has been prepared for you.’ She led the way towards the
broad flight of steps rising to the main doors which stood wide
open. ‘Perhaps you can tell us how you travelled here – and from
whence you came. I had to admit to Anfled that the Dark Realm is
unknown here.’
‘Hag.’ Seola snorted.
‘I should warn you Lady Emla, Hag is not entirely trustworthy. She
has been known to rephrase information and be economical with the
truth. We believe she is more mischievous than wicked.
Oh.’
Seola stopped and gazed
round Emla’s hall. She had seen far bigger chambers in the Karmazen
Palace, bigger even in Kelshan’s Citadel, but Emla’s hall, large
though it was, had a comfortable air to it. Couches, armchairs,
with small tables within reach, vibrant tapestries flowing down the
walls and many tall narrow windows set high above head height. The
floor was mostly bare wood of a pale brown but a few brilliant
woven rugs were scattered around a great hearth. A long table was
set to the side of a staircase, laden with many kinds of food and
dishes and plates were stacked ready for use.
‘Please help yourselves
to food and make yourselves comfortable.’ Emla motioned to two
maids who stood behind the table. ‘There is tea, ale, wine or
water,’ she added.
Nenat took only a bowl
of tea before choosing an armchair for herself. Emla sat
opposite.
‘From Seola’s words,
you are not from the Dark Realm?’
Nenat rubbed her
forehead where the headache lingered. ‘I am from a land distant
from the Realm,’ she agreed. ‘I was born with certain powers though
and have spent my life travelling through many lands, offering my
healing to any who ask it of me.’
‘A healer! Shan, find
Nesh and ask if he could join us please.’ Emla turned back to
Nenat. ‘Nesh is a Discipline Senior, the head of our school of
medicine in the Asataria in Gaharn.’
Seola and Cyrek had
loaded their plates and now sat together on a long couch near Emla.
Jemin was still standing by the table, in conversation with Captain
Soran. Emla noticed Soran seemed more animated than for days, and
she hoped the young man from the Dark Realm would keep talking to
him. She glanced at Seola.
‘There are many others
here who I hope you will meet. We have been working in shifts to
keep the Pavilion warded. We’ve tried to keep Farn asleep, but his
mind has broken too far.’
Cyrek was distracted
momentarily by the sight of the golden Dragon, Kija, pacing through
the main doors. She moved delicately for her bulk, to recline
against a wall close behind Lady Emla’s chair, her gaze fixed on
Cyrek. Two men came down the stairs behind the girl Shan and strode
across to Emla.
‘Ah, this is Nesh, our
strongest healer.’
The tall thin man bowed
slightly, studying Seola and Cyrek with the briefest of glances. He
turned and smiled at Nenat, bending over her chair.
‘You are the one with
the bad headache.’ He laid his hand lightly across her eyes and she
sighed with relief.
‘I have never
understood why we cannot banish even minor ailments from ourselves
Master Nesh.’
He laughed, drawing a
low stool close to her chair. ‘I’ve never worked that out either,
and I am Nesh – not Master to anyone.’
Emla smiled at the
other man still standing before her. ‘And this is Navan. He was
with Ren and Jakri when the disaster occurred.’
Before she could say
more, a crimson head and neck poked in the door. ‘Brin, come and
meet our guests.’
The Dragon advanced
cautiously, he’d had one or two mishaps with furniture on previous
occasions, and reclined along the wall opposite Kija.
‘If you are able to
help poor Farn, take whatever you wish to know from my mind.’
Brin’s voice was clear in the heads of all present but his gaze was
on Seola and Cyrek.
Cyrek nodded and closed
his eyes. Images tumbled through his mind. A bleak hilltop, a
silver blue Dragon, frighteningly young. A girl and a man astride
the Dragon’s back. Spears of ice hurtling from
broad flight of steps rising to the main doors which stood wide
open. ‘Perhaps you can tell us how you travelled here – and from
whence you came. I had to admit to Anfled that the Dark Realm is
unknown here.’
‘Hag.’ Seola snorted.
‘I should warn you Lady Emla, Hag is not entirely trustworthy. She
has been known to rephrase information and be economical with the
truth. We believe she is more mischievous than wicked.
Oh.’
Seola stopped and gazed
round Emla’s hall. She had seen far bigger chambers in the Karmazen
Palace, bigger even in Kelshan’s Citadel, but Emla’s hall, large
though it was, had a comfortable air to it. Couches, armchairs,
with small tables within reach, vibrant tapestries flowing down the
walls and many tall narrow windows set high above head height. The
floor was mostly bare wood of a pale brown but a few brilliant
woven rugs were scattered around a great hearth. A long table was
set to the side of a staircase, laden with many kinds of food and
dishes and plates were stacked ready for use.
‘Please help yourselves
to food and make yourselves comfortable.’ Emla motioned to two
maids who stood behind the table. ‘There is tea, ale, wine or
water,’ she added.
Nenat took only a bowl
of tea before choosing an armchair for herself. Emla sat
opposite.
‘From Seola’s words,
you are not from the Dark Realm?’
Nenat rubbed her
forehead where the headache lingered. ‘I am from a land distant
from the Realm,’ she agreed. ‘I was born with certain powers though
and have spent my life travelling through many lands, offering my
healing to any who ask it of me.’
‘A healer! Shan, find
Nesh and ask if he could join us please.’ Emla turned back to
Nenat. ‘Nesh is a Discipline Senior, the head of our school of
medicine in the Asataria in Gaharn.’
Seola and Cyrek had
loaded their plates and now sat together on a long couch near Emla.
Jemin was still standing by the table, in conversation with Captain
Soran. Emla noticed Soran seemed more animated than for days, and
she hoped the young man from the Dark Realm would keep talking to
him. She glanced at Seola.
‘There are many others
here who I hope you will meet. We have been working in shifts to
keep the Pavilion warded. We’ve tried to keep Farn asleep, but his
mind has broken too far.’
Cyrek was distracted
momentarily by the sight of the golden Dragon, Kija, pacing through
the main doors. She moved delicately for her bulk, to recline
against a wall close behind Lady Emla’s chair, her gaze fixed on
Cyrek. Two men came down the stairs behind the girl Shan and strode
across to Emla.
‘Ah, this is Nesh, our
strongest healer.’
The tall thin man bowed
slightly, studying Seola and Cyrek with the briefest of glances. He
turned and smiled at Nenat, bending over her chair.
‘You are the one with
the bad headache.’ He laid his hand lightly across her eyes and she
sighed with relief.
‘I have never
understood why we cannot banish even minor ailments from ourselves
Master Nesh.’
He laughed, drawing a
low stool close to her chair. ‘I’ve never worked that out either,
and I am Nesh – not Master to anyone.’
Emla smiled at the
other man still standing before her. ‘And this is Navan. He was
with Ren and Jakri when the disaster occurred.’
Before she could say
more, a crimson head and neck poked in the door. ‘Brin, come and
meet our guests.’
The Dragon advanced
cautiously, he’d had one or two mishaps with furniture on previous
occasions, and reclined along the wall opposite Kija.
‘If you are able to
help poor Farn, take whatever you wish to know from my mind.’
Brin’s voice was clear in the heads of all present but his gaze was
on Seola and Cyrek.
Cyrek nodded and closed
his eyes. Images tumbled through his mind. A bleak hilltop, a
silver blue Dragon, frighteningly young. A girl and a man astride
the Dragon’s back. Spears of ice hurtling from
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