A match to his own heart beating in his chest.
Simus stayed in his crouch, turned a full circle, but saw nothing. Still he watched, paying special attention to the Heart, until Eloix hissed softly, fully armed and armored.
He placed his weapons on the blanket and reached for his leathers, keeping an eye on the surrounding grasses. He dressed swiftly, securing each buckle and strap quickly and quietly.Eloix was kneeling now, her back to him as she tried to watch the entire Plains.
Simus was stuffing his feet in his boots when they heard a man’s voice, accusing, sharp, insulting in tone, ringing over the distance.
“Can you make out what he’s saying?” Eloix whispered.
“No.” Simus fastened the last of his buckles and reached for his blades. “I don’t—”
Another man’s voice, not as powerful, but defiant could be heard. Growling, Simus stood and scanned the horizon.
“Simus, no.” Eloix reached for him and he let her pull him back into the grasses. He knelt on one knee. “What did you see?”
“Nothing,” Simus said. “We need to get closer—”
A woman’s voice rang out, clear and strong, with the summoning cry used for horses. A mare belled at the same time, and Simus could have sworn the ground trembled beneath his feet.
Then he realized why. Every horse in their company was running for the Heart of the Plains.
He’d seen herds spooked before. He’d seen them run for the sheer joy in movement. He’d even seen horses dance with their warriors when returning to the Plains. But this...he’d never seen this. Every animal appeared focused and intent on a single goal.
The woman called again, commanding, demanding her call be answered.
Answer they did. Within a heartbeat, the herd was surging past them, neighing fiercely as they ran.
Simus jumped to his feet, pulling Eloix up for fear they’d be trampled. But the horses swerved aside, streaming past, ignoring them. Another heartbeat, and they were gone into the glow.
“Skies above,” Eloix trembled next to him, her sword still firm in her hand.
“Well,” Simus said, to cover his own racing heart. “If we are to get closer, we’ll be walking.”
“Are those voices coming from the Heart?” Eloix’s voice was a rasp. “How can we hear them? What could they be doing that—”
The camp behind them was reacting. Warriors flooded out of tents, raised voices called out. Simus heard Joden call for him. He gave his own shout in response.
From the Heart, two voices, man and woman, thundered out, crying together with perfect clarity. “FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PLAINS!”
There was a cracking sound, as if stone broke on stone.
Simus was on his feet, Eloix on hers. The very wind seemed to still. To pause.
Waiting.
A pillar of hot, bright power flared straight up from the Heart of the Plains, like a needle piercing the night sky.
Chapter Four
Simus stared up, blinking at the pillar that towered over them, swirling around and around like one of the deadly wind storms that came in the spring. Somehow he knew in the core of his being that it was so much more than light. It was power, vast and terrible and yet so beautiful.
Eloix threw up a hand to shield her eyes. Simus stood, enthralled, watching as the bright pillar swayed and twirled, linking the land and the stars.
A bell-tone sounded again. Simus had heard the big bells of the city-folk, but that had been nothing like this. This sound seemed to come from the land itself, from the very—
Something came rushing toward them across the grass, something deep in the grass.
Simus brought his weapons up, only to see a broad band of light flying toward them, expanding out. The thick band of pure sunlight looked like it was traveling under the earth, illuminating the grasses from below. It moved so fast, like fleeing deer.
