A Fugitive's Kiss

by Jaime Clevenger

  A week passed and Shawn was gone from Tillie and Helm’s house. He knew, without a doubt that she had gone home—home to her parents’ cottage. He didn’t pursue her. The realization that the child was lost and the uncertainty of how that had happened plagued his every thought. He hadn’t considered the child before then, except in the abstract. It had only been a responsibility he must own. Too late he realized that he would have loved it.

  Chapter Twenty

  A week passed before they left the river. Darin kept eyeing the far bank, but she didn’t seem in any rush to cross. Then one morning, the wind changed direction and she complained about the scent by the river. Aysha accepted this as her strange way of saying she wanted to leave. They packed up their few things and coaxed Cobalt away from his grass and into the cold water.

  Not long after leaving the river, they came to a wide road and followed it southward. Aysha felt uneasy as soon as they stepped on the road. She hoped her misgivings were only simple fears. She wasn’t used to traveling at all and, unlike Ranik, had never gone far from Glen Ore. And part of her longed to stay forever on the river. She’d only thought of getting to Tiersten—not what would happen once they arrived. Now with every step closer to town, doubt about her plan filled her mind.

  They surveyed Tiersten from a hilltop above the outskirts of the town before entering it. It was much larger than any Glenland village, and a castle, larger than anything Aysha had ever seen, perched on a slope above the sea of houses. She knew this was Heffen—it looked exactly as her mother described. It was long and low, made entirely of gray stone, and only bunched up in the middle with two tall towers. Her mother had called it a gray snake with a rat in its belly keeping watch on the town below.

  Darin wasn’t looking at the castle. She was staring at the houses below it. “There’s probably 10,000 people in that town.”

  “How do you know?”

  “It’s about the size of Balthy,” she said. “Do you have family here?”

  “My mother’s family lived here long ago—I may have cousins…”

  Aysha didn’t share her fears about this part of the plan. Her mother had always gone silent when Aysha had asked why they’d left Tiersten; the mystery of it had made her wonder if her silence concealed some dark secret. But finding even a distant relation was their best option. They had exhausted their remaining meager food stores of dried nuts and fruit since leaving the river and Cobalt would need a good meal.

  “We might as well start looking then.” Darin started down the hill, tugging Cobalt behind her.

  Little more than nods came from those they passed on the road leading into town. Some resembled Northerners with pale skin and sharp features while others had the tan skin and wider faces of Glenlanders, but nearly all walked with their heads bent downward, overladen with heavy packs carried on wide straps across their shoulders. She heard the sound of children playing in the courtyards of a few homes that they passed, but otherwise, the only noise came from the whistles of farmers planting or the stamping hooves of their animals.

  Aysha spotted a side road that seemed to lead to the castle and pointed to it. Darin followed her lead, drawing Cobalt behind her. Seconds later, however, they both stopped. Darin’s nostrils were flared and her hand was clasped tightly around the handle of her knife. Cobalt’s uneasy snort was followed by the sounds of hoofbeats. The rider galloping toward them was clothed all in black. A silver-handled sword swung from his saddle strap. He passed them as a dark blur amid a cloud of dust, followed close behind by two more horses with riders in similar clothes.

  “I thought you said that the castle was abandoned.” Darin’s hand gripped the handle of her partly concealed knife.

  “My mother said it was. But a long time’s passed since she lived here. We don’t get much news in the Glenlands about the southern coast. No one crosses the dunes.”

  “Easy to see why,” Darin grumbled, not quite under her breath. “Maybe we shouldn’t stop here. How close is the ocean?”

  “Depends on which direction you go. Ranik showed me a map of the South once…You can get to the Bay of Caratia by a road that leads east from Tiersten. I think it’s only a few days’ travel. There’s also a pass south through the mountains. It’s a narrow trail that wagons can’t get through.”

  Darin glanced at the road leading east out of town. “I don’t like the smell of those soldiers…”

  “Not particularly friendly, either.” Aysha forced a smile. “We’ll look for any kin I might have here. If there’s no one, we’ll move on.” She was crestfallen at this, but knew there was a chance they weren’t meant to have gone to Tiersten at all.

