A Fugitive's Kiss

by Jaime Clevenger

  Boats crowded the docks and fishermen hurried past with their catch. Soldiers outnumbered the fishermen, but they only seemed to be standing about ordering anyone who glanced their direction to move along. Darin asked one soldier about finding a stable, and he quickly pointed to a barn they’d passed.

  As they approached the barn, a soldier quickly stepped forward, blocking their way. Darin knew that most of the soldiers posted in Eldering had been there for several months. They all knew each other. Fortunately, she also knew that nearly all were committed to Telvin—or at least Illyan.

  “I’m here to meet with Illyan,” Darin said. “I’m the counselor’s messenger. We need a place for the horses.”

  The soldier motioned to Ranik. “Who’s he?”

  Since Ranik wasn’t in uniform, he attracted notice next to Darin. “The counselor’s aide,” Darin said quickly.

  “Why’s he with you then?”

  “I can’t discuss the matter here,” Darin said, glancing over her shoulder as if others in the street might be listening.

  The soldier considered them for a moment and then said, “Illyan’s in the tavern. You can stable your horses for one night here, but that’s all. Soldiers sleep in the bunkhouse, but he’s got to find somewhere else,” he added, jabbing his thumb in Ranik’s direction.

  As they entered the stable, the other soldiers looked at Ranik with suspicion, and Darin repeated the story of his being the counselor’s aide. A few came forward wanting to talk about Telvin’s plans. Ranik fielded the questions adeptly, saying that most of the plans were still being finalized. He redirected the conversation to his concerns about Cobalt, and an overly helpful soldier volunteered to take a look at the horse. Darin set out to find Illyan, hoping Ranik could get by on his own for the next hour.

  Illyan was in the tavern at the center of a game of dice. Nearly all eyes in the place were on him. Darin ordered a mug of ale, paid for it in copper coins and sat down at the bar. Nothing got by a seer, and she knew that Illyan had seen her come in despite the fact that his gaze never wavered from the dice. She wondered how much Illyan’s sight helped him in this; he seemed too good at the game and apparently had been challenged by a local favorite. It wasn’t long before he was shaking the losing man’s hand and gathering up a handful of silver coins.

  The crowd dispersed, the locals still arguing about Illyan’s luck, and Darin waited for him to take the empty seat next to her.

  “I trust you didn’t come to see me win at dice. What news do you bring?” He motioned for a mug of ale and sat down.

  “I’m sure you’ve heard some of it. The king’s been stabbed. Most likely, by General Alekander’s hand.”

  “How many reasons does that bastard need to give us to kill him? What’s Telvin’s plan?”

  “He wants those leading the alliance to gather in Caratia,” Darin said. “Not suddenly, so as to draw the general’s notice, but we can’t wait to plan the next step.”

  “I’ll bet General Fellings is seething. Any word from him?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “Alekander’s made Fellings an enemy now as well. Let Telvin know I’ll be in Caratia in a week.”

  She let Illyan leave first, then took her time finishing her drink. It was better if they were not seen together. Especially now.

  Illyan must have passed word to the soldiers in the barn to let Darin and Ranik set up their sleeping mats in the hayloft above the stalls. She was more than happy to avoid the bunkhouse. No one had questioned that she was a man, but she worried one of her fellow countrymen with a strong sense would guess.

  “Do you think he could die of a bad tooth?” Ranik wondered as he climbed up the ladder to the hayloft.

  By the time she’d returned from her meeting with Illyan, Ranik had gotten advice from several soldiers on how to rinse out the horse’s mouth and feel for a sore tooth with a long iron spoon. He had managed to keep a gag in Cobalt’s mouth and fit the spoon far enough inside to clank it against a spot that sent Cobalt rearing. The fact that he’d managed all of this without getting kicked was a miracle.

  “Maybe he senses something. He seemed to want us to go to Tiersten.”

  “He’s only a horse,” Ranik argued. “He wants to be where his dinner is served. That soldier who had a look at him thinks we should let him rest. I’ll add water to his grain…maybe keep the bit out of his mouth.”

