Part 9 (2/2)
”I'm going to join the group just as I've been invited to do,” he answered, giving his whole attention to the chocolate-covered fruit. ”Beyond that... Well, who knows? Things do happen, even things people don't expect. We'll both just have to wait and see.”
He smiled at the spoonful of dessert before eating it, but that wasn't strange at all when compared to what he'd said. I still didn't really know what he'd said, and I wasn't at all sure he did either. I was just about to challenge him on the point when Fearin decided to join the conversation. He'd spoken to Ijarin a few times during the meal, but I hadn't paid attention to what they'd discussed.
”Did I hear you say you've decided to join us?” he asked the barbarian, sounding really delighted. ”I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I somehow got the feeling Aelana wasn't being as friendly as it's possible to be. She tends to be stiff with strangers, but just give her a little time.
As soon as she gets to know you I'm sure she'll relax and let you see how she really feels.”
”I don't know if I've trained hard enough to face that,” the barbarian replied with a bland glance for Fearin. ”Being allowed to see how she really feels, I mean. I'll admit I thought at first that she was stretching the truth or lying to herself, pretending to be a full member of this group when she really wasn't. After this afternoon and tonight, though, I can see there's no wishful thinking about it.”
”No, no wishful thinking,” Fearin agreed, his glance sent in my direction. ”Her skills and talents make her just as important to this group as any of the rest of us. The only thing I wish, though, is that her capacity for eating would increase a bit more quickly. That dessert, for instance - ”
”Doesn't stand a chance of getting away untouched,” I interrupted, at the same time pulling the bowl closer to me. ”I happen to have a weakness for this particular dessert, so your wish has been granted. Now you can stop bothering me.”
”I think I'd enjoy meeting whoever it was who taught her to be that gracious and tactful,” the barbarian commented while I took the first delicious taste of the chocolate-covered fruit.
”There are a couple of things I'd enjoy teaching them.”
”Funny how I've had that same thought,” Fearin agreed with a chuckle. ”Along with another thought, of course.”I could feel both sets of eyes on me and thought Ijarin was about to ask about Fearin's second thought, but he wasn't given the chance. Just at that moment a guardsman burst into the room, looking downright pale as he hurried over to Fearin.
”High Master, there's trouble,” he got out, as if we couldn't already tell. ”The duty officer was inspecting the guard posts, and found one unmanned. He thought they'd gone off after something suspicious, but to leave their post entirely unmanned... He sent for a squad, had them search... They found the men in a dark corridor, all of them dead... The duty officer's certain that means there are a.s.sa.s.sins in the palace.”
Fearin was on his feet by now, the Power glowing faintly around him, his gaze unfocused and distant. He was searching the palace for intruders, I thought, being a lot more thorough than an army of guardsmen could be. He stood silent and intense for a long string of ticks, almost straining without moving a muscle, and then he was suddenly back with us.
”If they're here, they're protected against my searching them out,” he growled, the sweat of effort suddenly on his brow. ”And they'd also be able to get through the traps I set. There's only one other thing we can do - if it's possible. Aelana?”
His eyes were the first to come to me, but everyone else's followed quickly enough. I felt a strong flash of disappointment that I was being interrupted before I'd finished my dessert, but there was really no help for it.
”It might work,” I grudged, putting my spoon down and standing. ”Obviously I'll have to try.”
I thought briefly about using the room Fearin had used earlier when he'd checked the food for poison, but that would have added an unnecessary wall. What I needed was fewer barriers, so I moved toward the corridor. I could hear footsteps beginning to follow me, so I held up a hand without turning.
”Everyone stay where they are,” I directed, hoping I sounded officious rather than evasive.
”Don't move any more than you have to, and try to keep those girls quiet. This is going to be a stretch even for me.”
The twin chatterboxes had been taking turns squeaking in alarm and demanding to know what was happening, but as I left the room their noise suddenly cut off. They'd either been gagged or threatened, and it didn't matter which as long as they were quiet.
Once out in the corridor, I saw I had to give up the hope of having no one there to watch me.
Two guardsmen stood to either side of the door, and their expressions said they'd die rather than leave their post. Ah well, word would have gotten around anyway...
I crossed to what shadows there were on the opposite side of the corridor, between two candles.
Even as I stopped I could feel my body drawing the dark, bringing it closer so that it might be used. The shadow deepened, sharpening my senses and strengthening them, sending them out to search for those who would attempt harm. The beast wasn't far from taking me over, but somehow I was able to hold it back while I used its abilities.
The chill of the night clarified and became more intense, but that was a nothing meant to be ignored. I heard the sound of running footsteps many places in the distance, booted feet running in a familiar cadence. Guardsmen, then, hurrying in their search to find the intruders.
Others shuffled out of their way to stand trembling, which made them servants and slaves watching nervously.
The sharp smell of fear distracted me for a moment, but that, also, was nothing. Those who stood not far from me, staring wide-eyed into the darkness I'd gathered... Terror was in their sweat and trembling. When I looked at them they shrank back, their cringing posture begging me to know they meant no harm...
And that was when I heard it, the sound I'd been trying to separate from all the others. A large number of calmly determined footsteps, stealthy in their hurry, one set among them stumbling rather than walking. Soft-soled shoes and one set of boots, the intruders and an unwilling guide...
