Authors: Lisanne Norman
At a slower pace, he followed the wall round to his right, coming at length to a small iron gate. Bunching his leg muscles, he sprang forward, clearing it with a foot or more to spare and landing in the paved area outside, sides heaving as he began to gasp for breath.
He smelled incense and someone coming. The scent was familiar, yet it had to be an enemy. His vision narrowed even further, the scene in front of him becoming tinged with red. Concentrating on the robed figure, with a snarl he attempted to stand upright. As he did, the world tipped crazily about him and he felt the gestalt flare into being.
Carrie was too far away to touch, yet he felt her presence as acutely as if he had been touching her; he could feel her stirring in her drugged sleep. The energy, unable to reach her, began to build in him, swirling round and round like a cyclone. Unable to escape his shield it exploded, sending him reeling to his knees with the backlash. He fell forward, his forearms barely managing to take the impact as he became hypersensitively aware of every atom of his body. The pain in his knees and arms and the chill air of the night in his lungs, were all equally unbearable. Through their Link he felt her cry out in her sleep.
"I wondered when you'd come. It's been too long since we last saw each other, Kusac."
The quiet voice and the featherlight touch of a mind he knew well gave him something other than himself to focus on; its familiarity reassured him. Gradually the sensitivity eased and breathing became less painful.
"Ghyan," he said, lifting his head and forcing his vision to clear. His friend stood patiently waiting for him to recover. Kusac knew that he had sensed nothing.
"I felt your anger from the Temple and knew that the God would guide your steps here," said Ghyan.
Kusac growled softly as he pushed himself up off the damp stones to sit on his haunches. "Don't talk to me of Gods, Ghyan, I've no faith in them. They twist your life out of shape by giving with one hand and destroying with the other."
"Has the God destroyed something of yours, Kusac?" his friend asked. "I rather thought He had given you a wondrous gift."
Again he growled warningly. "Ghyan, I came to you for help, not a sermon."
"Then you're doubly welcome. Come in and tell me what's angered you so badly." He leaned forward and held out his hand.
Kusac hesitated, then took it, letting his friend help him to his feet. Together they walked down the path to the temple.
"I heard you'd disappeared," Ghyan said. "I wasn't surprised. It didn't take much Talent to know how trapped you felt by the life that your father had mapped out for you."
They'd come to a side door and Ghyan pushed it open for him. "It doesn't lead into the main temple," said Ghyan, forestalling him. "This leads to my own quarters."
Still keeping a tight rein on his emotions, Kusac followed him down the narrow corridor till his friend stopped to open the door to his room. As they entered, Kusac looked around and stopped dead.
"This isn't an acolyte's room," he said accusingly, indicating the expensive but simple furniture.
"No, it isn't," agreed Ghyan with a smile. "I'm no longer an acolyte. You wouldn't be aware of our hierarchy unless you were attending the Temple regularly. There is only one resident priest, and he must be a telepath."
"You, a priest? When you left the guild to come here, you intended only to serve a year or two as an acolyte. What happened?"
Ghyan shrugged, and indicated that they should move over to the chairs. "I found this was where I belonged," he said simply, sitting in one of the two easy chairs. He watched Kusac prowl restlessly round the room then stop beside the window, leaning on the sill.
"You won't see much in the dark," Ghyan said. "Why don't you tell me how I can help you?"
"Rala Vailkoi," Kusac said succinctly, continuing to look out into the night.
"Ah. Your forthcoming marriage."
"I won't have her, Ghyan. I can't stand the female! She's a spoiled, manipulative brat!" he said angrily, his tail beginning to lash from side to side.
"I wouldn't disagree with you, but you've known this for a long time now. You never seemed concerned about her before."
"I was younger then. There was plenty of time to worry about marriage later."
"Now time has run out," said Ghyan quietly.
"Yes." Kusac turned and began pacing round the small room again. The fire had gone out of his anger, leaving only a feeling of desolation. "I can't marry her, Ghyan." He returned to the window, keeping his back to his friend as he stared out into the night again. "I've met someone else," he said quietly.
"Your Leska." It was a statement.
"Yes," said Kusac. "There must be some way to dissolve the contract."
"Only if your father and Vailkoi agree it should be dissolved, and I don't think they will. Having a Leska that you'd rather was your mate doesn't constitute a good reason, I'm afraid."
Kusac turned round to look at him. "I won't life-bond with Rala, Ghyan."
"You can't bond to your Terran, Kusac. The Council of Clans wouldn't condone it."
"Then I'll not bond at all, no matter what the council says," he said angrily.