  “Too bad we don’t have Aysha’s tea for him.”

  “She’ll kill me if anything happens to Cobalt.” Ranik spread his bed mat on the hay across from hers and then sat down. “Too bad she’s a witch and I’m not. I wouldn’t mind a magic spell or two…There’s always been something different about her. Our parents used to talk about it when she wasn’t around. They said she was just like our grandmother.”

  “I wouldn’t call her a witch if I were you.”

  “If she were here, she’d tell you that I’ve called her worse,” Ranik joked. “But now I’m worried she’s gotten herself into more trouble than she can handle.”

  “So am I,” Darin admitted. She lay back on her mat, propping her head up on her elbow. She longed to hold Aysha close and wondered how much longer they would have to wait to be together. If only she could be certain Telvin had gotten her out of Tiersten…

  Ranik played a few songs on his flute, then finally lay back on his mat. “Do you play dice?”

  “No.”

  “Not that we have dice anyway and there’s only the two of us.”

  “I’d rather sleep anyway,” Darin admitted. One of the horses below them kicked at the wood slats between the stalls and squealed, another stomped. From the loft, they had a good view of the stalls and on both the front and side door of the barn. All of the soldiers had left, save for the guard posted by the front of the barn.

  “I’ve always been the quiet one,” Ranik said. “You’re much worse. I feel I should know something about you.”

  “What would you like to know?”

  “Why are you a fugitive?”

  “Because of Alekander. The man you tried to kill.”

  “You know that was an accident. He fell into my knife after your friend shot the arrows.”

  “Not that it did any good.”

  “If he becomes king, will you return to the North?”

  “There’s nothing for me there,” Darin said.

  “What’s here for you?”

  “Aysha,” Darin answered without hesitation. Over the last few weeks, she’d kept busy with work for Telvin and tried to ignore the ache in her chest, but when she went to bed at night, all she wanted was Aysha.

  “Is she enough?”

  “Yes.” She didn’t doubt her answer. Aysha was everything.

  Ranik stretched out on his bed mat finally. He stared up at the rafters for a while, then turned on his side, shifting until he’d finally curled up like a napping child. In a few minutes, he was snoring softly. Asleep, he looked more like a boy than a man. Fate had thrust him into the middle of her battle with Alekander and she pitied him for his bad luck. First kidnapped and charged with an attempted murder and now a pawn in Telvin’s plans… She closed her eyes and soon her steady breathing joined Ranik’s.

  * * *

  Waiting in Eldering wasn’t easy. Darin thought constantly of going to Tiersten to search for Aysha. Every hour that passed without seeing her made her doubt her conviction that she was safe or soon would be.

  She set out early to find breakfast. On her way back from the bakery, a wagon in front of the stables caught her attention. Her blood stilled when she spotted Cyrus on the front bench. If only she had killed him the day he’d sent the soldiers after Aysha… Now she knew by his scent that he was puffed up with pride at something he’d done. He waved at the soldier standing guard by the entrance of the stables and then hopped out of the wagon.

  Darin slipped into the stables behind him, staying in the shadows until she’d made her way over to the ladder and scrambled up. Ranik was stretched
out on his sleeping mat. He had his flute out but was only twirling it in his hands. Darin raised a finger to her lips and moved past him to the edge of the hayloft. She had the perfect line of sight on Cyrus, who was talking with a group of soldiers at the entrance, but she couldn’t hear his conversation as well as she would have liked. She could smell him, though. His sweat held the distinctly bitter insect scent she remembered from the scorpion he’d hidden in Aysha’s locket.

  She heard Cyrus say Tiersten several times and realized he was telling the soldiers of the king’s death. His hands waved about as he spoke. The soldiers nodded and one of them spoke up, “Yes, we know about the king. We’ve already had a messenger from Caratia with the news of his passing.”

