Part 43 (1/2)

”Good,” Odiana purred. ”You're awake.” She leaned over him to rest fingertips lightly on his temples. The cool, pale metal of a discipline collar gleamed at her throat. ”No more bleeding.”

”What happened?” Fidelias asked.

She watched his mouth very closely as he spoke, then answered, ”I found my Aldrick, and then I found you. We're not out yet. We need you to help us.”

”Where are we?” ”Where are we?” ”In a warehouse in Garrison. My love is running an errand, and then we'll go.” ”In a warehouse in Garrison. My love is running an errand, and then we'll go.” ”The dagger?” ”The dagger?” ”In your hand. You wouldn't let it go.” ”In your hand. You wouldn't let it go.” Fidelias lifted his hand and saw the dagger there. ”Where are the men?” Fidelias lifted his hand and saw the dagger there. ”Where are the men?” ”Already gone.” ”Already gone.”

The door to the warehouse creaked open, and Aldrick, wearing the tunic of a Rivan legionare legionare, entered. ”There isn't much time,” he said, voice tense. He limped to Odiana and tossed down several b.l.o.o.d.y sc.r.a.ps of flesh attached to sweeping manes of fine white hair. Scalps. ”The Marat are sweeping the buildings for any stragglers.”

”There's one more circle to close,” Odiana said, smiling, and lifted up the scalps. She began to hum to herself and walked over toward a pile of fallen crates and spilled junk in the dimness of the warehouse.

Fidelias rose and wavered on his feet, gasping. He looked down to find himself wearing a Rivan tunic as well.

Aldrick caught him, though the swordsman himself seemed none too steady. ”Easy. You were hurt pretty badly. Odiana stabilized you, but you're going to need some serious attention.”

Fidelias nodded. He tucked Aquitaine's dagger into his pouch and tied it shut. ”All right,” he said. ”How do we get out of here?”

”Everything's still in chaos out there,” Aldrick said. ”The Alerans are confused, there are many wounded, and some of the buildings are on fire. The Wolves fled and left the herd-banes to rot. Most of them fought to the death, and they're still flus.h.i.+ng them out of attics and bas.e.m.e.nts.”

Fidelias nodded. ”The men?”

”Banged up pretty well. We're going to be paying off a lot of death benefits. If we can get out of Garrison, we should be able to rendevous with them. Can you stand?”

”Yes.” Fidelias squinted over toward Odiana and limped toward her.

She crouched beside the nearly still form of a huge, grimy holder. Broken crates lay all over him, along with spilled slate s.h.i.+ngles. The man was obviously crippled, and he was not conscious.

Odiana was touching his hair with gentle fingers and smiled at Aldrick as he and Fidelias approached. Then she leaned forward and touched the man's head. ”Wake up, Master Kord.”

Kord s.h.i.+vered, and his eyelids fluttered open. After a moment, he s.h.i.+vered and focused on them. Fear touched his features. Kord s.h.i.+vered, and his eyelids fluttered open. After a moment, he s.h.i.+vered and focused on them. Fear touched his features. Odiana leaned down, smiling, and kissed his forehead. Odiana leaned down, smiling, and kissed his forehead. Aldrick rested the tip of his sword lightly against Kord's cheek. ”Take off the collar,” he said. ”Now.” Aldrick rested the tip of his sword lightly against Kord's cheek. ”Take off the collar,” he said. ”Now.” Kord licked his lips and whispered, ”Why should I?” Kord licked his lips and whispered, ”Why should I?”

Aldrick pressed the tip of the sword into Kord's skin. The man cringed away. ”All right. All right.” He reached up and fumbled at the collar. Odiana s.h.i.+vered as it came free, holding it and staring at it.

”We should go,” Fidelias said. ”We should go,” Fidelias said. Odiana murmured, ”One thing more, Master. I have a gift for you before I leave.” Odiana murmured, ”One thing more, Master. I have a gift for you before I leave.” ”Wait,” Kord stammered. ”I did what you said. I took the collar off.” ”Wait,” Kord stammered. ”I did what you said. I took the collar off.”

Odiana leaned down to look into Kord's eyes and murmured, ”Isana is too kind a person to kill you, Kord. She's too good a person to kill you. And, you poor thing.” She kissed his forehead again. ”So am I.”

She took the scalps Aldrick had brought, and draped one of them over Kord's arm. Then tucked one through his belt and left the third wrapped about his wrist. ”These are scalps of the Horse Clan,” Odiana said. ”They take scalping very seriously. And they're emptying the buildings one by one, looking for enemies. They should be here any moment, poor Master. They're going to tear the heart from your chest and eat it while it still beats. You'll get to see part of it.” She let out a sigh and turned to Aldrick. ”But we won't?”

He shook his head. ”But it's a pretty morning at least. Time to go, love.” He shook his head. ”But it's a pretty morning at least. Time to go, love.” Odiana watched his mouth, then thrust out her lower lip, but stepped to Aldrick's side and rested her hand on his arm. Odiana watched his mouth, then thrust out her lower lip, but stepped to Aldrick's side and rested her hand on his arm. Fidelias grimaced, glancing down at the scalp-draped Stead-holder. Then he turned to walk away. Fidelias grimaced, glancing down at the scalp-draped Stead-holder. Then he turned to walk away. Kord clutched at his ankle. ”Wait. Please. Don't leave me here. Don't leave me here for those animals.” Kord clutched at his ankle. ”Wait. Please. Don't leave me here. Don't leave me here for those animals.”

