Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (59 page)

“
What about you, sir?
”

“
I
’
m going to circle the camp again. As soon as I
’
m sure they
’
re not moving any farther tonight, I
’
ll head back. Tell the corporal to set sentries, but no watch fires. We don
’
t want to risk them noticing us.
”

With a nod, Janakol set off through the tall grass. As soon as she was gone, Dael crept back up the hill, then veered south.

By the time full dark had fallen, Dael was sure that only one other person, not an entire Sitrinian guard troop, lurked with him on the outskirts of the Abstainer camp. Dael approached the watcher as directly as he dared. The gods knew he didn
’
t want to frighten him off, but he didn
’
t have all night to waste, either.

Keyn
’
s waning disk rose over the grassland. The light was not bright enough to reveal Dael, and a breeze sighed through the grass, so the man could not have heard him coming. Even so, he lifted his head at Dael
’
s soundless approach, and stared so directly at him that Dael gave up and rose from the concealing grass.

“
You
’
re Dael, aren
’
t you?
”
The man
’
s silver-blond hair was pulled back from a high forehead, secured by a headband and a single, intricate braid at the nape of his neck. His embroidered black robe hid everything else about him.
“
Do you know who I am?
”

“
Only a wizard comes weaponless to face Abstainers. You
’
re Aage.
”

The wizard continued to stare at him.
“
What do you want?
”

“
I
’
m guessing I want the same thing you do. Prince Chasa out of Rhenlan.
”

“
You can
’
t be Captain Dael. Not talking like that.
”

Dael moved. The next instant he had Aage on the ground, a knife at his throat.
“
Do you still doubt I
’
m Dael?
”

“
No.
”
If there was a flicker of emotion in the wizard
’
s ice-blue eyes, it was annoyance, not fear. Dael stepped back, and Aage got to his feet.
“
Forgive me if I suspect your motives. Your masters are no friends to Sitrine. Why would you betray them by helping me?
”

“
I have my reasons.
”

“
I
’
d like to hear them.
”

Dael put away the knife and planted his fists on his hips.
“
Look, let
’
s start over. There
’
s a band of Abstainers on the other side of that hill. They
’
re holding your prince captive. You
’
re here to rescue him, but you need help.
”

“
What makes you say that?
”

“
If you don
’
t need help, then what are you waiting for?
”
He studied the wizard
’
s sharp, disapproving features.
“
Or does Sitrine
’
s prince have a reason to be on Rhenlan
’
s side of the border?
”

“
Youthful indiscretion.
”

If the situation wasn
’
t so serious, Dael would almost have thought that the man was making a joke. Dreamers!
“
Do you need my help, or not?
”

“
What do you know about Dreamer magic?
”

“
Only what my Redmother taught me. The power bends within you, and can be bent against anything that has magic of its own.
”
Dael paused.
“
But that can
’
t be right. You knew I was here, and I have no magic in me.
”

The wizard managed to look haughtily down his straight nose at Dael, despite their being the same height.
“
The web of power permeates the whole world. I can send my senses through it. I knew you were there, just as I know how many people are in your troop of guards, and know that Chasa is beginning to curse the impulse that brought him here.
”

“
You know so much. Can
’
t you just go into the Abstainer camp and put everyone to sleep? Or make the prince invisible so that he can walk out?
”

“
The power doesn
’
t bend that way. If it did, we wouldn
’
t be standing here, would we?
”

An idea teased at the edge of Dael
’
s mind.
“
You
r
magic
’
s no good against people, even Abstainers.
”

“
As much as they deny it, they are still Children of the Rock.
”

“
I don
’
t have enough guards to fight them. Not without help.
”
What help was a wizard? The only thing Dael knew about Aage was that he defended villages against wind demons, and he could travel in an instant, via magic, from one place to another.
“
You move things. All Dreamers do. Yourselves, and your clothes. Jenil moves her healing supplies.
”

“
Inanimate things, yes. If I can move it with my body, I can move it with magic. Living things, only if they are imbued with power.
”

Dael
’
s inspiration wavered.
“
You can
’
t bend the power and move every sword, bow, and knife out of the Abstainer camp?
”

“
Not unless I go there and physically take them out of the hands of their owners.
”

“
Could you?
”

“
With the element of surprise on my side? I might disarm four or five people, on opposite sides of the camp, before the alarm was raised.
”

“
Not enough. I can
’
t attack without a bigger diversion than that.
”
Diversion. Distraction. It all came down to tactics.
“
You can
’
t fight twenty Abstainers single-handed. But you fight wind demons, and beat them. Control them.
”

“
To an extent,
”
Aage agreed.
“
I don
’
t see how that helps. There
’
s no wind demon here.
”

“
It helps if it works both ways.
”
Dael controlled his impatience. Dreamers weren
’
t supposed to think like guards. Dreamers weren
’
t supposed to think at all, if this one was any example of the breed.
“
If you can summon monsters as well as banish them.
”

“
You
’
re mad,
”
Aage said.

