“He can see them. He’s a Guardian!” Tagerillion said with a smirk, regaining some of his former bounce as he interrupted his discussion with Alyssa.
Jerrol called the excited Arifel down to him, attempting to calm him down. “This is an Arifel, and only Guardians can see him, so,” Jerrol shrugged, “you must be a Guardian. Now if I have it right, Ari and Lin can speak to us, and we can use them to pass messages back and forth?”
“Indeed,” Chryllion rumbled, “when they pay attention, they are a very efficient method of communication, but they tend to have short attention spans.” He glared critically at Ari, who cheeped happily in response.
“But you can all call them when needed, can’t you?”
“Oh yes, they will respond eventually,” Birlerion said as he stroked Lin. The Arifel perched on his hand, preening under all the attention, meeping happily in the presence of so many Guardians.
“Birlerion always had more luck than the rest of us, they seem to like him,” Tagerill said, watching his brother.
“Right then, Saerille, make sure you report on what you find before you take any action. We do not want the Ascendants to discover you are abroad until we are ready. That is one advantage we can’t afford to lose,” Jerrol ordered.
Saerille nodded. “Yessir, I understand. I will be careful.”
“No heroics, Saerille. In and out unseen, remember?” Chryllion said.
“Yes pops,” she said, with a vivid smile at the older Sentinal. She saluted Jerrol and left the room on the heels of a page who had returned to say her horse was ready.
“Jerrol,” Jason held his head in his hands, “what do you mean they are my Sentinals?”
“Well, I suppose they’re mine, as I am their Captain and they are part of my Guard, but their allegiance lies with Stoneford. They protect Stoneford Watch. You are the Guardian; therefore, they look to you. Chryllion will remain here with you. Once Saerille has patched the Veil, she will return and help you and Chryllion as needed. Tagerillion is going to come with Birlerion and me and see what is going on at the Watch Towers.”
“My friends call me Tagerill, Captain. I would be honoured if you would do the same,” the red-haired Sentinal said with a grin.
“Shouldn’t Tagerill come with me to Greenswatch?” Alyssa suggested doubtfully.
“Nay, my Lady, the Captain needs me,” Tagerill said. “I’ll return in good time. Greens is no longer mine, and I doubt I would recognise it. It belongs to Penner’s descendants. I belong with the Captain.”
Jerrol recognised the need to act, to be of use. He silently agreed with Tagerill. Greens would be a bittersweet return. His gaze paused on Birlerion, still cradling the little black and white Arifel. His face was soft as the Arifel rubbed against him.
What was it about him that caught your eye? For someone so reserved, people deferred to him without noticing. He had morphed from a cold-eyed killer to a man with a history, in a few short weeks. A man with strong emotions and an abiding love for the Lady, someone he knew would become a friend, given time. Even Jennery had gotten over his initial suspicions.
When had Birlerion become such a reassuring presence behind his shoulder? He seemed to have adapted so well compared to the newly awoken Sentinals. And yet there was still something elusive about him, something hidden. Jerrol wondered when Birlerion would finally relax enough to trust him.
Chapter 23
Velmouth, Stoneford Watch
Jerrol watched Tagerill in concern as the Sentinal slowly crouched lower in his saddle as they travelled. He had tried to answer his questions, but the more places he pointed out, the more confused Tagerill’s questions became. He became quieter and more withdrawn as the miles passed.
Once again, Jerrol appreciated how well Birlerion had adapted. He had to admit that he doubted he would have adjusted to his situation so well. Birlerion didn’t seem nearly as displaced as Tagerill did, even though he admitted he knew none of the villages Jerrol was naming. The only time he had wobbled was when he had greeted Tagerill, which under the circumstances was only natural.
Ranks of mature trees lined the roads, opening into arable fields that stretched as far as the eye could see before closing in around them again. Roads led off to small villages and hamlets, through dark tunnels of trees that Jerrol named but meant nothing to the Sentinals.
Birlerion twisted his lips. “It’s like being a stranger in a foreign land; now and then you recognise something, and you think you know where you are, but you don’t really.”
“I spent months posted here in Stoneford, yet I don’t recognise any of it,” Tagerill said.
“You will learn Vespiri again. Underneath it is still the same, it is still home,” Jerrol said, trying to reassure them. “I will awaken more Sentinals, and we will find your friends.”
“Not all of them,” Tagerill replied, his voice low. “My sister was in Vespers with Birlerion. You say that was destroyed and has been rebuilt. Greens has lost her Guardian.” He swallowed and continued. “My father was the first Guardian, that was the last time we were all together. Versill, Marian, Birler and I, we were all Rangers before we became Sentinals. We all came home and celebrated the creation of the Watch with my parents and my eldest brother Penner.”
“Versill is at Greens, and we have each other,” Birlerion said, trying to reassure though his expression matched Tagerill’s.
“As Alyssa said, you have family at Greens, maybe many times removed but they will still be your family, Tagerill. I think you will find yourself fortunate,” Jerrol said.
Tagerill brightened a little. “At least there is still a Greens,” he agreed. “And Versill is there. And Serillion.”
“We will stop there on the way to Old Vespers after we find Torsion and discover what is going on up here. Tell me about Serillion, is he a friend of yours?” Jerrol asked.
Tagerill finally relaxed as he started to talk about his friend. The miles passed
