Chronicles of Den'dra - Spencer Johnson Page 0,159
contained around him. Except for the one gossamer thin strand that snaked around the courtyard, over Landin where he sat suspending a dozen rocks the size of his head, and towards her head.
Em’risi could just have blocked it, there wasn’t many of Varis’ probes that couldn’t be summarily blocked. The few that couldn’t be blocked were easily dispelled in other ways. This one had hardly been detectable. Suppressing a mischievous smirk, Em’risi casually returned to watching Halden pick a new wooden blade out of the rack. Recently, she had discovered that her ability to sense energy in others was not limited to sight. She could detect the energy with any sense she tasked. Touch was to be avoided, it had an effect on the person whose energy she touched. Each type of energy had a distinctive tone, even when she couldn’t see a difference in color. The volume seemed to be in direct proportion to the strength being exercised. The timbre of the tone was related to the skill of the user. At first, the energy had been a cacophony of noise that confused her, but now it was becoming a melody composed of clear sharp tones. Some tones resonate with each other as more than one color was mixed together. Each person had a distinctive tone that could be picked out if she listened carefully. It was when she listened that a new sense revealed itself. Similar to sight yet not limited to her field of vision. She could see the energy around her on all sides in a way that defied explanation.
Finding Varis’ thread, she began twisting it away from herself. The tingling sensation disappeared as the energy twisted into a ball. She let Varis feed more energy into it in an attempt to continue feeling out her defenses. Em’risi let it grow until it was a dense lump before listening for other strains of sound. She could hear all the men assembled, but finally, when they had grown to a deafening level, she heard the faintly present tune at the edge of the courtyard. Animals, to her vision, had no energy yet to her newly developed senses, their energy was faintly detectable. Nothing more than the life energy, but present nonetheless.
Unable to hide the smirk any longer, Em’risi moved Varis’ pale energy towards the mouse. Forming a bubble around the minuscule creature, she hesitated a second before collapsing the bubble. Her concentration suddenly broke as she heard a loud squeak from the other side of the courtyard. Refocusing her eyes, she had to laugh as she saw Varis’ mortified expression and the hand clamped over his mouth. Every eye in the courtyard was fastened on him, but his eyes were intent on Em’risi with astonishment evident when the embarrassment wore off.
“You really should be more careful in the future about letting your energy wander. You never know what you might connect with.” Em’risi struggled to maintain the cool facade as Varis’ dark eyes widened in disbelief. “Iggy, how has your practice been going?” Em’risi regained the grasp on her composure as she put Varis out of her mind.
“I just learned something. Well, not just, it was actually a little while ago.” Em’risi recalled having seen some excited emanations from the man about an hour past.
“Would you care to show me?” Em’risi moved to the table and took her customary seat. Igarlin took the seat on the other side.
“Sure, can I see your ring?” Em’risi slipped the gold wrought oak tree set with a mass of tiny emeralds for leaves from her finger. Setting it in the outstretched hand she waited expectantly. A moment later, the ring began glowing. Small rays of light seemed to dance across the surface. With a look of intense concentration, Igarlin reached down and picked the ring up with his other hand when the glow had faded. When he handed back the ring, Em’risi frowned slightly in disappointment. Yesterday, Igarlin had simultaneously created a dozen marbles with his energy. This little display of lights was nothing in comparison. Em’risi’s disappointment faded when her fingers passed through the ring without disturbing the illusion. The glimmer’s energy seemed immune to her touch, quite the opposite of Varis’.
“That is impressive. Almost worth losing my favorite signet ring to see.” In truth it was worth it, but she wanted to instill a little caution in Iggy. It had been carelessness on both their parts, hers for giving the ring over so quickly and his for having reduced