Proven

by H. M. Clarke

  “We’d better get back in the saddle and walk these horses to cool them down and give them a bit of a rest. Then we’ll need to find some water for them to drink,” she said gathering up the reins of her horse.

  CHAPTER TEN

  They rode in silence along the small path as it wended its way further into the trees. The silence left Ryn alone with her own thoughts. The urge to race was a spur of the moment thing bought on by the feel of bright, warm sunshine and the freedom of being on a fast horse with no Blackwatch officers to tell her what to do. What surprised her was that Dagan took her up on the offer to race, and that he knew how to handle a horse. The man was a good rider. She supposed that in his line of work that Dagan would need to have numerous skill sets to be able to complete his assignments. As they rode, Ryn stared curiously at Dagan’s back as his body flowed back and forth with the movement of his black horse. She could still feel his amusement over their shared Link. In all her daydreams about going through the Proving, Ryn never thought that a man like Dagan would be her Pair. She had always thought that Donal would be the person that she would be Paired with, but fate placed him with Ashe and she ended with Dagan. Dagan, the man who yesterday did not want her, did not want to have anything to do with the Blackwatch was now completely accepting of her and his new lot in life?

  The man was an oddity and though he was not Donal, she began to find herself liking the guy.

  Coming out of her thoughts, she quickly focused on her surroundings. What Ryn first assumed was a small stand of trees was actually the tip of a small run of trees that had escaped from the main woods along a small dell. The trail curved back and forth around the trees, leading them further into the small wood. Ryn started to grow uneasy, and the feeling earned a reassuring glance back from Dagan who must have felt it through their link. The small craggy trees quickly turned into tall, straight ones the further in they went.

  Ryn momentarily closed her eyes and pulled at her memories for the map of this area from her geography lessons. And when she tried to pinpoint exactly where they were in her mind, it then it dawned on her where they were and Ryn pulled hard on her reins and halted the roan in its tracks on the path.

  “Why are we in the Witchwoods?”

  Dagan stopped his horse and turned back in the saddle to look at her. “I thought you weren’t going to ask any more questions? And technically we are not in the Witchwood. We are a little bit south of it.”

  “Surely you do not believe all the stories about the Witchwoods do you?” Dagan asked her with a small smirk.

  “Of course not!”

  The words rushed out from Ryn’s mouth and she watched Dagan’s smirk grow wider. Of course he didn’t believe her, the link gave her away. She felt her face settle into a frown. Ryn did not want Dagan to think her superstitious, so she quickly tried to change the subject.

  “But why are we here?” As she spoke, Ryn realized that she was heading into the same circular conversation as she had that morning and quickly held her hand up to stop Dagan’s reply. “I know… to see a man about a horse.”

  “Exactly.” Dagan smiled. “We are not far from them. A word of caution though, don’t say anything disparaging about his beard. He’s sensitive about it.”

  “His beard? Are we talking about the man or the horse?”

  “Both.” With that Dagan turned forward in the saddle and urged his black to move on.

  Ryn sighed and kicked the sides of her horse to follow him. She looked up to the sky but found most of it blocked from view by thick branches. Only broken patches of sky blue could be glimpsed as she passed on the path below. There was no sign or sound of Peck.

  They were still passing through the dell when the path began to widen again and Ryn was able to bring her roan up alongside Dagan’s black.

  “Now would be a good time to put on your Blackwatch cloak,” Dagan said to her, and then added as he turned to her. “Oh and slouch a bit more in the saddle and rest your sword hand on the hilt of your blade like you want to draw it out and skewer someone.”

  “You want me to act like one of those swaggering sellswords that come into town with the merchant wagons? Why?” Ryn raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Because the people here will expect you to act like that. Plus it will play in well to my story that you are my sister on leave from the Blackwatch to help me deal with some ‘family business’.”

  Ryn looked about at the trees and shrubs around them and frowned. “Who am I playacting for? There is nothing out here?”

  “Just do it okay?”

  Ryn grimaced but fished her cloak from where she tucked it in a saddle bag and clipped it on. She then flung the cloak back on her left side, leaving the right down to prominently show the shield, sword and staff badge of the Blackwatch embroidered on it. She hooked her left hand around the pommel of her sword and turned to look at Dagan. “How is this? Is this better?”

  Dagan critically looked her up and down and nodded. “Better. Also, remember to scowl menacingly. Now, when we meet this man, just let me do all the talking and agree with whatever I say.”

  With that, he pushed on ahead and after a few more twists and turns through the thick brush and trees the path widened out into a large woodland field. Within that field was a collection of ramshackle houses and at the far end, a large building that was obviously meant to be an inn. Wood smoke drifted slowly up from the chimneys and Ryn heard the whinny of a horse from behind one of the houses. Some chickens scratched at the edge of the road and a stray sheep sauntered along it partway before turning to disappear between two houses.

  Ryn turned to Dagan to speak, but the mage shook his head, warning her not to say anything and headed on into the village. Ryn was quick to follow him.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The houses hugged the path and Ryn tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword as she and Dagan passed between the first pair. She heard movement coming from within them and then just as quickly faces began to appear at windows, watching them with suspicious eyes as they rode past. Ryn pushed her horse up to ride beside Dagan who kept his eyes focused ahead of them at the inn.

