“As did we all,” said Norband drily.
I couldn’t tell whether he was being sarcastic or pragmatic. Unfortunately, even though I was getting better at reading his High-Chief, whether from the bond we shared or being in so much close proximity or simply from loving him and wanting to learn him, I couldn’t decipher this man at all. What I did know, though, was that this had to be taking a toll on Norband and Ilgard both, despite appearances to the contrary. They’d lived with Kan, trained, fought, ate with, and worked alongside him for a very long time. They would have watched him grow from a child to manhood. They were joined with him in a singular brotherhood no one else could possibly understand. Perhaps he was the first Simathe to break ranks with this type of treachery. I didn’t know, but I knew the ramifications from this incident were far from over for these Simathe lords.
Knowing this only made me feel worse. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to offer words of comfort but sensed they might not be appreciated. Instead, forcing back my own grief, I simply whispered, “Help me stand, please.”
Gently, Ilgard eased me upright, keeping one arm firmly around my shoulders, lending me his strength and support.
“Where is Kan now?” I inquired, once I was on my feet.
“In the palace dungeons,” Norband replied.
Dungeons. The word made me shiver. I hadn’t even known there were dungeons in Laytrii’s palace.
“Will they keep him?” I asked anxiously, glancing up at Ilgard.
“He is secure.”
I winced, not entirely convinced. How can someone be restrained who has no fear of pain or death? Someone far stronger than any normal human being?
“Is he guarded?”
“Cole and Senn are there.”
Cole. Thank heavens he hadn’t been the traitor. Not that I’d ever believed he could be, but if he had…well, I simply couldn’t have handled that. But still, how could Kan—?
No, I didn’t want to think about it. My composure, such as it was, threatened to dissolve each time I did.
Although I was already on my feet, my fairy friend, Aureeyah, was eyeing me with obvious concern.
“You need bed rest, Hannah. And a bath,” she now declared firmly. “If the High-Chief will escort you to your chambers, I will ensure you have both.”
I looked up at Ilgard, forcing a tiny smile. “Well?”
To my surprise, he turned me down. “Norband will escort you. I must see to Kan.”
Gently, he slipped away his arm, transferring my weight to the other man’s hold.
“What? Why?”
No answer save a polite little bow, and he was gone.
What’s up with him? I thought with a frown. It wasn’t that I really minded the Simathe Chief Captain helping me out, now that he’d been cleared of suspicion, so to speak, but I’d wanted to talk this out with Ilgard. I needed to know exactly what had happened, and why.
Oh, well.
I shrugged mentally and turned to the next best thing.
“Norband, will you come back in a little while, after I’m done with my bath? I’d like to talk to you,” I requested, as the Simathe lord guided me along towards my room.
I’d rarely, if ever, initiated any type of conversation with him, but if he was taken aback, I couldn’t tell. “Perhaps the High-Chief—” he started to say, but I cut him off.
“Obviously Ilgard is busy right now. I need some answers. I think you can give them to me… if you’re willing?”
For the tiniest fraction of a second, something in his manner made me think he would refuse. However, he finally dipped his chin in acquiescence. We’d reached my chambers by this point, and without further ado he eased me down into a chair close to my bed and then bowed himself out. With a sigh, I settled back against the stiff upholstery and began slowly unlacing the ties of my clothing.
Wakefulness
After my bath, Rosean and another servant girl helped me dress and then slide into bed. I remained weak after this latest brush with death and excruciatingly sore. Despite no outward evidence of a sword wound, my insides remained so tender I cried out at any sudden movement. Rosean carefully tucked the blankets around me, bade me a caring, “Rest well,” and left with my request to send in the Simathe Chief Captain. The other girl waited until he arrived, bobbed a quick curtsey, and then took herself out.
I waved Norband to a chair beside my bed. He’d scarcely taken a seat before I started peppering him with questions.
“Did you all suspect Kan before today? Had he ever done anything to make you think he could be a traitor?”
“I believed so,” the Simathe returned slowly, thoughtfully. “Yet the High-Chief would make certain.”
“Why, Norband? Why did you suspect him?”
“I suspected something amiss from the day he allowed you outside Treygon’s walls.”
I frowned, puzzled by his statement. “You mean the day I was attacked by Jonase? But Norband,” I protested, carefully pushing myself higher on the pillows, “he didn’t let me out. I sort of… tricked him.”
“Did you?”
The way he said that made me re-think my previous assumptions. “You mean—you mean you think he purposefully let me slip out? Maybe even cleared the way, so I’d run into some kind of danger?”
“Such as Jonase…” he fit in smoothly.
I didn’t argue. My mind was in a whirl. I thought I’d really put one over on Kan that day. I’d congratulated myself on deserving an Oscar for it. In reality, had he been the one to turn in an award-winning performance?
“But Ilgard never said anything about all this to me,” I objected. “The first I knew any of it was the night of Lord Ri’s Instating. Why didn’t he let me know?”
“Being the Artan does not make you privy to all of Treygon’s business,” the warrior-lord replied, almost condescendingly.
I would’ve been annoyed, except what he said was true. Clearly, there was a lot Treygon’s lords kept from me. I might never know how long Ilgard had suspected Kan.
