Covenants (v2.1)

by Lorna Freeman

  “Iver didn’t beget children alone.” Suiden looked down at Berle and she shrank back into herself. “Marrying the heir, willing or not, is a time-honored way of securing a throne. By the laws of primogeniture, both human and elfin, Iversterre has been passed down through the Fyrst’s heirs.”

  Inheritance and landlaw, and the right of the firstborn to continue in the parent’s stead. I stared at the father of our kingdom and my somewhat remote grandda, who looked back at me with intent eyes. I then felt a touch on my arm and met Her Grace’s golden gaze.

  “And as the Fyrst is not dead,” Suiden continued, “he can say that the inheritance is not yet his heirs’ and Iversterre is his. All of it.” Ilenaewyn made another sound of rage, his face full of fury.

  “No, not the Fyrst’s,” Wyln corrected. “To his line, which is in elf law a little different, though just as binding.” He gave the fair and northern Ilenaewyn his gentle smile. “Which must stick in the craw of others who want the human kingdom for themselves, isn’t that so, Ilenaewyn?”

  “A line of half-breed mongrels born of rape and bastardy,” Pellan said before Ilenaewyn could respond. Pellan’s eyes shifted to the fair northern elf. “At least the northern clans have kept their lines pure.”

  At that moment, First Lieutenant Falkin ran through the open double doors into the audience hall. His pale blond hair shone in the light coming through the broken window and his slanted dark gray eyes set above high cheekbones in his elf-narrow face were rather round as he skidded to a stop.

  I smiled, showing all my teeth. “Oh, really, Eorl Pellan? You think?”

  Chapter Sixty-six

  “I’m looking for Vice Admiral Havram …” Falkin’s voice I trailed off as his eyes skittered over the hall, lighting on me as I stood once more in the middle of my own personal windstorm with butterflies fluttering about. “Rabbit?” He then looked past me and goggled. “Lord Gherat?” He caught movement and turned to see Ambassador Sro Kenalt dangling from Suiden’s claws. Falkin’s lips moved but nothing came out.

  “The lieutenant’s northern fairness was pointed out by the Faena, my sister’s son,” Wyln said into Pellan’s stunned silence.

  “Outraged ambition has a way of selecting what one sees and hears, Wyln,” the Fyrst said, his voice dry.

  Falkin ignored the byplay as he studied the audience hall and its inhabitants. His eyes rounded further as he noted the frozen High Council and the great sword resting across the Fyrst’s knees. “What—what has happened?”

  His Grace propped his chin on his fist and answered for me. “A cabal, Lieutenant, seeking to overthrow the human kingdom and the Lady curse anyone that got in their way.”

  “And now the curse is theirs,” Laurel rumbled as he and his traveling medicine show moved to check on Javes and Esclaur. He gently tilted Javes’ face up so he could look at the wolf’s swollen eye. “Making glory spheres and banishing ghosts before the moon season is ended.”

  “It’s good, then, that we have come early,” a voice rumbled and I quickly turned around. Dragoness Moraina’s head and shoulders just cleared the double doors, her wings pressed flat against her back. Her brilliant sapphire blue eyes swept over us, resting a moment on Suiden as she squeezed through the doorway, her talons loud on the marble floor. As the light from the windows struck her gray, blue and charcoal scales, we all bowed, falling back to give her room. As I did, I again caught a flash where the stone had been cracked. I frowned, moving so I could look closer.

  “Rabbit!”

  “Da?” I snapped upright to see my father coming into the hall. “Da!” I hurried towards him as he came to meet me, Uncle Havram with him. Everything blurred as I was caught up in a hug that played merry havoc with my bruised back and damn near cracked my ribs.

  “Well, lad, I’m glad you’re all right,” Uncle Havram said, peering into my face.

  “All right?” Da drew back and held me at arm’s length, his face anxious. “Look at him.” I could imagine what I looked like: bruised, disheveled, barefoot, braid half undone. Not to mention the staff and butterflies.

  “Look at you,” Da said, his voice changing. “You’ve grown. You are grown.” He dropped his hand to touch the empty scabbard at my side. “And a soldier.” His face became anxious again and he touched the bruises on my wrist. “Was there a battle? Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine, Da. I’m fine.” I stared back, noting the streaks of gray in his hair and lines on his face. My eyes blurred again. “Is Ma here?”

