“I heard,” William said as she turned back toward the bed.
“Stay there,” she said, looking around for her shoes. “I may wish to rejoin you afterward.”
A sly grin appeared on William’s face. “I will not move from this spot.”
Penny found her shoes, put them on and then blew him a kiss. She reopened the door. The servant led her through the now-familiar corridors and to the throne room. From there, they crossed into the small side chamber where the queen monitored the sentinel crystals. As Penny entered, she saw that more had been taken down. These crystals were paired with others spread across the Great Forest. When one detected Dourok’s corruption, the other would begin to slowly spin and cast rainbow-hued light. But the Dourosh had been destroying them. The queen could no longer reliably track the movements of the enemy. Anneli had told her that this had happened in the past, but the Dourosh seemed to be seeking out the crystals with renewed vigor since the siege of Lanion. Now more than ever, they did not want the queen tracking their movements across the Great Forest.
One crystal was glowing, though, and Penny crossed over to the queen, who stood looking at it. “Where?” she asked.
“This crystal is paired with the one carried by General Vahlik.”
Penny tried to remember who Vahlik was. She’d met many of the generals and other officers before they were dispersed to hunt down the fleeing Dourosh. His face appeared in her memory, and she nodded. “He was sent to… to the North Wood. Is that right?”
Queen Anneli turned and moved to the map table. “Yes. When his crystal began glowing, I used my remote sight on him. It seems his army was attacked by a much larger band of Dourosh. He fled along with his attendants. After the battle, under the cover of night, he retraced his steps back toward his camp, hoping to rejoin his men if any survived. That’s when he was captured.”
Penny glanced back at the sentinel crystal. “Is he still alive?”
Anneli lowered her eyes to the map. “No. The crystal is still with his body, but he was killed after… after being forced to tell what he knew of our movements.”
“They tortured him?”
Anneli’s eyes flashed up, and they darkened as she shook her head. “I have some things to explain. Come.”
Anneli led Penny out into the throne room and across to the other side chamber, the sitting room. Inside, they sat on facing settees. “A magical affinity is not always enough. With instruction, an affinity lets one perform basic spells, but it takes talent to control greater magic.”
“Talent?”
“Did you ever meet someone who could do something effortlessly? Often from a very young age? Work wood, perhaps, or shoot a bow?”
Penny nodded.
“That is talent, and it is often tied to magic. The magic of the land… it is not passive. Sometimes it seems to want things. It can begin to shape someone even before their affinity is tested. It can guide them toward a certain path. Do you understand?”
“I do.”
“There is a Dourosh general. I do not know his name, but I saw him as he spoke to General Vahlik. He looked weak—something had happened to him—but it did not prevent him from using his talent. His control of the magic of understanding is remarkable. He has the ability to… manipulate others. He can make them say and do things that they would otherwise not. General Vahlik’s affinity was strong, and he resisted this Dourosh general for close to an hour, but he eventually succumbed. He told the enemy everything he knew. He told them where we sent our soldiers and in what numbers. And he told them about you and Owen. I do not blame him for his failure. His opponent’s will was strong. Stronger, I sense, than any Dourosh commander we’ve encountered for a long time.”
Penny swallowed the lump in her throat. “What does this mean?” she asked quietly.
“It means we may not have as much time as I’d hoped. General Vahlik didn’t know the results of your test, of course, but he did know that you were the one who called the Ember Lion. Anyone who knows that would assume you have an affinity to rival any general, perhaps even a monarch. And Dourok is not a fool. He knows it means that there’s a good chance you have a magical spark within you.”
She glanced through the narrow arched window that overlooked the gardens. “Winter was to be a time or respite; the snow is too deep across the Great Forest for much to be done militarily. But now I fear that if Dourok has any plans, he will hasten them. The enemy will be using their time wisely, and we must do the same.” She pointed a finger at Penny. “You must be ready.”
“I will be. I will do whatever you need me to do.” She looked down at her hands. “You want me to try and get the Lion’s Sword, don’t you?”
Anneli nodded. “I’d planned to travel to the old city of Eranion after the thaw. The winter would have hopefully killed off many of the rogue Dourosh in the area, making the journey somewhat safer. But now we must go before that. You must use the long winter to train with the sword, to learn how to use its magic.”
“I can go at any time. Today.”
Anneli smiled. “You’re not ready yet. But we will begin your instruction today. We will go just after the first winter storm, before our valley is completely blocked in by snow. The cold will drive at least some Dourosh into shelter and weaken them, making them less eager to emerge if they see us pass.”
“And once I have the sword—once I learn to use it—what is the plan?”
“The bulk of our forces are in or near the West Wood. I felt certain that most of the Dourosh would flee in that direction. But this incident with General Vahlik makes me think otherwise. Faric and his scouts are still active in the North Wood, and he will verify whether or not the Dourosh are truly there in strength.”
“Why would they be?”
“I have a suspicion, but it is by no means certain. In the meantime, I will tell the generals I sent west to prepare to return to Lanion. They have a little time left. I want them to verify that there is no large Dourosh army to the west, but I want them back here before the winter so that we may strike north in the spring if necessary.”
