The Walls of Westernfort

by Jane Fletcher

Had the thieves gotten what they came for and fled? Something so trivial or obscure that its loss had not yet been noticed?

  Ash sat on the chest and tried to pull all the threads together, desperate to see the pattern. She considered the report from Jules in the Homelands, the discrepancy between Jess’ and Cal’s DNA, the obvious and unexpected intelligence of the family, Cal’s familiarity with the wildlands, Jess’ guilt, Rohanna’s evasiveness, the bristle in the lock, the premature flight and abandoned room.

  Ash’s forehead creased in a frown. It did not add up to anything sensible. Then a memory drifted through her mind from years ago, long before the 23rd Squadron had deserted. She had been on patrol and had stopped to watch a lone mountain cat stalk a herd of fenbucks. The cat had been dappled, its light brown fur almost invisible in the bracken. Its progress had looked random. Half an hour’s maneuvering took it no closer to its goal until she saw that it was intent on stealth, putting camouflage and strategic position before a simple narrowing of distance. In the end, it had been the movement of the fenbucks that had brought them within striking range, and the mountain cat had burst from cover—a clever hunter, and a deadly one.

  Ash stood up. She still could not tie together all the bits of information, but at least she recognized the pattern. Camouflage and position. She stopped in the common room by the side of an elderly resident, heating her lunch over the cooking fire.

  “When did you last see any of Rohanna Korski’s family?” Ash asked.

  “They were here last night at dinner.”

  “And after that?”

  “They went to their room. Rohanna and Cal stayed there, but young Jess went out.” The woman’s wrinkled forehead became more deeply creased. “What’s this ab—”

  Ash cut her off. “You haven’t seen the older two since?”

  “No, but—”

  “How about Jess?”

  “This morning. She called in on her way to work. She’d—”

  Ash was already gone. She paused outside the doorway, considering her options. Going to check the other side of the lake would be a waste of time. If, by some chance, she had misread the signs, and the two thieves were working there, no problem existed. As leader in Kim’s absence, Mirle should be told, but finding her might take time, and anyway, she would almost certainly want to start with the last of Ash’s options, having a quiet word with Jess in the animal barn. Assuming that she was still there.

  *

  Natasha doubled over as though she were in pain. She laid her forehead on her arms, which were resting on the low partition around the lambs’ enclosure. “Please, Celaeno. I know this isn’t your will. Give me a sign...strike me down with lightning. Anything so I don’t have to go through with this.” The only answer to Natasha’s prayer was a soft whine from Tipsy, who looked up at her with puzzled canine eyes.

  Natasha pushed away from the partition and staggered, more than walked, to the pile of soiled straw she was supposed to be sweeping. She could not bear to look at the animals. She could not bear to look at the barn itself. It would be the scene of Lynn’s death.

  Natasha had worked out her plans for the murder. She needed to ensure that there was no chance of messengers carrying the news of Lynn’s death reaching the outpost before Rohanna and Cal had dispatched their two victims. Yet neither should she delay and run the risk of being caught up by investigations into her parents’ disappearance. She had decided to wait another hour before going to find Lynn and telling her that one of the animals was looking unwell. Lynn would come to see, giving Natasha the chance to kill her without being noticed. Then Natasha would hide the body and find somewhere secluded to kill herself. With any luck, neither of their deaths would attract notice until after nightfall, and as a final bonus, there was little chance that Lynn’s children would be the ones to discover their mother’s body.

  Natasha groaned and closed her eyes. “Please, Celaeno, a sign. Show me your will,” she whispered.

  “Hi, Jess. How’s it going?”

  Natasha spun about. Lynn had entered the barn and was standing by the doorway. A rolled-up blanket lay over one shoulder. An easy grin was on the Imprinter’s face. Natasha struggled to control her voice enough to answer. “Okay-ish. But I’m...a little behind with my work.”

  “Things on your mind?”

  “Er...sort of.” Natasha stood hunched by her broom. She felt physically ill. A sick headache was starting behind her eyes, and her stomach was gripped by cramps, but neither was an unequivocal sign of divine intervention.

