Naamah's Curse - Jacqueline Carey [144]
I shook my head at him. “You’re a bad man, Grandfather.”
His grin only widened. “I’m not your grandfather, girl, and that memory will keep me warm at night come winter.”
I didn’t mind, not really. There had been no malice in it, and if Unegen or any of the others had intended me harm along the way, they would have had ample chance to act on it. And it brought a moment of levity that made the parting easier.
All was in readiness.
On Dorje’s word, our company set out to begin the long climb over the foothills. At the top of the first, I paused to look backward. Unegen and Dash led the caravan of camels across the desert plain. Already, they looked small and distant.
“You grew fond of the boy,” Dorje observed.
“Aye, I did,” I agreed. “It’s just that my life seems to be filled with so many partings. It saddens me to think of how many good folk I’ve met that I’ll never see again.”
He leaned over in the saddle and laid a hand on my shoulder. “Do not let it sadden you, Moirin. You are blessed to have met so many worthy souls. It should gladden your heart to think on it.”
“Oh, I’ve met my share of unworthy ones, too,” I said.
“I do not doubt it.” Dorje’s expression was grave. “But I think the good ones outnumber the bad, do they not?”
I thought about my experiences among the Tatars, and nodded. Despite the Great Khan’s betrayal, I had found a great deal of kindness and generosity among his folk. “Yes.” I smiled at him. “And you are surely numbered among the good ones, Dorje. I will be sorry to part from you, too.”
He smiled back at me. “Everyone loves a tale of great romance, but it is seldom that one gets to play a part in one. I am happy we can help you on your quest to find your young man.” His expression turned grave again. “What will you do if you find he is well and truly under the Spider Queen’s thrall? Have you a plan?”
I shook my head. “No.”
It was a worry I had pushed to the back of my thoughts. I had to survive the desert and the mountains before figuring out how to free Bao from the clutches of a sinister queen abiding in an impregnable fortress ruled by her equally sinister husband.
The naïve, hopeful side of me wanted to believe that it would be easy, that all I had to do was find Bao, that once I did, the irresistible force of my diadh-anam calling to his would bring us together as simply and effortlessly as it had during the Tatar gathering that seemed so very, very long ago.
But since that time, I had been forced to confront my limitations. My diadh-anam was a symbol of living proof of the divine grace of the Maghuin Dhonn Herself, of Her love for Her children, of the gifts She had given us.
And yet it was fragile and vulnerable, too.
As I had experienced all too vividly, it could be constrained by foreign magics. Never in my life had I felt more helpless than I had during my captivity in Vralia.
If it was magic that held Bao captive, it must be at least as powerful. More, mayhap. He was a skilled, clever fighter. I had no doubt that in my place, Bao would have found a way to escape his captors long before they crossed the mountains into Vralia, throttling them with his own chains.
But he hadn’t found a way to escape this.
By now I thought it unlikely that Bao was injured or ill, as I had first suspected. It had been too long. His condition would have improved or worsened, not remained in the same unchanging state for months.
Well and so, that was a good thing, wasn’t it? My new friend Dorje would say so. I made myself believe it, pushing my worries aside once more. When the time came, I would find a way. For now, it was enough to concentrate on the journey.
Our small caravan descended the far side of the first foothill, and began ascending the second. Although I was glad to leave the desert, the terrain was still harsh and barren. Dorje assured me that there would be lakes and pastures along the way, pockets of green, growing life.
I hoped so.
On the first day in the mountains, we crossed three enormous foothills and made camp at