Dael did not refute the statement. It had a certain element of truth in it, especially tonight.
“
Give me a diversion. Give me a monster. Arrange a disturbance. Your prince can make his escape, and I
’
ll be too busy to take him prisoner to Edian.
”

“
You call a monster a disturbance?
”

“
Nothing a trained Shaper can
’
t handle, right? Just give me time to get my guards into position.
”

He left Aage standing in the Keyn-dappled shadows of the gully, and ran to alert the patrol.

The phantom cats appeared side by side within the gazelle herd as the sun touched the horizon. Terrified animals stampeded in all directions. Sene remained astride his horse until he saw Ivey begin his desperate run back toward the ambush site. Then he dismounted, drew his sword, and slipped into the space he
’
d already cleared in the bushes near the base of the slope.

Ivey
’
s horse pounded closer. Sene flexed his sword arm only once. The weapon was a part of him. They were long past needing any formal reacquaintance before a fight. An odd, greenish glow that had nothing to do with the fading sunlight brightened the edges of the blade.

Sene
’
s horse raised its head, nostrils flaring. Two gazelles, panic-stricken, bounded down the slope toward them. The horse bolted. Ivey flew over the crest of the hill, one hand twined in his horse
’
s mane, knees clamped vise-like around the animal
’
s body as he forced it toward Sene
’
s hiding place.

The phantom cats were only a few leaps behind Ivey
’
s horse. They sensed the power in the sword. The one nearest leapt sideways, and barely evaded Sene
’
s gutting thrust. But Sene anticipated that sensitivity and followed through with another stroke. The monster spat and howled, its wound spurting iridescent blood. Sene gave a furious yell and flourished the sword. Both beasts hissed. One backed off a few feet while the leading cat faced the sword. The trick to fighting a phantom cat was holding its attention. If allowed to disengage, it could vanish and the hunt would have to begin again.

The cat facing Sene crouched, snarled, and sprang. Sene, anticipating the creature yet again, timed his move and drove the sword deep behind its skull. Momentum carried the heavy body past him. Sene pivoted and kept his grip on his sword as the dead cat crashed to the ground. The second cat sprang forward, great body arching through the air. Sene braced himself, brought the sword up in a shining arc.

The phantom cat screamed, and disappeared.

The sound lingered for a moment on the evening air, an echo blended with a faint film of smoke. Sene slashed down at the sweet vapor, furious that one of the monsters had gotten away. He sniffed, then scratched his bald spot. Odd. Phantom cats didn
’
t normally smell of cinnamon.

* * *

Chasa slumped against the rough stone of the wall.
“
Where,
”
he muttered to the darkness,
“
is Aage? You think he
’
d at least pop in to say,
‘
I told you so.
’
I would, if I was a Dreamer. That
’
s about all Dreamers are good for. Popping in and out and giving advice which no one ever listens to.
”

All right. He should have listened. Aage had warned him that he was going to get in trouble. Still, Chasa hadn
’
t expected to run into Soen, of all people! Aage might appear again. The wizard had dogged him often enough these past few days, when Chasa didn
’
t want to see him. Maybe that was it. If Chasa convinced myself he didn
’
t want to see Aage, he would show up.

I don
’
t want to see him. I don
’
t need a wizard.
Aage couldn
’
t get him out of this, anyway. Wizards were useless in practical situations.

A piercing shriek shocked the night into momentary silence. Chasa threw himself to his barricade, sword in hand. Below him, the Abstainer camp erupted into chaos as a wedge of horsemen galloped into its midst. The leader, a tall man with wide shoulders, wore Rhenlan
’
s sapphire and sky blue.

Aage popped into existence at the foot of Chasa
’
s
building, the puff of smoke gold
-tinted by Keynlight.
“
Don
’
t stand there like an idiot! Hurry!
”

Chasa pointed after the horsemen.
“
Who was that?
”