A Gift Freely Given (The Tahaerin Chronicles Book 1)

by J. Ellen Ross

  “Shit.” Zaraki did not need this right now. “What does he want with you?”

  “Well, before I stabbed him, he tried to talk to me. He asked me if I’d seen you recently. Said he’d seen you working in Lida.” She watched him to see if it was true, fishing for information.

  Zaraki blew his breath out, his secret exposed. That piece of shit, he thought. If Fellnin hunted in Achym, it must have something to do with Ladvik’s conspiracy. The timing was too perfect. But to what purpose? To make matters worse, he felt out of practice. He did not care for his odds in a one-on-one fight with Fellnin, and he remembered Leisha’s admonishment not to go running off playing the hero.

  “Is there any food here? Or something to drink?” he asked Ani.

  “Yeah, sorry. I dismissed Rufen for a week. I didn’t want him around.” In the kitchen, she showed him bowls of fruit and a couple loaves of bread. Grabbing some of each, he suggested they go to the sitting room to talk.

  “Ani, I’m sorry you lost your job.” He put his arm around her shoulders as they sat near each other on a bench.

  “Me too,” she said. “I really liked it.”

  “If there’s a possibility Fellnin is involved, this job I’m here for just got a lot more complicated. I need help with it, but of course, I can’t tell you what it is unless you work for me.”

  “For you? Not with you?” Suspicion colored her voice and she watched his face for any signs he lied.

  “No, for me. I can set you up anywhere after this, be as independent as you want.”

  Aniska scowled as she fit the pieces of the puzzle she had together. “You show up two years ago with a small fortune. Now, I find out you’re working in Lida so it probably means you’re working for the queen of Tahaerin. She apparently trusts you enough to hire spies for her on the spot.” When Zaraki’s look confirmed her guesses, she frowned, conflicted. They were friends, briefly lovers and now he felt like a brother to her. Could she do this job without violating her oaths? Could she remain objective? Could she ever find a better position than this? “I’ll take the job, whatever it is.”

  “Perfect. Now I can tell you I’ve been her spymaster for four years.” It felt wonderful telling his oldest friend this secret. He missed having a connection with someone who knew him as well as Aniska did and perhaps having her near would dull the desire to accept Symon’s overture of kinship.

  “And she’s the one that…?” Her voice trailed off.

  Zaraki sighed, forgetting she knew about his feelings for Leisha. “She’s the one,” he forced himself to admit.

  Aniska threw her hands up in the air. “Zaraki, honestly. How does that even happen?”

  “Just promise me you’ll keep this a secret. You’re the only one that knows. And now you know why I can’t tell her.” He looked like a puppy caught eating his master’s shoes.

  Shaking her head, Aniska sighed “You’re my employer now. Of course, I’ll keep it a secret.”

  ***

  Two evenings later, they left the house several hours apart, both heading to the same upscale tavern. Marcin sent word as soon as he arranged the meeting place with Ladvik’s man. Zaraki would be there as a representative of Andrzej while Aniska played lookout, watching the bar for trouble and keeping an eye out for Fellnin. She had tried to argue there was no evidence Fellnin was involved in anything but stalking her, but he felt sure it was too great a coincidence.

  Zaraki arrived at the tavern far earlier than needed to find a spot to watch the clientele coming and going. Dressed in finer clothes than he normally wore and shaved clean, Aniska said he cut a dashing figure. Underneath the fine clothes, though, he wore a light mail shirt just in case. He noted he fit in well with the other patrons eating and drinking here and thought he pulled off just the right amount of overdressed bureaucrat trying to look understated.

  Ordering a drink and dinner, he settled at a table near the fireplace. The barmaid brought his food out just as Marcin entered. Zaraki watched him approach the bartender and saw him escorted to a carved door leading to private rooms. Across the room, near the stairs, he saw two men exchange looks and knew they were bodyguards for Ladvik’s man. They were large and wore their swords like thugs, not bothering to hide them. He knew he and Aniska could manage then without any trouble.