  “No,” Da said. “Sage and Harmony have decided that since they are twins, they should marry, get with child, and then give birth at the same time. Your mother’s with them. I came with Dragoness Moraina and Brother Paedrig.”

  Smiling at the thought of my sisters, I searched the hall until I found the short, rotund brother kneeling next to Doyen Allwyn.

  “I met them right outside the castle,” Uncle Havram said. “I didn’t quite make it to my ship as I was stopped at the docks and told my presence was urgently required back here.” He rubbed his arm. “None too gentle were they about it too, though they had a complete change of heart when the dragon landed in front of them as they came out of the park.”

  Uncle Havram’s eyes widened. “The trees moved back to give her room, lad—”

  “Cyhn Rabbit Two Trees’son, bring your family forward,” the Fyrst said and the tumult in the crowded hall died down, all eyes turning towards us.

  My da shot me a wild look at the “Cyhn” as he, my uncle and I approached the Fyrst’s throne. As we bowed, Molyu and Wyln joined us. Her Grace and the Enchanter gave my da and uncle searching looks.

  “You’ve the same look,” His Grace remarked.

  He was right. All three of us were long and rangy, with the same narrow face and dark hair, the only difference being my uncle’s blue eyes as opposed to our dark brown. (My brothers, sisters, and I were the laughing despair of our short, blond, and—after eight children—rather plump ma, who claimed she’d done every bit of the work but had nothing to show for it.)

  “Cyhn,” Moraina rumbled from where she sat next to Suiden. Her voice was filled with satisfaction. “You’ve taken Rabbit into your House?”

  “I’ve declared him and his family of my line,” the Fyrst said. He glanced at Ilenaewyn, a faint smile on his face. “Including the human king.”

  “What?” Now my da cast a wild look at Moraina. “What do you mean—” He broke off and stared at Suiden—or rather at who was dangling from Suiden’s grip.

  “Well, now,” Uncle Havram said, also staring. “Would you look at that. Sro Kenalt, and”—he turned his head to the dais—”Gherat. In the flesh.”

  “Obruesk is in the corner, sir,” I said, pointing. “It was Commander Eorl Pellan who helped him escape.”

  “Obruesk? Here?” Brother Paedrig rose and hurried towards the dais—to come to an abrupt halt as he ran into the glory sphere still hanging midair. He took a step backwards. “Who made this abomination?”

  Fingers, claws and other appendages were pointed at the warded and frozen Magus, and Brother Paedrig’s eyes narrowed. “You dare!”

  “He created it to control Rabbit, honored Paedrig,” Laurel said, splinting Esclaur’s leg, “and so to control us through Rabbit.”

  “What the hell did you get yourself into?” Uncle Havram whispered, as my da looked at me, his face horrified.

  “Everything,” I whispered back.

  “What is it?” Falkin asked, his eyes fixed on the sphere.

  “Evil,” Moraina replied, “and forbidden.” She shifted her gaze between Wyln and Laurel. “Who handled it? Are they still recognizable?”

  “Pellan was one,” Wyln said, “though he was smart enough to have it put into a pouch.”

  “We will gather all that it touched to burn, and deal with the sorcerer’s other effects,” the Fyrst said. “In the meantime, I would like to speak with you, honored Moraina—”

  “A sorcerer?” Falkin came to himself with
a start. “You mean Slevoic?” He looked around the hall, found Havram and hurried over to him. “That’s what I came to tell you, sir. I saw Slevoic in town, with Commander Pellan.”

  Wyln had started to frown at Falkin interrupting His Grace, but his face changed. “Slevoic ibn Dru?” He turned to look at the commander. “With Pellan?” His Grace rose and light glinted on his sword as he hurried down the steps. “You brought another sorcerer and murderer into my city?”

  “A murderer—” Pellan began.

  “He killed the White Stag,” Laurel said. “He slit his throat and spilled his sacred blood on the ground.”

  The cat’s ears went back. “Even his own call him Vicious.”

  “He is beyond Vicious, Sro Cat,” Suiden said. He turned to Falkin. “Did you see where he was headed?”

  “Uh—” Falkin went back to goggling, this time at Suiden’s voice coming from the Very large, very fiery black and gold dragon next to Moraina.

  Uncle Havram went very still beside me. “Turalian dragon,” he whispered.

