“Sergeant, Duke Keirthan would like to speak with the new recruit now. He said to tell you that he’ll send him back to you shortly.”
Kane started to follow, but Markus blocked his way. At the same time, he grabbed the servant by the arm and spun him back around. “You haven’t been dismissed.”
The man kept his eyes firmly chest high on the guard, his free hand clenched down at his side. “Sorry, sir. I meant no disrespect.”
“Repeat what the duke said exactly.”
Fear had sweat beading up on the servant’s face, and his voice cracked as he spoke. “He said, ‘Bring the new recruit named Kane to see me. Tell any of the rest of the guards to stay away. I don’t need them muddling things up.’ Those were his exact words, sir.”
“You insolent idiot,” Markus snarled and raised his hand as if to smack the servant. Kane caught his arm before he could strike.
The sergeant stared at Kane’s hand. “You dare interfere? You have no right to question my actions.”
Kane got right in his face, forcing Markus to listen. “Do you want to explain to the duke why you sent his servant back to him bruised and bleeding? Especially when the man’s only crimes were doing exactly what the duke ordered and then answering your question. It is hardly this man’s fault you didn’t like what the duke had to say.”
He held on to Markus’s arm until he was sure the man had heard what he’d said and understood. Finally, the sergeant relaxed.
Ignoring the servant now, Markus stared at Kane. “Go, but report back to me when he’s done with you. Then I’ll let you know what your duties will be for the next few days.”
Kane bowed slightly and followed the servant to a door on the far side of the room. There were a few people standing in a row along the wall, but the two of them walked past them to the head of the line. Kane’s guide started to open the door but then hesitated.
After a quick look around, he whispered, “Thank you, sir, for what you did back there.”
Without giving Kane a chance to respond, he opened the door and led Kane inside.
“Sire, Kane is here. I’ll be outside if you have further need of me.” He left Kane standing in the middle of the room as Keirthan finished writing something down.
Keirthan made a show of closing the ledger and setting his pen aside before he acknowledged Kane’s presence.
Steepling his fingers, Keirthan leaned back in his chair and stared at Kane for an uncomfortable amount of time. Kane stood with feet apart, his hands clasped behind his back, not quite at full attention. Now wasn’t the time for insolence, but neither would he act cowed by the duke’s presence.
“Tell me, Kane, have you ever held a position of authority?”
“I’ve led my share of men, Sire.”
Keirthan nodded as if Kane had confirmed his own suspicions. “As you know, I recently lost the captain of my guard. Normally, I would prefer to replace him with someone I know and trust. Would you agree with that policy?”
Where was he going with this discussion? “A man in your position should be careful about those he allows to get close.”
Would the man recognize that as the warning it was? Probably not. Keirthan was the sort of fool who thought he was smarter than anyone else. Considering he’d murdered his own brother, he should know that attacks could come from the most unexpected sources.
“The men in my personal guard were all chosen because of their ability to fight. That’s all most of them are good for, although Sergeant Markus is a cut above the rest. What is your impression of him?”
Kane went with the truth. “I’ve known him only a short time, Sire, but so far he has treated me fairly. Certainly, he didn’t have to help me find a job. I am grateful for his assistance.”
Keirthan dismissed his comments with a wave of his hand. “All that is fine, but do you think he has the ability to command?”
The ice beneath Kane’s feet grew thin. “The men follow his orders promptly.”
The duke’s laugh was nasty. “That’s because he’s a vicious bastard and would gut them if they didn’t. That doesn’t mean he understands battle tactics or how to command in time of war.”
“I don’t know him well enough to judge. I’ve known sergeants who had a better feel for command than most generals. Others can train men to fight but little more than that.”
Evidently that answer pleased the duke. He picked up what looked like a pin off his desk and studied it.
“I prefer my captains to have an understanding of magic, which Sergeant Markus lacks. You, on the other hand, have great potential in that area.”
