Survivors: Book 4 Circles of Light series (40 page)

Jakri left his
apprentices in the book room of House Jade when he made his way,
unaccompanied, to the palace. He wasn’t sure if he would be
admitted – he had not had time to apply for audience with the
Emperor and he had not been summoned. He’d heard tales of casual
visitors being left to wait in a room unfortunately like a prison
cell beside the main gate for a whole day before being told to go
away. So it was with some apprehension that he was invited inside
and found himself in that very same waiting room.

But before his
apprehension could grow into panic an Imperial Blossom appeared at
the door and saluted him.

‘If you will follow,
Master Jakri, the Imperial Splendour awaits you.’

Jakri wore a pale green
gown with a darker green sleeveless over robe, heavily embroidered
with the sigils of House Jade. The Blossom led him into parts of
the palace he had never before entered, staying on the ground floor
all the way. Jakri was too preoccupied to keep track of the twists
and turns of the route the Imperial Blossom led him. They passed
many doors, all of which were firmly closed, and crossed many
courtyard gardens. Some of these were filled with all white plants,
others with all yellow; some had only green foliage and still
others no plants at all only rocks and flowing water.

They turned yet another
corner and Jakri saw more Imperial Blossoms ahead. A silver faced
moon door was guarded by no less than ten Blossoms. They towered
over Jakri, their black lacquered armour and tall purple plumes
accentuating the sense of their bulk and height. The Blossom who
escorted Jakri saluted and one of the guarding officers returned
the salute. Then they all stood in silent stillness for long enough
that Jakri’s palms began to grow damp again.

A bell rang softly, two
notes, and the Imperial Blossoms stiffened even further if that was
possible. Jakri bowed in anticipation of the arrival of the Emperor
although from which direction he might appear he couldn’t
guess.

‘Greetings Master of
House Jade. Arise and accompany me.’

Jakri straightened and
managed to keep his face impassive. He had fully expected the
Emperor to come with an entourage of at least a dozen House Crystal
mages, but only his wife stood a pace behind him. Kasheen glanced
at the moon door and nine Blossoms moved with precision to one side
while the other two opened the double doors. Jakri lowered his
gaze. The Empress Sariko was rarely seen by visitors to the palace
and never in public. Although she was veiled, Jakri hoped to avoid
any offence by keeping his eyes well away from her.

Kasheen strode through
the door followed by the Empress then by Master Jakri. A blank wall
blocked their advance, and also deterred anyone outside seeing
further into the Garden. Kasheen turned left and then, after a few
paces, right. Jakri felt fresh air blowing against his face but
continued to stare at the blocks of white alabaster on which he
stood.

‘Jakri, for the time
you are within this Garden, I am Kasheen and my wife, Sariko. All
are equally insignificant in the presence of my
ancestors.’

Jakri forced himself to
lift his head until he met his Emperor’s dark eyes. Kasheen gave
the slightest smile.

‘It is close to noon. I
have ordered the wards be set aside.’

Jakri instinctively
looked up. Walls rose all around, all white, and all windowless to
the very topmost part of the palace. The sky was a dazzling circle
of blue far above.

‘I know nothing more
Great One.’ Jakri looked at the Emperor. ‘The mage in Green Shade
said they would be here at noon.’

‘No ceremony here I
have told you.’

Jakri almost jumped as
someone laughed close to his shoulder. He glanced round
involuntarily and realised he was staring at the Empress who had
removed her veil. She was fairer than Hiramo – her hair pale gold
and her eyes grey blue. She laughed again.

‘Greetings Jakri. I
have long wished to meet you.’

Before Jakri could
begin to compose an adequate response, a deep bass call echoed down
to them. All three turned their faces up to the sky as two enormous
silhouettes spiralled slowly down, two smaller shapes drifting
behind them. Jakri looked quickly round the House Crystal Garden,
seeing with relief that the centre was a fairly large open space
bordered with low flowering shrubs.