  He ate and drank and waited for a sign from Marcin. An hour later, a pretty barmaid appeared with an invitation to go into a back room. Hopefully, this was not a trap, but he came armed. Picking up his wine glass, he followed the instructions from the serving girl and went through the same garishly painted door as Marcin. Inside, he found a corridor with five other doors. His invitation said room three, so he chose that door and knocked.

  Marcin answered, “Come in, come in, sir.”

  Adopting an Embriel accent came easily, as he and Aniska had refreshed their skills for an entire evening in the house on the square. “Is this the man I’m here to meet?” he asked Marcin, giving Ladvik’s man an appraising look.

  “Yes, sir. This is Bolek. He asked to speak to the king about the delicate matter I mentioned. Bolek, please may I introduce Wilus, King Andrzej’s representative.”

  “How do I know he’s really here on behalf of Andrzej?” Bolek asked, looking nervously at Marcin.

  “The same way I know you really speak for Ladvik. We either trust each other or there’s no point in continuing,” Zaraki replied, taking a seat at the table.

  The other man licked his lips nervously then reached into a pouch to draw out a signet ring. It was Ladvik’s without question. “My lord is most serious about this. He has a skilled assassin inside the castle at Lida. The man is just waiting for word to kill the queen. But my lord and his allies need support from outside once she’s dead. My lord isn’t the obvious choice for king. He is the one willing to do what is necessary, though.”

  Zaraki felt his heart start to race. Hearing that, he wanted to run. Run back to the stables, grab Capar and head for Lida as fast as possible. He wanted to reach across the table and strangle the man until he told him who the assassin was. He would tear the walls down himself looking for any killer Ladvik planted there.

  So much for objectivity, he thought. Reminding himself Leisha was in no more danger now than she was before he knew about this plan, he forced himself to take a small sip of his wine. “And all you need from Embriel is an invasion force?”

  “Mostly we’re worried about the Tymek. Staval wants to be king. He won’t support anyone else, but after his last humiliation he does nothing but brood. If he won’t act, someone else must. Embriel can cross the river and take Staval’s land, eliminating a major obstacle for my Lord Ladvik.”

  “And you’re willing to give Embriel back the Tymek in return for our support? Perhaps, while you all squabble over the carcass, we’ll just take Lida and be done with it.”

  Bolek shrugged, unconcerned. “You could try, but then all the Tahaerin lords would unite to beat you back. A king would arise naturally, and my lord feels confident it would be him.”

  Zaraki wanted to laugh at Ladvik’s delusions. No one would follow him, ever. “Very well. I’m authorized to give you this as a token from King Andrzej. He has long wanted to see the Tymek returned. Though he doesn’t wish to see any monarch killed, he believes this is an internal Tahaerin conflict and won’t object to the queen’s death. The next meeting will be here in Achym and then Marcin will take you to Arnost to see the king. Bring proof from your lord.”

  Bolek took the ring Zaraki offered and slipped it into a pouch. “Excellent, my lord will be very happy with this.”

  Standing, Zaraki offered the man his arm and they clasped theirs together in a traditional Embriel show of friendship. He wished both men well and stepped out into the corridor, then headed to the exit after tossing some coins on the bar for his meal. Aniska stood, watching the tavern from shadows across the street.

  “Two men inside and the agent,” he told her.

  Aniska nodded. “I saw them going in a few
hours ago. Their horses are in the stables.”

  “And no sign of Fellnin?”

  “None. I think we’re in the clear. Maybe he’s not involved. Maybe I wounded him more than I thought. Are we ready to go meet our friend inside?” Aniska looked eager for a fight.

  With no Fellnin skulking around, this would be an easy shakedown, but still Zaraki felt unsettled. Why would Fellnin go through all the trouble of tracking Ani and then just disappear? Some part of this had slipped through his fingers, but he had no time to think about it now.

  “After you, my fine lady,” he said and motioned across the street. In fact, Aniska looked like anything but a fine lady. The neckline of her gown plunged so low Zaraki could not understand how she stayed in it. She had tucked up the sides of her skirts to show an obscene amount of ankle and calf. He wanted to tell her she made an adorable whore.

  Behind the tavern, they stood together looking like a prostitute and her customer. Bolek and his bodyguards arrived, and calling for their horses, went inside the stables. As soon as all three were inside, Zaraki stepped around Aniska and with the exit now barred, he said, “Bolek, you miserable little fuck. The queen is going to love this.”

