“And you think that’s what I like?” he asked in mock outrage. “For Riders to be soft? For Riders to be easily distracted from their commissions?”
“Well, I’m proud of him, at any rate,” she said, smiling. “I wonder if this is Ellynor’s influence. If finding himself in love with her has made him feel more kindly disposed to the world at large.”
He was amused. “I’m not sure that’s how it works for most men,” he said. “I think love makes them more ferocious with the rest of the world—determined to keep that one woman safe.”
Now she sighed. She laid her own hand over Tayse’s and his fingers interlaced with hers. Strange how she wasn’t able to sleep these days unless this man was beside her, his hand folded over hers. And she knew perfectly well that she could keep herself safe without help from anyone. “I’m not sure he’s going to be able to manage it in Ellynor’s case.”
“What did he tell you? I saw him draw you aside.”
She debated how much she could repeat and decided she could tell Tayse what Justin knew, at least. “He thinks she’s a mystic.”
“A mystic? At the convent? How did that happen?”
“Apparently she’s not even aware of it. Doesn’t recognize that the things she can do are any kind of magic.”
“What can she do?”
“Heal people, for one thing.”
Tayse considered. “So can you. So can Kirra. That seems like a kind of magic.”
“Indeed, it does. A gift from the gods—though not from the Pale Lady.”
“Any other tricks?”
“Yes, a most useful one. She can hide in the dark. I mean, literally create some kind of scrim that no one can see through, and she can use this to conceal herself and someone standing close to her. Justin said she hid both of them one night while they were on the streets of Neft and soldiers rode by. You can imagine how impressed he was by a magic with such practical application on the battlefield.”
She heard the grin in Tayse’s voice. “Always seeking the advantage in combat.”
“At any rate, apparently it never occurred to her before that these abilities were out of the ordinary. Justin thinks he managed to convince her to be careful, but he didn’t convince her to leave the convent. Which I must say,” she added, “seems like a really good idea to me.”
Tayse’s mind was still back on blithe sorcery. “So none of Ellynor’s friends or family ever found her powers unusual? Where does she come from that skills like these are simply accepted without comment?”
Again, Senneth hesitated. “She hasn’t told Justin.”
His hand closed harder on her fingers. “But you’ve guessed.”
“I guessed the minute he described her.”
Tayse, who never forgot anything, reviewed that conversation of three weeks ago. “Something about her hair?”
“Very good. And her particular brand of magic is familiar to me as well.”
“Not to me. Although, I suppose, you can choose to disappear also—but not by wrapping yourself in some kind of darkness. What kind of goddess offers that kind of power?”
It was no use. She had to tell him. This was weighing too heavily on her mind. She had decided Ellynor should be able to choose what to confide in her lover and what to keep secret, but this was becoming too dangerous a game to play. “The Dark Watcher.”
“You’re the only one I’ve ever heard mention her name. What kind of people worship her?”
“Lirrenfolk.”
“You think this Ellynor comes from the Lirrens?”
“I’m positive she does.”
“But don’t they—you told us a tale—they forbid their women to marry outsiders. And if a girl falls in love with an unsuitable man anyway, they . . .” His voice trailed off. He had remembered the story precisely.
“They duel to the death. Yes.”
“You have to tell Justin.”
“I wanted her to do it.”
“Sounds like she won’t be ready to tell Justin anything till her brother or her father shows up with sword drawn.”
She could hear the roughness in his voice and turned in his arms to place her hands against his chest. “Don’t be angry with her.”
“She’s put Justin’s life in very real danger.”
“She fell in love,” Senneth whispered. “Against all reason. Against all judgment. Against everything she was ever taught. She probably didn’t realize it would come to this. She probably thought she could control it—just taste it, the sweetness of forbidden romance. She didn’t know how quickly that would become the only thing she lived for.”
“You don’t know that she loves Justin. Just because he loves her.”
“No,” she said, snuggling her head under his chin, wanting to be even closer to him. His arms came up and tightened around her. “But I don’t think she would be this careless if she didn’t.”
“What are we going to do?”
She sighed. “First, we’re going to take Sabina to safety. Then—I don’t know. I’m not worried for Justin’s life. I think he can take on any swordsman from the Lirrens and come out the winner. But I’m worried for his heart. If he kills one of Ellynor’s brothers—I don’t see love surviving that disaster.”
“Do you want to return to Neft once we’ve taken the marlady to Ghosenhall?”
She was silent a moment. “I don’t actually want to go to Ghosenhall.”