Four Dragons reared
erect, dark purple, silver grey, silver blue and crimson, their
voices loud in the minds of Jakri, Kasheen and the Empress Sariko.
The Dragons remained upright, wings outstretched and Tika emerged
from behind Farn, Khosa in her arms. Sket stood at one shoulder,
Gan’s tall thin figure to her other side. Ren and Navan moved from
behind Seela towards their hosts. Tika did not bow but walked
steadily forward to within fifteen paces of the three strangers,
her friends flanking her.

‘I am Tika, soul bond
to Farn, daughter of Kija of the Dragon Kindred,’ she said clearly,
her emerald eyes surrounded by silver scaling fixed steadily on
Jakri. She proceeded to formally introduce the others, including
Khosa. She paused and as she did so the three gijan rose behind the
Dragons, swooping over their heads to land beside Tika.

‘Leaf, Willow and Piper
are gijan who travel with me.’ She ended her introductions inwardly
chuckling at the stupefied expressions on the faces before
her.

Jakri cleared his
suddenly parched throat. He had had no idea just how big a Dragon
could be. And what, in the name of the spirits, were gijan? He
bowed deeply with genuine respect.

‘I am Jakri of House
Jade. I would introduce the Crystal Emperor Kasheen and’ he
faltered. He had never spoken to the Empress, had only seen her a
handful of times at great state occasions: how did he present
her?

Kasheen came to Jakri’s
rescue. He bowed, giving Jakri another shock – since when did the
Emperor bow to anyone? He took the Empress’s hand.

‘My wife the Empress
Sariko.’

She tried to maintain
her poise but Piper trilled softly, tilting her head one side then
the other, and her Imperial Gloriousness laughed like a
child.

‘You are so beautiful –
all of you.’ She glanced up at her husband. ‘Tell me Kasheen, did
you know there was such wonder in the world?’

Half a heart beat and
then the Emperor smiled. ‘Sariko speaks only the truth,’ he
agreed.

He took several steps
forward and held a hand out to Tika. Unsure of the customs of this
land, she held her hand towards Kasheen. He gripped her palm firmly
for a moment before repeating the gesture to all the men. The
Dragons had lowered themselves and now Brin and Seela reclined,
ever watchful. Storm and Farn paced closer to the humans. Farn’s
eyes whirred faster, the facets pearl and sapphire as he lowered
his head to Sariko.

‘A girl!’ he said in
delight.

Sket muffled a snort
and Tika was furious to find herself blushing. She jabbed a sharp
elbow into Farn’s chest.

‘I apologise if my soul
bond gives offence – he is not yet a year old and has much to learn
of manners.’

Sariko tentatively held
her hand towards Farn’s face and he leaned into it.

‘I did not mean to be
rude. I never do.’ His mind tone was so abject Sariko had to bite
her lip.

‘It was not taken as
rudeness – but it is long since I was a girl.’

Kasheen indicated white
stone benches set among a cluster of small flowering
trees.

‘If you would ask two
of the guards to bring refreshments Jakri?’ the Emperor
suggested.

Jakri went back to the
moon door and repeated the request to the Blossom who had escorted
him through the palace. By the time he’d returned to the Garden he
sensed the visitors were relaxing. He looked at the purple and
crimson Dragons and when soft lilac prismed eyes turned to him he
knew they were alert for anything, no matter how relaxed the humans
might be.

The sound of booted
feet heralded the arrival of two Imperial Blossoms incongruously
carrying large trays. As sworn members of House Crystal, they were
permitted entry to the Family Garden of course. Jakri turned in
time to see the Blossoms freeze at sight of the Dragons. He held
his breath but Kasheen rose to his feet.

‘Set the trays here,
and speak no word of my guests beyond this Garden.’

The Blossoms obeyed,
their faces impassive. Gan also rose, causing another brief
stillness. He was as tall as the tops of the plumes on the
Blossoms’ helmets and had the unmistakeable demeanour of a military
man of high rank. The Blossoms studied him for a moment before
saluting Kasheen and departing the Garden.

‘You have many such
impressive officers?’ Gan enquired, reseating himself.

