Part 51 (1/2)

Cadder could take no more. The horse was becoming increasingly maddened, as was he. What this being said simply could not be true. He would not believe that he'd sold himself over to the wrong side of this. He could not believe it. So, with one great effort, Caime Cadder shouted his prancing mount forward, intending to ride right through Ladhar's shade. But the horse whirled and bolted off the trail, flailing through drifting snow into a close-knit group of trees. Off balance, Cadder could do nothing more than cling to the saddle in desperation as the twining branches rushed to meet him.

He only barely saw the contorted limb that caught him about the throat. There was no time to dodge or cry out. Hands gripping the pommel, feet sunk in the stirrups, spirit buried in its own sick pride, Caime Cadder contributed as much to his death as did the ill-placed branch.

Chapter 25.

Rise up! Rise up with such spirit that it will fill the human world with life. Light the lamp of love where you gather and shed joy in every heart. Love the stranger as you love your own faithful friends. If someone strikes you, seek his friends.h.i.+p; if he wounds you, be a balm to his wounds; if he taunts you, love him; if he blames you, praise him; if he poisons you, offer him honey; if he would take your life, save his. Even if he is the essence of suffering, be his healing. Even if he is a thorn, be his rose.

This is the way to light the world, to turn a prison into a palace, to turn earth into heaven. These are the heart of the Meri's Law, the teachings for this new time.

- Taminy-Osmaer

Book of the New Covenant

She could see herself through their eyes and knew she was a strange sight-sitting in Catahn's high-backed chair before the largest hearth in the Great Hall like a Cwen in boy's clothes, with Skeet crouched at her feet like a loyal pup. The Stone of Ochan sat, glowing, in her lap; she glowed with it-as much from within as from its reflection or the fire's light.

Each penitent arrived before her to bow, beg forgiveness and promise fealty with greater or lesser displays of trepidation.

The Dearg was first, with his several House Elders. He groveled from real fear, laying his opposition to her at Coinich Mor's door, because he would never-no, never-have thought to make himself her enemy if he had not been befuddled by his brother's wicked wife and her Feich lover. Now the scales had been ripped from his eyes and he saw the truth. Had she a midge of mercy in her heart for an old chieftain?

Taminy smiled and forgave him and his. It was a mightily relieved Eadrig Dearg who walked out of Hrofceaster to tell his men they would begin rebuilding the burned-out Hillwild village that very day-that very hour.

Lilias Saba was next, not nearly so terrified as The Dearg, but clearly awed. She had Iseabal brought out of her camp and returned her to Taminy's arms.

”You forego your revenge?” Taminy asked.

The Raven answered with a wry smile. ”Well, I fancy myself a creature of honor, but my father didn't raise a fool. I imagine my little army is no match for the forces you command, Lady. And I've no desire to join my poor brother in death.”

”You wouldn't die by my hand.”

Lilias's black brows arched upward. ”No?”

”No.”

”Did my brother . . . die by your hand or by your thought? Or by hers?” She nodded toward Iseabal, now warming near the huge central hearth in Aine's protective embrace.

”No. Be a.s.sured, Lilias Saba, your brother's true murderer is dead. It was Rodri Madaidh's sword that ended his life, surely, and Iseabal was the reason for him falling under that sword. But the man who put Iseabal into his hands-that man is dead.”

”Daimhin Feich.” Lilias's brow furrowed as she considered that. ”He was a fool. He might have had the Throne of Caraid-land, had he been willing to settle for that.”

Had he been willing to settle. Watching Ruadh Feich approach her, sober and defensive, Taminy turned the thought in her head. It was fruitless to wish for what might have been-a virtuous Cyne Colfre; pure-hearted Osraed; a Daimhin Feich who was, if unscrupulous, at least not obsessive. How many lives had been blighted because of Colfre's avarice, Ladhar's blindness and Feich's madness?

”The Banarigh was right,” Ruadh told her when it was his turn. ”My cousin was a fool. He didn't believe you could destroy him-or rather, that you would destroy him.”