Tayse pulled back a little, trying to see her face. “Why not?”
“I don’t want to give Halchon an excuse to declare war on the king because Baryn has given Sabina sanctuary. So I want to leave her somewhere else that’s well defended and not easily accessible. Among people Halchon used to call his friends and might hesitate now to call his enemies, though he knows they hate him. I want to take her almost as far from Gisseltess as possible.”
Now Tayse was laughing. “And you want to drive such a deep wedge between Halchon and your brothers that they would never agree to offer you up to him as a bride.”
“Yes,” she said. “I want to take her to Brassenthwaite.”
SABINA seemed pleased, confused, and even more nervous at the idea of journeying all the way to the northeasternmost territory of Gillengaria. “Are you sure? Your brothers—they won’t mind? That I’m there? I knew Nate fairly well once, but Kiernan—I’m not sure he liked me. I would hate to be in the way.”
Senneth gave her a cynical smile. “Kiernan will see you as the political prize you are. Don’t worry. He might not greet you with warmth, because Kiernan is incapable of warmth, but he’ll be civil. And he’ll keep you safe.”
“And Nate won’t mind, either? You suppose?”
The two of them were alone in the hasty camp. Tayse had gone off to hunt and Cammon was refilling their water bags. Senneth had started a fire, merely touching her hand to a bundle of wood, and Sabina was assembling their leftover food. They would have to stop in a day or two to get more provisions in some small town. Particularly if they were going all the way to Brassenthwaite.
“No, I’m quite sure Nate won’t mind,” Senneth said. She was watching Sabina out of the corner of her eye, wondering how much the marlady would reveal. “He’s not very comfortable with women in general, you know—maybe because he never married. In any case, he doesn’t have much in the way of social graces, but I’m sure he’ll do his best to make you welcome. Try not to be offended if he seems rude.”
A small smile touched Sabina’s lips and was gone. “Oh, I wouldn’t think he was rude. I think he’s just unsure of himself. He’s really quite a sweet man if you give him a chance.”
Senneth had always found Nate to be completely sure of himself and the furthest thing from sweet. It hadn’t bothered her at all not to speak to him for seventeen years—a period of time which, by all appearances, had encompassed some kind of friendship with Sabina Gisseltess. Well, well, well. This trip was going to be even more interesting than she’d expected.
THEY arrived at Brassen Court clo
se to sunset on a miserably cold day that had had the added disadvantage of intermittentrain. Once across the Brassenthwaite borders, they had felt free to abandon caution, so they cut over to the main road and made even better time than before. Despite herself, Senneth felt a sense of familiarity, of completeness, as they rode through the hilly countryside, the slate-black mountains always visible on the southeastern edge.
I have left Brassenthwaite. I don’t belong here anymore, she told herself firmly. No one and nothing I love is here.
But she still felt a fugitive joy upon returning.
Brassen Court loomed out of the gray sky, itself just as gray, a sprawling stone house of many wings and levels. It had a great deal of stubborn personality but no particular charm, Senneth had always thought, and it put her irresistibly in mind of her brother Kiernan. It appeared as unyielding as the Lireth Mountains in the distance, as indifferent to weather, as able to withstand attack. It was not a place to inspire love; it was neither restful nor beautiful. But it was secure. It would endure. She had to give it, always, her reluctant admiration.
They were greeted at the door by Reesen, an expressionless, efficient, and highly intelligent steward who was probably the person Kiernan trusted most in the world, after Nate. Two snaps of Reesen’s fingers sent footmen out into the rain to commandeer the horses and brought maids scurrying in from the back hallways to take the travelers’ wet overcoats.
“Good evening, serra,” Reesen greeted Senneth, personally lifting her cloak from her shoulders and not indicating by the flicker of an eyelid that he disapproved of the man’s trousers she wore for travel. “Are your brothers expecting you?”
“Hello, Reesen. Since I only realized a few days ago that I needed to come to Brassen Court, no, I don’t believe they are. Is Kiernan home?”
He nodded. “All of them are, except ser Harris.”
Senneth indicated the rest of her party. “They’ll need rooms. Except Tayse, of course. He’ll stay with me.” She dared Reesen to show any outrage at that, but she was much too late, of course. If he’d allowed himself to be shocked by the fact she was sleeping with a soldier, he’d have worked through his uncharacteristic emotion the first time she brought her lover to this house, almost six months ago. “My brothers are going to want my traveling companion given the very best quarters.”
