Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [104]
In the past, Kale had participated in the custom of celebration when a citizen of River Away died. She understood that death meant a passage to another time and place. In River Away, the villagers thought the more boisterous the revelers, the more likely a dead person would enter a place of happiness.
It’s like Leetu said. Some things I knew were right are wrong. I’m changing so much on the inside. I keep learning things that seem to me I should have known all along.
It isn’t how much we dance and sing and enjoy the rejoicing feast that gets a dead person to a happy place. It has something to do with the person, not us. It has something to do with Glim’s life, not his death.
She walked around among the dancers until she had examined each of the kimens’ faces. Shimeran, Seezle, Zayvion, D’Shay, and Veazey all looked content. They sang with joy but not with absurd fervor. Kale relaxed. They truly celebrated Glim’s departure, assured he would reside in a happy place.
I don’t know how I know it, but I do. Not all these people understand. But the kimens do. And Dar and Leetu.
She looked among the dancers again, this time climbing onto a farmer’s wagon to get a better view.
She spotted the urohm and their marione leader quietly consuming a quail apiece.
Brunstetter and Lee Ark know what is right and what is wrong. Do the questers know more because they follow Paladin?
Fenworth’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “The questers are in the position to learn more, Kale. Because they follow Paladin. None of us knows it all. Only Wulder. Only Wulder.”
Kale whipped her head around until she caught sight of the wizard. He had a little girl on his knee and held a cup to her lips for her to drink. He winked at Kale.
“Another thing, o’rant girl, you must learn to control your use of light.”
Me?
“Yes, you!”
39
MOUNT TOURBANAUT
Kale stomped up the path, grumbling under her breath at everyone who came to mind. Her night had been filled with bad dreams. She startled awake at every slight sound, thinking another pack of blimmets was outside her tent. Metta had come awake each time, and her soothing voice crooned Kale back into slumber.
The first morning they had bade Zayvion good-bye. He would travel back to Glim’s homeland and inform the Trio family of their loss, Glim’s gain.
After days of flying north, the dragons delivered the questing party to the base of Mount Tourbanaut. Their wingspan prevented them from flying into the narrow canyons, and so the large dragons were left behind with D’Shay and Veazey.
Librettowit beamed as he came across each additional landmark familiar to his youth. He bubbled with enthusiasm to be back in the land of his birth, but even he could not keep up a running commentary on their surroundings. Just like the others in the questing party, the tumanhofer had to concentrate on breathing as they tramped up the canyons. The entrance to Dael, the tumanhofer’s principal city, nestled between two peaks of the same mountain.
Cold winds, a spattering of sleet, sore feet, and too many questions all plagued Kale’s peace of mind. The moonbeam cape warmed her body, but her cheeks and nose felt like ice. Her fine boots rubbed against her toes and heels and made her limp.
The worst part of going on a quest is the walking. And not knowing where you’re going. And having cheerful people surrounding you who don’t seem to realize the danger behind us…
She thought of poor Glim and the hideously beautiful blimmets, attractive even in death. She glanced over the edge of the path and realized a drop-off had formed while she trudged along. She had better watch her step and quit stomping lest she cause the narrowing ledge to crumble.
…danger beside us…
Lee Ark said they would reach Librettowit’s city before