  Irritated that someone had beat him with the news, Cyrus continued in a louder voice, “Then why are you still here?” He paced between the soldiers. “You should be in Tiersten joining up with General Alekander. Now that he’s in control, he’ll want to know who’s loyal. Because he can trust me, he’s already insisting that I take command of trade between Tiersten and Eldering. He’ll be King Alekander before long, and if you get on his side early…”

  “I’m not taking sides with General Alekander,” one of the soldiers said. “I know that bastard too well. He’s only in charge because he murdered King Bairndt—not because anyone wanted him.”

  Another soldier spoke up in agreement and a handful of others echoed the sentiment. Someone added, “Even if he wasn’t the one who murdered the king, he’s a traitor and a thief…I’d rather slice his throat than join his army.”

  Cyrus interrupted. “It’s stupidity to defend a dead king.”

  Shouts and swords broke out at this, and Cyrus was quickly retracting his words. Within minutes, the crowd had split. Some walked off in pairs, and a few of the others nodded their heads as if secretly conspiring. Only three soldiers hung back to talk to Cyrus. It was easy to guess which men had sworn allegiance to Illyan and therefore Telvin and which had not.

  When Cyrus finally left the stables, Darin relaxed. Ranik wasn’t interested in anything that had transpired on the floor below. The excitement over who would be king was inconsequential to him, he said. He only seemed worried over Aysha’s fate in all of it. And Telvin’s. Darin didn’t press him with questions about Telvin. She knew enough to wait.

  * * *

  Just after dawn on the third morning, Ranik hollered up the ladder to Darin, urging her to come see how well Cobalt was eating his hay. She could hardly believe Ranik was awake at all—let alone laughing at how hungry his horse seemed.

  While they stood watching Cobalt eat, Ranik said, “It’s been too long. I don’t think Aysha’s coming. You can stay here to wait for her, but I’m riding to Tiersten.”

  “You can’t go. If one of Alekander’s men finds you…”

  “I don’t care. I’m worried about Aysha. I’d expected you to insist on going, but you let Telv send us the opposite direction.”

  Darin heard the accusation in his tone. “I’m sure Telvin has already found her.”

  “I don’t trust Telvin as much as you do.”

  “You trust him enough to share his bed,” Darin said, her voice low.

  Ranik’s jaw clenched. “I’ve slept with others I didn’t trust. It’s not the first time.” He was silent for a long moment before continuing. “Do you think that it’s beyond him to hand someone over for a sacrifice? What’s her life worth to him?”

  “He wouldn’t put her in danger.” She was certain Telvin would do what he could to save Aysha, but… If there was cause to choose one life over the good of many, would Telvin choose Aysha over a hundred of his soldiers? A thousand of his soldiers? “Anyway, you forget that she’s worth more to him alive—as the Lady Spur she could rightfully crown the new king. And for all that I fault Telvin, he isn’t interested in the quick kill. He wants the prize kill.”

  “That’s not much comfort. And if he has to make a choice…Are you sure Lady Spur is worth enough? Seems these Northerners crown themselves king.”

  Ranik’s question circled round in Darin’s mind. Maybe she had followed Telvin’s orders too easily. Having Telvin search for Aysha alone had made sense—he was the most likely to find her and get her out of town safely. But part of the reason she’d agreed was Alekander. Going back to Tiersten meant walking into Alekander’s realm and with King Bairndt gone… After a long pause, Darin said, “You’re right. I don’t know that I can trust Telvin completely. Not with Aysha’s life. Who can you trust completely?”

  “Aysha’s the only one I’ve ever trusted.” Ranik stared at Cobalt. “I’m going to find her.”

  “If Alekander hears that you’re there…”

  “Telv said it was a big town. One man can’t hear everything.”

  “You don’t know what Alekander can hear. Even with only one ear.” Darin saw Ranik’s resolve and felt her own heart lurch at the thought of leaving Aysha alone in the battle. “We’ll leave as soon as the horses have finished their hay.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Ranik fitted Cobalt’s reins to the metal rings on each side of the halter and tossed the bit in the saddlebag—it clanked against another metal object. Reaching in to find out what it was, he pulled out the compass he’d stolen from the hold of Captain Asa’s ship. It was a stupid thing to steal. He wasn’t likely to be determining where he was going anytime soon—or ever again. But it had reminded him of Jenner. And after being locked in the hold, he took it as a reminder that he had reason for staying alive. Now it seemed he had a reason for the compass as well.

