“That sounds right.” Dar put his flute back to his lips.
“But I wanted to ask you”—she watched Dar lower his instrument again—“how did I hear her from so far away? Leetu told me there’s a limit to how far you can be from someone and still mindspeak.”
“Granny Noon is a powerful emerlindian. It could be that she spoke to you. But it could also be that the words you heard were very like something she told you, and you remembered them when you needed them. Or…”
“Or?”
“Or Wulder may have answered your questions, and you heard Him in the voice of one you trust.”
Kale sat up. “Wulder mindspeaks!”
Dar laughed. “What’s so amazing about Wulder speaking to one of His creations?”
Kale lay down again, not at all happy that she’d revealed again how much she didn’t know.
“I just didn’t think of Him being around like that. I mean, to talk to, or listen to, or…something.”
“You mean you thought He would be busy, too busy to take note of you.”
“Well, yes.”
Dar played a refrain from the soothing melody he’d started before. When the notes stopped, she held her breath, wondering what he would say.
“I guess you’ve got to get used to not being a slave. When you were a slave, those in authority over you commanded you to get things done without caring much about how you felt and what you wanted. Now that you’ve chosen to be a servant to Paladin, you’ll have many people who look out for your best interest.”
His tune began again. Kale let out the breath she was holding, but she couldn’t relax. Gymn nuzzled her cheek, and she stroked his back.
The problem with what Dar says is this: I didn’t choose to be a servant. While I was a slave, I was commanded to go be a servant. Do the things Dar talks about count for me? I’m serving Paladin because the village council said I have to.
Dar’s serene music and Gymn’s healing touch eased her into a tranquil state. Still, her doubt about being Paladin’s servant buzzed around in her head like a worrisome bee until the monotonous hum lulled her to sleep.
When she opened her eyes, the sun had eased down to the western horizon. Across the valley, it blazed red behind the dark fortress. Dar sat propped against a tree trunk, his eyes closed, a soft snore accenting his breathing.
Hurry! The word popped into Kale’s mind, and she sat up.
“Dar!”
The doneel woke with a start.
Kale stood. She gazed across the darkening valley to the ominous structure on the cliff side. The sun glared around it, making a silhouette of the tall, straight walls. She squinted, unable to turn her focus from the source of an urgent call. “It’s Leetu. She is in that fortress. It’s the stronghold of Wizard Risto. We must get her out.”
“It will take us three days to cross the valley and another two days to climb to the fort.”
“We don’t have that much time.” Kale turned toward the woods. Celisse, come help us.
The riding dragon lumbered out of the trees onto the path and trotted the remaining few yards.
Kale transferred her gaze to Dar. His lips formed an uncompromising straight line. His scowl angered her. Gymn trembled on her shoulder, and she reached up to put a protective hand over the little dragon.
“Celisse is willing to help. I know you don’t trust her, but if we don’t allow her to take us, Leetu will die.”
Dar said nothing.
“Fine,” shouted Kale. She plucked Gymn off her shoulder and bent to place him in his pocket-den. She gathered up her cape and flung it over her shoulders.
“You walk.” She hurled the words at Dar. “I’m riding.” She picked up both of Leetu’s packs and marched to the dragon.
“Stop.”
Kale ignored Dar’s command. She tromped over to the dragon and asked her to lie down, standard procedure for mounting such a large animal. Celisse complied readily, and Kale attached Leetu’s packs to the proper straps at the back of the saddle.
Dar came up to Kale before she could put her foot on Celisse’s leg and give herself a boost up.
“Stop, Kale.” Dar placed a firm hand on her arm. “I agree with you, but stop and think. Calm down. You mustn’t act on emotion alone. You have to plan.”
Kale turned to the doneel, placed her clenched fists on her hips, and stood with her feet far apart.
Dar cocked an eyebrow and blessed her with his most charming smile. “You look like you’re about to challenge me to a round of fisticuffs. We’re on the same side, remember?”
