Deadly Fate [Book 1 of the Teadai Prophecies] Read online

  Murmurs of acknowledgement. Taniras remembered all too well. How the Energy exhilarated her to the point where she thought she might fly. Until some Gypsy encased her body in the blue light, causing an instant of pain, enough to make her release the Energy.

  One of Xiath’s large hands flicked a blue spark into the air. “Pain is the only way to pull a Gypsy back, once enthralled in the Energy.”

  A woman, who looked about Taniras’s age, walked briskly up to him. “My apologies, Xiath. I was helping Predula with a new youngling.” She was very tall and thin and wore a color-swirled dress that fell to her ankles. A scroll was tucked into her belt, and she wore no brooch. Her red hair hung to her waist in numerous braids, with silver bangles tied to the ones closest to her face. She glanced down at Taniras, yet her eyes were not intrusive.

  “Apology accepted,” Xiath said.

  “New youngling?”

  Xiath nodded. “Yes. Gypsy-child Taniras, this is New-oathed Gypsy Adsagwen Becumarhod.”

  Taniras must have looked as befuddled as she felt. The others at least had names she could pronounce. Actually, she was talented with names and memorization, but this one sounded so different than anything she’d heard before.

  The new-oathed Gypsy smiled at her. “You can call me Gwen. Everyone here does.”

  A relief. “Thank you, Gwen.”

  “Taniras is an animal urger,” Xiath said. “You assist her and Thad. I’ll make the rounds with the other younglings.” Gwen nodded and sat. “All right, class. After you’ve taken in the Energy, you’ll need to envision a yellow spark. That’s the warm kind, not the cool blue. Envision it jumping from your fingertips into the air. You want to spin the spark in the air until it’s mixed thoroughly and forms an orb. New younglings will find it difficult to keep the orb steady but don’t worry about that now. Begin.”

  “You go first, Taniras,” Gwen said. One front tooth sat crookedly against a sea of straight ones. “Hold your hand up.”

  Taniras held her right hand up and closed her eyes. She had no intention of taking in any Energy. Since Haranda wasn’t around, she could play the game and let them think she was obedient. She felt a tap on her shoulder.

  “Eyes open.” Gwen smiled, revealing that crooked tooth again. “You need to watch as you spark.”

  Taniras nodded and studied her fingers. Then she screwed her face in false concentration for several heartbeats and offered Gwen an apologetic look. “Guess I’m too new.” She let her hand flop to her knee.

  The new-oathed Gypsy narrowed green eyes on her. “Even the newest youngling can harness the Energy. Try again. And this time, pull it into your body the way your clan mother taught you. I’ll know if you don’t.”

  Who did this woman think she was? Except her new-oathed status put her above any youngling and Taniras was expected to obey. Haranda had insisted on teaching several rules before morning meal. Taniras’s jaw stiffened as she clenched her teeth to control rising anger.

  Gwen glanced at Xiath, who was occupied with another student, and leaned close. “Xiath is patient but he won’t put up with willful disobedience. And I wager you’ve felt a Gypsy’s wrath already.”

  Taniras fought the urge to curse. Obedience. “My apologies, Gwen.” That phrase, she had heard from other Gypsies and had used it to quell some of Haranda’s anger last night.

  Gwen looked pleased and leaned back. “Apology accepted. Now try again.”

  Taniras focused on the Energy the way Haranda had taught her, or rather forced her, and felt the earth vibrate. Then she gave a gentle pull. Energy flowed through her, making her aware of every person in her class as well as the others. They pressed on her senses with gentle heat, some steady, others flickering, though she could only differentiate the two in front of her. She even felt heats from the surrounding woods, most likely animals, for they were too small and cool for people. Strength filled her but Haranda had warned her not to take too much, even though she really wanted to. She held up her right hand again and thought of pushing a yellow spark from her fingertips, the way Xiath had demonstrated, but nothing happened. Again, she tried. Nothing.

  “Be patient, youngling.” Gwen’s hair bangles tinkled. “Sparking isn’t your strongest Energy.”

