“I am aware.”
“And that I’m washing.”
“Gracious, is that the purpose of the room?” Fae’s voice was muffled through the door.
Rufus couldn’t help but smile. “In which case, enter at your leisure, but it may cause you some distress to know that I’m naked.”
Fae laughed, “I have already seen you naked.”
“Apparently everybody has,” Rufus mumbled.
“Just stay in the bath and it won’t be a problem.” Fae opened the door and slipped in, her face bright. “Good morning.”
“Good afternoon,” Rufus corrected. He could feel the shift of the reigning gods outside, and noon was already upon them.
“How do you feel today?”
“Cleaner.” Rufus skimmed his hand across the surface of the water. “I say,” he noted, “you’re wearing a dress.”
Fae looked down at herself with a vague horror. “Titania, I was tricked.”
Rufus tittered dryly. “I haven’t seen you in a dress since Sarrin.”
“You haven’t seen me since Sarrin.”
“I have. In here.” Rufus tapped his forehead grimly. “What do you want, in any case?”
“To speak.”
“If that was all, you could have waited until I was finished. So it must be important,” Rufus said glumly. “I presume it’s to do with training Joshua?”
Fae folded her arms. “My brother, Korrick, has agreed to teach him.”
“Excuse me if I don’t fling myself about the room in jubilation.”
“It’s nothing to turn your nose up about—Korrick is the finest teacher in the Neve. He made me the fighter I am today. Joshua would be privileged to learn under him.”
Rufus grunted, splashing water onto his face and rubbing his cheeks. “I’m sure,” he mumbled and then dropped his hands, ashamed. “Thank you,” he forced himself to say. “It can’t have been an easy task convincing him.”
“It wasn’t, but he’s willing to do it on a condition.”
“A condition?” Rufus’s breath caught. Something hissed in his ear, like an advisor leaning over to whisper a warning.
Ah—a condition, is it? the dark thoughts said. So there’s the snag.
“It’s nothing to worry about,” Fae said and Rufus almost stood.
“Oh no,” he pointed accusingly at her, “I know what you Sidhe are like. Given half a chance you’d trick us out of our virtue, fortune and freedom—don’t take me for an idiot!”
Fae blinked. “Excuse me?”
Innocent face, Rufus thought, looking into her brilliant green eyes. Lovely face—but I’m sure Niamh looked lovely too, on the day she bartered for her slaves.
“I know the truth,” Rufus said, “the truth about Boyd. That he was stolen away because of an archaic debt that his family may not even remember. That he was fundamentally changed in order to be more useful to you.” Rufus rose from the bath hurriedly. He could no longer relax—he was burning with anger. “So don’t tell me it’s nothing—I don’t care for your definition of nothing.”
Fae opened and closed her mouth, speechless for a moment. “How dare you?” she finally gasped. “I saved your lives, you ingrate.”
A life saved—a debt owed, the dark thoughts purred.
“Yes,” he said, “You did. But for what price?”
“Rufus,” Fae laughed incredulously, her eyes wide, “I’m not presenting you with a bill.”
“Stop joking with me!” Rufus roared and Fae stepped back.
“Calm down.” Her eyes flashed.
“It’s Joshua, isn’t it?” Rufus ignored the warning look in her face. “That’s what you want, don’t you? Oh Athea, how could I be so blind? Of course that’s what you want!”
“Rufus, I don’t—”
“I can only imagine what sway Avalon would hold over Harmatia then!” Rufus’s voice rose, cracking slightly. “You pretend to extend the hand of friendship but you’re just trying to buy him to your side with your training, and your promises, and your bloody swords!” he roared, advancing on Fae. “Well I won’t let you!”
Fae slapped him so fast he was sprawled on the floor before he realised he’d been struck.
“Have you gone stark raving mad?” She towered over him, and he stared up at her, cradling his cheek. All at once, he felt very frightened.
What had he just done? Where had that momentous anger burst out from? He’d been willing to talk, to listen, to hear what Fae had to say, and yet somehow in the moment none of his rationality had mattered. He’d felt only rage. Rage and suspicion.