The sparkle in his eye and the appealing wink he gave her undermined her determination to rush off to Leetu’s rescue. She frowned at him.
“Just what is it you agree with?” She growled the question, trying to sound unmoved by his winsome ways.
“We have to get to Leetu quickly, and the only way to do that is on Celisse’s back.”
“We have to trust her,” Kale insisted.
Dar nodded. He went to the dragon’s head and placed a hand on her cheek. Next to her profile, he looked very small indeed. But the huge dragon nodded gently, responding to his touch. The doneel looked deep into the dragon’s slanted eye.
“You know I don’t like this, Celisse. And you understand why.” He patted her and stroked the gray scales of her face. “I’m hoping you will do everything within your power to control your anger should we run into a skirmish with the enemy. I’m not only trusting you with my life, but with the life of this young o’rant girl and the life of a very fine emerlindian warrior.”
In touch with Celisse’s emotions, Kale’s heart swelled with the riding dragon’s desperate need to have another chance. If Celisse could succeed on desire alone, she would do well. She truly desired to serve Paladin and make up for her rash behavior back at the farm.
Kale pressed her lips together, waiting for Dar’s pronouncement. She feared any effort she made to sway the doneel in the dragon’s favor might fail and cause more anguish than good.
He stepped back and again faced Kale. “If Celisse will fly us to the other side of the valley and land not too far from Risto’s fortress, then we will plan how to enter. You said that Risto was expected at the farm tonight. If he is there, then he is not in the castle. We have a better chance of freeing Leetu tonight than at any other foreseeable time.”
He looked to the west. The sun had slipped behind the horizon. Only the soft orange glow of sunset edged the cliff top.
“We’ll wait ten minutes more to take advantage of the darkness. We want to get as close as possible.”
The few minutes ticked by torturously, but finally Dar gave the signal. He surprised Kale by allowing her to take the front seat. He situated his small frame behind her.
Once they were in the air, the frustration of having to wait faded away. Dread, however, crept into Kale’s heart. They would probably only have one chance to free Leetu. She didn’t worry about the riding dragon messing up their plan. Rather, she worried that she might do something awkward and give them away. Or she might freeze in terror when Dar needed her to be calm and quick.
She tried to think of the words Granny Noon had given her.
My thoughts belong to me and Wulder.
And Dar says You listen to me, and You talk to me too.
Well, Wulder, I thank You for being interested in what I’m doing. Kale took a deep breath. Please tell me what to do and when, so I don’t mess up.
In Wulder’s service, I search for truth. I’m searching for Leetu, Wulder. And a way to get into that castle. And a way to get out. Don’t forget a way to get out.
I stand under Wulder’s authority. I’m entering into the domain of an evil wizard. Please keep me and Dar and Celisse and Gymn from harm. And Leetu as well.
Celisse soared heavenward. A large yellow moon hung low in the sky. A halo gleamed around it. To the east, stars blinked and glimmered in a stunning array. The beauty of her surroundings almost wiped out the tingle of fear in her hear
t.
“A little bit of fear is all right,” said Dar. “It keeps you alert and helps you react promptly.”
Kale did not answer. Does he read my mind? He says he doesn’t, but he’s always picking up on what I’m feeling. She waited, expecting the doneel to make a comment. If he denies he can read my mind, I’ll know he was reading my mind. Dar said nothing.
They swooped in a large circle and came to rest in a field beyond a wood at the west side of Risto’s castle.
“Celisse,” said Dar as soon as he and Kale stood on the ground, “you must hide in the trees. You can’t come into the fortress with us, but you must be where we can reach you moments after we get out.”
Kale sensed the riding dragon’s agreement. The rescuers moved stealthily into the cover of the trees.
Dar paused. “Kale, I want you to use your talent to search the area around us. Are there soldiers or guards of any kind nearby?”
Kale relaxed, closed her eyes, and let her mind reach beyond the area where they stood.
