Reckoning

by T. J. Michaels

  Strange.

  Surely her failure last night was a fluke. Perhaps she’d just been tired? Besides, she’d never tried to touch the bond while RuArk sat right next to her. Maybe it didn’t work when the person you were bonded with was so close? She knew she was reaching, but there had to be some kind of explanation.

  Okay, it’s bond linking time.

  She tried. And tried again. Nothing. The awareness of her husband was simply gone.

  Rhia was alone—something that both RuArk and her father promised she would never experience again as long as RuArk had breath in his body. Had they been wrong? If so, what else had they been wrong about?

  And why did the absence of awareness of her warrior bother her so, when she’d gone without it all her life? Why did RuArk’s absence from the evening meal make her feel like a widow who would spend the rest of her days bereft?

  This is ridiculous. I’ve taken care of myself far longer than I care to remember. Have I become so dependent on that blasted man that I can’t get through one day without knowing where he is?

  But Rhia knew it wasn’t dependence on RuArk. It was love—love for the man and the comfort and companionship he offered. He was her stability, her gravity. Her mate, plain and simple.

  Could she do without him? Probably. But did she want to? Hells no.

  Inwardly scolding herself, Rhia tried to relax. After all, RuArk was a busy man. He was responsible for the protection of all of Gaia as well as this part of Draema Neine. It was not uncommon for him to spend days away with his men, checking in with those across the river and rotating troops.

  So why did she feel so miserably apprehensive about his absence?

  What if the Noman had attacked him while outside the walls? What if he couldn’t call to her because something was wrong? What if...? No, there was a reasonable explanation and she absolutely would not think the worst. He was, after all, the Wind Storm.

  The hall was half empty tonight. She wondered where the other warriors and soldiers were who usually dined at this hour. Dinner was typically a light-hearted, raucous affair, yet Rhia finished her meal in silence, not bothering to say goodnight to anyone.

  She did, however, manage to catch Lunis in the hallway. “Where are Sharyn, Joan and Brita?”

  “They decided to eat in their apartments tonight.”

  “Is something wrong? Are they sick?”

  “No, they’re just tired.”

  “Speaking of tired, that describes me pretty well. I’m going to bed, Lunis. Let RuArk know that I’ve already eaten when he comes in, alright?”

  “Uh, sure. No problem. Goodnight.”

  * * * * *

  “RuArk’s already out this morning. Let’s go to the stables and work the horses.” Rhia took another sip of cool orange juice and nibbled on a piece of flat bread.

  “Work the horses? No way, Ree.” Joan yawned, held up her chin with one hand as she sipped her morning brew with the other.

  “Working horses is your most favorite thing in the world. Well, after making love to Marth and sleeping, that is.”

  “It’s midsummer, Rhia. It’s too damn hot to run around outside, getting all sweaty and grimy. I wouldn’t do that to the horses or myself.” The last was said with a classic Joan snort.

  Wait, something Joan said triggered a thought, but Rhia couldn’t quite grasp it. “What did you say, Joan?”

  “I said, it’s too hot...”

  “No, the first part.”

  “What? It’s midsummer and...”

  “It’s midsummer!” Her fork clattered to the floor and glass shattered on the tile, coating it with frothy orange pulp.

  “So what?” Joan inquired, putting down her own fork. “What’s the big deal? Midsummer comes every cycle, Rhia.”

  “Midsummer, Joan. Dammit, dammit, dammit!” Rhia jumped from her seat and left her full plate of food behind. Running from the main hall at full speed, she headed for the meadow behind the huge villa where Sharyn practiced with her bow. Joan was right on her heels.

  “Rhia, what’s wrong? What’s the matter with you?”

  She didn’t answer, just kept running until she reached Sharyn.

  “Sharyn! Where’s RuArk?”

  “He, Linc and Marth went patrolling outside the walls yesterday.”

  “All of them? All together? And without you as part of RuArk’s fireteam as a First Commander?”

  Sharyn didn’t answer, letting one of her steel arrows fly to hit a target dead center a good hundred paces from where she stood.

