by Jackie Dana
To underscore his friend’s words, Fantion stepped forward and boldly raised the sword until the tip rested on the Aldrish’s shoulder.
To his credit, Rynar did not flinch when the sword’s fine edge came within inches of his face. Instead, he stood his ground with a confidence few men could have displayed under such circumstances. “Fhaoli, if your plan is to kill me, then do it quickly. Otherwise return my sword to me and let me go.”
Fantion raised an eyebrow. “Calling my bluff, Aldrish?” he said sternly, the blade moving ever closer towards Rynar’s neck.
“Fantion, don’t.” The old animosities were back in place now that Nyvas was out of danger. She pushed herself up from the floor and stood in front of them.
“Aye, perhaps not.” Fantion lowered the blade and slid it into the scabbard, and in a gesture she had not predicted, presented it with both hands to the Aldrish. Smiling, he added, “Kate bargained for your life, and since she met her end of the deal, I shall meet mine. However, I promise that if our paths cross again, I may not be so generous.”
The corner of Rynar’s mouth jerked in annoyance as he grabbed his sword. After fingering the hilt for a few seconds, likely trying to decide whether or not to use the weapon himself, he belted it around his waist. “Nor will I.”
Still grinning, Fantion put his hands on his hips. “Your glysar chain and ring we gave to Kate, to use in her negotiations. We assume the Vosira has kept them safe in your absence.”
With stiff shoulders, narrowed eyes and lips pressed tightly together, Rynar had a distinctly murderous appearance. He had been used and humiliated, and his exhaustion made him short-tempered. Rather than respond to the flippant remark, he turned his head back towards her, though not quite enough to look at her again. “Please come with me, Kate,” he tried again, this time phrasing it as a request rather than a command. “I will protect you from harm, which is more than the likes of this one can promise.”
She had listened to the men battling over her like she was a commodity. No one had asked what she wanted to do, and although ostensibly both had her interests in heart, it had almost become a game, to see who had the stronger argument, whose force of will would prevail.
She didn’t want to go back with Rynar. Here she was with friends, with men she believed she could trust, despite their status—while the Aldrish had unclear motives. There was also the distinct possibility that she would be held accountable for the day’s events, and not entirely without cause. But in the end, there was only one decision she could make, for there was a bigger picture to consider, and things still to do.
She turned to Fantion. “I’m sorry, but I have to go back. You understand why.”
He nodded, and Lysander stepped forward. “Do what you can for him, Kate.”
“I will.”
After rapid farewells, she was the first one out of the house. As Fantion had described, the Senvosra—and the horses—were nowhere to be found.
That left Rynar and Kate no choice but to walk back to the keep.
Chapter 41
She was jarred awake by a door slamming shut.
“What’s going on?” she asked as she sat up, a bit groggy and disoriented. She had dropped onto Rynar’s bed and passed out almost as soon as they had returned to the keep. She looked over to the floor but the blankets he always slept on were nowhere to be found.
First there was an exasperated sigh, and then she turned to see Rynar in the doorway, shaking his head. “It was unbelievable.” He crumpled into the closest chair and dropped his medallion on the table beside him. “I’ve been up all night trying to convince the Vosira not to execute us both at midday.” He was completely worn out and defeated, his eyes once again red and puffy, and his hair completely disheveled. It was a look he did not wear well. “Although he finally relented, I’m not convinced that he won’t change his mind.”
“What?” His words set her heart racing. As he poured himself a mug of wine, she stepped over to the window and peeked beyond the curtain. “It’s nearly dawn.”
“Aye, it is,” he said, his weariness evident in his words.
She took a seat beside him. “So what happened? Are things really that bad?” She expected to be safe in his company, and hadn’t considered that Bedoric would threaten the Aldrish himself. “Surely he won’t do it?”
With a sigh, he continued. “The Vosira and nearly everyone on the Council were absolutely convinced that you had masterminded everything that happened yesterday. Even worse, because your friends didn’t kill me, someone, Solerav maybe, suggested it was some conspiracy we came up with together, although to what end, I have no idea.” He drained his cup. Then he narrowed his eyes as he glared at her. “I don’t suppose I need to tell you how humiliating it was for me to have to argue my own innocence in this affair.”
It was the wrong thing to say, and anger flushed her cheeks. “Did you succeed?” she asked, sarcasm heavy in her words.
He seemed not to notice her tone. “Aye, they finally realized it was complete foolishness, but it still took all blasted night.” His careful facade had fallen, and he was being overly emotional. Stress and exhaustion had taken their toll on him. “You have no idea what it was like.”
“Oh. Well, I’m so sorry to have inconvenienced you like that. Next time I’ll arrange for a more convenient kidnapping.”
He had just pulled off one of his boots. When she said that, he froze with his hands on his ankle. “What are you talking about, Kate? I just saved your life.”
“Then we’re even.”
From the blank look on his face, she could tell her words shocked him. “Blast it all, Kate,” he exclaimed, and threw his boot across the room. “So you would have preferred that I let him burn you in the square?”
“Oh stop it already! You wouldn’t have let him do that. You’re just saying that now because you want me to be grateful to you. I really wish you’d stop trying so hard to impress me.”
