Thread Slivers

Chapter 9 Daggers in the Air

-Lebuin-

A woeful howl rattled the windows and shocked Lebuin wide awake. Sitting up, he saw in the thin light coming through the barely cracked shutters that Ditani was already peeking out the window as the howl continued.

“That sounds like it is just outside the window.”

“No, m’Lord, but the few on the street are covering their ears. It must be tremendously loud out there. These are thick windows and walls.”

Getting out of bed, Lebuin stumbled to the window in the near darkness. Looking over Ditani’s shoulder, he saw a few people on the street begin to run away. The howling stopped, but it was followed by the occasional bark of a dog. A sense of dread came over Lebuin.

“Do you think that has something to do with us? Could it be a demon hound summoned to track us?”

Ditani slipped around him. “I don’t believe in demon hounds. Whatever it was, it has stopped, and we are safer than most here. This has been a trying day. With your leave, I’d like to get back to sleep.”

Closing the shutter tight, Lebuin moved in the dark back to his bed and lay down.

One day only since I was drinking hundred-year-old sharre with the head of the Guildhouse. All I wanted was to roam the library freely to try to find new ways to improve the independence incantations. I was such a fool to not have seen all that was there. He traced the scar in the middle of his chest with his finger. I almost died today. All that passed before was nothing. Today, I truly fought for my life. If I had given up, I wouldn’t be here. Who — or maybe better, what — was that entity that helped me? I am sure I was in the ethereal realm. Was that a God? I wonder if it was Argos.

Lebuin walked the day in his mind, unable to sleep. The High Priestess used some kind of artifact on me to help me live. I remember there were others there, too. Powerful women. I am sure one was the High Priestess. The other that waited, perhaps that was Ticca. So who was the third woman? There was a powerful man, too. This would be easier if I were still there; my mind was so clear. There were many stories and books on metaphysical or spiritual travel and meditation in the library. I wish I hadn’t shoved them aside as a waste of time. If I live, I can examine them and maybe find a way to move between the realms.

The bed moved, and a muffled crashing sound woke him. Lebuin sat up, realizing he had fallen asleep again. Ditani was sleeping, and everything was quiet again. He listened and didn’t hear anything more. Someone must have dropped a tray in the hall. Lying back down, he was glad to find sleep came easily.

- - -

Someone was knocking on the door to his chamber. It was an annoying person who didn’t stop. In fact, he alternated the loudness of the knock. “I’m sleeping, go away.”

Someone moved inside his room, alarming him. Lebuin rolled over and opened his eyes, trying to strengthen his shield, except there was no shield to strengthen. What happened to my shield? To answer that, his mind recalled the events of being stabbed, wearing an old sack shirt, and rubbing river sludge on his boots. His hand came up and found the scar on his chest. Sitting up, fully awake, Lebuin saw he was in the room at the Blue Dolphin and not his chamber at the Guildhouse. He had on a loose pair of brown pants, and a soft patched cotton shirt lay on the floor next to him. His boots were cleaned, but would never again be the same. His emotions stirred inside, and he felt a deep sense of joy at the lessons in front of him. Smiling, he touched his ruined boots. This is all I have to protect myself. Simple cotton clothes and dirty leather boots, just like most of the rest of the world. Yet I feel a joy, like I am on the right path.