Sword and Illusion

by Nancy S. Brandt

  "You want him dead? Or is he merely to lose?" Lord Oliver was studying a parchment.

  Moonrazer recognized it as the invitation to the Choosing Rituals she'd put her seal on.

  The king spoke again. "I do want him dead. I'm finished playing this cat-and-mouse game of waiting for the Dragons to do the job. I will have Tellan."

  "Of course, that is for the Dragons to decide." Lord Oliver raised one eyebrow.

  Rillaur clenched his jaw.

  "You will be Lord Olivier, my cousin, who is attending the competition in my place."

  Lord Olivier's amused face was the last thing she saw as the vision began to fade. In the distance, she heard the mighty and anguished roar of Nightwind.

  Everything Whiteshadow suggested seemed to be true. Lord Olivier had been an assassin.

  Varian was crouched near a wall, his hands covering his face and his body shaking with silent sobs.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Moonrazer paced the empty courtyard. The early morning had yet to show even the slightest evidence of sun. The darkness made it easier for her to be outside and still have her privacy. Few of the servants were awake yet.

  She, however, hadn't been able to sleep at all.

  Tomorrow night the Offerings would be presented in the ballroom. That was the last thing to be done for this regrettable experience to be over, but right now, she wished she could cancel the whole thing.

  Her body was growing weaker and preparing her to become a mother. Without conceiving a child, she would lose all her strength and eventually would no longer be capable of fighting.

  As Exalted Warrior, she had a duty to her people to be a role model for younger warriors.

  Even knowing that, she would give it all up if she could take back what had happened in the Pinnacle Room last night.

  The look on Prince Varian's face after seeing Lord Olivier, or whatever his real name was, kill his wife and son had broken her heart in a way few things in her life had.

  She wanted to go to him and tell him how sorry she was, but he and his valet had disappeared almost before the smoke cleared.

  When she had gone to the Candidates' barracks, searching him out, Whiteshadow found her and reminded her now that all the judging was done, she should not see any of the Candidates until the Offering.

  The frustration of not knowing what to do with herself was making her crazy. She wished she could take Wind Rider out, but it was still dark, and it wouldn't do anyone any good if she injured herself again.

  Still, there was nothing stopping her from visiting her animal. Perhaps just being around the horses would ease her mind and give her some peace.

  She made her way across the snow-covered courtyard. More had fallen in the night, and she savored the sound of it crunching under her feet.

  Arriving at the stable, she was surprised to see several lanterns were lit.

  As she took another step, she heard quiet movement and singing inside the stall that housed Lucan's horse, Smokey Traveler. Carefully, she peeked inside so as not to disturb whoever was working.

  What she saw surprised her.

  Lucan sat on the ground, gently rubbing ointment into the leg of one of Moonrazer's horses, Gray Torch. At the same time, he serenaded the animal with what sounded like a lullaby.

  Gray Torch was an offspring of two of her better horses, and Moonrazer had the highest hopes for him.

  She stood as still as she could and watched.

  His family bred and raised horses, so it came as no surprise that he knew how to care for them. Not everyone, however, who tended horses really cared for them. Lucan was clearly one of those rare ones.

  If Wind Rider had been injured, she wouldn't have wanted to leave his care to the stable master, as much as she trusted him. She would have been in Rider's stall, ministering to him much as Lucan was to this foal right now.

  He put the small crock of ointment on the ground next to him and stood up.

  Moonrazer tried to move away but he saw her.

  "Warrior?"

  "I am sorry," she said. "I did not mean to disturb you. I could not sleep, so I…"

  Her voice trailed off as he raised his gaze at her. "It's not a problem. I'm happy to see you."

  "I really should go. I am not supposed to have contact with any of the Candidates before tomorrow."

  He walked across the stall floor toward her. "Is Varian well? I heard about what happened at the top of the Tower. It's all anyone is talking about."

  Moonrazer sighed and rubbed her shoulder. "Prince Varian does not need servants to gossip about him and his misfortunes. He has been through too much already." She started toward the door.

  "Wait." Lucan touched her arm. "Where are you going?"

  "I want to put a stop to the talk."

  "Before you go, I'd like to get your opinion on one of the other horses. The stable master thinks she's ready for her first breeding, but I don't agree."

  He led her to one of the nearby stalls.

  Moonrazer knew this horse, as she did all the residents of her stable other than those belonging to visitors. Painted Elegance was a filly Moonrazer had received as a gift from the father of one of her warriors.

  She patted Elegance's nose. "I have been hoping she would grow into a strong mare and breed with Rider. I think she will be ready at the end of the rainy season."

  Lucan bowed slightly. "Of course, I defer to your wisdom." He took her hand. "On our world, we would wait a few months more."

