Tears of War (29 page)

She didn’t blame them. It was a hard brew to swallow. Guilt and anger ran high. Serena was just glad they had Taela’s father on their side. Fates knew it wouldn’t be this easy in Trilene.

A gasp from Taela made her turn. She stood with her slanted blue eyes wide and her hands over her mouth. Serena followed her line of sight. Down the garden path, two women walked with a man between them. His long, dark hair hung lank around his slack face.

He slowly shuffled forward, changing directions only when the women tugged on his arms. He never looked up, not even when one of the women gently dabbed drool from his chin.

Serena looked back at Taela. “Who is that?”

“Sehlas,” she whispered. Taela turned to her with sorrow in her eyes. “I never meant to do that to him.”

Serena reached out with her magic and felt along the break in his mind. “I can feel the break. What did you do exactly when it happened? I might be able to heal it.”

“Can you?” Hope sprang in Taela’s face then her brow furrowed as she looked back at the man. “I don’t know what I did. It just happened and then everything changed so fast after that.” She continued to stare at the broken man. “I was going to ask you for this. I thought we would have to stop in Turindar though. I wonder what he is doing here? And where are his wives?”

As Sehlas and his attendants passed, Serena searched his face for any sign of emotion. There was no flicker in his eyes. No reaction as he followed the path that wound past the two massive dragons and disappeared through the doors.

Taela let out a long breath as the door swung shut behind the trio. She turned to Serena. “Anevay has been healed and is resting. Kellinar is still angry and intends to stay in Galdrilene until Loki wakes unless we need him.” She paused and glanced at the door. “Since it appears disaster has been averted for now, I’m going to locate my father and find out what is going on with Sehlas.”

“Do you mind if I come with you?” What Taela had done—unintentionally of course—to the man’s mind was a puzzle to be worked out. Perhaps Bahar would be able to answer a few questions.

Taela shook her head. “I don’t mind.”

A few moments later, they stood in front of the door to her father’s study. Taela knocked then opened it. “May I speak with you a moment?”

He glanced up from the document on the desk top. “Is it important? I just got another report of violence breaking out, this time in eastern Haraban and more in the northern part of the city. The Guardians can only save us from the Shadow Riders if we don’t implode first.” He rubbed a hand over his forehead and stared as if lost in thought for a moment. His angular face looked haggard and tired. “Why can’t they see there is a greater danger out there? I will be the first to admit the laws against magic use were wrong. How were we to know? They were put in place across all nations hundreds of years ago. All we had were the legends of mad magic users and their black dragons.”

Serena wasn’t sure if he was talking to them or to himself.

Taela led the way into the room. “Father, you know through me what dangers we all face in the coming years. But the people of Haraban don’t. It’s all just smoke and shadows right now to them. An enemy they can’t see and don’t know.” She leaned her hands on the desk. “But the people down the street who turned their son or daughter in for magic use? They can see that. Even if they agreed at the time with turning them in and the punishment that followed, now they have to face the guilt of having that child put to death when there was no real reason to. It’s easier to focus that guilt on the people down the street rather than admit they were just as wrong.”

Bahar took a deep breath and turned his eyes on them. “I’m sorry. You wanted to speak to me about something.”

Taela took one of the chairs in front of the desk while Serena sat in the other. “I saw Sehlas.”

He nodded. “I meant to talk to you about that, but the last couple of weeks have been rather busy.”

“What is he doing here? Where are his wives?”

Bahar leaned back. “Not long after you disappeared, I sent word to Sehlas’ brother. Rehnlas showed up here a month or so later. He visited Sehlas and asked the healers a few questions. He stayed for three weeks. When he left, he took the three wives of Sehlas’ that were here and said he would send someone for his brother. He never did and messages sent to Turindar since have gone unanswered.” He shook his head, sadness in his expression. “News arrived after Rehnlas’ departure that he had taken the throne of Turindar and added Sehlas’ wives to his own. All but the youngest—Sulwyna I think her name was. I’m not sure what happened to her but it’s rumored that Rehnlas put her out though I don’t know any reasons or if it’s even true.”

Anger bloomed across Taela’s face. “He left him here? Sehlas is his brother, his own flesh and blood for Fates sake! How could he just abandon him like that?”

“Rehnlas never was pleased to be the second born.” Bahar smiled though it held no mirth. “I think he is rather pleased his older brother is out of the way. He never did see eye to eye with Sehlas over the slave trade among the boats. Sehlas wanted it ended; Rehnlas thought it should stay the way it was.”

“Even if he did care more about gaining the throne than he did about his brother, in the condition Sehlas is in, it’s clear he couldn’t possibly run a nation.” Taela shook her head. “Why abandon him?”

Bahar shrugged. “I don’t think Rehnlas cares if Sehlas is blood.”

Serena leaned forward. She didn’t care about Rehnlas or the politics involved. She wanted to solve the riddle of the damage to Sehlas’ mind. Serena had never encountered anything like it. “Bahar, has Sehlas been like this the whole time?”

