Trudi Canavan - Priestess of the White

:This changes everything, Juran said. We must hurry if we are to meet them. The Dunwayans will have to travel even faster in order to join us.

:The traps they set in the pass are useless now.

:At least they will slow or stop other Pentadrians sneaking through to bite at our heels .

:How long will it take you to head them off? she asked.

:A day. Maybe more. We will have to face them on the plains .

And lose the advantage of fighting in the pass. Auraya sighed. The mass of black robes gathering in the valley below was like a steadily growing pool of ink.

:How did you find this place?

The question came from Dyara. Auraya could not help smiling.

:Coincidence. I was walking along that ledge. Chaia appeared and warned me not to linger. As I left, the ground began to stir .

:Chaia told you they were about to emerge? Juran asked.

:No, he told me I would be in danger if I stayed where I was. I thought at first that he meant I should leave the valley, but when I saw that the disturbance was restricted to one place I decided to hide and watch .

Another figure joined the man on the ledge. A woman this time. She looked familiar.

:You will be in danger if they find you, Juran told her.

Screeching echoed out of the passage.

:Yes, Dyara agreed. Leave now. We have seen all we need to see .

Flapping forms spilled out of the passage. Auraya shrank deeper into her hiding place as black birds began to circle the valley.

:I don’t think that would be wise right now, unless you don’t mind them knowing they’ve been seen .

There was a pause.

:Stay, then, Juran agreed. Wait until they move on .

:And hope they don’t decide to camp for the night, Dyara added.

The pool of black robes had become a lake. After several minutes sinuous black forms flowed out. Vorns. Auraya frowned as she watched the murderous sorcerer Rian had fought join the two on the ledge.

Three black sorcerers. Two more to go. She could do little more than wait and watch as the rest of the Pentadrians emerged. She sensed her fellow Whites’ attention shift away. No doubt they were busy organizing their own army’s retreat down the pass road.

Another woman and man joined the trio on the ledge. To Auraya’s relief, the pair brought no other sinister animal companions with them. The birds and vorns were bad enough. Each column of the army was made up of several hundred Pentadrian sorcerers. A hundred or so men and women wearing plain clothes and carrying heavy burdens always followed. A few robed men walked alongside them, each carrying a short whip.

Slaves, Auraya thought, and shuddered with disgust and pity. There were no tarns and no arems. All the supplies were carried by these slaves.

Finally the flow of people ended. As the last of the slaves descended the stairs, the five black sorcerers formed a line across the front of the ledge. The leader began to speak. His voice boomed out, but Auraya could not understand him or read his mind. She looked down at the men and women below and concentrated on their thoughts. An understanding of the words came.

Kuar spoke of bringing truth and justice to Northern Ithania. He jeered at the Circlians for believing in dead gods. Only the new gods existed. They would soon know the truth.

Auraya drew away and shook her head. The adoration and unquestioning belief of these people was disturbing. As the Pentadrian leader raised his voice, she reluctantly sought his followers’ minds again. To her surprise, he was calling for his gods to appear. She smiled grimly, wondering what sorcerous effect he would use to dazzle his followers.

A glowing figure appeared beside him.

Auraya stared at the apparition. It was an image of a man wearing exotic armor. Her senses vibrated with the power that radiated from this being. But how could this be?

:Juran .

:Auraya. Can it wait?

:No, I think you should see this .

She let him see what she was witnessing and communicated what she was sensing. The black sorcerers had prostrated themselves before the apparition. So had the entire Pentadrian army. Even the slaves.

:It is an illusion, Juran assured her.

:If it is, then it’s the first that ever radiated power. I have never felt this except in the presence of the gods .

:The circle of five are the only gods that survived their war, Juran said firmly.

:Then perhaps this is a new god, Dyara suggested.

The five sorcerers had climbed to their feet. They moved aside as the apparition stepped forward. No sound came from the glowing man, but the people below began to cheer at intervals as if responding to his words.

:If this is a god then there is reason to fear there are more, Rian said. We know these people worship five gods. Why would this god tolerate them worshipping four additional gods if they were false?

:Five new gods? Juran said disbelievingly. All undetected by ours?

:We have to consider the possibility, Mairae said .

:We know the black sorcerers are strong, Rian pointed out. How else can they rival us in strength without the assistance of gods?

:Either way, we know this will not be an easy battle , Dyara added.

:No, Juran agreed. Our people do not need to hear of this. They would become . . . disheartened. Auraya, get out of there as soon as you can. We must meet and reconsider our own strategy .

:I will, Auraya told him. I assure you, the last place I want to be right now is here .

One loud cheer burst from the Pentadrians. The apparition disappeared. Auraya felt a surge of relief.

:It’s gone, she told them.

The sorcerers descended the stairs. The lake of black robes stirred and separated into five columns. Auraya murmured a prayer of thanks to Chaia as the Pentadrian leader moved to the head of a column and began to lead the army down the valley.

Leiard opened his eyes. He was riding an arem and he was alone. Mountains rose before him. The road wound toward them. He felt a flare of panic and reined in the arem.

I’m heading toward the pass. What’s going on? I should be going in the other direction.

Yes, Mirar replied, but that fool student of yours ran away and we have to find him .

Jayim? Why would he run away?

I don’t know. When I went to find him he was gone .

Find him? Were you separated?

I thought he’d appreciate his privacy .

Leiard felt suspicion growing. Why? What have you done?

I bought him a gift, to keep him distracted. You wouldn’t have wanted him to witness a confrontation with Auraya, would you?

What gift?

A whore. Who’d have thought a young man like Jayim would take fright at that?

Leiard groaned and pressed his hands to his face. You’re supposed to be wise and skilled in understanding the mind and heart. How could you have made such a mistake?

Nobody’s perfect .

If you were wrong about Jayim, you might also be wrong about Auraya .

No, Mirar replied firmly. Only a lovestruck fool cannot see the danger you were putting our people in. Arleej agreed. So did Juran .

And Auraya? Leiard felt his heart sink with dread. What did you say to her?

Nothing. Haven’t seen her. Which is a pity. I was looking forward to it .

Gazing up at the mountains, Leiard sighed. You may still get your chance. We do have to find Jayim . Juran had made it clear that Leiard must ensure his and Auraya’s affair remained a secret. Jayim could not learn from anyone but Leiard, since he could not link with another Dreamweaver without the risk of passing that knowledge on.