Songbird

by Colleen Helme

  They reached her room, and her stomach growled as the aroma of food hit her nose. “Wow. I’m starved.”

  “It will do you good to eat,” Jesse said. His tone of compassion caught her off-guard. She studied him and could sense his struggle with guilt for what he’d done. “I’m sorry for taking your blood,” he continued. “I didn’t want to, and I wish I had a choice, but it was the only thing I could do.”

  “It’s all right. I understand you had to do it.”

  From his pursed lips, he didn’t seem relieved, and she wondered if there was something else he wasn’t happy about.

  “I’d better go.” He turned to leave.

  “Wait. We didn’t get a chance to talk about your plans. Can you stay for a few more minutes?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t. I’ve got to get back. Korban wants to leave for the grove in a few days, and there’s a lot I have to do before then. Just try and stay out of his way, all right?”

  His comment triggered a question she’d been wondering about. “Do you know where Bran went? Did he get out with Rasmussen?”

  Jesse shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that’s what happened. It wasn’t until after Rasmussen was gone that Bran and Jax were discovered missing. There’s been no trace of them since.”

  “At least Korban doesn’t suspect you. That’s good.”

  “Yes. I have you to thank for that. Get some rest. I’ll try and come back later and let you know what’s going on.”

  “Wait.” She hated to sound so needy, but he was all she had. “I know the other Kalorians are here. Do you think Korban would let me stay with them? He doesn’t need me in the palace anymore, does he? I would like to see my brother.”

  Jesse sighed heavily and crossed to the door. He turned to catch her gaze with barely concealed frustration. “I don’t know, and I don’t think now is a good time to ask. Maybe tomorrow he’ll be in a better mood. I really need to go now.”

  He shut the door, and the lock clicked into place, leaving her alone and confused. She tried to make sense of everything that had happened, but thinking about it made her tired and a sense of lethargy came over her. She didn’t feel much different from the first time they’d taken her blood. But it was easy to tell she couldn’t have used her magic, even without the kundar. Korban had made sure of that.

  She wondered if Jesse had a special place put aside for her sym, and if he kept any for himself. Why wouldn’t he? He’d used it before. Where did he keep all of the vials of sym anyway? A sudden vision of breaking them all gave her a sense of satisfaction, but it didn’t last long. Korban would probably take it out on her or someone she loved. At least it wouldn’t be Bran.

  Bran was gone. Hopefully, he had made it out with Rasmussen. She hated to think about him being caught, and tried to open the link between them, but nothing happened. What if taking so much of her blood had broken the link?

  A melancholy sadness came over her and she realized how much she depended on Bran. His strength kept her going. She was relieved that he was gone, but it felt like a bright light had been taken from her. Did this mean he was dead? Her breath caught with panic. No, of course not. Korban wouldn’t be mad if Bran were dead. She was only tired.

  He was probably far away in Braemar. Hopefully, he was making plans with Rasmussen to come after them. When she was stronger tomorrow, she would try the link again, and this time, he would be there.

  She only had to hold out for a few more days. If they left for the grove then, she would have enough strength built up so that once Jesse took off her kundar, she could defeat Korban. It would work out. She had to believe that. Otherwise, she might as well be dead.

  Chapter 12

  Bran rolled his shoulders against the tightness of his new uniform, grateful to still have full movement in his arms. It would take him a while to get used to wearing the king’s colors, but he had to admit, it was nice to have a sword, knife and gun again.

  It still shocked him that Turner had allowed the weapons, even though a king’s soldier wouldn’t look right without them. It meant Turner was holding up his side of the bargain and trusted their arrangement. Of course, Turner probably understood how Bran felt about Teya, which made a far more compelling reason for his cooperation than anything else.

  He smoothed his hair away from his face one last time before slipping on his gloves. With several days’ growth of beard, and his hair slicked back, he definitely looked like a king’s soldier. Most people never looked a soldier in the face, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t stay in the background as much as possible. As long as Korban’s men didn’t notice him, he should be all right.