  "I would agree, except we want the horse to be born during the spring. These winters are too harsh for young foals, and they must begin running outside soon after they are born."

  "All of this has been hard on you, too," he said.

  "It is my duty."

  "Do you ever think about what you might have done if you hadn't found the Sword of Justice?"

  "I used to. When I first found the Sword, the Sarl were still nomads, and I was trying to find a way to bring us back here. At first, I resented my responsibility for tying me down. I missed traveling with no cares."

  "Would you go back to that life if you could?"

  She shook her head. "I do not think I would want to now. My people were scattered all over the Known Worlds, and I did everything I could to find the warriors. I have given them a home."

  "Still, what if you could go back to your first dream?"

  "I am not a dreamer. Despite my sister's best efforts, I think I have come to love our traditions, and I want to be part of them."

  "I find much about the Sarl to be intriguing," he said. "The Dragon Protector, for instance."

  "Nightwind?" Moonrazer blinked in surprise. "Your world does not have a Dragon Protector?"

  "I believe all the Known Worlds have Protectors, but I've never seen ours." He shook his head. "I have never seen anything so magnificent as that animal."

  "Nightwind is much more than an animal. He is a trusted friend. I have relied on his advice many times."

  Lucan's eyes grew wide. "You speak to him?"

  She furrowed her brow, thinking of the best way to answer this question. "It is not speaking, exactly," she said finally. "It is more like we merge our minds. I can feel what he feels and hear his thoughts."

  "What is he thinking now?"

  Moonrazer laughed. "I cannot hear him now. I generally have to be in Dragon form."

  "You can transform into a Dragon?"

  "Not under my own power," she said. "This is hard to explain. When Nightwind and I are together, I transform. I do not know how it works. I think he must use magic somehow."

  "This is amazing," Lucan said, shaking his head. "I never imagined anything like this. The more I know, the more fascinating I find you."

  Moonrazer couldn't help being flattered by his words. She liked being with him.

  ****

  As Moonrazer headed for the Tower, a young man in a Dosal uniform on horseback rushed through the gate. She recognized him as Godric, the young errand runner assigned to Olaf.<
br />
  "Warrior." He reined his horse to a sliding stop and leaped off, pulling a scroll from inside his coat. "Master Olaf said these are what you were looking for."

  She took the scrolls from him and quickly unrolled one after the other.

  Indeed, the Mother Prioress did have the authority to ask for the death of a Candidate for an unworthy Offering. However, these commentaries by Mother Bloodring specified what an unworthy Offering was, and Moonrazer smiled in relief.

  "Thank you, Godric," she said, reaching into her belt pouch. She gave him a small silver coin. "Tell the Dosal master that I have said you are to have a full week off from your duties. Take this coin and spend it however you will."

  Godric looked at the money in his hand, and his eyes grew wide. Moonrazer knew he made less than half of that in a moon cycle of duties.

  "Thank you, Warrior," he said, bowing.

  "When you left him, how fared Olaf?"

  "Master Olaf had just come out of the lake," Godric said. "He will be coming back as soon as he can, but he wanted the scrolls to come ahead of him."

  "I look forward to hearing what he has to say. Thank you again for your service."

  Godric bowed again, and then led his horse toward the stable.

  The Exalted Warrior went into the Tower, smiling. She tapped the scrolls with her fingers. Knowing what constituted an unworthy offering would be very useful, if Whiteshadow decided to try to use that option at the Offering the next day.

  ****

  Whiteshadow knelt at the altar rail, but her mind wasn't on the prayers as her fingers absently counted the beads.

  Tomorrow evening, Moonrazer would choose the man who would be the Consort Intended. If she chose Lucan, then all of Whiteshadow's plans would come together.

  The thought of Moonrazer and Lucan together hurt, but the thought of Moonrazer's wounded expression when Lucan left her for Whiteshadow brought a smile to her lips.

  Then she frowned. Such petty thoughts were beneath her.

  She had a mission, and her own emotions had to be put aside for the sake of that mission. The prophecy must be fulfilled. A new Exalted Warrior had to be found from an unexpected place. While it wasn't spelled out where that unexpected place was, she knew it had to be the Fountain of Infallible Light.

  Once Lucan and Moonrazer had become one flesh, he would be made Sword Bearer. Then, at the Confluence of Three Moons, he could give the Sword of Justice to Whiteshadow.

  With the Sword, she would be named Exalted Warrior and once she judged Moonrazer guilty of treason, she could lead the Sarl back to their heritage of war.

  Lucan was the key. No woman in her right mind would be able to resist his charms.

  A voice behind her broke the silence. "I don't think I can do this."

  Whiteshadow spun around, seeing Lucan seated on a bench behind her.

