by C. J. Archer
"I told you before, I don't know."
She struck me across the head. I slipped down the wall as pain flared and my vision blurred. I struggled to sit upright, and fought through the fog of light headedness. I focused on Lady Deerhorn, keeping her in my sight, until my wits fully returned. My temple throbbed and I felt blood trickle down my hairline to my ear.
"You didn't let me finish," I said. "I was going to tell you I can guess where it is."
A distant sound caught Lord Deerhorn and Xavier's attention. Lady Deerhorn's eyes narrowed, but whether she heard it or not, I couldn't tell. "Where?" she said on a rush of breath.
"Do you remember when the captain said it is somewhere unexpected?"
"Go on."
"There's a pond he likes to swim in on hot days. It's in the forest on the palace estate, just off Grand Avenue. The king used to have trysts there sometimes."
"I know it," Lord Xavier said. "Violette told me about it."
"Where at the pond?" Lady Deerhorn asked me.
"I saw him throw something in the water. He wouldn't tell me what it was, but it was the right size to be the gem." I held her gaze with a steady one of my own.
I should have blinked.
"You lie," she said.
I shrank away. "It's the truth!"
Her husband rocked on his heels as he regarded me. "Why do you think she's lying?"
"It was too easy," she said. "She put up no resistance."
"You've struck her, kept her prisoner, and threatened her with violent rape. Are those not reason enough for her to tell us everything?"
"Not for her."
"It's the truth!" I cried. "Please, my lords, you both believe me. Why would I lie? What do I possibly gain?"
"Come, Mother," Lord Xavier said. "We can look for it in the pond and if we don't find it, we'll come back here and beat her until she tells us the truth." He strode off, his father at his heels.
Lady Deerhorn didn't move. "We don't have time. You made sure of that, Son," she bit off.
Lord Xavier swallowed.
She caught my jaw and squeezed so hard I thought the bones would shatter. "You were telling the truth the first time, weren't you? You don't know where it is. Only the captain does." Her lips twisted with her smile as she let me go.
"Then we no longer have a need for her," Lord Deerhorn said. "Good. Keeping prisoners is costly. Xavier, she's yours. When you're done, kill her. I'll see that the captain is brought here for questioning."
Lord Xavier grabbed my arm and wrenched me to my feet. He licked his lips as he pulled me against his chest. "Finally," he whispered.
Everything inside me recoiled. Not just because of his fetid breath, his cruel sneer, but from the thought of Dane being questioned. What would they do to him to get him to confess?
My savior came in a surprising form. "Let her go," Lady Deerhorn said with strained patience. "For Merdu's sake, think, both of you. The captain won't tell us anything if she's not alive. He's no fool. He'll want to see her and make sure she's safe before he confesses the location of the gem."
Lord Xavier pouted. His grip tightened momentarily before he obeyed his mother and released me. "Doesn't mean I can't leave my mark on her." He raised his hand to strike.
I ducked my head into my shoulder but the blow never came.
"My lady!" said the guard with the scar. He was out of breath from running, his sword drawn. "My lady and lords, they're here. They've broken through the gate and are marching on the castle."
"Fuck." Lord Xavier glanced at his mother.
She looked worried.
Her husband did not. "Order them to keep their distance," he said.
The guard's gaze flicked to his mistress then back to his master. "My lord, ordering them will do no good. They won't listen and we can't fight them. There are too many."
Lady Deerhorn looked at her son as if she wanted to throttle him.
Lord Xavier cleared his throat. "They won't get inside."
Lord Deerhorn agreed. "They wouldn't dare try."
"Who's to stop them?" Lady Deerhorn spat. "Vierney said there are too many for his men to hold off."
"They're just villagers with clubs. Vierney's men are well trained and armed." Lord Deerhorn shooed his man, Vierney, out of the cell. "Stand your ground."
"It's not just villagers," Vierney said. "The palace guards are with them."
"How many?" Lady Deerhorn asked.
"All of them."
"This is outrageous," Lord Deerhorn snapped. "They can't come into a nobleman's home and demand the release of a prisoner!"
