The woman looked middle-aged, at least, perhaps fifty, but on second glance, she might have been much younger. She didn’t wear makeup, her hair was covered with a hood, and she seemed intentionally bland in appearance, and her actions gave her the appearance of age. Gareth considered her admission of being one of the Sisterhood and said, “I watched you following the two Bothers off this ship at St Michelle. You were following them, weren’t you?”
“I was. The Brotherhood is upset about something, a huge something, and lately, they’re acting very odd, as if in danger. Those two Brothers were the first anybody’s ever seen on a ship. There’s something they do not like about ships, but those two booked passage and on impulse I did likewise to see what they were up to.”
Gareth hoped to keep Tad’s abilities hidden from her. He said, “There must be ten pairs of Brothers on the docks to inspect passengers getting off ships. Three pairs are waiting to board and search this ship if I’m not mistaken.”
Ann nodded, “That’s why I’m here. I know that you are Gareth, and you might try to hide in this cabin until they are gone. You could probably hope to get away with it because of your experience and expertise in mind-talk, but your grandson, Tad, cannot.”
The words shocked him. How had she known his name, their relationship, and why had she hinted Tad’s talents couldn’t be hidden? “Tell me.”
“It’s difficult, but I’ll hurry. I’ll use your example. When I speak to my sheep telling them the pasture that they should graze in and why only my sheep hear me. Otherwise, all the sheep in the kingdom would make for my lands. I limit the distance of the mind-speak.”
Gareth had never considered that idea, but she was obviously right. He could see tens of thousands of sheep heading for her farm is she did not limit the distance. His mind churned to understand the implications. Like speaking softer, he decided.
She went on, “Your mind speech can travel over long distances, but there are limits that we can discuss later. For now, you have to understand. While you cannot hear speech from everywhere, the opposite is also true. When closer, more people can be heard, just like when talking with your voice. Even if you whisper, those near enough will hear.”
Gareth pointed to the bunk, offering her a place to sit while he gave a warning look for Tad to remain quiet. “I accept that you are of the Sisterhood, and I accept at least part of what you’re saying, but there is more than you’re trying to tell me.”
She looked at the boy. “Tad has your gift. You smother his thoughts so they cannot be heard, but any nearby sensitive person of either sex can hear him. Not clearly, or understand what he is saying. But he is there. No mistaking it.”
Gareth hoped he was misunderstanding her.
She continued as she rummaged in her travel bag, “The Brotherhood is coming aboard, soon. You cannot use your mind to shield Bitters Island, the existence of the boy, and speak to the Brotherhood all at the same time. One tiny slip and they will know. I’m here to help suppress Tad’s thinking.”
“You’re hunting for the same medicine I used when everyone was after me?”
“Nothing that strong. Just a milder sedative. One used to help people sleep.”
Gareth reached out and felt the minds of the crew of the ship. On his third touch, he found a sailor already speaking to two Brothers. They would arrive below decks before long. “How much time does it take to work?”
“Not long.”
“Tad, drink the medicine she’s giving you. I don’t care what it tastes like, just do it, this is important.”
As he looked at Tad to encourage him to drink it, the vial was already empty and the boy smiling.
Ann sat on the bed and said, “Give me a minute.”
Her eyes went blank, and she remained still. Gareth imagined he looked much like her when he contacted The Gareth or Blackie. She finally shivered and looked up at him, a smile spreading on her face. “I just delayed them for a little while.”
“What did you do?”
“Bats. I suggested that tonight mosquitoes are swarming around the heads of men. If the bats fly close to men, they will find the best hunting. I’ve tried to send my thoughts as far as I can, but if you want to draw more bats here with your mind, please do.”
“I think your help will cause enough problems for them for now. You said that if you are close, you can listen to Tad’s thoughts?”
“Yes. For the entire voyage, I have listened to his side of your conversation, but not yours because you shield yours so well. Now that we are here, the Brothers will certainly hear Tad unless you continue to blanket all of his thinking, or we use medicine to keep him quiet.”
The revelation stunned Gareth. He quickly realized that they could have kept that information to herself and simply stayed within the range of Tad’s thought emissions and know everything they discussed. Trying to remember everything else he’d talked to Tad about during the last five days was impossible.
The awareness of her listening to them was like finding someone had been watching him get dressed for the last five days. Her listening to their conversations was not right, and as he started to be offended and angry, he caught a hint of her smile.
“It is sort of like what you do to others, right?”
Gareth settled his emotions and accepted the comment for the truth within it. This was not the time nor place, and he had larger problems. The idea with the bats flying around the men’s heads to distract them was good, but he was thinking ahead to Freeport and the sheer numbers of Brothers probably waiting for there for him. “Ann, I think Tad and I plan to leave the ship here.”
“I was going to suggest that. There may be a hundred Brothers looking at the ships in Freeport. But getting off here will be a problem, too.”
Reaching for his travel bag, he said, “Maybe we should extend your idea with the bats. How many oxen, mules, and horses are on these docks? What if they begin acting up? Go hysterical?”
She said, “Too complicated to control their minds. Rats. Ships and ports are full of rats. We can tell the rats about the bags of grain spilled inland, not far away. Free food. Every rat will race for the grain like boys after free jars of honey.” Her smile was infectious. “Besides, I’ve always wanted to cause chaos like that to happen.”
Tad was looking droopy-eyed but still awake.
“Do you know this port?” Gareth asked.
“No, but I’ll bet there is a town or small city within short walking distance. And once there we can find a stable.”
“Why do we need a stable?”
She batted her eyelashes at him. “We are not going to walk to wherever we’re going when we can ride, are we?”
“So it is we, now? You don’t have any idea of why I’m here or where I’m going, but you want to come along. I’m not at all sure about that.”
She took a step back and waited.
Gareth said, “It will be dangerous, and I don’t know what is going to happen.”
“Then consider me as your emergency escape plan for Tad. I’ll make you a promise to do my best to get him safely away from danger and return him to Bitters Island if anything happens to you. Plus, if you need more help, there is the entire Sisterhood to back you up.”
“What about the Brotherhood?”
“I think you can see for yourself that idea is not going well. You have never trusted them, and besides, they are working with King Alfred the Great, as he now calls himself.”
Gareth considered her offer and came to a conclusion. “We go together as far as the edge of the city. There are more things I have to think about before agreeing to your entire plan.”