  "What are you doing here?" she said, looking around to be sure they were alone.

  "I made sure no one saw me," he said. "I locked the chapel door."

  She went toward him.

  "Wait," he said, stopping her from running into his arms. "I can't let Moonrazer choose me. I can't be with her when I love you."

  "What are you talking about? We have a plan. We have to stick to it. The Sarl need a leader to take them back to the traditions of the past. It is the Holy One's will that we do this."

  "Why us? We're just two people. If this is truly His will, He can make it happen without us. He can find someone else who won't have to use deception to accomplish His plans."

  "He chose me." Whiteshadow's heart pounded in her chest.

  Lucan's confession of love thrilled her heart, but her plan was too important.

  Tears welled up in her eyes, and she saw the same thing in his.

  "Listen to me," she said. "We will be together after all this is over. I will be the Exalted Warrior, and you will be my Consort. You just need to get the Sword from her, and you cannot do that without becoming her mate."

  "How can this deception and trickery be the Holy One's will? In the short amount of time I've spent with your sister, I've found her to be a strong and noble woman. It can't be right to hurt her like this."

  These words started a fire simmering in Whiteshadow. Was he starting to fall in love with Moonrazer?

  "You haven't known her, or the Sarl, or even the Holy One as long as I have. Trust me, she is a cowardly woman who has let her fear of war corrupt the hearts of our people."

  "Moonrazer has never seemed cowardly to me. Didn't she say she'd send help to that Raphael fellow?"

  "Trust me, she won't do it. Not yet. She thinks her warriors are not ready, and she is not preparing them. Why are Sarl women farming the land and caring for their children? Why are they not fighting for justice out among the Worlds created by the Holy One?"

  When Lucan didn't respond, she continued. "Moonrazer has grown soft. When enemies come, and Prophecy says there is a dark time coming, where will the Known Worlds find its salvation? The people will need the Sarl, the angelic warriors. Our blades must be sharp and our hearts need to be as cold and hard as steel, or all will be lost. Moonrazer will not be the one to lead us then."

  "I will do as you say." Lucan looked her in the eye. "When I make love to her, I will pretend I'm with you."

  Whiteshadow fidgeted. She didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to picture her lover in the arms of her sister.

  He stroked her hair as he continued. "You two look somewhat alike. In the dark, perhaps I can imagine her hair is as light as yours." He lifted a lock of her hair to his face and inhaled. "It won't smell like incense and flowers, but I will remember how your scent envelops me when she is poised above me."

  Whiteshadow swallowed the lump that had suddenly developed in her throat. She couldn't pull away from the exquisite torture of listening to him talk about making love to her sister as he continued to describe her own beauty and sexual appeal.

  "Your skin is more intoxicating, but I will have to make do with a mere shadow of that elixir as I caress her body and wish it were yours."

  She felt her resolve weakening. Had the Evil One gotten into Lucan's heart? Was that why her love was saying all these things?

  Whiteshadow couldn't stop the jealousy welling up in her. Would it be possible for Lucan to fall in love with the Exalted Warrior? Could she lose him to her sister?

  He said, "You're hurt. You don't really want this either."

  Whiteshadow stared at him. "You said all this to hurt me, to make me change my mind about the plan?"

  "I only spoke the truth."

  Turning her back on him was the only way to keep her resolve. "We must go through with it. Our own feelings do not matter right now. We must focus on the goal."

  She walked to the window, keeping him behind her so she didn't have to see his face. "Can I count on you, Lucan?"

  "Yes." He sounded defeated.

  ****

  The next day dawned with gray clouds and freezing rain spattering the windows of the Exalted Warrior's bedchamber.

  With a sigh, Moonrazer got off her bed, pulled a fur blanket around her shoulders, and took her prayer beads off the bedside table.

  She began to kneel but her knees protested.

  The sun was just beginning to lighten the sky as she sat before a small table that held a replica of the Holy One's Star and the warrior's personal prayer book.

  Praying, she watched the sun rise and wished, with all her heart, that she could cancel the Choosing Ritual.

  What about Lullo? He was her father and yet a mystery.

  Her mother, Moonshadow, had only mentioned his name once, when Moonrazer was fostered to her aunt, Blackmoon, to learn to be a warrior.

  "Make Lullo proud," her mother whispered in her ear as they embraced. "Be strong and brave."

  Before Moonrazer could ask any questions, Blackmoon lifted her to the back of a horse, and they rode off.

  Later, as they camped near a waterfall for the night, Blackmoon explaine
d that Lullo was her "real" father and Tygre was Whiteshadow's father.

  "How can that be?" Moonrazer had asked, but Blackmoon only shook her head.

  "Someday, when you are grown, perhaps you will understand."