Several minutes passed and Darin wondered if their conversation was over. Aysha finally reached for her hand. “Did you say that you would never sleep with a woman?”
“It never occurred to me,” Darin said. “I’d never met anyone like you.”
Aysha nestled her head in the space between Darin’s neck and her shoulder. “I would run from all of this if I could. All of this, except for you.”
Darin brushed her fingertip over Aysha’s lips. Desire burned through her.
“I know what you want,” Aysha said softly.
“Do you?”
Aysha rolled onto her back and pulled Darin on top of her. “In some ways I know you better than anyone.”
* * *
Darin woke before dawn. She caught Telv’s scent outside the door and then his muffled voice. Carefully, she unwrapped Aysha’s arms from around her chest and climbed out of bed. She rolled to her other side, her brown hair falling over her naked shoulders. The room smelled of Aysha’s musk mingled with her own, and she longed to linger in the still dark quiet, watching her sleep. But Telv was waiting for her. She dressed quietly and slipped out of the room.
A fire had been lit and Telv was sitting in his high-backed chair in front of it, a tray with tea and a basket of biscuits beside him. He was just finishing a biscuit when he looked up at her. He wiped a handkerchief across his freshly shaved face and smiled when Darin sat down across from him. “The biscuits are quite good. Better than last night’s rolls, I think.” He held the basket out to her and then took another biscuit for himself. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, thank you.” Darin ate the morning’s biscuit slower than the last night’s, though as Telv said, it was at least as good. She’d had little rest despite the good bed. “How was your meeting last night? I didn’t smell you until this morning.”
“I was gone all night. Turns out the man I needed to meet with had already fallen off a cliff. Someone else wanted him dead.”
“Will you ride alone to Tiersten?”
“I rarely do anything alone anymore. The downfall of becoming important is that others would like very much to kill you.” Telvin smiled. “I’ll take a few soldiers with me. If all goes well, we should be back by tomorrow night. When Illyan arrives later, he’ll give his report to you. And he’ll want this.” He passed a heavy leather satchel. The clink of coins gave away its contents.
“He’s well paid.”
“He pays the others. We’re buying allegiance from everyone we can afford.”
“I won’t ask how you’ve filled a satchel this size with silver.”
“Good. You wouldn’t want to know…I also found you a clean uniform that might fit better. Those trousers are a bit short and the stitching from that knife wound is suspicious.” He passed Darin a clean, folded uniform and then leaned back in his chair to sip his tea. “You told her that we were once lovers?”
“I did. But she claims that isn’t why she doesn’t like you.” Darin eyed the closed bedroom door. “She’ll get used to you.”
“She’s certainly grown attached to you, and Fate knows you’ve killed more men than I have. But I don’t suppose you’ve told her that.”
“She knows enough. Thank you for the new uniform. I’m happy to have one a man wasn’t killed in.”
“I can’t guarantee that,” Telvin said, glancing at the uniform.
A knock came at the narrow door, and the boy from last night appeared with a bucket of steaming water. Telv pointed to the doorway leading to Darin and Aysha’s room and the boy set the bucket down just outside the door before leaving.
“Hot water for you to wash.” Telv went to put on his cloak and riding boots.
Aysha didn’t wake until after Telv left. Outside their bedroom was a small washroom and Darin had filled the tub with steaming water. She was peeling off the dirty uniform when Aysha came in.
“I’ll cut your hair after you’ve bathed.”
Darin nodded, gingerly stepping into the tub. She sank into the hot water. Grabbing the brush that hung from a nail over the tub, she scrubbed soap into its bristles and then started in on scrubbing the mud from her legs and arms. Aysha watched her, leaning against the door.
“Did you talk with Telvin this morning?”
Darin nodded. “He didn’t kill anyone last night, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“When he looks at you…he still wants you.”
Darin rubbed soap into a lather on her hands and then started in on her hair. “What I felt for Telvin was long ago. I only want you now.”
