Kitabı oku: «King’s Wrath»
FIONA
MCINTOSH
King’s Wrath
Valisar: Book Three
We miss you Kipper,
our most loyal four-footed friend
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
PROLOGUE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
EPILOGUE
GLOSSARY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
BOOKS BY FIONA McINTOSH
Copyright
About the Publisher
PROLOGUE
They fell swiftly, silently.
Any moment they would hit the ground and it would be over. She didn’t know why he had chosen to kill her; she was his only friend. How bizarre then that she had never felt safer, even though death surely beckoned. She knew the drug had dulled her senses but she thought she heard air rushing by in a strange shrieking. And she could feel Reg’s presence: the hardness of his body against hers, his long, strong arms holding her securely. Despite the disorientation, she felt wholly connected to him — down to the soft scratch of his beard against her skin.
Maybe this was right. They were lost souls anyway, neither of them able to get on easily with others. And her work at the hospital drew the wrong sort of interest; people had begun hailing her as having powers above and beyond genuine skill and talent. It was ridiculous, of course, but it was understandable given her uncanny knack for healing.
A healer. That’s how she viewed herself. She was a curer of ills; she’d never said it out loud but it seemed Reg alone had understood it … and understood her.
And because of that she couldn’t hate him for killing them both. Without him her life would be empty. Without his friendship, like a rock jutting out of the ocean that she could cling to, she would be adrift in a sea of meaningless comings and goings — even her work would feel empty, pointless.
Why was it taking so long for them to hit the ground? What was that screaming noise, as though the very air was being torn apart around them?
Had she just heard Reg say something? Maybe here we go, Evie? She felt him hold her tighter still, if that were possible, tucking her head into the warmth of his neck, shielding her face from the whistle and buffet of that wind they were rushing through.
And then suddenly they were tumbling on something solid. Her fall was cushioned though; first her legs, then her back and shoulders touched inanimate objects. She had no idea what but it didn’t hurt. How did that happen? She wanted to open her eyes but they were squeezed shut with fear. It sounded as though branches were snapping! Trees? … How could that be?
With no warning the breath was sucked out of her as Genevieve, the first princess of the Valisars to survive in centuries, blacked out.
And across the empire, various people felt the stirrings of a mighty magic they had never felt before.
1
Though the two men walked side by side they looked anything but companionable.
‘Did you feel it?’ the younger one asked.
Greven didn’t want to admit it but there was no point in hiding much from Piven these days. While his mind was essentially his own, his actions were not. It didn’t matter how hard he fought the bonding magic, it had him completely at its mercy. ‘I felt it,’ he said, gruff and disinterested.
‘And what do you think it is?’
‘Why are you concerning yourself with what I think? I just do as I’m told.’
‘Is this how it’s going to be from now on, Greven?’
‘What did you expect?’
Piven made a soft scolding sound, clicking his tongue. ‘And I can remember not so long ago your telling me just how much you loved me and wanted to protect me.’
‘I did. But my love was given freely then. And I had two hands then. And I didn’t know what you were then.’
‘And what am I? No, don’t, let me say it for you. A monster? Is that the right word?’ When Greven said nothing, Piven continued, ‘Because I really haven’t changed that much, you know. I still love you, Greven. I always have.’
‘You once loved your brother.’
‘Ah, but you haven’t deserted me as my brother has. He must pay for that.’
‘Your sister had no choice in her desertion.’
‘This is true,’ Piven admitted, slapping at some tall grasses at the side of the Tomlyn road. ‘She was helpless. But she is helpless no longer, and you know as well as I she will try to destroy me now. That disturbance we just felt was likely none other than her returning home.’
Greven was genuinely startled. ‘I felt the disturbance but hadn’t given it much thought … of course you’re right. Are you frightened?’
Piven threw him a wry glance. ‘No,’ he replied with a gentle scoff. ‘I have you.’ He pointed to where the main road forked. ‘We go left to the capital.’
‘Let’s go right, Piven. Let’s head south, keep you safe.’
‘I am safe. You are here.’
‘I think you are depending on me too much.’
‘But that’s the role of the aegis. To be entirely dependable. Come on,’ he said, increasing his speed. ‘And don’t claim fatigue; I know you don’t even feel it. That must be amazing. No need for food or water, rest or any form of sustenance.’
‘Does that not strike you as a living death?’
Piven smiled openly. ‘Not at all. It’s surely immortality. I envy you.’
‘Don’t. Just tell me why we are going to the capital, please.’
‘Ah yes,’ Piven said, a skip in his step as though he were enjoying their awkward journey. ‘I was saying that I am a loyalist and indeed a royalist. My family’s throne has been usurped. I intend that a Valisar will rule from that throne again.’
‘Then you should throw your support behind Leonel. Imagine what the pair of you could achieve together. The people would flock to the idea of the rightful heir trying to reclaim his throne.’
‘That is a nice thought, Greven, and I applaud your charming notion of fraternal harmony, but sadly Leo squandered his right to my support when he abandoned me to the tyrant.
I’m afraid I can’t forgive him. And besides, I’m not as sure as you of the people’s support. Life doesn’t seem to be so bad under Loethar. I can’t imagine Denovians will happily go to war again for a family they consider long dead.’
Once again Greven was struck by Piven’s maturity. The boy was nearing sixteen but carried himself like a man a decade older. It was deeply unnerving, particularly as just a few anni ago Piven had been so juvenile — charming, even — in his childishness.
‘In fact I would leave the whole ruling thing to Loethar,’ Piven continued expansively, ‘if he had not brutally stolen my father’s crown and were I not truly Valisar. No Valisar could let theft and murder of his own go unpunished.’
‘Well, what about your sister? Let her rule.’
Piven looked at Greven sideways. ‘Why would I? She is younger than me. We must do things properly, Greven,’ he admonished, as though explaining to a child. ‘If she wants to, she can fight me for the crown. Besides, we hail the Valisar kings down the ages. We have never bowed to a queen.’
‘There’s always a first time.’
‘She is a child, let’s not forget!’ Greven gave a grim gust of a laugh. Piven ignored it. ‘She will have no idea of how to rule at such a tender age. Frankly, I’m intrigued to see who has been protecting her and where she has been. Definitely not in the empire — if she has been, I would have sensed her long ago. No, Greven, this is why I think my sister is a threat: she is too young at ten to be making decisions for herself and so has been returned by someone who wishes to make use of her powers. We must ask ourselves who her the puppet master is.’
‘Her aegis perhaps?’ Greven offered, distaste flooding his mouth at the idea.
Piven shook his head. ‘No. Impossible. I doubt any aegis would freely offer himself. And if my sister — funny, I don’t even know her name — has been living a long way from here it’s unlikely that her aegis is aware of her or she of the aegis. I am guessing they are still to find each other.’
Greven silently acknowledged Piven’s grasp of situations. His cunning and agile mind had already thought through every scenario that could threaten him, it seemed. ‘Which makes her vulnerable.’
‘Exactly. I’m hoping to meet her long before she has that protection.’
‘So you plan to kill your siblings and the emperor?’
‘And all who support either. A Valisar will sit the Penraven throne again. I will make my father proud.’
‘Are you sure of that?’
Piven laughed. ‘Well, we’ll never know but I like to think so. My father was ruthless, Greven. You need to understand this fact. He adored his sons but he could still make some very hard decisions — he was able to leave Leo as a nemesis for Loethar and was comfortable leaving me to whatever fate dished up. He didn’t get much of a chance to love his daughter but he loved her enough to get her away so that she could offer up a challenge in the future. You see, everything for my father was about the Valisar name and duty. He was a good man, there’s no denying it, but in truth he was more ruthless than even Loethar.’
‘Whatever makes you say that?’ Greven asked, astonished.
‘Because if my father had been in Loethar’s shoes, he would not have hesitated to have killed me. He would not have taken a chance on letting any child associated with the throne live, whether it were an invalid or adopted or both. Loethar showed mercy — and now he will pay the price for his tenderness.’
‘Tenderness? You are jesting, aren’t you? The man has killed more Denovians than I care to think about.’