  “I thought as much.” Lynn laughed. “I hear you visited Dani last night.” She pointed an accusatory finger. “And don’t tell me all you got was a mug of tea, because in that case, you were still drinking it this morning when Ella called in.” When Natasha did not answer, Lynn laughed again and walked past her. “And you’re obviously suffering from lack of sleep. So adding it all together, I’ve drawn some conclusions.”

  “Um...Well, I...” Natasha mumbled. Fortunately, an answer was not required. Lynn had moved on to the animals. She patted the flank of a cow.

  “I’ve brought a horse blanket for Daisy. We’ll see if it helps her.” Lynn slipped the roll of cloth off her shoulder. As she did so, a sword belt fell to the ground. “Oh, damn. I was supposed to drop that in at the smithy as I went past. It belongs to Kim. A rivet has cracked.” Lynn bent down to pick up the belt. A sword hilt protruded from the top of the scabbard. Lynn turned it over once in her hands and then held it out to Natasha. “I was already late with it. I’d promised the smith she’d have it by midmorning. Can you do me a favor and run it over to her? Go on. The exercise in the open air will do you good.” Lynn grinned and deposited the belt plus scabbard into Natasha’s unresisting hands. Then she turned back to the blanket and Daisy.

  No, Celaeno! Natasha cried to herself in agony. Oh, no, please. This can’t be your sign! But what could be clearer? Lynn herself had put the means of her death into the hands of her executioner. Natasha looked down at the weapon: a Ranger’s short sword. The hilt was loose due to the cracked rivet, but it was more than adequate to kill an unarmed woman, especially if her back was turned.

  The pulse pounded in Natasha’s skull. She wanted to howl. Life should not be like this: foul, vicious, and unfair. But life would not be her problem much longer. And the sooner it was all over, the better. Natasha drew the sword.

  At the rasp of metal, Lynn looked over her shoulder. “Jess?” she asked. Natasha said nothing and stepped forward. Lynn straightened to face her. “Jess, are you all right?”

  Natasha swallowed the bile rising in her throat. The least she could give Lynn was the truth. “My name is not Jess. I am Corporal Natasha Ionadis of the 3rd Company of Temple Guards. I have been sent here, on the personal orders of the Chief Consultant, to carry out the sentence of death that has been passed on you for your blasphemy against the Goddess.”

  “You...what?” Lynn was too confused to be frightened.

  Natasha’s hand tightened on the hilt of the sword. She pulled back her arm to strike, and her eyes met those of the woman she was about to kill. Her oath to the Goddess impelled her onward, fighting against the knowledge that Lynn was not evil and did not deserve to die. She tried to draw a deep breath, but her chest was too tight. Then suddenly, the internal battle was over, and for the first time that day, a feeling of peace swept through Natasha. “And I can’t do it,” she said simply. She flipped the sword over and proffered the hilt in a formal gesture of surrender.

  “You’re a Gua...” Lynn’s voice failed in the struggle to keep up.

  Natasha nodded in answer. She felt light-headed, and the walls of the barn wobbled before her eyes.

  “But...but...your parents?”

  “Not my real parents. They’re Guards as well, on the same mission.”

  “Where?” Bewildered, Lynn looked about as if she expected to see the pair standing in the barn.

  “They’re not here. They left the valley yesterday. They’ve gone o
n to the outpost to ambush Kim and Chip when they stay there tonight. I was to stay and cover for them. The three of us couldn’t all go. I was left here to kill you, but...” Natasha’s mind was no longer in control of her mouth. The words tumbled out beyond her control, but she did not get any farther. Lynn had taken a scant second to register the danger to Kim. She sprang toward the door and raced out of the barn.

  Natasha was left alone, forlornly holding out the sword. Her sense of peace was vanishing, smashed aside by the knowledge of what she had just done. I’m forsworn on my oath to the Goddess. I’ve betrayed my comrades in arms.

  Natasha’s legs started to shake. The tremors rose through her. Her headache erupted again in pounding blows. The words of her oath repeated themselves on her lips: “If I turn aside from this task, may I be damned forever.”