  Eyes narrowing, Rhia pressed. “Doesn’t that seem a bit odd seeing that they’ve never left you behind before?”

  “Well, perhaps, but...”

  “Sharyn, it’s midsummer. Something is wrong here. I can feel it. We’ve got to go to your place. You have to help me.” Rhia’s voice rose with each word as sheer panic gripped hold of her guts and pulled hard.

  “What is wrong with midsummer, Rhia? I don’t get it,” Joan snapped. “You’re scaring the shit out of me, Ree.”

  But Rhia didn’t answer. She held Sharyn’s gaze until she saw understanding dawn in the other woman’s eyes.

  Finally, Sharyn whispered, “Foreknowledge?”

  At Rhia’s nod, they both shot forward on swift feet back to the villa as Rhia’s heart lodged itself in her throat.

  * * * * *

  In the middle of the floor in Sharyn’s living room, Rhia assumed her usual position, closed her eyes and reached for her Source. Touching the sweet energy was becoming second nature and almost effortless, but now she was so nervous and unsettled that she had to fight to keep herself focused enough to reach it.

  Finally, she began to see snippets of images flash before her eyes. Then the snippets became scenes. Familiar ones.

  “They’re the same images I saw last cycle when we discovered I had the Gift of Foreknowledge. I saw RuArk covered in blood and in chains being sentenced to death. Just like before.”

  “I remember now because you fainted.”

  “Yes,” Rhia shouted, “and it was...”

  “Midsummer.” Sharyn finished Rhia’s thought. “But surely Linc and Marth will protect RuArk?” But even as she spoke, foreboding dawned in her dark eyes.

  “Sharyn, you and Linc are developing a bond, right?”

  The other woman nodded.

  “Try to reach it,” Rhia instructed and immediately felt the hair at her nape dance.

  Sharyn’s eyes narrowed as she said, “It’s not there. I cannot feel Linc at all.”

  “I can’t feel RuArk either. I haven’t been able to invoke the bond since the night before last.”

  “What in blazes is going on here? Rhia’s foreseen something bad happening to RuArk, none of our men are within the walls and neither of you can touch the bond?” asked Joan, hands on hips and eyes blazing.

  “Can you touch your bond, Joan?” Sharyn asked.

  “You’ve been teaching me, but my bond is not as strong as yours and Rhia’s. So, when I tried to touch it last night when Marth didn’t come to bed, I just figured I wasn’t doing it right.”

  “You know what this means, don’t you?” Rhia asked, looking at both her friends.

  Yes, they knew. Their warriors were gone. And Rhia’s vision was coming true. If RuArk was in danger, then those with him were in danger as well, for there was no way that RuArk would be taken without a fight to the death by him and his warriors.

  “Someone else had to know about this. Someone had to help them prepare,” snarled Joan, her brown eyes flashing in anger and fear.

  “Yes, and I have an idea who. But first, I want Sharyn to link with me while I try to use my Gift. I have to be sure of what I’m seeing.” The two women joined hands and steeled themselves for what they were about to witness. Again.

  * * * * *

  All three women swept into the main hall just before mid-day. It was empty except for the household staff who were laying out pitchers of icy water and clean dishes for luncheon. Rhia
called to Shaw, a tall, dark warrior headed to the kitchens. His hands might have been full of glasses and trays, but the blade strapped around his hips didn’t look the least bit out of place.

  “Shaw, please have Lunis come into the hall.”

  He nodded and disappeared through one of the side doors that led to the kitchens. When a confident, snappy Lunis appeared, he didn’t look happy to see any of them.

  “You wanted to see me, my lady?” he asked, trying to sound much too busy to be having this conversation. Rhia wasn’t moved in the least.

  “Yes, Lunis. Where are our husbands? And no half-truths.” Rhia held her temper in check as she painted on her stone, I-will-not-be-moved face. She held the Houseman’s gaze, unwavering as her eyes blazed with anger.

  When she and Sharyn both reached for their weapons, the blood drained from Lunis’ face. They weren’t the least bit satisfied with his discomfort. Rhia took a single menacing step forward.

  Finally, he replied, “I’m sworn to secrecy. I promised the Protector that I wouldn’t tell.”

