The Farseekers (33 page)

'No sense, no feeling, they say,' said the first. 'No sane man would want to stay up here, yet that fool claims he will rebuild Obernewtyn once the taint is faded.'

The big man nodded. 'I heard he were offered a billet in th' Lowlands, but chose to come back here. Is that th' act of a sane man?'

'He is proud enough to want his Claim rebuilt. But I think pride is a kind of madness in him. They say he fought off Seditioners to make his Claim on Obernewtyn. If that's so, why would he then become a Seditioner and risk it all? It makes no sense. I swear this is a fool's errand,' said the first speaker, rising and stamping his feet.

'Three suns have risen on this barren valley since we came here. And why?' he went on.

'Why indeed?' asked the third man who had not spoken yet. He had an unpleasant hissing sort of voice and quick, sly eyes. 'The story is that we are to find out if Obernewtyn is truly burnt, and if there is truth in rumour of Sedition here.'

'One look answered those questions,' said the first man.

'Did it?' asked the third in an insinuating tone.

His two companions eyed him curiously.

'Do ye say there is Sedition here? I have seen no sign of it,' said the big Highlander at length.

'I say neither yes nor no to it. But the Captain is no fool. He would not stay here for pleasure. Perhaps he knows something we do not.'

'What do ye mean?' asked the Highlander.

'Just this: Captains, as a rule, know more than rank and file soldierguards. I heard the Captain had his orders direct from the Council's agent. Who knows what was told him,' said the hissing man.

There is somethin' strange about these mountain folk,' opined the Highlander after a moment of thought. 'I dinna know what it is, but when I am among them, my skin creeps.'

'Mine too,' said the first man. 'Ariel spoke certain of Sedition, and he's seldom wrong.'

'Call him not by name!' snarled the third man, glancing about as if he feared immediate reprisal.

'His name is not so secret,' sneered the first.

'Well then call him by it when next you see him, fool. There is one to make a man's skin crawl,' offered the third man.

'I say we mun just as soon kill them all, miserable creatures,' the big Highlander pronounced. 'Then we need not trouble ourselves with findin' out if they be Seditioners.'

'Usually, we are told to bring back prisoners alive. But I have heard it whispered the Council's agent wants none to come alive from the mountains. I wonder if it is true, and why,' pondered the first man.

'I wonder what Ariel suspects ... or fears,' said the third soldierguard.

After a long pause, the Highlander shook himself like an oxen. 'I wonder only how long before my head rests on a real bed, an' my tongue tastes a sweet fement . . .' he sighed plaintively.

'Never if I catch you idling again when I have given an order!' came a new authoritative voice, so close my heart skipped a beat. Cautiously, I moved and saw that two more men had entered the clearing. From the markings on his collar, the tall, sallow-faced newcomer was the Captain. The other stood hidden behind him.

Then the Captain moved and I caught sight of the other's face, but it was no soldierguard. I stifled a gasp at the sight of Rushton!

Clad in shabby trews and a ragged jumper, he was grim faced and gaunt. The wild, dark gleam in his eyes told me why the soldierguards had judged him mad. He looked like a man possessed, and deep lines of suffering and despair made him appear far older than his years. There was a bitter twist to his lips that I had never noticed before and I was filled with pity at the thought of what the destruction of Obernewtyn had meant to him. He must have loved it more than life for its demise to mark him so.

As if he sensed my scrutiny, his head turned and I shivered, for it seemed to me he stared straight into my eyes. I shuddered at the emptiness in his face and was glad when he turned aside to follow the Captain and his men from the thicket.

I slumped back, aching all over from tension. I could not forget Rushton's face, for it warned me worse might have happened than I could even imagine.

I went afoot as we made our way back along the valley, but this time we went more warily and stayed close to the walls of Obernewtyn where trees grew thickly, offering shelter. I noticed fumes of faint blue smoke rising from the ruins and was struck by the feeling that I had seen them before. Gahltha stirred beside me.

'Elspeth?' came a voice from behind. I whirled in fright and found myself looking into the astounded face of Daffyd. Gahltha, who did not know him, moved aggressively between us, until I reassured him.

Daffyd came forward slowly, as if he thought I would disappear. 'By Lud, it is you!' he cried. 'I thought I was dreaming with my eyes open. But how? We thought you dead. Your feet . . .' He looked down.