“He’s handsome. Tall and strong.” Aysha sighed. “You and he are alike in more than a few ways. Northerners with secrets.”
Darin scooped water up to rinse the soap from her hair. She rubbed the dripping water out of her eyes and looked over at Aysha. “Yes—we’re alike. But you don’t like Telvin and you do like me. So we aren’t that much the same, are we?”
“I like women.”
“What is it you aren’t saying?” Darin pressed. She tried to keep the anger out of her voice, but Aysha’s haughty tone was hard to take.
“How could you have liked him before and like me now? We couldn’t be more different.”
“I like you more than I ever liked him. Will you cut my hair now?”
Aysha met her eyes. “I like you better naked than in that uniform. But your body’s changed. I was thinking that last night…”
“I know you don’t like the uniform,” Darin said. “At the moment, I don’t have a choice.”
Aysha didn’t say anything more. She went to rummage through their things for a pair of scissors, her lips two thin lines.
Darin eased back in the water and stared down at her body. Stretch marks and scars crisscrossed her pale skin. In Maylek, she’d gained back the weight she’d lost hunting Alekander but instead of a softness at her belly like Aysha had gotten, she was lined with muscle. The hours of fishing and sword fighting had changed her contours. Aysha was right. Her body had changed. But last night Aysha hadn’t seemed to mind—the passion in her lips as she lowered her head between Darin’s legs had said more than words.
* * *
After Darin dressed in the clean uniform, she rang for the servant boy and asked for another bucket of hot water for Aysha’s bath. She inhaled deeply and smiled. For the first time in months, she didn’t smell of fish.
When she went to check on the horses, she met the stableman showing in the seer. Seers made most people uncomfortable, with their way of staring straight inside a person and the stableman was clearly stammering for an excuse to escape. Darin quickly greeted Illyan.
“Telvin was called away. The king’s ill.”
“Aye,” Illyan said.
“He asked that you give your report to me. I’ll show you up to his rooms. You’d probably like a drink.”
When they reached Telv’s chambers, the servant boy was just setting out tea. He glanced at Illyan and then started out of the room. “We’ll have a pitcher of ale as well,” Darin said.
The boy nodded and hurried out of the room.
“It’s the crop limits that he’ll need to lift,” Illyan said when the boy had gone. “If Telv promises that and a month or two off collections, he’ll have all the farms between Eldering and here on his side. Eldering wants a promise that the soldiers will be gone. They’ll stand with Telv in opposition to the king, but only if he promises this. We’ll need to wait till spring. After the threat of winter storms and after the planting…”
“I’ll bring all this to Telvin.”
Illyan accepted the satchel without checking the count of coins.
“Will you stay for supper?”
Illyan nodded. He was quiet by his nature, but he clammed up completely when Aysha walked into the room. Darin made brief introductions. The boy came back with the pitcher of ale and Illyan downed a tall glass before filling it again while Aysha sat down at the table with the tea and biscuits.
Some seers were never at e
ase, always seeing things in shadows and looking about them as if ghosts haunted the room. Darin hadn’t noticed this in Illyan before, but in Aysha’s presence, he lurked between the windows and the doors, even pulling back the drapes once or twice, and when supper was served, he could hardly settle enough to finish his portion of lamb roast.
He left as soon as his plate was clean, and when he’d gone, Aysha raised her eyebrows. “You have odd friends.”
“He’s on guard around you.”
“Why? Is he afraid of me?” She laughed.
“I think he’s afraid for you, not of you.”
Aysha shook her head. “Does he always eat with his bow and quiver?”
“I’ve even seen him sleep with it.” Darin hoped Aysha wouldn’t ask more about Illyan. His bow had sent more men to their death than could be counted but he rarely acted alone. Seers weren’t good at tracking, but with a scenter at his side… Still, he was otherwise kind and gentle and could be trusted more than anyone she knew. She knew, though, that Aysha wouldn’t hear that part of it—she’d stop listening when she found out how Illyan made his way with the bow.