  “And I promise you’ll lose a lot of blood if you don’t tell me.” Those words were followed with a loud schwing as Rhia freed the katana from the harness strapped to her back.

  And once Lunis started talking, the whole tale gushed out. He told them about the note delivered by Larel from the High Counsel, as well as how he and Brita helped the men with their secret plans to leave Province Springs.

  “They were well armed and well provisioned, my lady. The Protector took a whole pack of warriors with him. And some of the Draeman soldiers, too.”

  “That’s great and fine, Lunis, but it’s a damn trap. They’re walking right into a blasted ambush.”

  Eyes wide with alarm, Lunis gasped, “Surely not! What do we do?”

  She took a deep breath and ran a hand through her already wild mane of dark fire-streaked waves. “I’ll think of something. Just be ready. I’m sure I’ll need you.” Dismissing Lunis, she turned back to Joan. “At least the babies are safe,” Rhia said, thankful that her mother-in-law had come two days ago and taken them back to Gaia for a visit. Now that she thought about it, she realized the babies had gone to Gaia the same day Larel arrived.

  Was Mila’s arrival linked to the fate that RuArk had gone to meet? How she wished she’d pressed RuArk into teaching her how to walk the Dream so she could seek out the Grandfather. She thought about trying to enter the Dream anyway, but circumstances and common sense prevailed. She simply had no idea how to go about it. The only thing she could do was send a note to the Grandfather asking him to help her, or at least give her some information.

  Joan paced back and forth, then stopped short in front of Rhia, obviously flustered. “Well, what are we going to do?”

  Features schooled into her First Commander’s stoic mask, Sharyn said, “In RuArk’s absence, I am in command of our warriors. It is my responsibility to defend Fire Storm, my lord RuArk’s mate, as well as protect the township.”

  Rhia rounded on her with a snarl. “What? Defend the township? Defend me? What about your lifemate-to-be, Sharyn?”

  “I must do my duty, my lady.”

  “My lady? Who have you just turned into, Sharyn?”

  But she continued as if Rhia hadn’t spoken.

  “I will not forsake my duties. I am a warrior of Gaia and I am sworn to do as the Wind Storm would wish in this and any other situation. As for Linc, I trust him to return to me. He is a great warrior.”

  “Woman, listen to yourself. I happen to trust my husband, Sharyn. However, I know what I saw in that vision.”

  “It was Foreknowledge.”

  “What-fucking-ever! I know what I saw and when you linked with me you saw it, too. I trust RuArk, but if I don’t go to him and figure out a way to free him, he and all our people with him are going to die. That includes your great warrior, Linc O’dann. For once, stop looking through warrior’s eyes. You’re not just a warrior, you’re a woman, Sharyn. A blasted woman who ought to love her man enough to do something more than worry about blasted duties.”

  Rhia stormed out of the hall and immediately began calling orders to Lunis, a disgruntled Joan stomping right behind her muttering hotly.

  “Wait until I see that Marth. Going off to get caught in an ambush. Blasted Gaian, I’ll kill him myself.”

  In minutes, the two women had the entire place in an uproar.

  “Osgar, you knew that RuArk was leaving to aid my father?”

  “I did.”

  “And do you know that he’s walked into a trap?”

  “I do not think so.”

  “Well, whether you think so or not, it’s true. Ask Sharyn, if you like.” He started to protest, but was brought up short. “I don’t have time to argue with you. We must go to RuArk’s aid, as well as my father’s.”

  “I am sorry, my lady, but I have strict orders.”

  “Look, you blasted hard-headed Gaian giant. You pledged your sword to me on the day RuArk and I were joined in the Gaian way, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well then, I suggest you make plans to fulfill that oath.”

  Osgar resisted of course, spouting the same nonsense as Sharyn about protecting Rhia and Province Springs. Rhia reminded him that if he wanted to protect her, then he would have to go wherever she went. And since RuArk himself had not confined her to the township, then Osgar would just have to protect her on her way to the High City. There was no getting around Rhia’s logic. Osgar was now gathering those who would go with them.

