Darius saw that the bond between girl and horse was as deep as that between girl and man. He felt Colene’s love of Seqiro, unconsciously relayed to him by the horse, and understood it. He felt himself loving Seqiro similarly, and didn’t fight it. The horse was worthy, and a phenomenal asset to their group. And it had been Seqiro’s power that enabled Colene to rescue them from captivity by the Emperor. He now accepted the necessity of that action, and was relieved that it had happened.
Colene turned to him. She hugged him, wordlessly but not thoughtlessly.
“But where are his supplies?” he asked after a moment. For the horse had been burdened with all of their spare food, clothing, and tools.
The despots took everything away.
“My bike!” Colene exclaimed aloud, then covered her mouth as if to silence herself. She was referring to her bicycle, an instrument with which she could travel with greater speed and ease than on foot. It also had been part of Seqiro’s load.
That, too. I think they locked up what they did not understand, and they thought that to be part of a wagon.
Colene made a wry face. She did not like losing her things. But they had no effective way to recover them; any attempt would alert the despots to their effort to escape.
Then Darius conjured himself and Colene by turns back to his chamber. They had the wit to lie down first, so that they would not arrive standing on the bed.
Now that I’m getting to know your magic, I like it, Colene thought. Though it does make me want to retch.
This is only the lesser part of it, he replied. Everyone in my reality has this much.
So I understand. Say—do you ever need to make folk unhappy? Then you could draw from me, and I’d get happier while they all got suicidal!
The notion seemed preposterous. Then he realized that if they ever got stranded in a reality in which evil folk held them captive, and his cyng power worked, her offer would make sense. She could be dangerous indeed, in certain circumstances.
Thanks, she thought. Then she climbed half on him, kissed him, and went to sleep.
CHAPTER 4—ORIA
NONA, trying to guide a clumsy pupil in the ways of harmony, jumped. It was the visitor-girl, with her strange mind-magic!
Nona! We need your help!
Nona disengaged with the pupil as expeditiously as she could, and retreated to the personal-needs chamber. Are the despots trying to kill you? she thought, uncertain what she could do. She had magic, but had to keep it secret, and in any event she could not match the power of the despots.
No, not exactly. They’re taking Seqiro away!
Seqiro was the beautiful horse. Now Nona received his thought directly. The despots are taking me out of the stall. They are putting paraphernalia on me.
Then Colene’s thought resumed: Provos told us that the despots would try to take Seqiro. She also told us that the attempt was not successful. But that merely means that Provos remembers us doing something to prevent this. It’s up to us to do whatever it is now. And we’re stuck here in the castle with the king and queen, who are being very nice to us while they do their dirt behind our backs, stealing Seqiro. We can’t do anything without showing our hand.
So they needed someone else to rescue the horse, before he was taken to another castle and hidden so that he could never be found.
No, the horse’s thought came. I can commune with them if they come within my range, and they will find me. But they will not be able to travel freely. The despots are seeking to take me away, and to kill me if they can not control me. They do not know my mental nature; they see me merely as a fine beast of burden. I do not wish to be that, except for Colene. It is time for us to escape from the despots, but best to do it without alerting them to the extent of our powers.
Now she understood. Separation from the horse would be a serious problem for the visitors, who depended on his marvelous mind-magic. It gave them the chance to learn the motives and plots of the despots. Nona’s own destiny was surely linked with theirs, for they had come in seeming answer to her attempt to contact the Megaplayers, and they knew her secret. Her mental contact with Colene had been so sure and good that she knew the girl was to be trusted.
Now they needed her help. She also needed their help. If they worked together, they might accomplish both their destinies. What can I do?
Can you rescue Seqiro?
A theow take a horse from a despot? It was unthinkable!
Oh. Um. I see. Well, see if you can get close to him, and then tell him to throw his rider.
Nona shook her head. That would not be effective. Despots can float and fly. So can I.
Colene pondered a moment. How fast can they fly?
Not fast. It’s as hard to fly as to run, and as tiring. We draw on the magic current, but that gives us ability, not energy.
So this magic isn’t something for nothing, Colene concluded. Suppose Seqiro gallops away?
Then the despot would follow, and summon others, and they would surround him, and then kill him.
There was another pause. Well, maybe we can hide him somewhere. You get to him, Nona, and get on him when he moves the despot off, and get out of there. He will accept you because he knows you. Another pause, during which Nona felt Seqiro’s confirmation. Um, you do know how to ride a horse?
No.
Brother! Well, rendezvous with him anyway, and float with him or something, and meanwhile we’ll get away from here, and then we’ll see.
Nona was not sanguine about this plan, but did not know what else to do, so she agreed. She made an apology to the teacher, explaining that something extremely pressing had come up, and hurried away. Because she was a good worker, and trustworthy, the teacher agreed.
She remained in touch with Seqiro, which was just as well, because soon the horse informed her that he had gone out of range of Colene. He was being ridden past the village toward a more distant village.
Can you reach Stave? she asked the horse. So he can help?
Seqiro tried, but discovered that Stave was busy on a carpentry project for a despot and could not get free. So it was up to her alone.
She took a shortcut, where there was no path, just a series of gullies and pools that were hard to cross without getting dunked. Also the myriad smaller rads, which were like boulders of every size arrayed in patterns all across Oria. In the village and castle and the cultivated fields most of the smaller rads had been removed, so that only their faint filaments remained, visible by night. In the unsettled countryside the rads remained natural, and Nona preferred this. She tried not to step on the more delicate ones, though since they ranged all the way down to too small to see, this was impossible. Is anyone near me? she asked the horse.
He was not able to get into the minds of despots, but he could tell where they and theows were. No.