“Kimens, there are dozens of kimens all around us.” Kale’s brow furrowed as she sorted through the impressions coming into her mind. “Dar, I know right where Leetu is, a dark, cold room with stone walls. If we get inside that fortress, I can lead us directly to her. Everything is so clear. Earlier today I couldn’t use my talent at all. Now it’s like a fog has lifted. I sense Leetu just as clearly as I can see the moon.”
“Your eyes are closed, and the moon has a haze around it.”
Kale grinned and opened her eyes. She looked at Dar, expecting an explanation from her wise companion in spite of his caustic remark.
Dar rubbed his furry chin with a hand. “The more you exercise your talent, the stronger it gets. This morning you overused it when you healed Celisse with Gymn. On top of all the other mindspeaking, you threw images into the guards’ minds. Add the emotional strain of the circumstances, and you taxed your ability to the point of exhaustion.
“You’ll have to learn to pace yourself. I can’t think of anything more disastrous than to have your talent come to an abrupt stop while we’re engaged in something like escorting Leetu out of Risto’s stronghold.”
“The kimens are coming,” Kale announced.
“I’m not surprised. Ever since the Battle of Ordray, they’ve kept watch on the forces of evil.”
“Can such little people help us?” The kimens appeared too fragile for any type of battle.
Dar laughed. “Oh, yes. For one thing, a kimen can light the way through any dark passages we encounter.”
Kale tilted her head in puzzlement.
“Kale, kimens wear light. They have no clothing other than beams of light they draw to themselves. They control the color of that radiance and can dim it at will.”
“I’ve seen kimens, Dar. They wear soft, fluttering clothing that floats around them and stirs in a breeze. It looks like the gauzy material Granny Noon wrapped our food in.”
“Have you ever touched one?” asked Dar. “Have you ever brushed up against a kimen and felt the texture of his garment?”
“No.”
“It’s neither hot nor cold. It’s not rough or smooth or thick or thin. It’s light, and you can’t feel it with your fingers.”
Kale looked down at her moonbeam cape and remembered Dar tricking her into believing it was made from real moonbeams.
“No, Kale.” His voice interrupted her suspicions. “I’m not teasing. Kimens gather light. A kimen is just what we need to guide us in Risto’s castle.”
23
INTO DARKNESS
The travelers didn’t have to find the kimens; the kimens found them.
Kale sat on a log, watching Gymn catch bugs, so she was the first to notice the kimens. The little people appeared as tiny fireflies moving quietly through the woods close to the ground. As they came nearer, Kale realized they were too big to be insects, and then she could make out the familiar forms she’d seen in her own village.
In the dark of the forest, the kimens wore clothing in shades of deep blue, purple, and green. Kale looked closely at the fabric, trying to see woven threads. She saw none, but still she couldn’t believe that the wispy material was light and not cloth.
Out of the quiet gathering of tiny kimens, one stepped forward. His green eyes sparkled in a solemn face. His flyaway brown hair sprang from his head in the usual disarray of kimens. Kale looked closely at his blue garments. The flowing fabric looked airy and fragile, but not like any light she had ever seen. He appeared to be a warrior, strong and determined, but he carried no weapons.
A weapon wouldn’t be a bad idea, considering where we’re going. He could carry a sword or a bow. But…come to think of it, I’ve never seen a kimen carry anything. Not a sack, not a basket, not a weapon. Oh yes, I’ve seen them carrying their young.
The kimen gazed at Celisse, Kale, and Dar in turn. But when he spoke, he addressed just Dar and Kale. “I am Shimeran. I have been chosen to guide you.”
“You know where we’re going?” asked Kale.
A smile lit Shimeran’s eyes but only teased at his lips.
“Of course.”
Dar bowed with the same respect he had shown Granny Noon. “We would be honored to have your help, Shimeran. I am Dar.” He gestured toward the riding dragon. “Our friend, Celisse.” His hand moved to indicate Kale, but she spoke before he had a chance.
“I am Kale Allerion.”