He shook his head violently, and in the back of his throat, made a sound of disgust. “What are you talking about? It’s not about impressing you. Didn’t you hear me a moment ago? I spent this whole night trying to save your life!”
“Save me? From what you said a minute ago, it sounds like you were trying to save yourself.” She flung her arms into the air, as if ready to fight him physically as much as verbally. “At any rate, I never asked you to be my personal savior. Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?”
“I—” he began, and then his mouth moved without speaking, as he choked back a comment he thought better of saying. Then he threw his head back and breathed in a long, deep breath, releasing it slowly.
“Why don’t you just admit it, Rynar? You’ve been lying to me since day one, trying to win me over to your ‘side’, though for the life of me, I can’t figure out which side that is.”
“That isn’t true, my dear,” he said in a low voice. “I haven’t lied to you.”
“So you keep telling me. And yet, you still deny that it was your idea to imprison both Nyvas and Dosedra Arric in the first place?”
“Aye!” He sucked in a breath. “Why won’t you believe me? Their arrests were as much a surprise to me as they were to you. I had no part to play in that.”
“Do you still think they’re guilty of murder?”
“Kate, do we need to discuss this now? I’m exhausted.”
No better time than the present, she thought. She hadn’t forgotten how he had tried to pump her for information right after she had returned from Bhoren, and there might never be another chance to discuss this when his guard was down. “Yes, we do. You always try to avoid this conversation, and I want to know where you stand. The honest truth of it all.”
“I don’t want to avoid it, I just—”
“Then tell me the truth, right here and now.”
He leaned back in the chair, and swung his head back. “Nay. I do not believe they’re guilty.”
“Seriously? Then you need to help Arric now.”
He rolled his head upright again. “My dear, be reasonable. I’m not going to betray Vosira Bedoric.”
“You already have.”
He stared at her suspiciously. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I doubt he’d want to hear what happened last night, and how you helped save Nyvas’s life.”
“You wouldn’t dare say anything.” He scowled at her. “I just convinced him that we’re innocent. Why would you try to undo all of that?”
“I’m not. I’m just trying to make a point. Sometimes there are things more important than politics and blind loyalty. Don’t you see? I’m just trying to do what’s right. And if you care about that, you’ll help me.”
He sighed again, and his chin bobbed up a bit. “My dear, I can barely keep my eyes open. Allow me to sleep on it, and I promise, we shall discuss this later.”
Chapter 42
Shortly after Rynar fell asleep, Lillia appeared with a tray of food.
“My lady, where is the Aldrish? Erdal said that he would not need breakfast.” She set the tray on the table by the window. “I told him I’d bring yours.”
Kate gestured to the closed door. “He was up all night with Vosira Bedoric and just now fell asleep.”
“Indeed? I have never heard of him sleeping past sunrise. May I?” Lillia asked.
“Be my guest.” She opened the door to the inner chamber herself. Inside, the Aldrish was passed out, face-down, on his bed, still fully-clothed and laying on top of the blankets. He snored lightly and rolled over even as the two women spied on him.
Lillia smiled, and turned her attention to the tray on the table, where she worked to slice a small loaf of bread. “It must have been quite a meeting.” She shook her head as she stacked the slices neatly, and then dusted the crumbs from her hands onto her apron. “I heard what happened yesterday. We were all quite worried for you and the Aldrish. Word is that you both returned unharmed, but—” her eyes traveled from Kate’s face to the gown, which was torn and filthy. “Oh, my lady, I had no idea.” She stepped closer and examined the bruises on her face. “That must hurt quite a bit.”
“No, I’m fine,” she lied. In truth, not only her face hurt. Even though the kidnapping had been by friends, twice she had been tied up, and she had been thrown from a horse, dragged down dungeon stairs, and faced the possibility of her own death and quite nearly the death of a friend. Without question, it was the most frightening day of her life. When she had fallen asleep, she hadn’t given herself any time to process any of it, and this morning she had awakened so abruptly that her thoughts hadn’t sorted themselves out. She had been standing at the window, but now found a chair and fell into it, feeling her body starting to quiver.
“You’re anything but fine,” Lillia remarked, shaking her head. “You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, and I cannot imagine how you must be feeling.” She poured a mug full of wine, and handed it to Kate. “Drink this first, it will calm you. Then I’ll help you clean yourself up.”
True to her word, once she had drained the mug, Lillia took her to the baths, and for the first time in days, soldiers didn’t trail her every move. While she soaked in a tub of warm water, Lillia brought the more formal gown she usually only wore in the evenings.
As she inspected Kate’s face and arms, she shook her head. “My lady, these bruises...” She made a tsk-tsk sound with her tongue. “After this, I’m going to take you to Torv for some salves.”
“Torv?”
“Aye, he’s the apothecary, and should have something to fix you right up.” She poured water over Kate’s hair.
“Thanks.” The combination of the wine and the bath was calming her down again. “That would help, I guess.”
“Do you wish to talk about what happened?” Lillia asked while they remained within the privacy of the bath. “I heard you were able to negotiate for the Aldrish’s release. That was quite brave.”
“Really? You know about that?”