  As they continued on the road to the castle, they were passed by more riders clothed in all black. A few gave Darin a squinted look, but many, like the first one, simply galloped past in a flurry of dust.

  The road curved back on itself several times as it climbed the hill. Aysha stopped at each home they passed and, if anyone was about, inquired after her relatives. One old woman nodded as if she knew something but then muttered something unintelligible and quickly closed the door. Most doors closed quickly, staying open barely long enough for Aysha to ask her question. Darin’s lips were tight.

  The last house on the road was a small cottage set alongside the curve leading up to the looming castle. Aysha immediately guessed that this had been her mother’s childhood home. She remembered a story about an apple orchard and spotted what she knew were apple trees behind the cottage. Besides this, the cottage was the closest to the castle, exactly as her mother had described. An old man answered her knock. He had a walking staff that he used to push open the top half of the door. He kept the bottom half latched.

  Aysha introduced herself. She saw a swift recognition pass in the man’s eyes and knew that regardless of what he might say this man was kin. “My mother once lived in this home. She was only a child but…I’m searching for any family that I may still have here. Do you know of the Spur Family?”

  “They’ve all gone, died long since or left ages ago. You won’t find any Spurs left in Tiersten.” He started to close the door but hesitated long enough to add, “Whatever business has brought you asking after your family, I’d let it be. Even mentioning that name is a dangerous thing. I wouldn’t say it aloud here, not loud enough for others to hear anyway.”

  The conversation was abruptly ended when he slammed the top half of the door shut. Aysha heard the metal latch slide into place. She glanced over her shoulder at Darin, suddenly exhausted and close to tears. What was it that her family had done?

  “We need to find a place to spend the night,” Darin said. “Cobalt needs a good meal.”

  Aysha nodded. She turned back to the road but stopped at Darin’s whistle. The old man was standing in the side courtyard with the gate open.

  “One night,” he said. “You can stay in the barn. And this is only to stop you from asking others about your family. The Spur name doesn’t need to be dug up now. By dawn tomorrow I’ll expect you to be gone.”

  The old man turned to head down a narrow path adjacent to his house, not bothering to look over his shoulder to see if they followed. Darin glanced at Aysha, then without a word led Cobalt through the gate and followed the old man. He went behind the house to a small two-stall barn. The hay was moldy and foul-smelling and the water trough was filthy with a rusty slime, but the stall was clean enough.

  “This barn hasn’t had much use—as you can see. I’ve got some grain. If the mice haven’t helped themselves to it, that is.” He pointed to a barrel in the far corner of the barn. “When you have the horse settled, come inside. Stay off the main road until after dusk when the soldiers will be at their own dinner. I don’t cook, but the neighbors bring me food and I’ll likely have enough to share.”

  Darin swept out the moldy hay and then went out to gather weeds. The grain barrel had been cleaned out by the rodents. Aysha cleaned the trough and found the well between the old man’s barn and the neighbor’s bar
n. The water had a strong smell of eggs when she first pumped it out, but the odor dissipated quickly. She wondered what Darin would say about it. She looked about for her and saw her slipping inside the neighbor’s barn. A moment later, she saw her come out through the stall gate with a bag of something under her arm. Aysha eyed the neighbor’s house, grateful to see that no one appeared to be at home.

  By the time she returned with the water, Cobalt was chomping on his stolen grain. Aysha decided not to bring up the theft. She knew Darin was used to stealing. Darin had set Cobalt’s saddle and their packs on the empty tack rack and had set to sweeping.

  “That water smells terrible,” Darin said as Aysha poured it into Cobalt’s trough.

  “I was wondering if you were going to complain. I checked another well and it’s all the same. Sulfur must be in the dirt here.”

  “No, it’s more than that. I’ve smelled water with that stench before. The ground has been soaked with blood.”

  “It may stink, but the people here must be drinking it.”

  “People will drink poison,” Darin said. “It isn’t safe here.”