  Several stocky figures appeared on the Inn’s porch and leaned silently against the railing, watching them. The whole place seemed to be watching them, watching her. Ryn now knew where they were. She had heard the rumors and stories at Brookhaven. This small village was not on any map or mentioned on any official records, especially as being this close to the Witchwoods where no one comes unless they were trying to get away from something.

  This was Dead Man’s Hollow.

  This was the place felons came to lie low from the law. This was the place people came to commission dark deeds or find nefarious henchmen. This was the place where the pure of heart should fear to tread.

  Ryn gave Dagan a startled look, but the man ignored her.

  Dagan rode past the hitching posts of the large inn like building and pulled his reins up at the house across from it and dismounted. Ryn did the same, making sure that at all times her sword was within easy reach. She followed him up onto the front porch of the house, her attention and awareness focused on the invisible people she could feel watching them from their windows before she noticed that he did not have his staff with him. Ryn glanced back over her shoulder and saw that it was still secured in its saddle harness on his horse.

  Before Dagan made it to the front door, it opened slowly to reveal a large, burly man with long straw colored hair, but the thing that drew Ryn’s eye was his beard. It was elaborately coiffed in plaits and twists and curls and looked completely out of place on the back country lad. Then Ryn remembered Dagan’s words and quickly dragged her eyes away from the beard and up to the man’s face. Dagan was a tall man, but this fellow topped him by another head at least.

  The man first looked at both of them, then at their horses and finally at the people watching from the porch of the inn. His gaze then dropped back onto Dagan.

  “Good afternoon. I wish to discuss re
nting your grey plough horse.” Dagan spoke in a tone of voice that carried to all ears wanting to listen.

  “You do, do you?” The man’s slow drawl revealed a deep voice that sounded like the slow subterranean creak of breaking rock. At least that was the first image that popped into Ryn’s head. From behind the house, she heard the horse whiney again.

  “I do, and I can make a generous payment for his services.”

  “Harrumph…. that is yet to be determined. You’d best come in to talk business.” The man’s piercing blue eyes flicked to her and then back to Dagan. “What of your Blackwatch?”

  “My sister will be joining us.”

  “Sister eh? Very well.”

  With that, the man turned and disappeared back into the house without saying another word.

  Ryn shot Dagan a ‘What in Bellus’s name is going on?’ look, but he just smiled, tossed her his horse’s reins and followed the man inside. She caught the reins and stood there a moment watching after him before quickly tying both sets of reins to the porch post and going inside herself.

  She stood a moment in the doorway, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the new light level. As she waited, she noted Dagan sitting in a comfortable chair closest to the door and the big, straw haired man sat in a large chair opposite him. Ryn stepped into the room to stand just behind Dagan’s chair, closing the door behind her. He did not look back at her, but Ryn felt something come through from their link that Dagan was pleased with her.

  “So, why come to Dead Man’s Hollow for a plough horse?” The large man ran a hand down his beard as he spoke as if checking by feel that the intricate platting was still in place.

  “Because he was recommended to me by a mutual acquaintance that he was a good worker.”

  “Hmmmm.”

  Dagan turned his head slightly. “Kathryn, are those men still watching from the Inn?” he asked in hushed tones.

  “I don’t know.” She looked at the strange man sitting opposite them and waited for him to comment. But he just sat, watching her expectantly. Ryn sighed and moved to look out the window by the door. The men were still on the porch, but they were more relaxed now and talking among themselves.

  “They are still out there, but not watching us.”

  “We should be able to speak freely now. If they were going to start something, they would be off that porch by now.” The big man said and what Ryn could see from under the beard hair and moustaches his lips were smiling as if happy to see them.

  “How are things going Bron? Are you still sore about being sent to this backwater?”

  The big man shook his head. “I was, but not now. A lot of interesting bits and pieces come through this place, I now understand why we were sent here. Vannik is the one that has his knickers in a twist about it, and I can’t say that I blame him.”

  Dagan laughed. “Was that him I heard out back?”

  Bron nodded. “He’s not had any respite for at least a month. He’d leap at the chance to get out of this place for a bit and stretch his legs.”

  “So… you two know each other?” Ryn asked from the window, trying to keep one eye on the porch ruffians and the other on the two in the room. It seems like Dagan is known to everyone.

  “Yes. We met while Bron and his brother Vannik were on trial at the Seat of Judgment.”

  “On trial?” Ryn turned away from the window in surprise. “You’re a criminal?”

  “A reformed person. Neither I nor my brother are criminals. We are more ‘businessmen’.” Bron sat up straighter in his chair and looked down his nose at her with ice blue eyes.

  “You were aiding and abetting an unregistered mage, and you were both running one of the country’s largest betting rings and spy operations out of the slums in Kaldor.”

  “Well, there was that then. But Vannik’s registered now though isn’t he.” Bron’s blue eyes moved again to Ryn. “Are you really his sister? You do look a bit alike.”