‘He killed his enemies, Greven; that’s very normal for a conquering ruler. But if you scrutinise what he did, he didn’t kill randomly. He killed opposing soldiers, and his only real targets were the royal families. He wanted no challengers. If people submitted, he did not punish or humiliate them. He didn’t even segregate them … unless they were Vested. If anything, Loethar has been a pioneer. He has not only unified the realms and their people into one cohesive empire but he has unified two diverse cultures and succeeded rather well at it. He’s actually far more impressive than my father.’
‘You shock me.’
‘Good. I’d hate to be predictable. Come on, I’m famished. I’m hoping there’s a village ahead because I’ve tired mightily of your stale bread and dry fruit.’
Greven paid no attention to his complaints. His mind had already begun to race as to how he could find and get a message to the Valisar girl.
A cold air bit at Evie’s cheeks. She heard birdsong, the rustle of leaves and the sounds of what was probably a stream, she realised. And then she heard Reg’s voice. ‘Take it slowly. Here, drink this,’ he urged gently.
Evie struggled to sit up, squinting open her eyes. ‘Reg?’
‘Hush, just drink.’
‘Is this more of your spiked —’
‘No. It is the cleanest, most beautiful water you’ve ever tasted. Trust me.’
She gave him a mirthless smile. ‘I’ve fallen for your trust me line before.’ She sipped and did indeed taste the sweetest of waters, chilled enough to make her gasp. ‘Are we alive?’
‘Very much so.’
She coughed once, blinked hard and forced herself to open her eyes fully. ‘And this isn’t a dream?’
He shook his head. ‘How do you feel?’
‘Confused. Bruised.’
‘I wasn’t trying to kill you.’
‘That’s not how it appeared.’
Reg sighed. Evie looked up to buy herself some time to think clearly. ‘What is this tree?’
He sighed again. ‘If you knew your trees,’ he said, with a tiny hint of admonishment in his tone, ‘you would probably know this as a wych elder. Here, they are known as wychwoods.’
‘Here?’ she said, looking around, noticing the stream she’d heard not very far away and mountains in the distance behind. ‘Where exactly is here, Reg?’
He sat down opposite her and she was surprised to note that the haunted expression her friend had always possessed — the one which seemed to speak so loudly to others that he should be left alone — was gone. In fact, Reg looked almost relaxed for the first time since she’d met him.
‘Here, Evie, is a place that was once known as the Denova Set. I have no idea if it still possesses that title. But if I’m not mistaken, I think this particular spot where we sit is at the base of a place called Lo’s Teeth, which is east of Gormond, west of Droste, south of Cremond, north of Dregon.’ His smile widened mischievously. ‘Does that help?’
She shook her head. ‘You’re making fun of me. Have you any idea how it feels to be me right now, wondering what the hell has just happened?’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said sheepishly. ‘I haven’t lied to you. The place I have described is where I believe we are. This is woodland known as Whirlow and that stream, which has a name that I can’t remember right now, runs into Lake Aran, to the south.’
Evie was astonished to see moisture gather in his eyes. ‘Reg, are those tears?’ she asked. ‘I’ve never even seen you get misty.’
He wiped his cheeks. ‘It is good to be home, Evie. Are you hurt?’
‘I don’t believe so. But I don’t understand why not. Mind you, that query pales by comparison to my lack of understanding as to how we’re both not splattered across the pavement outside a city hospital right now. We leapt from a dozen storeys high!’
He allowed her anger to pass, looking down, saying nothing.
Evie gave a sound like a growl. ‘I need an explanation, Reg, or I am going to explode or kill you … make a choice.’
He didn’t smile. ‘Will you stay still and silent while I tell you everything that I can?’
‘Why does that sound as though I should leap up now and run screaming from you?’
He nodded. ‘You’re right — what I have to tell you is frightening. But you need to hear it and you need to hear it all, or nothing will make sense to you. I need your promise that you will listen until I’ve told you the whole story.’
Evie licked her lips. ‘You’d better start at page one!’
‘Indeed. I suppose the beginning is my name, which is not Reg. My name is Corbel.’
‘Corbel?’ she repeated, feeling anger starting to suffuse her confusion. ‘Not at all Reg-like!’
‘My father was Regor de Vis. I borrowed from his name.’
‘How convenient for —’
‘Be quiet. My father probably didn’t survive the rage of a man called Loethar, who hailed himself the king of the barbarian horde. He came from the east.’ Evie saw the pain on his face as he pointed. ‘The barbarians were from the plains, an area known as the Likurian Steppes. Loethar was a tyrant who murdered all in his wake. From what I could gather before I left, he was killing all the royals of the Set — that was a group of independent realms with common interests — and I suspect he left my king to the last. My father was the king’s right-hand man.’
‘What does that make you?’ she said, working hard to keep all sarcasm from her tone, knowing she needed to humour her friend. She could tell that, delusion or not, this story was incredibly hard for him to speak of.
‘It makes me the son of a high ranking noble and the twin brother of Gavriel de Vis.’
‘Twin?’
He nodded. ‘I was forced to leave my family.’
‘By whom?’
‘The king.’
Definitely delusional, Evie thought. Yet in her heart she couldn’t really believe it. She had never known a more sane person than Reg. Should she humour him now, call him Corbel? ‘King?’
‘King Brennus, eighth of the Valisars. We are from Penraven, which is southwest of here.’
It was all getting too much to keep clear in her mind. ‘Reg … er, Corbel, if you prefer —’
‘I do.’
She took a steadying breath. ‘Corbel, why are you telling me this? What does King Bran or whatever his name is —’
Now his gaze flashed angrily at her. ‘His name is Brennus and I served him faithfully.’
She was stung by the force in his voice. He had never taken such a tone with her before. ‘All right,’ she began again, calmly. ‘I want to know why I am here. What does all of what you’ve begun to tell me, including King Brennus, have to do with me?’
‘Plenty,’ he said flatly, eyeing her with a hard gaze. ‘This is the land where you were born. Your real name is Genevieve. You are a Valisar. And King Brennus is your father.’
She rocked back against the tree, stunned. Then in the silence that followed, which Reg clearly wasn’t going to fill, she hauled herself upright. She felt momentarily dizzy but the drug was wearing off and the water had helped. ‘Reg, this is not going any further. In fact —’
‘Look around you, Evie. Does anything look familiar? Smell familiar? Taste or sound familiar?’
She could feel pinpricks of perspiration and the hairs standing up at the back of her neck. She’d been trying to shut out all of the foreignness of where she was, hoping that as the drug wore off, so would the sense of dislocation. And while she couldn’t understand how they had not been splattered across concrete, her logical mindtold her that there had to be a rational explanation, no matter what insanity had taken over her friend. But it was true, nothing felt familiar. This didn’t feel like scenery from a world she knew; the air was cleaner, fresher and the land around them looked virgin.
Ignoring her silence, he continued, ‘None of it is familiar because we are no longer where you think we are. We have travelled through time and lands.’
‘You’re beginning to scare me, like you scared all the other people I used to defend you against.’
‘I never needed your defence.’
‘But still I gave it, because I loved you.’
He flinched as though slapped. ‘Evie, you’re going to have to trust me. Nothing you see from here on is going to be familiar to you. Hospitals don’t exist here, neither does any of the technology you have taken for granted. I know you think I’m crazy but I am all you have. And I promise you that I am sane.’
‘Why am I here?’ she demanded, her confusion mounting to the stirrings of panic.
‘I just told you. You were born here. I had to return you to your home.’
‘Return me? So you’d already taken me from it once … is that what you mean?’
‘Yes,’ he said, shocking her. ‘I took you from this world when you were a newborn.’
‘Twenty years ago?’
He shrugged. ‘Yes, but perhaps time passes differently in the world I took you to. How old do I appear to you?’
It was her turn to shrug. ‘I don’t know. I suppose beneath all that terrible beard and unruly hair you are in your late thirties, early forties. Why? How old did you hope to be?’
He nodded sadly. ‘I was just eighteen when I was given the task of taking you to safety.’
