<Minty>

*Wraiths!*  

"Wraiths!"

Kirimith & David gave voice to the call at the same time.

Minty looked up from where she was feeding Zael as David snatched his
flight jacket from the back of the couch, and blew her a quick kiss as he
hurried out to the waiting Kaylin. 

As she rose from the chair to follow David into the dragon portion of
their apartment Zael's small face scrunched up in.. fear?.. and he began
wailing as the air outside resounded with dragon challenges to the
invaders of
their warren.

<..>

"Shush Zael.... Mama's here.  What's wrong lovie? " Tears welled in her
eyes as she tried to soothe the red-faced, screaming infant.  "Shhhh
sweetie... please."

Minty sat in the living room of their apartment holding a screaming Zael
in her arms trying desperately to figure out why he wouldn't settle down. 
He wasn't hungry, or wet or cold but he'd been screaming non-stop for
nearly 20 minutes.  In fact ever since the call about wraiths had echoed
round the warren....

<..>

*Kaylin is asking about the amulet.*  Kirimith said presently

*Amulet?*  Minty asked in a puzzled tone, still preoccupied trying to
soothe her screaming child.  *What .....*

Minty froze, colour draining from her face and her blood turning to ice
water in her veins as she suddenly realised  which amulet Kiri was talking
about.   

*Why is he asking?*  she jumped up and paced the room restlessly, jiggling
her still sobbing son in her arms.  *And why now... after all this time?  
What's happened to resurect interest in something best left buried?*

*The wraiths were asking for it.*  Kirimith said, puzzled.  *They did not
come to attack but to return things that were taken and to demand the
amulet in return.  Kaylin's rider has remembered that he once wore the
amulet.....*

Minty moaned softly and clutched tightly at Zael's small body as she
thought of the tragedy, and near tradegy, the cursed thing had caused. 

*Don't tell him it's here.*  Minty gasped in panic as she hurried into the
bedroom.  *It was lost in the caverns.  Do you hear me?  It's lost, buried
... GONE!!!!!*

She laid Zael on the bed and then frantically pulled the top drawer from
the dresser, spilling the contents across the floor in her haste to find
the thing she'd hidden there.  Her groping fingers felt nothing and for a
moment she was afraid that perhaps someone had already searched for it and
found it.  Then her fingers brushed against smooth silk, and she pulled a
small bundle from it's hiding place. 

Zael's frantic crying ceased abruptly.

She shivered as she felt the outline of the cursed object through the
covering silk, revulsion crowding in on her as she remembered all that had
happened to her and to David because of
the evil thing that lay within the wrappings.

Outside she heard a flurry of wings as Kaylin landed on the ledge, and
there was a second rustle and thump as another dragon landed behind him.

*Aura's rider is here too.*  Kiri told her.  *Aura too is asking about the
amulet.* 

Panicstricken, Minty stuffed the amulet into her bodice, then scooped the
spilt clothes back into the drawer, and shoved it back into place.

"Minty?"  she heard David call from the living room as she picked up the
now quiet baby.  "Where are ye love?  Waylene es here wi' a question."

Her eyes flicked downwards once to where the amulet lay heavy against her
breast, then she walked into the living room to meet the questions.

<..>

"Are you alright?"  Waylene asked, taking in Minty's pale face and
dishevelled hair.  "This is important but it can wait if you feel unwell."

"I'm fine."  Minty's voice squeaked, and she made an effort to compose
herself.  "I wasn't expecting visitors so I was feeding Zael."

"We'll come back later."  Waylene said as she turned away

Minty shook her head, and forced a smile.  "It's OK... he's satisfied for
the moment.  And Kirimith told me what it was about anyway.  The amulet?"

"The amulet."  Waylene agreed in a quiet voice.  "David remembers finding
an amulet in the caves, but he wasn't wearing it when he was brought back
that day.  He seems to think you may know something about it."

"Ye were there that day too, love."  David said.  "Mayhap ye remember more
about it than I."

Minty shook her head.  

"I never saw the amulet."  she said with a shiver.  "David found it when
he was in the caves, and I was brought back to Marrid, unconscious,
without ever entering the caves.  I only know what Kirimith told me and
the little she knows she heard from David.  It opened a way for the
wraiths to reach out and touch his mind, and it nearly killed him."

"But I remember ye being there."  David muttered quietly  "Your scent,
your touch...."

"I wasn't there, love.  I was here."  Minty said firmly.  "Arri saw that
when she walked through my memories and had to accept that I couldn't be
in two places at once."

She patted David's shoulder gently, the turned to Waylene.

"I'm sorry that I can't help."  she said quietly.  

Waylene stared at her for a long moment, and Minty held her breath as she
wondered whether Arri had said anything about what she'd suspected Minty
had done that long ago night when she'd sacrificed her unborn child, and
nearly lost her own life, to save the man she loved.  But Waylene merely
nodded her acceptance and thanked Minty for her help.

