Redeemed in Darkness

by Alexis Morgan

  As they reached the outskirts of town, Kit spoke up. “Shall we check the tunnels today?”

  “The barrier is stable.”

  He didn’t need to ask how she knew; all Sworn Guardians had a strong affinity for the barrier and its moods. Only a few also carried the traits that her brother had been blessed with in such quantity.

  The four of them slowed to a stop as they passed the last few houses. “Shall we turn back toward the Guild?”

  That was the last place she wanted to be. She considered their options. “I would like to speak with my former mentor.”

  Her Blade knew better than to question her reasons, although Larem shot her a concerned look. If she felt the need to consult with one of the retired Guardians, they would follow her. That was their job, and they did it well.

  Besides, all of them enjoyed the occasional long walk out past the trappings of civilization. Before she’d been promoted to Guardian, she’d served as a member of Joq’s Blade. He’d taught her almost everything she knew about swords, the barrier, and the duties of a Sworn Guardian, not to mention the inside workings of the Guild. After a lifetime of dealing with Guild politics, Joq had abruptly retired and moved far enough out of town that he was rarely bothered by anyone. He claimed to like it that way, but he always seemed happy to see Lusahn whenever she dropped in on him.

  Today was no exception. He actually walked out to meet them a short distance from his small farmstead.

  “Lusahn! You bring joy to this old warrior’s eyes.” He nodded at her Blade, but didn’t greet any of them with the warmth he always showed to her.

  “Your Blade can rest in the shade of the hillside and help themselves to water at my well.” He held his arm out to Lusahn and patted her hand when she placed it in the crook of his elbow. “You, my lady, may come inside and try out my newest batch of ale and tell me what you think.”

  She cast an apologetic look back over her shoulder to her men, but they waved her on. They all knew and accepted that Joq had become a recluse since his retirement, although he was willing to offer his advice on any matter that Lusahn felt the need to bring to him.

  Inside Joq’s kitchen, Lusahn sloughed off some of the tension she’d been carrying on her shoulders for two days. She didn’t know when she’d decided to share her burden with her old friend rather than her Blademates, but it felt right.

  “Here, drink this. You look like you could use it.” Joq thrust a tankard into her hand.

  She took a cautious sip; Joq’s enthusiasm for brewing didn’t mean he had a talent for it. But this time he’d managed to come up with something drinkable.

  “Well?” He perched on a nearby chair and motioned her to sit down beside him.

  “It’s the best you’ve made so far,” she answered truthfully. “You may yet master the art of brewing.”

  He laughed. “You have a talent for a compliment laced with an insult, my dear. Maybe you should run for Guildmaster one of these days.”

  She shuddered, having as much love for Guild politics as her mentor did. “I thought you liked me, Joq.”

  “I do, but the Guild could use some new blood. Especially someone who has eyes and a mind that understands what she sees.” He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “So tell me, what has put such dark shadows in those pretty eyes of yours?”

  She hesitated, trying to decide where to start.

  He knew her too well. “Just begin at the beginning and leave nothing out.”

  “I have several things that seem separate, but are all connected.” She traced a pattern in the condensation on the tankard before meeting Joq’s gaze. “You are always good to listen to me, but promise that you will let me finish before you ask questions.”

  “You have my word.” His eyes gleamed with knife-edge sharpness. Despite his years, there was nothing wrong with Joq’s mind. He settled back into his chair and propped his feet up on the edge of the kitchen table.

  “You know that sometime ago my brother Barak sought the light.”

  “The fool!” Her old friend never missed an opportunity to berate what he saw as her brother’s many failures.

  Lusahn staved off the familiar tirade. “Joq, you promised you’d be patient and listen.”

  “As I did, but that makes him no less of a fool.”

  Ignoring his jibe, she continued on, the words starting to tumble out. “But you see, Barak is not dead. He’s very much alive and living among the humans. He has asked me to cooperate with the enemy long enough to stop the flow of our blue stones across into their world. It would seem that some of their Paladins have had enough spilling of blood—both ours and theirs.”

