“Garrik, would you go and see what’s keeping your brothers. Supper is almost ready.” Jarmon watched as Jane smiled at his twin brother, knowing he would do as she asked.
As soon as Garrik disappeared from the room, she turned toward him, striding into the shadows that surrounded him. Where others walked softly around him since his injuries, Jane treated him as if nothing had changed. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t known him before, but Jarmon believed it was because she was fearless. The fact that she’d given up the only life she’d ever known and taken on his older brothers, Zaren and Bador, was proof enough of her bravery.
She’d reached out to him in the darkness once before when he’d been lying near death. It had been her voice and her prodding that had brought him back to the world of the living. Beyond that, she had decided to stay in Javara, forsaking her own world, even though she’d had only three days to make that life-changing decision. In doing so, she had made his older brothers happy and had brought joy to their home. There was nothing he would not do for her.
“Jarmon.” She smiled up at him as she gently touched his arm. “Why don’t you join me while we wait for the others?”
Sighing, he gave into the inevitable and followed her. His left leg had a slight limp, a leftover from his injuries, but he ignored it. It was just something he had to live with, so he had adjusted.
Garrik strode back into the room and, for the briefest of moments, Jarmon envied his brother his healthy, whole body. Shame washed through him. He loved his twin more than anyone else in the entire world and would give his life for him. Never would he want his brother to suffer as he had. A year ago, they had looked exactly the same. Both of them had been tall and strong, their faces exact replicas. Now, there was no trouble telling them apart.
The room filled up quickly. While everyone began to take their seats as supper was served, Jarmon watched his mother, brothers and sister-in-law, savoring the warmth that filled him as he observed them. They were a boisterous bunch, always talking and laughing, enjoying life to the fullest. He felt separate from them now, even though he knew they tried their best to include him as they always had. It wasn’t them who had changed. It was him.
He smiled inwardly as he watched Bador sweep Jane up into his arms, twirling her around in a circle before depositing her in her chair. He planted a quick kiss on her lips before dropping into his own chair on her left.
Zaren laughed as he sat on his wife’s right side. Leaning over, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. The kiss went on so long that the thirty or so people gathered in the hall for supper began to laugh and cheer. When Zaren finally let her go, Jane’s face was red and flushed. She smacked his brother lightly on the arm, but he could see the love and pleasure in her face even as she did so.
He adored his family, yet he felt alone. The chances of he and Garrik finding a bride were slim, especially with him looking as he did. He felt as if his injury had placed a burden on his brother and the rest of his family.
He didn’t expect to have the kind of relationship that his older brothers shared with Jane. Many a night, and not just the once a week that was required by law, Bador joined Zaren and Jane. They were happy together. Anyone who saw them together could see it.
“Are you all right?” Garrik had leaned over so that no one else would overhear him.
Smothering a sigh, he turned to his brother. “I am fine. Stop worrying over me. I already have a mother.” He glanced down to the end of the table and caught his mother staring at him, concern in her eyes. She offered him a wan smile before returning to her meal.
“I know.” Garrik hesitated for a moment. “If you ever want to talk . . .” He let the words hang in the air.
Jarmon had never talked about his experience or his injuries. He knew that fact had hurt Garrik and the closeness that they’d once shared. He’d spent so much time trying to recover from his physical injuries, he’d never stopped to think that, in many ways, his brother had been injured too. Not physically, but the close bond they’d shared between them had been damaged. It was time to stop thinking about himself and to concern himself with his brother and the rest of his family.
“I’ve been thinking about a hunting trip.” Garrik nodded, turning away, but not before Jarmon glimpsed the disappointment in his brother’s face. No one else might notice it since Garrik was a warrior and hid his emotions well. But, being twins, they had a special bond and Jarmon felt his brother’s pain. He had taken to going off by himself a great deal lately and Jarmon realized that everyone had come to expect it. “Go with me.”
Garrik’s head jerked back around. “Go with you?” He said the words slowly, as if he wasn’t quite sure he’d heard correctly.
“Yes,” he said and nodded. “It will be like old times. We can leave first thing in the morning.”
A smile gradually lit his brother’s face, making him appear younger. They’d both aged much this past year. “Just like old times.”
Jarmon felt an answering smile on his face as he realized he was genuinely looking forward to spending the time with his brother. It would do them both good.
Chapter Two
Genita swallowed back a moan as she carefully shifted onto her side. The room was dark even though the window was still open, so she knew that night had fallen while she’d slept. The breeze was cold, chilling her skin and making her shiver. She hurt all over. Her eldest brother had been particularly brutal with his beating, all the while yelling over and over that she would do as he told her.
Carefully, she rolled her shoulders. Biting her lip against the pain, she pushed herself into a seated position. Her vision dimmed. She gulped in mouthfuls of the cold, damp air. The last thing she could afford to do was pass out again. She had much to do.
Ever so slowly, she came up onto her hands and knees. She rested for a moment, gathering her strength before propelling herself off the hard floor. Staggering forward, she managed to get to the bed, sinking gratefully down onto her side.