Rufus had never been so powerless against his own temper, never lost it so quickly without control. What if he’d taken it to the next level? What if he’d attacked Fae?
Fae’s eyes roamed down his body, lingering on the scars, and for the first time Rufus was embarrassed by his nakedness. He tried to cover himself, and Fae offered him a hand and pulled him gently up to his feet.
“Forgive me, I shouldn’t have hit you.”
“I deserved it,” Rufus mumbled, rubbing his cheek. The pain had steadied his senses, bringing him back under his own control. He pulled his hand free of Fae’s and grabbed his towel, covering himself. “How could you do it?” He kept his eyes to the floor. “Steal a child away from his family? Trick someone out of something so precious?”
Fae drew back. There was a shame in the set of her shoulders. “My grandmother is of an ancient race—she knows a different morality. Those humans agreed to the debt of future children—they signed that contract knowingly. Did they have the right to do so? Perhaps not, but Niamh’s conscience is clean. Do I agree with it? No. And I have spoken against it, but… regardless of how he came to be here, this is Boyd’s home now. And so long as he wishes to call it such, it’s where he belongs.”
“But it shouldn’t be a reality,” Rufus argued. “You shouldn’t allow it to happen.”
“And how do I stop it?” Fae threw her hands in the air. “How can I defy a god?”
“I did,” Rufus said and Fae gave a sharp laugh.
“Great Danu—why can we not have a single conversation without you ending it in an argument?”
“I didn’t start this!” Rufus cried.
“What have I done to earn this distrust?” Fae sounded tired and Rufus closed his eyes, running his hands through his hair. “A few days ago, you were kneeling at my feet, weeping at the sight of me, begging me not to leave you. And now you’re throwing accusations at me as if I were your enemy.”
“I’ve trusted,” Rufus’s voice rose again, that same anger flaring, “I’ve trusted over and over. My friends—my own kingdom betrayed me! When they took Jionat—” Rufus choked off, and he saw Fae flinch. “I’ve loved. I’ve—” again, Rufus couldn’t finish his sentence. He gestured miserably. “And they’ve taken everything—everything—because I trusted too much to heed the signs. So tell me, how do I trust you, when you’re more a memory to me than a reality?” he gasped. He’d never seen Fae look so hurt, her mouth parted in silent dismay. “You told me once that you’d been betrayed by those you played with as a child. I know you don’t trust me either.”
Fae blinked and looked away, as if the breath had been knocked out of her. “What a relief it is,” she said bitterly, “that you are here to tell me my mind.”
Rufus couldn’t find the sufficient words to respond, so they both stood in silence, the heavy words hanging between them. Rufus turned his back on her.
“What was the condition?” he asked hoarsely. “Korrick’s condition for Joshua?”
“He wants to test him—see that he’s fit for training. Joshua may forfeit or refuse at any time.” Fae paused. “We won’t be enslaving him today.”
Rufus closed his eyes in shame.
“That’s all I wanted to tell you. Good day, Rufus.” She turned swiftly and left the room, slamming the door as she went.
Fae stopped outside the washroom, trying to catch her breath. She was so angry she almos
t couldn’t see straight, but she held it in, resisting the urge to rip the door back open and give Rufus a piece of her mind.
“He doesn’t mean it,” a voice piped up beside her. Fae was so consumed with her thoughts she hadn’t noticed Joshua waiting outside. She jumped and turned quickly, masking her expression. It wouldn’t do for Joshua to know how much Rufus had upset her.
“What are you doing here? I saw you with Boyd.”
“I told him I forgot something in my room. I wanted to speak with Rufus. We haven’t had any time to ourselves since he woke. I wanted to tell him it was my idea to train—that I was the one who suggested it.” Joshua glanced down at a black book he held in his hands.
Fae followed his gaze. “That book.” She jolted with recognition. “That’s Jionat’s book of dreams.”
Joshua held it up for her, “It’s the only thing I managed to keep hold of after we were attacked. I never leave it far.” Joshua’s eyes were wide and very sad. “Rufus doesn’t mean it, Fae. He does trust you, I know he does—or he wouldn’t let me out of his sight. He’s just frightened.”