  Her friend’s eyebrows shot almost to his hairline. “And how do you know all of this?”

  She drew a deep breath, well aware that she was about to confess her own treason to a man sworn to protect their world. Once a Sworn Guardian, always a Sworn Guardian. By Guild rules, Joq would be obligated to report her, but she owed him the truth. “One of his new friends, a Paladin warrior, crossed the barrier yesterday to deliver the message, because Barak was injured and unable to come himself.”

  “And did you slice this Paladin to pieces for his trouble?”

  “No, I didn’t.” She set the tankard down, prepared to surrender to her friend’s custody if he deemed it necessary.

  Joq tilted his head to one side, studying her reactions with a frown. “You’re one of the best with a blade I’ve ever seen. Don’t tell me that you let a Paladin scare you.”

  “No, he didn’t scare me.” At least, not in the way Joq meant.

  “Did you run him back across the barrier?”

  “No, not that either.”

  “Then what did you do with him?” Joq’s eyes narrowed, as if he already suspected the answer to his question, and he leaned in close as if to better hear her words.

  She braced herself for an explosion. “I took one look at this man and knew I couldn’t kill him. And the barrier went back up and feels like it will stay that way for days to come. For lack of a better choice, I took him home with me.”

  Chapter 4

  O f all the reactions Lusahn could have foreseen, Joq’s loud bark of laughter would have been the last on the list. She didn’t know whether to be relieved that he didn’t instantly put her in custody or insulted that he thought her crisis was funny.

  She settled on exasperation. “Joq, I fail to see what’s funny. If the wrong person finds out about Cullen Finley, he and I both will be dead.”

  Joq tried to sober up, but wasn’t particularly successful at it. He swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and bit his lip until he could quit grinning.

  “I’m sorry, Lusahn, I really am. I always knew you had it in you to do something extraordinary if pushed far enough, but I thought you’d settle for challenging the Guildmaster for his job.” He hoisted his own tankard in salute. “You have surpassed any ambitions I’ve had for you.”

  She blinked and shook her head. “You’re not shocked that I’ve committed treason? And what am I going to do about the stones? We’ve all known that those seeking the light were taking them with them, but I had no idea that someone on our side of the barrier was working with the enemy. Our people think they are bribing their way into the other world, but they are only dying in larger numbers.”

  She held her hands up in frustration. “But am I any better, letting a Paladin live?”

  Joq’s expression turned serious. “Tell me about this Paladin.”

  Cullen’s image filled her head, momentarily stealing her breath. “I first met him a short time ago, when my Blade and I tracked some of our people into his world. While Larem and the others fought against an enormous Paladin devil with black hair and green eyes, I faced Cullen Finley. It was an honor to cross swords with such a worthy opponent.”

  Her hand strayed to the small scar on her cheek, but she jerked it back down to her lap. “When the barrier fell, we retreated back home.”

  �
��So this human was no stranger to you when he crossed into our world.”

  “Not exactly.” She wasn’t about to admit how he’d haunted her thoughts since that first meeting. “A short time ago, Barak had several letters to me thrown across the barrier, proposing that we work together from opposite sides of the barrier to stop the thefts. But evidently he was injured badly enough that he couldn’t meet me at the appointed time. He gave Cullen Finley another note to toss across, telling me that we would have to reschedule our meeting. Just so you know, I had planned to execute my brother for his treason when he crossed over.” Her voice cracked.

  “And why would you hurt yourself like that, young woman? No matter what Barak has done, he is your brother, and you love him.”

  “Barak’s refusal to share his gift with them has always rankled the Guildmaster, and he would have made an example of my brother. Even if Barak had to die for his actions, he didn’t deserve that. So I’d have made his death clean and fast.” Even if it had killed her soul.