* * *
Darin woke from a sound sleep, catching Telv’s scent and a new, oniony stench that stirred an uneasiness in her. She slipped on her clothes and reached for her sword. Aysha was snoring soundly.
Telv greeted her with a nod, looking exhausted, and then bent to pull off his riding boots. His servant boy brought him a mug of cider and, seeing Darin, disappeared to fetch her a mug as well.
“Why the sword?”
Darin glanced about the room. “I smelled something.”
“I’ve been with the sick beast. Bairndt looks terrible.” He sighed. “And Alekander is spritely despite his limp. You met with Illyan? All’s well, I trust?”
“All’s well enough. Should I tell you his report or can you guess the details?”
Telv smiled. “I’m too tired to try.”
Darin gave him Illyan’s account. “Do you think Bairndt will die soon?”
“He’s close. And his timing’s terrible…If he goes before we have everything else arranged, Alekander will certainly take his place. All of the soldiers who aren’t on our side will follow him. Unfortunately, he’s keeping as close to Bairndt as he can. He’ll be the first to know when he dies.”
“Bairndt needs to stay alive for a few more months at least,” Darin said. “Illyan said he could have everything arranged by spring.”
“I doubt he’ll make it that long. He’s got a high fever and his joints are all swollen. If something’s not done soon…”
If the king were to die and Alekander took over even temporarily, what safe place would there be? He would find her no matter where she hid. She sat down. The room was cold without the fire. One candle was set on the mantel and its weak glow cast a circle of light around their feet and sent shadows everywhere else.
“As much as I don’t like the idea, the king has ordered that I return with a medicine woman. Apparently they have no medicine women in all of Tiersten to his liking. One got him drunk on ale colored with lamb blood—he was convinced it was healing him until Alekander heard the old woman laughing about how she’d fooled the king.” Telvin shook his head. “The one time I need a witch—and instead there are only imposters.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Darin said. “The answer’s no.”
“My mother was a medicine woman. She didn’t like to call herself a witch either.” Telv paused. “She used to say that a witch had the power to make someone healthy or ill. But a healer would never use their powers to harm—that’s why she wasn’t a witch. Only once did I ever see my mother break that rule…Of course my father was a forecaster, but it was my mother who everyone came to see.
“She was held in the highest acclaim,” he continued. “Until she made one mistake. She wasn’t able to heal one of the king’s children—his youngest son. After the child’s death, she was killed. Payment for her mistake was requested, and my father gave me up to settle the debt.”
“That’s how you came to Trilout. I didn’t know…” Darin waited for Telvin to continue, but he only studied the inside of his mug, his lips sealed.
“Do you blame your mother?”
Telv looked up at the question. “I blame my father. He knew how she’d die and did nothing to stop it all from happening.”
Darin took a sip of cider. It was sweetened with honey but still bitterly strong.
“I need Aysha to save the king. We both do. Otherwise it’s Alekander who takes over everything…”
“Aysha has a gift with herbs…but she’s not going to save Bairndt if he’s that close to death.” The last thing Darin wanted was to send her to nurse a sick king with Alekander circling like a vulture. Fortunately, she knew Aysha wouldn’t go along with the plan. She’d argued often enough that she wasn’t a witch and wouldn’t pretend now.
“I don’t need someone with a lot of skill,” Telvin argued. “Only enough to keep him alive until spring. And she doesn’t need to believe she’s a witch. Anyway, what she believes won’t change what’s to come. I’ve seen her path, Darin. She’s meant to be in that castle. If we send her now as a medicine woman—and if she saves Bairndt, he’ll keep her in his inner circle. No one will be closer to him.”
“You’re using her as a pawn.”
“This is her fate,” he argued.
“And your father knew your mother’s fate and did nothing to stop that.”
Telv’s jaw clenched, and Darin immediately regretted her words.
“I’m not letting you send her to the lion’s den,” Darin said after a long pause. “She’s known in Tiersten as the Lady Spur, remember? The soldiers would kill her before she arrived in Heffen. And don’t forget about Alekander. Even half-deaf, he’s still a hearer.”
