Songs of the Earth (43 page)

This morning, the fifth-floor apartment on the west side of Chapterhouse was silent.

Snow-crust crunched under Gair’s paws, sparkling like sugar in the low sun. The perfect day to be a wolf. In the creased and folded uplands of Penglas were deep drifts to bound through, and
shaggy-coated deer to chase. He had thought a run in the snow would help him think, but he might as well be chasing his tail. All he could think about was her.

Not for the first time he wished he had the knack of speaking with his mind. He’d searched for Aysha’s colours in the shimmering cloud that was Chapterhouse, trying to puzzle it through from first principles, but either she’d shielded herself or she was not there. He’d tried and failed to write a note. Climbing the stairs and knocking at her door would be simple, yet he’d shied from that idea like a yearling colt.

Maybe he should have chosen a different shape. The last time he had run as a wolf, he had been with Aysha. He could still taste her mouth, feel the pressure of her lips. If only he’d seen it coming. If he’d guessed what she was going to do he could have reacted, responded somehow. Instead he’d just lain there in the grass like a gaffed salmon and let her get away.

He leapt a frozen beck and ran on. But what would he have done, pushed her away? Kissed her back? Maybe seized her by the scruff and made her his, right there on the mountainside, in the way of the pack?

Goddess help him, what was he thinking? She was on the Council of Masters, in a position of authority over him. If their roles had been reversed and he’d been the one stealing kisses, she should have slapped his face and he would have considered it no less than he deserved. That was the way he’d been raised. From the moment he was old enough to understand that boys and girls were different he’d been taught to offer his arm, to bow, to be gentlemanly, and the Knights had put a good gloss polish on that. Aysha exploded through the Suvaeon chivalric code like a firework through a windowpane.

The warning tingle came too late. Powerful paws struck him hard between the shoulders and sent him rolling into a drift. He bounced back to his feet and shook himself, spraying snow crystals into the air. The other wolf pounced again, growling deep in her
chest. Teeth sought his throat. He staggered under her weight, then heaved her off to one side. Her paws scrabbled for purchase in the powdery snow, but the jaws buried in his ruff did not let go. Gair tried to wrench himself free, falling onto his side. The she-wolf kicked back with her hindquarters and sent them rolling down the slope. Biting, clawing, snow in their ears and stinging their nostrils, they fetched up hard against the roots of a fallen tree, with the full weight of the she-wolf driving her paws into Gair’s ribs.

Amber eyes glared down the long muzzle at him. Lips curled back from sharp white teeth as the growl increased in pitch and volume. Then she snapped. Hot breath washed his face before her jaws clicked closed a hair’s-breadth from the end of his nose.

You need to learn your place, youngling
.

Gair released the Song. His body stretched back into human form, but it did not help his situation overmuch. Though he was tall, the she-wolf was almost as long from muzzle to plumy tail, and she had all her weight behind her as she bore down on his ribcage. His throat stung where her teeth had grazed his skin.

‘Master Aysha.’

Where the hell have you been?

‘I gave my word to Master Barin that I’d attend all my tutorials. Today’s the first free day I’ve had since then.’ His breath steamed on the chilly air. Though he spoke softly, his voice still seemed loud enough to shatter the mountain morning.

The she-wolf glared a moment longer, then settled back on her haunches.
A man of honour. A rare beast, these days
.

Gair sat up. Snow had got down the back of his jerkin to make an uncomfortable damp patch in his shirt. He felt his neck and his fingers came away with the tiniest smear of scarlet. He would have to be careful shaving for the next day or two, or else start to cultivate a beard if he was to prevent people knowing he had come within a whisker of having his throat torn out.

The she-wolf licked her chops and lay down with her head on her paws.
Sorry about that
.

‘I’ll live.’

At least you’re still practising
. She lifted her head again, ears pricked.
There’re a few whitejack in the next valley. Hunt with me
?

‘Master Aysha, this conversation would be much easier if you taught me mindspeech.’

Call me Aysha. Out here, I am not your master. Hunt with me and I’ll teach you
.

‘Teach me and I’ll hunt with you.’

The she-wolf cocked her head to one side.
A bargain?

‘A bargain.’

Then it is done
. She stood and lifted her muzzle to scent the air, smoky breath wreathing her face. With a yip she bounded for the trees.
Catch me if you can!

Aysha pressed her hands to her temples and propped her elbows on her knees. ‘Goddess in glory,’ she groaned, ‘you don’t know your own strength.’

‘Sorry.’

‘You’re supposed to introduce yourself first, like knocking on a door, not come roaring in like a charging
lyrran
.’

‘I’m sorry!’

‘All right.’ She straightened up and made a beckoning gesture. ‘Come on, try again – but gently!’