  Joq shrugged. “None of that matters now, because Barak didn’t come. Put that aside and concentrate on the situation as it is now.”

  Good advice. “Cullen decided to deliver the message so I would know why my brother couldn’t come. He was afraid I wouldn’t cooperate if Barak missed the appointment.”

  Joq arched an eyebrow. “I doubt that was his only motivation, Lusahn.”

  Her heart gave a nervous flutter. “Why do you say that?”

  “Don’t you think he could have yelled a message across the barrier without risking his life? I suspect he remembers the day you two faced each other at sword point as clearly as you do.”

  Her face flushed hot. Was her fascination with Cullen Finley so obvious? “Regardless of his reasons, I am stuck with the problem of what to do with him until I can shove him back across the barrier.”

  “Let me think about this.” Joq fell silent for several long seconds.

  Feeling restless, Lusahn left her seat to stare out of the window at her Blade. Kit and his brother were stretched out in the shade, taking advantage of the opportunity to doze. Larem was staring right at the house, clearly not happy to be left out of her conversation with Joq.

  Too bad. If she was going down, she wasn’t going to drag her friends with her. Joq’s career was over, and he had already separated himself completely from the Guild. But Larem and the others deserved better than to lose everything because she couldn’t resist a pair of laughing brown eyes.

  Joq joined her at the window and nodded in Larem’s direction. “Does he suspect something?”

  “He knows I’ve been distracted lately, but not why. Since he knows me so well, it is difficult to hide things from him. I wanted to deal with Barak on my own, but Larem would have insisted on coming with me.”

  “Will he make trouble if he finds out about your guest?”

  “Yes. Maybe.” Frustration had her mind whirling in circles. “By the stones, I don’t know. Larem’s loyalty to me has been without question, but the threat of high treason could change that. I’m the last of the q’Arcs, so my honor is my own to keep or lose, but Larem has family to consider. It’s hard, because I’m not used to hiding anything from him.”

  She stepped away from the window. “I should be going. We need to make one last patrol before I can go home, and I don’t want to leave Bavi and his sister alone for too long.”

  “I think I will come with you.” Joq reached for his cloak and strapped on his sword. “If Larem needs an explanation, I will tell him that I need to visit the market in town.”

  “He’s no fool, Joq. Won’t your coming with us only make him more certain something is wrong?”

  “It can’t be helped. I need to meet this Paladin who has captured my star apprentice’s eye—or perhaps her heart.” He grinned when she glared at him.

  “That isn’t funny.”

  “No, but I was beginning to worry that you’d forgotten that you’re an attractive female. I want to see what there is about this Paladin that has shaken your world.” His expression turned serious. “A lot is at risk, Lusahn. More than you know. I must know the quality of this man’s steel before we go any further down this road. If he cannot be trusted, he must die—immediately, with no hesitation. But if he is an honorable man, perhaps we can work together to help both sides.”

  “All right, Joq. But what shall we tell my Blade?”

  He took her arm. “That I’m an old man and appreciate your assistance in walking a long distance. Once we reach the edge of the city, we’ll separate. I will make a point of being seen leaving town by myself. Once the star has disappeared into the west, I will meet you at your home. Leave the back door unlocked.”

  “I will,” she said, glad of her friend’s help. “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

  He grimaced, reminding her what he thought of her cooking. “I suppose I must.”

  She punched him on the arm to protest. “I haven’t made anyone sick in a long time.”

  “That’s not as comforting as you may think.” He gave her a wry smile as they walked outside, pulling the door shut behind them.

  Since he was the one she had made sick, she let his remark slide. Her Blade immediately jumped to their feet, ready to resume their duties.

  “Guardian Joq asked if he could accompany us back to town to the market, and I agreed.” She didn’t allow time for discussion, especially since they were obligated to accept her decisions as law.

  The three men arranged themselves around the two Guardians and began the trek back to town. Joq kept up a steady stream of conversation with her Blade, relieving her of any need to talk. Although she appreciated his intent, it left her alone with her own thoughts for too long.

