"Yes, A'Laq," S'Doryn said, bowing to her.
U'Selle and the rest of the clan council rose and filed out of the small house, leaving Jynna with T'Noth and S'Doryn. When U'Selle and the others were gone, the two men looked at each other.
"I didn't mean to get you into this," S'Doryn said.
T'Noth shrugged. "I was in it when I brought her into my house." "Your brother won't be happy."
"He rarely is."
"Your brother?" Jynna said. "You mean T'Kaar?"
"Yes."
"I thought you looked alike." She turned to S'Doryn. "And are you their father?"
As soon as T'Noth began to laugh, she knew she'd said the wrong thing. She felt her color rising.
"No," S'Doryn said with a grin. "I'm just a friend. An older friend." "Much older, it would seem," T'Noth said, and laughed again.
"I'm sorry," Jynna said.
But S'Doryn shook his head. "It's nothing, child. He's just a foolish, small-minded man. If it wasn't this, he'd find some other way to make my life miserable." He said it all with a smile, giving Jynna the sense that T'Noth was far closer to S'Doryn than he was to his brother. "Pack some food," he said to the younger man, growing serious once more. "I need to speak with N'Tevva. She should know that I'm going away." He glanced at Jynna. "She should also know that I've offered to let Jynna live with us. I'll get the horses, too. I'd like to be on our way before midday."
T'Noth nodded once. "Right."
S'Doryn put his hand on Jynna's shoulder and looked her in the eye. "I'm going to leave you here for a time. Do what you can to help T'Noth. We'll be on our way to your village before long."
She nodded and made herself smile, though it took a good deal of effort. Strange. Until yesterday, she'd always thought of herself as being quick to smile. Not anymore. Not ever again.
S'Doryn opened the door to leave and nearly collided with T'Kaar. S'Doryn stood in the doorway, eyeing the man. Then he stepped aside and let him into the house before leaving. The two of them didn't exchange so much as a nod.
"You heard?" T'Noth asked, as he began to pile food on the table- dried fruits and bread, salted meat and a block of cheese.
"You're fools, both of you," T'Kaar said. But he didn't sound angry. Rather, he seemed resigned to their decision. "This undertaking would be folly, if it weren't so dangerous." His eyes flicked toward Jynna. "Forgive me," he said, surprising her. "Despite what you must think of me, I am sorry for all that's happened to you. You're awfully young to have seen such things."
"So you believe me now?" Jynna demanded. She could hear the bitterness in her voice, but she didn't care. She liked T'Noth and S'Doryn quite a lot. But this man she already hated. "I thought I was just a liar who'd say anything to get what she wants."
A faint smile flitted across his features. He wasn't as handsome as T'Noth-his face wasn't as square, his cheeks were a bit too fat-but he would have been nice-looking if he smiled more.
"I suppose I deserved that."
Jynna looked away. She'd been sure that he did deserve it, but now she wasn't quite so certain.
"I should come with you," T'Kaar said, turning back to his brother. T'Noth frowned. "Why?"
"Because neither you nor S'Doryn has healing magic. You might need it."
Jynna hoped T'Noth would tell T'Kaar that he couldn't come, but he didn't. He stared at the floor for several moments before nodding. "You're right. If you want to come, we'd welcome the help. But we're not to return here for eight days. Are you sure you want to leave A'Vinya and the baby alone for so long?"
"No, I'm sure I don't. But I think I should."
"Fine, then," T'Noth said. "We'll need more food, and S'Doryn wants to be on our way before midday."
T'Kaar took a breath. "All right. I'll be back soon." He let himself out of the house.
T'Noth continued to stare at the floor, as if lost in thought. At last, he shook himself and looked up at Jynna. He gave her a small smile, but he said nothing. She thought it best to do the same.
It wasn't long before S'Doryn returned with several horses, all of
them far too large for Jynna to ride. He must have noticed how she eyed the beasts, standing on the stairs outside T'Noth's door, because he walked over to her and said quietly, "Don't worry. You're going to ride with me."
"Good," she said, still watching the animals. She'd seen horses before, of course, but never the mounts of the Fal'Borna. They were not only the finest horses she'd ever seen, but also the largest. Though she thought them beautiful, Jynna was also frightened by them.
"T'Kaar is coming with us," T'Noth said, tying the satchel of food to one of the saddles.
S'Doryn looked at the younger man, saying nothing for a long time. "That right?" he said at last.
"He says we may need a healer."
"What about A'Vinya?"
T'Noth shrugged. "He's willing to make the journey, and he knows that we have to wait before returning."
"All right." S'Doryn looked like he might say more, but at that moment T'Kaar came into view, carrying two travel sacks.
I don't like him, Jynna wanted to say. Tell him he can't come. But she kept these thoughts to herself, and within a few moments they were on their way, T'Noth riding in front, followed by S'Doryn and Jynna, and then T'Kaar.
Jynna rode just in front of S'Doryn, who kept an arm around her and occasionally let her hold the reins. It was a bit scary being so far off the ground, but the horse responded with alacrity to S'Doryn's commands and she never once feared that she might be thrown. It was a glorious day, clear and warm, and a soft, cool breeze blew across the lake, rippling its waters.
The distance between Tivston and Lowna had seemed impossibly great the night before, but on this day, carried by the great Fal'Borna mounts, they came within sight of Jynna's village in only a couple of hours. Actually they saw the smoke first, well before even the largest buildings-the silo and the sanctuary-came into view. But aside from the shifting cloud of black smoke that hung over what was left of the village, and the large flock of crows and kites that circled low over the houses, they saw no movement at all.
"Jynna, maybe you should wait here," S'Doryn said, his voice low.
She stared at the village, trying to spot her house, searching desperately for someone-anyone-who might have survived the night. "No" was all she said.
They rode on, advancing on the village, all of them silent now. Jynna wondered if the three men were as frightened as she of what they would find.
It was the birds-the carrion eaters-that first drew her eyes to the bodies. The first one made her stomach heave, and she clenched her teeth to keep from being ill. Then she spotted another, and a third. By the time they steered the horses onto the lane leading through the marketplace, she could see so many that she lost count. Already they had started to grow rank, and flies buzzed everywhere. As they rode among the buildings the kites flew off and began to circle overhead, complaining loudly. The crows, though, weren't so easily driven off. They'd flutter away as the mounts stepped past, but would quickly return to their feast.
Jynna tried not to look at the corpses. She kept her eyes moving, scanning for survivors, occasionally glancing in the direction of her house, hoping against hope that she'd see her parents or her brothers walking toward them. But all was terribly still. Occasionally she'd point in the direction she wanted them to go, and always S'Doryn steered them as she commanded. For the moment at least, he seemed content to let her lead the way.
When at last they came to what was left of her home, Jynna let out a stifled cry and buried her face in her hands. Every one of them was there. Mama, Papa, Delon, Blayne. All of them dead, the three men horribly disfigured by their healing magic. How could something as good as healing power do such damage?
"Your family?" S'Doryn asked.
She merely nodded.
"I'm sorry, Jynna."
They stayed there for some time, until at last S'Doryn must have given a signal for them to ride on, because the horse she was on started to turn.