Part 42 (1/2)

'He gave me a warning... if it was that... or maybe just a message.'

'What did he say?'

'That I could not escape my destiny. That it would find me. He said that in the wake of grief I would travel to Immanion. I would find in that place a love that would consume me, change my life. He said he would come to me soon after and that a har like no other would help him find me. He spoke a name.'

'A name.' Lileem hardly dared ask. 'What was it?'

Galdra stared at her for a few seconds. 'Yours,' he said.

'Galdra...' Lileem stopped walking. 'I don't understand what you...'

'I love Tyr,' Galdra said. 'He is my life. Without him, I am nothing. There can be no other love.'

'It was just a dream,' Lileem said, knowing how unconvincing that sounded. 'It couldn't have been my name.'

'Like I said, a warning.' Galdra shrugged. 'Do you have no idea what it might mean?'

'No,' Lileem said. 'I really don't. I can never go to Immanion. There is no...' She drew in her breath. 'There is no recognition between us, Galdra. We will never be together. It isn't me. It can't be.'

'I know that,' he said. 'That's not what I meant. But you are part of it.'

'I know nothing of what you speak. I wish you no ill. You must know that.'

He nodded. 'Yes. But I had to tell you. Remember it.'

She put a hand on his arm. 'I will, but please...' She shook her head. 'I think it was just a dream.'

Galdra only smiled at her rather sadly. He said nothing more.

The Roselane hara began to embark while Lileem and her companions bid farewell to Galdra. A few Freyh.e.l.lans would travel with them, and once the river was no longer negotiable, the pa.s.sengers would leave the boat, which would then return to Freygard. Galdra had given them currency and generous supplies.

Just before Lileem and her party were about to board the boat, a har on horseback rode up to Galdra and pulled his mount to a halt. 'Tiahaar, I have a message.'

Galdra paused in the act of embracing Ulaume in farewell, but didn't let him go. 'What is it?'

'There is a har in the high meadows who summons the Megalithicans. He has horses and says that they must not ride the river. They must go with him.'

Galdra released Ulaume. 'Who is this har?'

'I know not. He would not give a name. He said the har Lileem would know to follow him.'

Lileem glanced at Flick. Could it be Pellaz? 'I'll go and see,' she said. 'I'll go at once.'

'Wait!' Tel-an-Kaa snapped. 'You can't be serious, Lee. It could be Gelaming.'

'It isn't,' Lileem said. 'He knows my name.'

'That is no basis for...'

'I'm going,' Lileem said.

'I'll come with you,' Mima said.

'No!' Without asking for permission, Lileem jumped up onto the back of a horse tethered nearby and called to the messenger. 'Take me to him.'

'Lileem!' Tel-an-Kaa cried and tried to grab hold of the horse's reins to prevent her leaving, but Lileem was too quick for her. She did not look back, but she heard Flick say, 'Let him go. He knows what he's doing.'

And Mima's voice: 'I wish I did! We must follow them.'

But whatever Flick said to that, Lileem did not hear.

The Freyh.e.l.lan led the way out of town up into the forested hills behind it. Lileem could hear the m.u.f.fled tocking of bells worn by sheep or cattle. Her guide led her to a sheer sloping meadow. Tall pines around it were mere black shadows in the fog.

'He is here somewhere,' said the Freyh.e.l.lan.

Lileem called, 'h.e.l.lo! It is I, Lileem!'

After a few moments, a figure emerged from the fog. He did not move, but the mist around him simply drew apart like a veil. Behind him were a number of spectral white horses. They stood with lowered heads, as if asleep.

'Wait here!' Lileem said to her guide, and leapt down from her horse. It was as if she stepped into a different world. The har before her was swathed in a cloak of s.h.i.+mmering grey fabric. The heavy hood was trimmed with wolf fur, which obscured most of the har's face, but for the mouth and chin.

Lileem went up to him. 'I am Lileem. Who are you?'

The har stood motionless, unnaturally so. 'I have brought you transport of a more suitable nature,' he said, in a low, musical voice. 'Whatever your destination, you may reach it quickly through this means.'

'Are you Gelaming?'

'Yes, but no enemy of yours. The Tigron has sent me.'

'He heard me,' Lileem said softly, still amazed in spite of her conviction.

'There is little he does not hear,' said the Gelaming. 'Bring your companions to this place, and make haste. Bring only those closest to you. The others can travel by more conventional means.'

'This could be a trap.'

'Except that it's not and you know it.' The har lifted long pale hands and threw back the hood of his cloak. Dark red hair fell forward over his shoulders. His face was elfin, the eyes large and dark. 'I am Vaysh, the Tigron's aide. Only he and I know of this visit.' The Tigron's aide could have stepped from an ancient myth: he seemed barely har, more unearthly than that, but perhaps all Gelaming appeared that way. They could cloak themselves with glamours as Tel-an-Kaa could.

'Why is Pellaz helping me?' Lileem asked. 'How does he know of me? Does he know of the dehara? Does he know about Terez and...?'

'Quiet!' said Vaysh. 'I am not here to answer your questions, merely to facilitate your journey. You would be wise to fetch your companions at once, because there are others sniffing around this part of the world whose sole aim is to take you to Immanion.'

'Why?'

'There are not many things the Tigron does not know,' said Vaysh, 'but Lord Thiede has his private agendas upon certain issues. He fears most what he cannot kill.'

Lileem had no idea what the Gelaming was talking about. 'Did Terez reach Immanion?' she asked. 'You must tell me that at least.'

'I have no knowledge of such a har,' said Vaysh. 'You called to Pellaz and he heard you. That is all I know.'