'Are healed,' I said firmly. 'I coerced you to think them worse than they were because I knew I could not make it back to the mountains before the pass closed. But what has happened here? Was Obernewtyn like this when you arrived? Were any hurt in the firestorm? And when did the soldierguards come?'

Daffyd burst into laughter. 'It must be a powerful illusion if it fools even the guildmistress of the Farseekers. But they do say little Dragon is as strong as you were . . . are,' he added ruefully.

I felt my mouth drop open and a great joy welled up in me. 'Then . . . this,' I waved a trembling hand at the ruins. 'This is all an illusion?'

'Of course,' Daffyd said.

I sank to my knees, weak with relief. 'No wonder Gahltha behaved so oddly. Dragon's illusions do not work on animals.' I sent an explanation to Gahltha, who still looked puzzled.

'Then everyone is inside?'

Daffyd shook his head. 'Rushton thought that too much risk. We are using the teknoguild cave network as a base. Only a few live in the camp for appearance's sake. Rushton, of course, Ceirwan, Dameon and all others trained in empathy and farseeking.'

'Not coercers?' I wondered.

'They are in another hidden camp very near the pass,' Daffyd explained. 'They are our insurance, in case this sleight of hand fails to deceive the soldierguards, and open battle is needed to stop them carrying tales to the Council.' He frowned. 'But how is it they did not see you come through the pass just now?'

I shrugged thinking fast. 'I came very stealthily. And I have some coercive Talent . . .' I realized it would suit me well to have everyone think I had come from the Highlands, rather than from the high mountains. 'But we might have to fight despite this illusion.' I told Daffyd what I had overheard.

'It is true the soldierguards have stayed longer than we hoped,' Daffyd said worriedly. 'Tonight Rushton will come here, and you can tell him this news.' He gave me a quick look. 'He will be amazed to see you here. I think your death was a grievous thing to him.'

I nodded absently. 'I overheard one of the soldier-guards say they have been here for three days. How is it Dragon can sustain an illusion so long?'

'She has practised all winter,' Daffyd said. 'It is fortunate I was able to warn them, for as you feared the soldierguards came up here the moment the pass thawed. Dragon has proved our best defence. She is very powerful. Even so, it is a strain and she does not maintain it in the dark hours. Luck has made them come in the waning of the moon. The blue fumes are an added touch to give credence to Rushton's story that the ruins are contaminated. That stops the soldierguards wanting a closer look.' He glanced at the ruin pensively. 'I wonder what made them suspicious.'

'From what I heard, it was something Ariel told them, before they came.'

'Dragon is not far from here,' Daffyd said. 'It is easier for her to hold the illusion away from the distraction of people. Matthew stays with her to protect her. We three are camped not far from here. No one would dare come so close to Obernewtyn. They will be back after dark. In the meantime, what about some food?'

'I'm starving,' I said fervently. 'And so is Gahltha.'

As we walked to the campsite, I explained to the black horse all that Daffyd had told me. It did not take Daffyd long to make a small fire and warm some fruit stew. Gahltha preferred grass to the bags of horse feed. I sat gratefully by the fire Daffyd made and accepted a cup of strong fement to warm me, once I had eaten.

'I meant to go back down to the Druid camp after delivering Dragon and your message, but that very night snow fell thick and closed the pass,' Daffyd said, sitting beside me.

'You're worried about Gilaine and the others, I suppose . . .' I began, then faltered, seeing the grim look on the armsman's face.

'I don't know if they're still there. One of the soldier-guards said the firestorm had all but burnt out the White Valley.'

'Oh, Daffyd,' I said, aghast.

Again he shook his head. 'I don't believe they are dead. I would have known. Rushton has pledged Obernewtyn's help to find them when the soldierguards are gone.' He sipped his drink as if it held a bitter draught.

We both froze at the sound of running feet. The brush parted and Roland burst into the open. 'Where's Matthew?' he cried. 'We need him to farseek the camp! Something has gone wrong. All contact has been severed, but we dare not go down there with the soldier-guards . . .' He stopped dead, catching sight of me. 'Elspeth?'

'Yes it's me,' I said impatiently. 'Are there no other farseekers but those in the camp?'

'None strong enough but Matthew,' he said in a dazed fashion. His eyes lit up. 'But you . . .'