"There's no king to command his guards not to do so," his wife said, her voice shrill. "The dukes are holed up in the palace, too scared to get involved. They won't give the order, and I don't think the captain will listen anyway."
"He will be executed for treason!"
"Who will capture him?"
"Aren't Merdu's Guards near?" Lord Deerhorn said to Vierney. "They will take up arms for me."
"They won't fight for a cause that doesn't directly affect them or their order," Lady Deerhorn told him. "They will protect Glancia from unrest, but—"
"Is this not unrest?" her husband screeched. He glared at Lord Xavier. "This is your fault. Why did you arrest her in full view of everyone? If you'd let her deliver that baby then arrested her during the night, we wouldn't be in this predicament now."
Lord Xavier paled. "But you said—"
"Don't put the blame on me."
Lord Xavier took a step back beneath the glares of both parents.
"My lady, what should we do?" Vierney asked.
They all looked to Lady Deerhorn.
"We must use the only weapon we have." She jutted her chin out at me. "Show her to the people. They won't burn the castle down with her in it."
Lord Xavier pushed me towards Vierney. The guard grabbed my elbows from behind and marched me out of the cell.
"And then what?" Lord Deerhorn asked.
"Then we tell the captain we'll kill her unless he gives us the magic gem."
Chapter 11
Vierney presented me on one of the castle balconies like a new bride. Down below, no one noticed.
It was chaos. The splintered wooden gate hung from its hinges and villagers streamed through, brandishing clubs and knives, shouting incoherently. Mounted palace guards struck down the Deerhorn guards without hesitation. In the village, they had used the hilts of their weapons. Here, they used the blades.
Blood soaked the ground. No amount of straw strewn over the earth could soak it up. Almost all of it came from the bodies of Deerhorn men.
"Merdu," Lord Deerhorn muttered in wonder. "So many."
"Get their attention," Lady Deerhorn barked at Vierney. "Show them the midwife with your blade at her throat."
Vierney's knife pressed into the flesh beneath my ear. I struggled, but my attempts were pathetic, useless. His strong arm across my chest locked me in place.
"Stop or I'll cut her!" His shout drifted on the wind, drowned out by the battle cries of the villagers.
I searched the palace guards, but none of the figures was Dane's tall, commanding one. He wasn't among them.
I started to chuckle but it quickly swelled and became a throaty, hearty laugh. "He outsmarted you," I said to my captors. "He knew you would use me to force him to tell you where the gem is, so he stayed away. You can't manipulate him if he's not here. There's no point threatening to kill me."
"Perhaps," Lady Deerhorn sneered. "But we can actually kill you."
My laughter died. "Then you won't get the gem."
"We'll get it another way. Vierney, slit her throat."
"No!" I screamed.
The point of the knife bit into my flesh.
Thud.
Vierney jolted and shoved me forward, into the balustrade. His blade scratched my throat, but not enough to draw blood. His push, however, propelled me onto the balustrade and over it.
I screamed again. Far below,
people looked up. I could just make out their horrified faces as I teetered on the edge.
I tried to maneuver my body and grasp the stone balustrade but with my hands tied and my position awkward, I couldn't get purchase.
I felt myself falling.
A hand wrapped around my bound wrists and pulled me back then an arm caught me around the waist.
"Merdu, that was close," Quentin said.
It wasn't Quentin who held me, however, it was Dane. He looked utterly relieved.
"Too close," he said, voice trembling.
I gripped the doublet at his chest and let my tears flow unchecked for a moment. I was giddy with relief and my body shook uncontrollably. With a steady breath, I swiped my damp cheeks on my shoulder and offered Dane a smile.
"Thank you," I said, lamely.
He returned my smile with a fleeting one of his own. Then he turned to my captors.
Three palace guards pointed their swords at the three Deerhorns. Vierney lay dead on the balcony floor, a knife buried in the middle of his back. Rhys planted one booted foot on each side of Vierney's body and withdrew the knife. He wiped it on Vierney's sleeve and sheathed it.