She needed to keep him talking while her mind tried to make some sense of what was going on. ‘So my father — the king,’ she said carefully, nodding at him to show that she was trying, ‘asked you, a young noble, to rush me away to safety from this Loethar fellow who was killing all the royals.’
‘Thank you for paying attention.’
‘So that makes me a princess.’
‘Yes. That’s why we had to protect you.’
She couldn’t help herself. As much as it galled her to humour this ridiculous story any further, she was intrigued as to where he’d take the tale next. ‘Do I have siblings? Fellow young royals?’
‘Two brothers, one of whom is adopted.’
‘Ah, so they were whisked off to other places, were they?’
He shook his head. ‘No, only you. You had to be hidden. The Valisar dynasty has never had a surviving daughter. In centuries of rule, all girls — until you — have either died in the womb or soon after birth.’
She hadn’t expected that and felt a fresh wave of panic. He really looked like he believed all this. ‘So I’m the first surviving female heir of the Valisars and they had to get me away. Why? Isn’t a male heir more important, or do they do it differently in the Denova Set?’ Even she could hear the sarcasm biting and hated herself as she watched those words batter against someone she loved.
‘Your brother, Leonel, is the primary heir. But Leonel is not gifted in the way we suspected you could be … and I now know you are. We were right to take the precaution.’
‘Gifted?’ She felt goosebumps rise on her flesh. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘The talent that was beginning to show itself through your work as a healer will actually have been severely suppressed in the world I took you to. Here, it will presumably manifest itself far more dramatically. At least that’s what I’ve been led to believe.’
‘You’re losing me, Reg.’
‘Call me Corbel … please.’ She really did feel lost, and she assumed it showed because his expression softened. ‘Let me tell you everything I know and then you can make up your mind.’
‘About whether to stay, you mean?’
He shook his head. ‘There is no way back, Evie,’ he said gently. ‘Hear me out, hear it all and then decide whether you still trust me.’
Her mind was reeling but she didn’t feel as though she had much of a choice. Carefully, she returned to her position against the tree and nodded. ‘All right, Corbel de Vis, tell me everything you know.’
2
Kilt Faris chewed on a piece of meat. Jewd had insisted that he eat. It had been several hours since he’d faced his nemesis and though his men had left him alone he knew that patience wouldn’t last. The sickness had passed but he could still taste its acid remnants at the back of his throat. How would he ever explain his behaviour to his people … to Jewd?
From the corner of his eye he saw Jewd and Leo nod between themselves and approach, sitting on either side of him. He knew they wanted answers.
‘Where is he?’ Jewd asked Leo, breaking the tense silence.
‘I’ve asked Gavriel to get him away. He and the woman have taken Loethar higher, heading east. I’ll meet up with Gavriel shortly … when we understand more.’
Jewd nodded and they both turned to Kilt.
‘Are you going to explain it?’ Leo asked.
‘I didn’t know, if that’s what you’re asking,’ Kilt growled.
‘Didn’t know you were an aegis, or didn’t know who your Valisar was?’ Leo said firmly.
Kilt ground his teeth, flung the piece of meat down. ‘What was the point in admitting anything all these anni? It hasn’t been relevant, wasn’t relevant until now.’
‘Leo’s just finished telling me what an aegis is. What I want to know is, did you know you were one?’ Jewd demanded. His voicewas quiet but his tone told Kilt that he did not want anything but a truthful response.
‘Yes,’ he said through gritted teeth, avoiding Jewd’s eyes.
‘For how long?’ Jewd pressed. Kilt could hear the pain in his voice.
Kilt sighed. ‘Does it matter?’
‘To me it does, because you’ve been lying.’
Now he did look at Jewd and saw the anguish in his friend’s face, recalled promising the man just the day previous that he had no further secrets. ‘Jewd, please listen to me. I didn’t know that Loethar was even Valisar. How could I? None of us did. I learned about the powers of the ageis at the Academy. I sensed my powers were more than just a trifling magic around the time of my mother’s death, but essentially they felt like tricks for most of my life.’
‘I don’t believe persuading people to spill their private knowledge is a circus trick, Kilt,’ Jewd interrupted, his voice hard. ‘What you’ve admitted to being able to do is hardly trifling. It fills me with both awe and dread. And anger — because you chose to keep it from me.’
‘I told you, I have not used those powers until just days ago when I went in search of Lily.’
‘Well, at least you admit that she means that much to you!’ Leo cut in archly. ‘We will find her and we will get her back, Kilt, I promise you that. But right now we have to understand what we’re up against here. We are not your enemy, so stop treating us as if we are. Jewd and I need to share as much as possible with you or we can’t protect you.’
Kilt laughed sadly. ‘Protect me? You have no idea what you’re dealing with.’
Leo was not to be dissuaded by the disdain in his friend’s voice or the low threat that underpinned his words. ‘That’s the point I’m making. We don’t have any idea and so we wish to understand. I know what an aegis does, what he or she is born for. I’ll be honest, I’ve never felt mine present.’ He gave a hollowgrin. ‘But, my understanding is that as a Valisar I should feel that person and only that person who was born for me.’
Kilt sighed. ‘That’s right. The Valisars are only aware of their own aegis,’ he lied, grateful for Leo’s obviously weak powers. ‘However, an aegis who comes too close would be aware of all the Valisars, which is why it’s so dangerous.’ He felt bad for lying, but knew it was necessary. ‘The magic inside me recognises you even though I am not your aegis. Your presence sickens me, Leo.’
Leo looked at him, open-mouthed.
‘That came out the wrong way,’ Kilt backtracked. ‘What I’m trying to say is that what you saw me experience with Loethar is, to some degree, how I feel around you.’
‘I make you feel ill?’
Kilt nodded. ‘I have worked very, very hard to overcome it. But it is always there. Your father did the same to me. The first time I saw the king from a distance my magic responded to him; that’s how I knew what I was. That’s why I made my home up here in the highlands, so I could avoid the towns and city, live as an outlaw, keep to myself and only have people around me I could utterly trust.’
‘And that’s why you’ve been avoiding me.’ Kilt watched the young king throw a glance at Jewd.
‘I have kept my distance, Leo, but I have not avoided you. Apart from your dealing with Freath, I am proud of you and what you have become. I just find it hard to be around you for long periods.’
‘And it’s different with Loethar?’ Jewd asked.
Kilt gave a snort of despair. ‘Wildly different. I lose control. He nearly undid me back there,’ he admitted. ‘And he knew it. If he has another attempt at me, I won’t win. I was only able to resist this time because all of you came to my aid.’ Kilt shook his head with disgust. ‘Loethar’s a Valisar!’ he spat. ‘Incredible! He murdered his own brother.’
‘Half-brother,’ Leo corrected. ‘And he would take you to task over that. My father killed himself to prevent Loethar having the satisfaction.’
Kilt shrugged. ‘Half-brother, full brother. Did your father know they were related, do you think?’
Leo shook his head wearily. ‘I don’t know the answer to that. My heart says no, but Loethar seems to think my father was aware of him. My father was a man of secrets. It’s possible he could have known — that might explain why he went to such lengths to have the plan in place for me should Loethar overrun the Set.’
Kilt agreed. ‘I didn’t know Brennus in the way that many did but my instincts combined with what I’ve learned over the anni suggest that he was perfectly capable of having this information and acting upon it.’
‘Why didn’t he just send an army in and kill Loethar if he knew?’ Jewd wondered.
Leo shook his head. ‘That would not be his way. My father was not a coward but confronting Loethar on his territory, with nowhere for an army to take him by surprise, no familiarity of the lay of the land or helpful knowledge of what the enemy was capable of, would have definitely made him reluctant to take that approach. And perhaps he wasn’t completely sure of Loethar’s birthright, so he waited for Loethar to come to him.’
‘Very costly,’ Jewd remarked.
‘In hindsight, yes. Too costly,’ Leo admitted. He frowned and turned back to Kilt. ‘So in Loethar’s presence you will always feel nauseous and without control?’
‘In his presence I will be at his mercy. I will be made well again, of course, but only when he’s bonded me.’
