"And what should we tell them, Lanen?" I asked. I found myself growing senselessly angry at whatever powers were forcing us to move so very swiftly, with not time even for me to find my balance on these new legs. "Have you any thoughts as to how we shall explain my presence?"
"I wouldn't explain it at all," said Rella's practical voice. "They don't need to know, and if they ask just tell them you are under the protection of the Dragons. That'll be true enough, I've no doubt," she muttered.
''And do you think that will suffice?'' I asked. She paused for a moment, thinking, when Lanen laughed and clapped her hands.
"Yes!" She turned to Idai, Shikrar and Kédra, her eyes shining. "My friends, will you consent to bear us one last time on the Winds? Not now. At dawn." She laughed again, "Oh, Akor, they will not question our protectors if they are the ones that take us to the ship!"
I laughed with her. "True enough, though it may be a long, silent voyage."
"Oh, you don't know them as I do. Give it a few days, they'll need all the hands they can find. We'll hear from them soon enough."
''Look to the lady,'' said Kédra in truespeech.
Varien and I turned as one, to see Rella sat on the ground, her face white as a fine sheet.
"Akor. You called him Akor. That was the big silver one, I remember," she mumbled to herself. "But he can't be Akor, Akor's a Dragon, he was near death just yesterday at the battle, I know he ..."
"Rella, I misspoke. This is Varien," I said, flustered. I hadn't noticed my slip. "How could he be Akor?"
"How could a man I've never seen suddenly appear from the dragonlands?" she asked sharply, then lapsed back into frantic muttering. "Can't happen, they kill the ones who cross, save you and me—oh Blessed Shia. You didn't come on the ship, so either you've arrived from thin air or you've been with the Dragons all these years. There isn't anywhere else."
"We asked you here because we thought you deserved an explanation, after all your assistance," said Varien, his voice gentle. I marvelled at his patience. "Do not worry, Lanen, I know what we agreed, but I think only truth will satisfy the Lady Rella." He knelt down to her and said gently, "It is true, I am he who was Akhor. Do not ask me how this transformation came about, for I do not know, but accept that it has. I shall be coming with you."
Rella nodded, her eyes wide. He turned to me again. "I think you have hit on the way, Lanen. If you are all willing, my friends?" he asked the Kantri, and all three accepted.
There was not much more to be done, though I did insist on one thing. Kédra obliged by scraping a large quantity of khaadish from the walls of Akor's chamber. I laid it close by for morning, when I meant to wrap it in my tunic until we were private on the ship. I'd be cold in just my shirt, but it would not be for long. At my request, Varien allowed a quantity the size of my fist to be taken for Rella. By that time she was so overcome that she simply thanked him and put it in her scrip.
It was well into the night, and though Rella seemed fine (despite her shock), Varien and I were still exhausted. Shikrar agreed to wake us at dawn. We stoked the fire and lay close to each other. The last thing I saw was Rella wrapped in her cloak, sitting by the fire and talking in a low voice with Kédra and Shikrar. As if the Peace had been restored, I thought, and slept.
I woke to Shikrar's soft voice in my mind. "Lady, the sky lightens. It is time.''
Varien was stirring. I went to Rella and touched her shoulder. She was instantly awake.
"Time to go," I said. She grunted and rose to her feet.
I had been dreading this moment. I had warned Varien that he must not wear the circlet with his soulgem openly on the ship. Men have killed for far less. What that really meant, of course, was that he must say farewell here, before we left.
He bespoke them, of course, the green soulgem of Akor bright against his pale hair and skin. I was deeply thankful that I could not hear what was said, for my own heart was full enough, and I had only known these people for a few days. How should I bear hearing my beloved's farewells after a thousand years? Varien's cheeks were wet when at last he took off his circlet and wrapped it in my tunic with the rest of the khaadish.
"Seawater?" I whispered to him, drying his face with my sleeve.
"Tears," he replied, and smiled.
As for my own farewells, I found that after a few stumbling words all I could do was to open my heart to them in the Language of Truth. Wordless, my thoughts flew to them all with love and deep gratitude. From them in return came clear images: from Kédra, a vision of Mirazhe and Sherok playing on the beach at the Birthing Cove, and behind all gratitude mixed with love deep and strong. Idai sent an image of Akor in his youth, and the barely heard thought "Even then he never turned to me. It is the Word of the Winds that you belong to each other,'' From Shikrar, images I could barely understand, they were so complex and many-layered—but they spoke of a friend closer than a brother, of years beyond counting spent in one another's company, of wonder and thanksgiving and hope for the future. And the last image I had from Shikrar was of the soulgems of the Lost, combined with his regard. I caught his eye and he whispered in truespeech, ''Do not forget the Lost, lady, for it is in my heart that your destiny and theirs are intertwined. Seek ever their restoration.''
"I will,'' I replied softly.
There was no more time. We all went out into the breaking dawn.
At least this time I could see where we were going. I will never forget being borne through the air by a Dragon. It is astounding beyond words, but twice is enough.
Kédra carried me across first. The ship lay still in its place in the harbour, but the decks this morning were black with scurrying forms as they prepared to weigh anchor and be off.
Until they saw us.
I couldn't hear anything, of course, but it took only moments for there to be a clear space on the deck for Kédra to land. He dropped me a little space, then landed and bowed. "Fare you well, Lady Rella, and know that you have the regard of the Kantri," he said loudly. "Should you need our assistance, you have only to call upon us." It was what we had agreed, but he leaned down to me and added a quiet "Though I have no doubt you'll manage well enough. Be well, lady. It has been an honour to know you."
I bowed and bade him farewell. The whole ship rocked when he took off.
Idai bore me gently and in silence. She flew low and back-winged, as Akor had done, though not so smoothly. "I can see this will take some practice,'' she said as she landed, amused. "Shall I then practice? Will you return one day to the Dragon Isle, Lanen Maransdatter? Will you and Varien come here again, where you are most welcome?"
''If it lies in my power, Lady Idai, I shall,'' I replied.
"Fare you well then, Lanen, and know that you have the regard of all the Kantri. You have only to call upon us," she said aloud. She bowed to me one last time, crouched on the deck, and leapt into the sky. The ship pitched violently from her leaving.
"Shikrar, my friend, you are wounded. You have done enough. Let another bear me thence," I said as he prepared to take me in his hands.
"If you think, Varien Kantriakor rash-Gedri, that I am going to let anyone else deliver you to the Gedrishakrim, you are deeply mistaken." He gathered me in and took off. "After all my years of suffering with you through the ferrinshadik, should I let another have the honour? My wound will keep. In any case, the others are all aloft already.''