“Well, why didn’t Kan try to kill me earlier, then? I’m sure he had other opportunities,” I observed grumpily, slumping against the pillows.
“Did he?”
“Didn’t he?”
Something very close to a smirk quirked one corner of the Simathe’s mouth. “You were more closely kept than you knew, my lady.”
I considered that. Because of our Joining, not only was Ilgard constantly informed of my whereabouts and if I were in any kind of danger, but I realized the likelihood of other Simathe surreptitiously on guard was entirely possible.
“Did someone overhear our conversation today? Kan’s and mine, I mean?”
The smirk was already gone. “Aye.”
That explained it then. If Norband had indeed suspected Kan for so long—and Ilgard too, although he’d wanted to be absolutely certain before taking action—hearing what had passed between the two of us today was enough to bring matters to a head. If Kan had been the criminal, as they supposed, my foolish revelations would’ve notified him that the scales were now tipped. The traitor must either show his hand, or else disappear entirely.
Even though that part of the mystery was cleared up, other questions remained. Such as, “Were you using me as bait in a trap tonight? It’s bad enough Ilgard would do that with a second guard shadowing me, but how could you two let Kan get close enough to actually attack? I mean, I almost died. He really might’ve killed me!”
“Don’t be a fool,” snapped the warrior, surprising me with his rancor. “Neither the High-Chief nor I would play with your life. To suggest otherwise is sheer effrontery.”
“Well… well…” I found myself floundering for words. “Well, how did it happen then?”
“The High-Chief intended to shadow you this evening,” he explained. “However, he was detained after dining and you were called away.”
“By Elisia, yes. I remember that now.”
“You were alone only briefly, yet Kan took his c
hances. Luckily, I was on my way to cover for the High-Chief and sensed Kan’s presence, else—”
“Never mind. You don’t have to say it,” I interjected quietly. “I still can’t believe what might’ve happened, though.”
“Life is full of might haves,” Norband remarked calmly, rising. “Concern yourself with what is.” He stopped, looking me over as if to ascertain I was truly all right. Apparently satisfied, he said, “With your permission, Lady.”
I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be left alone tonight and told him so.
“I’ll keep your door,” he promised. “But I can also summon your serving girl…”
“No, it’s okay,” I interrupted with a shake of the head. “If you’re outside, I guess I’ll be all right.”
“As you say,” he nodded. “Sleep well, my lady.”
“Good night.”
He left, and I settled down for the night, attempting to go to sleep, wishing all the while that Ilgard was close by. He wasn’t. And it wasn’t a restful night. My mind kept replaying ghastly visions of being stabbed on the balcony. On top of that, it added new features: Kan pinning me down, his hands around my throat… strangling, cutting off my air supply. Of Jonase, the smell and feel of his eerie skin. I would wake up sweating and drift off again only to meet more nightmares that startled me awake. For hours, I tossed, restless, unable to sleep except for brief, fitful stretches. The pain in my body wasn’t helping much, either.
Finally, sometime in the early morning hours, I simply gave up. Dressing with careful slowness because of the tenderness of my body, I pulled on a casual linen blouse and a blue skirt. After tying my hair back with a matching ribbon, I donned slippers and stole out onto my balcony for a purifying breath of fresh air.
The night sky was brilliant with the radiance of a million stars and a waxing moon. A soft haze hung over courtyard, fields, forests, roads, and even the spires of Laytrii’s city, shimmering off in the distance. It gentled the harsh mountain peaks that framed the peaceful vista and lent the land its own fairylike, ethereal glow. I’d never seen a scene more beautiful than this, and coming from a Colorado native, that was saying a lot.
I do love this place, I thought with a sigh, feeling a touch of depression mixed with anxiety at the thought of leaving it for the uncertainty of Aerisia’s outer regions. Leave it to face my future as the Artan, my destiny as the one foretold to save these people and their homes.
From the reports that arrived continually, I was sadly aware that armies of The Evil were growing rapidly in strength and size. The bulk of their forces were indeed headed towards Shayle, but other, smaller armies were rampaging less fortified locales, wreaking havoc and leaving destruction in their wake. It was as if the Dark Powers, mostly silent for many years, were suddenly unleashing the full brunt of their might against my land. I knew why: the time of the Artan had come. The Dark Powers also knew it and so were throwing everything into a last-ditch effort to destroy me.
Would it work? I didn’t know. My magic had multiplied by leaps and bounds compared to what it was even a few months ago. I had strong armies of my own backing me. Nevertheless, standing against these black forces was a nerve-wracking concept. Risean had assured me that, when the time came, the Powers of Good would empower me. That I would know what to do and how to do it. Was he right? I didn’t know that, either. All I did know was, even if it meant giving my last breath to beat my enemy down, I’d willingly surrender it. After all, if I couldn’t stop them there at Shayle, their blight would quickly spread. At some point, even Laytrii wouldn’t be safe. No way could I allow that to happen.
In the midst of these glum musings I felt a warm presence drifting into my vicinity but didn’t bother turning. I already knew who it was. Having let himself into my room, the Simathe High-Chief drew up beside me, wrapping an arm about my shoulders and pulling me wordlessly against his side. I turned into him, gratefully seeking the comfort of his warm body.