Leo nodded and looked at Jewd, who wore a quizzical expression. ‘The Valisar must consume part of his aegis to trammel him.’
‘Consume? As in eat?’ Jewd qualified, a look of dismay on his face.
Kilt nodded at the same time as Leo and Jewd looked away, disgusted, then stood. ‘Well, that’s going to happen only over my dead body, Kilt.’
Kilt smiled sadly. ‘I don’t deserve you, Jewd.’
‘No, you don’t,’ the big man replied. ‘You don’t deserve Leo or Lily or any of the people who support you.’
Kilt nodded in acknowledgment. ‘There’s more, and you might as well know it, now that I’m being forced to bare my soul,’ he said. As his companions threw a worried glance at each other, he continued, ‘I don’t know what it is but I’ve felt a disturbance.’
‘Disturbance?’ they asked together.
Kilt considered how best to explain himself. ‘Not so long ago I suffered a sort of dizzy spell. I thought it was still part of the same response to Loethar but I’ve been thinking about it and it was not. I have no doubt now. It had a different signature … it felt different. I don’t really know how to describe it and while this might sound fanciful, the only way I can pin it down is to say that it felt very clean … a really pure sort of magic.’
‘Loethar’s is tainted, you mean?’ Jewd tried.
Kilt shook his head. ‘No, not exactly. Loethar and Leo possess no magic of their own. Neither of them is empowered in the way that say I am or any Vested is. But both are Valisar and a Valisar can respond to the magic of the aegis. I should also tell you, Leo, that your Valisar magic is very weak. I’m grateful for that or I would never have been able to live around you.’
‘Trust me to be the weak link in the family,’ Leo replied quietly but savagely. ‘I suppose Loethar is strong?’
Kilt nodded.
‘Go on,’ Leo said, his mouth twisted in private disgust. ‘What about this new feeling you’ve experienced? Who or what is it?’
‘I don’t know. I can only use the word pure because it feels like it has its own source, its own reason. But beyond that I don’t understand it.’
Each of them paused to consider this new revelation but it was Leo who broke the silence. ‘Well,’ he said, straightening, ‘we can’t worry ourselves with what we don’t know, don’t understand yet. We have enough to frighten us right now. We need to make adecision about Loethar and we have to consider the next step for Lily. Whatever else is hurtling at us can wait as far as I’m concerned.’
Jewd nodded. ‘I agree. Let’s make a decision about Loethar. Do we kill him? I’ll oblige if no one else has the stomach for it.’
‘No,’ Kilt said. ‘His death achieves little right now. We need to know more about why he’s here. Why he’s alone. What his intentions are.’
‘To bond you, clearly,’ Leo said.
‘No, that’s not right. He had no idea that his aegis was roaming the north. And if I wasn’t the attraction the most obvious conclusion is you,’ Kilt said, stabbing a finger towards Leo. ‘Except he didn’t even know you were alive! He wouldn’t have even recognised you or known you were the missing Valisar if you’d introduced yourself under a guise. So he’s here for different reasons. And he certainly didn’t arrive here willingly. Why did he travel north? Why alone? We need to learn as much as we can to help Leo’s chances.’
‘All right, but we can’t let him near you,’ Jewd argued.
‘We don’t have to. I will speak with him,’ Leo said, his tone brooking no argument. ‘It is my place, anyway, to do so. His challenge is essentially at me.’
Jewd frowned. ‘If he’s the rightful heir, where does that leave you, Leo?’
‘Leo is heir,’ Kilt growled. ‘His father was king. He is next in line.’ He looked at Leo. ‘The fact that your grandfather sowed wild seeds on the plains is not anyone’s concern. Loethar is a bastard heir of mixed blood. Brennus married a royal; you are a blueblood. That gives you rank.’
Leo didn’t look convinced. ‘I suspect we won’t get an opportunity to argue it in front of the nobles. Loethar took the crown; he has worn it for over a decade now and let’s be very frank, his people are now comfortable with who is ruling. The fact that he is Valisar only improves his position, if I’m honest.’
It was Kilt’s turn to share a worried glance with Jewd. ‘Are you relinquishing your claim, Leo?’
‘Absolutely not! I’m simply stating that we could argue the rights and wrongs of it until we’re blue in the face. The fact is he wears the crown. Me arguing my lineage makes little difference. I must take the crown back … by killing him if necessary. And if that whore Davarigon giant hadn’t got in my way, I might have achieved that and this conversation would be academic.’ He took a deep breath. ‘I’m going to talk to Gavriel. I’ve got a decade’s worth of catching up to do with him.’
‘Don’t let Loethar corner you into doing anything hot-headed,’ Jewd warned. ‘You are a king. Don’t forget that. It’s your calm and your inability to be taunted that will most frustrate him.’
‘You made a fool of him once,’ Kilt agreed, ‘hiding under his nose and then escaping so audaciously. Continue to make a fool of him by not falling prey to his baiting. That’s how you’ll keep the upper hand.’
Leo grinned. ‘Thanks.’
After he’d left, the two men remained quiet for a while. Finally Jewd sighed. ‘Were you planning to tell me or were you just going to give me the slip?’
Kilt looked up at his friend. ‘Why do you think I’d leave?’ he asked, dismayed.
Jewd shook his head, gave a brief rueful smile. ‘I’ve told you before, I’m big, not stupid. Did you think I couldn’t work it out for myself?’
Kilt looked down again. ‘Jewd, I don’t know what to think but I know this: you are the best friend a man could have.’
‘I’m glad you realise that.’
‘I would have discussed it with you.’
‘Look at me when you say that. I have to know I can trust you, Kilt, or as I’ve told you previously, it might be easier to leave you to it.’
‘That’s not what I want.’
‘Then I demand your honesty.’
Kilt stood up, feeling stronger again despite his aching muscles. He sighed. ‘I guess I don’t even need to ask if you’ve noticed anything about Leo.’
‘I’ve noticed. Leo is pushing for independence. He won’t live for very much longer under your thumb.’
Kilt nodded. ‘That’s as it should be. He’s been groomed to rule since he was on his mother’s teat.’
‘He’s still capable of poor decisions.’
‘Aren’t we all?’
Jewd fixed Kilt with a firm stare, before he spoke very quietly. ‘But I suspect his next will be his least wise.’
Kilt swallowed. ‘You’re thinking what I’m thinking. Then I’ve got to go, get as far away from the Valisars as possible.’
‘Then we go together.’
‘Jewd —’
‘We go together, Kilt. Look at the state of you. If Leo comes after you — and he will, we both agree on that — who is going to protect you?’
‘Maybe it’s best if I just submit and —’
Jewd had grabbed Kilt by his shirtfront before Kilt could even finish the thought. ‘No one is eating you, is that clear? No one is going to have you under his control! Leo has de Vis back. De Vis has always seen Leo as king and treated him as such.We can leave the two of them together and go north into Barronel via the mountains. We’ll cross into Cremond perhaps; no one’s going to be looking for you there. Leo will assume you’ll head south in search of Lily. And we’ll get to her, Kilt, but we have to ensure they lose your scent first and you have to heal too. For now we both agree Lily is safe. For now we both agree your safety is paramount.’
Kilt nodded. ‘Take the money we’ve hidden and give it to the men. Tell them they should scatter. And grab the medicine. We need little else.’
3
The man struggled but, fuelled by anger, got his words out. ‘I’m going to kill you for this, de Vis.’
‘Yes, well, I’ll look forward to your trying. Gives me the perfect excuse of self-defence to finish you off once and for all,’ Gavriel replied disdainfully.
‘Be quiet, Loethar!’ Elka ordered. ‘Conserve your strength.’
‘Sage advice. I’ll need it to kill your lover and his friend.’
‘He’s not my lover and I suspect his friend is no friend of mine after I got in his way,’ she said, hefting him into a better position on her back.
‘Let me down, for Gar’s sake!’ Loethar complained. ‘I’m not an invalid, simply injured.’
‘Do it, Elka,’ Gavriel said.
Elka had just about had it with both of them. She lowered Loethar, who held his groans but grimaced in pain.
