Free Perilous Shadows: Book 6 Circles of Light by E.M. Sinclair Page B

through
the little clearing. ‘And you didn’t bring a pot to make your drink
either!’
    She clearly found the
situation deeply entertaining, although by the time dawn arrived,
Rhaki yearned for a warming mug of tea rather than the ice cold
water he’d scooped from a spring.
    ‘We could reach the
lake where I left my friends by tonight, but we will halt again and
join them tomorrow.’
    Rhaki didn’t pay too
close attention to Kija’s comment.
    He was growing tired
though as the sun dipped out of sight and Kija’s flight curved down
again. Rhaki peered over her shoulder as they came lower and saw
the glow of a fire, its flames reflecting in the water of a small
pool close by. He felt an overwhelming surge of panic. Who could be
down there? He wasn’t ready to face people after all. He couldn’t
do it.
    ‘Yes, you can.’ And
Kija swept down to land a short distance from both fire and
pool.
    The daylight had nearly
gone, down below the trees, and Rhaki only glimpsed two or three
figures standing near the fire. He slid carefully from Kija’s back
and was grateful that his legs didn’t buckle this time. He pushed
his collar away from his face and straightened his shoulders. He
found his legs were shakier than he’d have wished but they carried
him towards the blaze of the fire.
    Something moved to his
right and he faltered, seeing another Dragon, half the size of
Kija, with scales of silvery sapphire. He stopped completely. Kija
had shown him this Dragon, in pictures from her mind. The Dragon
reclined, apparently relaxed, but his eyes flashed. Rhaki swallowed
and turned back to the two figures closer to the fire. He saw a
man, about the same height as Rhaki now was in this new body. The
man had a hand on his sword hilt and his gaze was hard, his posture
tense. He stood close to a small girl.
    No, Rhaki realised. A
woman. His eyes met hers and widened in astonishment. Her eyes were
vivid emerald green, but where there should have been white
surrounding them, there was gleaming silver. He staggered, feeling
his mind being ripped inside out again, and fell to his knees as
his head spun and his stomach roiled. Gradually the dizziness faded
and he raised his head to find a bowl thrust under his nose. A
man’s voice roughly suggested he drink some tea, and Rhaki took the
bowl gratefully. When he’d drained the bowl, it was taken from him
and a hand caught his arm in a firm grip, pulling him upright then
leading him to the fire. Rhaki saw that the Dragons had moved
closer, their great bodies forming a wall behind the man and the
woman.
    ‘I have seen your
mind,’ said a cool clear voice, and Rhaki looked into those strange
green and silver eyes.
    He did not reply: what
was there to say?
    ‘I am Tika, daughter of
Kija and sister and soul bond to Farn. And Sket is our
friend.’
    Sket nodded curtly and
poured more tea for Rhaki.
    ‘We have never met, but
we have suffered at your orders.’
    Rhaki nodded. ‘I know,’
he said simply.
    The girl sighed and
leaned back against the blue Dragon.
    ‘I have held a fierce
anger and hatred towards you. But I have also had time to think.
Other things have happened too, and now I wonder how much of the
dreadful things were done by Rhaki, or by someone or something
working through you.’
    She saw by Rhaki’s
blank expression that he knew nothing of what she mentioned. Sket
lifted a small bag onto his knee and produced bread and cheese and
some dried fruits which he shared among them. Tika watched Rhaki.
She could scarcely believe that the monster who had caused such
havoc in Gaharn and the Northern Stronghold was this rather tired
looking elderly man. She waited until he’d finished
eating.
    ‘Do you remember Bark?’
she asked softly.
    She saw tears rise in
his eyes and marvelled that this could truly be Rhaki.
    ‘Kija has told me,’ he
replied as quietly. ‘My memory was tampered with, so Kija believes,
when I was sent into this body. She has restored most of it I
think.