"You have to teach me how to do that," Max said to him.
He, Quentin and Erik held the Deerhorns at blade point. If we weren't in public I would have hugged each of them. Rhys too.
"Put down your weapons," Lord Deerhorn commanded.
Dane nodded at his men and they lowered their swords.
"This is outrageous," Lord Deerhorn spluttered.
Lord Xavier puffed out his chest but kept his gaze on Quentin's sword. "You can't do this! There will be consequences."
"Call off your guards before they're all killed," Dane said.
Neither Lord Deerhorn nor Lord Xavier moved. It was Lady Deerhorn who called over the balustrade for her men to surrender. To Dane, she said, "You have what you came for. Leave and take everyone with you, including the villagers."
"I don't command them. They can do as they please."
"This is outrageous!" Lord Deerhorn spluttered again.
"What is outrageous is your kidnap of an innocent woman."
"Innocent?" Lord Xavier blurted out. "She was impersonating a doctor!"
"In a time of emergency, the law states that a midwife can use her skills to assist the injured."
Lord Xavier looked as though he would argue, but then caught sight of his mother's thunderous face.
There was a crash down in the courtyard as the gates were torn from their hinges. Several men dragged them into the center of the courtyard and threw them on top of a pile that was composed of doors, wheels, carriage parts, and anything else that might burn. A victorious cry erupted as it was set alight.
Lady Deerhorn paled.
"You can't do this!" Lord Deerhorn ordered. "Get out! Leave at once!"
"My men will go," Dane said. "As to the villagers…they're angry. They blame the governor for the fire, and they know you're behind the governor. They want revenge."
Lord Xavier swallowed. "What sort of revenge?"
Dane just looked at him.
"Mother?" Lord Xavier whispered.
She took his hand and squared her shoulders. "We must go."
"They can't do this!" her husband cried. "We're noble born."
"Who will stop them?" Rhys said. "Your men are outnumbered and the palace guards are under the authority of Glancia's co-rulers. The Duke of Gladstow is prepared to order the guards to assist you but the Duke of Buxton is not. Both must agree. If I were you, I'd leave immediately."
"Leave?" Lord Xavier said weakly.
"But you are here, Brother," Lord Deerhorn said, just as weakly. "Merdu's Guards must fight for us, for your noble lords. You will be handsomely rewarded."
Rhys smirked. "Bribery doesn't work on us. Nor do we get involved in local squabbles unless it's a direct threat to the faith."
"This is a direct threat! If one noble house falls, what will stop the people overthrowing the others? Or…or the temples? It is just a small step from there to anarchy. Brother, I beg you. Help us."
"It's Master." Rhys strode back inside and disappeared from sight.
Dane untied my hands. We followed Rhys, with Erik, Max and Quentin behind. We exited the castle and crossed the courtyard to where the horses were being held by one of Dane's men. The animals were becoming agitated from the fire now blazing in the middle of the courtyard. Villagers continued to throw anything they could carry onto it—chairs, tables, and even window shutters—cheering with each flare of sparks.
They looked in no mood to stop, and most of the Deerhorn guards had vanished. The Deerhorns were all alone amid the wild, lawless mob. I felt no sympathy for them.
Not all of the villagers were bent on destruction. Some crossed the courtyard carrying sacks of grain across their shoulders. They'd found the Deerhorns’ storehouse. When the others saw, they abandoned the fire and helped.
"Ride with Quentin," Dane said as he assisted me onto the saddle. "He'll take you to the cottage on the estate. Do you still have the key?"
"Around my neck," I said. "Why there?"
"Few know about it. The Deerhorns may come for you yet, and the Divers' house is not safe. Nor is the garrison. They have friends at the palace. If the Duke of Gladstow demands your immediate arrest, I don't want you easily found."
"Is it true the law says a midwife can use her medical knowledge in an emergency?"
He patted the horse's neck as it shifted uneasily at a loud noise. "I made it up. Which is why you need to get to safety. When they discover the lie, the Deerhorns might come for you." He looked back up at the balcony on which we'd stood moments before. Two villagers threw a bed over the balustrade. There was no sign of the Deerhorns.
