"What happened?" Dolanna asked.
"I can't say I lost control because I never had control," he grunted. "The absolute instant I touched the Weave, I was drowned by power. I don't have any idea where it was coming from, because the strands around here couldn't support such a heavy draw. I mean it was instant, Dolanna. Usually when I use Sorcery, I can get away with it because it takes me time to charge up to that level, and I can weave together my spell and let go before I cross over into High Sorcery. But this time, it was just there."
Dolanna pursed her lips. "Perhaps it was a freak occurance," she said. "I cannot see how that could happen. But with Keritanima and Allia here, I believe that we have enough power to counter you if you were to try again."
"That's a good idea," he agreed. "If this is going to keep happening, I want to know before my life depends on using it."
"Alright, Keritanima, Allia, circle with me. I will be the lead."
He felt them join into a circle, then took a few deep, cleansing breaths. If it was going to happen again, he wanted to be ready for it. "Go ahead, Tarrin," Dolanna urged. "We are ready."
Closing his eyes, he reached out and touched the Weave, and it happened again. The instant he opened that link between him and the Weave, the power poured into him like water down a wellshaft. But this time, he was ready for it. He managed to maintain control enough to channel that power back at itself, an attempt to sever himself from the Weave, and then he felt Dolanna and his sisters push at the connection from the other side, aiding him in getting away from it.
And it worked. Their efforts met in the middle, cutting him off from the Weave, but creating a painful backlash that felt like a Giant had stepped on him. Tarrin gasped as the backlash washed through him, then he panted to regain his breath, flexing the fingers on his right paw absently. "Just like that," he managed to say.
"Strange," Dolanna said curiously. "The instant you touched the Weave, the strands you tapped expanded, becoming like miniature conduits."
"Isn't that supposed to be impossible?" he asked.
"Yes, but you are a Weavespinner, my dear one," she replied calmly. "There is no telling how your power affects things, because we do not understand completely how it works. Since you have the power to directly affect the Weave, we must assume that this expansion of strands is an aspect of your capability. If you can create and destroy strands, logic only assumes that you could also have the power to alter existing strands in just such a way."
"But that would have to come from him, Dolanna," Keritanima objected. "The strands are expanding when he touches the Weave. I think it's the Weave reacting to him, not him affecting the Weave."
"Perhaps," Dolanna pondered, tapping her chin. "Either way, this is something that must be studied before we can make solid conclusions. And I heavily suggest that you refrain from using any Sorcery until we come up with answers, dear one," she said sternly to Tarrin.
"I don't think there's a problem with that," he agreed.
"We will talk about this more in a while. Right now, I must go see Renoit and find out what we are going to do next. Until then, the three of you should stay out of sight. Do not go on deck."
Tarrin took her hand before she left, glad that she was there. Dolanna always knew what to do. After she left, he turned to Keritanima with a grin on his face. "I hear you had a conniption today," he teased.
"I'm about to have another one, Tarrin," she fumed. "What possessed you to go running off-"
"She asked, I agreed, because neither of us had anything to do. Sisska felt we were safe enough to go alone, so I think you can cut us some slack, Kerri," he cut her off. "And don't be so hard on her. She's trying to help."
"I know that," she snapped, "but I don't like seeing her put herself in danger like that."
"She used to do it all the time for you back in Wikuna," he countered. "Why worry so much about her now?"
"Because we had the upper hand in Wikuna," she almost shouted in reply. "Her risks were well known and calculated. Out here, it's alot riskier, and the risk is unknown. That makes it much more dangerous." She grabbed him by the shirt. "And I resent the implication that I just sent her out into danger without worrying about her," she seethed. "I never sent her anywhere without Sisska and others nearby to help in case she got into trouble."
"I never meant to imply that," he said calmly.
"I think Tarrin is saying that you should let Miranda stand on her own feet, sister," Allia said sagely. "That you worry for her is good, but you don't need to act like her mother."
"I do no such thing!" she snapped at Allia. "Miranda is my oldest friend. I'd yell at any friend for doing something that stupid! And you're next, boy," she pointed imperiously at Tarrin. "What possessed you to take on a small army of armed men! You should have grabbed Miranda and ran! Those legs of yours let you jump onto just about any roof you please, even with Miranda weighing you down!"
"I would have done that if I hadn't have tried Sorcery first," he replied calmly. "I tried it first because I wanted to end it quickly. But you saw what happened. While I was recovering from the backlash, they engaged us."
Keritanima seemed to analyze it, looking for any holes that would give her an excuse to rail on him, but she could find none. Snorting, she crossed her arms beneath her breasts and gave him a flinty look. "Well, just don't do it again," she huffed.
"I don't plan to," he agreed.
"Fine."
"Fine," he said calmly, sitting down on his bed and patting the cut absently. It still burned. He'd never been hurt by silver before, and it was certainly something he'd prefer to avoid in the future. The wound buzzed, stinging and tingling, and it wouldn't let him put it out of his mind. Even Triana's claws in his belly hadn't left such an unpleasant aftereffect.
"Is it alright?" Allia asked.
"It stings, but it'll be alright," he said. "I've never been hurt by silver before. It's not very pleasant."
"Why didn't Dolanna heal it?" Keritanima asked.
"She can't," he replied. "She tried. It seems that silver does me harm that even magic can't heal. It'll just have to heal on its own." Keritanima sat down in a chair as Tarrin sat down on the bed. "Did Miranda tell you about what Jander said?"
Keritanima nodded. "It's nothing that we didn't expect, Tarrin," she told him. "We'll just have to be more careful. All three of us."
"That goes double for you, sister," Allia said. "You are too headstrong. If we must stay hidden, so must you."
"I don't take risks, deshaida," Keritanima said absently.
"This from Kerri the Plunderer," Tarrin said to Allia with a slight grin. "I remember a stranger in Kerri's body when we ransacked the temple in Suld."
"Yes, that must have been someone else," Allia agreed with a staight face.
"You two," Keritanima said, slapping Tarrin's leg. "They left the cards. Good. Let's play King's Crown until Dolanna has some news for us."
Things were all confused.
Tarrin stood at the rail, looking out over the lights of Tor as members of the circus played instruments and danced on the deck behind him, illuminated in the dark night by torches and lanterns. His presence didn't upset them, mainly because they didn't really see him come up on deck. He was still under restriction, but Dolanna wasn't on deck, and he felt the need to be out of cat form. To reduce tension on the ship he was in human form, tolerating the pain for the benefit of the others. They weren't quite so afraid of him when he looked more normal. The moons and Skybands were obscured behind heavy clouds, and there was an unseasonably cool quality to the wind that promised a heavy spring rain was coming. That was very much needed, for the lack of rain had begun to take its toll on the crops in the fields surrounding the city.