The Serpent Bride

  She wished…oh, she wished that everything had been different.

  “Will she be safe with you, Maximilian Persimius?” Isaiah said, and Ishbel saw Maximilian look at him.

  Something altered in Maximilian’s face, even more shock, if that were possible, piled atop everything else he must be feeling.

  Recognition.

  “What have you done?” Maximilian whispered, still staring at Isaiah.

  “Nothing but prepare the way for the Lord of Elcho Falling,” Isaiah said, and then Maximilian stepped forward and hit him.

  Axis’ first thought was to wonder if it were some northern trait, this ritual of face-striking on first acquaintance.

  His second was one of astonishment at Maximilian’s strength, for the power of his blow sent Isaiah—a big man—sprawling back several paces.

  Axis grabbed at Maximilian, pulling him back, although it was apparent that Maximilian had no intention of continuing the assault.

  “Let me go,” Maximilian said, and Axis did so. The dark-haired woman was by his side now, taking his arm.

  “You are Axis,” she said. “My name is Ravenna.”

  Axis’ sense of disorientation deepened. Social introductions? Now?

  Isaiah slowly rose to his feet, one hand rubbing at his jaw, his eyes wary.

  “Will everyone please leave Maximilian and me alone,” Ishbel said. Her voice was strained, her entire body stiff, and Axis noticed that she held her head slightly to one side so that she did not have to look anyone in the eye.

  “I will not leave you with—” Isaiah began, but Axis interrupted.

  “Isaiah, out, now. Maximilian will not hurt Ishbel. Ravenna, come with me.”

  Within a moment, Ishbel and Maximilian were left alone as Axis hustled the other two out the door.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Sakkuth, Isembaard

  Axis turned to Ravenna the moment they were in the corridor. “My father is with your party. Where is he?”

  “What?” said Isaiah. “How do you know this?”

  “I saw Maximilian and my father, StarDrifter, today,” Axis said. “While we were on your grand procession into Sakkuth. They watched from a rooftop.”

  “And you thought this was not important enough to tell me, or Ishbel?” Isaiah said. “Damn you! Did you not think enough of Ishbel to tell her that her husband was close? Did you not have the courtesy?”

  He whipped about to Ravenna. “Who are you?”

  “I don’t think I need to—” Ravenna began.

  “Tell me your name, curse you!”

  “My name is Ravenna,” she said. “I am a marsh woman, one who patrols the pathways between this world and the Land of Dreams.”

  “Very pretty,” said Isaiah. “Unfortunately I am not impressed with your pretensions.” He took a step forward, jabbing a finger in Ravenna’s face. “How dare you interfere between Maximilian and Ishbel! You have no right.”

  “That is hardly an accusation you can toss about lightly.”

  “My father…” Axis said, desperate to edge the conversation back into civility.

  “He is well, Axis,” Ravenna said. “More than anxious to see you.”

  Axis smiled. “And I him.”

  “Oh, for the gods’ sakes,” Isaiah muttered. “Ravenna, who else do you have in ‘your party’? Who else can I expect to find emerging from the shadows?”

  “My mother, Venetia,” said Ravenna. “StarDrifter’s wife, Salome”—she sent an apologetic glance to Axis as she said this—“and two men-at-arms. Not an invasion force. Not the kind you feel you need to carry about with you.”

  Axis broke in before Isaiah could speak. “Isaiah, I apologize to you, and I will humble myself before Ishbel when I have the chance. I should have said something and it was wrong of me not to do so. The fact was, the sight of my father stunned me so much, roiled my emotions so deeply, that I was unable to think clearly, and—”

  “You were one of the greatest military commanders this world has ever seen,” said Isaiah, “and I do not believe for a moment this excuse that the sight of your father upset you so much you forgot to mention to me you had seen both him and Maximilian.”

  Now he addressed Ravenna again. “I knew Maximilian was in that room, hiding in the shadows. What I am most angry about is not so much his presence, but the manner of it. That degree of slyness does not suit a man of his station and responsibility—and I know that it is not the first time he has practiced it. Oh, I know, you do not need to tell me, always with the best possible reasons, of course. I gave Maximilian the opportunity to act honorably, and he did not take it. Spare me your indignation, girl. I find it as unjustifiable as Maximilian’s righteous anger.”

