Auraya felt her heart skip a beat.
:Any day now.
:We have discussed this at length. At first we felt it best that you ignore him. But if the Voices intend to recruit him, then you ought to do whatever you can to stop them. Or persuade him not to join them.
:How do you suggest I do that? Auraya could not help sounding a little resentful.
Juran was silent a moment.
:I am not suggesting you seduce him.
:No, but last time we met I was sent to kill him. He’s hardly going to trust me now.
:He might. After all, you didn’t kill him.
Neither of them said what was obvious: that Mirar would not have been a problem now if she had killed him.
:I won’t know what is possible until he gets here, she told Juran. In the meantime, my main priority is freeing the Siyee.
:Yes. Of course. I will speak to you again tomorrow night.
Standing up, Auraya moved into the bedroom and lay down. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but her mind kept moving from the Siyee’s predicament to Mirar’s impending arrival. Soon she was staring at the ceiling.
She had communicated with the priests in the Open, asking them to pass on to Speaker Sirri the bad news, then later to tell them of her bargain with Nekaun and suggest that Siyee fly food and water out into the Sennon desert for the freed Siyee. A few times she had skimmed minds looking for the Siyee returning home. She had only found a few, and they had been tired, thirsty and distressed. She could do nothing to help them.
The last thing she wanted to be worrying about was meeting Mirar. But they would be watching her and Mirar closely. They would expect her to treat Mirar as an enemy, or at least someone she considered dangerous and untrust-worthy. They would expect him to treat her the same in return. The trouble was, their relationship wasn’t that simple. She had no idea how she would react to him.
I’m going to have to pretend to hate him, she thought. And he’ll have to do the same to me. That will be an even greater challenge for him, if he still thinks he loves me.
If the Voices thought she or Mirar had any fond feelings for each other, they would take advantage of it. Nekaun had already shown himself willing to use blackmail.
I’m already expecting him to offer to kill Mirar in exchange for some favor. More likely he’ll offer to kill me in order to seal a bargain with Mirar.
I hope Mirar realizes how badly timed his little visit is.
I hope he has seen the danger he’ll be putting us both in.
I hope he knows he must behave as if he hates me.
I hope he isn’t intending to take Nekaun up on his offer to kill me.
I hope... bah! I should just dream-link with him and ask.
Closing her eyes, she forced herself to breathe slowly. Though she tried to let her mind drift, it refused to settle into more than an anxious semi-conscious state.
A small, soft thump and vibration brought her back to full consciousness. Lifting her head she smiled wryly as she saw that Mischief had jumped onto the bed and was curling up nearby. Though it was cooler for him to sleep by the water vessels, he still preferred to be close by when she slept.
Somehow his presence made it easier to relax. She lost track of time. Her thoughts fragmented, then drew together again so that she was conscious, but also aware that she was not completely awake. Time to call Mirar.
His response was immediate.
:Auraya!
The feeling of surprise and pleasure that came with his response told her that she didn’t need to worry that he planned to let Nekaun kill her. She only had to worry that his infatuation with her would get them both into trouble.
Still, it was nice that someone was glad to hear from her.
:Mirar. I’ve heard you’re coming to Glymma.
:Yes. I’m afraid I have no choice in the matter. Fourth Voice Genza made it clear her invitation was more of an order than a suggestion.
:How did they find out who you are and where you were?
:Did you expect me to hide my identity here? he asked in reply.
She considered his question. Pentadrians tolerated Dreamweavers. Why would he hide? The only reason she could think of was so that he could avoid the Voices. Perhaps he didn’t want to. Perhaps it had been his intention all along to ally himself with them.
I’ve been thinking that it was bad timing for him to be visiting Glymma now, but in truth there is nothing unexpected in him coming here. It’s just bad timing that I happen to be here.
:I suppose not, she replied. But us both being here at the same time is going to be awkward. The Voices will expect us to behave like sworn enemies.
:And we aren’t?
:I have no intention of killing you.
:Even if the gods order it?
:They know the limits to my obedience. Mind you, I’d reconsider if you gave me a reason to.
:Then I had better reassure you that I have no intention of killing you, or agreeing to any offer by the Voices to do it for me, he said.
:That is a relief. How good are your acting skills?
:I think I can convince them that I despise you. That is what you have in mind, isn’t it?
:We could hardly pretend to be the best of friends. Nekaun has already blackmailed me. I don’t think he’d hesitate to do so again. If he proposes to either or both of us that the other be killed, we can at least buy time while making up our minds. If he decides one of us might be manipulated by threatening the other, he will do so without hesitation.
:And by pretending to hate each other, we buy the Siyee more time.
:Yes. Auraya felt an unexpected gratitude and affection. Thank you for doing this. It won’t endanger you or the southern Dreamweavers, will it?
:No. Once you are gone, I can claim I was bound by the Dreamweaver vow to never harm another - even my enemy.
:A vow which makes you less valuable as an ally.
:But hopefully reassures them that I am no threat to them. I’m sure the Voices and I can come to an understanding.
:I’m glad we sorted this out. When will you arrive?
:Tomorrow, or the next day. It depends on the wind.
:The wind?
:I’ll explain when I get there.
:Just make sure you do it in an angry, accusing tone.
She felt a wave of amusement.
:I will explain in a dream-link, he told her. We should link each night, to make sure we both know what the other has said or done - and what the Voices have said or done. I wonder which of us will get the best offer to join them. We should keep score.
:This isn’t a game, Mirar.
