The Gathandrian Trilogy 02 - Hallsfoots Battle

already lurking around the edges of whatever this new phenomenon might be.
    “ Be careful,” Johan said, connecting to Talus with his thoughts and understanding with such gentleness that Annyeke almost forgot to breathe.
    The gap in the colours of the air and snow confused her. What was the Spirit trying to show her, and was she wise enough to understand even a glimmer of it? She knew it should not be there and indeed its shifting nature meant Johan and the boy also could hardly grasp it, at least not for any length of time. She could not tell whether it was something real or simply an absence. A scar in the air of the land. Or an opening. Leading to…what exactly?
    As the question rose in her thoughts, the strange vision blinked into nothing and was gone, but she could feel its importance in her skin, pressing down on her form, demanding attention in the same way that her responsibilities as Acting Elder demanded her full heart. As she breathed in, the colours surrounding her vanished, taking the voice of the Spirit with them, and that was the greatest absence of all. She was back at the Library, the stories and the needs of the people whispering their presence to her.
    She would remember, she swore it b y all the gods and stars, by the Spirit itself. She would remember, and keep the place of silence always in her mind. Because, somehow, she understood that, whatever was about to happen, the meaning and resolution of it would be up to her, in a way she couldn’t yet comprehend.

Eighth Lammas Lands Chronicle

    Duncan Gelahn
    He lands next to the Tregannon villagers’ well. Some of the houses he sees lie in ruins and it is snowing. The small flakes press against his skin as the dogs tumble after him onto the damp earth. The bright jewel carves a green arc through the winter air but, even as he lunges for it, he knows it is already gone to its owner.
    Of course, he sees at once how it is with the Lost One and the Lammas Lord. The bond between them is stronger than the earth and darker than fire, bearing as it does all the faults and pains of both men. As Duncan rises, he sees they are staring at each other as if all their recent history of lies, deception, betrayal and attempted murder has been a mere nothing. It is only for a beat of his heart, however. The next moment, the memory for both comes flooding in and he sees the shadow of pain etch itself deeper across the Scribe’s face. As for Ralph Tregannon, he takes a step back, drops the emerald into a black velvet bag and turns away. His expression is as distant as a mountain not yet attempted. Duncan can sense the raging sea behind it as easily as if the Lammasser had spoken his guilt and shame out loud.
    He smiles. Confusion is something he can use. It may be the battle will be easier than he has imagined.
    In the meantime, the dogs are on their feet and howling at the shimmer of green light slowly fading in the sun. Two or three of them scrabble forwards, jaws tearing at the circle but, each time, it sparks more brightly at their violence and forces them back.
    The mind-executioner decides it’s time the mountain beasts paid attention to him, not to whatever strangeness is drawing them on. While the Lost One struggles to get to his feet, Duncan snatches at the mind-cane where it lies in Simon’s grasp. It jitters away, so Simon lets it slip from his fingers as it sparks its own white flame, a reflection of the green circle’s anger. Duncan swears softly to himself, the echo of his curses filling his mind. They give him strength and purpose. It has always been that way with him, ever since his meeting with the Gathandrian Spirit.
    He concentrates, pushing aside the Scribe’s feeble attempts at questioning him, bears down in his mind on the cane, steps forward once more, and then he has it. It prickles against his skin like a field nettle before settling against his palm. Immediately, the dogs are quiet. He is glad of that. He will have need of their threat and the danger and knowledge of death that they carry within. Still, he feels the cane’s gentle pull in the direction of the Lost One and wonders how the other man cannot sense this. Nonetheless, it is satisfying that he cannot and Duncan intends to keep it that way. If Simon discovered even a quarter of the power he and the mind-cane possessed joined together, then he would be all but impossible to overcome. His very weakness and despair keep Duncan in control and, thus far, that despair is not