Chapter 22

22

Ask not for the Creator to grant you clairvoyance, for the future inevitably holds your death.

~ Talivaria, Daygarii wise woman

Kaylina's eyesight darkened, awareness of the tower around her fading, and a vision swept over her.

This time, it wasn't a memory. She was riding through a deep forest on a taybarri with nobody else around. Was it Levitke? She believed so, but she couldn't see her mount's face in the vision. She could see her own face, which was odd. She seemed to be flying along, watching herself from above.

The taybarri came out of the trees and into the valley with the druid beehives. Instead of stopping, Levitke passed through it and out the other end, climbing into the mountains.

The afternoon sun beat on their backs, meaning they were traveling east, farther and farther from Port Jirador. The ground sloped upward, growing rocky and treacherous, but the taybarri was sure-footed. They passed goats and rams but didn't slow, only climbing higher and higher until they reached a mountain valley with snowy peaks all around and patches of snow in the shade on the ground. Here and there, huge tunnel openings dotted the earth, as if giant gophers lived there. But no gophers could have dug such large holes.

The taybarri evolved as diggers and tunnel dwellers, a dry voice spoke into her mind, to escape the great prehistoric winged predators of the time, predators that swept down from the sky and preyed upon the young and old and infirm. Only later did taybarri venture forth more freely, when the winged predators became extinct. Some traveled down from the mountains and adopted residence in the temperate blue-grass plains, where they encountered humans more frequently, but many remain in the mountains in their original homeland.

Kaylina didn't know who was speaking but guessed it was the plant. Or someone sharing the vision through the plant? She had no idea, but it had never spoken to her before.

As Levitke carried her into the valley, numerous taybarri came into view. Silver taybarri. Elders?

Vlerion had once explained that the taybarri turned from blue to gray as they matured. That was when they supposedly gained the ability to communicate with humans. Maybe a taybarri rather than the plant was somehow monitoring her thoughts and communicating with her. But this was a vision or a dream, right? A real taybarri off in the mountains somewhere couldn't know about it.

Four blue-furred youths bounded out of a tunnel as the large silver creatures calmly watched Levitke approach. She stopped, and the Kaylina in the vision slid off her back.

Levitke bounded over and romped with the young taybarri, wrestling and racing about, as if their long journey hadn't tired her in the least. Or maybe it was a reunion, and she was seeing family and friends she hadn't visited with since joining the rangers.

The Kaylina in the vision approached the elders and spoke and gestured. Whatever she said wasn't relayed to Kaylina in the tower. Frequently, she pointed back in the direction of the city. She also touched her head with the index fingers of each hand, making horns. That had to indicate the Kar'ruk.

The silver-furred taybarri ambled away and conferred with each other. Levitke finished playing with the others and returned so that Kaylina could climb onto her back again. One of the elders joined them, and they rode the way Levitke and Kaylina had come, down out of the mountains and toward Port Jirador.

As an anrokk , you may use your kinship with the taybarri to assist with your problems and with those of your people, the same voice said.

The elders can help with the Kar'ruk? Kaylina asked. And to clear my name?

Was that what the voice was implying?

The speaker didn't respond, and the vision faded before showing Kaylina and the taybarri arriving at Port Jirador, but she had a lingering sense that the elder going to the city was a good thing. She questioned how one lone taybarri could stop the Kar'ruk or help her with her problems, but a spark of hope lingered. Maybe the plant had given her a solution.

Before Kaylina could contemplate it further, another vision swept over her, a more alarming one.

Again, she was in the mountains, a camp set up around a pond in another valley, but, this time, Kar'ruk approached her with their axes raised. She was alone with no taybarri to ride, no way to escape, and the horned warriors surrounded her. She used her sling on them, but the lead rounds didn't deter them. The Kar'ruk charged at her with their blades swinging.

Before they struck, Vlerion rushed into view, turning into the beast as he ran. He sprang into the Kar'ruk warriors, his power enough to match theirs. To more than match theirs. Ruthless, he killed them all. Before Kaylina could express her gratitude, the beast sprang upon her.