“I need a medicine woman—one I can trust. We could fool the soldiers and even Alekander.” Telv stood up. He went over to the fireplace and stared at the flickering orange and red flames. “I’ve sensed that Aysha is linked to Bairndt all along. We could bring her to Heffen in disguise. The Tiersteners won’t know her as their Lady Spur. She’ll go as an old medicine woman from Caratia. We’ll wax and charcoal her hair, tatter her clothes, make her walk with a stoop…We’ll soak her clothes in ale and add a bit of soot to darken her eyes. Who will look that closely if she mutters nonsense and spits in her tea? Certainly not Bairndt—our dear king is daft about these things under the best of circumstances and at present he’s too sick to lift his head.” He paced in front of the fire and then glanced back at Darin. “She was born a witch. It isn’t my fault that this is her fate.”
“What about Alekander?” Aysha might be perfect for Telvin’s plan, but the last thing she wanted was for Aysha to be anywhere near Alekander. Darin couldn’t protect her. “If even one person recognizes her in town, the news will spread like a fire in a windstorm. And there’s no way I could go to protect her. Alekander would sense me. She may well be a witch, but she’s powerless in a fight.”
“I’m not a witch,” Aysha said. “But I’ll do it.”
“No, you won’t.” Darin stood up, irritated that she hadn’t noticed Aysha enter the room. It was too late to wonder how much of their conversation she’d heard. “You don’t know what he’s asking. King Bairndt is brutal, but he’s nothing next to Alekander. If someone were to recognize you…”
“We can still protect her, Darin. I have men in the castle who are on my side. I’ll have someone watching her.”
“She’ll be hung from the banister as soon as they realize who she is,” Darin argued. “Your allies won’t be able to stop Alekander.”
“No one will recognize her. She’ll only be an old medicine woman traveling from Caratia.” Telv glanced at Aysha. She nodded back and Darin felt sick.
“There’s no telling what Alekander can hear.”
Telvin tapped his fingers on the mantel over the fireplace. “He only has one ear now. He can’t hear our every move any
more. The winds say Aysha is linked with Bairndt. She’s meant to be in Tiersten. This isn’t my doing.”
“If the king dies, Alekander takes over,” Aysha said. She reached for Darin’s hand. “Where will you go to escape him then?”
Darin shook her head, but Aysha continued, “I can keep the king alive.”
“Then it’s decided,” Telv said. “We only need Bairndt to last a few more months…”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Time passed easily on the river and Ranik didn’t long for anything more than Jenner’s arms wrapped around him each night. But their season ended with the start of winter, and they were soon docked in Crag to wait out the cold months.
On their third day in Crag, Ranik spotted the old cargo boat run by Captain and Anchor. He glanced about for any familiar faces and then approached the stranger mopping the deck.
“Where’s the boat headed?”
“Caratia. Then on to the Halo Isles after an order is filled.” The man leaned against the mop handle. “We’re not looking for any crew.”
“What about passengers?”
“You’d have to ask Captain yourself. He’s out now.”
Ranik felt a rush at the news. They’d saved enough for passage to the Halo Isles, but few boats made the trip in the winter months. He set off to find Jenner.
Every morning Jenner gave a weather report to anyone who’d pay at least a bronze coin. If a storm was due, he earned enough for a meal for the two of them at the tavern.
Ranik spotted Jenner on the jetty, a crowd gathered in front of him. When the weather report was finished, the fishermen dropped coins in Jenner’s palm. Ranik waited until the crowd was gone to walk over to him.
“Did you like the show?” Jenner hopped off the rock where he’d been standing and waved his arms about, chattering about the winds and the tides. “I know, I know. You’re not a believer. Perhaps that is why I get along so well with you—you keep me from thinking too much of myself.”
“I am a believer. But I think the arm waving is a bit much.”
Jenner laughed. “Since when, exactly?”
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