Read Online 04c Dreams of Fire and Gods: Gods by James Erich - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: James Erich
Tags: mm
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isn’t safe.”
“But we’ve come all this way to stay with my sister,” Unid protested.
The guard’s stern expression wavered a bit when he saw the look of despair in her eyes, but he replied, “If your sister arranges a pass for you, then I can let you in.”
“Can you take a message to her, then?”
“The city guard does not deliver messages. You’ll have to find someone with a pass to take a message to her.”
“What of our friend here?” Unid said, trying another tack. “He belongs in the temple. You can’t keep him out here.” She hesitated, perhaps debating whether to mention that Gonim was ill, but Gonim was relieved that she did not. It might have given the guard one more reason to keep them all out.
The guard looked him over a moment, then said, “Well, I suppose I can let you go to the temple, tadu .”
Gonim felt no joy at being allowed entry when Unid and Seirit were being kept from their family, but Unid seemed pleased. “Thank you, sir.” She pulled Gonim aside and said to him, “Will you seek out Dövfor us, after you’ve reported to the temple?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you!” She beamed at him. “You’ll find her in the third ring. Someone there should know her. She takes in washing.” At that, Unid gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Gonim smiled at the old woman and took one of her hands in both of his. “Stay well, Unid. I promise to find your sister as soon as I can.”
He clasped Seirit’s shoulder and then turned back to the guard. The man stepped aside and motioned with his hand for Gonim to pass through the gate. “Welcome to Harleh, tadu . May your stay be a pleasant one.”
Chapter 3
T HE south courtyard had become a hedge maze. No, worse, Sael reflected. The maze wasn’t composed merely of yew and cedar hedges, but also had stone walls that hadn’t existed in the courtyard a mere day ago. Apart from the hedge, and two guards posted by each entrance, the courtyard appeared to be empty.
“What is all this?” his father asked sharply as they approached. He didn’t raise his voice, particularly, but it could still be heard clearly in the enclosed space.
Sael thought he heard giggling—the giggling of a woman—coming from somewhere in the maze, followed by what sounded like young men snickering. The vek looked as if he were about to boil over.
Fortunately, before that could happen, Master Geilin called out from the depths of the maze, “Your Grace! Forgive me. I will be with you momentarily.”
At that, the stone wall immediately before them melted into the cobblestones like warm butter, leaving no trace that there had been anything there just a moment before. Behind it, branches of yew curled to one side, forming a direct path into the center of the maze, where Master Geilin stood with four others—three young men Sael only vaguely recognized and… Tanum.
Geilin bowed formally, his students imitating him. “Your Grace. Your Lordship.”
“Master Geilin,” the vek said coolly. “Might I have a word with you in private?”
Geilin walked calmly forward, a stone wall rising up out of the cobblestones behind him to prevent his students from listening in on the conversation.
“I don’t recall giving my permission for Lady Tanum to be included in your classes,” the vek told him when he drew near.
Geilin looked perplexed. “I’m very sorry, Your Grace. Lady Tanum informed me that she was free to join us.”
“She is not.”
“Father,” Sael interrupted. “Tanum and I spoke of it before Koreh and I went into the mountains.” He hadn’t exactly agreed to let Tanum train, but he wasn’t opposed to lying in order to help Master Geilin and Tanum save face.
Fortunately, his father didn’t see fit to grill him on the subject. Though he looked at his son with an expression like someone who’s just bitten into a lemon, he turned to Geilin and asked, “These boys…. Clearly you’ve not chosen your apprentices from among the vönan
“But we’ve come all this way to stay with my sister,” Unid protested.
The guard’s stern expression wavered a bit when he saw the look of despair in her eyes, but he replied, “If your sister arranges a pass for you, then I can let you in.”
“Can you take a message to her, then?”
“The city guard does not deliver messages. You’ll have to find someone with a pass to take a message to her.”
“What of our friend here?” Unid said, trying another tack. “He belongs in the temple. You can’t keep him out here.” She hesitated, perhaps debating whether to mention that Gonim was ill, but Gonim was relieved that she did not. It might have given the guard one more reason to keep them all out.
The guard looked him over a moment, then said, “Well, I suppose I can let you go to the temple, tadu .”
Gonim felt no joy at being allowed entry when Unid and Seirit were being kept from their family, but Unid seemed pleased. “Thank you, sir.” She pulled Gonim aside and said to him, “Will you seek out Dövfor us, after you’ve reported to the temple?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you!” She beamed at him. “You’ll find her in the third ring. Someone there should know her. She takes in washing.” At that, Unid gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Gonim smiled at the old woman and took one of her hands in both of his. “Stay well, Unid. I promise to find your sister as soon as I can.”
He clasped Seirit’s shoulder and then turned back to the guard. The man stepped aside and motioned with his hand for Gonim to pass through the gate. “Welcome to Harleh, tadu . May your stay be a pleasant one.”
Chapter 3
T HE south courtyard had become a hedge maze. No, worse, Sael reflected. The maze wasn’t composed merely of yew and cedar hedges, but also had stone walls that hadn’t existed in the courtyard a mere day ago. Apart from the hedge, and two guards posted by each entrance, the courtyard appeared to be empty.
“What is all this?” his father asked sharply as they approached. He didn’t raise his voice, particularly, but it could still be heard clearly in the enclosed space.
Sael thought he heard giggling—the giggling of a woman—coming from somewhere in the maze, followed by what sounded like young men snickering. The vek looked as if he were about to boil over.
Fortunately, before that could happen, Master Geilin called out from the depths of the maze, “Your Grace! Forgive me. I will be with you momentarily.”
At that, the stone wall immediately before them melted into the cobblestones like warm butter, leaving no trace that there had been anything there just a moment before. Behind it, branches of yew curled to one side, forming a direct path into the center of the maze, where Master Geilin stood with four others—three young men Sael only vaguely recognized and… Tanum.
Geilin bowed formally, his students imitating him. “Your Grace. Your Lordship.”
“Master Geilin,” the vek said coolly. “Might I have a word with you in private?”
Geilin walked calmly forward, a stone wall rising up out of the cobblestones behind him to prevent his students from listening in on the conversation.
“I don’t recall giving my permission for Lady Tanum to be included in your classes,” the vek told him when he drew near.
Geilin looked perplexed. “I’m very sorry, Your Grace. Lady Tanum informed me that she was free to join us.”
“She is not.”
“Father,” Sael interrupted. “Tanum and I spoke of it before Koreh and I went into the mountains.” He hadn’t exactly agreed to let Tanum train, but he wasn’t opposed to lying in order to help Master Geilin and Tanum save face.
Fortunately, his father didn’t see fit to grill him on the subject. Though he looked at his son with an expression like someone who’s just bitten into a lemon, he turned to Geilin and asked, “These boys…. Clearly you’ve not chosen your apprentices from among the vönan
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