There was nowhere to run, no caves or rock piles to crawl into for safety. With no hint of recognition in his eyes, only the murderous frenzy of a rabid predator, the beast bore her to the ground.

You haven't enough blood of the ancients in your veins to control him, the same voice as before said, grave instead of dry. He will slay you as he has slain many others. To kill is embedded in the curse, in him . It is the punishment for his line, for all humans in the area. Even the taybarri know not to disobey the mandates of the druids. The desperation of the humans made them foolish.

As the beast's claws ripped into her torso, such pain blasted Kaylina that she woke screaming.

Utter confusion scattered her thoughts as she stared up at a wooden ceiling bathed in purple light. She lay on her back, her chest heaving, and touched her abdomen, expecting to find it bloody with the deep gashes made by the beast.

"Kaylina." A hand shook her shoulder.

It took her a moment to recognize Frayvar kneeling over her, alternately staring down at her with worry and glancing at a vine hovering in the air near her head. The same vine that had touched her temple? It withdrew without bothering her further, but the visions it had delivered would disturb her for a long time.

"Here. Smell this again." Frayvar waved a vial of something pungent under her nose.

Its odor was almost as offensive as that of the sewer, and Kaylina jerked her head away. "What is that?"

"Doc Penderbrock's smelling salts. He said they can wake up rangers who pass out drunk."

"I'm not drunk." Kaylina did feel hung over. When she pushed herself into a sitting position, she realized daylight mingled with the purple glow. "How long was I out?"

" Hours . I went to ranger headquarters and got the doctor, but it took me a while since I had to dodge guards that were out searching for you—or searching for trouble in general. Either way, I didn't want them to see me. Doc Penderbrock came back with me but wouldn't come in. He said Targon forbade any rangers from entering Stillguard Castle. I think the doctor was tempted to disobey that order, but I told him it would be a bad idea. He gave me this." Frayvar squinted at her before corking the vial.

"Well, at least I got that night's sleep I've been needing."

If only Kaylina felt refreshed. She rubbed her gritty eyes, weariness making her wish for her bed back home. Her bed where curses and troubling visions rarely disturbed her.

Lately, her life had been so harrowing that she couldn't help but feel she'd made a mistake in running off to the north. Oh, there wasn't anything wrong with having a quest or a desire to prove herself, but she'd let her emotions and grievances with family members motivate her. That had been foolish. In comparison to everything that was happening here in the capital—even here in this castle—a few arguments with family were such minor concerns.

Of course, if she hadn't left home, she wouldn't have met Vlerion. And he was…

Memories of him kissing her, wrapping his arms around her, and protecting her from threats filled her with warmth. But the emotion was fleeting as the plant's vision reared up in her mind, bringing the horrifying memory of the beast tearing her to pieces.

"I didn't," Frayvar grumbled, oblivious to her thoughts.

"Sorry. You got to sleep the last time the curse knocked you unconscious though."

"Oh, yes, how could I forget about that delightful evening?" Frayvar bared his teeth. "Can we get out of here? You fed the plant, right?" He waved at the honey-water pot, which had almost disappeared under vines, branches, and leaves. "It's feeding itself ."

"I see that. I guess we can leave the pot up here."

"I would." Frayvar shuddered. "Did your, ah, gift result in anything useful?" He waved at the pot.

"I… maybe?"

"You can't answer a question with a question."

"The plant gave me a vision. Two visions. I don't know if they were foretelling the future or were a warning of what might come to pass if I…"

If she what? Went off into the mountains with Vlerion? If she went anywhere with him?

The thought of avoiding him completely depressed her, and she tried to focus on the first vision. It had conveyed that the taybarri would help if she could find the elders.

"If you what?"

"If I can't avoid certain situations," she finished. "At least one of them."

Frayvar looked at her as if she were being illogical. Or might have hit her head when she fell. At least he'd stopped waving the foul vial under her nose.

"Yes, we can leave. I just need one more moment." Kaylina shifted to face the plant. "You must know by now that we want to start a meadery here."

"And eating house," Frayvar said with a wistful look in the direction of the kitchen.