  How were the children doing without her? Had Bavi and Cullen come to blows? What did Joq know that he wasn’t telling her? She shivered in the gray light of the late-afternoon sun. Her life felt as if it was careening out of control. All she could do was hold on for all she was worth and hope that the decisions she made were the right ones.

  But despite her worries, she was glad to be heading back to where Cullen Finley waited for her. Once again his crooked smile and warm eyes filled her mind, bringing with them the memory of their kiss. Her body remembered every detail and wanted more of his dark, spicy taste.

  Joq chose that moment to squeeze her arm, jerking her awareness back to the dusty path they were on. She shot him an apologetic glance. Her Blade had grown silent, making her wonder if she’d missed something important, but Joq gave no indication that anything was wrong. Just in case, though, she resumed conversation.

  “So tell me, Guardian Joq, what did you do differently with this batch of ale?”

  Her friend took the hint and launched into a discussion about the art of home brewing. He was still explaining when they reached town, keeping her Blade from noticing that she wasn’t really with them.

  For the first time in her career she felt a wide chasm opening between her and her friends, and she hated the feeling. The sooner she could finish this business with the stones and send Cullen Finley back to where he came from, the better.

  Cullen cocked his head to one side and studied the ceiling. The sound of footsteps up there had changed in the past few minutes. Unless he was mistaken, Bavi and Shiri had both suddenly gone to the front door. Hopefully that meant Lusahn was back.

  A few seconds later, the door at the top of the stairs opened, and she appeared. He immediately stood up, far happier about seeing her than he should have been. Though he was here on Paladin business, one glimpse of those long legs of hers and all sense of duty went flying out the window.

  Well, not completely, but enough that he knew he was in serious trouble. She paused halfway down the stairs and nodded in greeting. “Did the day pass easily for you?”

  He noted the lines of strain around her mouth and eyes. “I’m fine. How about you? Was your patrol uneventful?”

  She joined him at the bottom of the steps before ans
wering. “The patrol was quiet. However, there is someone…my old…a friend, that’s what he is. Anyway, he wants to meet you.” Her words came out in a nervous rush.

  “Should I be worried?” Because she clearly was.

  Her eyes slid past his face to stare at a spot somewhere over his shoulder. “I don’t know. I trust him implicitly. The question will be if he feels he can trust you.”

  “And if he doesn’t?” His hand strayed to the pommel of his sword, her tension heightening his.

  “He will.”

  “Why? Because you do?” He stepped closer to her, deliberately crowding her.

  She stood her ground, bringing her chin up. “I don’t know you well enough to make that decision.”

  Liar. If she hadn’t trusted him on a pretty deep level, she would have never left him home with Bavi and his sister. But rather than continue to provoke her temper, he dropped his hand back down to his side.

  “Would it be possible to get something to eat? Breakfast was a long time ago.” He gave her a hopeful look.

  “Bavi didn’t feed you?”

  He hadn’t meant to get the boy in trouble. “He may have tried, but I slept most of the day. I’m still getting used to your atmosphere, and I was pretty tired after my workout.”

  “Come upstairs, and I’ll fix you something now. The friend I mentioned will be here after darkness falls, so we’ll be eating dinner later than usual.”

  Interesting. Was her so-called friend’s late arrival deliberate? It seemed likely, and it would be interesting to know why they wanted to keep the visit a secret. When they had time to talk, he would try to pry some details about the relationship between the Guild and the Guardians from her.

  He sat down at the table while Lusahn quickly fixed him a plate. While he was waiting, little Shiri came into the room. As soon as she saw him, her face lit up with a happy smile. She climbed up in the chair next to him and gave him a hopeful look. He immediately pulled out his cards and handed them to her.

  The little girl immediately began building a house of cards, following the same pattern they’d used earlier. Lusahn turned around to watch.