  Did this woman think she was daft? Taniras forced annoyance down when she glanced at Xiath. The imposing man smiled and her anger dissipated. She focused on the Energy and realized she’d held it inside this entire time. At least that was something. Perhaps she could learn to use the Energy to rescue her friends and escape from this wretched place. It had to be good for something besides the minor tricks she’d witnessed.

  “Don’t expect this to come to you all at once.” Gwen’s hand landed on Taniras’s shoulder. Her face screwed in thought. “Have you ever observed someone throwing a stone?”

  Curious question. “Yes.”

  “The whole body is involved, yes?”

  Taniras nodded and envisioned Camlys’s stance as she tossed rocks into the lake as a child.

  “The Energy works through the entire body, from the ground, into the feet, and then travels where a Gypsy can use it most. Sometimes, like with mind Energies, it can travel unnoticed. Sparking always produces a tingle, a vibration of where it’s located.”

  Everyone in the class went quiet as they listened to Gwen’s explanation. Several nodded and others listened intently. Xiath stood nearby with a silly grin on his face, like a proud father, as he observed the new-oathed woman at work.

  The pressure of Gwen’s hand left Taniras’s shoulder. “Try again. This time, quiet your mind and find the exact location of your sparking Energy. You’ll know it’s there when you feel your skin crawl.”

  Taniras focused on the Energy inside her body and her awareness of the other students. She forced her mind to quiet and used her healer training to still her thoughts. Healers had to distance themselves from emotions to treat some patients, especially small children and those who neared death. Nothing tingled at first, then a slight vibration, just like Gwen had described, tickled her ankles. No wonder she couldn’t create an orb. The bloody sparking Energy was nowhere near her hands. Part of her wanted to laugh at the realization. Instead, she tugged the Energy, or rather the tingling, up through her calves, thighs, and into her belly. It was warm and felt almost like the onset of a woman’s bleeding pain. But the sensation was brief as the Energy moved quicker now. Up to her chest, shoulders, and down her arm. As it reached her hand, her fingertips glowed with a slight blue hue.

  “Turn the blue sparks to yellow,” Gwen said. “Heat them up. Think of your hand as an oven.”

  Taniras concentrated. Her hand quivered slightly as her fingertips turned yellow and she pushed with her mind.

  “Now spin.”

  She mixed the Energy with the air around her, just as instructed, spinning the two as one. Several students gasped when two orbs, each of a different size, wavered just above her.

  “That’s it, youngling,” Xiath praised. “Now try to hold onto them. See if you can make the larger one the size of the smaller.”

  Taniras concentrated on the larger orb and tried to squeeze it down to match the other but all she got for her effort was a trembling body. The orbs winked out, causing an unpleasant sensation in her fingers and arm, and the Energy flooded back into the earth below. Despite her best efforts, the Energy wouldn’t re-enter her body. She grunted with frustration, rubbed her tingling skin and made yet another attempt.

  “Stop.” Xiath man crouched near her. “You need to give your body a rest. Not many can create two orbs on their first try unless sparking is their dominant Energy. You should be proud of your accomplishments.”

  Taniras was anything but proud. Her healer training had been intense and she learned quickly. This was another matter entirely. Why had the Goddess called her so late? Others here looked a bit younger. They would be far ahead in their Gypsy training by the time they were her age. But Thad looked far older than she. She fought the urge to smack h
erself in the head. Why was she worrying about such trivial things? She wasn’t staying here a sunrise more than she had to.

  “Youngling?”

  “What?”

  Xiath’s brow went up and his massive body stiffened.

  Suddenly, Taniras realized what she had said and felt the others watching her. Obedience. “My apologies, Father Xiath.” She squinted up at the towering man. “I was distracted.”

  He relaxed and nodded. “That’s to be expected. I accept your apology.”

  Thad took his turn. The man created two orbs and held them much longer than she had. Jealousy welled when she learned his dominate Energy was that of a body-healer. Why had the Goddess punished her so? Body-healing would have been the perfect Energy for her, something she could utilize. Instead, she had useless animal urging Energy.

