Monday, June 21, 2010

Something hidden

The second object was a burnished copper ring set with an oval garnet. Kylan frowned; it seemed familiar.
Torrullin dived into his pocket…and pulled an identical one out. ‘A Mantle signature ring. It permits the wearer access to the archives. Merle would have had one; it is yours now.’ He glanced at his own ring, and then put it away.
‘May I use it?’ He didn’t really desire to; he merely wanted to know what it meant.
‘The ring is not hereditary, but you may use it,’ Torrullin murmured, and then he smiled. ‘I am, after all, the one who yays and nays in that department….not that the Mantle will have much power after this.’
‘I have one of those,’ Raken said guiltily. ‘Plunder, you understand?’
Torrullin laughed at her. ‘So that’s how you got in!’
‘Yep, but it didn’t help me get out!’
‘Well, you may use it anytime also, lady pirate.’
‘Um, no, I’d be arrested if I go near any law abiding centre,’ Raken muttered. ‘But thanks.’
Torrullin grinned wickedly, and Raken stuck her tongue out at him.
And Kylan drew the final object from the chest, the by-play going over his head. It was a small hexagonal disc, pure gold, embossed with strange configurations.
‘Gods!’ Vannis gasped, instantly ashen as if he’d seen a ghost.
Kylan looked at the Valleur, they all did. ‘You know this?’
‘Where did your mother get that?’ Vannis rasped.
‘Vannis?’ Tanos demanded as Torrullin reached for the disc. Kylan relinquished it to him without hesitation.
Llettynn glanced between them, seeing trust, and speculated that Torrullin could engender either complete loyalty or absolute mistrust. He wondered where his feelings lay.
‘It’s Valleur,’ Torrullin commented, turning the disc this way and that.
‘Of course it’s Valleur! It’s…its…shit!’
Kylan frowned darkly; Kisha gripped his hand.
‘Vannis, calm down,’ Tanos said forcefully. ‘Kylan doesn’t deserve accusation.’
Vannis drew breath and then cursed again as Torrullin started reading the pictorial language on the disc. ‘Do not read it!’
‘Bloody hell!’ Torrullin bit out, also frowning darkly at Vannis.
‘You of all people, Enchanter, should know better than to read the Valleur glyphs aloud!’

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