Aurora's Heart

by V C Sanford

  ********

  Castillo cursed. Three men dead and none of them were the targets. He’d lost a favorite throwing knife when the bounty hunter toppled from the gangway into the water. To make matters worse, Alex was injured. If the boy died he’d never hear the end of it. Some fool had called the watch, and for once they responded. What else could go wrong?

  Chapter 7

  Addie opened the hot oven with her empty hand, careful to balance the tray of cookies with the other. “Why is it that regardless of the order that it went in, everything always needs to come out at the same time?” Shifting the pan of hot scones, she placed both trays down onto the flour-dusted kitchen table.

  Tula smiled softly but didn’t answer. It was a question she’d heard many times over the last ten years. Besides, she was up to her elbows in cornbread stuffing for the bird she’d plucked, ready to place the unlucky hen into the oven as soon as she finished filling up its cavities.

  She raised a flour-covered hand and wiped the perspiration from her head with a kerchief kept handy for that reason. It might be cold outside, but the little kitchen was stifling, what with the heat from the oven, and the kettles boiling in the fireplace. Steeling herself for the expected blast of cold, she opened the door to the back courtyard to retrieve a crock of milk set out to cool in the snow. The milk jar hit the floor with a crash, startling Tula, who turned around just in time to witness, as two bloody forms covered with snow fell through the open door to land at Addie’s feet.

  ********

  The morning sun streaming through the window of the tiny room woke Maxx from an uneasy sleep. He shut his eyes, wincing against the brightness. He felt weak as a kitten, and his head pounded like he was coming off a three-day binge. He tried to set up but gave up as pain racked his body. He knew he was in the tiny attic room in the inn, but he had no memory of how he got there. In fact, his last memory was of… “Alex!”

  Steeling himself against the pain, Maxx forced his aching muscles into reluctant activity. He managed to sit up, while further entangling his body in the blankets covering him. He was shocked by the effort it took to remove the coverlet with one arm, gasping in agony as red-hot flashes raced across his back and neck. Finally, upright but unsteady, he paused, allowing the trembling to stop and the pain to recede, then he swung his feet off the bed, hesitating at the sight of his bare legs.

  Drasst it all, where were his trousers? He spotted his boots sitting beside the chair, his socks drying across the back. His chest was bandaged and was wearing a clean shirt, but his pants were nowhere to be found. Oh well, someone has obviously seen me without them. Bracing himself against the bedpost, he was able to gain his feet, but before he could take the first step, the door to the room opened and Addie entered, followed by of all people, the odd girl that had been with the girl Alex was mooning over.

  “Stop yelling! He’s downstairs sleeping, something you should be doing yourself.” She gently helped him lie back against the mattress. “Now calm down or you will reopen your wounds.”

  “He’s all right then, I got him here in time?”

  The two women exchanged an apprehensive glance. Addie struggled to form a response that wouldn’t further alarm the already distressed young man. Finding nothing she could say that would alleviate his anxiety, she chose instead to calmly ignore his pleas for information, finally adding another pillow before answering.

  “He’s hurt Maxx, much worse than you were. I did the best I could--- but I’m not a healer. He’s lost a lot of blood. And he’s developed a fever in his chest, being out in the cold didn’t help. I don’t know if he’ll make it.” She paused, seeming to gather her thoughts, and then continued calmly. “He hasn’t regained consciousness. The temple of Ninisinna is empty and he won’t survive the trip to Rheaaz’s temple in Alliance. The only thing we can do is pray the Gods find him worth saving.”

  “Drasst woman, Gods can’t be counted on. Get me my pants. I’m getting out of this bed one way or another---and I’d prefer to be wearing them when I do.” He tossed the tangled blanket aside, then sat up and swung his feet off, using the headboard for support. The bandages pulled on his chest and his cracked rib made it difficult to breathe, but he refused to let that stop him.

  Strangely affected by the sight of the half-naked teen, the young Shii girl hastily tossed a pair of pants his way. Red-faced, she averted her eyes, so he could put them on.

  Addie chuckled at her rapidly coloring face. She’d overcome her own shyness many years ago. It was apparent Maxx had too. Evidently, he wasn’t going to stay in the bed until he’d assured himself that Alex was going to be alright. Despite her worry, she couldn’t help admiring the young man’s struggle to dress with only one arm.

  “Here boy, let me help you with that. You’re going to tear open your shoulder.” Once he was decently attired, she offered her arm for support and then helped him down the narrow stairs to a room that backed unto the Inns fireplace.

  Finding Alex in this room alarmed him more than her words. The heat from the fire kept the room toasty, making it a favorite among paying guests. The loss of the room rent would be a severe hardship for the kindly innkeeper, especially during the festival when charges increased to almost double the usual rates.

  Alex still shivered, even though he was covered in blankets. Someone had placed a warm brick at his feet. Nikiva sat on a milking stool beside the bed, her hand grasping his tightly. Her usually beautiful face was taut with worry and almost as pale as Alex’s. She realized his chance of awakening was becoming less likely with the passage of time.