  Perhaps there had been a mistake. Men didn’t make good healers, at least, not where Taniras was from. Women had those duties. They attended the sick and injured and assisted in birthings. Men preferred to kill, rather than heal. The reason most of the hunters and warriors from her village were men. Camlys was an exception, though. The girl was a fair hunter and a good archer. Taniras watched Thad again. He seemed calm, gentle. Perhaps he was an exception too.

  Everyone continued to practice under Xiath and Gwen’s watchful eyes until three bells sounded to end class.

  “Don’t practice this on your own, younglings,” Xiath announced as everyone got to their feet. “Think about it all you like but don’t attempt to harness without supervision. Not yet.”

  That got a round of, “Yes, Father Xiath.”

  “Have your refreshments then meet back here for your next class.” He headed toward the other teachers and Gwen marched in the direction of several new-oathed women.

  Taniras’s eyes fell on the dome again but there was no sign of Haranda.

  “You hungry?” Thad said.

  “Yes.” She was surprised to realize her stomach wanted food, especially after everything that had gone on and the huge portions she had been forced to eat at morning meal.

  The two walked to the tables beneath several looming trees. A spread of water, tea, goat’s milk, rolls, cheese, dried fruits and nuts waited. Thad handed her a napkin and she thanked him. Once the others gathered, she noticed Thad’s eyes drifted to the truth-seeker in her clan, Cass. He would be a problem. If Cass could help Taniras and the others escape, Thad would surely notice them missing.

  “How was your first lesson?” Cass said in a low voice once she approached.

  “I could do better,” Taniras told the woman. Then she decided to try something else. “Cass, do you know Thad?” She placed some food on her napkin.

  Cass eyed the man with suspicion then nodded. “Hello.”

  He smiled. “Taniras did well for her first lesson. Who did you have?”

  “Elder-Mother Siri Nebarin.” Cass popped several nuts into her mouth and focused on Taniras. “That’s her over there.” One arm pointed to a group of Elders. “The one with the braids.”

  Taniras spotted the tall, imposing woman with numerous, graying brown braids that stretched to her waist. She wore gold bangles tied at the ends of those closest to her face, much the way Gwen did her silver adornments. Siri’s breeches were decorated with gold braiding around the bottom.

  “What does she teach?”

  “Anything she wants,” Thad said, and any within earshot chuckled.

  Taniras caught the look of pleasure on the man’s face when Cass chuckled at his joke. Yes, he would definitely be a problem. Perhaps she could coax him into leaving with them. No. Better to distract him once they decided to sneak into the Means. The three made small talk as they ate. Taniras looked for Haranda again but couldn’t find her. She hoped the inquiry went well.

  Three bells rang and everyone headed back to class. Now, a small, disheveled woman, who looked about Haranda’s age, sat on a stool and another had been added next to her. Her hair looked as though it had been pulled up in a rush and strands floated around her face. Her dress seemed an ill fit too. A small wooden table had been placed near the two stools.

  Taniras took a seat next to Thad again and waited. Gwen was nowhere that she could see. Instead, there was a serious-looking man, with a ruddy complexion.

  “All right, settle please,” the teacher said. “For those of you who are new to the Land of the Goddess, I’m Mother Predula Meday. My strongest Energy is body-healing.” Taniras felt a surge of jealousy. “For the next few sunrises, we’ll be discussing herbs and medicines.”

  Taniras’s heart lifted. She knew about herbs, lots of them. Maglys Nee’bon was the best healer in Maricar, and Taniras felt lucky to have trained under her scrupulous eye.

  Predula’s voice brought her mind back to class. “Every Gypsy must learn basic knowledge to heal rashes, fevers, mend broken bones or relieve pain. Some of you might have knowledge from your villages so if I use different names for the herbs, bear with me. You need to learn the Gypsy names.” She motioned to the stone-faced man. “This is Teacher Raith Ber. Since this is his first teaching assignment, I’ll be assisting him. He’s strongest in the vision Energy.”

  Raith was rather bulky and had red hair to match his ruddy complexion. He didn’t smile but he acknowledged Thad for some reason.

  Predula smiled at the man like a proud sister. “Raith’s root mother was a healer and he has extensive knowledge.”