‘Ribs are the worst, aren’t they?’ he said, almost amused.
‘How’s your neck?’ Elka asked.
‘I’ll survive. And the burn will be a timely reminder for when I slit my half-brother’s throat.’
‘If I give you the chance,’ Gavriel said.
Loethar laughed. ‘Where is your great king, de Vis? Is he too frightened to face me?’
‘As a matter of fact you’ll likely see him sooner than youthink. Elka, can I leave you with him? I have to meet with Leo.’ At her nod he disappeared into the woods without so much as a backward glance.
Elka turned to regard Loethar. ‘He’s perfectly capable of killing you, you know. I would counsel you to stop the taunting.’
‘And spoil my sport?’
‘Well, you’ve been warned.’ He gave her look like a child, mischief in his eyes, and she couldn’t help asking, ‘You’re really Valisar?’
He nodded. ‘Though what good it does me I don’t know.’
‘That sounds like regret,’ she commented, settling nearby.
‘In a way,’ he admitted. ‘But I don’t really know in what respect. I don’t regret the empire. I think unifying the realms has been positive for all in the Set; I think the mix of cultures, though difficult at first, has resulted in prosperity. In the wider population people seem relatively content. So I suppose it boils down to personal regret.’
‘All the death perhaps?’
‘Probably. Many died who didn’t have to.’
‘None of them Valisar, of course.’
‘Other than the queen. I would have preferred that she had lived. I would have given her a good life wherever she chose to live out her days. But the heirs had to die. I failed there,’ he admitted with a humourless grin. ‘Leo has been the most slippery of enemies.’
‘He’s had a lot of support from the right people, it appears.’
Loethar nodded. ‘How true. The would-be-king in exile is surrounded by loyalty, while I, as ruler, am surrounded by treachery. Freath, my close aide, someone I considered a friend even though he was my servant, betrayed me all along.’ He gave a low, savage laugh. ‘His loyalties were always with the Valisars. I admire his extraordinary courage to live in the lion’s den on their behalf. Leonel is fortunate.’
‘I doubt he sees it that way. His family is dead, his friends are missing, his throne has been usurped.’
‘You should have let him kill me.’
‘I believe in justice, not revenge.’
‘Then you are in the minority, Elka, though I respect that more than you can imagine.’
‘Fairness and justice are what make a people into a society. They’re the cornerstone of a strong civilisation.’
‘Indeed. But fairness and justice rarely go hand in hand. For instance, Leo feels it is fair that he should be king and yet it is not just, for I am the true heir. Kilt Faris considers it fair to do everything he can to elude me and yet his very birthright is to be my aegis. And isn’t it just that I exercise that right? You see? Fairness and justice are rarely comfortable bed companions.’
She smiled. ‘I think you are the slippery Valisar, Loethar.’
Gavriel didn’t have to wait too long; Leo came striding through the forest soon enough, walking like a man comfortable in his surrounds. Gavriel marvelled at the figure approaching. He’d left Leo as little more than a youth, but now he walked tall and strong, with a proud chin. His hair had darkened but he still resembled his beautiful mother, while having the more powerful build of his father. Gavriel felt a spike of pride accompany the rush of relief that Leo had survived.
He stepped out from his hiding place suddenly, deliberately, but Leo didn’t break stride, not at all unnerved, and Gavriel was reminded that his old friend had been living as an outlaw for more than a decade. Leo would know forest life better than most.
Leo grabbed Gavriel into a bear-hug, slapping him on the back. ‘I can’t tell you how good it feels to see you alive,’ he remarked, ‘although my fist twitches to punch you for leaving as you did.’
Gavriel grinned. ‘I should punch myself.’
‘Where is he?’
‘Safe with Elka.’
‘Tied up?’
‘No need. He’s going nowhere with her around.’
‘I don’t feel I need to apologise regarding Elka, Gav; she should never have challenged me. But at the same time any friend of yours is certainly someone I feel obliged to respect.’
‘I’m sure she hasn’t given it another thought.’ Leo looked as though he wanted to say more but Gavriel was glad when the young king chose to hold his tongue. That was a relief; he didn’t want to have to defend Elka against the king … although he would, of course. ‘As much as I want to sit down and learn about your life, time is our enemy. How’s Faris?’
‘Brighter. The sickening has passed but, like Loethar, he’s quite beaten up.’
‘Leo, we both have good reason to hate Loethar. That grudge has to be kept separate from how we feel about his stealing the Valisar throne.’ Leo stared at him, but said nothing, so Gavriel pressed on. ‘My point is I hate him too. It wouldn’t take much for my heart to get in the way of my head and order my hand to take up my sword and run him through.’
‘So what’s stopping you?’
‘My instinct is stopping me.’
‘Instinct, or Elka?’
Gavriel didn’t rise to the bait. He fixed Leo with a hard stare, glad that he was still taller. ‘Elka has no loyalty to either you or Loethar.’
‘Is that so?’
‘Why would it be otherwise? She owes neither of you anything. Her loyalty is to me. I’m sure I don’t deserve it most of the time but that’s how it is and her commitment to me means that she understands the need to protect you at all costs.’
‘Protect me? Why didn’t she let me kill my enemy, then?’
‘Because murdering him in that manner wouldn’t have solved anything. Her actions have given you the opportunity to consider your position and make an informed decision. If killing him is your decision, you’ll make it in a mood of calm, not in a bloodrage. Frankly, I think you would have regretted it if you had struck him dead then. This way you get a chance to question him.’
‘That’s what Kilt thinks.’
‘Then listen to him. We’re all on your side, Leo. Come, we can speak alone later but first talk to him, ask him your questions.’
Reluctantly, Leo followed. They found Loethar talking quietly with Elka as though they were old friends. Gavriel bristled at their familiarity but disguised it with his introduction.
‘Here we are, Leo, the great and now very humbled and hurt man who calls himself emperor simply by sitting a false throne.’
Loethar looked up and laughed. ‘You amuse me, de Vis. Greetings, nephew; I was just telling Elka here how fortunate you are to have such loyalty still burning so fiercely for you.’
‘From what I hear you can’t claim the same,’ Leo said, regarding him as though tasting something bad.
‘You are right. I am surrounded by treachery at every turn. Even my newborn daughter turned away from her father and died on me.’
‘A girl?’ Leo exclaimed.
Loethar gave him a humourless grin. ‘Yes, and like all Valisar daughters she barely survived her birth.’
‘Not all,’ Leo said. He grinned humourlessly at Loethar’s puzzled expression and squatted next to the barbarian. ‘You clearly haven’t spent much time around the family or you’d know we’re famed for our secrets.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Loethar asked.
‘What do you know about the Valisar Legacy?’ Leo responded.
Loethar tried to shrug and grimaced in pain. ‘I’ve learned plenty over the anni with the family library finally at my disposal,’ he said. Gavriel noticed how he couldn’t hide his feelings; his expression clearly betrayed the anger he was feeling. ‘I know that there is the legacy of the aegis magic and the near enough immortal protection it offers. I know about the so-called Enchantment that says that the females born of the line possess the greatest of all powers … to coerce at will.’
‘Why is that so different from what some Vested can do?’ Gavriel asked.
Leo turned to him. ‘The magic of the Vested can be impressive, but even so, any sort of coercement of theirs is of a low form and can probably only be sustained for short periods. The magic of the Valisars is said to be much more powerful, or so my father and grandfather told me.’
‘And I’m sure you are looking to gain some of that power for yourself,’ Loethar said and Gavriel noticed a look pass between uncle and nephew that spoke of a respect for each other’s cunning. ‘Anyway,’ Loethar continued, ‘my heir is dead, my mother has been murdered, my wife has been banished, my brother turned traitor, my closest friend has been killed. All in all, life is hardly an orchard.’
‘Aludane save us! And I thought your life was complicated,’ Elka remarked, glancing at Gavriel.
He smirked at her as she turned back to Loethar. ‘I’m sorry to hear of your losses. No one should lose a mother and a daughter in such a short time.’
