Priestess of the White

“It sounds as if they sheltered in the mines for the night,” Berro said, waving a hand at Zeeriz. “Perhaps they feared an attack from our little spies.”

Little spies. Danjin suppressed a sigh. Berro was known for his habit of antagonizing the Germans. It looked as if he was set on insulting the Siyee as well.

“If the army emerged the next day we’ll find out when the rest of the scouts return tomorrow,” Sirri replied.

“If they saw them.”

“An army that size is hard to miss from the air,” Auraya. pointed out. “Even if they deviate from the road, doing so would slow them down and they would eventually have to return to it to approach the pass. There is only one road through the mountains.”

Berro nodded respectfully. “That is true, Auraya of the White.”

His unquestioning acceptance of her words only highlighted his disparaging attitude toward the Siyee, Danjin noted. Auraya looked at Juran, who met her eyes and nodded.

“Are there any further questions for Sveel of the Snake River tribe and Zeeriz of the Fork River tribe?” Juran asked.

Silence followed. Auraya turned to the two scouts. “Thank you for coming to us to report. You are tired and hungry. Allow me to escort you back to your people.”

As Auraya left, Danjin realized that Mairae was watching him. He smiled and inclined his head. The corners of her lips curled up, her expression unmistakably speculative. She turned to watch Auraya leave.

At once he remembered his conversation with her the day before. As her gaze snapped back to him and her eyebrows rose questioningly he realized she wanted him to. I don’t know if she has a lover, he thought at her. Do you?

She smiled and nodded.

He blinked in surprise.

Who?

She shrugged.

He looked away, both disturbed and curious. Imagining someone bedding Auraya was like imagining his daughters engaged in the act with their husbands - not something he was ever comfortable thinking about. Yet he also wanted to know who had caught her attention.

He glanced around the room, but even as he considered the men there he realized it could not be one of them. Mairae could read their minds, so she would know if any of them was Auraya’s lover. So it could only be someone whose mind she couldn’t read - or someone she hadn’t met.

As far as he knew, the White couldn’t read each other’s minds. He looked at Mairae. So it was possible...

Mairae’s eyes widened in horror. She shook her head, a movement akin to a shudder. He smiled. She obviously found the idea of bedding a fellow White appalling, but that did not mean Auraya would. He turned his mind from the possibility anyway, not wanting to cause Mairae discomfort.

If Auraya’s lover wasn’t one of the White, he would have to be someone Mairae never encountered. If that was so, and she was visiting him regularly, he must be in the army.

To his surprise, Mairae shook her head. How could she be sure? She smiled. So someone outside the army, he thought. But close enough for Auraya to visit.

His stomach sank as the possibility he had considered before wormed itself back into his mind.

The Dreamweavers. Leiard.

No, he told himself firmly. They are friends. No more than that.

It made sense that Auraya would visit Leiard. Mairae must be assuming there was more to Auraya’s night excursions than there was. He looked at Mairae. She was frowning, but as he met her eyes she smiled, shrugged and nodded.

Then Juran announced a break for dinner and Danjin sighed with relief. He’d been half afraid Auraya would return and find him speculating about her private life. Hopefully, by the time she saw him again, his mind would be preoccupied with something else.

It had been a long day, but now that Auraya had finally escaped the war council she felt her weariness replaced by a growing anticipation. Soon she would be with Leiard again. All that was spoiling her mood was the absence of Mischief. She had found his cage open when she had returned to her tent. No doubt a servant was being led a chase around the campsite.

She didn’t dare leave without him. He might lead a servant a long way, right up to the Dreamweaver camp. That could prove awkward to explain.

“Auraya?”

Recognizing Danjin’s voice, she moved to the tent entrance. In his arms was a squirming, struggling ball of fur. She sighed with relief.

“Thank you, Danjin.” She beckoned him inside. “Now, Mischief, where have you been?”

“Owaya. Owaya. Bad man. Take Msstf away. Bad.”

She looked at Danjin, alarmed by the words. He grimaced and let the veez squirm from his arms and bound into hers. Mischief curled up around her neck.

“Not so tight,” she gasped. She looked at Danjin. “What happened?”

His expression was a mix of concern and guilt. “At dinner a servant came to tell me Mischief was gone. It’s taken me hours to find him. Or rather, he found me.” Danjin sighed. “He’s been saying ‘bad man’ over and over. I fear someone may have taken him.”

Auraya could feel the veez’s heart racing. Stroking his back, she gently probed his mind. Memories flashed through his thoughts. A human face, the lower half covered with something. The cage opening and a hand grasping the veez’s neck. Scratching, biting, the taste of blood. Being trapped inside something. Chewing through and the relief of freedom.

Bad man! he said into her mind. She started. He’d never spoken to her telepathically before.

“I think you’re right, Danjin,” she said. She looked at him and sensed guilt again. Surely he hadn’t...

She looked closer and was relieved to see the true source of his guilt. Mairae had asked if she had a lover days ago and he had forgotten about it until she had posed the question again tonight. He felt ashamed of himself for speculating about her private life. Then Leiard’s name flashed into his thoughts and she felt her relief evaporate. Danjin believed she was merely visiting Leiard out of friendship, but suspected Mairae thought there was more to it.

Her whole body went cold. She knew Mairae was inclined to speculate about such things, but she hadn’t thought the woman would go so far as to lure her adviser into considering possible lovers. If Mairae was prepared to do this, how much further would she go to satisfy her curiosity? It would only take a few hours’ riding and a little mind-reading for speculation to become known fact. Her heart began to race. Mairae might already be riding toward the Dreamweaver camp.

I can’t take that risk. Leiard has to leave now. Tonight.

Unwinding Mischief from around her neck, Auraya handed him back to Danjin.

“Stay here. Keep him company. He’s had a fright I want to find out what I can. Which servant told you to look for him?”

“Belaya.”

She nodded, then strode out of the tent. Her heart was pounding. She glanced around with both eyes and mind, but detected no watchers. Drawing magic, she sent herself up into the sky, created a wind shield and drove herself through the air.

The Dreamweaver camp was farther away than before, but she reached it in moments. A lamp burned within Leiard’s tent. She landed in front of it and walked to the door flap.

“Dreamweaver Leiard?”

The flap opened, but no hand held it aside. She looked beyond and felt her heart stop. Juran stood