Traveller's Refuge by Anny Cook

pierced and decorated with multiple gold rings. After a minute, he realized that he was opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish but no sound was coming out. He tried again but it came out as a hoarse croak. “Baron.”
    Merlyn came and squatted down next to him, with his arm across his shoulder. “Bish, I’m glad to see you.” He gestured for the others to come closer. “This is part of my family. Llyon. Tyger.” Two tall young men with blinding red hair arranged in tight twists on top of their heads. “Wrenna.” A tiny young woman with locks the color of glorious sunrise streaming down her back. “And two men from our village, Jonas and Mali. And you remember Jade, don’t you?” Yes, he remembered Jade but she looked quite different with her glowing auburn hair bound up in some kind of braided coronet arrangement sprinkled with tiny jewels. He had never seen her when her hair was this neat. And they were all blue…
    After scrutinizing the strange group, Bish turned to face his brother, “Baron, why have you never let us know that you were okay?”
    Merlyn stood and helped his brother to his feet. “That’s a long story, Bish, and we’ll have plenty of time to tell it later. Why don’t we get this man settled and then we can talk.” He looked down at Trav with faint smile. “Well, he certainly looks like Dancer.”
    Bishop was finding the entire encounter stranger by the second. “How do you know Dancer?”
    Llyon and Dai worked with quiet haste to stabilize Traveller while Wrenna knelt near his head. Suddenly, she slumped over with her head resting on his shoulder. Tyger jumped to pull her away but Dai shook his head. “Leave her, Ty. They’re in rapport and it’s better if they’re touching.”
    More confused than ever, Bishop turned to his brother and demanded, “What’s going on? What is she doing?”
    Merlyn took his arm, turning him away from the group working on Trav. “Wrenna is his mate. She’s helping them stabilize him by linking with him mind to mind. You needn’t worry about him. We certainly wouldn’t want to have to face Dancer if something happened to Traveller!”
    “You didn’t answer me before. How do you know Dancer?”
    A small smile crept across his face as Merlyn replied proudly, “He’s my bond-son.” Observing the panicked look on Bish’s face, he suggested kindly, “Look! You’re very tired and your friend needs immediate attention. Come with us and I assure you that we will explain everything as soon as possible.”
    Wrenna, with the help of Tyger, got to her feet and joined her father and Bishop. Taking him by the hand, she suggested, “Why don’t you come with Mama and me, Uncle Bishop? Traveller is your friend?”
    “Uh, yeah. He’s Dancer’s brother.” Unsure of how it had happened, he found himself treading along the narrow path behind the waterfall, toward a beautiful jewellike clearing surrounded by a lushly blooming valley. Wrenna led the way with Jade sandwiched securely between her and Bishop. He turned to go back but Jade’s firm grip on his other arm prevented him from leaving. In the early morning light of the clearing, he stopped and really looked at her. Really saw the obvious. “My God, you’re blind! What happened?”
    Jade lightly squeezed his arm and smiled. “A fall, long ago, Bishop. I’m fine now but as you see, I do need help. Will you lend me your arm until we get back home? Merlyn will be busy taking care of your friend.”
    “Who are these people, Jade? Did you know you all have blue skin?”
    “I’m blind, Bishop—not deaf. Of course I know we’re blue. It’s part of the adaptation to the valley,” Jade replied calmly. “Why don’t we start back toward the village?”
    “What about Traveller?” he demanded stubbornly.
    “Traveller will be fine. They will bring him to our house so you’ll see him then.” She tilted her head and queried, “Wrenna? Will you go see if Dancer and Eppie can come later? I know