“Now, wait just a moment,” Drakis said.
“See? Do you see what kind of a person you’ve entrusted our lives to?” Mala jabbed Drakis with her finger. “She has no respect for you or any of us!”
“Respect?” Urulani roared back. “And just what have you done, little pale princess, to earn my respect?”
“Ladies! Stop it! Please!” Drakis held up both his hands in exasperation. “Can we all just calm down and. .”
“This,” Urulani threw her head back in derision, “from the Domesticated Warrior!”
Drakis turned to appeal to the rest of their companions, but there was no help in sight. RuuKag seemed to be enjoying the row with deep amusement. Ethis, Belag, and even Jugar all walked behind him, keeping a distance that also kept them out of the argument.
Only the Lyric quickened her step toward him. She smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Drakis! I’m only too glad to help.”
“You are?” Drakis asked dubiously.
“Of course!” the Lyric said, her eyes bright. “They’re both wrong and I’ll be happy to tell them why.”
Drakis looked again to the stars and offered a prayer. It was going to be a very long day.
“I have news, Inquisitor!”
Jukung looked up, his face shadowed by the deep hood pulled over his head. The new Inquisitor sat still beneath a great tree of the savanna as he had for two days awaiting just such news.
“Speak, Codexia Mendrath,” Jukung said.
The robed newcomer bowed and then began. “Word comes from the savanna, west of Tempest Bay. There are several mud cities of the Hak’kaarin in the northern regions of the Vestasian Savanna.”
“I do not need a geography lecture,” Jukung snarled.
“Yes, Master Inquisitor,” Mendrath responded at once. “There are stories now being circulated among the mud gnomes in that region about a man named Drakis who is traveling with the gnomes. He is said to possess great powers and to be the fulfillment of prophecy.”
Jukung looked up sharply. “And his companions?”
“The story speaks of two women, manticores, a chimerian, and a dwarf.”
Jukung smiled. “A dwarf! Yes, that is news, indeed! Where? Where are they?”
“The Hak’kaarin move a great deal,” Mendrath replied. “There are a dozen or so of their cities across the region where they were last seen.”
“And Inquisitor Soen?” Jukung asked quickly. “What news of him?”
“He is moving toward those same mud domes that the Hak’kaarin call their cities.”