Landis blinked away the tears that were starting to form. “Were you there when he died?”
Cpt. Garen hesitated. “I was at the castle, but I wasn’t with him.”
Landis nodded. “What about when my mother died?”
Again Cpt. Garen hesitated. Then he nodded. “I’m sorry she’s not here to see the woman you’ve become. She’d be so proud of you.”
“Thank you.” Landis smiled at Cpt. Garen and then looked around the room again. One of the women caught her eye. “You knew my mother, didn’t you? You were with her a lot when I was there.”
Gilean smiled as she nodded. “Brigid and I were close friends. I met her shortly before you were born.”
“Did you work at the castle, too?”
Gilean shook her head. “I was an aide at the chapel. I met your mother because I helped take care of her while she was pregnant with you. I was with her the night you were born.”
“Then why are you here? Why aren’t you still at the chapel?”
Gilean laughed and nodded towards Garen. “Your mother introduced me to a handsome young guard, and before long, he and I were married.”
“You’re Garen’s wife?”
Gilean nodded and turned towards her children. She put one arm around a teenage girl and the other around a boy about ten years old. “And these are our children, Kyali and Terus.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Landis said to the children.
Cpt. Garen cleared his throat and motioned towards Darwyn, who stood up to meet Landis. “This is Darwyn, our sorcerer. If you need anything done, let him know.”
“You’ll be able to take care of your magic needs yourself before long, but until then, I’m at your service,” Darwyn said with a slight bow.
“Thank you,” Landis said.
There was a lady sitting next to Darwyn who looked awfully familiar. “Do I know you?” Landis asked. “You look so familiar, but I can’t place you.”
Emma laughed. “Whenever you were with me, you wanted to be somewhere else, anywhere else.”
Landis frowned.
“You really hated having to stand still,” Emma said, smiling.
“Stand still?” Landis said slowly. Then she remembered. “You were the seamstress! You used to make dresses for me!”
Emma nodded. “Dresses your father wanted you to wear but you didn’t want any part of.”
Landis grinned. “I remember saying it was a waste of material to make dresses for me because all I wore were leggings and tunics. But he insisted I wear a dress to dinner every night. He even tried to get Rhianna to, but he gave up when she said she’d go eat with Hayden at his camp. But he still made me.”
“You were his daughter,” Emma said as her eyes misted. “He loved you so much.”
“Thank you,” Landis said. “I’m sorry, but I can’t remember your name.”
“It’s Emma. I’m Giamen’s wife.” She nodded towards her husband who was sitting on the other side of their three children. “And these are our children. Say hello to Landis.”
When all three of them said hello together, Landis smiled. “Hello to you, too.”
Then Cpt. Garen took over and introduced the rest of his men and their families.
When he got to the last man, Jano, Landis asked, “You’re a guard? I seem to remember you from the stable.”
Jano nodded. “I was out there a lot before I joined Cpt. Garen’s squad. I like horses so I spent my off-duty time at the stables.” Then he introduced his wife and two children.
Next, Kevin introduced Warren and Torrey. After all the introductions were made everyone sat down and ate breakfast. Half an hour later, the children were getting restless, so Kevin stood up. “I’m going to leave you to get on with your day. But before I go, does anyone need anything?”
Callie stood up. “I’ve got the grocery list in the kitchen. I’ll get it.”
Kevin nodded. “Anyone else?”
No one said anything, so when Callie came back with her grocery list, he took out his key. “I’ll see you in a couple of days.” Then he turned the key and left for Milhaven.
As soon as Kevin was gone, Cpt. Garen stood up. “I think we need to let the newcomers have a little time to relax. I have a feeling they’ve already had a long day. You can visit with them later.” Then he looked at Warren. “We’re glad to have you here. Let us know if there’s anything you need or anything we can do to help, and I mean that. That’s why we’re here, to help.”
“Thank you,” Warren said as he stood up. “We appreciate that, and you’re right. We have had a long day and we need some sleep. We’ll see you later.”
When Landis and Torrey stood up, so did everyone else. Within minutes the tables were cleared, the dining room was empty, and the newcomers were headed back up the mountain to their new homes and their beds.
~~~~
Before going back to the castle, Kevin stopped by Doreen’s to let Rhianna know Landis was on the island.
“Did she recognize Cpt. Garen?”
“And a couple of the others, too.”
“Good. Maybe she won’t feel like she’s surrounded by strangers.”
”I don’t think she will, at least not for long. And Taelor’s there, as well as Warren and Torrey.”
“I know, but there are still a lot of people she doesn’t know.”
Neither of them said anything as they crossed the road and walked into the pasture. Then Kevin said, “I didn’t realize Cpt. Garen’s wife was friends with Landis’s mother.”
“She was? Maybe she’ll share some of her memories with Landis. She didn’t get to know either of her parents very well.”
Kevin yawned. “Sorry. It’s been a long day.”
Rhianna nodded. “What about Nikki’s walk?”
“Hopefully one of the pages took her. Otherwise a quick trip out back might be all she gets tonight.”
“Why don’t you go on and get some sleep? I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I think I will,” he said as they kept walking.