  Aysha stopped pouring. “Is the water safe for Cobie?” At Darin’s reluctant nod, Aysha continued, “Anyway, I don’t think it’s blood making the stench, despite what you might sense. Gas bubbles up from the well when you pump the water. It’s sulfur. Go smell it for yourself.”

  “No thanks,” Darin replied. “It isn’t the water I’m worried about really. Water only keeps the scent of what’s past. The wind can tell you what’s coming. I don’t like anything I smell here.”

  “We’ll only stay the one night,” Aysha said. She had no plan for where to go after that. After they’d unpacked their few things, they left Cobalt and went to meet their host.

  Aysha knocked on the back door, but when the door swung open, a woman with gray hair pulled back in a long braid stood where she’d expected to see the old man. She stared at Aysha for a long time before handing over a wedge of cheese and a half loaf of bread. Aysha eyed the half circle of bread. In the Glenlands, bread was made in long narrow loaves, but her mother had always cooked their bread in a clay bowl and split the round loaf in half to share with the neighbors. She’d always thought it was a peculiarity of her mother’s and never guessed it was a custom she’d grown up knowing.

  “You’ll keep to the barn. Tobias has business with the Elders tonight.” The woman pointed to the barn behind them as if they might not know the direction and then closed the door.

  “Warm welcome,” Darin muttered as they headed back to the barn.

  “Warm enough. They’re feeding us.”

  “Yes, but now we have to drink Cobalt’s water or die of thirst.”

  “I can make tea.” Aysha laughed when Darin immediately shook her head.

  “Tonight I’d like ale.”

  “Well, I can’t give you that,” Aysha said. “But I could think of something else to distract you from the water.”

  Darin cocked her head, a smile edging her lips. As soon as they’d stepped into the barn, Darin caught Aysha’s hand and pulled her close. Her arms encircled Aysha’s waist as she kissed her.

  “Some nights all I want is you. But tonight…”

  “No ale for you,” Aysha said. “Only kisses.” Aysha savored Darin’s kiss, feeling the pent-up energy in her lips. A kiss was all they could share for now. She missed their nights beside the river. “Tomorrow we’ll leave.”

  A cool draft stirred them both awake near dawn, Aysha moved closer to Darin. She could tell by her breathing that she was awake. She slipped her arm around her side and rested her hand on her chest. Darin had little fat to cushion her ribs and Aysha could feel her heart beat against her palm even through the layers of clothing. Her chest rose and fell with each breath and Aysha felt her own body match the rhythm.

  By dawn, they were ready to leave. Without much discussion, they’d agreed to follow the main road leading to the sea and develop further plans after they had reached the next town. Darin slipped out to the neighboring barn and stole another bucket’s worth of grain for Cobalt. They let him eat this and were saddling him when a knock came at the barn door.

  The old man opened the door. “I’ve made tea.” His staff swung at his side as he headed back to the cottage.

  Darin glanced at Aysha. “Will his tea taste any worse than the water?”

  “I don’t think that’s possible,” Aysha said.

  The back door of the cottage opened to a narrow hallway with a bedroom on one side and a sitting area on the other. The reek of sulfur was strong. Aysha wondered what else Darin might smell; she doubted it would be anything good. The old man pointed them to a table with a stool and a long bench. Three mugs of tea had been set out. Darin and Aysha sat on the bench when the old man took the stool.

  “I haven’t heard the Spur name said louder than a whisper for some time. I’ve gone by Tobias Alcan for too long to remember. Tobias Spur, by birth. Strange to say that name again…”

  “So we are related,” Aysha said.

  “Yes, though I doubt by close relation. My father moved us to this home when the other Spurs left. He was Lady Spur’s cousin but distant enough that the town didn’t think to run him out too.” Tobias kept one eye trained on Darin as he spoke.

  “Lady Spur?”

  “You’ve got her locket.” He pointed to Aysha’s neck.

  The day they’d left the river, she’d taken her mother’s locket out of her jacket pocket and put it on. The weight of the bronze pressed against her chest.