  Axis thought that Ravenna was the kind of woman who would very rarely be put in her place, but he thought Isaiah had just managed it. Ravenna kept her tongue still, but her eyes glittered, and Axis wondered if Isaiah had just made himself a bad enemy.

  “Axis,” Isaiah continued, “you will go with Ravenna and you will fetch to this palace the rest of Maximilian’s party. I am sure that you will be glad to see your father again.”

  “Are we to be captives?” Ravenna asked, bright spots of color in her cheeks.

  “You will be treated with the honor I am not sure you completely deserve,” Isaiah said, “but the conditions of your time at Sakkuth remain to be negotiated between myself and Maximilian. Not with you.”

  Isaiah injected enough derision into that last that Axis glanced worriedly at Ravenna.

  The spots of color in her cheeks were, if anything, much brighter. “You have no idea,” she said, rather quietly, “to whom you speak.”

  “And you can have no idea either, you petty little marsh woman, to whom you speak.”

  Ignoring her gasp, Isaiah looked at Axis. “See that Maximilian’s party gets back here safely,” he said. “Assure them I mean them no enmity, and see that they are quartered comfortably. If I get the chance, I will speak with Maximilian myself later tonight.”

  And with that he turned on his heel and stalked off.

  Maximilian and Ishbel sat at opposite sides of the table, neither looking at the other.

  “The baby?” he said, his voice wooden and cracked, an echo of how he felt inside.

  Ishbel made a helpless gesture with her hand, then brushed away a tear that had crept down one cheek.

  Her hand trembled badly.

  “There was a man called Ba’al’uz,” she said. “He was responsible for the deaths in the Outlands and Central Kingdoms and for taking me from your side. He—”

  “The baby?”

  “Ba’al’uz killed the baby, Maxel. Just after she was born. I’m sorry.”

  She, he thought. A daughter.

  He sat in silence for a long time, unable to look at Ishbel, and unable to accept even the concept of the death of the child he’d wanted so badly.

  A daughter.

  He had his hands clasped in front of him on the table, and they turned over and about themselves as he tried to unmuddle thought and emotion.

  “Maxel,” Ishbel said softly, “I am so sorry.”

  “I came so far for you, Ishbel. For you and our child. It has been so hard. So difficult.”

  Her heart tore apart at the pain in his voice, and she clasped her hands to her face in a useless attempt to stem the tears.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered again. “I didn’t think…I thought you’d just go back to Escator, forget me.”

  “Forget you?”

  “I thought you hated me. Maxel, I’m sorry. I—”

  “Stop telling me you’re sorry! I don’t ever want to hear that again! For months I have abandoned my kingdom, all my responsibilities, brought trusted friends into danger with me, and for what? For what? A wife who has been disporting herself with a man in the very process of invading her homeland?”

  “I thought you hated me, Maxel.”

  “Don’t call me that. You have abandoned the marriage and you have
abandoned me. Do not think to address me so familiarly.”

  Ishbel closed her eyes, taking a shaky breath before reopening them and forcing herself to look at Maximilian.

  “Isaiah offered me comfort and compassion,” she said, her voice low. “If I had known that you had wanted me, were coming for me…oh, gods, Maximilian, why is life so full of ‘ifs’?”

  He said nothing, refusing to look at her.

  Ishbel began to babble, wishing she didn’t feel the need to speak further excuses, but unable to stop herself.

  “I was so upset when our daughter died. I wept for days. Isaiah…he was so good to me. He has such compassion. He offered me comfort, not judgment. He did not even want to judge me for being the archpriestess of the Coil—”

  Ishbel stopped, appalled at what her babbling had brought her.

  “Oh, what lies you have told me,” Maximilian said, looking directly at her now. “I tore the earth apart for you, and for what? For what?”

  He stood.

  “I will say this to you one time,” he said, “and then I will never, never allow these words to pass my lips again. I loved you, Ishbel. You. The loss of you wounds me more than the loss of the child.”