"We'll need to send an expedition to the caves to see if we can find the
amulet there."  Waylene said.  "If it's important enough for the wraiths
to demand it's return then it'll make a good bargaining tool. David,
you'll need to go with the search team since you're the only one who's
seen the amulet and you know more or less where it was lost."

"I'll take t' Trak."  David told her. "We can set out at first light
tomorrow."

Waylene thanked David then turned to go. Feeling guilty at deceiving her
Warrenlady, Minty handed Zael to David to hold while she escorted Waylene
out to the ledge and helped her up into Kirimith's saddle.

"If you remember anything that might help...."  Waylene said as Minty
climbed up in front of her.

"I'll be sure to let you know."  Minty said as she gave the signal for
Kirimith to leave the ledge and glide down to the green.  

<Late afternoon>

She watched David and Zael sleeping peacefully together and her heart
ached.  What harm could possibly come from not revealing the amulet's
whereabouts?  It was evil... pure and simple.  She'd so nearly lost David 
and she *had* lost one unborn son to the power and awfulness of the thing!
 Why hadn't she destroyed it when she'd had the chance?  Then none of this
would be happening and she wouldn't need to feel so guilty about deceiving
Waylene.  

*Perhaps you should tell her what you know.*  Kirimith suggested sleepily.
 *If you explain why you felt it necessary to tell untruths she will
understand and sympathise.*

*Why me?*  Minty cried angrily. *Why did it have to be me that went back
and got the damned thing?  Why couldn't I have let someone else take the
responsilbility?*

*Because you were there.*  Kirimith said simply.  *Because you knew what
had to be done and did it.  Why not you?*

*Thanks Kiri... that's a great help.*  Minty said sarcastically  *Any more
little gems of wisdom you'd like to share?*

*You asked me so I answered.*  Kiri told her.  *If you don't like the
answer don't ask the question.  You have two choices love.  Tell the
Warrenlady, or destroy the amulet and live with whatever consequences may
follow.  Only you can choose.*

<..>

*Whether I'm doing the right thing or not only time will tell.*  Minty
said as she slipped into her saddle.  *But I can't help feeling that
destroying the thing would be a better solution....*

<..>

Minty laid her silk wrapped burden on the desk in front of a puzzled
Waylene and looked her straight in the eye.

"I brought the amulet."  she said quietly.  "Don't...." Minty knocked
Waylene's hand away from it as she reached to unwrap it.  "It's not safe
to touch it and I'm not sure if it's safe to even look at it.  I should
have destroyed it while I had the chance."

"Then why didn't you?"  Waylene asked her  "We would never have known.  It
would have been assumed the amulet was lost in the caves never to be seen
again."

"Because I didn't know what would happen if I did.  Maybe the wraiths
would have stepped up their attacks on us once they realised that it was
gone for good. Revenge.  Maybe whatever it is that makes it so evil would
have been released by it's destruction."  Minty answered thoughtfully  "I
don't know what would have happened and that scared me."

"Then why destroy it at all?  Why not just throw it into the lake or bury
it somewhere?"

"Because it might have been found again and I didn't want to take the
chance of anyone else being possessed by it."

"Then why bring it to me?"  Waylene asked her "Aren't you afraid it'll
possess me?"

Minty shook her head quickly.  "You know what it can do and  I think it
needs it's subject to be unawares  to be able to entrap them.  And you
said it might be important.  Maybe if we find out how it works then we can
find a way to use it against the wraiths."

"How did you come to have it at all?"  Waylene asked her.  "-Was- it you
that took it from David in the caves?  But if you were here......"

"I went back and got it."  Minty emphasised the word *back* just slightly
and waited to see if Waylene would pick it up.

<..>

*Wraiths!*  Kirimith shouted in her mind as she sat opposite Waylene. 
*There are wraiths....*

Waylene jumped up from her chair and hurried outside, Minty just a short
step behind her.  As they came into the open they were in time to see a
solitary, vaguely human-like shape exit one of the cliff-side
apartments... followed by an angry dragon bellowing for all he was worth.

"That's Kaylin."  Minty said as she recognised the black dragon chasing
the rapidly receding wraith.  "Why isn't he flaming the thing."

*Because the wraith has our hatchling.*  Kirimith told her

"Zael."  Minty screamed in terror as her knees buckled and she pitched to
the ground.  "It has Zael."

submitted by

Araminta, Kirimith's rider


-- 
Mint,  the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  Unassigned            Caliban, Lute's human  Dragon Lands  
Lillith the Mage    Broken Lands    Minty, Kirimith's rider    Dragon Lands                  
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

ICQ #5814808
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902
http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/

PGP Public key: http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/Mint.asc