by Gail Dayton
“What is it?” Torchay asked this time, staring in wonder.
Kallista started to shake her head, then stopped as the possible answer hit her. "Hurry!"
She didn't wait for them, flying back to her body. The men scrambled after, stumbling as they followed her out of the bed.
“Wait!” Torchay cried. "Stop."
She couldn't. Without pausing to grab her houserobe, or anything else, Kallista ran naked through the embassy, her nightguards trotting impassively after her. Her iliasti staggered behind, holding each other up as if they hadn't quite got themselves shoved all the way back down to their feet. “Damn it, Kallista,” Torchay shouted. “What's going on?” Elationbubbledthroughherandshespuninacelebratorycircle,allowing the men to catch up. “I know what we saw. Keldrey's been marked!"
* * *
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kallista threw her arms around Torchay and Obed and even the startled bodyguards, hugging them each in turn, before darting away again. She threw open the door to the room where Viyelle slept with Joh and now Keldrey too, snoring in his place nearest the wall. It brought Kallista up short a moment. Wouldn't he have been awake for his marking?
She crawled onto the bed and up his blanket-covered form, not bothering to keep from waking the other two sleepers. “Keldrey,” she crooned. “Darling Kel, kiss me."
“Mmm.” He obeyed before he came fully awake, pursing his lips, bringing up his hand to the back of her head to hold her as he deepened the kiss. The kiss that was just a kiss.
On the verge of tears, her elation crumbled into despair, Kallista struggled to free herself. Jerking out of Keldrey's hold, she swiped her hand across her mouth as she sank back onto her heels. It couldn't be.
“Hey,” Keldrey protested. “That's not right. To come in here while I'm sleeping all peaceful-like and kiss me and get me all hot and stand-up, and then push me away like that.” He reached for Kallista and she batted his hand away.
Then she reached for it. Maybe she hadn't done it right. “You have to be marked,” she muttered, clasping his hand between both of hers. "I need you to be marked."
Her agitation growing, she grabbed Keldrey's head and pulled him forward, down, till he almost lay in her lap, searching for the rose-shaped mark on the back of his neck, the one that had to be there. And wasn't.
“Why aren't you marked?” She flew at him in a rage.
Shock held Torchay motionless for too long while Kallista rained openhanded blows down on Keldrey, following as he tried to retreat. This wasn't like her. Surely even delayed grief couldn't have sent her this far out of control.
She screamed incoherently in her attack. Keldrey shouted at her, telling her to stop. Joh swept Viyelle out of harm's way. Obed caught Kallista's flailing arms and pinned them to her body, but couldn't stop her kicking at Keldrey as he lifted her off the bed. Too late, Torchay came to help, imprisoning her in the houserobe he'd thought to bring, taking her from Obed.
“What in all the seven bloody hells is going on?” Keldrey touched his split lip and frowned at the blood he found.
"Kallista." Torchay shook her gently. She'd stopped screaming finally, but the weeping didn't reassure him.
“She thought you'd been marked,” Obed said.
“I gathered that.” Keldrey looked at the others in the room. “You okay, Vee?” He crawled from the bed and went to use his bodyguard's healer training to check on her.
“Fine. Never better.” Viyelle turned Keldrey's face to the lamp Joh had lit. “Is your lip the worst of it?"
“You don't understand,” Obed said. “We saw it. The marking. Or we saw something.” He explained what they had been doing and what they had seen while Torchay tried to get Kallista to talk to him, to do anything other than weep. What was wrong with her?
“If it wasn't me being marked, which obviously it wasn't ‘cause I ain't marked, am I? Then what was it?"
“I don't know.” Obed shook his head.
“Kallista? Look at me, love.” Torchay tipped her face up, lifted her eyelids. “Help us out here. What did we see?"
She shook her head, tears still flowing, silently, uncontrollably. “I need him to be marked, Torchay."
“I know.” He tucked her head against his shoulder, holding her close, and gave Keldrey a helpless look. Torchay didn't know what to do for her. Maybe the other man did.
“What if...” Joh began and all eyes turned his way. He didn't finish. He was watching Kallista. “I have a thought,” he said. “But I don't think our ilias will like it."
