The Sage Seed Chronicles: The Unraveling (25 page)

Erin smiled. “Good. That solves the major
problem.”

“Young lady, I don’t know who you are, but I
consider convincing the people a major problem!” said Peyr.

Erin gave him a level look. “I am Erin, of
the Great One’s council. Daughter of Robse and Shamra, who were
killed by Bure, and was instrumental in stopping Bure, Targ and
Wras in their systematic killing of innocent people. If that is
insufficient qualifications for you, you can take it up with Gyan
later.”

She paused then went on. “Your city
is
unique from the rest. It follows the contour of the cliff face as
it curves around the mountain. Putting the posts back where they
were originally is not a question. The change of the very important
pattern the ancient’s set up to protect us was because you were
unaware of the significance. To set the planet to rights the posts
must be back in place with the new devices and the buried disc by
the time the eclipse happens in nine days. Instead of changing the
henge to make your city stand out, why don’t you sculpt something
to place on each side of your three arched entrances. Perhaps you
can use the theme of things your province is famous for. In later
years the entrances can be called by the pieces. Like the ‘arch of
horses’ or ‘harvest arch’. No city has that!”

She sat back and took a drink of cider as the
men discussed the idea. Quickly, out of the corner of her eye she
looked at Gyan. He had a slight smile and gave her a wink. Peyr
pushed back from the table and stood up as did the other men. “We
will do our part. Let’s go out to your reception. After you, Erin.”
He gestured with a sweep of his hand in front of him. They all
filed out into the inner courtyard which was full of people. Erin,
followed by Drune, quickly lost themselves in the crowd while Peyr
introduced the realm’s Great One.

Before Drune left her side to work another
part of the room he said softly. “Cos,’ I love it when you show
your teeth. Were you channeling Tempo?”

She laughed, “No, but there are times I
really relate to the wild ones.” and with that she moved left as he
went to the right.

While Gyan was meeting people and shaking
hands, his two young sages were drifting through the crowd with
their ‘doors’ open. Erin spotted Lazin, who ran the herbal/ grocery
business in the city. He was the only resident sage Osily had. She
caught his eye and smiled, working her way to his side. “Hi Lazin!
Did you and Chit meet my friend, Nuit?”

He looked blank for a moment then chuckled.
“She is quite the lady. I appreciate the package from Gyan. Did she
get home alright?”

Erin took his hand knowing that he would get
more of the information by touch. “She had a slight injury but is
healing.’ she said then paused as he got what he needed. “Latent?”
he said softly. She nodded. He gathered himself. “The climate is
getting rough here. Gyan...”

She interrupted him. “He knows. His hunches
are as strong as ever. Got to circulate. We’ll see you later.”

As she wandered through the crowd she was
able to pick up skepticism, hope, frustration and a little anger.
She crossed paths with Drune and he had found the same. It was a
tough crowd and these were the ‘important’ people! It was getting
close to the time when the reception was ending when her pendant
started to warm. The crowd was thinning so it didn’t take long to
isolate who was setting it off. It was a man in his late third
decade. He had wavy brown hair and dark grey eyes. His clothing was
made of durable work fabric and he had squint lines in his tanned
face. Erin was guessing that he was a rancher or farmer in the
area. He was giving off a feeling of cynicism. She was able to
catch Gyan’s eye and did a subtle head nod toward the man. She
backed off as Gyan made his way over.

The Great One held out his hand. “I haven’t
had a chance to meet you. My name is Gyan.”

The man reluctantly took the offered hand.
“I’m Roos. I raise beef and horses between the Macater and the
mountains, northwest of here. The storms and quakes have caused a
lot of problems. I can’t begin to tell you how many times my herds
have stampeded in the last month. Peyr says that you are in charge
and are going to stop this. Scrum! I don’t see how! Others have
said witches are to blame. That doesn’t make any sense either.”

Gyan put a hand on his shoulder. “Roos, this
party is breaking up. Care to have a drink with me? What do you
recommend? What is a thirst quenching brew around here?”