  “Don’t answer him Kathryn. He’s trying to work out if it’s safe for him to make a play for you.”

  “Make a play? You mean-”

  Dagan nodded and turned back to Bron, though Ryn could feel that Dagan was amused and a little pleased. “You always were one for the ladies.”

  “It’s the beard. Women are drawn in by the beard and once they become fascinated with its styling, then I can have them eating out of my hand. And I just love a woman in uniform.” Bron arched a brow at her and watched for a reaction.

  Ryn gave Dagan a sour look. She now understood why he wanted her to wear the Blackwatch uniform. She was the honey trap to keep Bron pliable. Ryn hoped Dagan could feel exactly what she thought through their link. He owed her.

  “Well brother, now I know why you brought me along.”

  Dagan chuckled.

  “Let’s get down to business then. What is the job that you need the horse for?” Bron asked, leaning back in his seat and his blue gaze watched them both through narrowed eyes.

  “The Tribunal has authorized an extra payment to be made to you for this one mission,” Dagan said as he handed a folded piece of parchment over to Bron.

  Bron took it in his fingers and had it unfolded in the blink of an eye. Ryn turned away to look back out of the window as Bron read and noted that the same number of porch ruffians were still lounging and drinking outside of the inn. She turned back to look at Bron and saw that his eyes had widened and his mouth now seemed frozen between a snarl and a grin. He jerked his gaze back to Dagan who was slouched comfortably in his chair, legs crossed, waiting.

  “We’re going after–Him?”

  Dagan nodded.

  “Dagan, this is the bastard that ratted us out. He lost us our entire Kaldor gambling operation.”

  “Which is one reason why the Tribunal thought you might be interested in helping.”

  “And the other reason is that we still have most of our spy network operating isn’t it?”

  Dagan nodded.

  “And they will pay us extra time towards our sentence remission?”

  “That was the deal they told me. Double the usual day rates until this mission is complete. I know your sentences were heavy, this should go a long way towards paying that off.”

  “And what of Vannik’s inhibitor?”

  “That stays in place until his sentence has been completed. You know that.”

  Bron nodded, but the question piqued Ryn’s interest. She had never heard of an Inhibitor before. “Dagan, what is an Inhibitor?”

  Dagan glanced back at her and Ryn knew that he was pleased that she asked the question.

  “An Inhibitor is a charm placed on an apprehended unregistered mage that can be activated by a Magister at any time to block access to their magic channel leaving them unable to perform even the simplest of spells. It is removed once their sentence is finished and have shown that they are trustworthy.”

  “I didn’t know that could be done.”

  “There is no need for it in the Blackwatch is there?” Dagan said as he turned his attention back to Bron. “Are these terms acceptable to both of you?”

  Bron folded the parchment and handed it back to Dagan who immediately tucked it away into his tunic.

  “Just give me a minute, I need to talk about it to Vannik first.”

  Dagan nodded his acceptance and Bron rose from his chair and disappeared through the back door.

  Ryn opened her mouth to ask a question but, without turning Dagan already had a hand up, warning her to be quiet. She closed her mouth shut and went back to glaring grumpily across the street at the ruffians.

  They did not have long to wait as Bron came back through the door with a grin visible even to Ryn under that beard hair of his.

  “When do we leave?”

  “As soon as both of you are ready.”

  CHAPTER TWELEVE

  “Danzig is the ass end of the world,” Bron muttered as the small village came into sight along the road.

  “And you’re just passing throug
h it, so what does that make you?” Ryn could not help the retort and was rewarded with a sour look from Bron for her efforts. Strangely, Bron’s grey horse looked like he enjoyed the joke as it shook its head and nickered.

  Ryn felt honor bound with Donal to at least say something in defense of his home town. Bron had done nothing but complain since they left Dead Man’s Hollow. He rode the grey plough horse that Dagan had gone on endlessly about, complaining about how bony it was and now complained about Danzig. Ryn could not see anything special about the horse except that it wanted to run. Perhaps the horse farts location spells or something to that effect. Perhaps Dagan just had a thing for gray horses.

  “Come now you two, play nicely,” Dagan called back to them.

  “I am playing nicely…” Ryn muttered.

  Bron just huffed and averted his gaze from her.

  “Ryn! Dagan!”

  Ryn’s head jerked up at the sound of her name and she immediately looked about her as she recognized the voices. And then she found them. Outside a house not far from her stood Donal and Ashe, both dressed in their Blackwatch cloaks and each holding up a hand to attract her attention. These must have been the followers that Peck had warned them about earlier. No wonder the bird had not seemed worried. Ryn smiled at them and then glanced up into the sky. High above she saw Peck circling lazily, unconcerned about what lay beneath him.

  Ryn stopped the roan next to where the two were standing. “Donal, Ashe! What brings you out here?”

  “Mum and Dad said that I should come back home to show everyone that I’m a Blackwatch Constable now. That there is more to life than what the marsh can offer,” Donal replied with a shrug. “I think they just wanted me away from the house because they are preparing a surprise for me, usually along the lines of food.”