“Come on,” Fae sighed, and she steered him away from the washroom. They walked together, side by side. “I rather fear that Boyd has unintentionally fed your brother’s paranoia. But Rufus is a little justified,” Fae admitted reluctantly, “even if he’s being incredibly rude.”
“It’s because of the Crow woman,” Joshua whispered, almost nervously. Fae peered down at him curiously, the Prince hugging the book to his chest, as if he thought someone were about to swoop in and snatch it away.
“The Crow woman?”
“I shouldn’t talk about it.”
“Speak your mind,” Fae urged.
Joshua drummed his fingers nervously. “The Crow woman. She visits us. Rufus doesn’t think I know, but I do. I saw. In here.” He tapped his forehead, and Fae was strangely reminded of the way Rufus had made the same gesture only minutes before.
“You mean you had a vision?” Fae asked gently.
“My sight isn’t as good as Jionat’s was,” Joshua mumbled into his collar. “But I see things sometimes. And I see people for what they are. It’s hard to describe.” He seemed to grow uncomfortable, tugging at his own fingers and glancing over his shoulder down the empty corridor.
Fae drew him into her side. “Tell me about this Crow woman.”
“She first came after we were chased out of Beshuwa. I was asleep and she appeared to the camp. She said she wanted to help us but she wasn’t good for Rufus. She did something to him.” Joshua frowned deeply, as if trying to recall it all. “She wanted Rufus to have sex with her.”
Fae’s eyebrows shot up. “And did they?”
“No.” Joshua bit his lip, once again glancing worriedly around. “He would hate it if he knew I saw, so I didn’t say anything. They didn’t have sex but she tried to compel Rufus with magic. I could feel it in the air—it was toxic. She was bad, Fae. Rufus refused her, but even when she left, she didn’t really leave him. And then we met the halfling, and Rufus—Rufus went with him, and—”
“Slow down, slow down.” Fae stopped walking and knelt before the boy. Joshua chewed his bottom lip. “This Crow woman. You say she tried to force Rufus with magic?”
Joshua nodded his head and Fae pursed her lips. There were a handful of faeries who possessed that kind of power, though what they would want particularly with Rufus…
“What about this halfling?” Fae asked.
“He was a Gancanagh. He recognised Rufus. Said he’d give us room for the night if Rufus went with him.” Joshua began to tremble. “They thought I was too sick to understand, but I knew. I knew what they were doing.”
Fae felt her chest tighten. The conflict in Joshua’s expression was overwhelming—Lords knew, Rufus was a secretive man, and it couldn’t be an easy thing for Joshua to breach such a trust and reveal these sensitive truths.
“Speak, Joshua,” Fae bade him, brushing his hair from his eyes. “I will guard these secrets with my life. You don’t have to fight them alone.”
Joshua sniffed. “Fae, I’m scared. When Rufus returned, he was covered in the halfling’s blood. I could see the Crow woman under his skin. She’s still there now—eating away at him, fuelling his anger, blinding him. You have to get her out.” Joshua’s hand clenched around Fae’s wrist, his eyes wide and unfocused. “Get her out or something bad is going to happen.”
“How do you know, Joshua? Have you seen something?”
“No,” Joshua moaned and opened the book of dreams. “Jionat did.”
Fae glanced down at the page and for a moment, the familiar pencil strokes caught her off guard. She’d once heard that an artist lived in his every mark, and that was true of Jionat’s drawing. She could see him in the arch of the pencil work, in the impatient shading, and the bold lines. And then she saw the picture itself and she realised why Joshua was so frightened.
“Morrigan,” she choked. Joshua seemed to sense her apprehension and his fingers tightened around the book. He was an astute boy. Fae forced down her fear—it wouldn’t do to upset him. “This is the Crow woman?”
“She wore a disguise.” Joshua turned his eyes down to the drawing. The woman depicted cut a fierce figure, with wild, dark hair and penetrating eyes, clad in black armour that seemed to be moulded from feathers.
“Yes, and I’m sure she had many pretty things to say,” Fae murmured.