  “It’s in the Lady’s hands. If it’s her will that he lives, he shall,” she whispered “I dreamed last night of blood, and of you and Alex. We’ve been here since the snow let up. The sun is shining, and the ice is melting, so why do I feel so cold?”

  Addie located another chair. Maxx smiled gratefully, his legs still too weak to support him for long. He fought to hold back tears, his stoic resolve shaken by the condition of his best friend. Scarcely three days past the two had joked about becoming old men in rockers, surrounded by their grandchildren. His mind refused to accept the idea that Alex might not pull through. Addie squeezed his shoulder, silently acknowledging his pain, before moving back to give him a bit more room.

  “So, we sit here and watch him die.” Alex groaned aloud, and the blood drained from Maxx’s face, he suddenly felt as weak as a newborn babe. “Tell me what to do.”

  Addie swallowed, fighting her own tears. She glanced at the silent figure standing beside the tiny window. Rhianwen wasn’t a sister, but she might be able to help. Shii couldn’t volunteer assistance, only wait until someone willingly offered payment.

  “Can anyone pledge the price”, Addie asked quietly.

  Maxx turned his head at the question, noticing Rhianwen standing behind him and wondering what price she meant. She wasn’t looking at Addie as she spoke, however, the girl seemed shaken by her words. But before Addie could answer, Nikiva spoke up.

  “I willingly offer myself as payment.”

  “No, sister of my heart, your offer is refused. The cost is too high and the value you offer too much.”

  “Rhianwen, you can’t refuse. The payment was offered willingly.” Nikiva was crying openly now, clutching onto the tiny shard of hope before her. Rhianwen wouldn’t refuse her, once she understood how much she cared about Alex.

  “I do this only because I know the pain you bear would be much worse if I refused. But know this, the gift you offered had best be appreciated… or tenfold I will reclaim.” The desert girl crossed over to the bed and knelt by Alex’s side. Slowly she untied the knots holding the thin bandages that covered her hands. Maxx was surprised to see how small and delicate her hands were once the heavy cotton bindings were removed. He’d assumed the bandages were covering some type of burn or similar damage. Pressing her hands hard against Alex’s chest, she began to pray to Rheaaz, begging her Goddess’s help in healing the wounds and driving out the fe
ver that ravaged his body.

  For one confusing moment, seeing the Shii-Lakka girl’s hands pressed against Alex’s chest, Maxx believed she was trying to finish the assassins’ work. The ‘accidental’ meeting could have been a setup. The girls could be involved. No--- he couldn’t start thinking that way. Once he realized how silly that thought was, he tried to relax. But his overwrought imagination wouldn’t still the silent whispers. They didn’t know anything about the girls. They appeared to be concerned but was it only an act?

  Deep in prayer, her eyes closed, Rhianwen knelt beside Alex. She chanted the same words over, and over, again, petitioning her god’s help to heal his wounds. Her hands began to radiate a warm glow that gradually spread across Alex’s body. Heartbeats passed as Maxx watched anxiously. Suddenly Rhianwen opened her eyes and screamed. Alex’s wounds started closing, the flesh flowing back together seamlessly. Once clear and dainty, her hands now appeared swollen and red. Blood dripped from jagged tears in her flesh. Her chant wavered as she fought to control the healing process throughout the pain she was now enduring. When it seemed like she was about to lose control, the light around them both flared brightly, then the pain hammered Alex mercifully back into unconsciousness. With a sigh, she slipped to the ground beside him.

  *******

  “The watch pulled two bodies from the water near the pier this morning. Neither was the target. Nor was it a tall man with a scar across his eye.”

  “That’s unfortunate to hear,” the richly robed man replied softly.” Perhaps I made a mistake by placing my trust in your hands?” He wasn’t particularly worried. Bodies turned up daily in the portside neighborhood. Besides the wharf and warehouses along the pier, there was a saloon or two, a few rundown stores and the usual fishing shacks built down by the waterline. The local citizens had learned it was better to keep their eyes… and their mouths closed.

  “My Lord, my only mistake was in allowing your bounty to remain posted. Rogue hunters seeking to collect your offering followed the pair to their assignation on the dock. As instructed, my man stepped in to preserve your nephew’s life, he lost his own during the fight. He was unable to fulfill your request to eliminate the other at that time, he felt it was critical that the target be3

  allowed to carry your nephew to a healer.” The speaker narrowed his eyes. “Or was I wrong?”

  “My nephews’ survival was essential. His friend is unimportant. Merely a nuisance I prefer to remove before he becomes a problem. Speaking of problems, will anyone connect his body to you?

  ” No. The uniform he was wearing had no identifying marks or emblems. His body was burned along with the others. I do have some information that might improve my lords’ mood. The shipment you’ve been expecting has arrived. I arranged delivery to your warehouse.”

  The news brought Lord Torrin some small amount of pleasure, diminishing his anger over his original plans failure. Things had gone damnably wrong in a hurry. It seemed that both his nephew and his obstinate young friend were more competent than he’d previously believed. If he hoped to salvage some type of favorable resolution to the problems that he now faced he’d have to come up with a different plan.