Gasping for breath, she waited until the pain subsided and took stock of her injuries. She was bruised from her neck to her knees, but she didn’t think anything was broken. This time. Thankful for that small blessing, she closed her eyes to think. She had to leave. There was no way she would allow herself to be married off to one of the Luther brothers. She’d rather run and take her chances.
A noise barely reached her ears, but her eyes flew open as she stared toward her door. Oh, gods, was her brother coming back? Standing, she inched toward the darkest corner of the room, putting her back to the wall. Not that it would do any good. The room was too small for her to hide anywhere. The door opened silently, closing just as carefully. She squinted to see who was creeping toward her bed.
“Genny?”
“Radnor?” He was the youngest of her four remaining brothers, and at twenty-two he was only two years her senior. Unlike her other brothers, he wasn’t cruel to her. For the most part, he ignored her.
He whirled toward the corner where she stood motionless. “You’ve got to get away from here.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. Didn’t quite trust him. “What do you care what happens to me?” He’d never shown any inclination toward concern for her well-being before.
He swore long and fluently and then she heard the scratch of tinder being struck. The light from the candle made her blink as he came toward her. She wanted to back away, but there was nowhere to go. “I care.” His face was pulled into a hard mask and he appeared older than his years.
“I don’t understand.” The world that she’d known had been turned upside down this day, first with her eldest brother’s pronouncement and now this.
“I know.” Reaching out, he stroked his thumb gently over the curve of her cheek. “I haven’t done as good a job protecting you as I’ve wanted. But I have tried. I ignore you, not because I don’t care, but because I do. Any sign of concern on my part would have been seen as weakness on my part and caused our older brothe
rs to treat you even more cruelly. I’ve deflected their attention from you when I’ve been able.” In the dim light, she could see that one of Radnor’s eyes was black and swollen. “It doesn’t always work.”
Her perception tilted as images and memories flowed through her mind. How many times had Radnor casually turned her older brother’s attention from her? And not just her eldest brother, but all the rest of them as well. She’d thought it was because he’d found her beneath his interest. To discover it was because he was protecting her was almost unbelievable.
He wrapped his fingers around her chin and peered down into her face. “I promised our mother on her deathbed that I would not be like the rest, that I would look out for you as best I could. Unfortunately, my best has not been very good.” Sighing, he released her and stepped back. “I cannot go with you. If we both disappeared, they would know you’d escaped immediately. If you go by yourself, I can buy you a day or two before anyone knows you are even gone.”
“You would do that for me?”
He flinched at her words. “I know you have no reason to think so, but yes, I would do that for you.”
“He will kill you if he finds out.” No need to say who he was. They both knew.
Radnor fingered the sword strapped to his waist. “He can try. I am no longer a boy that he can easily beat.” Dropping his hand, he reached for her. “Hurry. There is no time to waste.”
Every step hurt, but she swallowed the pain, knowing that the more she moved the less stiff she’d be tomorrow. Grabbing her thin cloak, she threw it over her shoulders, tying it at her throat. Yanking her other dress from the hook, she started to bundle it with her spare chemise. The tapestry. She couldn’t leave it behind.
Hurrying to the bed, she shoved her hand beneath the mattress, sighing with relief when her hands touched the fabric. Unfolding her dress, she carefully placed the tapestry on top and wrapped it. She bundled the works into her blanket and threw it over her shoulder.
“Quickly, Genny. I have some supplies for you.”
Spurred on by the urgency in his voice, she rushed out the door without a backward glance. She’d spent every night of her life in that room, but she would not miss it. He blew out the candle and she followed him into the darkness.
They crept down the stairs and around several men who had passed out in the corridors. Radnor led her toward the kitchen and out through a side door and onto the grounds. Neither of them spoke as they walked.
The night sky was clear and dotted with stars, the moon adding its glow to beat back the darkness. The air was cool, but her dress was stuck to her back with sweat. A night bird emitted a low-pitched call. The woods and freedom were just beyond the walls. Genita concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Her heart pounded and her head was spinning. She was escaping.
Radnor paused long enough to haul a satchel out from behind a bush, but he kept going. Only when they were at the far corner of the outside wall did he stop. “There’s several days’ worth of food, some cooking utensils, herbs and basic medical supplies to help you tend your injuries.” He thrust the satchel into her arms. “Take this as well.” He handed her a dagger and pressed several coins into her palm. “It’s not much, but it’s all I could get without arousing suspicion.”
“Thank you.” She was touched to tears by his efforts on her behalf. Having spent her entire life thinking that none of her brothers cared for her, it was surprisingly hard for her to leave him now. Her fingers closed over the coins, causing the rough metal edges to dig into her skin. She shoved them into the pocket of her dress. Gripping the handle of the dagger, she carefully tucked it into her satchel.
