Tales of Golmeira- The Complete Box Set Read online

  Tales of Golmeira

  Four Book Box Set

  Table of Contents

  Map of Golmeira

  Realm of Mindweavers: Book One

  Murthen Island: Book Two

  Return to Golmeira: Book Three

  Warrior of Golmeira: Book Four

  Acknowledgements

  Realm of Mindweavers

  Book One: Tales of Golmeira

  Marianne Ratcliffe

  Realm of Mindweavers copyright © 2013 by Marianne Ratcliffe. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Dedication

  This book is for Gubs, with love.

  Chapter One

  It was the morning of her thirteenth birthday, but Zastra was not celebrating. This was the day she would be tested, the day she would be given the chance to prove to her doubting father that she was worthy to be his daughter.

  A rap at the door made her jump.

  ‘Are you ready, Zastra?’ The voice, muffled by the heavy oak door, belonged to Jannal, chief of the royal household. It was time.

  Zastra took a deep breath, surprised by the sudden pounding of her heart. She half wished she had accepted her mother’s offer to accompany her, but it was too late to change her mind now. She steadied herself before opening the door with what she hoped was an appearance of composure. Jannal was waiting and he bobbed his head of tight grey curls.

  ‘There you are. Come. The council of mindweavers does not like to be kept waiting.’

  Zastra followed Jannal to the council chamber. A pair of huge blackwood doors opened noiselessly as they approached. Jannal nudged her, not unkindly, into the room. She turned her head to see the doors close heavily behind her.

  ‘Come forward, child,’ a sharp voice commanded. Zastra’s head snapped round. A tall woman with a mass of pale ginger hair scraped back in a tight knot stared down at her. Zastra recognised her as Teona, the highmaster of mindweavers. The council room was windowless, a circle of jula-oil lamps directly above Zastra’s head providing the only light. The other members of the council shuffled forwards from the shadows, enclosing Zastra in an unbroken circle. They were all wrapped in full-length ceremonial robes of golden damask, their faces covered in featureless white masks that reflected the flickering orange glow of the lamps. Teona’s voice snapped out again, cold and unfriendly.

  ‘Do you know why you are here?’

  ‘To take the test,’ whispered Zastra, fists clenched as she tried to hide her fear. Whatever happened, she must not fail.

  ‘Very well,’ said the highmaster, lowering her own mask into position. ‘We will begin.’

  Zastra felt an invisible weight pressing down on her and thoughts infiltrated her mind, probing like icicle fingers.

  ‘No – get away!’ she cried.

  ‘She… resists…’ creaked Teona. ‘Desist girl. Let us in.’

  The pressure increased and images flashed in her head. First a raging fire and then a monstrous beast, blood dripping from pink-tinged fangs. Images and sensations were torn from her; the faces of her school friends, the feel of her sister’s soft little hand, surprisingly strong as it clasped her finger.

  ‘Get out!’ Zastra screamed, and the horrible images faded, although the cold fingers continued to dig into her memories and thoughts. As darkness descended, she heard a deep voice, muffled as if wrapped in cotton.

  ‘Enough. Let the child be. We have our answer.’

  When Zastra came back into consciousness, her mother was holding her.

  ‘Peace, dear one. You are safe now, my love.’

  ‘Oh, Mother, it was horrible. It was, as if… they opened me…’

  ‘I know, my love. I’m sorry I could not protect you.’

  The noise of a door opening roused Zastra from the comforting depths of the embrace. It was her father, Leodra, Grand Marl of Golmeira.

  ‘Well?’ asked Zastra’s mother, bitterly.

  ‘Nothing – useless,’ he said. ‘No power is in her.’ He looked at Zastra, unable to hide his disappointment.

  ‘Leodra!’ Her mother’s tone censured and pleaded at the same time. ‘Do not blame our daughter for what she cannot help.’ Zastra felt her mother’s arms tighten around her.

  ‘This is no time for useless sentiment, Anara. You know our danger. We are weak and the power you have is, well, it won’t help us.’ Leodra paced up and down, scowling. ‘The twins are so young, it will be years before they can be tested and even then it could be too late. We needed Zastra to be a strong mindweaver.’

  ‘We will find other ways.’

  ‘There are no other ways,’ he said, turning away and departing with a violent slam of the door.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ sobbed Zastra. ‘I tried, but it was so hard.’

  ‘Hush, dear one. Never apologise for who you are. You are my strong, precious, beautiful Zastra. You have your own strengths and gifts, and one day your father will see them.’

  A soft knock at the door was followed by the entry of an elderly man wearing the golden ceremonial robes of a mindweaver. Despite his grey hair, he was alert and sprightly. No longer wearing a mask, his face was disfigured by a dark brown birthmark that rose from his left temple and cheek like a low lying island.

  ‘Lady Anara, please excuse my intrusion, but I was concerned about Zastra.’

  ‘Thank you, Dobery. I know the test is important, but I do not see why you had to push so hard. Zastra is still only a child.’

  ‘I am not,’ protested Zastra, raising her head

  ‘I fear our highmaster was somewhat overzealous. This darkness that hangs over our lands is no excuse. My dear Zastra, how are you?’