"Yes. But we can't do that if you, or, uhm, the curse, kill our potential customers." Kaylina didn't mention that the queen and the city's entire guard regiment wanting her dead was also an impediment. "Is there any way we can lift the curse? Or that you'll at least work with us to allow the business, the visitors? Without…" She waved downward to indicate the vestibule but didn't know if the plant could interpret her gestures. She didn't even know for certain that it understood her words, but it had seemed to before. "Without killing people. At least not people coming to enjoy our food and drink."

That one sought your death.

It was the same voice as before, but it startled her since it came outside of a vision. Had feeding the plant the honey fertilizer given it more power to communicate?

Descendants of the Daygarii must be protected, the voice added.

Kaylina touched her chest. Did that mean her ? Was this confirmation that she somehow had a hint of the ancient druid blood in her veins?

The plant didn't respond to her gesture.

Aloud, she asked her more pressing question. "Does that mean you'll allow visitors if they don't want to kill me?"

Those who are not a threat to you may enter your abode as long as you reside here and care for the sentinel.

"The sentinel? Is that you?"

Frayvar's eyebrows arched as he presumably only heard one side of the conversation.

Those who are not a threat to you may enter, the plant repeated.

No vines stretched toward Kaylina, but another vision crept over her. Shorter and simpler than the others, it showed Vlerion on the cobblestone street outside of Stillguard Castle with a knife thrust into his chest. His dead blue eyes were open to the sky as snow fell, dusting his body.

Kaylina drew back in horror. Before the vision faded, she recognized the hilt of the blade embedded in his chest—piercing his heart. It was her knife, the one she used for peeling fruit and cutting meat at the dinner table. It wasn't for killing people, especially not friends.

You must slay that one before he slays you.

"That won't happen. He's not a threat to me."

But he was. She knew it, and the plant knew it.

It repeated the vision of Vlerion lying dead, then showed her dozens and dozens of people sitting at the tables inside the castle and in the courtyard, drinking heartily and laughing and enjoying themselves.

"Is that a bribe?" Kaylina demanded. "If I kill him, you'll help me be successful with my meadery? Look, I don't care what blood I might have. I would never?—"

Frayvar touched her arm, and she stopped.

He held a finger to his lips as he tilted his head toward the plant. Had he also received that vision?

"If that's the deal it's offering us— you ," Frayvar said, "then we must consider it."

Kaylina realized his words were for the sake of the plant—it clearly could understand them—but she couldn't keep from scowling. No dream would be worth killing someone over. Especially not Vlerion.

Had she believed for a second that Frayvar would consider that idea, she would have knocked him on his ass. But it was moot anyway. It wasn't as if either of them had the fighting prowess to kill a ranger. And Vlerion was far more than a ranger.

"Let's discuss it further outside," Frayvar added.

"Fine."

Leaving the pot of honey water behind, Kaylina swung down through the hole to the floor. She almost landed on a chair that Frayvar had dragged down the hall to help him up. He dropped down, using it for a stool, before joining her.

She strode out of the keep without saying another word to him. It wasn't his fault the plant had offered that awful suggestion—or deal , as her brother had said—but frustration and anger made it hard for her to be reasonable.

Frayvar followed her into the courtyard, then out the gatehouse to the river trail. Even there, Kaylina wasn't sure it was safe to talk, that the plant wouldn't be able to hear them, but her frustration boiled over and she whirled on him.

"Did you get that vision? And see what that awful plant wants?"

"I saw," Frayvar said. "I don't understand why it would single out Lord Vlerion specifically though. Why him over the other rangers?"

Frayvar must not have heard the words, the plant's promise that Vlerion was a threat to her.

"It hates him," was all she could say without explaining the beast. "He hacked up one of its vines to help Targon." That wasn't the true reason it wanted him dead. She knew that, but she couldn't help but clench her fists with frustration. "We're not plotting to kill Vlerion," she snapped, even though Frayvar hadn't argued for that.

" Vlerion appreciates that," came a dry voice from the courtyard wall. His dry voice.

Startled, Kaylina looked over to find Vlerion and Doctor Penderbrock leaning against the wall, their hoods pulled up. Since the gatehouse extended outward, it had blocked her view of them.

