Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [70]
She reached the hole and poked her head out. Seezle’s soft glow illuminated the small yard. Nothing had changed since Kale had last seen it. She breathed a sigh of relief and scooted over the edge. Dar popped out almost immediately.
“I’ll scout ahead,” said Seezle.
Her light went out, and only a whisper sounding like a breeze indicated she’d gone.
“Rest a minute,” said Dar.
Kale had barely eased Leetu down to the ground and collapsed beside her when Seezle came back. She whooshed through the arched doorway and settled between Dar and Kale. Her clothing began to glow a soft amethyst as she spoke.
“There’s fierce fighting at the main gate. The castle itself is deserted. We can save time by going over the terrace and passing through the banqueting hall and then the kitchen area. The well is just outside.”
“How did you find out so quickly?” Kale asked. “You haven’t been gone a minute.”
Seezle’s eyes widened. “Kimens are the fastest creatures anywhere in the world.”
Kale frowned. Again she wondered if the tales of kimens flying might be true. But she was too tired and scared to puzzle over the question.
“Let’s go,” Dar moved to pick up Leetu’s feet.
Kale hustled into position, holding Leetu’s shoulders, and watched Seezle slip underneath. As the kimen took her place in the middle, Kale noticed how graceful and fluid her movements were, almost like light spilling across the meadow as the sun came up. If her hands had been free, Kale would have reached out to touch Seezle’s clothing. Perhaps these creatures did wear light as Dar had said.
In the distance, the clash of swords, the bellows of bisonbecks, and the shrieks of men and animals testified to battle. Kale swallowed the fear rising in her throat and urged Dar to hurry.
“You don’t want me to go careening around a corner like a druddum and run smack into a guard, do you?”
“Seezle said the castle is deserted.”
“That was a minute ago. Things change quickly in the middle of a fight.” His whisper came with a sharp warning. “Keep your ears open and use that talent of yours.”
They passed under a stone archway into a courtyard. Gingerly, Kale extended her mind. The encounters with darkness intimidated her. Reaching with her mind had been fun until the mordakleeps took Leetu, and Kale first touched the horrible black void. Concentrating on mindsearching and trying at the same time not to mentally bump into the darkness, she stumbled on the uneven stone bank.
“Watch where you’re going,” hissed Dar.
Kale bit back a retort. Something moved ahead of them, not within their range of vision but just beyond. Her mind sensed two beings.
“Stop!” she squeaked.
“I’m sorry, Kale. You’re right. I shouldn’t be barking at you.” Dar continued walking. “We’ll get out of this. Don’t worry.”
“Dar, stop moving! There’s someone ahead. Beyond that wall.”
They came to an abrupt halt and listened. Kale gave all her attention to identifying the enemy.
“Two bisonbecks,” she said as soon as she had clearly caught their image.
“Right in the way!” Seezle fumed. “We want to go across that terrace and into the banquet hall.”
“Here,” said Dar, “put Leetu down under these bushes.” He headed to the side of the bricked terrace where a cluster of ornate benches nestled in an alcove of lush green shrubs. They put Leetu between a marble seat and a statue of two dancing maidens.
Once they had the emerlindian on the ground, Seezle darkened her clothing. “I’ll go see if these are strays, or if the whole guard force is falling back, deeper into the castle grounds.”
She sped away before Dar could respond. He looked annoyed.
“I’ve been told before,” he said, “that working with kimens is a trial.”
He stood and walked up the bricked pathway a short distance. Kale followed. Now they could hear the bisonbecks muttering to each other on the other side of the wall. Dar touched Kale’s arm. She