Kallista pushed out of Torchay's embrace and turned on Joh, eyes blazing. “What?” she demanded, shoving her arms into the sleeves of her robe. “What is your thought? What won't I like?"
“Kallista—” Torchay caught her arm and she threw him off. This wasn't what he'd had in mind when he asked for a response. Her whiplash moods worried him.
"Kallista." Keldrey stepped between her and Joh.
“Oh for—” She rolled her eyes. “I'm not going to hurt him."
“You'll excuse us if we don't exactly trust your word right now.” Keldrey pushed his swollen lip out farther.
“Fine.” She backed up, then her eyes filled with sudden tears that spilled over as she looked at their oldest ilias. “I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I'm so sorry, Kel."
“I'vehadworse.Doubtlesswillagain."Keldreypulledherintoaforgiving hug, then kept his arms around her as he nodded to Joh. “Tell us."
Joh cleared his throat. “What if it was a godmarking you saw? What if someone other than Keldrey was marked?"
“What? No!” Kallista began to struggle in Keldrey's grip. “No. Keldrey's ilias. He's one of us. I won't have a stranger in Stone's place!"
Oh Goddess, not this. Torchay's heart broke for her, for all of them. Hadn't they endured enough pain?
Kallista fought so hard, Torchay feared she would hurt herself, but Keldrey's hold never slipped. It never would.
“Take her back to our room,” Torchay felt thick-headed. His worry for Kallista made it impossible to think, not good for a bodyguard.
“I'll get the poppy syrup. Perhaps if she sleeps—"
“Perhaps we should search,” Fox said. “In case Joh's thought is correct. Or in case it is not. You saw something in the dream world. Perhaps we should try to find it."
“Search the embassy,” Obed said. “What we saw was close."
“I'll get it started.” Fox tied a scarf over his eyes. He had kept the delicate strip of red silk with him since the arena, tied round his upper arm when it wasn't over his new-seeing eyes. He claimed it helped him focus his knowing.
The three in the doorway backed up to let Keldrey through with his struggling burden. Torchay ran to collect the medicine from his room, then caught up with Kallista as Kel crashed over onto the mattress with her. Obed had to pry open her mouth while Keldrey pinned her down and Torchay poured the syrup down her throat. Keldrey held on until the drug did its work and soothed her into sodden sleep.
Most of the tension leaked out of Torchay when Kallista finally stilled. The problem remained to be dealt with later, but for now, she could rest. Perhaps the sleep would help her accept the situation, whatever it might be.
"Goddess," Obed groaned.
That brought Torchay's head up to meet his ilias's gaze across the bed. Torchay nodded. Thank the One Kallista had taught them both dreamwalking in time.
With a sigh, Torchay turned to Keldrey who was sitting on the bed next to Kallista, brushing back her hair with his fingertips. “Good,” Torchay said. “I don't think we should leave her alone. She always does better with someone beside her, touching her."
“You want me to stay?” Keldrey sounded surprised.
Torchay considered, his shoulders shifting in discomfort. “Aye, I do. You need to be here when she wakes. She needs to handle it, you not being marked."
Kel had as much medical training as he did. Torchay didn't have to stay. She didn't need both of them. He stretched his sh
oulders again. “I can't settle. I can't—I need to move. Do something. Find out what happened.” He looked at Keldrey, his burly arm draped across Kallista's waist. “Obed, are you staying?"
“Do you truly think it was a marking we saw? That it is someone else?” Obed held Torchay's gaze, as if asking him to deny it.
He couldn't. Torchay shook his head. “I don't know. I don't even know what to hope for. We need our ninth. Kallista's right about that. She canno’ face these demons without all nine. But if it's no’ Keldrey—” Torchay met Obed's bleak expression, knowing his own face looked much the same.
Obed beat him out the door. Torchay turned the other way. He loped down the corridor, heading generally for Viyelle's room, though he didn't truly expect to find anyone there. Both Vee and Joh would be out searching. Torchay hadn't gone far when he saw one of the oathsworn, a Tayo Dai wandering as if lost.
“Padrey,” Torchay called as soon as he recognized him.
The young thief didn't answer. Didn't seem to hear.
