The Books of the Raksura: The Complete Raksura Series

  “I see.” Jade exchanged a worried look with Moon. It had been a big unspoken fear that all Ardan’s meddling with the seed might have damaged it somehow. Moon had been hoping that fear would be banished by the time they arrived. It wasn’t good to hear that they would still have to wait and see.

  Heart turned to Chime, and they looked at each other a long moment. They had been Flower’s last students, and Chime couldn’t act on her teaching anymore. Heart stepped forward and Chime caught her in his arms, burying his face against her shoulder.

  Stone wandered up out of the crowd, stopped and eyed Moon for a moment, then nudged his shoulder. “You all right?”

  “Yes.” Suddenly that was all Moon could trust himself to say. He felt like he had never really come home before, not to a permanent home, not to a place where everyone knew the real him. He couldn’t even trust himself to shift to his groundling form, even though it was technically rude to stay like this while Stone was a groundling. What he really wanted to do was run away and hide in a corner, and enjoy this intense, unaccustomed feeling privately.

  Then Pearl dropped down from the levels above. Arbora and warriors scattered to make way for her. River impulsively started toward her, and remembered just in time to stop and wait with the others, while she greeted Jade. Moon was so emotional at the moment he even felt a spark of pity. River might sleep in Pearl’s bower, but he would never be her consort, anymore than Chime could ever be an Arbora again.

  “You’re late,” Pearl said, and frowned at Jade. “Stone was ready to go out looking for you.” Then her gaze hardened. She had obviously spotted the recent scratches on Jade’s scales, though they had faded over the past few days. Knowing Pearl, she might even be able to tell they had been made by another queen. Her spines started to lift in agitation. “What happened?”

  Jade set her jaw and braced herself. “Halcyon, a sister queen from Emerald Twilight, tried to steal Moon.”

  Moon had half-expected Pearl to express disappointment that Halcyon hadn’t succeeded. But Pearl’s eyes went black with fury. Her spines stiffened, until they flared out around her head.

  Stone lifted his brows and gave Moon an incredulous look. Moon shrugged helplessly. Pearl ignored them. Her voice flat, she said to Jade, “Did you kill her?”

  Jade’s spines lifted in response, but she kept her temper. She said, “No.” Her voice heavy with irony, she said, “I was persuaded not to.”

  Moon belatedly shifted to groundling. The last thing he wanted at the moment was Pearl’s attention. But Pearl stayed focused on Jade. She tilted her head, her gaze hardened to ice. “Why not?” The words dropped into a near perfect silence. No one in the hall breathed. Moon could hear the breeze rustling leaves outside.

  Jade flicked her spines. “I didn’t want to start a war. We took her back to Emerald Twilight with one of her warriors, and made the warrior speak before a mentor.” She paused, and added deliberately, “They owe us a great debt now.”

  Pearl was silent for so long there were probably warriors in the hall starting to suffer from lack of air. Then she said, “I’m surprised you thought of that, in the heat of the moment.”

  Moon tried not to react in any way. He wondered if he had made things worse by talking Jade out of immediate vengeance. But Jade was calm and didn’t take Pearl’s bait. She said, “It seemed the best course.”

  Pearl held her gaze a moment more, then said, “We’ll see.”

  She turned away, and the whole hall took a collective breath of relief. Out of the corner of his eye, Moon saw Chime’s knees buckle, and Heart and Balm reach hastily to steady him.

  As the crowd parted for Pearl, she lifted one hand in a signal to River. He hurried after her. Moon regretted the sympathetic impulse. Keeping his voice low, he said, “He’ll tell her everything that happened.”

  “So he will.” Jade wasn’t worried. The long flight here from Emerald Twilight had evidently given her a much more sanguine perspective on the situation. “She’ll see the advantages.”

  “Somebody needs to tell me everything that happened,” Stone pointed out. “But you need to do it on the way to the nurseries, because Frost accused me of leaving you somewhere for dead, and she’s managed to convince the rest of the clutches that she’s right.”