Erin found Lazin again. “What can you tell me
about Roos?”

The older sage raised his eyebrows at her.
“Roos? Tough, honest, intelligent, hardworking and a pragmatist. A
latent? Gyan has his work cut out with that one!” People were
leaving and Erin caught up with Drune. She nodded to where Bast,
Gyan, Kennet and Roos were leaving and they followed. There was a
keg of cider and one of beer outside by the last archway. Everyone
else had retired for the night and the four men were filling mugs.
Erin and Drune approached Kennet and sat apart from the other
three. Gyan was doing a lot of talking and Roos was paying
attention. Erin could sense curiosity and interest from him. There
was a flash of incredulity then it slipped into a thoughtful
processing.

Gyan called them over. “Roos, these are my
youngest sages. They have been invaluable on this journey.”

The rancher looked at them. “You are Timeless
Ones?”

Erin nodded and stuck out her hand. “Hi Roos,
my name is Erin. This is Drune.” He looked at them thoroughly. “I
have heard of both of you. Drune, you were believed to be dead
somewhere in the Macater headwaters area. I see that you survived
the stories of your death. Erin, my father speaks very highly of
you. He knew your parents.” He looked over at Gyan. “My father is
Cheroan, mayor of Sherroton. I wasn’t sure about your story before
but I am now. Yes, I’ll take this on.”

Drune sat down and took a swallow of his
cider then placed his palms over Roos’s wrists. Erin stood between
them, with one hand on Drune’s shoulder. Her body was shielding
them from any passerby seeing and questioning what was going on.
Within a minute her pendant pulsed and Drune pulled away. Roos
looked up at Gyan then Erin, questioningly. She grinned and gave
him a wink. “Welcome!”

Gyan smiled and said. “One more thing. You
have to have an enhancer that helps link your energy to the
planet.” He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a small
box. Erin recognized it as the one that Glori had buried and they’d
retrieved. They hadn’t had time to get to the lintel in the city
yet to get those to choose from. Gyan placed them in Roos’s hand.
“Take the one or two that has some kind of meaning to you.”

Roos poked at the pile with his long callused
finger. His pushed a few of the pieces aside right away then a few
more. He picked up the small copper disk that had an enameled leaf
on it. “This one feels like it’s mine. You can have the rest back.”
He got to his feet and slipped it into his pocket. “I’m your man.
I’ll stick around through your meeting with the people. You may
have some trouble there.” He nodded to each of the people on the
steps. “Nice to have met you all. Good night.” and went back into
the city. The other five people stood and looked at each other.
Gyan put one hand each, on Drune and Erin’s shoulder. “Well, I
guess we better get a good night’s sleep. It sounds like tomorrow
might get interesting. My guess is I need to be very clear and
persuasive, tomorrow.”

Bast and Kennet were taking the kegs back to
the stable when the ominous clouds decided to let loose. Kennet
stayed in the stable and stored the kegs away in the wagon as Bast
ran through the torrent back into the city. ‘One thing about it,’
Bast thought. ‘There probably wouldn’t be anyone lurking outside in
this weather. Everyone should be able to get a good night’s sleep.
What tomorrow would bring was another story.’

Gyan, Drune and Erin met with Mayor Peyr for
breakfast the next morning. Peyr was still grumbly about moving the
posts. “Were all of the posts shifted or did some of them stay in
their original position?” asked Gyan. “We moved them all.” said the
mayor glumly. Gyan looked thoughtful. “I’ll bet that you have in
your city archive a diagram with the precise original location of
each post. If you give Drune and Erin directions to your archival
room they can help locate it. Meanwhile, we need to share
information. I want to go over with you what we have learned in
from the ancients and what to expect from your Pastarham
citizens.”