“Aye, of course. The whole keep is abuzz with the story. You’re quite a hero to go such lengths to save your friend.” She winked.
“It wasn’t quite like that...”
Lillia smiled. “You don’t need to say anything more, my lady. I knew Stavan as a boy, and I never believed he was involved in the Vosira’s murder. It’s not in his nature to harm another. I also know that you and the Dosedra traveled with him and their friends.”
“Wow, I had no idea that was all common knowledge...”
She winked at Kate. “It’s not.”
“Well, that’s good to know. But now that it’s over, I’m even more worried about Dosedra Arric. If Bedoric believes he was involved in a conspiracy...”
The maid stared at her for a moment, as if surprised that she would confide such a fact in her. Then she glanced to the closed door to the baths. “I am concerned about him as well.” She tapped her lips. “I really shouldn’t say this—no one is supposed to speak with the Dosedra, but...” she looked over her shoulder, as if to confirm again that the door was shut. In a low voice, she continued. “A boy, Haras, takes him his meals and cares for his personal needs. And Haras’ mother is a good friend of mine.” She frowned. “From what the boy has said, the Dosedra was initially quite agitated and active in the tower, demanding to be released, but the past few days he’s become quite sullen and hasn’t even chatted with Haras at all. He just sits at the window and stares out. I don’t believe he’s eaten anything for days.”
Kate realized that Arric would not have heard about yesterday’s events, and Nyvas’s rescue. He probably believed his friend had died. “Lillia, I wish we could help him.”
The maid met her eyes. “Ah, my lady, I’ve had the same desire myself. He has many enemies in Loraden, but none among the servants. We all remember him fondly, for he treated us with respect, something his brother never has. I only wish he knew it himself, because I think it would help him to know his people care about him.”
“His people?” The phrase surprised her. “You say that as though he was Vosira, not his brother.”
“He’s a royal son. Even if he’s not Vosira, people still look up to him, even after all that’s happened.” She reached for a towel and handed it to Kate. “Let’s get you dressed so I can take you to Torv.”
Chapter 43
The kitchens were hot and smoky, thick with the smells of yeast, animal blood and grease. On long wooden tables stretching under the stone archways, women were busy kneading dough that would rise through the day and be ready for the ovens before nightfall. At wide hearths, boys turned newly-butchered lambs and goats on spits, the fat sizzling and sputtering on the fire. Such labors would continue through the day, she realized, so that the Bhagali would have a luxurious evening meal.
Lillia had instructed her to wait there, but as she watched the workers, she couldn’t fathom why the maid had left her here.
Suddenly a voice greeted her from behind. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
Kate spun around, only to come face to face with a tall man, perhaps in his sixties, wearing a simple lightweight tunic and trousers. His hair was shaggy and ill-cut, and entirely gray, and under a thick beard his face was pale, and heavily creased with wrinkles, like a freshly-plowed field. He was also barefoot. All in all he reminded Kate of hermits depicted in comic strips.
She squeaked in surprise, not expecting this at all. “Who are you?”
“I am Torv. Did Lillia not tell you she was bringing you to see me?”
“Yeah, but—” she looked around the kitchen.
Offering no further explanation, he began walking and waved her to follow. “Come with me, my child, come along. I promise not to keep you long.”
Without pausing to see if she was behind him, Torv nimbly headed towards the far wall of the kitchen, stopping at a narrow wooden door in the tower. Hoisting a torch from a bracket on the wall, he waved her forward. “Follow me.”
It was a staircase almost identical to the one that l
ed to the dungeons, and she stopped cold. “No, I’m not doing this again,” she said in a panic, backing away from the stairwell that stretched downward.
“Bhara, it simply leads to my workshop. Ask anyone here,” he offered, waving to the many cooks. “I heard what happened to you, so I understand your hesitation, but I promise there is nothing down here that will harm you. Please join me, as I believe I have something that can help you.”
“It’s just bruises.” She took another step backwards, feeling her heart racing.
“Child, there are more than bruises that ail you. Come along.”
There was something intriguing about how he said that, and she wondered what he referred to. Surely Lillia hadn’t led her to a trap, and if Vosira Bedoric wanted her in prison, there were much simpler ways to make that happen. So with trepidation, she allowed Torv to lead her down the narrow, winding steps, and she tried to reassure herself that she was safe.
After yesterday, it wasn’t an easy descent, however, and more than once she had to catch her breath and will herself past the terror that she felt welling up inside her. But even knowing the potential danger, she kept going. At the base of the steps, she followed him down a hallway that was close and damp, with walls of dirty stone, unpainted and unwashed. It continued to be so much like the dungeon that she had to struggle to maintain her composure and fight against the urge to run back upstairs.
There was one difference; there was a single light shining from a room halfway down the hall. Torv shuffled towards the doorway.
She held her breath, and braced herself for an attack. However, when she stepped inside, instead of a small, somber room, she was astonished to find a spacious chamber with whitewashed walls, lined with shelves loaded with hundreds of jars, bottles, boxes, and bowls. Along the back wall there were several rows of large books stacked neatly. A fire was crackling in a small hearth, and a pair of large work tables filled much of the space.