Osbourne was puffed up as if he were filled with water.
'You're a sorry-looking group, I have to tell ya,' he said, grinning, but within moments he began to shift where he sat. He grumbled as he stood and vigorously scratched the seat of his pants, apparently wishing he'd been more careful selecting leaves after relieving himself. Benjin shook his head and retrieved his ever-diminishing supply of herbs. He made a suitable mixture, poured it into Strom's hand, and gave him a water flask.
'You'll have to apply that yourself, m'friend,' he said, casting him a sidelong glance. 'You're on your own.'
Master Jarvis hurried along the inner corridors, his mouth and nose still covered with a scented kerchief to mask the smell. No one was immune to the effects of the siege, though he no longer even considered this a siege; it was more like containment. The Zjhon were not trying to get in anymore, they just didn't want anyone to get out. Master Jarvis could not decide which was worse.
The thought of Catrin in the hands of the Zjhon nearly made him sick; he'd taught her since she was a little girl, and she'd always been one of his favored students. The only thing that sickened him more was the thought of what Master Edling was trying to achieve. Some would say that Jarvis was seeing things that were not there, but he knew better; he'd known Edling for too long. Master Grodin had been swayed into moving the refugees into the audience halls based on the premise that the people would feel more secure surrounded by their peers than if kept apart. It was a ruse, and Jarvis knew it. Though some people had expressed feelings of loneliness and a sense of being disconnected, he doubted any of them would consider being crammed into the audience halls an improvement. The fact that one of the special release bars used to trigger the cave-in mechanism was missing only solidified the reality in Master Jarvis's mind.
When he finally reached Master Grodin's quarters, he was pleased to see the old man awake and alone. 'May I trouble you?'
'Who's there? Is that you, young Jarvis?' Master Grodin asked. 'There are some candied cherries in the dish there. Help yourself. I know how you like them. Then run along and be a good boy.'
'Thank you, sir,' Master Jarvis said, knowing that sometimes Master Grodin seemed to drift into the past, remembering a time when Jarvis was but a student of his. 'The refugees have been moved into the audience halls.'
'Yes, I know. They can all be together with their family and friends now. I wish I could do more for them. Maybe you could take them some candied cherries?'
'Perhaps I will,' Master Jarvis said. 'I'm concerned about Master Edling's motivation. I suspect he had another reason for wanting the people moved.'
'You and Edling must end this rivalry between you,' Master Grodin said as he wagged his finger. 'Wasn't it just last week I caught the two of you fighting in the store room?'
In truth, that had been nearly thirty years ago, but Jarvis knew better than to tell Master Grodin he was mistaken; instead he tried to nudge his aging mentor back into the present. 'I'd feel more comfortable with the refugees in the audience halls if all of the cave-in release keys were accounted for. One is missing.'
Master Grodin turned sharply and chewed on his beard a moment before he responded. 'I suppose that leaves me only one course of action,' he said, his eyes clearer than Jarvis had seen them in some time. 'Since Edling feels compelled to represent the refugees, then that is how it shall be. Let it be known that he and his must remain in the audience halls at all times, so that he can personally ensure the safety and well-being of his charges.'
Jarvis left with a smile on his face, wondering how much of Master Grodin's condition was an act, and how much was the guise of a clever old man.
Chapter 14
The bitter taste of betrayal can be purged only by fire.
The next few days were long and miserable while they waited at the campsite to heal, taking time when they could to gather supplies. They were not in very good shape for hunting, so they settled for gathering fruits and nuts.
The weather was clear and warm, and light breezes carried the many scents of summer. The comet was no longer visible in the night sky, and no new comets showed themselves. Catrin wondered if it had all been just a cosmic joke, the first comet really being the only comet. She could still feel a charge in the air, but she wondered if it was just a lingering effect from the first comet.
'Do you think there'll be more comets?' she asked Benjin.
'Can't be certain, but I assume so. Legends say thousands of them crowd the night skies during the Istran Noon, which should occur some seventy-five years from now. I'm guessing we'll see a gradual increase over time.'
They had seen no further signs of soldiers, for which they were grateful, but the fact seemed to disturb Benjin. He was nervous, edgy, and constantly looking for signs of the Zjhon.
'I know there're more soldiers following us. I'm almost certain the man who died in the marsh wasn't alone, but I can't understand why they don't attack. They're more heavily armed than we are, and they have to know that. They know where we are, and they've had time to bring a larger force here,' he said.
'They may be heavily armed, but I bet none of them has ever changed the course of a river or knocked down the side of a mountain like I saw Catrin do,' Strom said. His words sounded strange to Catrin-like something from a fireside story.
'But they knew they were coming here to face the Herald,' Benjin replied. 'They must have known she would have great power. I don't think they're totally reacting out of fear, although I do agree they have good reason to be cautious. I still think they must have some other reason for following us but not attacking.'
'Perhaps they are bringing more troops here to confront us,' Chase said. 'Maybe the terrain has just delayed them. We should remain watchful.'
'Maybe they don't need to attack us now because they already know where we're going,' Osbourne observed. 'They're probably just waiting for us to walk into an ambush.'
Benjin nodded and hesitated before he said, 'You may be right, but I'm not sure. They may have other plans for us. Still, we'll need to be alert for signs of either ambush or pursuit.'
Catrin spent a long day looking for fruits, nuts, and the herbs and spices they needed to replenish Benjin's medicinal supplies. When she returned to camp, her companions seemed to be better, a great relief after days of misery. There was a strange look in their eyes as she approached.
Strom stared at her so intently that she finally couldn't stand it any longer. 'What are you looking at?' she asked Strom more sharply than she'd intended.
'I'm looking at your necklace, Cat. It didn't look like that when you first showed it to us. It was all milky and dull, and now it's.. .'
Chase finished the sentence for him. 'It's just beautiful.'
Catrin lifted the leather thong over her head and examined the carving, amazed by what she saw. The carved fish was now clear and almost lustrous. It caught the light and sent small prisms dancing around her. She ran her