“I meant now.”
“I want to walk you back to the house first.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m a gentleman. Both of my mothers would have a fit if I abandoned you here in the middle of the road.”
“Well, I won’t tell them,” Rhianna said with a laugh. “Seriously. Go on back and get some sleep.”
“I will, as soon as you’re in the house.”
Rhianna gave up. “Suit yourself. We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
When they got to the house, Rhianna said a quick good night and darted up the steps. As she opened the door, she turned to Kevin and waved. “Sleep well.”
Kevin waited until the door closed and then turned his key and went straight to his bedroom. Chris was sitting on the couch working on a stack of papers and Nikki was lying on the floor next to him.
“All settled?” Chris asked as Kevin sat down opposite him.
As soon as Nikki realized Kevin was home, she stood up, stretched, and walked over to say hello. Kevin rubbed her ears and then picked up the mug of scog sitting on the table beside his chair. “And introductions made. The rest is up to them.”
Chris nodded as he fingered the papers in his lap.
“What are you working on?”
“I thought it might be a good idea to know how many sorcerers we have out there, who’s registered as a town sorcerer, who’s working on a per job basis, who’s willing to help out in emergencies, who isn’t, who has apprentices, who’s willing to take one, and who doesn’t want one. We may never need it, but I think it would be a good idea to know who and where the sorcerers are.”
“Who are you asking?”
“The district sorcerers. Elin wrote to them last month.”
“And I’m just hearing about it now?”
“Yep.” Chris stacked the papers and set them on the coffee table. “There wasn’t any reason to tell you earlier. The only reason I’m telling y
ou now is you asked what I was doing. When we hear back from everyone, I’ll make a list of all the sorcerers living in each district.”
“And do what with the lists?”
“File them with all the other information we have on each district, like officers, maps to the minister’s home, places where we’re setting up clinics, all that stuff.”
Kevin frowned. “We’re going to keep a record on where the clinics are?”
Chris nodded. “Since you’ll probably end up making deliveries to a lot of them, it might help to know where they are.”
“Okay. You’ve got a point.” Kevin looked down at Nikki who was sleeping beside his chair. “Did she have a busy day today?”
Chris grinned. “After lunch, I dropped by the stable and told Marshall you were going to be busy all afternoon and half the night.”
Kevin laughed. “So he made sure she was worn out by dinner.”
“He kept her until eight this evening. She was ready for some quiet time when he brought her by.”
“Did you take her out back before you brought her up?”
Chris just looked at him.
“Of course you did. Thanks.” Kevin drank the rest of his scog. “I’m beat. Think I’ll turn in.”
Chris set the mugs on the tray, picked it up in one hand, gathered his papers in the other and headed for his room. “See you in the morning.”
After Chris left, Kevin changed clothes and went to bed. He was sound asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. At some point during the night he became aware of his dreams. He was off to the side somewhere watching Landis and Rhianna sitting in a meadow.
“Everything was clear before I came here. Fight Rolan, defeat him, and get on with my life.” Landis sighed. “But now? I don’t know a thing about humans and how they live.”
“What do you mean? Humans live the same way elves do. We all eat, breathe, sleep, and most of us live in some kind of house.”
Landis shook her head. “That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about how they do things, their laws. I know more about the rules in North Amden than I do the laws of Brendolanth.”
“Well, we don’t have many rules so it’s not hard to know what they are.”
“It’s not so easy for humans. I’ve been listening to the others talk about life at the castle, and it’s complicated. They have rules about who can go where, who can talk to whom, who can come in which door, who can eat in which dining room, even who can walk down which hall. Where do these rules come from?” Landis took a deep breath. “And I know Myron has an office. But why does he need one? Does he need it because he’s the Master Sorcerer or because he’s the Sorcerer of Camden? What’s involved in being a seated sorcerer?”
“Why are you worrying about it?”
“Because if I challenge Roland and live to tell about it, I’ll be the Seated Sorcerer of Brendolanth, and I don’t know how to do that.”
The scene faded before Kevin could hear any more of the conversation and he drifted off to other dreams. When he woke up the next morning, the only dream he remembered was the one with Landis and Rhianna. He grinned. Of course he’d remember that one. Rhianna was in it.
As he got dressed, he could hear their conversation replay in his head. He could see the meadow where they’d been sitting. He knew what they’d been wearing. He could even see the mud on Rhianna’s boots. He’d never remembered a dream that clearly before. He laughed at himself and blamed the total recall on Rhianna.
Later that day, as he was sorting mail and answering messages, he realized the dream wasn’t fading. It was still as vivid as when he dreamed it. For the first time it crossed his mind that it might not have been a dream. It might have been a vision. But if it was, what did it mean? Was there some reason he saw it? Or was it just a glimpse into the future? Kevin frowned.
Then he shrugged. Landis was a long way from having to worry about taking over Brendolanth’s seat. He had time to find out. He’d ask his mother about it the next time she dropped by. She’d know.
Chapter 11
Dog Days of August
Near the beginning of August, Sean and Kitra drove their wagon onto a ferry to cross the Sandover River into Nandelia. When the ferry docked, Sean led their horses down the ramp and held them for Kitra to climb up on the seat.
