Read Online [Lanen Kaelar 03] - Redeeming the Lost by Elizabeth Kerner - Free Book Online Page B

not hear. It must have been a
powerful argument, for he released his healing power and sat heavily on the
ground.
    I was concerned for him, but as I opened my
mouth to speak to him a great noise arose from behind me. Name of the Winds,
does this day hold no peace?
    And there, in the back of my mind, a little
louder now but still faint, that distant murmuring, like waves on a shingle
shore.
     

II. The Wind of Change
Idai
     
    It was just as well that Varien had gone apart
with Rella, for I had to protect the Gedri with my body from those who sought
to harm her and I could not have protected him as well. I had barely glimpsed
the creature before I had to save its life.
    “It reeks of the Rakshasa!”
    “Move away, Idai. It is evil!”
    Great flutterings of wings, great agitation,
exhaustion, frustration, and very little thought. Shikrar and I had long feared
this moment and spoken of what we should do. I was learning, yet again, that
plans are never complete enough to deal with life. I could smell the
demon-trace around this woman as well as any, but Shikrar and I had made oath
to each other that we would not harm nor allow harm to come to any who came to
us in peace no matter what they reeked of. It would take a great deal to make
me trust this Gedri, but first I must keep her alive.
    “This is not yet our home!” I shouted, trying
by sheer volume to break through the anger of my people. “On the Island of
Exile we were alone and accountable only to ourselves. Here we must learn to
bear with the Gedri; we must learn to live among them whatever they may reek
of. They were given Choice by the great Powers!” I summoned calm and let as
much concern as I could find show in my voice. “That gift of Choice is with
them until they die. Would you steal this soul from the Win—from the Lady of
the Gedri, before it has a chance to repent?”
    This won at least a moment of silence. The
Kantri are fire-hearted, and the reek of the Rakshasa fans the flame terribly,
but we are not stupid.
    A muffled voice came from the region of my
chest. “For goodness’ sake, my soul to the Lady, I am in Her service! It’s not
me they’re reacting to, it’s this thrice-damned Farseer. If you’d just give me
a moment to speak…”
    I opened my talons, looked down, and there
found that which would in all likelihood make me trust her, for looking up at
me was the very image of Lanen, if you added enough years and lines and turned
half her hair to grey. “My thanks,” she said, nodding to me. She bore a large
pack on her back and I still held her close. “I suspect I owe you my life. May
I ask your name?”
    “I am called Idai. You are the mother of
Lanen,” I said. It was not a question. I bespoke Shikrar and Varien as I gazed
down at her. “My friends, there is someone here whom you must meet. Come
quickly. I feel the need of your counsel.”
    The Gedri’s eyes, clear and relieved before,
clouded. “Yes. I am Maran of Beskin.” She stood straighter—for courage, I
thought—and something of desperation came into her gaze. “Have you found her?’
    “No,” I said quietly. “Have you?”
    “I think so,” she replied, never glancing
away.
Shikrar
    I hurried to answer Idai’s summons, still
weary from the curious aftereffects of my healing and leaving Vilkas and Aral
where they stood. I found Idai surrounded by many of our folk, nearly all of
whom stood in the Attitudes of Anger or Frustration. More worrying, I felt also
an undercurrent of Fire, that flame that arises in us in the presence of our
life-enemies the Rakshasa. Varien arrived about the same time I did.
    Before I could speak, though, Rinshir cried
out, “The Gedri that Idai defends reeks of the Rakshasa, Eldest!” He too stood
in Anger, but his was moving swiftly towards something stronger. “Are we come
to this, that we should protect the Raksha-touched?”
    “We are new-come here, Rinshir. Would you then
destroy this child of the Gedri, in its own land, with no