  There was an infinitesimal pause. “You have broken my heart, Ishbel, and in the doing ruined my world.”

  He stared at her a long moment, then left the room.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Sakkuth, Isembaard

  Axis and Ravenna walked through the ill-lit and largely deserted streets.

  A squad of ten armed men followed them at a distance of about twelve paces.

  Axis did not try to evade them, and did not particularly resent them. If he’d been Isaiah he would have done the same thing and, frankly, he thought it remarkable that he and Ravenna were walking the streets at all after this night’s debacle.

  He wondered how Maximilian and Ishbel were doing.

  “I remember you from the tales told of Maximilian’s rescue from beyond the hanging wall,” Axis said quietly to Ravenna as she led them to where StarDrifter and the remainder of Maximilian’s party waited.

  “And I, naturally, know of you from the many tales circulating of Tencendor.”

  “Isn’t legend such a wonderful social introduction aid,” Axis said, and Ravenna laughed softly, a lovely, low, seductive sound.

  Axis glanced at her. “If I was Ishbel, I’d be worried that Maximilian has had such as you for company all these weeks and months.”

  “She has no reason at all, as yet, to be jealous of me. Maxel has remained true to her, if not she to him.”

  Axis noted that “as yet,” and also noted, from the tone of Ravenna’s voice, that perhaps Ishbel was a subject best left alone for the time being.

  Besides, there was something else, far more wonderful, awaiting him.

  “My father,” he said. “StarDrifter. Is he well?”

  Ravenna smiled at the repressed excitement in Axis’ voice. “Yes. He is well. And regrowing his wings.”

  “What? How?”

  “Ah, we carry our own mysteries with us. And, as you heard, StarDrifter also has a wife, if a somewhat reluctant one.”

  “This I cannot believe! Who can have managed to nab my father? Tell me, who is this Salome?”

  “Well…they, ah, met in Coroleas. I will leave it to StarDrifter to tell you about her.”

  There was a mischievous glint in her eye as she said this, and Axis had to bite his tongue from peppering her with questions.

  “StarDrifter is an extraordinary man,” Axis said. “I remember the first time we met…at the base of the Icescarp Alps…”

  His voice faltered, and Ravenna touched his arm briefly in empathy.

  Axis brought his emotions under control. “And the other members of the party? Not many, from what you said.”

  “My mother, Venetia, and Serge and Doyle. I think you will like them. They once worked as assassins, but now are Maxel’s loyal men.”

  “Assassins?” Axis laughed. “Never tell Isaiah that!”

  “Look, we are here. Let me go down first, Axis, for Serge and Doyle will be as nervous as cats and you’ll like as not meet the blades of their swords before ever you meet them if you enter first.”

  “Axis!” StarDrifter hugged his son to him, so tight that Ravenna, standing to one side, later swore she had heard Axis’ bones creak in protest. Tears streamed down his face, as they did down Axis’, who returned his father’s embrace with equal ferocity.

  Venetia met her daughter’s eyes, and smiled. She had rarely seen StarDrifter smile, let alone display this magnitude of joy, and she was glad for him, that finally he had his son in his arms and his life again.

  She glanced at Salome. The woman was standing against a wall, almost in the shadows, looking both distant and cautious, and Venetia wondered what she made of this arrival.

  Axis SunSoar, the great legend, of whom even Salome in her time at Coroleas must have heard.

  And now a close relative.

  Axis and StarDrifter were still embracing, laughing, tears flowing freely down both their faces. Finally, Axis pulled away a little, one hand patting at StarDrifter’s back as he did so.

  “What is this then, StarDrifter? Wings?”

  StarDrifter sobered. “You know how—”

  “How you lost them. Yes. Gods, StarDrifter, no one knew what had become of you. Where you had gone. We had lost Zenith, only to rediscover her in the world beyond death, but you…No one…oh, sweet stars in heaven, I can hardly believe you are here. I saw you this morning, and thought you an apparition…and this evening, when Maximilian and Ravenna appeared—”

  “Please,” interrupted Serge, “what of Maximilian? Is he safe?”