"Padrey." Torchay caught his shoulder, turned him round.
Awareness rose slowly in Padrey's gray-blue eyes, and he blinked.
* * * *
“Reinas.” Dread crawled under Torchay's skin. “What are you doing here?” “Oh.” Padrey blinked again. He looked around as if surprised to find himself where he stood. “Erm—Right. Sorry. I should go.” “Oathsworn, do you know why you came here? Do you remember?” “I—” The young man's forehead creased. “No, Reinas.” Torchay let go a heavy sigh. He had been afraid of this, had been waiting for it since Joh put forth his theory. Not Padrey, necessarily, but someone. “Come here, lad. Tip your head. Let me see your neck.” “My—?” Padrey frowned, suspicion in every line of his body. “Why?” “Just do it. You are Tayo Dai, are you not?” “Yes, Reinas.” Padrey bowed his head. Torchay brushed aside the gold-brown hair straggling over Padrey's neck and sighed again. The mark was there, identical to the one on the other seven of Kallista's godmarked. Kallista would not be pleased. Nor would Leyja, who had barely moved from outright loathing of the man to grudging tolerance.
“Welcome to the family, lad.” Torchay clapped him on the back and propelled him forward. “I hope you don't regret it.” “Wait. What are you talking about?” Padrey dragged his feet, trying to slow down. Torchay kept him moving. “You're not Tayo Dai any more.” “You're kicking me out? Why? I didn't do anything?” “Ah, but you did. And you haven't been kicked out.” Torchay's smile felt grim. “You've been promoted.” “To what?” Padrey didn't look as if he wanted any promotion. Too bad.
“To Godmarked."
“I—What?” Padrey broke free to stare at Torchay in shock. “You're mad."
“Afraid not.” Torchay caught the young man's arm and bore him along again. He glimpsed a flutter of red in the corridor beyond and called out. "Aisse."
She popped back around the column where she'd vanished, face wrapped in question.
“I've found what we're looking for. Tell the others. Gather in Kallista's room."
Aisse grimaced. “Oh dear. Leyja won't be happy."
“Hope for the best. I'll see you there."
“Wait, wait a minute.” Padrey struggled against Torchay's grip. “I don't understand. What were you looking for?"
“You, apparently.” Torchay felt weary to his bones and beyond. “I'll explain once we're all together."
“In the Reinine's—Now?” Padrey fought to a standstill.
“Aye.” Torchay let go. He was tired of dragging the man. He was just flat tired. “It's been a long day for all of us. Will you just come? Without balking, without arguing? We can explain what's happened, what needs to happen next, and then we can all get some rest. All right? Will you do that much?"
“Yeah, all right. I can do that.” Padrey trailed at Torchay's elbow as he started off again. Padrey didn't argue, but he wasn't silent. He spoke, barely loud enough to be heard. “The Reinine's own room? Me?"
* * * *
Padrey tried to hang back when they reached their destination, quailing at the thought of entering the Reinine's private chamber, but Torchay Reinas, the Tayo, pushed him through the door. The Reinine herself was there, in the bed asleep, with Keldrey Reinas stretched out beside her, playing with her hair. It made Padrey even more uncomfortable. He did not belong here. But he didn't think the Tayo would let him leave. He sidled into a corner, hoping to escape notice.
It didn't work. All the other Reinasti stared openly at him as they entered the room. Padrey folded his arms, hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself invisible—or at least smaller. It didn't help that he couldn't stop watching the Reinine. She drew him, moth to flame, and he had no doubt he would be crisped black if he came close enough to touch. He had to fist his hands against the urge to cross the room.
Leyja Reinas was the last to arrive, stalking through the door, shoving it shut so hard that Fox Reinas got his fingers slammed when he caught it to keep it from banging.
“What?” She glared around the room at her mates. Then she spotted Padrey fidgeting in his corner. “What is he doing here?"
She went pale so suddenly, both Fox and Torchay Reinas jumped to steady her. “No,” she whispered, staring at Padrey with horror. “No."
Padrey edged toward the door. “Why don't—I'll just go."
"Stay," the Tayo ordered.