Shimeran’s eyes widened for just a second, and the crowd of kimens around them shifted. A murmur among them quickly stilled as did their unease.
Kale glanced from face to face, trying to decide why they had reacted this way.
Did I say something I shouldn’t have? Was it rude to introduce myself?
She examined the faces of the kimens more closely. Their expressions were friendly and calm, no different from the usual expressions of the kimens who visited River Away. She looked directly at Shimeran and was about to ask if something was wrong, but Dar forestalled her by speaking.
“We thought this night would be a good time to rescue our emerlindian comrade.”
Shimeran nodded. “Risto is away. The guards have been drinking brillum all day. My kinsmen will cause a diversion, and we may sneak in through the main gate without detection.”
Kale wrinkled her nose at the mention of brillum. The ale smelled like skunkwater and stained like black bornut juice. The mariones used it to spray around their fields to keep insects from infesting their crops. Grawligs drank it. Evidently bisonbecks did too.
“All is ready.” Shimeran’s voice broke into Kale’s thoughts. “We should go now.”
Dar turned to Celisse. “Will you wait here?”
Kale felt the riding dragon sigh and reluctantly agree. Kale nodded to Dar. She knew Celisse understood Dar, but wasn’t sure if Dar could hear the dragon’s mindspeak.
They moved quickly through the dark forest, following the kimens. Three strode several yards in front of the group. These seemed dark in comparison to those close by.
Dar touched Kale’s arm and nodded to those ahead. “Scouts.” He spoke softly. “There are probably three more ahead of them beyond where we can see, and then three more ahead of them. You notice they’ve dimmed their radiance. These around us are lighting our way. Those ahead are watching for the enemy so we don’t run smack into a band of bisonbecks patrolling their boundaries.”
One of the nearest kimens turned a frowning face toward Dar and put a finger to his lips.
Kale didn’t want to end the conversation. She wanted to know more. She reached to Dar with her mind. How did the kimens know we came for Leetu?
“Logic. They knew an emerlindian in service to Paladin had been taken prisoner. Someone was bound to try to save her. We showed up, so we must be the rescuers.”
Why didn’t they rescue her themselves?
“Kimens have taken on the role of observers. They will help in time of need, but they never initiate an action.”
I don’t un
derstand why not.
“They believe that Wulder gave them their talents and diminished size for this purpose. They will not step beyond what they see as their assigned duties unless given a distinct call to do so.”
I still don’t understand.
Dar sighed aloud, and the same kimen hushed him with a sharp, “Shh!”
“Kale, if you can’t understand through my explanation, then you’re going to have to use your own eyes and come to your own conclusions. Sometimes a thing makes more sense when you see it. Sometimes words aren’t enough.”
Kale wanted to answer with a loud “huh?” but figured Dar would just go on explaining why he couldn’t explain. She decided to study the kimens instead. Maybe she could figure out what material made up their clothing.
She watched the little person directly in front of her. This kimen was a female with the typical wild hair growing out in an aimless way but hanging past her waist. Bits of ribbon and odd, skinny braids, plaited with no particular pattern, adorned the otherwise disorderly brown locks. Blue and purple wisps of material hung from her body almost like the large fanlike fins of a feathered fish. Of course the fish didn’t really have feathers any more than this kimen wore light instead of material.
Kale tried to spot seams in the garment but couldn’t. The fabric also reminded Kale of butterfly wings, for the dark colors were rimmed with black like the patterns on many of the colorful insects that flew with wings bedecked in jewel colors.
There were also rumors that kimens could fly.
Kale observed the small, lithe figure almost float over the roots and rubble of the forest floor. She studied the kimen’s tiny feet and truly could not tell if the soles of her delicate shoes actually touched the ground or just passed above it before moving forward.
A sudden halt in their journey brought an end to Kale’s musings. They had reached the edge of the woods and could see the front portal of the towering castle. Dar and Kale crouched behind bushes a dozen yards from the massive open doors while the kimens dispersed to do the tasks they had planned.