She recalled the way the Korrigans had captured Rufus so long ago. It couldn’t be a coincidence that their patron goddess was stalking him now. Was Morrigan controlling him? Rufus was certainly exhibiting all the behaviours of being under her thrall—aggression, anger, sudden fits of agitation and anxiety. But no—if Morrigan had control of Rufus, he would be marked. There would discolouration on his skin, a dark shape across his chest—Fae would have seen it in the washroom.
“You say Rufus refused her?” Fae gave a bitter laugh. “He really did defy a god. But Morrigan won’t have left it at that.”
“You can’t tell him I told you.”
“Joshua, this is extremely serious. If Morrigan is targeting Rufus, I need to talk to him.”
“He has to tell you himself,” Joshua pleaded. “I only told you so you would know. Fae, promise me. Please.”
Fae struggled and then sighed. “Very well, Joshua,” she granted. “I won’t say anything to Rufus for now, but I can’t promise not to investigate the matter myself. In the meantime,” she touched his cheek, “I don’t want you to worry—I won’t let any harm come to Rufus. I’ll protect him.”
“Even after everything he said?”
“Especially after everything he said,” Fae assured. “There is nothing I love more that proving that man wrong.”
This time Joshua giggled, a little of the tension leaving his body. Nobody so young should have to bear such a heavy burden—it wasn’t Joshua’s place to take care of Rufus. Fae was sure Rufus would be mortified if he learned how much Joshua knew. She forced her smile.
“There you are!” Boyd rounded the corner. “You said you were going to your room!” he berated Joshua.
“Sorry, I kidnapped him.” Fae seized Joshua and pulled him close to her dramatically, making him giggle again.
Boyd seemed unconvinced, his arms folded. “You’re wanted as well,” he warned Fae. “Amergin found me on the way here, he says Commander Mac Gearailt has an errand for you.”
“Of course he does.” Fae rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath. Reilly had seen to it that her days were lined with menial tasks, and though he never admitted to anything so petty, she knew he did it in order to lessen her time with Rufus and Joshua. This might not have bothered Fae so much, were it not for the fact that her brothers were also avoiding her, wherever possible. They used Boyd and the servants to pass messages, and refused to meet her eye or speak if they met in passing. Her decision to bring Rufus into the Neve hadn’t been popular, but over time, they would forgive her.
“I had better go
and change.” Fae felt Joshua grab the skirt of her dress. “Joshua, forgive me, but I have to go.”
“I know.” Joshua released her reluctantly. Boyd stepped in, putting on an air of indifference.
“Now Joshua, I thought you might like to know,” he sniffed, “I was just outside a minute ago and it seems the gods of winter are yet lingering.”
“What do you mean?” Joshua frowned. Fae felt her heart lighten.
“What I mean is we’ve had another heavy bout of snowfall,” Boyd said and Joshua straightened, an excited glint in his eyes. Boyd exchanged a quick smile with Fae. “The mountainside is absolutely covered.”
They were lounging in the Magi common room in a rare display of relaxation, when the disturbance came. A pair of sniggering men sauntered over to where Zachary and Belphegore sat, and Zachary knew immediately, by the way their eyes darted over to him and their smiles elongated, that they’d discovered something scandalous. He wondered, dully, what he could have done this time to ignite their amusement.
“My Lords Odin, Zachary,” the front man, Radford, bowed, saying Zachary’s name with more mockery then respect. Radford and his circle had been at the academy with Zachary, and had mocked and bullied him viciously in his youth. Their relationship hadn’t much improved in the growing years.
“Lord Radford, Lord Mallinson,” Belphegore began wearily. “How may we be of assistance to you both?”
“We apologise for the disturbance,” Mallinson said in a deeply unapologetic voice, “but there is a boy here to see you, Lord Zachary.”
“Me?”
“I confess,” Radford barely seemed able to contain himself, “I had no idea you had a son.”
The words caught Zachary off guard and he found himself throwing his mind back, trying to recall exactly how many years it had been since he’d actually had sex. It took him a moment to realise what they were really talking about, and he looked past them all to the doorway, where Daniel was just visible beyond a cluster of Magi.
Blood of the Delphi (The Harmatia Cycle Book 2) Page 22