‘I’m not sorry,’ Leo said coldly. ‘The more of his kin that is gone, the better. Besides, I’m sure he and his ill-bred horde killed whole families when they came rampaging into the Set.’
‘You are my kin, Leo,’ Loethar said, with an equally wintry tone. ‘And you’re right. I deserve no pity from anyone here.’
‘Nor will you get it,’ Gavriel remarked.
Loethar shrugged, clearly ignoring the pain it prompted this time.
Elka looked from Loethar to Gavriel. ‘Why don’t you just kill him and be done?’ she said, so sarcastically that Gavriel flinched inside. ‘I hardly recognise you when you act this way.’
‘We’re here to talk,’ Gavriel said to Loethar, covering his dismay at Elka’s attack. ‘Why did you come north?’
Loethar sighed. ‘It’s complicated. In short, the death of my child and my belief that my wife murdered my mother conspired to make me want to get away from the castle. In order to do so I brought our mother’s ashes to my half-brother, whom I suspected was considering rising up against me. Now I know that those suspicions were right.’
‘So your trip to the north was all about delivering your mother’s ashes to Stracker?’ Gavriel asked.
‘No, that was my excuse I gave myself. My real reason for heading north was to find out who killed Freath and why,’ Loethar explained.
‘I can put you out of your misery on that question,’ Leo said.
Gavriel looked at him with surprise. ‘You know?’
‘Yes, I know. I killed him.’
‘You?‘ Loethar hissed. ‘But he was working for you!’
‘He killed my mother,’ Leo said. ‘I swore a blood oath that I would kill him, so I did, once he had told us everything he knew.’
Loethar let out a growl of frustration. ‘Freath was a traitor in my life for ten anni. All of those clever conversations, steering me onto a particular path while he went down the other.’ He shook his head. Then he smiled. ‘And still I admire him. And still I like him.’ He smirked. ‘I had convinced myself he was the most honest person in my life even when he was lying every minute. Incredible.’
‘I can’t believe it,’ Gavriel said. ‘He protected us?’
Leo nodded. ‘My father asked him to pretend to be a turncoat should the time arrive. My mother asked him to help her to commit suicide, make it look as though he’d thrown her from the window in order to protect his cover while releasing her from her imprisonment and grief. Her death at his hands meant the Valisars could still have a loyalist in the enemy midst.’ Again he threw a bitter glance Loethar’s way. ‘But being involved in my mother’s death couldn’t be forgiven. I would have killed him anyway for that alone.’
‘Demonstrating your immaturity and lack of capacity to rule wisely,’ Loethar accused, bitterness combining with a cold, controlled fury in his soft voice. ‘I can’t begin to tell you what a tightrope Freath must have walked each day of his life on your behalf. He ingratiated himself so deeply into my life that I actually mourned him more than my own mother, my own child! And look how you rewarded him.’ He choked back what sounded like a sigh of deep regret.
‘I wish that were the truth,’ Leo replied, equally cold. ‘It’s my impression that Freath admired you more than you can know. He was torn, I think. His loyalties were to my father and myself, also to Piven. But he had an abiding respect for you … more’s the pity.’
‘I thank you for sharing that,’ Loethar said quietly.
Gavriel’s head was in turmoil. Freath, never a traitor! ‘Well, now you have the answer you came looking for. I think we should just throw you back at your dog of a brother. You can kill each other.’
Loethar smirked. ‘If you really thought that, you wouldn’t have interfered in the forest.’
‘It wasn’t my idea, believe me,’ Gavriel growled.
Gone was the sorrow in Loethar’s eyes. Suddenly he was all hardness and ruthless control again. ‘Then let’s get this done, shall we? My sympathies are with Elka. Like her, I tire of your empty threats. If you mean to kill me, do it now and be done with it. Leo, here’s your chance to be the brave Valisar. Run through the pretender — if you truly believe I am just that.’
Gavriel saw Leo stiffen and knew he had to keep his own anger in check as an example to the young king. ‘Leo, a word,’ he said, gritting his teeth. Mercifully, Leo stood, turning his back on Loethar. Gavriel glanced at Elka. ‘Shut him up,’ he said, loading his voice with disdain. Then he followed Leo to a quiet spot far from where they could be seen, let alone heard.
‘Don’t say it,’ Leo warned.
‘As your friend, as your Legate, my king, I must say it.’
Leo scowled but remained quiet.
‘It would be a mistake to kill him. This wedge now driven between him and Stracker is playing precisely into your favour.’
‘How so?’
‘My father taught us that there is always more than one way to regard a situation, more than one way to treat an enemy. Loethar is our prisoner. We might be able to make use of him. Let’s at least consider it. Think on it. Killing him solves nothing. Using him might give us options.’
Leo nodded, considering the advice. He paced around, looking up into an overcast sky, and Gavriel was again struck that such a young man had such a weight of responsibility on his shoulders.
‘Gavriel, I know you haven’t been around the region for a decade. Me too, I’ve lived on the fringe of life. But I don’t think either of us will ever forget his cunning or just how wily he is.’
‘I accept that,’ Gavriel replied, frowning. ‘What’s your point?’
‘My point is that he will find a way to turn on me. If I give him so much as a finger width of movement, he’ll make it work for him. He is far cleverer than most give him credit for.’
‘It seems Freath had his measure,’ Gavriel murmured. ‘Damn it, Leo, was it necessary to kill him?’
‘Freath. I will not be allowed to forget that decision by anyone, will I?’ Gavriel shrugged and Leo shook his head. ‘You are not the first to criticise. Kilt has never forgiven me my rash fury of that day. But I defy you to have faced Freath in the same ignorant situation.’
Gavriel glared angrily at the king. ‘Leo, I’ve had to save the life of the man who brutally slaughtered my defenceless father before me. Do you forget how my father died? His head hacked from top to shoulder, his horse dragging him behind it while Loethar howled his glee? I’ve had to keep that monster company, keep him protected. I did it for you alone. Don’t talk to me about losing control.’
Leo had the grace to look admonished. ‘Forgive me. I haven’t forgotten what you’ve been through on my behalf. But I am perhaps at the mercy of the brutal images of my boyhood. I still have nightmares of my baby brother dragging around the gore from our freshly decapitated father as my mother watched on in shocked horror.’
Gavriel held both hands up in defence. ‘Look, this is all history and we can’t re-make it. Our parents are dead, may Gar rest their souls. And Freath is gone. There is no point in our rehashing the rights and wrongs of it. But killing Loethar doesn’t solve the problem at hand. Do you agree that alongside his half-brother he is the lesser of the two evils?’ Leo gave him a pained look. ‘I know, Leo, I know. They are both killers. But Loethar has a modicum of control. He seems to kill only with specific reason. In fact, everything he does, everything he says is considered. I’m not condoning his usurping of the throne or the manner in which it was done, I’m simply saying that Stracker has no control, no subtlety … he has no conscience! If you kill Loethar, Stracker will take easy command of the throne and army. Imagine what will happen then.’
Leo walked away and Gavriel gave him some time to let his points sink in. At last Leo turned back, a sly look on his face. ‘We will not kill him,’ he said. ‘But I’m not sure you’ll get him to agree not to kill me. Face it, Gav, he’s been hunting me for too many anni. The first chance he gets — all we have to do is slip up once — and he’ll take that chance and slide a blade into me, or choke me, or poison me.’
‘I agree that he cannot be trusted. But it’s my task to protect you. That’s my problem, not yours.’
Leo smiled and Gavriel didn’t like the cunning in his face. ‘It doesn’t need to be your problem. I am Valisar, so I too have an aegis.’
Gavriel took a breath, frowning. ‘All right, but where does one start hunting down —’
‘There is no need to hunt down mine, not if one I can take is right before us.’
Gavriel stared at Leo uncomprehendingly and then understanding hit him like a thunder crack. ‘You wouldn’t!’
‘Why not?’
‘Faris is … ’
‘An aegis?’
‘I was going to say your friend. A loyal friend.’