  To everyone who asked, Darin and Ranik said they were headed back to Caratia. They started out in that direction, but a few miles out of town Ranik pulled out his compass. “Due east. I thought Tiersten was north of Eldering.”

  Darin glanced back at him. “We’ll ride to the outskirts of Caratia. The main road splits just before you reach the gates. It’s an extra day’s travel that way, probably, but I know the roads. We won’t get lost.”

  “But we may be recognized.” He pointed at a narrow deer path that cut off the main road. “I think we should take that trail.”

  Darin shook her head. “If we get lost…”

  “I’ve spent enough time on boats to not get lost on land,” Ranik argued, turning Cobalt onto the path.

  The deer path took them over several streams and climbed quickly in elevation. By late afternoon, patches of snow appeared in the ravines they passed, despite a warm sun beating down, and the trees changed from oaks to pines. Although the trail veered westward at times, the compass needle showed they were heading north more often than not.

  The winter sun was nearly flat on the horizon when Darin pulled her horse off the path. They had reached a small meadow and it was as likely a place to stop as any, though Ranik wanted to press on. He had never worried about Aysha the way he had for the past few days, and his fear was only increasing. Darin convinced him that it was too risky to travel after dark, but he couldn’t relax even still.

  He slept little, only knowing he’d slept at all when he woke from a dream. He had been on Jenner’s boat, sailing in the open sea. Jenner’s mouth was open, as if he was screaming at Ranik, but his eyes were closed. Ranik sat up, heart pounding, and rubbed his eyes. He worried that sleeping with Telvin had been a mistake and that he’d rewritten his fate with Jenner because of it.

  Darin’s eyes opened. She shifted up on one elbow and looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Couldn’t sleep,” he said. “It’s nothing…” When she didn’t close her eyes, Ranik continued, “Do you fault me for sleeping with Telvin?” He’d asked himself the same thing a hundred times, but he was surprised he’d voiced the question aloud.

  “Telvin’s always had more than a fair share of lovers. There’s something about him that draws you to him…”

  Ranik rolled onto his back and stared up at the dark sky. “I had this idea that you two may have been lovers once. Telvin said something…”


  “We were together for a time. But that was a different life.”

  “Did you love him?”

  “Yes. But I don’t anymore. And I don’t want to sleep with him, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  “You both stand so close to each other and I’ve heard you finish his thoughts.”

  “We’ve known each other for a long time—that’s all.”

  “You’re right that there’s something about him that draws you in. And there’s an emptiness when he walks out of the room.” He paused. “What happened with Telvin…it was only supposed to be one night. Jenner seemed so far away. I’d worn handcuffs only a few hours earlier and been worrying about a trial—or a hanging. After that first night, I told myself that I wouldn’t let it happen again. But then the next night, I went to his room on my own.”

  “Do you wish it hadn’t happened?”

  “I wish I didn’t want him still.”

  “When I met Telv, he was indentured as a soldier to repay a family debt. But he was hungry for more. I loved that about him. His hunger…He’s not like anyone I’ve ever known. You can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

  Ranik felt sick. “It’s not the first time I’ve made a mistake.”

  “Is he a mistake?”

  “I still love Jenner. How can I think of anyone else? But I love Telvin too. I guess it’s lucky I don’t have to choose.”

  “But it isn’t that easy, is it? Being with Aysha made me realize that what had happened with Telvin those years ago was nothing. I never wanted Telv to need me. Never wanted to keep him close.”

  “Does Aysha need you?”

  “No.” Darin chuckled and stretched out on her back. She stared up at the sky. “But I need her.”

  “I was dreaming of Jenner, just now. He was screaming at me…I couldn’t hear what he was saying.”