keive stayed near the exit.

  Jin had been right about the short length too, and soon Cass saw Pim’s footprint just ahead. The black pecan shone faintly but steady above her head in the darkness. She had wedged her body into a tight space, just out of Cass’s reach. “Come out, youngling. We’re not going to hurt you.”

  “You got the sight. Stay away from me.” Pim wriggled in the packed dirt and held a knife out. The same knife used to cut bread at last night’s meal.

  Cass put on her best Gypsy face. “You have the sight too, Pim Fargoodes. We call it the Energy. Now you put that knife down, youngling. Do you hear me?” Though she couldn’t reach the girl, she wasn’t about to let Pim know that. “You think I don’t know how to take that from you? I learned how to handle myself long ago. But I prefer to have your cooperation. It’s your decision.” Right now she wished for urging abilities.

  Pim’s eye’s widened and suddenly she turned the knife on herself.

  “No, Pim!” The youngling hesitated. Cass wondered whether the girl would jab the knife into her neck, since that was the only part of herself she could reach in this cramped space.

  “What’s she doing?” Kal said from behind her.

  “She’s threatening to stab herself.”

  “Don’t want the sight to kill me.” Pim sounde
d lost and frightened. “I’d rather go like this. That a fact. Keep away from me.”

  “I can’t leave you, Pim. We’re kin now.”

  “Stinking mudworms! We’re not kin!” At that she thrust the knife toward her throat, somewhat awkwardly.

  When she reached for the youngling, the knife suddenly flew out of Pim’s hand, swished past Cass’s head and hit something. Kal grunted and Cass felt the blood drain from her face. “Kal. You hurt? Kal!” She couldn’t back out because the woman was still behind her.

  “I’m all right. What in blazes did you do?”

  It must have been her transference Energy. It was still so unstable, uncontrollable. She hadn’t used that Energy since the day she’d tossed the mothers across the cottage when she was still having nightmares about her father. The son of a goat! It never came out after that, not even when Haranda tried to braise her off. Until now.

  “We can discuss that later, Kal. Can you reach the knife?”

  “Yes. I have it. Get that youngling out of here. I don’t like being unable to move around.”

  Cass felt the oppression of the burrow as well and focused hard eyes on Pim. “You come out now, youngling, or I’ll send you out the same way I did with your knife.” Of course, even if she managed to get enough control of her transference Energy she wouldn’t use it the on the youngling, too dangerous until she had training. But Pim didn’t know that.

  “I’ll come out. I’ll come out. That a fact. Don’t hurt me.”

  “I’m not going to hurt you. But I’ll force you out of there if I need to.” Pim began to weep as she crawled toward Cass. “She’s coming, Kal. Back out.”

  Once they were in the open area of the burrow, Cass held the Energy but released her orb and latched onto Pim, whose height matched her own. The girl was much thinner, though, undernourished. Fear made even weak people strong, but she wasn’t prepared for Pim’s quick legs and grunted when she caught a boot in the shin. She managed to keep hold of the little spit.

  “No!” Pim cried. “Don’t want the sight to kill me. Let me go!”