He concentrated, thinking hard. Perhaps if he altered the basic mind shield he had been taught at the Abbey, so—then, using his new powers, next activated another, different mental shield, causing that one to overlie the other, thus.
It worked. As his new barrier fitted over the old, the voice or mind touch ceased abruptly, like the light of a snuffed-out candle. He was no longer conscious of any contact at all, and he was sure he had shaken off the enemy.
He looked up. It was full dark again, but the moon was bright, and Luchare and Gorm sat together a few feet away, in silent companionship, waiting for him to return to them. The morse could be heard as he fed himself down at the bottom of the rock, as usual keeping an unsleeping guard.
Hiero rubbed his eyes. “Don’t worry,” he said. “The Unclean were just trying a few games. They can’t do it any more, and I’ll be all the more ready next time.”
“Are they following us? Are they able to—to talk with your mind?” the girl asked hesitantly.
“No, not now. They don’t know where or, for that matter, what I really am, and I think they are getting a bit worried about me. Anyway, they’ve been sending out a constant wide-band signal, somehow tuned to what they had learned of my personal brain pattern, trying to get into contact. I felt it, took out this thing—” he kicked the communicator—“which belonged to one of them, the one we killed, and talked to them. You see,” he went on, “they think I’m a Leemute or something, some new kind of evil mutation, or just a naturally evil human like themselves. My mind seems to be changing somewhat, and they can’t figure me out.
“Well, I got worried and cut them off, and then I fixed their probe so that they can’t annoy me either. I don’t think they have a hope of locating us that way any longer.”
He next repeated what he had said, only this time to the bear, using a short-range band he felt no one could pick up or home in on.
Gorm understood remarkably well and even drew a surprising conclusion. You are strong now, friend/Hiero. It will be difficult/ impossible for most (of the) enemy, except for the strongest/oldest/ most senior, to overcome you.
This was more of a statement than a query, and it made Hiero feel sure that the bear actually understood something of his, the priest’s, new mental development.
They slept the night peacefully away, and after breakfast down on the beach the next morning, Hiero decided to cast the symbols and use the glass. He was almost certain that none of the Unclean were close by, and it seemed worth a small risk.
