The Silver Mage - Katharine Kerr [198]
“We’ve come a long way west, haven’t we?” Branna said.
“We have,” he said. “Those must be the Western Mountains you hear so much about, or at least their foothills. The remains of Zakh Gral are over there somewhere.”
“I was thinking more of the Seven Cities than Zakh Gral.”
“Those, too, and what do the songs call that? The Vale of Roses, that’s it.”
“All gone now. They must have been lovely.”
“Truly.” Neb looked briefly solemn, then grinned at her. “Ah, well, are you hungry? It smells to me like someone’s roasting a sheep somewhere.”
“They are. One of the poor stupid things broke its leg in the general panic.”
“No use in letting it suffer.” Neb took a deep breath. “Lots of pot herbs, and some wild garlic, too.”
After everyone had eaten, Valandario took Branna aside. They walked out into the silent grass and turned toward the east, where the last crescent of the moon hovered in the starry sky. Crickets sang in the grass, and a soft breeze blew away the sweat and heat of the day.
“Dalla asked me to relay a message to you,” Val said. “You know that she wants you to come to Haen Marn with her.”
“I do. Will we go on dragonback?”
“She’d rather use one of the hidden roads. In the morning she’ll arrive back here, and then the two of you will leave once she’s rested.”
Branna yelped aloud in sheer excitement, and Val laughed at her.
“My apologies,” Branna said. “I’ve seen so many dweomers in the past year, but I’ve only watched, except for that one ritual about reversing the astral currents. Even then, I just filled the station in the circle. All I did was speak when everyone else did. But this—getting to travel on the astral roads—it’s truly an adventure, isn’t it?”
“Very much of one.” Val turned solemn. “It could be dangerous. You’ll need to do everything Dalla tells you and do it exactly right. Do you understand that?”
“I do, and I will.” Branna did her best to calm herself. “It just sounds so fascinating, though.”
“It does, at that.” Val sighed and glanced away. “I remember being so young and enthusiastic, myself.”
“But you’re still young, I mean, for one of the Westfolk.”
Val kept silent for so long that Branna began to fear she’d offended her. All at once, though, Val laughed with a rueful shake of her head.
“I am,” Val said. “You know, it’s good to be reminded of that every now and again. But now, as for Dalla, she needs to read that book Evandar left before she can decide who will work with her in the ritual, though I’m assuming that I will.”
“Well and good, then. I have hopes I’ll get to take part.”
“That’s up to her. Now, the rest of us will join up soon with the prince and the Cerr Cawnen people. They’ll be heading east, eventually, to the Melyn River Valley. Dalla particularly wants Neb to accompany them, because the prince is minded to settle some of them on the site of Neb’s old village.”
“No doubt my uncle will be pleased. He’s talked for years about needing settlers for the valley.”
“The prince is sending him messages about just that. And those will go by dragon.”
“Well and good, then. I’d best go give Neb the news.”
With the help of some of the other men, Neb had just finished setting up their tent. Branna followed him inside to help spread the floor cloth and arrange their blankets upon it. She was expecting him to be unhappy that she would be making the trip to Haen Marn without him, but to her surprise he agreed it would be best.
“I’ve done much thinking over the days past,” Neb said. “I think your wyrd lies more with the dweomer than mine does.”
“What?” Branna said. “Of course you’re marked for it.”
“True spoken, but that’s not what I meant. We know I’m meant to be a healer. You’ll need to know some healing lore. There’s a difference. To me the dweomer’s a tool. To you, it will be your life. Do you see?”
“I do, truly.” She felt a cold chill run down her spine. “But I want us to be together.”
“So do I. Never doubt it! But there may be times we’re forced to be apart. I think that may be why I had to go play the fool in Cengarn. So I