  Glancing thoughtfully at the ornately carved mirror that hung behind his desk, he motioned for the City Watch Sergeant to rise.

  “Have your men continue to keep an eye on them. If the opportunity arises to quietly remove the target, do so. It’s imperative my nephew must not be hurt. Continue until you receive different orders. If the target continues to be a problem for your men, I’ll arrange something suitable for myself. You’ll be compensated as usual for your service. You are excused.” He rose from his desk, indicating there would be no further conversation.

  The sergeant bowed briefly then withdrew. He’d no idea what distracted the sadistic lord from his original tirade, but it had come at an opportune moment.

  As soon as the man exited the room, Lord Baldric moved over to a large ornate mirror on the wall. Instead of the expected reflection, the mirror displayed the visage of a tall, slender woman dressed entirely in sapphire silks. Lord Baldric waited impatiently as the image began to shimmer, and then fade away, only to reform in front of the ornate looking glass.

  “I assume you heard everything?” he inquired, once the woman had fully materialized after passing through the mirror.

  “That your hired men had failed? Or that Alex is back in Cabrell? Both are of interest to me. But neither surprises me in the least.”

  Lord Baldric waited impatiently as she helped herself to a glass of wine. No other woman could try his patience as this one. Now she lounged on a dark leather chaise, the elaborate brocade robe she wore draped loosely around her lithe body revealing more than it concealed. He had to admit she was a beautiful woman, mahogany waist length hair piled casually atop her head, perfectly sculptured head thrown back provocatively, the ruby liquid in the crystal goblet a perfect match for her luscious lips. She cocked her head slightly and gave him a wide-eyed stare. He found himself drowning in those beautiful catlike eyes, eyes that could look right into your soul and tear it apart. His eyes wandered down to her breasts. Lust vied with humiliation as he recalled the last time he’d sought oblivion in those soft curves. She could bring intense pleasure, but that pleasure came with a price tag, one becoming increasingly difficult to pay.

  “It seems that the gods must be smiling upon me at last. I gave up my efforts to locate my nephew years ago. Now he walks into my arms. I must arrange to talk with him before he vanishes once again. I’m certain his mother entrusted him with the map before she died. She didn’t trust my brother and the other boys disappeared long before she fell ill. Your scrying has produced no usable information. This is our last hope, everyone we questioned is dead.”

  “Yes, that hasn’t produced many leads. However, it has been quite enjoyable, has it not? She smiled, and Torrin was once again reminded of a snake playing with its prey. He often wondered how something so beautiful could be so evil. “The watch officer, is he to be trusted? Is the information you received accurate?”

  “Who knows,” he replied. “The information was provided in exchange for gold by a man with no honor. I own the man, but only as long as he fears discovery. It may be a total fabrication.”

  “Yet you felt it worth your coin?” Her eyes narrowed momentarily, and a slight frown marred her perfect features.

  “Certainly. Coin is easily replaced. It isn’t as easy to replace someone in a position of confidence, especially when spying on Samsara’s organization. He’s already proved his ingenuity to me on many occasions, he has a way with knives that would please even someone with your exotic---or shall I say---hedonistic tastes.”

  “The entire fiasco is a waste of time and money if you ask me,” Izabal stated frostily. “My men could have taken care of the problem without the cost.”

  “But mine to waste,” Lord Torrin snapped, he paced across the room, glaring angrily. “It’s time to proceed with a new plan.”

  “And our plan is?” Izabal asked calmly, totally ignoring Lord Baldric’s irritation. She made her way over to Lord Baldric’s well-stocked bar and refilled her goblet with burgundy, swirling the blood-red liquor around several times before taking a sip. Satisfied with the taste, she reclined against the edge of the desk and waited for his answer.

  “First we need to neutralize the outside influences. Once he’s alone we can easily convince Alex to help. If he doesn’t have the map, at least he can tell us where it’s hidden.”

  “How will this affect our other business interests? Do we continue as planned?”

  “I see no reason to stop. It’s serving two purposes. One way or another I’ll locate the medallion, even if I must kill every relative of my late brothers’ wife to find it. That I get to enjoy the process is merely a bonus.”

  “My interest is limited to my own pleasures as you are aware.” She smiled. “But if we’re both happy, who am I to complain.”

  “Soon I’ll talk to
my nephew, and then it’s only a matter of time before the heart is in our hands.”

  Chapter 8

  Lost in thought, Alex stood at the window of his room, staring out at the evening fog that covered most of the city. There was no moon to lighten up the silvery wisps, the only break in the glistening white carpet was from the scattered street lamps that glowed dimly in their attempt to lighten the paths of passersby as they trudged thru the ice and snow. He rested his head briefly against the pane, enjoying the coolness of the glass against his skin. It had been two days since the attack and, thanks to Rhianwens attention, and Addie’s good food, he was feeling much better. Now, he was bored.

  “I could really use a change of scenery. How about a short walk, followed up by a cold mug? I really need to get out of this room. I feel like the walls are moving closer every time I close my eyes.”