  The king’s solders had been displaced by the Kalorians and Korban’s army. So Turner moved them to the garrison outside the city gates. This worked well for Turner, since he didn’t want Korban suspicious of his preparations for a confrontation.

  Jax entered the room and Bran hardly recognized him. He had trimmed his shaggy hair and beard, and with the uniform, looked like a different person. That was the thing about Jax, his nondescript features always made it easy for him to blend in.

  “They’re waiting,” Jax announced.

  Bran nodded and followed him out the door. Ten soldiers on horseback had arrived, and adding Bran and Jax, they made an even dozen. They mounted up and took position within the group before riding out. Bran took a quick glance at the palace and the north tower, wondering how Teya was doing. Did she know he had escaped because of her magic?

  Soon, they passed through the palace gate into the city. With the death of the king, the mood of the city had changed. Furtive glances were replaced by easy greetings and friendly banter. The king’s soldiers drew hardly a glance, and before long they neared the northern garrison just outside the city wall.

  Bran breathed easier after leaving the city behind, certain no one would recognize him here. Turner wanted to leave today, but Bran didn’t know how he would explain that to Korban. He found out once they entered the garrison. It was half-empty.

  “Most of the men have gone on ahead,” Robert, Turner’s aide, said. “The Chancellor didn’t want anyone to be aware that a large group of our soldiers was gathering here. We will combine forces with them at the next garrison. In the meantime, we’re to wait here for the Chancellor. He’ll be riding with us.”

  Bran dismounted and joined the other soldiers as if he belonged. With plenty of work to do, he kept busy gathering supplies and making preparations. He wanted to make sure he had enough ammunition, and sent Jax to find the wire they needed to take the kundar off each of the Kalorians.

  The day passed quickly, but as evening approached with no sign of Turner, Bran grew uneasy. All of them did. Had Turner run into a problem? What about Teya? Had Korban found out she had helped him escape? He was consoled by the distant, but steady awareness of her through the bond, and relaxed his vigil.

  They slept that night with their clothes on, ready to leave at a moment’s notice, but morning came with no word from Turner, and Bran quelled his uneasiness by reaching for Teya through the bond. The contrast between yesterday and today hit him with such force, that his stomach clenched with fear. The steady awareness had changed into sudden heat. It was like hitting a wall of fire and he knew that something was desperately wrong. Teya was in trouble.

  ****

  Teya woke with a pounding headache. She had thrown off the covers sometime in the night and now lay shivering, covered in a sheen of sweat. Hot and cold at the same time, all she wanted was a drink of water. The room swam when she sat up and she fought back sudden nausea. After a few deep breaths, things settled down and she reached for the glass of water on the bed stand.

  Her fingers shook, but the water cooled her parched throat. Having never been sick a day in her life, it took a moment for her to realize what was wrong. Her head was hot and feverish, her throat sore and dry, and her hands trembled with weakness. She groaned inwardly, realizing that taking her blood had caused this to happen.
Korban was an idiot, and so was Jesse.

  The lock rattled in the door and Iris entered with a tray of food. She took one look at Teya and gasped before muttering under her breath. “Those stupid fools. You’d think they’d learn.” After touching Teya’s forehead she announced, “You’re burning up. Lie back down and rest. You need a healer, and only Hewson can help you now. I’ll have to tell Korban to send for him.”

  Hewson? Just the thought of being able to see her brother made the fever bearable. She didn’t realize Hewson knew how to heal, but it made sense. His power was stronger than most, but with the kundar stifling him, it couldn’t be much. She hoped it was enough to help her.

  Iris returned with a pot of tea, Korban right behind her. He came to Teya’s bedside and stood over her with a scowl. Before she could sit up, he left without saying a word.

  “Don’t worry,” Iris said. “He had to see for himself. Now he’ll send for Hewson. I’ll help you sit up and let’s get some tea down you.”