  “And besides the commander, was he alone?” Javes asked, trotting up to Falkin.

  “Uh—” The first officer turned his gaping face down to the wolf with a black eye patch standing before him.

  “Yes, yes. I’m a wolf. So’s Esclaur.”

  Esclaur dropped his muzzle in a tongue-lolling grin as he dipped his head in an elegant bow despite having a splinted leg. “Grace to you, Lieutenant Falkin.”

  “Answer Dragon Prince Suiden,” the Fyrst said, “and Javes Wolf Merchant’son.”

  Falkin’s voice was reduced to a mere thread. “He and Commander Eorl Pellan were ahorse, Your Grace, and looked as though they were coming from the docks and heading here. I tried to get through earlier, but the city guard were sweeping all the crew up and forcing them back on the ships.”

  “ ‘Heading here’?” Wyln repeated, his brows crooking. He stepped quickly to his nephew, all humor gone. “Where is he?” Unable to move, Pellan still managed to give the impression of shrinking back from the expression on his uncle’s face. He then caught himself and gave a defiant glower, saying nothing.

  “My sister’s son,” Molyu said as she walked over to the commander. “Where have you taken the other sorcerer—” Her Grace broke off, staring. “Pellan, what’s on your hand?” Wyln’s eyes shifted to where Pellan held his sword upraised. The next moment he grabbed Molyu, yanking her with him as he quickly backed away to where the Fyrst stood, and a wall of flame suddenly encircled all three.

  “The Lady preserve us! He’s been touched by the glory sphere.” Laurel, who had moved to check on my bruises, spun around, the hair on his ruff standing straight up. “Everyone away from him. Now!” Immediately there was a wide ring around the commander. Pellan’s face drained of color as the Watch that had been frozen around him also strained to move away, terrified.

  “The Magus promised it was safe,” Pellan whispered, his chest heaving in his fright. “He said he’d placed protections on it.” I could make out a discoloration on the back of Pellan’s hand. As I watched, the spot spread, creeping up his arm into his sleeve.

  “The Magus lied,” the Fyrst said.

  The rot appeared on Pellan’s other hand, sliding down around his fingers.

  “My sister’s only child,” Molyu said, distressed, “being eaten alive. Shall I lose what remains of her?” She looked at Laurel through the flames. “Help him, Faena. Please.”

  “No, Your Grace,” Harbormaster Lin said, before Laurel could respond. “It’s sorry I am that your nephew has been corrupted, but the law is clear that those who willingly give themselves to sorcery shall not be rescued from its effects.” Lin looked over the audience hall. “We need to close this off, quarantine those who’ve come in contact with the abomination.”

  “You forget yourself, Harbormaster,” Molyu said, her eyes molten in the fire around her.

  The corruption had spread up Pellan’s other arm and a spot appeared on his neck. I caught a sudden whiff of the sweetish stink of rotting flesh.

  “I am the harbormaster, true, and as such am answerable to Your Grace and the Fyrst,” Lin said as she curtsied. She then straightened. “But I am also”—she shot the frozen-inflight faerie a glance—”Queen Mab’s newly appointed representative to the Council, and it is as such that I am saying that you cannot.”

  One of the City Watch guards near Pellan screamed; his eyes rolled down as he stared in horror at the spot on his wrist.

  “It spreads,” Moraina said.

  “My city,” Loran the Fyrst said. “My people.” He turned to the guards, speaking through the flames. “Have the black flag raised on the front tower and shut the gate to the castle. Now.” The two guards started to run out the door, but one staggered and fell.

  “I say,” Javes said, his voice faint. “He must’ve taken a sword from one of the infected ones.” There was a silent moment as everyone contemplated that. Then one of the keep’s servants cried out, holding her hand away from her.

  “Not just the guards,” Moraina observed. She turned her head to the Magus. “It appears, Kareste, that whatever you had planned, it has gotten away from you.” She cocked her head to one side. “Or is this what you wanted? Everyone dead by pestilence?” The Magus remained silent, his ice shard eyes glittering at us. I caught a movement and frowned, as it seemed his fingers had just twitched.

  Pellan laughed. “The servants said the humans called Kareste ‘Maggot.’ Such impertinence, they said.” He laughed again, and I could see his gums bleeding. “Such truth.” I thought I saw Kareste’s fingers twitch again. I turned to my da to ask him if he’d seen the same and terror filled me. There was a faint mottling on his hand. “Oh, sweet merciful heavens.”