  While the horses were being readied, Rhia sent word to the women of the township who had been taking swordsmanship and combat lessons from her. They were to report to the main hall to be informed of their duties. Some were Draeman women who’d lived in Province Springs all their lives. Some were Gaian ladies who’d migrated over from across the river to settle in the township with their warriors.

  Rhia refused to lie to them, and held nothing back. Turned out that Rhia, Sharyn and Joan weren’t the only ones who hadn’t known their warriors had gone to do battle. By the time she finished her tale, they were all livid.

  After the rancor died down a bit, Rhia relayed all she knew about what the warriors had gone to do and the dangers of their mission. If these women were going to do what she asked of them, they must understand the seriousness of the business.

  Lunis, Brita, and the household staff were scrambling to gather light supplies for their trip while Rhia and Joan hurried up to their own rooms to pack their duffels.

  * * * * *

  Sharyn went up to her chambers alone. She sat on her balcony looking out over the mountainous countryside, catching the occasional sparkle of sunshine off the river in the distance. Her mind went back to the day RuArk had saved her life.

  She’d been riding along the eastern border, barely a stone’s throw from Draema. She remembered resenting who she was—daughter to the brother of the King of Gaia. A noble woman who never had a moment alone simply because of who she was born to.

  Forever surrounded by servants, companions, and the women of her family, while the men could go where they pleased, do what they pleased. Thankfully, her cousins Rogear, RuArk and Drefan were of an age with her and good comrades who treated her as if she were no different than them, but only when they were alone. They’d even gotten her out of some of her household lessons to teach her how to ride and swim when she was little.

  As most other Gaian women of her station, she’d spent her time learning the duties of a noble woman of her clan—how to run a smooth household. She was to leave the duty of protecting herself and her family to whatever warrior she eventually joined with. In the meantime, her male relatives saw to her safety. The only problem was none of them had been riding with her that day.

  She’d snuck out of to enjoy the day alone. It hadn’t been the first time she’d done so. But it would be the last.

  Three unknowns had come upon her while she’d been swimming along the river’s edge. She was
so engrossed in what she was going she hadn’t even heard them approach.

  She squeezed her eyes shut recalling the ghastly images of that day, yet all she could remember was the panic and fear that had swamped her senses. Sharyn could almost smell the damp grass close to the bank as she lay on her back with a blade pressed to her abdomen. Rough hands on her body. The sound of her own screams. The blood that ran down her side into the grass that caused her to still immediately, knowing that these detestable men would slip the blade further into her flesh if she continued to struggle.

  Suddenly the blade that threatened to skewer her, was gone. The rancid breath against her cheek disappeared. She heard screams, but they were not her own. Then she was being lifted into strong arms.

  RuArk had come. He had been riding to Draema Proper for a visit with the High Counsel and had seen her horse tethered to a sapling. Wondering where she was going without an escort, he’d followed her trail. Even then, though RuArk was just coming into manhood, he’d already proven he was ready to take on the title of Protector of the Realm, and the responsibilities that went with it. He’d protected her that day. She swore her service to him on the spot, and he’d sworn to teach her to fight. She would never be helpless again. Ever.

  Opening her eyes, Sharyn pushed the memories away and admitted to herself that her past had dictated many of her actions.

  But that was then, and this is now.

  She stood and paced under the warm sun and considered where she stood. What did she believe now? Where did her loyalties lie now? A wry smile played about the corner of her mouth as she thought on Rhia.

  She’d taught Rhia how to bend a little to get a lot from RuArk, and Rhia’s reward was that she’d gained more than she could have ever hoped for. Yet, unbeknownst to her charge, she’d been the stubborn, prideful, stiff-necked jewel of a woman who’d taught Sharyn that there was more to life than following orders. Life was to take chances. To pull against the reins at times. To lay down your past and allow yourself to live. And love.

  Now, who is the teacher and who is the student?

  Since that fateful life-changing day when RuArk had been near enough to save her, every moment of every day had been dedicated to loyalty, duty, orders, training, fighting, riding. And she’d loved every minute of it. She’d never thought anything was missing from her life. Until she met Rhia Greysomne Miwatani.