Nearly did I merge completely with the beast then, the better to move through the darknessand meet them on their way. Their blood would have tasted sweet in my mouth - And that was what let me pull out of it, the memory of the taste of enemy blood. I couldn't do that again, refused to do it again, especially when it was unnecessary. The shudder I felt stayed on the inside, where even the terrified guardsmen couldn't see it, and then I was striding past them and back into the room.
”Well?” Fearin demanded as soon as he saw me. ”Did it work?”
”Almost too well,” I said, then shook my head to dismiss the unnecessary comment. ”There are about a dozen of them, they have a prisoner who's guiding them, and they're only about two corridors away. They should be here in no time at all.”
”Sergeant, you and your men take the princesses into that room,” Fearin ordered the guardsman who'd brought the news, pointing to the room I'd decided against using. ”I want the three of you to stay in there with them, and if anyone tries to come in after you without knocking, you're to cut them down. And if it isn't one of us knocking, do the same. Move!”
The guardsman pounded his shoulder to acknowledge the orders, then ran to collect the two men Fearin had undoubtedly spotted during his own search. The two had to be bellowed at before they would come in and get started with their ch.o.r.e, and the girls had to be pulled to the room by Garam and Talasin. The amount of confusion involved in that simple a doing was incredible, and when the door was closed on the last of it we all felt relieved.
”All right, we can't have much time left,” Fearin said then, reaching across to loosen his blade in its scabbard. ”I've sent a mind message to the officer of the guard to come here with as many men as he can, but I don't know if he understood the message. Even if he did it will take them time to reach us, so we'll have to hold off the intruders until help arrives. Lokkel, you and Ranander and Aelana get into that far corner, and keep an eye on the fight. If - ”
”Wait a minute,” I interrupted even as Lokkel nodded fuzzily and staggered off to do as he'd been told. ”Master Lokkel and Ranander may be out of it, but the same doesn't go for me.
With only four of you to stand against a good dozen, it will be over so fast there won't be anything to watch. I can at least - ”
”Do what?” Fearin demanded, interrupting in turn. ”Conjure a weapon that will be useless against men who are protected? Or have you decided you really want to turn the Shadowborn loose again? It didn't look that way when you were out in the corridor, but maybe I misinterpreted your reaction. If I did just say so, and the rest of us will stand back while you handle it alone.”
”If you four go down, I'll have to do it anyway,” I said, trying to ignore the way I felt sick to my stomach. ”There's no sense in letting you die just to protect my tender feelings, so we might as well do it like that. You'll all have to stay back, of course, and make sure our own guardsmen don't - ”
”Excuse me,” the barbarian said, taking his turn at interrupting as he stepped forward to stand beside Fearin. ”I don't know anything about this Shadowborn you're talking about, but there's something you don't know about. Aelana, I haven't seen you wearing any weapons. Am I wrong in thinking that doesn't mean you can't use them?”
”Of course I can use them,” I said, wondering what he was supposed to be getting at. ”There isn't a Life Seeker alive - and I mean that literally - who can't use every weapon at least a little. What has that got to do with - ”
”It has everything to do with the problem,” he said, reaching to one of the swordbelts strapped around him. ”Before I left the Far Mountains, one of my seers brought this sword to me and told me to wear it with my own. I'd know what to do with it when the time came, she said, and it looks like she was right. Ranander, just how strong a man are you?”
”Me?” Ranander asked with surprise as the barbarian handed me his second sword, scabbard, belt, and all. ”I don't understand what you're asking, Ijarin.”
”I'm asking if you're strong enough to help us against more than twice our number of attackers,” the barbarian said, speaking slowly and gently. ”The only weapon I have left tooffer you is my dagger, so you won't be able to face the enemy the way we do. Are you strong enough to stand aside while the rest of us engage them, then help us out by taking them in the back? For myself I don't think I could do it, so don't hesitate if you have to refuse.”
”So that's what you were talking about,” Ranander said with a grin that wasn't quite as innocent as others he'd shown. ”You thought I'd consider it dishonorable to stab them in the back. Well, under other circ.u.mstances I might, but not now. They think they're sneaking up on us with greater numbers, and I'm sure they're hoping we'll all be unarmed. Because of that they deserve whatever they get, including being stabbed in the back. I'd be honored to borrow your dagger for that purpose.”
Ijarin returned Ranander's grin as he handed over the weapon, and Fearin nodded with distracted approval. Our numbers had now been raised to six, and that might make all the difference. There was something no one had mentioned, though, and it did have to be said.
”Ranander, check first to see if they're wearing armor,” I told him, settling the swordbelt I'd been given around my hips. Ijarin had had to wear the belt on its last notch, but it fit me as though it had been made for me. ”Even if you only suspect they're armored, aim for a neck or throat rather than a back. We wouldn't want your efforts to be wasted.”
”I'll certainly do that, Aelana,” he answered, transferring his grin to me while he stroked the hilt of his borrowed dagger. ”I won't let any of them hurt you, you have my word on it.”
”Just don't let any of them hurt you,” I answered, drawing the blade to test its balance. ”With a sword as sweet as this one I can take care of myself.”
And I wasn't lying just to make him feel better. The sword hilt fit my hand as snugly as any weapon I'd ever held, the balance of the blade so true I knew I could accomplish wonders with it. I'd have to ask the barbarian where it came from, but not right now, not when the intruders had finally arrived...
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