Fidelias paused long enough to grind his heel down on the man's fingers and then walked away, wearily pulling up the wood-crafting that would shelter him, Aldrick, and Odiana from view while they slipped out of the battle-ravaged fortress.

They left the warehouse and saw a half-dozen of the Horse Clan dart inside, weapons in hand. In less than a minute, Kord began to scream. Long, drawn out, agonized, terrified, horrible screams.

Odiana leaned her head against Aldrick's shoulder and murmured, ”You're right, my lord. It is a lovely morning.”

Chapter 46

Tavi woke up in bed, in a room in Bernard-holt used mostly when there were extra guests at hand. He felt tired, thirsty, but except for a mild ache, he did not hurt. He moved his legs and felt some kind of short breeches on them.

”I don't know why,” his uncle's voice rumbled from a bed nearby. ”She bent over me and I thought she was going to cut my throat. Then she crafted the wound shut instead. Said she didn't want me to bleed to death.”

Amara's voice held a frown. ”Did she say anything?”

”Yes. To tell Isana that they were even.”

Tavi sat up and looked around. His uncle sat in the bed beside him, white bandages wrapped around him from where his belly showed at the edge of the sheets to under his arms. He looked pale, and bruises marred his shoulders and half of his face, but he smiled when he saw Tavi. ”Well, well. We thought you'd sleep forever.”

Tavi let out a glad cry and threw himself across the s.p.a.ce of beds at his uncle, hugging him tightly. Tavi let out a glad cry and threw himself across the s.p.a.ce of beds at his uncle, hugging him tightly. Bernard laughed. ”Careful, careful. I'm delicate.” His arms folded around Tavi and hugged him back. ”Good to see you, boy.” Bernard laughed. ”Careful, careful. I'm delicate.” His arms folded around Tavi and hugged him back. ”Good to see you, boy.” Amara, dressed in a blouse and skirts of rich brown, smiled at him. ”h.e.l.lo, Tavi.” Amara, dressed in a blouse and skirts of rich brown, smiled at him. ”h.e.l.lo, Tavi.” He flashed the Cursor a smile and looked back at Bernard. ”But how?” Tavi asked. ”How did you live?” He flashed the Cursor a smile and looked back at Bernard. ”But how?” Tavi asked. ”How did you live?”

”Odiana,” Bernard said. ”That water witch that attacked you in the river. Your aunt saved her from being killed by Kord. She was hiding among the corpses at the base of the wall. She saved me. Fade, too.”

Tavi shook his head. ”I don't care who did it, as long as you're all right.” Tavi shook his head. ”I don't care who did it, as long as you're all right.” Bernard laughed again. ”What I am,” he said, ”is hungry. You?” Bernard laughed again. ”What I am,” he said, ”is hungry. You?” Tavi's stomach grew queasy. ”Not yet, Uncle.” Tavi's stomach grew queasy. ”Not yet, Uncle.”

Amara turned to a pitcher nearby and poured water into a cup for Tavi, handing it to him. ”Drink up. Once you get liquid back in you, you'll be hungry, right enough.”

Tavi nodded his thanks to her and drank. His hand, the one that had been broken, felt a little weak, and he switched the cup to the other. ”You're all right, too?”

She smiled, a wan expression. ”Alive. Some scars. I'll be all right.”

”I'm sorry,” Tavi said. ”I lost the dagger.”

Amara shook her head. ”You've nothing to be sorry for, Tavi. You stood against two men who have killed more people between them than anyone I know of. It was very brave. You shouldn't feel ashamed for not getting the dagger.”

”But without it, Aquitaine gets away with it. You can't prove he's guilty, right?”

Amara frowned. ”I'd be careful what I said, if I were you, Tavi. If someone overhears you, you may face prosecution yourself for slander.”

”But it's the truth!” ”But it's the truth!” She half-smiled. ”Not without the dagger. Without that, it's just a suspicion.” She half-smiled. ”Not without the dagger. Without that, it's just a suspicion.” Tavi frowned. ”That's stupid.” Tavi frowned. ”That's stupid.”

Amara laughed, a sudden, bright sound. ”Yes,” she agreed. ”But look at it this way. You saved the Valley and who knows how many stead-holts beyond it. You're a hero.”

Tavi blinked. ”Uh. I am?”

Amara nodded, her expression grave. ”I filed my report yesterday. The First Lord himself is coming out tomorrow to present several people with rewards for their courage.”

Tavi shook his head. ”I'm not very courageous. I don't feel like a hero.”

Amara's eyes sparkled. ”Perhaps you will, later.”

Isana walked briskly into the room, wearing fresh clothing and a crisp ap.r.o.n. ”Tavi,” she said, her tone brisk. ”Get back into bed this instant.”

Tavi leapt for the covers.

Isana frowned at Bernard. ”And you. Bernard, you know know I told you to make the boy stay in bed.” I told you to make the boy stay in bed.”