"Would it be so bad? It's only a dynastic bonding, you wouldn't have to live with her."
"I can't stand her near me, let alone touching me," he said.
"It would only be occasionally. You have a duty to provide your Clan with heirs."
"Dammit, Ghyan, I know all about my duty!" he said angrily, pushing himself away from the window. "You don't know what I feel for Carrie-what she means to me! I'll have her or no one!"
Ghyan looked him steadily in the eye. "I do know, Kusac. I can feel it, despite your shield," he said with sympathy. "But have you really thought this through? Where would you go? If you flout the law, then your mother will have no choice but to expel you from your clan. The guild couldn't support you. It can't afford to get involved in political or civil matters."
"I've thought it through every way I could imagine," he said, taking a kick at the small waste bin standing by Ghyan's chair. It bounced noisily across the room, shedding its contents before rolling to a stop. "I've got to find a way out of this contract."
Turning, he perched on the arm of the chair opposite his friend. "You don't understand, Ghyan. Our link is far stronger than normal Leska Links, we're more dependent on each other, and I'm all that Carrie has on Shola. If I marry Rala, it could wreck the love we share."
"Surely she understands," said Ghyan.
"I haven't told her yet," he admitted, his ears flicking backward and remaining there. "We've both had to work hard for the relationship we have. I won't risk ruining that. Like I said, the Gods screw your life up for their own amusement. First they give us each other, then they make it impossible for us to be together as mates."
"It has always been impossible, Kusac," Ghyan reminded him softly. "At least Vartra has given you Carrie and your love for each other, perhaps to compensate for the marriage you must make."
At the mention of Vartra, the dream of the night before came forcefully to Kusac's mind and he looked down at the floor.
Ghyan rose, moving past him to where a container of c'shar sat on a heated unit. "Would you like a drink?" he asked, taking a couple of mugs from the shelf behind.
"Please."
"Why don't you tell me about your vision?" he said, pouring the c'shar into the mugs.
Kusac looked up, tail and ears flicking. "Is my shield that bad?"
"It is now," said Ghyan, returning with the mugs. He handed one to Kusac then resumed his seat. "I sensed nothing when you arrived, but you've relaxed a little since then. Now, tell me about your vision."
"It wasn't a vision," said Kusac defensively, "and Carrie saw more than me."
"Then tell me what your Leska saw."
"She saw a temple very like this, with the statue of Vartra," said Kusac reluctantly. "He spoke to her, asking if she was content and telling her that too many lives had been lost because of our Talents." Even as he spoke, he could sense his friend's surprise.
"A vision of this type is often seen by new Leska pairs when they stay at the Valsgarth Guild, but usually the God only asks if they are content," said Ghyan thoughtfully, taking a drink from his mug. "This mention of lives lost is new."
"I only heard Him ask if I was content," said Kusac. "What does it mean, Ghyan?"
"We don't know, I'm afraid. It doesn't happen to every pair, only a few, and only when they are living at the guild. I'm intrigued that He should appear to someone from another species, even though she is your Leska."
"There's a lot of crossover of abilities between us, so much so that it worries me."
"Worries you? How?"
Kusac got to his feet again, turning away from his friend, unsure how much to tell him. He'd already said more to Ghyan than perhaps he should, but he needed someone to talk to. Walking over to the window, he twitched the curtains aside while he considered what to do. Making up his mind, he returned to the chair. "When the Link formed, we exchanged the experiences of our lives up to that point in time. We're linked so closely that I know what she's doing and thinking all the time, as she does with me. Ghyan, I'm finding my outlook is changing. I question everything, especially the things I took for granted before I met her. Nothing is sacrosanct any more, everything has to be proved to me." He hesitated before voicing his deepest fear. "I'm afraid I'm becoming less Sholan and more like her."
Ghyan was silent for a moment. "I've known you a long time, Kusac. I know the feel of your mind. Yes, you've changed. As you say, your mind is so closely meshed with Carrie's that change was inevitable. But you've always questioned everything, you're no different in that respect. Remember, if you feel influenced by Carrie's human mind, she is equally influenced by your Sholan one."
"I'm not so sure," Kusac said. "It was easier before. I knew that my decisions were made from the foundations of training based on my experience and were not against the interest of our Clan. Now my decisions are based on her experiences and knowledge, too. How can I be sure they're right any more?"
"Was your decision to join the Forces taken for the benefit of the Clan?" asked Ghyan with a smile.
Kusac's ears flicked and he glanced away. Remembering his c'shar, he hid himself behind his mug as he took a drink.
