The Cave
We glide quickly through the spinning, sparkling tunnel that leads from the Seven Towers to Siksa.
An energy shield surrounds us and protects us from the wild energies of the tunnel, and whatever dangers we may find at tunnel’s end.
“Are you mad at me, Yagrin?” asks Dilasa, as she touches my mind.
She’s afraid of the anger that I showed before, and her mind touch is weak.
“No, Dilasa.”
“I’m not angry any more, but I wish that you had listened to me.”
No Return
Makish, Dilasa, and I stand naked in the transition chamber as it fills with warm seawater.
The only sounds we hear are the movement of the water, and our breathing.
The three of us seem helpless as we stand here, but we can all bend the energy web to our will.
Even little Dilasa is more powerful than the greatest Fiklow binder, and she is well-protected.
As we flew here in Botzar’s ship, I taught her to raise an energy shield, and I helped her build a wintzal that will guard her mind against any attack.
Families
Makish and I land on the deck of the Watchtower outside the healing room.
As I walk through the door, Tzina hugs me tightly.
“I missed you so much, ina,” she says.
I smile at her.
“I was only gone for a day!”
“I know,” she says, “but I was lost in my head so long, before you saved me.”
“I want to be near you and oodah.”
“How is Berek?” I ask her.
“Calmer,” she says.
“He’s getting used to the idea that you’re his father.”
“How does he like having a sister?”
“Ina, he and I … Read more
Stealing Her Thoughts
Tzina is dying.
I transform myself into Tzina’s exact form, fire eyes and all.
Then I spread my listening body.
This lets me see and feel someone’s thoughts, feelings, and memories.
Shazira has never seen anyone do this.
Flow masters, like Shazira, use masks to change their shape, but never take the form of other Jiku.
It’s forbidden, too difficult, and too dangerous.
I’m not using a temporary mask, or even a flow transformation.
I dissolve my pattern body, and attach myself to a twin of her pattern body.
“What are you doing, Yagrin?”
“There’s no … Read more
Twin Visions
The brief contact with the Jiku sphere of mirrors takes my strength.
I feel the smooth stone under my Jiku body, as my awareness returns to the marketplace, but only for a moment, just before I collapse.
I sleep, but without peace.
A vision comes and takes me.
I fly quickly through endless, empty silver skies — no worlds, no life.
In the vision I have no strength, but something carries me, keep me always in motion.
I see nothing, but I know that I’m not alone.
“Show yourself,” I shout to the empty world.
The world … Read more
