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Authors: Jenny Ealey
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tell?”
“How would we have been able to tell with Rushwind?” asked Summer Rain.
“If you had stayed tuned into her thoughts, you would have been able to tell,” answered Tarkyn. “When you think about it, she acted unexpectedly, straight after my attempt at healing her. When she attacked me, I couldn’t tell her thoughts of course, but the images coming through from her were hideous.” He looked at Waterstone. “I think it’s time to even up the score. Waterstone, I give you permission to have free access to my memories and any images and feelings you can access.”
A babble of consternation broke out at this announcement, some of it surmising Waterstone’s past actions and some of it in reaction to Tarkyn’s offer.
“Sire, that is asking too much of yourself,” objected Falling Branch, “Can we not just trust you if you reassure us?”
Tarkyn shook his head. “Not if I am not acting under my own volition. I won’t know. I will think I am being honest and so will you, when I may not be. Someone outside me has to scan my thoughts and feelings.”
“But isn’t the very fact you’re offering, proof enough?” he persisted.
“I don’t know, maybe, but we can’t afford to take the risk.” He looked back at Waterstone and gave a wry smile. “Sorry Waterstone, I dumped you in it, didn’t I? I’m not thinking too straight at the moment. Are you willing to do this?”
“I am willing but could it be dangerous?”
Tarkyn shook his head. “I wouldn’t think so, as long as someone is nearby to pull you out of my thoughts. But again, don’t rely on what I say until we know whether I am to be trusted. Ask Stormaway.”
Stormaway frowned down at him. “Tarkyn, this is very uncomfortable. And can I just point out that if you are indeed still infected, then the tree’s power will be feeding the parasites and strengthening them?”
Tarkyn whipped his hand away from the tree trunk. “Oh my stars, Stormaway. You’re right. How could I have been so stupid?”
“I think it is encouraging that you do not yet appear to have been overrun when we all sent you that life force earlier on, to heal the burning,” pointed out Summer Rain.
Tarkyn breathed a sigh of relief. “True. That is encouraging.” He gave a little shiver. “Come on Waterstone. I feel as though I’m going mad here, not knowing whether I am truly myself or not.”
Waterstone frowned, “Are you sure?”
Tarkyn smiled, “Yes, my friend. I am sure. I trust you with my memories and images. Go ahead.”
“I can’t see that I need to go very far back.” Waterstone looked around for confirmation and saw several people shaking their heads. “Show me your memory of earlier this evening after you thought you’d healed Rushwind.”
Tarkyn’s memories did not have words attached to them, only images and feelings . Rainstorm embarrassed. Rushwind looking askance at me. Outrage and hurt at her behaviour. Autumn Leaves angry with me. Golden Toad nervous but kind. Feeling raw, shaken, frightened by intensity of feelings, tired.
Waterstone pulled out. “Hmm. I think we could have looked after you a bit better after that first run-in with Rushwind. You seemed to have scored a lot of criticism when you were least able to deal with it. Still, so far so good,” he reported, with a reassuring smile at Tarkyn. He took a breath. “Right. I suppose I’d better see what happened when Rushwind came to see you tonight.
Rushwind bending over me. I feel mildly friendly. Rushwind’s face fills with hatred. Eyes burning red. I’m watchful not frightened. Rushwind puts her hand on my shoulder. Searing pain. Raging wind above me. Everyone, come! Waterstone could feel an echo of the pain from the image but he persevered . Parasites pouring into me through my shoulder. Flooding everywhere. Flowing out through my hand up into the tree. Now, grey globules change direction. Moving towards my head. Shield goes up. Fear. Outrage. Power now destroying
“How would we have been able to tell with Rushwind?” asked Summer Rain.
“If you had stayed tuned into her thoughts, you would have been able to tell,” answered Tarkyn. “When you think about it, she acted unexpectedly, straight after my attempt at healing her. When she attacked me, I couldn’t tell her thoughts of course, but the images coming through from her were hideous.” He looked at Waterstone. “I think it’s time to even up the score. Waterstone, I give you permission to have free access to my memories and any images and feelings you can access.”
A babble of consternation broke out at this announcement, some of it surmising Waterstone’s past actions and some of it in reaction to Tarkyn’s offer.
“Sire, that is asking too much of yourself,” objected Falling Branch, “Can we not just trust you if you reassure us?”
Tarkyn shook his head. “Not if I am not acting under my own volition. I won’t know. I will think I am being honest and so will you, when I may not be. Someone outside me has to scan my thoughts and feelings.”
“But isn’t the very fact you’re offering, proof enough?” he persisted.
“I don’t know, maybe, but we can’t afford to take the risk.” He looked back at Waterstone and gave a wry smile. “Sorry Waterstone, I dumped you in it, didn’t I? I’m not thinking too straight at the moment. Are you willing to do this?”
“I am willing but could it be dangerous?”
Tarkyn shook his head. “I wouldn’t think so, as long as someone is nearby to pull you out of my thoughts. But again, don’t rely on what I say until we know whether I am to be trusted. Ask Stormaway.”
Stormaway frowned down at him. “Tarkyn, this is very uncomfortable. And can I just point out that if you are indeed still infected, then the tree’s power will be feeding the parasites and strengthening them?”
Tarkyn whipped his hand away from the tree trunk. “Oh my stars, Stormaway. You’re right. How could I have been so stupid?”
“I think it is encouraging that you do not yet appear to have been overrun when we all sent you that life force earlier on, to heal the burning,” pointed out Summer Rain.
Tarkyn breathed a sigh of relief. “True. That is encouraging.” He gave a little shiver. “Come on Waterstone. I feel as though I’m going mad here, not knowing whether I am truly myself or not.”
Waterstone frowned, “Are you sure?”
Tarkyn smiled, “Yes, my friend. I am sure. I trust you with my memories and images. Go ahead.”
“I can’t see that I need to go very far back.” Waterstone looked around for confirmation and saw several people shaking their heads. “Show me your memory of earlier this evening after you thought you’d healed Rushwind.”
Tarkyn’s memories did not have words attached to them, only images and feelings . Rainstorm embarrassed. Rushwind looking askance at me. Outrage and hurt at her behaviour. Autumn Leaves angry with me. Golden Toad nervous but kind. Feeling raw, shaken, frightened by intensity of feelings, tired.
Waterstone pulled out. “Hmm. I think we could have looked after you a bit better after that first run-in with Rushwind. You seemed to have scored a lot of criticism when you were least able to deal with it. Still, so far so good,” he reported, with a reassuring smile at Tarkyn. He took a breath. “Right. I suppose I’d better see what happened when Rushwind came to see you tonight.
Rushwind bending over me. I feel mildly friendly. Rushwind’s face fills with hatred. Eyes burning red. I’m watchful not frightened. Rushwind puts her hand on my shoulder. Searing pain. Raging wind above me. Everyone, come! Waterstone could feel an echo of the pain from the image but he persevered . Parasites pouring into me through my shoulder. Flooding everywhere. Flowing out through my hand up into the tree. Now, grey globules change direction. Moving towards my head. Shield goes up. Fear. Outrage. Power now destroying
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