  Moon winced. When he had left, he had been afraid of something like that happening, but there hadn’t been any real choice.

  Jade took his wrist and pulled him with her as she followed Stone. She said, wryly, “We’ll both go. I think I need to spend more time with Frost.”

  Moon thought that was probably the best thing they could do.

  

  They held the farewell for Flower later that evening, after Jade and Moon and the warriors had had a chance to sleep and rest. The Arbora had found a niche in one of the walls up in the unused Aeriat levels, which Stone said was one of the old grave niches for royal urns. Heart and the other mentors didn’t know how to make the wood grow to seal the niche yet, but it would still make a good resting place.

  The whole court sang for Flower. Moon didn’t contribute, but he made himself sit still for the whole uncomfortable performance. It wasn’t as eerie this time, though it still felt alien to him.

  Afterward, Moon ended up sitting outside with Chime on a ledge above the waterfall. They watched the tiny flying lizards chase lightbugs in the spray, while the sun set somewhere past the mountain-trees and the green twilight deepened toward darkness. The whole court felt tense and uneasy. From what Moon understood, either the seed would show that it was ready to be reattached to the tree within the next day or so, or it wouldn’t. There was nothing to do now but wait.

  Chime said suddenly, “They’re choosing a new chief mentor tonight.”

  That was an uncomfortable thought. The balance of power in the court was already delicate. Moon asked, “Who is it going to be?”

  “Probably Heart.”

  That was an uncomfortable thought for a different reason. After the fight to escape the Dwei hive, Heart hadn’t been able to put Moon into a healing trance. “But she’s so young.”

  “That’s not actually a problem,” Chime said, though he still sounded depressed. “You want someone young, to grow into it. And she still has all the other mentors to help her. Heart is reasonable, and good at settling differences, and Pearl and Jade both trust her. She was Flower’s second… first choice as a successor.”

  “The first choice after you,” Moon said, then realized a moment later that he should have withheld that thought.

  “But I’m not a choice anymore,” Chime said, sounding less depressed but more exasperated.

  “Sorry.”

  Chime shook his head. “It’s all right. It’s just… I wish I could help with the seed.”

  Moon wished Chime could help, too. He tried to imagine packing the two flying boats again and heading off for some new destination, and it felt like a little stab in the heart. He wanted to stay here.

  Stone had been right from the beginning. The court belonged here. And Moon meant to belong here, too.

  

  Late that night, when Moon and Jade were asleep in their bower on the teachers’ level, someone banged loudly on the hanging bed. Moon, closest to the bottom, started awake and Jade rolled off him with a growl. They both leaned over the edge to see Blossom looking up at them expectantly. She said, “It’s the seed! It’s ready!”

  Moon realized he could hear a lot of movement and voices out in the passage. Jade gasped, vaulted out of the bed, and bolted out of the room with Blossom. Still half-asleep, Moon climbed out, got his clothes on, and joined the trickle of Arbora moving toward the nearest stairs. Moon passed Niran, half-dressed and bleary with sleep, his long hair wrapped up in a scarf for the night. “What is it?” Niran asked.

  “They think the seed’s ready,” Moon said as he passed by. “They’re going to try to attach it to the tree.”

  “Ahh! Good luck!” Niran called after him.

  Moon followed
the others all the way down to the lower level where the seed’s chamber lay. The corridors leading to it were already packed with Arbora and warriors, everyone whispering anxiously. Some had shifted and clung to vantage points on the low ceiling, though Moon didn’t think they would have much of a view up there, either. He was standing on tiptoes, trying to get an idea of what was happening, when Balm elbowed her way through the crowd, grabbed him by the wrist, and unceremoniously hauled him back with her through the passage and up to the door of the seed chamber.

  Jade was there in a little group with Pearl, Stone, and Chime, and the leaders of the Arbora, Bone, Bell, and Knell. River and Pearl’s other warriors crammed into the corridor behind Pearl. Balm deposited Moon at Jade’s side, and Jade whispered, “What were you doing back there?”

  “I didn’t know I was supposed to be up here.”