I nodded impatiently and waved him to silence, closing my eyes to concentrate. I sent my mind flying towards the makeshift camp, seeking out any familiar pattern. It was as if all there slept, though it was not yet dark.

At last I located a weak sending. Focusing in, I discovered it was Ceirwan.

'Who . . . who is that?' he sent groggily. I was astounded at the weakness of his sending. His call was barely discernible.

'It is Elspeth,' I sent clearly. 'What has happened there?'

There was a pause. 'Elspeth . . . impossible.'

I felt his grief, but could waste no time on it. 'I did not die. Now you must concentrate. I can hardly understand you. What has happened?'

I sensed his struggle to concentrate. 'I ... They drugged us. But I drank little of their draughts. The soldierguards have grown suspicious and think we hide evidence of Sedition in the ruins.' His signal faded.

'Ceirwan,' I sent strongly. 'Are you hurt?'

'No one hurt. All. . . but me unconscious. Rushton bade me call in hope that someone would hear. You must stop the soldierguards from getting to Obernewtyn . . . Coercers . . .' He faded out again and this time it was impossible to recall him.

I opened my eyes. The soldierguards have drugged them and are about to go and examine the ruins. We have to stop them.'

'We'll have to fight. Can you call the coercers?' Daffyd asked.

I shook my head. 'I've a better idea, Daffyd. You ride Gahltha and bring back one of the coercers. Gevan if you can. As well, I want you to get a group of those left to go down to the camp as soon as the soldierguards leave . . .' I outlined my plan quickly.

'It might just work,' Roland said.

'And it would explain why Rushton was so anxious to keep them away from the ruins. But will the Captain react as you expect?' Daffyd asked.

'It's my guess they'll prove a craven lot, more worried about their own skins than their duty. But if not, Gevan is a coercer, and so am I, at need.'

'You?' Roland asked sharply. I ignored him, giving Daffyd a leg up onto Gahltha. The black horse allowed Daffyd to mount, then sped off keeping close to the tree-line.

'Come. We'll meet Gevan in front of Obernewtyn,' I told the Healer guildmaster. 'We'll have to make sure they don't come too close to the buildings. Now describe to me the symptoms of. . .'

It was dusk when the soldierguards appeared, riding along the entrance road leading up to Obernewtyn. Catching sight of Gevan and me, the Captain reined his horse.

'Who are you, girl? I've not seen you before. What trickery is here?' he shouted harshly.

When I did not answer, he ordered one of his men to bind us. The man dismounted, but he paused when he was close enough to see my face clearly.

'Captain ... I think there's something wrong with her . . .' he called uneasily.

I lurched towards him and he backed away hastily. 'Help me!' I moaned. 'Help me. I am ill.'

The Captain dismounted, staring at me suspiciously. 'Ill? What do you mean? I won't stand for . . .' He stopped, having come close enough to see the black blisters on my lips. Gevan moaned loudly, making him jump. His face changed, contorting with horror and he spun away. 'Lud's curse! This creature has the plague!'

The soldierguards murmured in dismay.

'Shut up and let me think!' the Captain snarled, mounting his horse. The other soldierguard did the same.

'What are we goin' to do, Captain? We won't be allowed to live if anyone finds out we've been in contact with the plague!' said one soldierguard in a frightened voice.

'We can't stay here. I don't want to die of plague!' wailed another man.

'We won't,' said the Captain tightly. 'Now listen to me, all of you. It will take close mouths and a tight story to save us from being Burnt. We will tell the Council all was as Rushton had claimed - Obernewtyn a poor ruin, the valley tainted. We will tell them we found no one here. No one must ever know there was plague here. Even a whisper would be enough to see us dead.'

The men nodded, ashen faced.

'But are we not already infected?' asked one of the men.

'Thank Lud we made our own camp and did not sup or dally with these wretched people. 'Tis said plague spreads by close living. I think we will be safe if we leave at once.'

'What about these two and the people in the camp? We can't leave them here alive,' said another of the soldierguards.

The Captain shook his head grimly. 'There must be no witnesses. If anyone ever does come up here, it must be exactly as we have said. Do not bother with these half-dead wretches. The wolves will finish them. But while the others are drugged, we will burn the camp. Now let's ride. I want to be quit of this cursed valley before full dark.'