  The man and his bodyguards whirled around and Aniska waved the stable boy out.

  Ignoring the guards, who stood with swords drawn, Zaraki pointed at Bolek. “You have a choice. You can turn on Ladvik and become an informer for the queen, or I can kill you here and we’ll still detain Ladvik. I assure you, the queen pays better.”

  “Or we can kill you and the whore you brought, and the queen will never know where to find your bodies,” Bolek blustered. His bodyguards looked uncertain as they recognized trained killers.

  “This whore is hoping for a fight, personally,” Aniska said brightly. The guards did not concern her in the least. They were local muscle; nothing more, not well trained or even well-armed from what she could tell.

  “You two, here’s more coin than you’ll see in a month. Get out of my sight.” She threw a pouch at one and after hefting it, he nodded. They both abandoned their former employer. So much for that fight.

  “See? Everyone has a price,” Zaraki said. “Ladvik has already implicated himself. If you don’t cooperate, your family will be arrested as co-conspirators, but the queen will pardon you and them if you assist her.”

  Swearing, Bolek considered his options briefly and dropped his sword. “My family had nothing to do with this.”

  Aniska moved to kick his weapon away and shrugged. “No one cares at this point, honestly. This is very simple. You’ll go back to you master with the letter given to you earlier, but you’ll bring Ladvik’s response to us in Lida.” This was more fun than just eavesdropping on bar patrons, she decided.

  Bolek sighed and looked around like a trapped animal. “If I’m caught—”

  “Yes, you’ll die,” Ani said, waving her hands and sounding annoyed. “Of course he’ll kill you. But, so will we and so will the queen. You’ve made a good number of enemies tonight.”

  Ladvik’s man wilted in resignation. “I’ll bring his response to Lida and the queen will pay me and pardon me. Can I go?” he asked, sounding petulant.

  “Not yet,” Zaraki said with a warning in his voice. “Who’s the assassin in Lida?” Ani shot him a look, but he ignored her.

  “I don’t know. There’s someone above me who handles that. I’m just the courier,” Bolek squeaked, holding up his hands.

  With no sign of Fellnin here, Zaraki worried he could be the assassin. Anger and fear took hold of him again, knowing their brother was too efficient a killer. He had to know and so he advanced on Bolek. “Not good enough.” He surged forward and punched the man in the jaw.

  “I don’t know, I don’t know,” Bolek wailed from the floor where he lay. He cowered trying to ward off any further blows.

  “Objectivity, friend,” Zaraki heard Aniska say from behind. “We need him to deliver the letter.”

  He grimaced, angry at her rebuke, but knowing she was right. Then he hesitated a moment more before letting Bolek climb up from the floor. “Get out and go back to your master. Be in Lida by the end of the month, or the queen will have both your head and Ladvik’s on pikes.”

  With his hand aching, he turned to Ani. “Since Fellnin’s not here, I’m leaving for Lida tonight,” he said, not caring what she thought about his objectivity. Fellnin was a killer.

  “Me too, then, boss,” she chirped.

  ***

  Zaraki pushed Capar and Aniska’s horse on their return to Lida, only slowing when Capar stumbled. He apologized to them all and stopped for a night at a good inn. Ani opened her mouth several times to protest, but she stopped herself. This sudden change in their relationship disconcerted her, and she felt unsure about how to tell him he needed to think with his head. They had no evidence of Fellnin’s presence in Lida, much less that he traveled there to kill the queen. Instead, they should have stayed behind and looked for clues about his activities in Achym.

  Even slowing to rest the horses, they managed to shave a day or two off the trip. Once back, Zaraki set a round-the-clock guard on Leisha. “You won’t be alone until this is resolved. And I’d like you to move to one of the smaller bedrooms since they’re easier to secure.”

  She brushed over his thoughts and drew back, overwhelmed by the intensity of his fear and concern. “Of course. I believe you.”