  Grateful for Iris’s intervention, she eagerly took the proffered cup, but it wasn’t until after the second refill that she started to feel better. “It has ground willow bark in it,” Iris explained. “It helps lower the fever.”

  “Sounds like you’ve done this before,” Teya said.

  “Yes. We Kalorians never get sick unless they take too much blood, and that varies from person to person. We never know how much is too much, so it’s happened quite a bit. Korban is so greedy. He never seems to know when to stop.” Iris’s disgust floated over Teya in a wave that quickly dissipated as Hewson came through the door. He hurried to Teya’s side and gently took her hand.

  “Hewson, I’m so glad you could come,” Teya said. “It makes being sick worth it.” That brought a smile to his face and eased his concern. With his black hair and sapphire eyes she was struck again at how much they resembled each other, and how much she had missed over the years.

  “I’m glad Korban let me come too,” he answered. “But I’m furious that he took more of your blood. He knew this might happen and yet, he did it anyway. I can’t believe he’d do it now, right when we’re leaving for the grove. It’s stupid. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Well... there is a reason,” she said. “It’s because Bran and Jax escaped and Korban blamed me. He was livid. But now that Bran has escaped, I’m hoping he’ll bring some men from Braemar to help free us.”

  “Bran would do that?”

  “Yes, I’m sure of it.”

  “Then we’d better get to work. I’m hoping that with Iris’s help we’ll have you better in no time.”

  He glanced at Iris and something radiant passed between them. Teya’s breath caught with surprise. Were they in love? She wanted to ask, but it wasn’t the right time. Still, it brought a happy smile to her face.

  Hewson turned his concentration on Teya. “I want you to close your eyes and relax.” She did as he asked, and he began to sing. The soothing tones of his beautiful voice comforted her. Iris’s harmonic tones joined his, and the fire raging through her body soon cooled with the penetrating resonance that swept over her in a wave. The tones became deeper, soaking into her bones with restful clarity before coming to a sudden halt.

  The healing in her blood had barely begun before Hewson stopped in pain, and the tones ripped away. Hewson breathed heavily, his mouth open and beads of perspiration dotting his forehead. Healing her had cost him dearly, and he slumped in frustration. “The kundar,” he panted. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t finish.”

  “I feel better,” she said. “I’m sure it helped.”

  “Good.” He nodded. “But until your blood rebuilds, the fever will probably come back. We might need to do this again.”

  “Thanks.” Grateful for what he had done, she hugged him tightly. His arms wrapped around her in a fierce hug, and she whispered. “Take me back with you. I want to be with you and the others.”

  He started to speak, but the opening door cut him off. Korban and Jesse strode in and Hewson slowly pulled away. “Is she any better?” Korban asked.

  “For now,” Hewson answered. “But I couldn’t heal her completely. She’ll probably have a relapse.” He stood and faced Korban with a fierceness Teya hadn’t expected. “Don’t bleed her again. She might die the next time.”

  Korban stiffened before he spoke. “Don’t make me regret sending for you.” Neither spoke for a long time.

  “How are you feeling now?” Jesse asked Teya, breaking the silent duel.

  “Better,” she said, grateful for the diversion.

  “Good,” Jesse said with relief, “because we wanted to talk about how soon we can leave for the grove.”

  “I want to leave today,” Korban said harshly. “If you’re not well enough, you can ride in a supply wagon, but I don’t want to delay any longer.”

  “That’s fine with me,” Teya agreed. “If I start to feel sick, I don’t mind riding in a wagon if I have to.”

  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” Hewson argued. “You may feel fine now, but the fever will come back.”

  “Then you can help me.” Teya knew it didn’t matter to Korban if she was well enough to leave, and Hewson would only make things worse. “We can ride together so if I feel sick again, you’ll be there. Korban is right. We need to get to the grove as soon as we can. Our grandmother needs us.”