He tossed Kane the pin. “Put that on, Acting Captain Kane. The appointment isn’t final. We’ll revisit my decision after you’ve had time to familiarize yourself with your duties. Any questions?”
“No, Sire. I thank you for the honor. I will endeavor to not disappoint.”
“See that you don’t.”
Kane recognized a dismissal when he heard one. He affixed the pin to his tunic. He bowed and let himself out.
* * *
Back out in the great hall, Kane schooled his features, making sure that none of his inner turmoil showed. His mission had been to get close enough to keep an eye on the duke, but being named captain of the guard was an unexpected development. What was behind the man’s decision? Kane had done nothing to earn such trust, so his reasons must be linked to the man’s hunger for Kane’s potential as a mage.
He hated that he’d missed another opportunity to kill Keirthan. But considering how Keirthan’s servant hovered right outside the door, there was only a small chance Kane would’ve made it out of the building before anyone noticed the duke was dead. However, caution wasn’t what had stayed Kane’s hand.
Until Captain Gideon and their allies solved the mystery of how to counter Keirthan’s magic, killing Keirthan by mundane means was too chancy. From what Kane could recall of his grandfather’s never-ending lectures, killing a blood mage could be tricky if not done properly. They could run the risk of unleashing all of Keirthan’s accrued power in a destructive maelstrom, killing the people the Damned were sworn to protect.
Biding his time, though, wasn’t going to be easy. For now he needed to report back to Sergeant Markus. Kane allowed himself a small smile. The man wouldn’t be pleased to find out that Kane would now be making all the decisions concerning the duty roster. He’d known he and Markus weren’t likely destined to be friends, but he’d hoped to avoid becoming enemies until absolutely necessary.
Kane started back toward the staircase, but Markus was no longer where he’d left him. It didn’t take long to spot him standing on the balcony at the top of the steps. Kane headed up to join him, still careful to maintain his calm facade. How the next few minutes unfolded would determine the tenor of his relationship with Markus, not to mention the other men who served under him.
Markus leaned on the railing and stared down at the swirling mass of people on the floor below. “I see you survived your audience with the duke.”
When he finally glanced in Kane’s direction, his eyes flared wide as he spotted the duke’s sigil pinned to Kane’s tunic. Markus immediately stood straighter, his shoulders back and his arms rigid at his sides.
“I see congratulations are in order, Captain Kane.”
There might have even been a spark of anger in his eyes, but if so, it quickly faded. That was all right. Why wouldn’t he be shocked by the turn of events? Kane certainly was.
“Thank you, Sergeant. The promotion is an honor, one I owe entirely to you.”
That much was true. If Markus hadn’t interceded on Kane’s behalf, he might still be wandering the streets of the city looking for a way to insinuate himself into the duke’s household. He truly wished Keirthan hadn’t done this. Being an officer had immediately opened up a gulf between him and the other man, one that wouldn’t be easily crossed.
Markus remained at attention. “What are your orders, sir?”
Kane’s immedi
ate options were limited when he still needed to learn the lay of the land. “You were going to show me around the keep. Let’s start with that, so I can familiarize myself with its layout. After that, we can review the duty rosters and discuss any concerns you have that have arisen since the death of the prior captain.”
For the first time, the sergeant showed a spark of emotion along with a slight smirk. “That would be captains, sir, not just one. We’ve lost at least three over the past few weeks.”
Kane arched his eyebrows as if surprised by that news. “Really? Interesting that the duke didn’t mention that. Rest assured, Markus, that I am far harder to kill than most men.”
Without waiting to see if the sergeant had anything more to say on the subject, Kane continued. “Shall we start the tour up here and go from there?”
Markus jerked his head in a short nod and walked away, leaving Kane to follow as he would.
Chapter 5
Ifre stared at the closed door for several seconds. It was a shame he couldn’t slip out into the hall unnoticed to watch the stir caused by his choice of a new captain for his personal guard. For now he’d remain in his office, considering Kane’s reaction to his unexpected promotion.