  “One more thing, Your Grace,” Zaraki said, looking a bit sheepish. “I need to tell you something. Just to be sure there aren’t any secrets between us or so it doesn’t look like I’m being secretive, I guess. I hired a new spy, a woman named Aniska.” He told her about finding Ani at his safe house in Achym. “We grew up together in Ostrava and I just want you to be aware of the relationship. If it’s a problem, I’ll let her go.” As much as he cared for Ani, his loyalty did not lay with her.

  Leisha scowled, remembering the name from his memories all those years ago. “Should it be a problem? I can’t imagine a situation where I wouldn’t trust your judgment, Zaraki.”

  “No, it won’t be a problem. I just wanted you to know.”

  “I welcome another Ostravan, then.” She looked at him for a minute, seeming to consider something. Finally, she asked, “Do you know the name Fellnin?”

  Shock ran through him. “Yes. Where did you hear that name?” he demanded, forgetting to be polite.

  Leisha felt his fear and anxiety wash over her. “It’s difficult to explain.” Now she looked away, thinking how to describe something she had few words for. “When someone thinks about me, really concentrates, it’s like—it’s like a pebble being cast into still water. I can feel it, like a pulse or a bell. Remember the parade? I felt someone thinking about me right before the man struck the horse. I felt it again here, recently.”

  “Where?” Zaraki felt panic rising. Just as he feared. Fellnin, a far better killer, an assassin, came to hunt her. Wounded, he had raced here from Achym right after attacking Ani. What game was he playing?

  “I don’t know. I can’t point to the location usually.” Gesturing with her hands, she said, “It’s more like ripples spreading out from a center.”

  “But here in the castle?”

  “No. No, near the castle, though. I was outside the gate with Symon looking at repairs to the curtain wall. I think the person has to see me. It feels like that.” Now she looked annoyed with herself. “I wish I knew more about what I could do. Anyway, I felt it and then I knew his name was Fellnin. Just like that. He feels dangerous.”

  “I grew up with him, too, trained with him. He is dangerous, and I think he’s involved with Ladvik. But Jan, Eli, Aniska and I will take turns watching you until this is resolved. You won’t be alone until we catch whoever the assassin is. I’ll send for them now so we can decide on shifts.” He went to go find a servant.

  As he turned to leave, she asked, “Zaraki, you’ve saved enough to buy a house on the square in Achym?”

  He smiled over his shoulde
r at her. “It seemed like a good investment.”

  ***

  In the end, finding the assassin proved as simple as watching Bolek when he arrived in Lida. Zaraki passed word around the castle that Bolek had turned on Ladvik and set about observing who made contact. Late that night, Fidelis, Leisha’s Scribe Master, walked into the wing of the castle reserved for visitors and knocked on Bolek’s door. Jan stepped around a corner and shook his head. “What will we find in your rooms, traitor?”

  The man made to bolt, but Eli barred the way behind him. “Come along and let’s look together. Master Zaraki would like to wrap this up.”

  Fidelis tried to struggle when Jan grabbed his shoulder, but both he and Eli came hoping for a fight. When they hauled the scribe upright, to march him down the hallway, he looked considerably worse for the encounter.

  A servant woke Zaraki as he slept in one of Leisha’s guest rooms. Together with Jan and Eli, they tossed Fidelis’s room and found several coded messages they were unable to read. Under questioning, the man admitted to being prepared to kill the queen once given the go ahead from Ladvik. The coded messages came from Ladvik’s spy here, a man named Gerek. They found no evidence to point to Fellnin’s involvement.

  In the morning, Zaraki let Leisha know what had transpired overnight.

  She could see his exhaustion and felt his intense relief. “I hoped somehow to have moved past the stabbing me in the hallways stage of my reign. I’d like to reward you and Aniska both for your work. Please, get some rest now,” she said.

  ***

  “I don’t get it, Ani. Where was Fellnin in all this? What was his part?” They sat together in his rooms, at a table that once belonged to Leisha’s grandfather. The great chairs, entirely too fine for either one of them, had deep, comfortable cushions.

  She shrugged at him, one leg thrown over the arm of her chair. “Zaraki, we don’t know he played any part. You just guess he did.”

  “No,” he cut in. “It’s too much coincidence. He just appears in Kajetan and then follows you to Achym in the middle of a plot against Leisha? Maybe he was looking for me.”