"Are you going to try and disperse them?" I asked.
"They can do what they want here." He mounted and gathered the reins. Lightning was the most jittery of all the horses, but seemed to calm a little with Dane on his back. "I have to go to the village. There's rioting again and the sheriff has requested my assistance."
"Be careful."
He gave me a small smile that wasn't at all reassuring before ordering Quentin to set off. We rode out of the castle first, passing beneath the sharp points of the portcullis that no one had thought to drop when the villagers approached. Dane and all of his guards filed out behind us, but many villagers remained to continue loading grain onto a cart.
Some left with us to return to the village. They carried swords taken from fallen Deerhorn guards. If they joined the riots in Mull, Dane would soon be fighting them. If he only used the hilt of his sword instead of the blade again, he would be at a disadvantage.
I looked around for Rhys, but he was nowhere in sight. "Where are Merdu's Guards?" I asked Quentin, perched on the saddle in front of me.
"Some are in the village, keeping the rioters from doing too much damage, and some are back at the palace to free us to come here. Rhys was the only one who joined us at the castle."
I glanced behind me to see thirty or so palace guards dressed in crimson uniforms, some also in armor. They had all come to rescue me.
The column of guards took the Mull road, but Quentin and I diverted onto the palace road. I glanced behind, but no one followed, thank the goddess.
"What should we put on your wrists?" Quentin asked. "Is pomfrey sap for rope burns or just fire burns?"
"Just fire. I don't have any on me anyway. Oh! Merdu. My patient!"
"What?"
"Posey. Turn around, Quentin. We have to return to the village."
He shook his head. "Can't. Captain's orders."
"We won't go near the village green."
He hesitated. "Sorry, Josie. The captain'll blame me if anything happens to you."
"If something happens to me, it will happen to you too, and then he can't get mad." My attempted joke fell flat. "Quentin, please, I have to go back. Posey was having difficulty and I left her in Mistress Ashmole's hands. She has
no idea how to deliver a baby."
"I can't, Josie. Sorry."
"Quentin," I said levelly. "You want to be a doctor, don't you?"
"If I can get into the college."
"A doctor is obliged to do everything in his power to help a patient."
"You're not playing fair."
"You have to turn around or you'll have the death of Posey and her baby on your conscience."
He hesitated then sighed. "Don't tell the captain."
We turned around and took the village road.
We were almost there when Quentin muttered, "Merdu. Another fire."
I followed his gaze to the slender column of smoke rising from the center of Mull. It wasn't enough smoke to be a large fire, but small fires could spread.
The smoke appeared to be coming from the village green, as were the shouts. I couldn't make out individual words but the tones were angry and urgent. They were probably calling for the governor again, still hiding away inside the council building.
Two women ran by, their skirts held away from their feet. I knew them well and hailed them. They were pleased to see me.
"We thought you were surely dead," one said.
"I got free," I told them. "What's going on here?"
"Chaos, that's why we're leaving. Most of the villagers we know went to the castle to rescue you. The ones who stayed are newcomers, Vytllians mostly. They didn't care about you and they don't care about the village. They just want to destroy. They're smashing down shop doors and pushing over market stalls, stealing whatever they can get their hands on."
"The guards will stop them," Quentin assured her.
"Aye, and the priests are coming back now too, but they don't want to use their swords."
"They might have to," I said.
They headed off and we continued to Posey's cottage. I offered a prayer to Hailia as I barged in, not bothering to knock. The house was quiet. Too quiet.
"Posey! Riccard! It's me, Josie."
"In here!" Riccard's stricken face appeared around a door. "Thank the goddess. Come quickly, Josie. The baby is the wrong way and Posey doesn't look too good."
I pushed past him into the bedroom and took in the scene. Posey lay on the bed, her color as pale as the linen, her hair and clothes soaked with sweat. She was barely conscious. Mistress Ashmole knelt on the bed, trying to get the exhausted Posey to draw up her knees.