"As I said, the essential you hasn't changed that much," said Ghyan. "The God has given you each other. More than that, He has acknowledged both you and your Leska. There must be a reason for it, and in time we will know. Meanwhile, you have each other, be content."
"What about this marriage? I've got to stop it happening, Ghyan. You were studying law before you came here, can't you see if there's a way we can have the contract set aside?"
"I can check for you," Ghyan admitted, "but I honestly think it's most unlikely. Think carefully before making a decision. If you marry Rala, you'd still be free to live with Carrie. Do anything else and you'll both be outcasts with nowhere to go, nowhere to live. Our civil laws concerning the ruling families of Clans are very strict. You know that."
"There's got to be something I can do," Kusac said, putting down his mug and getting restlessly to his feet again.
"Have you thought of meditating and asking Vartra what you should do?" asked Ghyan, turning round in his seat to follow him with his eyes. "If, as you feel, He has caused the problem, then surely He can provide the solution."
"I've no faith in any Gods at the moment, Ghyan, only in people, and then only a very few." He stopped by the door, hand on the lever. "I've got to go. She'll waken soon."
"I'll check the archives for you, but don't get your hopes up," he said warningly. "I doubt that there are any loopholes that would fit your circumstances."
"I know you'll do what you can," Kusac said, opening the door. "Thank you for listening to me. I'll be in touch again soon."
* * *
When Ghyan knew Kusac was well on his way back to the guild, he activated his comm. The human female's vision had him concerned. She had seen so much more than any of their people ever had. If she was to be believed. But then why should she lie, or Kusac for that matter, since he had experienced at least her memory of the vision. No, it had to be true.
"Ghyan, it's somewhat late to be hearing from you. I trust there's nothing wrong?"
"Father Lijou, my apologies for disturbing you, but you have told me to contact you concerning the God visions experienced by our new Leskas here at Valsgarth."
"The Aldatan cub," said Lijou succinctly.
"Not exactly," said Ghyan. "It was the human female, not Kusac, who experienced the main vision."
Lijou frowned, his brows drawing together thoughtfully. "The Keissian? What did she see?"
"It was different from the usual vision, Father. Kusac came to see me tonight, and he told me that the God said too many lives had been lost. Why should Vartra say that?"
"Offhand, I've no idea, Ghyan. Are you sure he was reporting the vision accurately?"
"Do you doubt my judgment?"
"Not when I have your assurance to the contrary. We haven't been cataloguing the God visions for long, Ghyan. It takes time to build up an image of what really happened in the years following the Cataclysm. All we know for sure is that we've found no records in existence before then, and the legends tell us that Vartra was responsible for uniting those Sholans who survived the planetwide disaster that almost wiped us out. Though it doesn't take long for a charismatic male like that to pass from legend into divinity, we're still no nearer knowing why there are visions and why they only happen at Valsgarth!"
Ghyan sighed. "I know we have to move slowly, Father, but there are times when I despair of us ever finding the answers. It saps the spirit when you hear another ruin has been 'blessed' to prevent unholy items from corrupting our souls. We've lost so much of our past it's a wonder any still remains!"
"Every loss is a tragedy," Lijou agreed, "but the ancient cities were numerous and large. Each time Esken orders a 'blessing' only a small portion of the whole is lost."
"That small portion could contain unrepeatable treasures which would tell us what caused the cataclysm in the first place!"
"Don't get things out of proportion, Ghyan," warned Lijou. "Our past isn't the end result in itself. It's merely a tool to enable us to break the stranglehold people like Esken have on our future. With the discovery of the Terrans, it's even more important that we have the freedom to evolve as a species. If we don't, then these humans with their multiple Talents could end up dominating the Alliance, and they're too young a species for a position of such importance. Dzahai Stronghold is the last hope for us. The Gods help us if Esken realizes the true nature of the Brotherhood before we're ready to reveal it! Your friend Kusac Aldatan and his human Leska may be the key to us attaining full guild status. Once we have that, if there are more like them, then we can Challenge the Telepath Guild with a hope of winning."
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Remain apparently neutral for now. We have agents in the field watching them, passing us information regarding their Link, keeping them safe. We're doing what we're best at, watching and waiting."
"Just remember Kusac is my friend," said Ghyan, an ear flicking in concern. "I won't sit back and see them come to harm."
"No harm is intended toward them, quite the opposite in fact," said Lijou. "Thank you for your report. If you can find out any more from either of them without arousing their suspicions, then let me know."
"Yes, Father," said Ghyan.