“No, not the whole time.” He rubbed his beard, his eyes lost in thought for a moment before focusing on Serena again. “After the initial attack, he communicated more or less. But as time went on he seemed to fade more and more until he became the man you saw today. He doesn’t move unless prodded. He can no longer chew. The servants that attend him have to prepare food as if for a baby and feed it to him. It has gotten progressively worse. I fear one day he will no longer be able to swallow.”

Bahar looked at Taela. “I know you never really cared for Sehlas, but he was a good man. His father was my friend, despite my distaste for the blind eye he turned to the boats. When he died, I was happy to see Sehlas take the throne. Regardless of what you may feel about him, he was a fair and honest king. Rehnlas is not and I fear for Turindar under his rule.”

Taela blushed slightly and stared at the floor. “I didn’t hate him. I just didn’t want to marry him.”

Serena leaned back in the chair and thought over what Bahar had said. “Can you take me to him? I would like to see if I can heal him.”

Bahar’s face lost some its strain. “Do you think you can?”

“I don’t know for certain, all I can do is try.”

“I appreciate any of your efforts.” The brief light in his eyes faded. “Although I’m not sure he will thank us. He has lost everything.”

Serena stood. “It doesn’t matter what he lost, no man should be reduced to spoon feeding and drooling. If I can heal Sehlas, then I’m sure the Fates will have something else for him.”

Bahar and Taela stood and Serena followed them out into the hall beyond the room. On the other side of the castle they stopped outside a small room. Inside, Sehlas sat in a chair facing a window. A narrow bed occupied the wall across from the window.

“For a long time he stayed in the guest apartments. But as his condition deteriorated and his care became more intensive, I had him moved here. It’s easier for the servants to keep a close eye on him. His needs are many. Sehlas has become, to an extent, a man-sized infant.” Bahar gazed sadly at the man in the chair. “It pains me to see him this way.” He looked at Serena. “If you can bring him back, even a little, I will be forever grateful.”

Serena smiled and slipped past him into the room. “I will do my best. I will send word when I know one way or the other.” She pulled up a chair to sit next to Sehlas, her attention focused on the injured man. She barely heard Bahar’s grumble about being dismissed in his own castle as he left.

She laid her hands on Sehlas and began to explore the break in his mind. After several long minutes, she reached out for Miya.
“Can you speak with Nydara for me? Maleena was present in Taela’s mind when this happened. Taela doesn’t remember exactly what she did. Can you find out if Maleena does? Show Nydara what I am ‘seeing’ with my weave so she can pass it to Maleena.”

Maleena sat waiting for the eight other members of the Council of Nine to arrive. She was glad Loki was healed, but she wouldn’t be able to fully relax until the boy woke and Anevay and Bardeck determined if he had any lasting damage.

Mckale spoke quietly with Lord Arandrall on the other side of the room when Serena’s request came through Nydara. For a brief moment, Maleena’s memory took her back. She stood on the inner terrace, the cold wind tugging at her hair while she saw a man on his knees in a garden, clutching his head.

What had Taela done exactly?
“Do you have a clear memory of it?”
she sent to Nydara.

“Of course. Dragons have excellent memories,”
Nydara returned.

“Send me the picture of what Serena is seeing now and then go slowly over the memory of what happened when Taela connected with me.”

Nydara did as she asked. Maleena scrutinized everything, her mind focused. Her own memory came to a conclusion before the breaking of Sehlas’ mind but Nydara’s memory of the incident was clear enough.

“Taela broke the soul shield within his mind. It is something that should never be done for obvious reasons, however, she didn’t know at the time what she was doing,”
she sent to Nydara.

A few moments passed before Nydara’s return sending.
“Serena says she has heard of the soul shield but would like further clarification.”

Maleena nodded to herself. Of course she would. The soul shield was known among the healers but its exact purpose wasn’t widely known. Very few had the ability to do what Taela did to Sehlas. Taela had enough power to bring down a whole room even if she didn’t remember how. Emallya could do the same and she did know how. Maleena herself knew and her power was great enough to bring down much more than a roomful, many more. The fewer who knew the exact purpose of the soul shield and how to break it, the better. In the wrong hands it would be devastating.

She didn’t like passing on this information, however, a man’s life hung in the balance. It wasn’t like Serena would ever tell anyone what it meant or how to use it. Maleena reached out for Nydara.
“The soul shield is much like it sounds. It’s a barrier within the mind that keeps the soul connected with the body. When Taela broke that, she also broke his soul loose from his body. That is why he has deteriorated over time. His soul is slipping though the break and waving in the wind like a flag tearing loose from its pole. In the condition you say he is in, you don’t have much time to heal him, if you can. A couple of weeks at most.”
She paused for a moment before continuing
.“You can’t heal a break like this alone. Taela is going to have to find Sehlas’ soul and pull it back in. Otherwise, you will repair the break with most of his soul on the outside. He’ll remain as he is and his soul will remain in limbo as it is now until old age takes his body.”

Serena kept her hands on Sehlas but turned her attention to Taela. “Maleena says you’re going to have to help. His soul is slipping through the break you made and Spirit magic is what will have to get it back.”