A whuff came from farther up the trail. Crenoch and another taybarri had found a spot where they could drink from the river.

"You didn't say Vlerion came with the doctor," Kaylina muttered to Frayvar.

"He didn't." Frayvar shrugged.

Kaylina told herself she hadn't said anything that would condemn her, and Vlerion looked more amused than concerned by her outburst, but the fact that the plant had been encouraging her to murder him flustered her. It made her feel guilty of a crime. A betrayal.

"Someone new wants to have you killed?" Penderbrock asked, also without concern, as he walked over to look Kaylina up and down. Frayvar handed the corked vial to him, and he tucked it into his bag. "Perhaps you should stop irking people, Vlerion."

"My job as a ranger," Vlerion said, "ensures I irk everyone from the Kar'ruk to human rebels to criminals to large predators in the mountains."

"It was the curse this time. The plant ." Kaylina pointed toward the tower, though they couldn't see its window or purple glow from the trail.

"Well, that's nothing new." Vlerion shrugged. "The curse has been killing rangers for generations. Knowing that—and seeing it try to strangle Targon—is the only reason I didn't charge in to find you as soon as I got here. Are you all right, Kaylina?"

" I'm the reason you didn't charge in." Penderbrock peered into Kaylina's eyes, maybe checking her pupils to see if they were abnormal after she'd been knocked out.

"You have a startlingly strong left hook for a doctor, and you aren't afraid to punch a man when he isn't looking—" Vlerion touched his jaw, "—but I could have gotten past you. I was allowing my wisdom to guide me and waiting patiently for Frayvar to return with an update."

"Waiting patiently under Crenoch's large furry backside," Penderbrock muttered. "The taybarri are the only ones around here with much wisdom or patience."

The flat expression Vlerion gave him suggested he might not have wanted Kaylina to learn about that.

She stepped forward and gripped his arm, more concerned about what the plant had shown her than what it had done to her. "It may still hate rangers, but it wants you dead specifically."

After taking a deep breath, she explained the vision and the deal it was trying to make with her.

"That may be a first in ranger history." Penderbrock still sounded more amused than concerned. Maybe the rangers' lives were so fraught with danger that it didn't bother them. Or maybe he didn't think anyone would carry out murder based on what a plant wanted.

Kaylina hoped that was true, but she couldn't help but be disturbed by the vision.

Less amusement lurked in Vlerion's grave blue eyes, so maybe he found it unsettling as well. She hoped he trusted that she wouldn't consider the plant's offer.

But when he looked into her eyes and said, "Walk with me," she worried he did believe that.

She made herself respond in a light tone. "The correct way to request a woman accompany you for a stroll along the river is to say, Won't you please walk with me, gentle companion whom I respect and admire? "

Vlerion's eyebrows rose, and he looked at Penderbrock.

"I've been married almost forty years, and I've never said anything like that to my wife."

"Oh, I assumed that," Vlerion said. "I've seen the way she looks at you."

"With adoration," Penderbrock said.

"Like you're a particularly vexing new recruit who must be shown everything five times before grasping it."

"She only looks at me like that some of the time."

Vlerion waved dismissively. "What I was wondering is if you agreed with Ms. Korbian's assessment of herself as gentle ."

Penderbrock considered her. "She hasn't struck me in the back of the head with a sling round."

"So her gentleness depends on the company she keeps."

"It's possible you're the problem, Vlerion."

"Huh." Vlerion extended a hand toward the river trail and raised his eyebrows again, this time for Kaylina.

She didn't know what he wanted to talk about, and that made her nervous, but she headed down the trail with him.

A flare of purple at the edge of her vision made her glance back as she walked. For a moment, the glow from the tower was bright enough to see even though the window wasn't visible from their position.

It soon faded, but she didn't miss the warning. The plant knew she was walking off with Vlerion and didn't like it. Or maybe that intense glow had been a command, an order to take her knife out and attack him.

Vlerion looked over at her and also back toward the castle. Since he didn't miss much, Kaylina had little doubt he'd noticed the glow intensifying.

His gaze dropped to the brand on the back of her hand, and his face grew grimmer. Maybe, despite his levity with the doctor, Vlerion was concerned.