  Natasha’s gaze dropped to the sword in her hands, the blade pointing toward her heart. The second of her objectives was still outstanding. It had always formed the easier part of the plan. Perhaps she could manage to do this part right. Once she was dead, Celaeno could judge her actions. Natasha had no complaints, whichever way the verdict went. Uncertainty was the thing she could not bear. It would be nice to have the Goddess herself explain exactly what she had wanted. And why.

  Natasha lifted her other hand to the hilt, wrapping her fingers around it firmly. The tip of the blade touched her chest. Her arms were trembling, their strength gone, but it would not take much. All she had to do was keep the sword in place while she fell forward. And falling would not be a problem. She was swaying on her feet.

  Natasha looked at the ground, hunting for a clear spot. I don’t want to bang my knee as I fall. The irony was too bitter to be humorous.

  “If you want to do that, I won’t try to stop you, but I’d regret your death.” Ash’s voice was soft and sad. Natasha turned her head. The veteran Ranger had slipped into the barn and was standing a few meters away. Ash continued to talk calmly. “I passed Lynn on the way here. She didn’t hang about to chat. Still, I think I’ve got the general idea of things. I’ll admit you’re in a bit of a mess, but I wouldn’t have thought you’re the sort of woman to take the coward’s way out. You’d be sparing the town council a tricky decision, and you might come to regret it, if the rescue doesn’t get there in time and either Lynn or Katryn gets her hands on you. But all in all, I don’t think you should do it.”

  Natasha gulped at the air. Her head was filling with wool, and her eyes would not focus. It was impossible to make any more decisions. She faced Ash and held out the sword. “I am Corporal Natasha Ionadis of the 3rd Company of Temple Guards, and I wish to surrender.”

  “I accept your surrender.” Ash took the offered hilt. As soon as her hands were empty, Natasha staggered three steps to the nearest wall, braced herself against it, and threw up.

  Ash waited until Natasha had finished; then she supported her for the short walk outside to a seat on the sawed-off trunk of a tree. Natasha sat hunched over. Her head was clearing, but she could not stop shaking. Ash stood close beside her, although her body language was more like that of a nurse than a Guard.

  Natasha’s eyes fixed on the town. Even at a distance, she could see the unusual level of activity, people gathering on the streets, attracted by the commotion. At last, she saw six women in Ranger uniforms race toward the entrance of the valley. At her side, Ash looked up. Natasha guessed that she was estimating the hour from the sun’s position.

  “Will they be in time?” Natasha asked, wondering what she wanted the answer to be.

  “Maybe. They’ll take spare horses for changing mounts, but they still won’t get to the outpost before dark.”

  Then Natasha saw another woman running. Dani was hurtling up the track toward the barn. Natasha could not stand it. She wanted to hide, but she could not move. The pain must have shown on her face. Dani’s footsteps increased in a final spurt. She skidded to a stop, sliding to her knees, and putting her arm around Natasha’s shoulder. “Jess, are you all right?”

  Natasha could neither move nor answer. The feel of Dani’s arms around her was unbearable. It was everything she wanted—and everything she was about to lose. Her head sunk onto Dani’s shoulder while she cursed herself for clinging to something she had no right to.

  Dani pulled back and spoke again. “Are you hurt? I heard a Guard got into the valley and tried to kill Lynn in the barn. Were you there? Did you get injured?”

  Natasha raised her head and met Dani’s eyes, saw the love there, and knew that it was all about to go. She wetted her lips and said, “It was me.”

  “It...who?”

  “The Guard. It was me. I’m a Guard.”

  “That’s not funny.” Dani’s eyes moved to Ash as though she was seeking an explanation. Whatever she saw in the old Ranger’s face must have warned her that something very awful was about to happen. Dani took her arm away and stood up.

  Natasha’s lips twisted in a grimace. “No, you’re right. It’s not funny. My name isn’t Jess. I’m Corporal Natasha Ionadis of the Guards. I was sent here by the Chief Consultant to kill Lynn and Kim, but I couldn’t do it.” She looked up at Dani’s frozen expression and forced herself to carry on. She had to speak.