  ‘No one told me it would hurt so much. I saw such horrible things.’

  ‘Yet you did remarkably well. You have great resistance to the power.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Anara. ‘Leodra said she was without mindweaving abilities.’

  ‘That, alas, is true. However, she was able to resist the entire council, if only for a moment. I fear that angered Teona and some of the others, so they pushed harder than they should have. I am ashamed of their thoughtlessness, my lady.’

  Dobery lowered himself on to the rug next to Zastra and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  ‘Do not despair,’ he said, ‘the power of mindweaving is rare. Few are chosen, and not always the most deserving. Each of us must make our own way in the world. Yours is yet to reveal itself, that is all.’

  ‘Dobery is right, my dear,’ said Anara. ‘You must not be downhearted.’ But Zastra could not be consoled.

  Chapter Two

  Zastra plucked at her soldier’s blouse. The vivid red shirt was covered in dark patches of sweat. It was the height of summer and even though the sun was low in the sky, the humidity hung in the air like a heavy dew. It had been two days since the test and Zastra decided to act on an idea that had been forming in her mind ever since her experience with Teona and the mindweavers. It would mean returning to the southeast tower, where the council chamber was located, but that couldn’t be helped.

  Golmer Castle was made up of five wings, each with three levels of rooms and apartments, joined together by square towers, all built of speckled grey stone. Four of the towers lay at the corners of a large, square courtyard, next to which was a covered triangular section that enclosed the great hall. The fifth tower sat at the tip of the triangle, and was known as the royal tower, because that was where the grand marl and his family lived. The quickest route from the royal tower to Zas
tra’s destination was along the inner balconies of the southern wings, past the great hall, and along the south side of the courtyard. However, these open balconies were visible from many of the interior windows of the castle and Zastra did not wish to be seen. Besides, it would be much more fun to sneak down the narrow passages that lay between the protective outer wall of the castle and the inner apartments. This dark space, continually patrolled by Leodra’s soldiers, was known as the liden. It was strictly out of bounds, which only made it more attractive to Zastra and her friends, who often dared each other to try to sneak from one tower to the next without being caught. After a quick glance to check the first passage was empty, Zastra dashed through the liden, ducking under narrow ladders and scrambling between floors to avoid more than one drowsy guard. She was highly pleased with herself when she arrived at the southeast tower, undetected, out of breath and with several cobwebs for company.

  Dobery and some of the other masters had quarters on the second floor and Zastra found the old mindweaver in his chambers reading a small leather-bound book, which he set aside as she entered.

  ‘Welcome, Zastra,’ he said, removing a pair of wire-framed spectacles with a warm smile. ‘It is not often we have visitors.’

  ‘I can see that,’ she said, glancing around the room. Untidy piles of books and papers covered the furniture and most of the floor. The hearthrug was shabby and grey with dirt, almost as if it had aged in sympathy with its owner. Zastra, who had personal servants to clean up after her, was not used to such messiness. She was enchanted by the irregularity and clutter of the snug room.

  ‘I’d like to ask you something,’ she said.

  ‘Of course, my dear. Please, take a seat.’ He cleared a chair of books, frowning as he looked around for an empty space.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ she said, grabbing a cushion and placing herself firmly on the floor. ‘I’ll be grand marl before you find anywhere to put those.’

  ‘It’s a carefully ordered system,’ he said, defensively. ‘This pile, for instance, contains all my books on the military history of Golmeira. See here – Concealed Armies – a History of Ambushes. Not the most light-hearted book in my collection, I suppose, but at least I know where it is.’

  ‘I reckon you could hide an army in here, if you wanted,’ said Zastra, grinning.

  Dobery eased himself back into his worn leather chair. ‘What is it you wanted to know, Zastra? A list of all the grand marls of Golmeira? Or perhaps a detailed review of the taxation system?’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Zastra’s smile vanished at the horrifying possibility of an extra history lesson. ‘I just… I just wondered if there was any chance that the test was wrong?’ She peered up at him as her finger traced a nervous line on the dusty floor. ‘Is there any chance I could be a mindweaver after all?’

  ‘I’m afraid not, Zastra. The test was very thorough.’

  ‘Oh well,’ she said, feigning nonchalance. ‘I guessed you would say that, but I thought I’d make sure.’

  ‘Try not to dwell on it too much. Very few have the power, and even fewer are made happy by it.’

  ‘What is mindweaving, anyway? You and the others don’t look different to anyone else to me.’

  Dobery hesitated.

  ‘I’m not sure – we’re not supposed to discuss our abilities with non-mindweavers.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Zastra, unable to hide her disappointment. Dobery rubbed his knees, and then leaned forward and spoke in a low voice.

  ‘Mindweaving is not fully understood by anyone. Where the ability comes from, and why only some have it, is a mystery. Although often it runs in families, which is why your father had hopes for you.’

  ‘Why?’ whispered Zastra. ‘Is he a mindweaver?’

  ‘No, which is one reason why he was so upset when you failed the test. His father and mother were both very strong mindweavers and they say his brother has great power. I’m sure that he was hoping you would be similarly endowed.’

  ‘But why is it so important?’