  She motioned the man to the vacant stool and he place the bags on the table, took out several parchments and pouches from a bucket and laid them next to the bags before taking a seat. Then he said in a low voice, which carried quite well, “How many of you have no idea what the difference is between a stalk of celery and a sprig of Feverwort?”

  All the men, except Thad, raised a hand and chuckled.

  Predula smiled and gave an approving look to the ruddy-skinned teacher.

  “Those with hands up find a partner amongst yourselves.” Raith waited several heartbeats. “Settle. Now, how many of you know about Feverwort, but would faint if you had to clean a wound full of maggots?”

  Every woman besides Taniras had a hand up. A few looked as though they might faint right now.

  “Find a partner.” One woman was left out and Raith assigned her to two others.

  Taniras and Thad were the only one’s left.

  Raith turned to Predula. “Will you assist me in giving an herb bag and correct parchment to each group, please, Predula?” He never smiled and Taniras wondered whether his temper matched his complexion. Something she had no desire to find out.

  “Of course, Raith.” After the rest had their assignments, the small body-healer made her way to Taniras and Thad with one last bag and parchment.

  Taniras nearly covered herself as the short Gypsy focused intrusive eyes on her. Such power in those eyes.

  “The two of you will work with me for this exercise.”

  “Yes, Mother Predula,” she and Thad answered in perfect unison. That annoyed her and she fought to keep the sour look from her face, hoping the Gypsy didn’t notice a change in her demeanor.

  Obedience.

  Chapter 24

  Had Snowy not been beaten just last night, he would have suspected this well lit and comfortable dome was some sort of elaborate home, or even perhaps servants’ quarters in a palace. He hadn’t seen any other portion of the dome since he didn’t remember anything beyond the start of his healing last night. He didn’t even remember much about his trip over the hill last night. Perhaps he had lost consciousness. At least he had no pain now.

  He ate the morning meal, despite his reservations, and found the food quite tasty and filling. Since it didn’t kill him, the Vedi must not want him out of the way just yet. Or perhaps they were as honest as they claimed.

  After he finished, he pushed his plate back. He thought of visiting the privy again as an excuse to escape but the Gypsies always had someone escort him, so there was no chance of getting away. His door was barred from
the other side and no matter how hard he tried hadn’t been able to budge the thing. And he had tried until his arms were sore. He had to knock to get anyone to open it. And he had noticed large, opposing armed guards at the ends of the hallway on his last trip.

  He used the basin to rinse his hands and glanced around his room. This room had a single bed. A table with two chairs sat under a window looking down onto the gardens, where he watched servants tend vegetables and fruits, much the way his people did in Maricar. But from this vantage point, he could tell his room was on the second floor.

  The hearth fire had died out by morning and the marble floor was cool. He paced across the colorful tapestry rug in his bare feet and wondered just how he would get his friends out of this bloody place. He also wondered why his shoes had been taken. The Vedi nor their servants wore shoes. Snowy had been healing and was well fed, but it didn’t change the disturbing fact that he was a prisoner. He hadn’t been allowed to see the others, though Ved’mana had assured him they were well. Despite all that had happened, something about the crowned man elicited trust.

  The sudden knock startled him and he reached for his knife, only to remember they had taken that from him too. So, he stepped with his back pressed to the wall near the window, which he had tried to open and break without success.

  “Come,” he said.

  The door opened and the crowned couple entered. The woman who stepped in behind them was the same one he had seen with Taniras last night. Blazes, he hoped Taniras was well.

  “This is Gypsy Haranda Banwidden,” Ved’mana told him. “One of our clan mothers and teachers.” With Ved’mana’s black hair and eyes and dark skin he would fit right in at Maricar and was quite a contrast to his pale wife’s coloring. “She tells us one of her younglings, Gypsy-child Taniras, has been worried about you and the others here. Gypsy-child Birek’s clan father has also spoken to me with similar concerns.” They seemed determined to use titles and full names whenever they spoke to Snowy and the others. Probably some sort of intimidation but Snowy found it annoying as a swarm of flies on a hot summer’s day. “It seems your friends care about you very much. We already informed you they need to learn about the Energy so we’re not here to discuss either of the younglings leaving this place. You do understand that much?”