  “I’ve changed so much since I left Landfall, and you were part of the change. I’ve had to think about what I was doing, and I knew it was wrong. I was going to kill Lynn, but I couldn’t. I’ve failed the Goddess, except I don’t know if I have. I mean, I’m not sure what...” Natasha shook her head, fighting desperately to control her words. “I can’t sort my own mind out. I don’t know how I feel about anything except for you. Last night, what I said—I meant it. I truly love you...”

  Tears were blurring Natasha’s eyes. She did not see the hand coming. The slap knocked her head sideways, jarring her teeth. The side of her face burned. She looked up. Dani had pulled back her hand for another blow. Natasha made no attempt to defend herself, but Ash stepped forward, blocking Dani’s arm.

  “We don’t mistreat prisoners. We leave that to the Guards,” Ash said evenly.

  For several heartbeats, nobody moved. Then Dani spun around and marched away, heading back to town. Natasha bowed her head and sobbed.

  Part Three

  The Goddess

  in Your Heart

  Chapter Seventeen—Betrayal

  Both moons soared overhead, but their light was softened by a thin mist of high cloud. Snow that might have caught and amplified the milky glimmering had melted. The outpost was a hunched shape at the bottom of the hollow. Smoke from its chimney could be smelled but not seen, and the shadows beneath the trees and bushes were solid black.

  Rohanna and Cal sat under the cover of an evergreen thicket, twenty meters from the door, resting after their long trek. They needed to be ready for the action ahead. In midafternoon, they had hidden while Kim and Chip overtook them on the main trail. By now, the heretics should have spent the better part of two hours at the outpost, easily enough time to tend to the horses and eat. No noise came from the building; probably, both occupants were asleep. But Rohanna restrained the urge to creep up and peer in through the crack in the window shutters. There was no need to take risks or rush things. With the grace of the Goddess, time was on their side.

  Once again, Cal checked that her sword was loose in its scabbard. From the expression on the ex-Ranger’s face, Rohanna surmised that the gesture was due neither to nervousness nor impatience; rather, Cal was rehearsing the forthcoming action in her mind. While walking, they had discussed at length the best method of dispatching the heretics. Luring them from the building and shooting them with bows was the more chancy option, although it held the advantage that there would be no bloodstains in the building to remove. In the end, the weak light forced the decision in favor of stabbing their victims while they slept.

  Rohanna looked up thoughtfully at the wispy shroud in front of the moons. Heavier clouds were rolling in. The advancing line had reached the small orb of Laurel. Before long, the
hollow would be utterly lightless. The wind was picking up, rustling the bushes. Suddenly, her ears caught a faint sound in the distance. She reached out to touch Cal’s arm, but the ex-Ranger was clearly already aware of the noise and knew what it was. Within seconds, Rohanna had also recognized the pounding of hooves. The two Guards shrank farther back into the darkness of the undergrowth.

  The hoofbeats grew louder until a group of mounted women burst over the rim of the hollow and charged up to the door of the outpost. One rider leapt out of her saddle, shouting, even before her horse had stopped. “Chip, Kim, are you there?” Rohanna identified the voice as that of Chip’s partner, Katryn.

  “What is it?” The door opened, and Kim Ramon stood silhouetted in dull amber firelight. Then the six riders and their spare horses clustered around the entrance, obscuring her from view of the Guards in the undergrowth.

  “You’re both all right?” Katryn’s anxious voice sounded over the hubbub.

  “Yes, we’re fine. What’s happened?”

  “Jess Korski is a Guard. She was going to murder Lynn.”

  “She what?” Kim exploded. “Lynn isn’t—”

  Katryn cut in, “No, Lynn’s fine. She wasn’t hurt. Jess had a sword, but Lynn managed to escape.”

  “Get my horse,” Kim ordered sharply. “I’ll sort that—”

  “No, wait.” The horses shifted, and the two watchers caught a glimpse of Katryn with her hand on Kim’s arm. “Everything’s under control at Westernfort, but Rohanna and Cal are also Guards. They’ve come out here to murder you. They’re probably somewhere close at hand even as we speak.”

  “We don’t need to...” Kim’s voice faded away, and she pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. Then she raised her head and considered the sky. “You’re sure Lynn is safe?”

  “Yes,” Katryn answered.

  “And Jess?”

  “She’s a prisoner.”