”Ruadh Feich,” Taminy told him, equally solemn, ”I did not destroy your cousin.”

”The Crystal, then?”

”No, not even Ochan's Crystal is responsible for his destruction. The Crystal is . . . a pa.s.sive tool. Certainly, it's attuned to Light as opposed to darkness. Perhaps, in that way, you could say that the Crystal destroyed Daimhin Feich.”

Ruadh shook his head, uncomprehending. ”If not you, if not the Crystal, then what?”

”He demanded that it destroy the Enemy. Not his enemy-at that moment, Coinich Mor-but the Enemy. The Crystal's Enemy, the Enemy of Light.”

Ruadh sucked in a sharp breath. ”He destroyed himself, that's what you're telling me. That for want of the right p.r.o.noun, he destroyed himself and his Dearg Wicke.” The corner of his mouth twitched. ”You'll think me a barbarian, Lady, but somehow, in my cousin's case, that seems . . . fitting. He was more than a fool. He was mad.

”Every morning, I would wake and wonder what new delusion he would seize on today. Would he be an aingeal of darkness, or darkness itself? Would he sit on the Throne of Caraid-land, or of the entire world? Would he marry one powerful woman, or three? I began to consider whether The Feich would think me a traitor or a hero to our House if I abandoned him.” He managed a wry smile. ”You have saved me, Mistress, from a most difficult decision.”

He made no protestations of lifelong loyalty after that, but merely pledged himself to help rebuild Airdnasheen and then to put his men at her disposal.

”There will be chaos in Creiddylad,” he added. ”Perhaps the best thing I can do is to escort Cyneric Airleas back to Mertuile where he can be set before the Stone. A country shouldn't be so long without its Cyne.”

”No, it shouldn't,” Taminy agreed. ”But it won't be Mertuile that sees the coronation of this Cyne. It would please me if you would escort Airleas to Halig-liath. There he will receive the Circlet.”

She heard the murmur that went up among those who heard her. In a word, she had changed a Rite of Succession that had been practiced for six centuries.

Ruadh Feich did not react to that, but only to the course the destination required they take. ”You don't mean to leave here until spring, then? Surely, you must move sooner than that. Creiddylad-”

”Creiddylad is in the hands of Iobert Claeg and the Allied Houses. But yes, we shall move sooner than that. Within the week, I think.”

”Lady, the weather! Surely, you can't mean to take mounted men along the Northern trail.”

Taminy smiled, feeling suddenly giddy with the absence of Daimhin Feich's dark threat and Coinich Mor's secret presence.

”Weather, Ruadh Feich? What is weather?”

She rose and moved to the bank of windows that looked out into Hrofceaster's bustling forecourt. The mountain fog leaned close to the window, as if eavesdropping. Taminy dismissed it with a wave of her hand. It receded, lifting like a curtain, parting as if pulled by an invisible hand. The stones of Hrofceaster turned from lead to gold, touches of snow-silver ornamenting the battlements.

”You order the weather,” murmured Ruadh, and Taminy could feel in him, for the first time, unadulterated fear. She felt something else, too. She felt Skeet's eyes on her and blushed under their wry regard.

”Don't fear me, Ruadh Feich,” she told him. ”The weather has no mind of its own, unlike you. I may order a breeze now and again, but I can't order a man's destiny.”

As Taminy had said, they prepared to leave for Nairne within the week. The Banarigh Lilias had departed already to her own home, the Dearg and Ruadh Feich both agreed to leave behind kinsmen who would continue to help rebuild tattered Airdnasheen.

With a mixed contingent of Claeg, Dearg and Feich men under Catahn's command, they readied themselves for a long, careful descent to the river vale at the foot of Baenn-an-loc.

Taminy was alone in her parlor when the door slipped quietly open, admitting Deardru-an-Caerluel. Head high, the woman studied her in silence, arms folded across her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, eyes dark with smug malice.

”So. You I lose to you, after all.”