  Darin glanced at the locket now. She hadn’t asked about it before. Aysha tried not to seem as unsettled as she felt. But Darin would know. She seemed to guess every one of her emotions. She took a sip of the tea. The sweet taste of jasmine surprised her. Watching Tobias instead of Darin, she took another sip.

  “Nearly every living Spur was driven out of Tiersten. There are plenty of dead Spurs buried in the graveyard behind the orchard.” He coughed, holding his chest as he did. After several loud hacks that seemed to rattle his whole body, he cleared his throat and said, “But there’s no one safe in Tiersten any more. Doesn’t matter what your name might be.”

  “My mother said the castle was abandoned, but we saw soldiers…”

  “Heffen? Yes, it was abandoned.” Tobias, lost in thought, sipped his tea as if he had nothing more to say on the matter. Several minutes passed before he spoke again, “We’ve filled the graveyard. But don’t go looking for your relatives there. We’ve no markers. You know, Spurs have been unwelcome since even before the soldiers returned…After my father passed, we were taken in by the Alcan family and all of our names changed. I was young and stupid then and went about insisting that I was a Spur.” He chuckled and then started hacking again. “A lot of good that did. Would you like bread?” He rose without waiting for their reply. This time, he used the cane to bear his weight.

  He cut a slice of bread and covered it with a dark red jam, took a bite and then offered another slice to Aysha. He set a piece of bread in front of Darin as well but managed to keep a good bit of distance from her as he did.

  “The Elders came last night. I hadn’t thought that anyone had seen you come, but everyone always knows more about my business than I. They sent the jam and the bread and told me to feed you. They’ve asked me to keep you here, but of course I won’t stop you from leaving.”

  Tobias paused and eyed Darin. He muttered something under his breath and then said, “After the other Spurs were run out of town, those of us who had some claim to another name lived as if we had no other half to our family. Better a bastard than a Spur. Not long after the Spurs left, however, the Northern king and his army took Caratia.”

  “But the Barrier…” Aysha started.

  Tobias continued, “There’s no barrier wall in the sea. But I’ve gotten ahead of myself…Everyone got to worrying about needing Lady Spur’s advice, but she was long gone. Run out of town in the middle of the night and now they want you ba
ck.”

  He cleared his throat and took a bite of his bread. His gray whiskers were soon coated in jam and he took his time licking every last bit of it off as he motioned for Aysha to eat. “I rarely have anything this good.”

  “How far is Caratia from Tiersten?” Aysha asked.

  “A day’s ride. We’d always got along well enough with Caratians. But then the Northern king came. He wasn’t happy only having Caratia. He wanted the length of the southern coast and the inland towns as well. For years we kept him from taking Tiersten—keeping him satisfied with our trade agreements. But his son, Bairndt, was more greedy. Now his soldiers are everywhere.”

  Tobias pointed out the one window in the back of the cottage. The castle was the only thing in view, save the trees with their fledging spring leaves. “When the soldiers came—there weren’t hundreds, there were thousands. We weren’t prepared. If only we’d had Lady Spur then…”

  “Why were the Spurs run out of town?”

  “Some say that Lady Spur’s leaving brought everything about. The town cast her out, and maybe as she left, she sent us this fate. A curse.”

  Aysha felt her skin go cold. But she knew her grandmother was a healer, not a witch. Tobias turned his gaze out the narrow window to the main road as a thunder of hooves sounded outside. Soldiers galloped past.

  “After they took Heffen, the soldiers settled in. We’d had months without rain and some said the soldiers weren’t such a bad thing for the town. They brought supplies from Caratia and bargained fair prices. Everyone in Tiersten was concerned with keeping the crops alive and the town needed supplies.” Tobias took another bite of his bread. “Please eat, or the Elders will worry I’ve starved you.”

  “Who are the Elders?”

  Tobias waved away Aysha’s question. “What’s important is what followed after the first drought. The old king had died and Bairndt was in power. He wanted Heffen for more than a trading post. We agreed to a trade tax and hoped that would keep him happy.”