He shook his head. “I have done nothing. Less than nothing. And certainly not near as much as I should have.” Bending down, he brushed a kiss on her cheek. “Take care, Genita, and send word to the blacksmith in town if you are able. He is loyal to me and will not give either of us away.”
“Radnor . . .” She wasn’t quite sure what to say, there was so much she wanted to tell him.
“Shh.” He covered her lips with his fingers. “Go. Be free and find happiness for both of us.”
In the next breath, he was gone. She watched as his shadow slipped back toward the hulking building behind them. Taking a deep breath, she turned her back on everything she’d ever known and slipped out the tiny opening. It closed, the lock clicking with finality, and she faced the world alone for the very first time.
Staring up at the sky, she lost herself in the sheer vastness of it all. A light streaked across the night, disappearing as quickly as it appeared. A shooting star! The last time she’d seen one of those she’d been a child. Taking it as a good omen, she turned her back to her home and took the first step toward freedom.
• • •
Jarmon stacked his hands behind his head and stared up at the night sky. The past few days had been the best he’d had in a long time. He’d enjoyed hunting and fishing alongside his brother. It was amazing how easily they’d fallen into old patterns, working side by side, the way they always had.
Turning his head, he stared through the darkness at his brother, who was sprawled out on his own blankets a few feet away. They’d roasted fresh fish for their supper, supplementing it with the last of the bread they’d brought from home. Both of them had eaten until they couldn’t manage another bite, much like they used to when they were boys and Zaren and Bador would take them out hunting. This time, instead of making him sad, the memories made him smile.
The fresh air and relative quiet of the forest soothed his soul, almost giving him hope for the future. The hum of the insects had died down with the setting of the sun and now there was only the occasional buzz or chirp. He peered upward. Several nights ago, he’d watched a light streak across the sky. His mother had always insisted that a shooting star was a portent that something significant was about to happen in the viewer’s life. Personally, he didn’t believe in such superstition, but it had been a beautiful sight.
“Do you ever think about it?” Garrik broke the silence between them. Blankets rustled slightly as he rolled over on his side to face Jarmon.
He’d known this was coming. It was part of the reason he’d invited his brother on this trip, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. “Sometimes.” A part of him wished it was lighter so that he could see Garrik’s face to read his expressions. On the other hand, he was glad that it was night. Somehow it was easier to talk in the dark. He didn’t want to see horror or pity in his brother’s eyes.
“I felt it.”
His brother’s softly spoken words made him stiffen. Pushing himself to a seated position, he shifted closer. “What did you say?”
Garrik scrubbed his hand across his face as he rolled up into a seated position as well. “I felt it.”
Jarmon was almost afraid to ask, but he had to know. “What did you feel?”
“I felt it when Leon Craddock’s sword sliced the fingers from your hand.” Garrik rubbed the last two fingers on his left hand. “I thought I’d lost mine. I was surprised when I glanced down and they were still there.” He was quiet for a moment, as if gathering himself to continue. “I also felt your fear and horror as he struck his final blow. I thought you were dead. I think that for a short while perhaps you were.”
“I’m so sorry, Garrik.” It horrified him to think that his brother had experienced even a small portion of what he’d gone through. Jarmon had always gathered strength from the knowledge that his brother had been spared injury during that fateful battle. To learn that he hadn’t come away unscathed hurt Jarmon in ways he’d never imagined.
Garrik shrugged. “There is nothing to be sorry for. It is simply a fact. The void I felt when I thought you dead was worse than any injury. It was as if part of me was dead too.”
Jarmon reached out and clasped his brother’s hand in his. He purposely used his ruined hand. Garrik’s fingers closed over his thumb and two remaining fingers. “I think that maybe I was dead for a short t
ime. Everything was dark. Peaceful. Then I felt your pain and I could not leave you.”
He could feel his brother’s body trembling with emotion, but Jarmon wasn’t finished yet. He didn’t know if he’d ever be able to talk about this again so he had to finish it. “I came back, yet I have left you alone this past year. For that I am sorry and beg your forgiveness.”
Garrik yanked him forward, enveloping him in a hug. “There is nothing to forgive,” he whispered in his brother’s ear.
Tears pricked Jarmon’s eyes and he swallowed heavily. He wrapped his arms around his brother and held him tight. Emotion flowed between them, although neither of them spoke. It was unnecessary. They both knew how the other one felt. When the emotions began to subside, Jarmon sat back. Both of them swiped at their eyes, laughing as they watched the other do the same.
Garrik cleared his throat. “How do you feel about your injuries?”
Obviously his brother wasn’t finished with his questions and Jarmon felt as if he owed him answers. He thought carefully. “They are what they are. The biggest challenge was adjusting for the differences in my arm. Everything is more difficult. Even though I am right-handed, I use my left in all aspects of fighting.” It was his double-handed grip on his sword that had suffered the most. He’d had his sword clasped tight in his right hand with his left hand facing outward when Leon Craddock had sliced the bottom two fingers from his hand.
“But you’ve managed well.” Garrik’s voice was filled with pride.
Woven Dreams Page 2
