‘The word around the Daish anchorages is that Sain Daish devotes herself to her son and the other children.’ Risala folded her hands in her lap, looking at them. ‘You gave her that much, at least.’
‘I miss them so much,’ Kheda said with raw emotion. ‘The children. Every day. I never understood what it meant when I read the sages saying children are hostages to the future. I don’t know if I can bear to give Itrac a child when I can’t be sure of my future in Chazen. Even if I could find it in myself to love her. I loved Janne and look where that got me. I never knew her, not truly. Itrac doesn’t know me. She doesn’t know what I’ve done. She’s just clinging to me because she has no other hope.’
‘I know you,’ Risala said swiftly. ‘I know what you’ve done. I’ll love you no matter what.’
‘I’m still waiting for the day when I can believe I’m worthy of that,’ said Kheda tightly.
Risala bit her lip. ‘Then I can live in hope of that.’
The night sea rushed away on either side of the hull, whispering secretively to the islands unseen on either side.
‘Do you think this magewoman can do all she claims?’ Kheda finally asked after a long, long silence. ‘She certainly believes she can,’ Risala replied cautiously. ‘I’ll trust in that. These mages don’t lack confidence. And after everything Dev did last year, such self-belief seems justified, don’t you think?’
‘Do you suppose all mages are like them? I think they’re very strange people,’ Kheda said frankly. ‘Strange even for barbarians,’ agreed Risala. ‘I thought she might be less strange without her magic but . . .’ She let the words end in a shrug.
‘I found the same with Dev.’ Kheda nodded. ‘Let’s hope his self-belief returns with his magic’
‘That seems to be all these wizards believe in,’ mused Risala. ‘Themselves and their magic. Each of them alone, I mean. They scarcely credit another’s wizardry unless they’ve seen it with their own eyes.’
‘They seem so jealous of any power they suspect might be greater than their own,’ Kheda observed. Not so unlike the invaders’ mages when you think about it.’
‘Just like the dragon, from what Velindre told me on the voyage here.’ Risala stared ahead. ‘Let’s hope we can put an end to all this.’
‘I want to rid this domain of every magic once and for all,’ agreed Kheda.
‘And then?’ Risala continued looking unblinking towards the prow.
‘I hope a great many things will be clearer once we are rid of this dragon and these wizards,’ Kheda said fervently.
Risala rose and walked to the hatch. ‘I’ll fetch a quilt and try to get some sleep up here on deck, so you can wake me at dawn.’
Kheda watched in silence as she settled herself accordingly. Then he concentrated on sailing the boat, resolutely turning his mind away from any other thoughts.
Chapter Nineteen
Kheda saw Risala stir with the dawn. The Reteul was slowing as the wind lost its strength with the passing of the night and the sea was a calm grey, barely a shade different from the sky above. The rain-bearing winds from the south that had driven the little boat through the night had drawn a coverlet of high cloud across the sky and the rising sun’s light was a mere pearly glow.
Is that any kind of omen? More importantly, will that make any difference?
Risala resolutely threw aside her quilt. ‘Do you think that cloud will thicken enough to bring rain or blow away to the north?’
‘This early in the wet season, either could happen.’ Kheda smiled as she rubbed her face with her hands, yawning widely. ‘Good morning.’
‘Just.’ She peered around at the featureless horizon. ‘Where are we?’
‘Dev said he wanted somewhere empty of people and I’m not about to argue with that—’ Kheda broke off, unable to stifle his own yawn. ‘We’re about half a morning’s sail from the middle of the Serpents’ Teeth. There are some barren islands where we can anchor. Then our friends from the north can try tempting this beast to its death.’
Risala looked at him critically. ‘You need some rest before we do that. Just give me a few moments.’ Getting up with a groan, she walked to the head of the boat to relieve herself. On her return, she stopped at the cask of fresh water lashed to the base of the mast. She splashed water over her face before cupping a drink with her hand. ‘Take the quilt and get some rest. It’s going to be a busy day.’
‘Don’t let me sleep through the excitement,’ he said wryly as he surrendered the tiller.
The quilt was still warm as he wrapped it around himself, pulling a fold up to shade his eyes. He was so weary that the faint scent of Risala’s perfume stirred no more than uncomplicated longing before sleep claimed him.
Dev’s voice waking him some incalculable time later was far less welcome.
‘You know why women rub their eyes when they wake up?’ the wizard was saying, mischief in his voice. ‘Because they haven’t got stones to scratch, that’s why. The question is what do zamorin do? Have you got the answer to that one, Velle?’
‘Shut up, Dev.’ The magewoman sounded bored. Khcda rolled over and blinked in the bright sunlight as he pushed the enveloping quilt aside. He could feel the Reteul rushing through the water with renewed energy and a brisk wind raised gooseflesh on his drowsy skin as he sat up. ‘Where are we?’
‘A good question.’ Dev scowled. He was leaning against the rail on the far side of the deck. ‘Just within sight of the Serpents’ Teeth.’ Risala smiled briefly from her seat in the stern before turning all her attention to the seas ahead. ‘You’d better take the tiller, if you know these waters. The winds and currents seem to be fighting among themselves.’
‘You’d better not wreck my new boat, girl,’ Dev warned. ‘That won’t happen while I’m aboard.’ Velindre was standing just forward of the mast, gazing upwards, her arms outstretched. Not now.’
‘It feels good, doesn’t it?’ Dev cracked his knuckles, looking as dangerous as Kheda had ever seen him. ‘Oh yes.’ Velindre glanced over her shoulder and Kheda saw new energy in her face. Her pale golden hair seemed brighter than before and her tanned skin looked smooth and sleek. The gaunt hunger and shadows that had disfigured her eyes were gone.
More than a good night’s sleep has restored you. And you, Dev. I had let myself get too used to having you around, doing my bidding, even before you agreed to have your magic stifled. Foolish of me. As foolish as one of those warlords who raises some jungle cat from a kitten or keeps whip lizards in a garden to awe his visitors. Sooner or later such beasts turn on their captors without conscience or understanding.
‘It’s just like my bitch of a mother always said,’ Dev declared with vicious amusement. ‘You don’t truly value something till it’s taken away from you. I don’t know about you, Velle, but I’ll be dead before I sun ender my affinity again!’ He paced around the deck, light on his feet, weight balanced like a wrestler, hands straying between his dagger hilt and his swords. In his sleeveless tunic, his arms looked more muscular than ever, veins and tendons taut.
Just looking for someone to fight.
Dropping the quilt down the hatch into the hold and securing the wooden trap door, Kheda tried to stifle his disquiet at being on a ship with two mages in full command of their wizardry. He walked to the stern and sat beside Risala, resting his hand next to hers on the tiller.
‘If you use magic to bring us to a safe harbour, won’t that draw the dragon to us before we are ready for it?’ He looked past Velindre to gauge the ferocity of the breaking seas and gusty winds around the distant black rocks of the Serpents’ Teeth.
If we’re sunk here, we’re dead, no question of it.