That did catch Reesen’s attention; his eyes went quickly to Sabina. Who was looking around the severe hallway as if it was just as she remembered it, the most delightful spot in the world. Senneth wondered when Sabina had been here before and if Reesen would remember her.
He did not disappoint her. He offered the new arrival a very faint bow. “Marlady Sabina,” he said. “We are most happy to welcome you back to Brassen Court.”
“I’m going to find Kiernan,” Senneth told the others. “You go up and change clothes.”
Cammon gave her a curious look, and even Tayse was watching her as though she was behaving oddly. “What’s so funny?” Cammon asked her.
She showed him a serious face. “Am I laughing?”
“Inside you are.”
Tayse nodded. “You’re very pleased about being here.”
She smiled and just waved them toward the sweeping staircase. “Up to your rooms. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Reesen must have discreetly sent an underling to inform Kiernan she had showed up, for when she found him in his study with Nate and Will, they were all expectantly watching the door. She paused a moment to look them over. Kiernan resembled their father, with thick dark hair, a closely trimmed beard, heavy features, cold eyes. He was of middle height but thick-set and relatively powerful. She knew for a fact that he spent part of every day working out in the training yard to maintain his strength. Nate had the same coloring but a slighter build and a face perpetually showing an expression of anxiety or distaste. Will, like Senneth, favored their mother. He was taller than either of his older brothers, more loose- limbed. His hair was an indeterminate brown, his eyes were gray, and his mouth was formed for smiling.
He was the one who saw her first—or, at any rate, jumped up to acknowledge her. “Sen! What are you doing here?” he exclaimed, crossing the room to give her a hug. He was the youngest of all of them, but hardly the boy she remembered. He had been the only one who seemed truly happy to see her last summer when she made her first trip across the Brassenthwaite border in seventeen years. He released her and looked down, concern on his pleasant face. “I hope nothing’s wrong?”
“I don’t think so,” she said, smiling at him, and then glanced at the other two. Kiernan gave her a curt nod and merely waited for what she would say next. Nate, of course, was frowning. “I think I may have brought you a bargaining chip. I’m not sure. I might have brought you a packet of trouble. I can always turn around and leave it in Ghosenhall—but I thought you might want to see it first.”
Nate’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play games,” Kiernan said. “What do you have?”
But she was enjoying the game and she was going to play it for just another minute. She gave her second-oldest brother a long, considering look. “I have always wondered, Nate, why it is you never took a wife. Never found anyone in any of the Twelve Houses who quite suited you. I mean, you’re something of a catch, or you were until Kiernan’s boys were born, but even though you’re not the heir now—”
“Senneth,” Kiernan said in his measured voice. Not even annoyed. Wanting to get to the point. “Why are you here?”
Will, though, was intrigued. He glanced from Senneth’s smiling face to Nate’s scowling one. “He was in love once, Harris told me,” he said helpfully. “But she married someone else. I don’t know who she was.”
“I’m betting she was a Gisseltess girl from the Thirteenth House who was forced to marry an ambitious serramar,” Senneth said. “When I turned out to be an unwilling bride.”
Nate caught his breath. Even Kiernan looked surprised. Nate came a few steps closer and demanded, “Are you speaking of Sabina Gisseltess? Have you heard news? Has something happened to her?”
Senneth looked at Kiernan. “I’m also betting you would give the marlady sanctuary if she decided suddenly to leave her husband.”
Kiernan considered. “It might be just the excuse he needs to force us to go to war.”
She nodded. “One reason I didn’t want to take her to Ghosenhall. I thought Brassenthwaite might be safer.”
Nate was now almost on top of her. With a visible effort he refrained from reaching out to shake her by the shoulders. “Are you saying you have brought the marlady to Brassenthwaite? Where is she? Is she safe?”
“Risky no matter where she lands,” Kiernan decided. “But I am not averse to offering her shelter—in exchange for learning what she knows.”
Now Nate did take hold of Senneth’s forearm, none too gently. “Senneth. Where is she? Can I ride there before nightfall?”
Who would ever have thought she’d feel compassion for Nate? “No need,” she said. “She’s upstairs. Reesen can tell you which room he’s assigned her.”
For a moment, Nate stared at her, and then he bolted through the door without another word. Will and Kiernan gazed after him, Will dumbfounded, Kiernan thoughtful.
“I’ve never seen Nate move that fast unless there was a meal at the other end of the course,” Will said, shaking his head and giving Senneth a wide grin. “I think you guessed right.”