‘Two hundred within the
palace and twelve hundred warriors under their command.’ Kasheen
suddenly grinned at Sket who had gaped at the numbers
mentioned.

Jakri offered tea bowls
and sat on another bench.

‘We believe you plan to
attack Malesh,’ Tika said abruptly.

Kasheen ran a finger
round the edge og the priceless porcelain tea bowl in his hand. He
met Tika’s silvered eyes squarely.

‘We hoped it would
distract the witch woman from her attempts to unbind the monstrous
Child,’ he agreed honestly.

‘Well it hasn’t. There
is another Bound One in danger of gaining his freedom. He is
beneath the deserts north of Malesh.’

Kasheen sat very still
and Sariko, who had been chatting happily with the gijan turned to
listen to Tika.

‘Already several
thousand of the desert tribes descend on Malesh.’

‘So the Grand Harbour
Master faces war from the north and from us in the east,’ said
Kasheen. He got up, pacing towards Brin. He turned and paced back,
lines crinkling his forehead as he considered.

‘I do not wish war with
Malesh. Our action in seizing those two merchant ships was truly
intended as a distraction, to give my mages time to stop the
Maleshan witch’s foolish schemes.’ He paced restlessly again. ‘If
the Grand Harbour Master consents, I will return his merchant ships
to him, goods intact, crews unharmed. Well – most of them are
unharmed – there was a bit of a fight you understand. And I will
send my fleet with troops, to aid him against the desert men. We
dare not waste time bickering when the witch is so near
succeeding.’

Chapter
Twenty-Three

‘Summon first rank
officer Lytzee,’ Kasheen ordered Jakri, who went again to the moon
door.

In his absence Kasheen
surveyed his unusual guests.

‘I commanded that food
be readied for you in the lesser Chamber of Audience.’ He waved
towards the blank walls of the palace. ‘I have also commanded that
this section of the palace be cleared of all staff: only Imperial
Blossoms are in this area.’

‘Imperial Blossoms?’
Navan sounded mystified.

‘Imperial Blossoms are
my elite troops,’ Kasheen explained. ‘Warriors are those who aspire
to rise to the rank of Blossoms. There are no warriors within this
part of the palace now, only Blossoms.’

Jakri returned, the
Blossom who had escorted him here earlier at his side. The Blossom
saluted, keeping his eyes only on his Emperor.

‘My guests and I go to
the lesser Chamber of Audience. There will be complete
privacy.’

First rank officer
Lytzee saluted and risked a quick glance at the two adult
Dragons.

‘Are the ways of your
palace large enough for my Kindred to move through?’ Tika moved to
slip her arm across Farn’s shoulders.

Kasheen nodded. ‘There
should be no difficulty for them.’

Jakri sensed a slight
increase in tension from the girl again.

‘I hope there is no
difficulty – it would be unfortunate if the Dragons grew
annoyed.’

Kasheen laughed at the
clear threat although Imperial Blossom Lytzee looked worried. The
Blossom went ahead, followed by the Emperor and Empress. Khosa
planted herself in front of Kasheen.

‘You may carry
me.’

Kasheen stared down
into turquoise eyes, swallowed and stooped to lift Khosa. She held
his gaze unblinkingly in the unnerving manner of cats.

‘You too?’ he murmured
aloud.

‘Oh yes. Most living
creatures have mind powers to some degree. It is most odd that
humans have never noticed.’ She settled herself more comfortably in
the crook of his arm. ‘Well – show us the way,’ she said. ‘I
believe you mentioned food?’

They had arrived at the
short passage leading to the moon door.

‘Why do you hide the
doorway?’ Willow demanded.

‘It is a spirit door,’
said the Emperor. ‘Spirits only travel in straight lines so any
trying to enter the moon door would find a wall in front of them.
They would turn back at once.’

‘And how long have you
believed such utter nonsense?’ snapped a voice in their
heads.

Kasheen stopped
abruptly. Seela had just squeezed into the narrower passage and
Kasheen stared back in her direction.