They sat beneath a rocky overhang near the head of the valley, where the snow had not yet reached. A thick carpet of pine needles made a comfortable place to sit for the lesson. Gair took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Now, her colours. He found them straight away, a brilliant constellation in the vast, dark place in which the Masters had greeted him after his testing. Reaching out, he brushed against her pattern and waited for her to acknowledge him. It
was
rather like knocking on a door, though what he
knocked with was nothing so solid as knuckles, and the door was as intangible as a dream.

Aysha greeted him graciously, then invited him to step inside. She had created a hollow within the folded patterns of her colours, a lobby in her thoughts. Apart from the gently swirling hues, he saw nothing, but the sense of her presence was very strong.

Much better
, she said.

It’s easier than I thought
.

You would have worked it out for yourself eventually, I think
.

Gair wasn’t so sure; inviting another into the very heart of his gift, the way she had invited him, felt too much like baring his chest to a blade and trusting the hand that held it not to drive it home. It went against every instinct he had.

Exploring cautiously, he realised what he could perceive was only the tiniest fraction of her. There was more, he was sure of it. Though the five physical senses did not strictly apply in this place, wherever it was, something analogous to sight told him there were layers of colour behind this surface, intricately shaded with emotion and memory.

He reached out, and she slapped the back of his hand.

No peeking
.

Sorry
. He drew back.
Can you show me how to do that? Close parts of me off so no one can get in unless I invite them?

Like me, you mean
?

Gair started guiltily and she laughed.

Now it’s my turn to apologise. I know I pounce on you
.

I don’t mind. But sometimes you do shout a bit
.

Her colours swirled with amusement.

Gair was fascinated, seeing and feeling laughter instead of hearing it.

I’ll show you some other time. You’re not ready for it yet – you need a lot more practice
.

She drew back further and he guessed this was an invitation to leave. He departed as gracefully as he could manage.

‘I only know your colours, so far,’ he said when contact was broken. Not strictly true; he could recognise a few of the other Masters, but he doubted they would welcome him in for a chat. Except maybe Alderan.

‘Then you’ll just have to practise on me until you’re safe to be let loose on the population at large without giving us all a migraine.’

A chill wind gusted across Aysha’s balcony. Pellets of frozen snow rattled on the slate tiles and stung hands and faces as she and Gair completed the shape-shift back to human form.

Ducking against the squall, one arm raised to shield her face, Aysha limped to the doors. The instant she opened them, jade-green brocade curtains enveloped her like a conjuror’s cloak round a caged dove.

‘Wait—!’ Gair hurried after her.

Too late.

‘
Khajal!
’

Brocade ripped and the brass curtain rod clattered to the floor.

Gair pushed past the remaining curtain and found Aysha slumped next to her overturned desk chair, smothered in yards of fabric. He dropped to his knees beside her and lifted the heavy brocade off her head. ‘Saints, are you all right? Are you hurt?’

Murderous blue eyes glared at him. Her free arm shoved him away. ‘Of course I’m all right! Haven’t you ever seen a cripple fall over before? Give me some room, damn it.’

Bent curtain hooks pattered onto the rug as she tugged at the fabric wound round her body until she’d freed her arms. Ignoring his proffered hand, she snatched up her fallen canes and levered herself onto her knees, then tried to stand. Her left ankle buckled and with a cry of rage and pain, she sprawled back at Gair’s feet.

‘
Khajal me no suri jarat!
’ Flat-eyed as a bathed cat, she clenched her jaws so tight every breath whistled through her teeth.

Gair slid an arm round her shoulders and the other under her knees and picked her up, curtain and all.

‘Leave me be.’

‘Aysha, you can’t stand.’

‘I said leave me be – are you deaf or just dense?’ A balled fist thumped his shoulder. ‘Put me down.’

The next blow grazed his jaw. He jerked his head back. ‘Stop that.’

‘Put me
down
!’

‘Will you hold still? I’m only trying to help.’

‘I don’t need anyone’s help. I’m fine!’

Kneeling, he set her on the couch by the hearth. Aysha glared at him, then hauled back her fist.

Gair grabbed her wrist before the punch landed. ‘That’s enough.’

‘
Ayya qi makhani!
’ Her other hand landed a stinging slap across his ear.

‘I said that’s
enough
!’ He wrestled her hands into the small of her back. Aysha twisted her shoulders left and right, trying to free herself, and he tightened his grip.

Storm-clouded eyes flashed. ‘
Bhakkan! Me no suri jarat!
Let me
go
!’

‘Not until you promise not to hit me.’

‘Bastard! You’re hurting me!’

‘Your word, Aysha!’

White teeth chewed up curses and spat them in his face. She didn’t repeat a single phrase as her passionate mouth sculpted a torrent of invective that filled his ears like song.

Gair couldn’t help but stare. It didn’t matter what she said as long as he could watch her say it. Aysha furious was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.