“Which way?” she asked as she got settled.
“East.” Sean climbed up beside her. “There’s probably a town not too far away. We’ll stop there for the night.”
“You mean stay in town tonight?” Kitra asked.
Sean nodded. “At an inn.”
Kitra smiled. It would be the first time she’d slept in a bed since they’d left Sean’s parents’ house. “Think we can get baths?”
Sean laughed. “And dinner in the tavern. Maybe breakfast, too.”
Kitra’s eyebrows rose. “Do we have enough money for all of that? We need some supplies, too.”
“We haven’t spent much. I think we can afford to celebrate a little.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“Getting out of Brendolanth.” Sean slowly exhaled a deep breath. “I’m not saying Rolan can’t get to us here. He can, but chances are no one in Nandelia has ever heard of me. I think we’re safer now than we have been since I showed up in Trendon.”
“When will we really be safe?” Kitra asked. “When we get to Camden?
Sean shook his head. “We won’t be safe as long as Rolan’s alive, but we’ll be safer in Camden than anywhere else, provided Myron meant what he said.”
“Why? What did he say?”
“That we’d be welcomed in Milhaven, but I’m not sure we should stay there. Rolan’s sent men there before. There’s no telling when he will again, and they might recognize me. But if we find a town nearby, Myron might be all right with that.”
“Do we need his permission?”
“Since I was originally sent there to kill him, yes.”
“Oh,” Kitra said quietly. “I keep forgetting you were an assassin.”
Sean hesitated. “I never thought of myself as an assassin. None of us did. All we ever did was watch.”
“Do you think you’ll ever be a guard again?”
Sean shrugged. “Maybe, after Landis finishes her training, but until then, no.”
“How are we going to live in Camden? I mean, what kind of work can we do? I can cook and clean, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to find a job unless we’re in a big town.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve learned a lot about farming over the past couple of years. I helped out on several around Milhaven.”
“You did?”
Sean nodded. “Most of us did. We worked in exchange for food. We’ll be fine.”
The next few hours passed in a mix of general chatter and silence. Then, as the sun was sinking, they rode into town. After Sean made arrangements for a room at the inn and carried their overnight bag upstairs, he took the wagon down to the livery stable.
Kitra was ready for dinner by the time he got back. As he led her into the tavern, he said, “First time we’ve registered as man and wife. Guess that makes us official.”
Kitra squeezed his hand. “About time.”
~~~~
Friday morning, Cryslyn knocked on Laryn’s door. When Steve opened it, she asked if Laryn was around.
“She’s in the kitchen.” Steve stepped aside to let Cryslyn in. “Why don’t you join her? I’m on my way out, unless you need to see me, too?”
Cryslyn shook her head. “No, just need a quick word with Laryn.”
“Then I’ll leave you to it.”
As soon as the door closed behind Steve, Laryn stuck her head in the front room. “Come on in. I’m making tea.”
Once Cryslyn and Laryn were seated with their tea, Laryn asked, “Why did you need to see me?”
“I’m sending Mia over to be your housekeeper.”
Laryn frowned. “But I don’t need a housekeeper. I only asked you to let me have Shana because we knew something
was going on with her.”
“Be that as it may, you’ll need a housekeeper soon, and it would be best if she gets to know how you want things done before you have your hands full with the baby.”
Laryn’s jaw dropped. “How…how did you know?”
“Oh, come on, Laryn. Everyone at the castle knows you’re pregnant. And I’d be willing to bet most of Milhaven knows, too. No one’s saying anything because you haven’t, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s blind. You’ve been showing for two months.”
Laryn’s hand when to the little bump she thought her tunic hid. “I didn’t realize it showed.”
Cryslyn leaned back in her chair and smiled. “When are you due?”
“Middle of November.”
Cryslyn nodded. “That’s about what I thought. When I noticed your tunics were getting a little tight, I remembered you didn’t show up for breakfast for a while this past spring and you were drinking a lot of ginger tea. Morning sickness usually starts around six to eight weeks.”
“I had no idea anyone noticed.”
“Only because everyone was respecting your privacy. We figured you’d let us know when you were ready, but I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to admit it. And we need to get Mia in here and let the two of you get into a routine before the baby comes. So, back to why I came over, she’ll be here Monday.”
“Does she know I’m pregnant?”
Cryslyn nodded. “I mentioned it when I discussed the assignment with her this morning, but she’d already figured it out. And she’s excited about it. She loves babies, which is one reason I picked her.”
Laryn nodded. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“If not, let me know and we’ll make other arrangements. Now, what did your sisters say when you told them? I bet they’re excited. I’m surprised they haven’t been here already helping you get ready.”
Laryn could feel a blush work its way up her cheeks.
“You haven’t told them?”
Laryn shook her head. “I don’t want all the fuss.”
“They’re going to fuss, whether they find out now or later, but if you don’t tell them now, they’ll not only be upset with you, they’ll be furious with Myron for not letting them know.”
The Rambling Spy Page 11