  “What’s wrong, Rabbit?” Da asked, staring at me.

  I reached out and grabbed his arm. I had been chained, beaten and otherwise handled by the City Watch. Then my da and uncle arrived and touched me. I looked over at Uncle Havram and he too had dark spots on his skin. My eyes dropped back to my da’s hand and saw the mottling had crawled up his wrist. I reached out my own hand.

  “No, Rabbit! Don’t touch it!” Laurel snatched at me and missed.

  The mottling tore off of Da like rotten cloth and hung twisting and seeking from my fingers. Frantic, I looked around and, seeing the Enchanter’s fire, I dodged Laurel and ran over, grabbing a handful of flame and shaking the corruption into it.

  The wall of flame parted and Wyln was beside me. “Make it hotter.”

  The flame turned yellow-white in my hand.

  “Good, now contain it,” Wyln said.

  The flame compacted down into a ball and my eyes narrowed against its brightness. I hurried back to my da and, by its light, I pulled off the remnants of the corruption, throwing it into the fire. I then held it up and looked at my uncle, doing the same for him.

  “My sister’s son,” Molyu said. “Please.” The harbormaster opened her mouth and Her Grace snarled back at the faerie. “Take it up with the Council, Lin.” I started to go to the commander, hanging limply in his bonds of air, but was distracted by a thin webbing of pale lines, finer than the ones that had been around Molyu, now visible by the bright light and entangling everyone in the hall. I reached down and pulled one—and the Magus jerked. I looked closer and saw all the strands led back to him.

  “Sodding spider! You’re feeding off of them!”

  Kareste began to weave his fingers openly, pushing against the bonds of air, his lips moving. I hunkered down and ripped one-handedly at the web, but the strands only waved in the air for a moment, then settled down again. Frustrated, I stood up and flung my own fireball down on it. “Burn!”

  “Don’t! You’ll kill everyone!” Ilenaewyn shouted, straining against his bonds, the others making noise with him. “Stop him!”

  “Quiet,” Moraina said. “We are dead already.”

  Fire ran along the strands and the Magus flung his hands out, frost spreading from where he stoo
d on the dais down and along the floor. The fire turned from yellow to dull red.

  “Hotter, Two Trees’son,” Wyln said. “Make it burn hotter.” Laurel’s binding around Kareste burst away from him with a tinkling crash of broken ice, and the Magus stepped off the dais, walking towards me. Suiden moved to block him, but then staggered, his legs giving way. Beside him, Moraina swayed, dark patches appearing along her back.

  Distracted, I turned to them. “Captain! Moraina!”

  Wyln caught my arm. “The fire, Two Trees’son. Make it hotter.”

  Seeing the dragons affected, some broke and ran for the door, only to slump to the floor, drained, the mottling of corruption also blooming on their skin. A small blizzard now surrounded the Magus, the frost spreading further out before his feet. The fire began to wink out.

  I stared at both Suiden and Moraina through the Magus’ storm and thought of the ice dragon Gwyyn who had his lair on the side of a fire mountain in the Upper Reaches. A fire mountain that led straight to the heart of the earth, hot and molten. I reached down and touched a strand. The fire turned bright red, then orange with flickers of yellow, and the Magus staggered back.

  “Hotter,” Wyln said.

  I thought of the sun burning across my back on summer days, so hot that the sky was white with heat. The lines turned solid yellow and steam rose from the floor. The Magus pushed his hands out in front of him and more folk swayed, some falling where they stood. The lines dimmed again.

  “Hotter,” Wyln said.

  I thought of the sun and the earth together, the Creator’s forge that crafted life—steel blinding hot under the master’s hammer as it is struck against the anvil. I called, and me wind roared along the floor as from a bellows, the strands brightening until they sang with heat and light. The Magus was shoved back, sweat pouring down his face.

  “That’s it, Rabbit,” Laurel said, joining Wyln. “Bind them together, earth, wind and fire.” I bound them together, a three-cord binding that flashed over the strands, and I closed my eyes against it, shielding them with my hand. I felt the rune flare hot and fierce in the moment between two heartbeats; then it was gone, the hall becoming cool again. The wind blew gently around me and I staggered, Wyln catching me before I fell.