Free Survivors: Book 4 Circles of Light series by E.M. Sinclair

travel with Gan
on Seela’s back. Maressa would go with Brin and Tika as usual with
Farn. The Dragons would fly high, marking the course of Kirat’s
group. The pack horses were loaded, the riders mounted, when Storm
crouched low. The three gijan pattered to his side and scrambled
onto the sea Dragon’s back. Ren gave Tika a bemused grin and shook
his head. Khosa, in her carry sack round Tika’s neck, settled
herself more comfortably as Farn lifted into the air.
    Once above the Domes a
strong breeze buffeted their faces and Tika allowed herself to
relax a little. She stared down at the central Dome and wondered if
she would ever see Star Singer again.
    ‘I went back to speak
with him once more.’ Grek spoke in her mind. ‘He asked me to tell
you that he believes you will meet in the future and he sends you
all his love and his music. He holds his mind tightly against Orla
and Kertiss, although neither of them have much natural gift for
mind speech.’ Grek was silent before adding: ‘Their machines can
affect minds, as you learnt, did you not?’
    Tears tracked down
Tika’s cheeks and her hand clenched on Farn’s shoulder. ‘The great
eyes in Orla’s room. She said they do dreadful things to animals in
there. She told of pipes being put into brains and of wings damaged
on purpose, things grown in those gen tanks – half one creature,
half another. I would never have believed I would find people worse
than Rhaki and yet those two are.’
    Seela led them slowly
eastwards, watching those on horseback below working their way
through the still sleeping City. Tika suddenly remembered the gijan
and twisted round to find Storm a length behind. The three gijan
sat straight on his back. All Tika could see beneath the enveloping
white cloaks was the first gijan’s dark eyes shining with reflected
star light.
    ‘Grek?’ she asked
tentatively.
    ‘I am here.’
    ‘What of these
gijan?’
    ‘I cannot tell you much
more than Khosa has. They come from the salt marsh regions both
south and east of this great desert.’
    ‘Do you know why Storm
offered to carry them?’
    ‘There is an
affinity.’
    ‘Grek?’ But this time,
Grek did not reply.
    At last Kirat led the
horses through the City’s final gate. They picked up their pace,
cantering along beside the many fields which lapped against the
City’s outermost buildings. They reached the place where a trail
led off to their right, twisting and turning as it climbed to the
high peaks. Dawn was still some time away when Kirat slowed the
riders to a more cautious speed.
    Seela led the Dragons
higher still, keeping her eyes on the direction of the trail as
well as the distance separating them from the horse riders.
Eventually dawn’s fingers touched the Dragons and Farn called aloud
with delight at the first warmth. Seela swung round in a slow
circling swoop before resuming her leading place.
    ‘We will land there,’
she announced.
    The Dragon riders
peered down, seeing the trail Kirat followed opened onto a broad
flat area. Accordingly, the Dragons spiralled down, settling on
rough grass. Tika slid from Farn’s back and watched the gijan slip
from Storm. The three immediately set about making a camp: one dug
away turf for a fire pit, another trotted off, seeking fuel for
that fire, and the third clambered over a large boulder from beyond
which came the sound of fast flowing water.
    Maressa joined her. ‘I
cannot reach their minds,’ she spoke quietly. ‘They seem so docile,
so timid, yet they shield their minds to an extent I cannot
breach.’
    Tika glanced up at the
air mage. ‘I glimpsed something enormous and intricate when the
first gijan allowed me that brief entry to his mind,’ Tika
admitted. ‘But I haven’t tried to touch their thoughts
since.’
    Gan had knelt to help
the gijan clear a patch of ground for the fire. He looked up
smiling when the two women drew near.
    ‘It feels such a
relief, just being clear of that strange place,’ he
said.
    They all