Peyr grudgingly gave directions and the four
finished their breakfast. Erin slid back her chair in preparation
of rising from the table when Gyan’s voice came into her head.
‘Erin, look for an opportunity to get into the lintel. If it’s
where the others were it will be at that door. We need one or two
from Osily in case the energy from those we have is too similar. A
sage needs a choice. Hopefully it won’t take you long to locate the
diagram.’ She slowly stood, as if she had been deep in thought, and
cleared her dishes from the table.

She and Drune waved with a ‘We’ll be back
shortly” and proceeded to the staircase. She said softly, “Gyan
wants us to get one or two enhancers from here to broaden the
selection.” Drune nodded. They didn’t have any difficulty locating
the room and, as luck would have it, the carving was half way down
the post of the door frame. They wouldn’t need to stand on anything
to get to it.

They went into the room and were met by a
woman working there. Drune explained what they were looking for.
She concentrated for a moment then her face lit up. “Oh, I know
where that would be. There is an oversized folder in the old
section that has all of the original drawings and plans for the
city. It is fascinating looking through them. It you come on back
and look through the file with me the mayor will have it that much
quicker.” Drune followed the archivist into the depths of the room
while Erin waited in the hall.

When she couldn’t see or hear anyone in the
area, Erin quickly went to the carving and turned it. It was a
little tight but she got it to turn. There was a box inside. She
opened it quickly and saw seven enhancers. Looking through them she
rapidly decided which seemed to be the most different from the
collection of Zinar and Auntie Jes and palmed them. The box was
swiftly slipped back into the cavity and the carving put back in
place, sealing the ancient’s cache. She was turning toward the door
when she heard someone coming up the stairs.

Erin slipped the pieces into her pocket and
stepped inside the door. She heard Drune’s voice coming forward
from back. He was cheerily bantering with the woman. When he saw
Erin he said, “Flo knew right where to go, Erin! She has saved us
and the mayor hours!”

Erin gave the woman a big smile. “Thank you
for being so efficient. It is really great of you.” Both sages
waved goodbye and headed for the stairs. They didn’t speak but
Drune looked at Erin and raised an eyebrow questioningly. She
grinned in response. He was whistling as they entered the mayor’s
office.

Gyan was getting up and turned to receive the
diagram. “Here you are Peyr. I’ll even back your decision to move
the posts with your people. The eclipse should be in eight days so
I suggest you start on the project right away. Since Bast has just
brought you your box you’re set! Let’s go greet your people!” Eight
of Gyan’s security team were near the central arch way as well as
four from Osily. As Peyr and Gyan stepped out onto the top step,
Drune, Erin and six of their squad dispersed into the throng. The
other two and those from the city were either beside or farther
down the steps. As Mayor Peyr started the introductions Erin caught
an emotional whiff of seething anger. Most of it came from one
source but there was fainter echos of it throughout the mass of
people. She slipped a piece of jerky in her mouth, using the
technique that Drune showed her to not be overwhelmed, and looked
for Drune. He spotted her and had the same concerned look. She
started to shift through the milling mass of people in an attempt
to find the strongest ‘emotional voice’. Bast had caught the look
between Drune and Erin and was watching her alertly. She finally
maneuvered to within a couple of people of the source of the anger
and stole a look at the man. He looked worse-for-wear and had
obviously fallen on hard times, but beneath the grime and healing
scabs Erin recognized him. Her eyes got big and she looked at
Bast.

Mayor Peyr was still talking and Bast nudged
Gyan who nodded then stood up again, appearing to hang on to every
word the Mayor was saying.

‘Who is it Erin?’ he said in her head.

‘Wras!’ was her breathless mental answer.

Gyan said something to Bast then stood
straight again, smiling benignly. The security man below Bast on
the stairs smoothly took his place and Bast walked to the edge of
the crowd and disappeared. ‘Move away, Erin, now!’ Gyan said. Then
it was his turn to speak. She had seconds to move before the people
stilled. As the crowd adjusted and settled down to listen, Erin
moved to the outer edge of the people. She saw a some of the
security moving in, then all got quiet as Gyan started to
speak.