  ‘Mindweavers have a special ability to manipulate an unseen essence, the same essence we use to think and move. With training, they can control another person’s thoughts, or their ability to move.’

  Zastra’s eyes widened. ‘When I was in the test, I saw a fire and a… a creature. I thought it was real.’ She shuddered at the memory.

  ‘We can make people believe they see things that don’t exist. One of the most powerful highmasters in our history won a battle for Golmeira by fooling an entire invading army into believing that they were about to be swamped by a giant wave. They fled, and the grand marl’s army routed them completely.’

  Zastra was fascinated. ‘I felt something too, inside my head.’

  ‘Ah, now that was interesting, Zastra. Sometimes, people without abilities can still detect when someone invades their mind. With the right training, they can resist many of the manifestations of the power. I think you are such a person, Zastra, which could be very important, whatever your father might say.’

  ‘Can you read minds?’ As she asked this, a thought struck her. ‘Oh! Can you tell what I’m thinking right now?’

  He sat back in his chair and chuckled. ‘Well, I do have some abilities in that area if I choose to use them, but we only use mindweaving under great need. I don’t see any necessity to poke around in your head right now, thank you very much. I doubt I’ll learn much of interest.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Zastra, somewhat disappointed that her thoughts were not of the first importance. ‘What if I had done something naughty?’

  ‘Like coming here via the liden?’

  ‘You’re peeking!’

  ‘I might be, of course. Or perhaps I have observed the tangle of cobwebs and dust in your hair. Apart from the dungeons, only the liden is that dirty. You don’t always need mindweaving to see things. Sometimes common sense and observation are just as good.’

  Zastra scraped her fingers through her hair and attempted to flick away the sticky cobweb, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

  ‘I don’t really see what all the excitement is about,’ she said, ‘surely anyone can work out if they are being made to see things?’

  ‘Not everyone has your ability to resist, Zastra. Remember, you fainted, which left you vulnerable. Many people have been sent mad by the visions a mindweaver can unleash.’

  ‘Heldrid says mindweavers can fly and turn into fire. Is that true at least?’

  Amusement flickered across Dobery’s unattractive face.

  ‘Heldrid is a foolish boy, and you shouldn’t listen to his nonsense. No one can turn into fire, although I might use mindweaving to convince you that I had. I have never seen anyone fly, although – well, never mind. I’ve said far too much already.’

  ‘But what about Mother? What power does she have, and why does Father say it isn’t any use?’

  ‘Your mother has the gift of sensing the fears and emotions of others. However, it is not really a power to be used in battle. Your father is much concerned with enemies of state.’

  ‘What enemies?’

  ‘I think we’ve had enough questions for one night, Zastra. It is late now. Perhaps you can ask your father himself, tomorrow?’

  ‘He won’t like me to bother him,’ muttered Zastra, but not wishing to outstay her welcome she returned to her quarters. As she skipped along the south balcony, a troop of soldiers in their red and black uniforms marched into the courtyard below. Why should her father be so worried when he had so many men and women at his command?

  Chapter Three

  The twin moons of Horval and Kalin were waning and only a faint cast of silver light filtered down to the group of shadowy figures gathered in the Forest of Waldaria.

  ‘Are you certain you were not followed?’ asked a grey-clad woman, her face masked in shadow.

  The other members of the group grunted their assent, but the woman probed their minds to make certain.

  ‘Why have you called us here?’ The female voice carried the st
rong accent of the Borders.

  ‘You have all indicated your disapproval of our current grand marl,’ said the grey figure.

  ‘Disapproval!’ snorted the woman from the Borders. ‘Leodra is pathetic, too easily swayed by the demands of the peasants. The power and influence of the marls would be destroyed if his new proposals to increase tenants’ rights become law. Worse, these Sendoran savages try to take my land and he does nothing. Lady Migara had the right idea. She would have re-conquered Sendor. I’ll never understand why Fostran passed her over in favour of his grandson.’

  The grey woman held up her hand. ‘We have powerful friends who share your concerns. It is they who have bid me speak with you today.’

  ‘Who are these friends?’ asked a young man in a brown leather jacket.

  ‘You do not need to know.’

  ‘You ask us to risk everything, yet do not trust us. I demand to know who is involved,’ insisted the young man.

  The grey woman’s head snapped back.

  ‘Get out of my mind,’ she growled, grabbing the leather-jacketed man by his throat. The two figures stood locked for some moments in silent, internal battle, before the man collapsed to the ground. A blade flashed downwards, glinting in the moonlight.

  ‘A spy of Leodra’s,’ remarked the grey woman, yanking the knife from the lifeless body. ‘We must all be more vigilant. When we are ready to move, you will each receive a letter containing your instructions. Follow them immediately and exactly.’

  ‘What about Leodra and his family?’

  ‘We shall not be as weak as him.’

  The grey woman turned and disappeared into the darkness.

  Chapter Four

  Zastra awoke to an increase in the usual bustle of the castle. On asking Elly, her maidservant, what was happening, she was informed that visitors were expected and the southwest tower was being cleaned from top to bottom for their accommodation. Zastra was intrigued and went to her morning lessons full of curiosity.