“Troubled?”
Of course he would know.
“A little,” I admitted, rubbing my cheek against his tunic.
Silent, he waited for me to continue.
“I’m worried about the unknown and about going into battle. Will we be able to stop them? Will I? Will the prophecies come true?” I turned my face worriedly up to his. “If one little thing goes wrong, could the prophecies be broken? And if I die, does Aerisia die with me?”
“You’ll do what you must.”
“But what if it isn’t enough? What if I fail? What if I die?”
He brushed my hair gently to the side of my face. “Then Aerisia will fight while she can.”
“And if they lose?”
“Then the Simathe will fight.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. Forgot about that one.”
But there was no humor in his eyes when he tilted my chin up. “Have no fear. I’ll not leave your side.”
“I know you won’t. But even that might not be enough: you know it might not. If I should die anyway—”
“You would take my life with you.”
At that quiet statement, I felt my heart leap in my chest. It was the closest he’d ever come to admitting he loved me. Was that what he’d meant? Or was it a reference to the separation pains of our closed bond, should I not survive? Or both?
I wanted desperately to ask but restrained myself. I couldn’t rush or pressure a man like this. He had to determine what he wanted from our relationship in his own time, on his own terms, and in his own way. There was a lot for him to wade through, particularly the knotty issue of his immortality and my own uncertainty that I’d even survive this war. So, rather than make a big deal out of his statement, I let it hang in the air between us as I reached up to kiss him, silently letting him know I would accept whatever he offered as he felt at ease offering it.
“Then I will live,” I promised, remaining for the moment in the circle of his arms, “if only to make sure you do too.” I smiled. “Now I have to ask a favor. You need to let me do something I know you’re not going to want me doing.”
He stepped back. “And what is that?”
“You need to let me talk to Kan. I’ve thought about this a lot the past few hours, and I feel this… this burden to speak with him. It’s very important to me,” I persisted, placing a hand on his chest to forestall the objections I could read in his eyes. “Please don’t say no. It’s important. I really need to do this.”
“Could I prevent you?”
“Well, you could certainly make it easier on me by just saying yes and going with the flow.”
He was silent for a long time, doubtless weighing the ramifications of my request. Although it was true he technically couldn’t stop me from doing anything anymore, he also knew if he came down hard against my idea that I’d probably back off. What would he decide? For once, I could probably guess what he was thinking: that Kan had already come perilously close to ending my life. Furthermore, even though he was now imprisoned and I was on my guard and could take care of myself, the caged warrior was still Simathe: the element of danger wasn’t fully removed.
He was hesitating, hesitating that something outside of his considerable control would happen and that he might lose me like he nearly had a few hours ago. Despite all that, he finally surrendered, possibly because he could read in me how badly I wanted to do this.
“As you wish,” he finally said, although I sensed his permission was being given grudgingly.
I released a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. “Thank you.” Slipping my arm through his, I asked, “Will you take me there now?”
Underlying Causes
At my request, Ilgard reluctantly agreed to leave me alone with Kan. A sturdy door of iron bars was all that separated me from this man whom I’d once counted a friend—this man who’d tried to murder me. When I looked into his alien black eyes, a chill ran down my spine. They were no longer calm, obscuring, masking all thoughts and feelings. Something had changed; something inexplicable that cause
d them to glitter in the cell’s half-light. It was almost as if, now that he’d been discovered, Kan had thrown off the shell of his former persona, instead choosing to reveal what lay deep within.
“Oh, Kan,” I murmured, drawing closer but remaining a safe distance away. “Why did you do this? What’s happened to you?”
Rising from the cot on which he sat, he approached, gripping the bars of his cell door with both hands, pressing his face against the cold iron.
“Why?” he repeated, a sardonic twist to his mouth. “You wish to know why, my lady?” He slammed up against the cell door, and I took an involuntary step backwards. “I left Treygon and went out into the land, as must all Simathe in due course. I saw how others lived, and I desired a life like theirs. But do you know what happened?”
“I could probably guess.”
He chuckled grimly. “Aye, doubtless you could. Everywhere I went, people feared me. Shunned me. There was no joining them. There was no acceptance. It took no length of time to show me I was bound to the fate of my brothers. And that I could not endure.”
“You mean, being honorable. Serving your country, protecting your countrymen, in spite of how they treat you.”
He shook his head. “Madness! The High-Chief, the Chief Captain, all the lords of our people… Why serve a land like this? Why defend a people who abhor you? No, I could not do it.”
What he said struck a chord because, not so very long ago, during the trouble with the Doinum, I’d been faced with the quandary of serving a people who mistrusted me. To a certain extent, I could sympathize with the man. Even though I didn’t approve of what he’d done, on a certain level I could understand it.
“So what happened?” I asked softly, creeping forward a step or two. “How did you wind up on this path, serving the shadow?”
I was rather surprised he was so willing to talk. Then again, he’d probably been keeping this secret a very long time. Now, having thrown off the restraints of his Simathe heritage, he actually seemed eager to spill all.
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