‘Yes, and now he can demonstrate the ultimate form of that loyalty; he can become my champion. Gav, don’t you see, he can offer me the most superior form of protection against Loethar, against anyone!’ Gavriel heard glee in his king’s voice. ‘My enemies can try anything they like against me and it will have no effect. I would only be able to die for natural reasons.’ Leo’s eyes were sparkling.
‘You could do that? You can see yourself claiming him? Maiming him?’
‘Oh come on, Gav, don’t be squeamish! We’re talking about my life now. Kilt wouldn’t have to be hurt that badly.’
‘And you’d eat part of him?’
Leo bristled with anger. ‘I will do whatever I have to in order to reclaim my throne.’ He pulled open his shirt. ‘Remember this? We made this scar together. And we took an oath together. It wasn’t the promise of a child. That was the promise of a king. I have been in exile for most of my life. Need I remind you how many lives were given to keep mine safe for this very reason, your own father’s included?’
‘I don’t need reminding,’ Gavriel replied sharply.
‘Then don’t fight me on this. It is the right solution.’
‘It’s the right solution if Kilt agrees but I can’t imagine he will.’
‘He gave his word to my father that he would protect me. Now this is the only way that Kilt can keep that promise.’
‘He hasn’t done a bad job so far.’
Leo opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again, looking frustrated. He appeared to take a steadying breath. His voice was hard when he spoke again. ‘I’m going to trammel him, Gav, and I’ll probably need your help.’
‘I’m not sure I’d —’
‘I’m not asking. I’m telling you that I require your help.’
It was Gavriel’s turn to fall silent. As he regarded Leo he realised his father must have been put into an identically difficult position time and again with Brennus. And Regor de Vis had never failed his king. He nodded. ‘As you wish, your majesty.’
‘Good. Jewd will be the problem rather than Kilt. You may need to disable him, but he is not to be harmed permanently.’
Gavriel didn’t reply.
‘We may also need Elka’s help.’
‘That will be her decision.’
‘Well, she’s hardly going to do it for me, Gav. I’m hoping that you will persuade her.’
‘I can try, but I’ll tell you now she answers to no one.’
Leo gave him a glance and Gavriel wasn’t sure whether to read pity or disdain in it. Either way, it was condescending and he was shocked at how hurt he felt.
‘When do you want to do this?’ he demanded, making sure his voice sounded anything but servile.
‘Immediately. Loethar must not get wind of what we’re planning. We will have to tie him up or drug him.’
‘I saw the look he gave you, Leo. I think you’re underestimating Loethar if you don’t already think his mind has taken him there.’
And Gavriel knew he was right when Leo turned away, unable to meet his gaze.
4
The youngster caught up. ‘You walk fast.’
‘Sorry,’ the man said, his voice slightly hoarse.
‘How do you feel?’
‘Powerful,’ he replied and they both laughed.
‘I would consider it far more powerful to be a bird.’
‘More freedom perhaps, but not more power. Look how I can swing my arms, notice my long stride, and listen to this.’ He began to sing.
Roddy laughed delightedly and the newly formed man called Ravan stopped singing and swung the boy around in a moment of unfettered pleasure. ‘I like your laugh, Roddy.’
‘I like your voice,’ the boy replied as he was set back down.
‘Anything’s better than that dreadful caw I used to have.’
‘You were a most handsome bird.’
‘Now I’m an even more handsome man.’
‘That you are. Can your long stride get us all the way to where we need to be?’
‘Easily. It’s not so far.’
‘Further on foot than as the crow flies, though,’ Roddy said and they both chuckled. ‘What do you think our real task is?’
Ravan had been thinking about this ever since he had seen Sergius speaking to him from the flames. ‘Our role is to help the princess.’
‘But how?’
‘I don’t know yet, Roddy. We have both been given powers and we have to work out not only what but how to use them.’
‘How will we know her?’
‘I don’t know the answer to that. But we have to push on and hope we’ll discover all that we need to know.’
‘Do you remember what Sergius said when he was dying?’
Ravan smiled. ‘He spoke about several things.’
‘The bit about telling people about Piven.’
Ravan paused again, frowning as he thought back over the conversation with the dying Sergius. ‘He did say that, you’re right. That’s very sharp of you, Roddy. I had overlooked it.’
‘Well, I was just wondering who we had to tell and where they may be.’
‘I think I know exactly who he meant.’
‘You do?’
‘I suspect he meant anyone who is loyal to the Valisars.’
‘Who might that be?’
‘That would be Leonel and his supporters.’
‘The prince? But they say he died in the wars.’
Ravan let Roddy down off his broad shoulders and squatted so that his friend did not have to stare up at him. ‘Leonel did not die in the wars. He survived, escaped Loethar’s clutches, and fled into the forests north of here. He has grown up, tall and strong with a fierce desire to be king in more than name.’
Roddy’s eyes shone. ‘Really?’
Ravan nodded. ‘I think we need to find him and let him know that his sister returns and that his brother is now his enemy.’
‘Will he believe us?’
‘He has to. We must make sure he does.’
‘How long will it take us to reach the forest?’
Ravan frowned. ‘Too long. We’re pretty far west still, so we need to swing east now if we want to make it into the Davarigon region of Droste.’
Roddy smiled. ‘Then we’d better run!’
‘We could never keep pace with each other. My legs are too long.’
The boy regarded him seriously. ‘When you were changing, just before the beautiful serpent woman arrived, I thought I saw something.’
‘Oh yes, what was that?’
Roddy bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut as he made himself remember. ‘It was like a dream. I could see you running.’
‘Running, eh? Perhaps because I was about to be given the legs of a man.’
‘No, it was as though I was being shown something. I see things sometimes. I keep them to myself because they can be bad. There was a time when I had a vision of the crops failing. Another time I saw that the Robbun family’s only son would die of the shaking fever — and that was a whole anni before, when he was healthy.’
‘I see. Those aren’t nice visions to have.’
Roddy nodded. ‘My mother told me to keep them to myself. So when I saw the fire in my mind — the one that I told you about, that brought me here?’ Ravan nodded. ‘Well, I didn’t tell anyone that it would happen but every day I waited for it. And one day it came and I was ready.’ He pulled a rueful face. ‘I didn’t know I’d have to try and save Plod, of course.’ At Ravan’s frown, Roddy grinned. ‘My cat.’
‘Ah. Brave.’
‘Not really. He was a good friend to me.’
‘Did you see Piven in your vision?’
Roddy shook his head. ‘No, but I knew I would be hurt badly but survive. I trust my visions. They are never wrong.’
‘And so you’ve had a vision about me?’
‘I think you have the power to move as freely and easily as you did when you were a bird,’ Roddy replied gravely.
‘Fly?’
Roddy exploded into laughter. ‘No. You don’t have wings any more!’
‘Then how?’
‘On those legs you are so proud of. I think they will carry you much faster than you can imagine.’
‘Really?’
Roddy nodded. ‘Let’s try.’
‘All right,’ Ravan said, bemused. ‘Stand back!’ he said dramatically, making Roddy grin. ‘Here goes.’ He ran and was out of Roddy’s sight within moments, but returned at immense speed, dust swirling in his wake.
‘Strike me!’ Ravan declared. ‘I’m glad you shared your vision!’
Roddy laughed loudly. ‘You were gone from sight within a blink. Have you any idea how fast you are?’
Ravan shook his head with wonder. ‘I see everything ahead in perfect clarity but everything else is a blur rushing by. I can feel the wind created by my speed. I know it’s fast.’
‘I think we can get to the forest rather quickly if you can manage me on your back.’
‘Manage? This incarnation has given me the strength of two men, I’m sure. Come on, Roddy, we have a journey to make, into the hills above the Deloran Forest.’
Loethar looked at Elka and gave her a wry smile.
‘And what am I supposed to read into that expression?’ she asked.
‘I thought you’d like to know what your two friends are discussing,’ he replied.
‘Oh, so your Valisar powers permit you to read minds or overhear from long distance, do they?’
He laughed. ‘I do like you, Elka. De Vis is a lucky man.’
‘A short one.’
He laughed deeper, genuinely amused. ‘I wish I had some of the famed Valisar magic. I have none. My only power will be borrowed if I can reach it.’