  Pearl hissed at them to be quiet and Moon gave up on an explanation.

  The door was open and the seed chamber softly lit. From here Moon could see the mentors all in the small room, standing back against the walls. Even Copper, the young mentor-to-be, had been brought from the nurseries. He stood next to Merit and clung to the older mentor’s leg. Heart knelt in the center of the room, holding the seed.

  It was easy to see how they had known the seed was ready. The hard outer husk had softened and was now covered with soft white petals. Another female mentor crouched beside Heart, holding a sketch that they compared the seed to. “It looks right,” the other mentor muttered. “It should be sprouting.”

  “I think I feel tendrils,” Heart said, gently lifting one of the petals. She looked back at Stone. “Should we try?”

  Stone shrugged, not helpfully. Pearl said, “Just go ahead.”

  Heart took a deep breath and set the seed carefully into the cradle in the center of the web of dried and broken tendrils. Moon realized he was holding his breath along with everyone else.

  Heart said, “I think now we just have to wait. It’s bound to take time to— Everyone, out!”

  As the mentors scrambled to get out of the room, Moon fell back with Jade and the others to make space for them in the foyer. As the last mentor hopped out of the chamber, Moon saw that the seed had sprouted new white tendrils. They snaked out and twined around the crumbling remnants of the dead tendrils to follow their path into the heartwood. The tension ran out of Moon’s body and he leaned back against the wall, letting his breath out. That’s it, he thought. The seed was alive and well and back in its place.

  “It worked,” Chime said, his voice trembling, and the word passed through the crowded passages, a growing murmur of relief.

  Stone pushed the chamber door closed, and said, “Well, we’re home now.”

  Appendix I

  The Court of Indigo Cloud and Associated Raksura Aeriat

  Queens

  Pearl—Reigning Queen

  Jade—Sister Queen

  Amber—former Sister Queen, now dead

  Azure—the queen who took Stone, now dead

  Frost—a fledgling queen of the court of Sky Copper, now adopted by Indigo Cloud

  Consorts

  Stone—line-grandfather

  Rain—Pearl’s last consort, now dead

  Moon—Jade’s consort

  Thorn and Bitter—fledgling consorts of Sky Copper, now adopted by Indigo Cloud

  Warriors

  River—leader of Pearl’s faction of warriors. A product of one of Amber’s royal clutches.

  Drift—River’s clutchmate

  Branch—River and Drift’s clutchmate, killed in a Fell ambush

  Root—young warrior from an Arbora clutch, a member of Jade’s faction

  Song—young female warrior, a member of Jade’s faction

  Spring—fledgling female, one of only two survivors from Amber’s last clutch of warriors

  Snow—fledgling male, Spring’s clutchmate

  Balm—female warrior, and Jade’s clutchmate. Jade’s strongest supporter and leader of her faction.

  Chime—former Arbora mentor, now a warrior, a member of Jade’s faction

  Vine and Coil—male warriors of Pearl’s faction, though they chafe under River’s authority

  Floret—female warrior of Pearl’s faction

  Sand—a young male warrior of Jade’s faction

  Sorrow—female warrior who took care of Moon as a fledgling, killed by Tath Arbora

  Mentors

  Flower—leader of the Mentor Caste

  Heart—young female mentor, one of the Arbora rescued from the Dwei Hive by Moon

  Merit—young male mentor, rescued with Heart

  Copper—a young male mentor, still in the nurseries

  Teachers

  Petal—former leader of the Teachers’ Caste, killed in the Fell attack on the old Indigo Cloud colony

  Bell—new leader of the Teachers’ Caste, and clutchmate to Chime

  Blossom—an older female, one of only two teachers to escape during the Fell attack on the colony. Later learned to pilot a Golden Isles Wind-ship.