  She hated taking Korban’s side, but if it would stop the arguing it was worth it. Besides, there was no point in staying here, especially if Jesse was going to help her get the kundar off. Of course, having the kundar off wouldn’t help her much if she was too weak to use her magic, but it would help her heal faster.

  “We’ll leave within the hour.” Korban turned to Hewson. “Make sure your people are ready.”

  Hewson said nothing and Korban left the room, followed by Jesse, who glanced at her meaningfully.

  “I think Korban’s afraid of you,” Hewson said. “Afraid of your power, even with the kundar on.”

  “That’s why he took my blood. He did it to weaken me. For some reason, he thought I helped Bran and Jax escape. He scares me, yet when I sang the other day, I sensed a vulnerability in him.”

  “Don’t let him fool you,” Hewson said. “He is a master manipulator, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Nothing. Remember that. And don’t forget that Jesse’s not much better. He’s learned from a master.”

  Hewson had a point, but he didn’t know what Jesse had done for her, and she decided now was not the time to tell him. “I’d better go,” he said. “But I’ll see you again soon.” With a departing glance at Iris, he left the room.

  “We’ll have to make sure we take plenty of that tea,” Teya said to Iris. “I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”

  “That, and more time to heal. Why didn’t you tell Korban you were too sick to leave? I think he might have delayed our departure.”

  “No, you’re wrong. It wouldn’t have changed a thing, and I wanted to make sure Hewson didn’t get caught in the middle. Besides, I feel a lot better, and I’m stronger than you think.” Teya glanced at Iris and wondered if she could ask her about Hewson. A spark of warmth had passed between them, and she wanted to know if her hunch was right.

  “You’re looking at me strange,” Iris said. “Is it because of Hewson?”

  Teya shrugged. “You sang beautifully together, almost like you shared something special. Is that right?”

  Iris blushed, but her lips turned up in a sweet smile. “I love him, and...he loves me, but we’ve tried to be careful about who knows. Korban would use it against us, so please don’t say anything.”

  “I won’t,” Teya promised. “But it gladdens my heart to know you have each other. Can you tell me about Hewson? He’s my brother, but I don’t know him that well. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what having a brother means. I’ve been gone for so long that I don’t remember much about him. So...what’s Hewson like?”

  “He’s taken the responsibility of our peop
le on his shoulders, and it’s been difficult to say the least. Captivity for all of us has been a nightmare. I wish you could talk to him. You told him you had a plan, but he needs to know more, especially now that Korban is taking us back to the grove.”

  “I know,” Teya said. “That’s why it’s been so hard to be separated from all of you. If the fact that I’m sick enables us to travel together, it will be worth it.” She didn’t want to tell Iris that all her plans had failed when Korban put the kundar around her neck. Jesse had better come through and take it off soon. Whatever the cost, Korban could never be allowed to regain his power.

  ****

  The sounds of a large traveling party on the street brought Bran out of the stables. He hurried across the grounds toward the noise to see what was going on. He ducked into the shadows at the sight of a group of soldiers, followed by Korban astride his black horse. For a moment he panicked, thinking they had come for him, but as they continued on, his fear turned to dismay. They were leaving. Ahead of him.

  The procession stretched out. Among the soldiers, he found pockets of people who could only be Kalorians. Where was Teya? Ever since this morning, his worry for her had grown, even though the heat coming through the bond had diminished. She wasn’t well, but it didn’t look like it had stopped Korban.

  He caught sight of Jesse and his blood froze to find Teya riding beside him. Her pale face looked pinched with fatigue, and she swayed in the saddle. Faced with her exhaustion, he started walking toward her without realizing what he did, until Jax grabbed his arm to hold him back.

  Without thinking, he reached out to her through the bond with a purpose he’d never felt before. The link flew open without hint of a barrier and he poured his strength and determination into her. She straightened with a gasp and immediately started searching the street for him. He stepped into view and his heart stopped when she caught sight of him. He started to raise his hand but Jax jerked him around.