  “Yes,” said Ravenna, “for the moment I believe he is safe enough in body if not well in spirit or heart, Serge. Ishbel has abandoned her wifely vows for the Tyrant of Isembaard, and the daughter she bore Maxel died at birth. Murdered, I believe, by the maniac Ba’al’uz.”

  His hand still on StarDrifter’s shoulder, Axis turned to face the rest of the group.

  “We all have much news to share,” he said, “and we need somewhere better than this to share it. Isaiah, the tyrant, has offered Maximilian and all of you shelter within his palace. He—”

  “Oh, come now!” said Doyle. “Surely you don’t expect us to believe that!”

  “Isaiah is not the great evil warlord of the south,” Axis said. “He is a good man. And I think you will be no more imprisoned within his palace than you are”—he glanced about the dismal bakery cellar—“here, and far more comfortable, although you may have to relinquish your weapons at the door.”

  Serge’s and Doyle’s hands both tightened reflexively about the hilts of their swords.

  “And I shall return them to you within your quarters as soon as I might,” Axis said. “A deal?”

  Serge and Doyle exchanged a nod. “A deal,” Doyle said.

  “So then,” said Axis, “now that we’ve sorted out the difficulties of accommodation, perhaps some introductions?”

  “Ah, I am sorry,” said StarDrifter. “Where are my manners? Serge and Doyle,” he said, nodding in turn at each man, “are Maxel’s men.”

  “And former assassins, I hear,” said Axis, stepping forward to take each man’s hand. “Please don’t mention that to Isaiah. He has just survived an assassination attempt, by an Icarii—”

  “What?” said StarDrifter.

  “StarDrifter, I will talk to you about it later,” said Axis. “Serge, Doyle, your former employ shall have to remain quiet for the moment, I think. Agreed?”

  They both nodded. “Agreed.”

  “This is Venetia,” said StarDrifter. “Ravenna’s mother.”

  Axis smiled at her. She was as lovely as her daughter, with the same coloring and strange gray eyes, but whereas Ravenna’s beauty was that of the freshness of youth, Venetia’s was that of the mature woman. Axis felt immediately attracted to her—experience was always the more seduct
ive beauty than youthful freshness.

  And when combined with her obvious power…

  As with Serge and Doyle, Axis took Venetia’s hand, but did not immediately let go of it.

  “I have never met such as you and your daughter,” he said quietly, holding her level gaze. “Maximilian is a lucky man to have you as his allies.”

  “He is a man who attracts such luck,” said Venetia. She started to pull her hand from Axis’, but he tightened his grip fractionally, keeping it trapped a moment longer.

  “I shall have to ask him his secret,” Axis said, then let Venetia’s hand go with a slight widening of his smile, and turned to where Salome stood.

  “You are Salome,” he said, taking her hand as he had everyone else’s. “An Icarii…and also growing wings, I see. There is a story here.”

  Salome said nothing, looking uncomfortable.

  Axis looked to his father.

  StarDrifter looked even more uncomfortable.

  “Salome is a SunSoar, Axis,” Venetia said, irritated by all the hesitation, “and now carrying StarDrifter’s child. The SunSoars are to be congratulated, I think, for their skill in rekindling their dynasty. The rest I should leave for StarDrifter or Salome to explain to you.”

  Axis was aware he was gaping unbecomingly, but for the moment he could do little else. The instant Venetia had said Salome was a SunSoar he had recognized it in her face. But how? Whose child was she?

  StarDrifter had come over and gently disengaged Salome’s hand from Axis’. “We have a great deal to share, Axis,” he said softly, “but as you said, this is not the place to do it.”

  Axis finally managed to regain his composure, and turned to Salome fully.

  “Have you been welcomed into the House of SunSoar, Salome?”

  She frowned, flickering a glance at StarDrifter.

  “No,” she said, “what do you mean?”

  “Although my father has very obviously been an attentive man, Salome,” said Axis, “he has also been somewhat neglectful of his duties.” He gave a little shrug, remembering how he had shunned his son DragonStar for far too long. “As we have all been, from time to time.”