Ann said in a more exasperated tone, “Have you been in contact with one specific Brother, the one who you trust? The one you told me about before?”
“How could you guess such a thing?”
“Because you have told me your history or part of it. You do not like the Brotherhood; we all know that. But you speak well of them, at times. I suspect there is one or two that you hold above the others and may speak with him on a regular basis.”
“There is one. I have spoken to him once. Today, for the first time in thirty years.”
“Good. You look twenty, but have not talked to this man in thirty years, and you cannot understand how difficult that is for me to understand. But I wish for you to talk with him again. He can, if he will, pass on a message to the Sisterhood.”
Gareth asked, “What is the message?”
“I wish for him to tell them in any method he can, that I am calling on the entire Sisterhood to support you. I want him to warn them of these evil minds that have come into our land, and that if we do not band together, we will all surely die horrible deaths.”
“You want this passed on to the Sisterhood, but what about the Brotherhood?”
“You cannot lie. The Brother will know that. He knows you. I grant him permission to pass on my message to his people as well, and hope that they will join us.”
Gareth said, “It’s a good idea. If nothing else it will warn all sensitives and maybe there are things that can be done, I don’t know. Watch over me and I’ll try reaching out to him.”
He found the mental link easily now that he knew where to search. Can you briefly speak with me?
*Later.*
Gareth didn’t bother answering. The reply had been sharp, short, and abrupt. There must be observers too close for the Brother to spare more of an answer. Gareth would wait until later as he allowed his mind to seep into the gentle mountain air, listening and probing carefully, but again knowing what he was searching for. It was there. The mind was still angry, as always, and mentally shouting harsh black thoughts and images, but only directed at a few others.
The tendrils of thought carried to Gareth as if he crawled along the veins of a spider web emanating from one central strand. Instead of following the tendrils to the center he allowed different parts of his mind to follow them to the extremities.
There were four of them. Five if he counted the one still searching for the youth sitting beside, but not too close, to Ann. Four more minds that were being berated and tortured. All by the same one.
Learning about the four would tell him about the central one, the leader. Already he found that each cringed in fear when mentally touched by their master. They didn’t know how to defend themselves, let alone lock him out of their minds.
The thoughts escaping them were dispelled by the evil one. Gareth chose one of the four at random, and as quietly as a housecat creeping up on a bird, he moved inside. He let no thought escape to be detected by others. He made no suggestions nor did he react to anything he found. Gareth simply observed.
When the central mind issued a command, the one Gareth monitored cringed, then tried to obey, but all the while thoughts of punishment stayed foremost. There seemed to be no attempt to hide those emotions. The evil almost demanded them.
Gareth allowed himself to slip inside further, knowing the dangers but risking it in an attempt to gain more information. He reached the eyes of the other. Gareth wanted to take control of the eyes that he could now see through. But such a bold move would startle the mind in such a fearful manner that the stronger mind controlling him would react almost at once. He watched but didn’t attempt to shift the view.
There were two dirty feet with bare toes sticking up at the sky. He must be sitting with his legs sticking out in front, like on the grass. The ankles and legs above the feet were equally filthy. A sore oozed on a shin, and a scab on the other showed where an equally bad one had partially healed. Beyond the two feet were trees, mostly fir, and cedar, but through an opening in the trees wound a section of road.
Not the king’s highway, which was wide, packed solid with the daily footsteps, but more of a wide path or track. Two could walk side by side on the grassy road, but the abundance of grass told of how few feet traveled it in recent times. The eyes he looked through never moved anywhere else.
He’s on watch. Gareth pulled from his mind and moved to another. Again, careful to leave any sense of his presence, he moved to where he could look out the eyes. A wide valley spread below, so the watcher must be situated high on a hillside overlooking the valley. In the distance grew trees in orderly rows, and a lake reflected the last of the days’ sun.
The sight almost caused Gareth to react. He knew that orchard and lake. It was the valley where his father had lived. Up the valley, to the right, was the main house. To the left was an empty field where the magnificent dragon named Cinder rotted.
There was no forethought of leaving the mind. Gareth just did it. He pulled back and tried preventing bile from choking him.
“Are you okay?” Ann asked, rising to her feet and hurrying to his side.
“They are waiting for me at my father’s valley.”
“Waiting? A trap?”
“Yes.”
She backed off a step. “Then don’t go there.”
A sad smile formed for an instant then fled as if it had never been. He said, “I have to go. But on my own terms, not like they expect.”
“That’s more like it. Are you ever going to rest?”
“I think I’ll walk around and exercise a little. No, I think Tad and me need to talk.” He went to Tad and watched him throw his pretend spear at a minnow. The throw missed, but Tad was ready to try again when he looked up and saw Gareth.
“When am I going to see Mama again?”
Gareth hesitated. “Your mother will want to talk to you. Come sit beside me and I’ll show you how, but you must follow my directions.”
Tad leaped to his side, sitting on the same boulder and folding his hands in his lap as he looked up at Gareth. With a smile, Gareth said, “I’m going to reach inside your head. Don’t be scared.”
“Like when I listen to you?”
“Yes. I’m going to listen inside your head, then I’m going to reach out and look for your mother’s mind. I’ll guide you, but you must do what I say and do not get too excited.”
“Because we do not want others to hear us talk?”
The boy was asking all the right questions. Gareth nodded and reached out to Tad. Can you hear me?
*Of course.*
“Can you follow me in your mind?” Gareth searched the endless number of minds he could hear, trying to locate his daughter-in-law.
He had touched her mind a thousand times, never reading her thoughts, but ensuring her safety as he did all in his family. In thirty years he’d never once invaded their privacy. There had been no reason to, not even with Sara. On the island, none was ever more than a short walk away.
*Can you find her in all those voices?*
Gareth knew the sound of her mind and quickly located her. He realized how scared he might make her with the mental touch. He didn’t know how to knock on her mental door to warn her of his entry into her mind. Pausing, he tried to think of a way.
*Let me do it*
That might be best. Go ahead, but be gentle. This will be her first time, and we don’t want to scare her. Gareth allowed Tad to advance while he monitored his progress.