Penny fell silent as she considered everything Anneli had told her. She had thought she’d have all winter to develop her powers; now she had to know enough by the end of the autumn to enter Lanioc’s crypt, fight past whatever dangers there might be inside and wield the Lion’s Sword without it destroying her as the crown had nearly destroyed Anneli. The queen had said that the sword was even more powerful than the crown. The crown had not affected Penny, but she had only touched it for a moment. She hadn’t tried to harness the magic stored within it.
She sensed Anneli watching her and knew the queen was reading her thoughts. She wondered if she’d ever learn how to do that.
“You may,” Anneli said in answer to the unasked question. “It’s one of the talents I spoke of. Until you begin your lessons, we won’t know exactly which talents you might possess. But based on what I have seen, you will have a great many of them.” She smiled. “You will be ready.”
“Let me know what I must do.”
Anneli stood. “For now, go back to your chambers. I will have a tutor bring you some children’s books later.”
Penny frowned. “Children’s books?”
Anneli laughed. “Much of what we Lanosh know about magic is taught from a very young age. And besides, you have told me you do not read your language well. You will, however, have to learn to read and speak ours. I can teach you a lot of things, but some of it will require long hours of silent study.”
Penny shook her head. “I can’t. There’s not enough time. Is there?”
Anneli rose and crossed over to Penny’s settee. She stood in front of her and put her arms around Penny’s shoulders. She guided her into an embrace and stroked her hair as Penny’s head rested against the queen’s stomach. Penny relaxed into the embrace. At first, the queen’s affections had made her uncomfortable, but now she understood that the physical contact helped the queen relay what she was trying
to tell Penny. She didn’t know if there might be some other reason for the frequent kisses and hugs, but if there was, it did not bother her.
“There’s enough magic in you to make the task less daunting,” the queen said. “Draw on the magic of understanding. You remember how it feels? How it’s different from the other magic?”
Penny nodded. She felt the particular magic Anneli was speaking of flow up through the both of them.
“Focus on this magic as you study.”
Anneli released Penny. She bent down, kissed her lightly on the cheek and then turned toward the door. Penny watched her go, and after a moment she understood that no servant was coming to lead her back to her room. She knew the way and was trusted enough to wander about the palace alone. She left the side chamber, walked through the empty, echoing throne room and made her way back to William.
Chapter Eight
Devotion
Penny opened the door to her room and slipped inside. William was still in bed, but he was sitting up and sipping from a glass of the pale white wine that the Lanosh drank as freely as water. It was only very mildly intoxicating, and even Penny, who’d previously had little experience without alcohol, only felt its effects after three or four glasses.
“Come back to bed, my love,” William said as she smiled at him.
She quickly undressed and slipped beneath the covers, letting his arm wrap around her. He offered her the glass, and she took a sip before handing it back. The wine soothed her parched throat and warmed her. She had never asked, but she would not have been surprised if there was some magic involved in its creation. Much of the food and drink in Lanion seemed to have similar restorative qualities. The effects were slight, but ever since her magical abilities had been awakened, she had become much more aware of them. She was beginning to sense the influence of magic in other things, too, even in the architecture of the buildings. Perhaps everything here was touched by magic; perhaps what she was experiencing was normal for the Lanosh. After all, the magic came from the earth, and in extension, every stone, every plant, every piece of wood or metal, also came from the earth. She wondered if she would still sense the magic if she traveled beyond the borders of the Great Forest, back to Emberlyn. She hadn’t handled any of the items she’d brought from home since the test of her magical affinity. Maybe if she held her book of legends she could feel if there was magic in the leather and parchment.
Thinking about the book reminded her of William teaching her to read by the glowing lights in the water near the healing fountain. She’d still loved George then, but now, looking back, she recognized that her feelings for William had already been developing. George had been comfortable and familiar, but with him she had never felt the fire William had ignited inside her. If George had lived—if he’d been rescued along with her, William, Owen and Sir Stephen—would she still feel she loved him? Or would her feelings for William have continued to grow? She thought about the visions she’d been having. Were they simply a product of her guilt over recovering from George’s loss so quickly?
“Why, you have a kiss upon your cheek,” William said teasingly, bringing her attention back to the present.
Penny wiped at the spot where Anneli had kissed her, leaving her pink lip coloring behind.
“Should I be jealous?”
Penny laughed. “She always kisses me. You know that.”
William set the glass down on the nightstand and scratched his chin. “She does, doesn’t she?”
Penny’s smile remained. He’d teased her about this before. “Well, she is quite beautiful,” she said.
“Do you suppose she prefers the… ah, affections… of women?”
“I don’t know. We never talked of such things in my village.”
“It’s not unheard of in the larger cities, you know. It’s slightly scandalous, but not unheard of. A hundred years ago, of course, it would have been quite taboo, but these days….” He cocked an eyebrow. “I understand that some people even prefer both.”
Penny’s cheeks reddened. “Well, I don’t.”