Padrey stayed, but he didn't like it. Well, he did. It felt right being near the Reinine like this, but he didn't belong here. He was her spy, nothing more. He was a reformed—mostly—thief, an ex-slave. A grubby trader's boy.
“Show them your neck.” Torchay Reinas touched Padrey's shoulder with surprising gentleness, urging him to turn, lower his head.
They all came to look, the ones not sleeping. Even Keldrey Reinas got off the bed and looked. Some of them touched, making Padrey shudder. When they'd finished, Torchay Reinas rested his hand on Padrey's shoulder. Padrey glanced up at him, but the scarlet-haired Reinas watched his mates. “You all saw it."
They all nodded, their expressions grim or resigned or—did Aisse Reinas look relieved?
“But—” Padrey whispered to the man beside him. “What is it? What did you see? What does it mean?"
Torchay Reinas turned his attention to Padrey who had to stiffen his spine not to shrink at that regard. “Sorry, lad. I know this must be confusing to you."
He gestured Padrey into a chair. Thank the One Padrey had on the new clothes they'd given him or he'd fear getting the delicate upholstery dirty. He perched on the edge, crossing his arms in a self-protective gesture. It wasn't good for a thief, or a spy, to be the center of attention.
The others—the Reinasti of Adara for the One's sake—disposed themselves around the room, in chairs or the fat round cushioned footstool or on the bed with the Reinine. Torchay Reinas pulled a chair close to Padrey's, but rather than sit in it, he went down to one knee. Padrey would have popped to his feet in protest, save for the Reinas's hand holding him down.
“Don't argue. Look.” The Tayo bowed his neck and pulled his loose, shoulder-length hair aside to reveal a raised, red birthmark on the back of his neck. A mark that resembled the stylized rose in the center of the One's compass rose symbol.
“That is the godmark.” Torchay Reinas slid into his chair and shook back his hair, “Kallista's is different, but all of us—” He indicated his fellow Reinasti. “All of us have a mark just like it.” He touched the back of his neck, then touched Padrey in the same place. “And now, you do too."
Padrey began to shake, crossing his arms tighter to keep it from showing. “Wh-what does it mean?"
“You're one of us now.” Aisse Reinas smiled at him. At him. She rose from Fox Reinas's lap and came to take Padrey's face between her hands. She kissed him. Right on the mouth.
Too stunned to react, Padrey could only stare and blink as she released him and sat back on her heels.
“Go easy, Aisse.” Torchay Reinas smiled at her. “I think it's going to take him
a while to grab hold of all this."
“What it means,” Obed Reinas said, “is that the One has marked you, set you apart and poured into you magic for the Godstruck—Kallista—to call and use in the service of the One. We have come to Daryath to destroy demons. And now you have become an essential part of that task."
“I—” Padrey blinked again as inside him, something seemed to resonate to the dedicat-Reinas's words, deeper and stronger than the thing he had felt when he first saw the Reinine. Something that said this was right. This was his new purpose. “Good.” He nodded his head once, accepting the role. "Good."
“He's a thief,” Leyja Reinas burst out.
“And I'm a murderer,” Joh Reinas retorted, surprising Padrey. Shocking him. The tall quiet man, a murderer? “Or I would have been, if not for Kallista's magic."
“You didn't intend murder—” Leyja Reinas began.
“I'm just saying,” Joh interrupted her. “He's no worse—"
"Enough." Obed Reinas cut across the threatened argument.
“It's done.” Aisse Reinas rose gracefully to her feet. “The One has accepted what he offered and now it is for us to accept this gift. Padrey has the magic Kallista needs. You've seen her struggle. You know how it tires her."
“We don't need to fight you too, Leyley.” Torchay Reinas sounded as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.
Leyley? Padrey eyed the warrior woman, but she didn't react to the silly name. Then he paused. Had the Tayo said—
“Torchay Reinas.” Padrey ducked his head when the man swung toward him, but kept talking. “Did you say—too? What—?"
The Tayo sighed. He'd been sighing a lot. “The Reinine—"
“She still grieves,” Obed Reinas said. “We had our nine, the number needed to complete her magic, to make it whole so she could face these demons. When Stone was murdered—” He seemed to lose his train of thought, gazing down at the Reinine, stroking his fingers along her face.