The mercenary had barely blinked.
An interesting man, to be sure. He probably wondered at the wisdom of Ifre allowing a total stranger to serve in such an important post. He wouldn’t be wrong. Ifre knew full well how vulnerable a ruler was if those around him wished him ill.
But few things interested Ifre more than power and magic. He’d lived his entire life surrounded by mages with differing gifts and strengths. But Captain Kane was the first he’d ever met who bore the mark of a true blood mage. Given the man’s powerful potential for magic, Ifre would’ve hired Kane anyway. But it was what Ifre had discovered when he tried to read his mind a few days ago that made it important to keep Kane close enough to keep a wary eye on him.
It took a powerful intellect coupled with a high degree of training to maintain such powerful mental shields. Ifre had run into only a handful of people who’d been able to block his attempts to invade their minds if he was determined to get in. His late brother, Armel, was one of them. Their father had been another, as was Ifre’s half sister, Lady Lavinia. Even the mage Ifre’s father had hired to mentor his children had had a difficult time shielding his mind.
Kane had not only blocked him; he’d actually pushed back a little before he caught himself. Ifre had spent quite a few of the intervening hours poring through his collection of grimoires to see what he could learn about breaking through Kane’s defenses. So far, his search had met with only limited success.
Eventually, he’d find a way to destroy his new captain’s defenses. Once that happened, Ifre would have free access to a delicious pool of dark magic. Even now, the badge of office Kane wore was designed to link him to Ifre. The connection would build slowly until it was as powerful as the ones Ifre had used on the late and unlamented Captain Terrick and his men. Eventually, it would insinuate itself deep within Kane’s mind, gradually eroding all of Kane’s protections. When that happened, Ifre would own him.
He still missed the spicy taste of Terrick’s power. Regrets only weakened a man, but he wished he hadn’t wasted him on the failed attempt to regain control of that fool Fagan’s family estate. If the venture had succeeded, Ifre would have gained another magical asset in Fagan’s niece, Lady Merewen. Instead, he’d lost both her and Terrick.
Despite his frustration, Ifre smiled. He’d been afraid he’d never find a new source for the magic he’d drained from Terrick, but Kane had definite possibilities. Meanwhile, he’d also keep looking for other likely candidates. He’d tried without success to drag Lady Lavinia back to the capital for just that purpose.
The blackness in his mind stirred; the pain had him holding the edge of the desk as he waited for it to pass. His magic grew ever more demanding, more hungry. If he didn’t find ways to feed the beast, he was very much afraid that—
No, he couldn’t think that way. It was weak of him, and the blackness would leap to overwhelm him completely at the first hint of vulnerability on his part. Later tonight, he would feed its needs. Until then, he’d reread the latest report from the men he’d sent after Lady Lavinia, looking for clues to her whereabouts.
Who were these mysterious allies she’d found who had held his men at bay while she escaped? She was clearly behind the vicious counterattack against the latest launch of his weapon. The only reason he hadn’t been rendered totally helpless was that he’d been in his secret chambers when the backlash hit.
He’d never cared for Lavinia, although he’d pretended to as a child because his father wouldn’t have stood for anything else. Now Ifre was free to hate her. So far she’d withstood his attacks, but eventually he would succeed. When he did, she would suffer tenfold for every bit of pain and frustration she’d caused him. He couldn’t wait.
* * *
Theda sipped her tea and resumed reading while her ladies gossiped among themselves. Sometimes she yearned to enjoy the warmth and light here in her solar in solitude. If she asked her friends to leave, they would withdraw without question.
However, whenever they were away from her immediate presence, they were vulnerable. So far, none of Ifre’s men had dared to lay their filthy hands on either one of her ladies-in-waiting, but it was only a matter of time. Sergeant Markus was growing more bold in showing his total disdain for her and her authority.