“That’s good to hear.”
She shifted and looked at him. “Don’t I give ample proof of that?”
William shrugged. “Perhaps I’ll need more convincing. But first, tell me what she said to you. Why was it necessary to wake us so early?”
Penny told him about her meeting with Anneli. As she talked about General Vahlik’s death, following his interrogation by the Dourosh general, William’s playful expression faded. She told him how she’d have to begin her studies immediately, and that even then she might not have enough time to learn everything she’d need to know.
When she finished, William wrapped both arms back around her and looked into her eyes. “You’re so brave to take all this on.”
“What choice do I have? If I wasn’t prepared to help the Lanosh, we would be sent back to Emberlyn with our minds enfeebled.”
“I don’t mean just that. Some people, if they’d been told they had this potential for such great power, would not be able to cope. But you take it all in stride. So does Owen.”
“Growing up the way we did, we had to take everything in stride. Disaster was always just one accident or mistake away. One wrong step and our lives could be ruined forever. For instance, there was a girl who got pregnant by a boy. She had lain with him only a single time, but it was enough. But they weren’t married, and she was so shunned that she had to leave the village in shame. Even her parents wouldn’t speak to her. I don’t know what happened to her for certain, but there was a rumor she’d gone to Reevesby and become a… a ‘fallen woman,’ as they say. If she had been rich, that wouldn’t have happened.”
William shrugged. “You’d be surprised. I’ve heard about more than one noble daughter being sent away to live with relatives so as not to shame her family. The child would be born in secret and raised by a married cousin or aunt. Sometimes the girl’s own mother would raise it as her own child, with the true mother having to pretend to be the baby’s sister. As different as our lives were before this, we were both from Emberlyn, Penny. We both lived by the same rules. I don’t mean to say I didn’t have it substantially better because of my station, but everyone struggles in their own way. Everyone suffers.”
Penny looked up at the ceiling. It was decorated with a geometric design painted in subdued reds, blues and greens. “At least here in Lanion, the suffering isn’t caused by those who are supposed to care for you. The queen and the nobles don’t let the poor of the city starve. And I doubt a daughter who got pregnant here would be sent away by her own family.”
“It may not even be a concern here. Perhaps every daughter is protected by the same spell Anneli cast upon you so that they don’t find themselves with child until the time of their choosing.”
“Perhaps. And I’m glad for it. With everything I have to do and learn, raising a child right now would be impossible. But not being able to share my bed with you would be just as difficult. I love you, and I can’t do this without you.”
William ran his hand along her cheek. “And I am here for you. You have my devotion, Penny, and nothing will ever change that. So tell me, how can I help?”
“By being here when I need you. And… by letting me be when I need that. Anneli said I’ll need to spend a lot of time in solitary study.”
William nodded toward the door leading into the adjoining room. “I can sleep in there when you need to burn the midnight candle.”
“Thank you. There might be many such nights.”
“But hopefully not tonight?”
“No, not tonight. And not right now.”
She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. She parted them and let his tongue slip into her mouth. Beneath the covers, she could feel his arousal growing. She wriggled closer to him and melted into the warmth radiating off his body. She passed a hand across a firm bicep then wrapped it around to his back, pulling him into her. He slipped a leg between hers and slowly ran it up then back
down again, sending a thrill through her. She couldn’t wait any longer. She turned over onto her back and threw the covers away, letting the cool air caress her as William nuzzled into her neck, kissing and licking his way back up to her lips. Seconds later, he was atop her, and for several sweet moments, all her fears and worries disappeared.
Chapter Nine
Interrogation
Faric waved his hand across an arrow and felt his body weaken slightly as the magic flowed from the earth, through him and into the arrow. Several weeks in the wilderness, constantly on the move, were beginning to take their toll, but he pushed back against the exhaustion as he nocked the arrow to his bowstring, drew back and released it into the air. The fleeing figure was barely a speck at the edge of the clearing, but the arrow’s flight shifted first one way and then another before sailing back down and planting itself between the Dourosh’s shoulder blades.
Faric spun around, scanning the tattered remains of the camp on the northeastern shore of Lake Dranith. If there were any more Dourosh lurking in the abandoned tents, his men would find them. He spotted Morrick and Laeock near the right edge of the camp. Arric and the other two scouts had gone around the left side.
Faric turned his attention to the groaning man at his feet. He studied the dark, twisted features of the Dourosh for a moment before bending down and propping the man up against the body of one of his dead comrades. They’d encountered eight of them in all and had made quick work of seven before his scouts went to search the camp. Faric had remained behind to deal with the smartest among them, the one who’d fled at the first sign of trouble. He glanced at the still body lying face down near the tree line.
“Quite a shot, wasn’t it?” he said to his captive.
The Dourosh spit on the ground at Faric’s feet.
Faric took a step back. “So what are you? A guard left behind to see if anyone came back to the camp, or a deserter just trying to scavenge for food?”
“I’m no deserter.”
The Lion's Crypt (The Emberlyn Chronicles Book 2) Page 5