‘But why?’
He sighed. ‘You know, I’ve been beginning to ask myself the same question. I’m asking myself why about a lot lately. At least Denovians are happier under my rule.’
‘If that were true I could only be impressed.’
‘But it is true,’ he pressed.
‘No, Loethar. The Denovians were not given any choice. You might think your way has been better for them — and you could be right — but harmony is really only achieved when there is free choice.’
‘Are all Davarigons so philosophical?’
‘I’m afraid so. It’s why we keep to ourselves.’
‘In case you bore people.’
It was her turn to laugh. ‘You know, for a bloodthirsty tyrant you are also reasonable company.’
He bowed his head in a mock salute. ‘So are you interested in what I was going to share with you?’
‘I don’t suppose saying no will shut you up?’
‘No. Besides, I want to dazzle you with my insight. I’d like to show just how easy my nephew is to read and how blinded by loyalty your friend de Vis is.’ He saw her bristle. ‘Forgive me. While I’m happy to taunt them, I bear you absolutely no ill will. You have been more than fair and extremely generous. I see that I hit a sore point with my barb.’
She shrugged. ‘If I had my way I would already be back in the mountains.’
‘With or without him?’
She nodded.
‘Ah, and your head and heart are sore at this.’
‘On the surface we are ill-suited, I know. But we are a good match. Regor … or Gavriel, as I must now call him, has a blind faith in the Valisars.’
‘It is to be admired.’
‘I do admire it. But it brings only sorrow to my life.’
Loethar just nodded, watching her.
Elka gave a sad smile. ‘What are they discussing?’
‘Did you understand what they were talking about regarding the aegis for each Valisar?’
‘I followed it. It’s a horrifying concept but the more I learn about the family, the less surprised I am. Would you really bind a man to you in such a vile manner, committing him to a living death?’
‘Faris would be alive, Elka.’
‘To be alive is to have free will.’
He nodded. ‘Ah, back to that. But life is rarely fair or neat.’
‘I agree. But you two would be bound together in hate. Imagine spending the rest of your life under the protection of someone who hates you.’
He shrugged. ‘My whole life has been spent like that.’
‘I’m sad for you, Loethar. I wonder what sort of man you’d have been had you been born into the palace as the true Valisar son and heir.’
‘Quite different. Anger and the drive for revenge against the family that disowned me has sadly shaped me.’
‘You are a good ruler.’
‘I know.’
‘Even Gavriel admits it.’
‘But against all of his good sense, all his instincts and admiration for you and your sense of what is right, he will follow Leo down a dark path.’
‘Dark path?’ She frowned. ‘What does that mean?’
‘Right now, if I’m not mistaken, Leo is sharing with de Vis his plan to trammel Faris.’
‘What?’ Elka’s expression darkened.
‘I’d lay my life on it.’
She was silent a moment, considering. ‘He can’t, though,’ she finally replied, her brow knitting deeper. ‘Isn’t Faris your aegis?’
‘He can. Any aegis is available to any Valisar if we recognise him or her. It’s just that the aegis can hide relatively successfullyif he doesn’t run into his own Valisar. Faris did. And now he’s a marked man for either Leo or myself. Your friend de Vis will be drawn into the subterfuge, and once Leo trammels Faris he will kill me.’
‘I won’t permit that to —’
‘You will have no say. You will also have no weapons or even ability against an aegis. Leo will command Faris. And Faris will use magic against anyone who so much as stands up to Leo. He will be invincible against any sort of threat.’
She looked at him, aghast. ‘Would you have done the same?’
‘I am Valisar,’ he replied, vaguely embarrassed.
She gave a low, animal-like growl of fury. ‘That sort of power should not be in anyone’s lap.’
‘Well, Leo will probably argue that it’s to protect the people, return the true heir to the throne, get rid of the tyrant … he’ll have many compelling arguments. Power corrupts.’
‘Gavriel won’t agree to this.’
‘You’ve just finished telling me that Gavriel has blind faith in his role to protect Leo … the true king.’
Elka bit her lip. ‘What do we do?’
‘Warn Faris, perhaps, although if he’s as smart and cunning as he’s been all of these anni I suspect he might have worked it out for himself.’
Elka looked at him. Loethar didn’t need to ask, could see the comprehension revealing itself in her astonished expression. ‘You want me to let you go?’
‘I am happy to remain your prisoner but at least put some distance between Leo and myself. Just give us some time to work out how best to handle this. I know you need time to let it all sink in.’
‘You want me to desert Gavriel and the king we’ve come back for, in order to protect the very man they have wanted to kill for the last decade?’
Loethar took a long breath. ‘When you put it like that it does seem rather a lot to ask. But yes, that is what I am asking of you.’
Elka walked away, turning her back on him.
‘There’s not much time.’
‘Be quiet!’ she ordered and he obediently fell silent. Moments later she turned back and hauled him to his feet.
‘Well?’ he asked.
‘Just get up and get moving,’ she instructed. ‘I’m going to hide you, and then I’m going to find out exactly what Gavriel and his king are plotting.’
‘Thank you, Elka.’
‘Shut up, Loethar. Have you any idea what a betrayal this is of Gavriel?’
‘It’s the right decision until you can be sure that theirs is best. If you do, then I’ll accept death. So you hold my life in your hands.’
‘Can you move?’
‘Not easily but yes, of course. I can ignore any amount of pain if it means survival.’
‘I will kill you myself if you try anything. Now grit your teeth and move!’
He did just that, setting his jaw, ignoring the pain jarring throughout his body, forever thankful that his legs could still work freely. And together, he and Elka headed deep into the higher part of the forest.
Gavriel spun around twice, confused and then shocked. ‘She’s gone,’ he said.
Leo let out a howl of anguish. ‘I knew it! I knew the Davarigon bitch couldn’t be trusted!’
Gavriel loomed before him. ‘Be careful, Leo. Be very careful. I’m sure Elka has an explanation for this.’
‘Explanation? Explanation? How about treachery? Or betrayal? That has a nice ring. Was it just my imagination or did you notice how friendly the two of them were? She protected his life with her own not so long ago. Now she’s taken him somewhere.’
‘You don’t know that!’
‘Open your eyes, for Gar’s sake, Gav! She’s gone. And so is he. It doesn’t matter how it came about. It makes no difference whether he charmed her or overwhelmed her or simply persuaded her with reason, but she must be helping him. Or at least one of them would be here where we left them not so long ago.’
‘But why? Give me a reason why she would do this?’
Leo shook his head. ‘What does it matter?’
‘It matters. Elka does nothing without rationale. She thinks everything through. I think the last truly spontaneous act that woman made was interfering in my life and wresting me back from those barbarian soldiers.’
‘Well, here’s her latest rash act. She’s chosen the emperor over you.’
‘That’s ridiculous. Elka and I …’
‘What?’ Leo demanded, his tone full of derision.
Gavriel paused and ran his hand through his hair. ‘Well, we’ve been close friends for a decade. She hardly knows him. And she’s disgusted by the death he’s wreaked on the Set.’
‘And now she’s met him and he’s convinced her to get him away from us. Now more than ever I need the protection of an aegis. Until now I’ve had the disguise of anonymity, the cover of Loethar’s belief that I was killed a long time ago. That is all shattered now. You have to help me. We have to get Faris trammelled.’
‘I have to go after her. Make her see reason, understand why she did this. She could have been startled. Maybe she saw other enemies and got him away for all the right reasons?’ Gavriel tried.
‘Then where are these intruders? We’d see some evidence. And who is going to be travelling this high up, this deep into the forest, by chance?’
Gavriel shook his head. ‘I just want to know why.’
‘First we must return to Faris. I’m now so vulnerable we can’t waste another moment on recriminations. Let’s get the protectionwe need and then worry about Loethar. He’s injured. He can’t get that far, even on her back,’ Leo said with immense disgust. Turning, he headed back through the woods towards where they’d left Kilt.
Gavriel followed, his mind in a daze of confusion.
Ücretsiz ön izlemeyi tamamladınız.