  Bead—a young female, she escaped the colony with Blossom

  Rill, Bark, and Weave—female teachers

  Gift, Needle, and Dream—young female teachers, rescued from the Dwei Hive by Moon

  Snap—young male teacher, also rescued from the Dwei Hive

  Hunters

  Bone—leader of the Hunters’ Caste

  Braid, Salt, Spice, Knife—male hunters

  Bramble—a female hunter

  Strike—a very young male hunter, who volunteered to test the Fell poison

  Soldiers

  Knell—leader of Soldiers’ Caste, and clutchmate to Chime Grain—the first Arbora to speak to Moon and to order him to leave Indigo Cloud

  Shell—Grain’s clutchmate, killed in the Fell attack on the colony

  Appendix II

  Excerpt from:

  Observations of the Raksura: Volume Thirty-Seven of a Natural History by scholar Pre-emlnent Delln-Evran-Ilndel

  The Two Breeds of the Raksura

  ARBORA : Arbora have no wings but are agile climbers, and their scales appear in a variety of colors. They have long tails, sharp retractable claws, and manes of flexible spines and soft “frills,” characteristics that are common to all Raksura. They are expert artisans and are dexterous and creative in the arts they pursue for the court’s greater good. In their alternate form they are shorter than Aeriat Raksura and have stocky, powerful builds. Both male and female Arbora are fertile, and sometimes may have clutches that include warrior fledglings. This is attributed to queens and consorts blending their bloodlines with Arbora over many generations.

  The four castes of the Arbora are:

  Teachers —They supervise the nurseries and train the young of the court. They are also the primary artisans of the court, and tend the gardens that will be seen around any Raksuran colony.

  Hunters—They take primary responsibility for providing food for the court. This includes hunting for game and gathering wild plants.

  Soldiers—They guard the ground and protect the colony and the surrounding area.

  Mentors —They are Arbora born with arcane powers, who have skill in healing and augury. They also act as historians and record-keepers for the court, and usually advise the queens.

  AERIAT: The winged Raksura. Like the Arbora, they have long tails, sharp retractable claws, and manes of flexible spines and soft frills.

  Warriors —They act as scouts and guardians, and defend the colony from threats from the air, such as the Fell. Warriors are sterile and cannot breed, though they appear as male and female forms. Their scales are in any number of bright colors. Female warriors are usually somewhat stronger than male warriors. In their alternate form, they are always tall and slender. They are not as long-lived generally as queens, consorts, and Arbora.

  Consorts —Consorts are fertile males, and their scales are always black, though there may be a tint or undersheen of gold, bronze, or blood red. At maturity th
ey are stronger than warriors, and may be the longest lived of any Raksura. They are also the fastest and most powerful flyers, and this ability increases as they grow older. There is some evidence to suggest that consorts of great age may grow as large or larger than the major kethel of the Fell.

  Queens —Queens are fertile females, and are the most powerful and deadly fighters of all the Aeriat. Their scales have two brilliant colors, the second in a pattern over the first. The queens’ alternate form resembles an Arbora, with no wings, but retaining the tail, and an abbreviated mane of spines and the softer frills. Queens mate with consorts to produce royal clutches, composed of queens, consorts, and warriors.

  Appendix III

  Excerpt from:

  Additions to the list of predatory species by scholar-eminent - posthumous- Venar-Inran-alll

  Fell are migratory and prey on other intelligent species.

  The Known Classes of Fell

  Major kethel —The largest of the Fell, sometimes called harbingers, major kethel are often the first sign that a Fell flight is approaching. Their scales are black, like that of all Fell, and they have an array of horns around their heads. They have a low level of intelligence and are believed to be always under the control of the rulers.

  Minor dakti —The dakti are small, with armor plates on the back and shoulders, and webbed wings. They are somewhat cunning, but not much more intelligent than kethel, and fight in large swarms.

  Rulers —Rulers are intelligent creatures that are believed to have some arcane powers of entrancement over other species. Rulers related by blood are also believed to share memories and experiences through some mental bond. They have complete control of the lesser Fell in their flights, and at times can speak through dakti and see through their eyes. (Addendum by scholar-preeminent Delin-Evran-lindel: Fell rulers in their winged form bear an unfortunate and superficial resemblance to Raksuran Consorts.)