solace for him against the agonizing folly of it all. What had been a bristling line of enemy pikes and shields singing defiance and battle fury into the boiling blue sky had become a fleeing horde of sons, brothers, lovers, husbands …
'Yes, sir,’ he said, cutting short the recollection.
'What's the matter with the wolf?’ Menedrion asked curtly. Antyr looked down. Tarrian's ears were flat against his head and his tail was between his legs. The vivid, visceral, memories of the battle had washed over to him also.
'He's nervous with strangers,’ Antyr said, kneeling down and putting an arm around him. ‘I'm sorry,’ he said privately to Tarrian. ‘Will you be all right?'
The question was pointless as he knew that Tarrian's reaction would pass as soon as his own emotional response to the memory of the battle passed.
Menedrion nodded. ‘Good,’ he said. ‘He's a powerful-looking animal. It's as well he knows who's master around here.'
'Yes, sir,’ Antyr's parade-ground reflexes had him say.
Tarrian lay down and closed his eyes. Antyr remained by him.
Menedrion fidgeted with his beard for a moment and looked from side to side about the room awkwardly for a while.
'Personally I've little time for this kind of nonsense,’ he began. ‘But…’ He paused and then abandoned this approach. ‘You come highly recommended,’ he decided finally. ‘You'd better be good. I warn you, I know you Guildsmen. I can smell a charlatan a league away, no matter what his trade.’ He levelled a finger at Antyr. ‘And don't think that because I'm who I am you can conveniently double your fee.'
'I understand, sir,’ Antyr replied keeping his voice neutral though tempted to be mildly offended. ‘The Guild have a scale of charges which you can…'
Menedrion waved him to silence. ‘My Counter will attend to all that,’ he said irritably. ‘You just tell me what it is you do and we'll get on with it.'
'I'm a Dream Finder, sir,’ Antyr said, unable to keep some surprise out of his voice. ‘I … find your dreams and … guide you through them…'
'I know that!’ Menedrion said sharply. ‘That's why you're here. But what do you do? Do you want me to go to sleep or something because you'll have the devil of a wait if you do.'
'Oh no, sir,’ Antyr replied, relaxing a little and, without realizing it, beginning to take charge of the powerful figure in front of him. ‘My Companion and I will need a little time to prepare ourselves but when we're ready all you'll have to do is make yourself comfortable, give me your hand and close your eyes. We can do it any time if it isn't convenient now.'
'That's all?'
'That's all, sir,’ Antyr confirmed.
'How long will it take you to prepare yourself?'
Antyr was about to say, ‘A few minutes, sir,’ when a startled thought from Tarrian made him look down. The wolf's eyes opened abruptly, yellow and brilliant. Briefly Antyr caught a glimpse of himself as Tarrian confirmed the night-black sockets that indicated his readiness to begin the search.
So quickly, they both thought simultaneously.
Keeping his eyes downwards, Antyr said, ‘We're ready now, sir, if you wish to begin.'
Menedrion replied by snapping his fingers. Noiselessly, a guard emerged from behind a large tapestry. Antyr started in surprise at his sudden appearance but remained crouched by Tarrian. The man looked impassively at him as he moved to sit in a nearby chair indicated by Menedrion, but his eyes turned away rapidly as Antyr looked up and met his gaze.
Menedrion's reaction was more vigorous-he drew in a sharp breath and a spasm of outright fear passed briefly over his face.
'He's superstitious,’ Tarrian said urgently. ‘Say something quickly. He knows he's shown fear, and it'll be face-saving anger next if we're not careful.'
'I was going to ask if there was anyone you'd like present, sir,’ Antyr said calmly, turning away from Menedrion and rising to his feet. ‘In my experience, the presence of someone the dreamer trusts is invariably beneficial and your bodyguard would be ideal.’ Then, prosaically, ‘May I use this chair, sir? I'm afraid I find kneeling very uncomfortable these days.'
'Yes, yes,’ Menedrion said with another wave of his hand. ‘Sit wherever you want.’ He leaned further back into the chair, stiffly and awkwardly, and closed his eyes as Antyr brought the chair forward and placed it in front of him.
'Would you give me your hand, sir,’ Antyr said, pulling the chair closer and then showing his own empty hands to the bodyguard. Menedrion's massive hand jerked out suddenly, almost striking Antyr. The movement and Antyr's startled response made the bodyguard smile.
Taking Menedrion's hand in his right, Antyr again showed his empty left hand to the bodyguard and then passed it gently over Menedrion's closed eyes.
'Sleep easy,’ he said softly. ‘Whatever befalls, nothing can harm. Dreams are but shadows and you are guarded in all places by a great and ancient strength.'
Menedrion did not so much drift into sleep as tumble into it. His whole frame sagged suddenly into the chair, his rigid arm fell limp, and his head slumped forward. Alarmed by this sudden collapse, his bodyguard started forward but Antyr stopped him with a gently raised left hand.
'He's only asleep,’ he said. ‘Look at his breathing. Just ease his head back and put a cushion behind it to make him comfortable.'
Despite his soft speech there was a commanding quality in Antyr's manner that made the bodyguard accept the role of nursemaid without demur.
'Have you seen a Dream Search before?’ Antyr asked, his voice becoming fainter.
The man shook his head, still avoiding Antyr's gaze.
'Very well,’ Antyr said. ‘It's nothing very exciting, but don't be alarmed if either the Lord or I speak strangely or if Tarrian whines or growls. And don't interfere or let anyone else interfere except another Dream Finder. Above all,
The man nodded and mumbled an uncertain, ‘Yes, sir.'
Satisfied, Antyr followed Menedrion into the darkness, although, somewhat to his alarm, he had the feeling of being drawn after him, falling uncontrollably, almost.
He seemed to touch the moment of dark silence for only the most fleeting instant, yet it was also a slow eternity, and his awareness was at once sharper and more insubstantial than he had ever known before.
And too, the shimmering lights and sounds that were suddenly there and yet which had always been there, were more vivid and intense than ever before, swirling and dipping around and about him; dancing wild formless dances, and singing wordless, broken, songs; now near, now far.
Then he was whole and at the Nexus of the dreams of Menedrion, at the heart of the myriad leaking images from the edges of his lifetime's dreams that formed the portals of entrance for those who could find them.
But only the Companion, the Earth Holder, had that skill. Here Tarrian must lead, and Antyr follow.
Then Antyr realized that Tarrian was not beside him. For an instant his hold on the Nexus wavered and his heart jolted as a choking spasm of panic began to seize him. But even before his heart could beat again, the wolf was there; unseen but whole and strong.
'So fast, so fast.’ Tarrian was breathless and, for a moment, almost incoherent. ‘What happened? … it doesn't matter … hold on to me … hold tight … I nearly lost you … you dwindled into the distance … alone … unbelievable…’ He became quieter. ‘Your talent wakens, Antyr, it sweeps all before it. Take care, I fear you can go where I can't. I hold the earth here, solid and true, but you must hold me now, for both our sakes. Hold me tight. Do you understand?'
'Yes,’ Antyr replied hesitantly, countless questions forming in his mind which he ignored only with difficulty. ‘And no, my control's uncertain. What shall we do? Go on or withdraw?'
Doubt hovered around them.
'Not my choice to make, Dream Finder,’ Tarrian said after a moment. ‘You know that. If it'll help, Menedrion's