And why shouldn’t he when the duke publicly treated her with such contempt? She’d taken to carrying a knife tucked in a secret pocket of her dress, but that would do her ladies no good if one of them was caught out alone by Markus or one of his cronies.
She closed her book and set it aside, its words not holding her attention. Perhaps later she would be able to find time to read in peace. For now she reached for one of the sweet cakes Margaret had brought to share with the group.
“Lady Theda, did you watch that final match yesterday?” Margaret babbled on without waiting for her answer. “It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen.”
Theda’s own reaction to the fight was powerful as well, but terror wasn’t exactly how she would have described her feelings on the subject. The memory of the dark warrior with his pale eyes had haunted her thoughts long after she’d returned to the keep once her duties as Ifre’s hostess had ended.
It had come as a shock to see him standing with Sergeant Markus in the great hall when she and her ladies had returned from their stroll through the gardens. The sergeant had been his usual sneering self, but somehow she’d gotten the impression his companion had disapproved of Markus’s behavior.
That was no doubt wishful thinking on her part. It had been far too long since anyone had taken up her cause in anything. Her marriage to Armel had been a political alliance, but they’d come to care for each other well enough. She missed him for a lot of reasons, but mostly because if he were still alive, his brother wouldn’t have control of her life.
Margaret was still going on and on about the dark warrior’s match. Theda was very fond of her young friend, but Margaret was given to exaggerations. It was time to slow her down.
“Margaret, I agree the redhead was a big man, but he hardly qualifies as a true giant.” She smiled at the other woman, to keep the moment light. “As for the other man, he was a well-trained warrior, nothing more. His prowess with a sword was due to practice, not magic.”
“But what about that mark on his face? And those eyes? I heard whispers that they mean he’s a—”
“Enough, Margaret. He’s a man, nothing more.”
Margaret looked as if she wanted to argue the point, but at the moment the door to the solar was opened with enough force to send it banging against the wall. Theda’s two friends squeaked in surprise while she leapt to her feet, gripping the knife in her pocket.
She glared at the guard standing in her doorway. Markus was the only man who would dare intrude on her privacy i
n such a manner. Theda stepped forward, putting herself firmly between him and the others. Before she could rail at him for his outrageous behavior, she realized he was not alone. She bit back her fury but still made her displeasure known.
“Sergeant, in the future, knock before entering my solar.”
“Duke Keirthan has just appointed a new captain of the guard. He asked to be shown around.” Markus didn’t act in the least bit apologetic as he moved aside to reveal his silent companion. “Captain Kane, this is Lady Theda and her ladies-in-waiting. She’s in charge of making sure the duke’s household runs smoothly. Come to her if you have problems with the servants or need clean linens.”
She wanted to slap Markus for his impudence. It was true that Ifre treated her as if she were little better than a common servant, but few were daring enough to echo his behavior to her face. She was helpless to change her circumstances; she could only pretend the slights didn’t hurt.
Kane remained outside the door, his face impassive. Even so, there was something about the set of his mouth that hinted Captain Kane did not approve of his companion’s behavior any more than she did.
He met her gaze only briefly, but once again she felt the same jolt of awareness she’d sensed the day before. “Lady Theda, it is my honor to meet you. I hope you will forgive our unexpected intrusion.”
She managed to nod. “Congratulations on your new position.”
What she really felt was disappointment. Ifre didn’t appoint men to positions of authority who weren’t willing to carry out his orders without question. She would warn her ladies to be wary of the man until she had sufficient opportunity to evaluate his character.
Markus was too busy staring at Lady Margaret to make any move toward leaving. She was about to suggest they leave when Kane took charge.
“If you’ll excuse us, ladies, we should continue on our tour.”
When Markus didn’t immediately respond, he snapped, “Now, Sergeant.”
Sergeant Markus flushed red. He shot Theda a look that warned there would be retribution for the rebuke. They both knew he wouldn’t dare take his temper out on Kane, not after having seen the man fight. No, this was just further reason for him to make her life more miserable.
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