“Your feelings will hardly keep that family from starving this winter.”
She glared at Aneese, but remained silent. The knight carried her condolences and a purse of fifty gold coins and another full of copper bits. As a chambermaid’s assistant, the child would only have made three bits anyway - not enough to stop her family from starving. A purse of coins was the least she could do.
Allric cleared his throat. Even in the dim candlelit room, Bethany noticed the dark rings under his eyes. “Thank you, Mother Aneese, but I do not need you to discipline my soldiers. We need your support,” Allric looked at Torius, “and allow full military law at the temple. We need to protect ourselves and, more importantly, all of the people who live here.”
Torius nodded. “Of course, Allric. Of course. I do not like war and, by Apexia’s merciful hand, I hope we never see it again. However, you are prudent in your request. I will issue the necessary information to the clergy to prepare them.”
Bethany stopped sipping her tea. “I just remembered something. Joseph said he planned to go to Eve’s. Why would he care about Jovan’s lover?”
Aneese dropped her cup and exchanged horrified looks with Torius, the color draining from their faces.
“What?” Jovan demanded. “If you know something, tell me at once.”
Aneese looked to Torius for permission, which he granted with a nod. “Lady Eve—”
“Eve,” Allric corrected, venom dipping from his tongue.
Aneese inclined her head. “Eve is protecting materials for the Order of Apexia.”
“What kind of materials?” Bethany asked, leaning forward.
“Some of the Magic texts that Sarissa had used,” Aneese whispered, rubbing her hands together.
“What!” Both Jovan and Bethany exclaimed at the same time.
Jovan kicked his chair away, looming over the grey-haired elf. Silly Jovan in his garish tunic morphed into battle-ready Jovan and his fists curled. “Why?”
Bethany tugged on his sleeve to get him to sit down. He ignored her.
“Aneese, daughter of Kei, are you telling me my lover is hiding Magic books for you? There are people out there who will kill her to get their hands on them!” Jovan shouted.
Bethany stood to put her hand on his arm. She looked at Torius. “Well?”
Torius swallowed but had the dignity to look her in the eye. “It is true.”
Bethany gasped. “All the texts were supposed to be destroyed, not studied.” She turned to Allric. “Did you know about this?”
“Absolutely not.” Allric shook his head, his eyes wide. “I’m as shocked as you. Eve was kicked out of the knights. Why would you put your faith in someone we’ve rejected?”
“Back down, Allric,” Jovan shouted, jabbing a finger in the air. “Do not insult her in my presence. Not now.”
Bethany grabbed the discarded chair and set it down. Gently, though firmly, she pushed on Jovan’s shoulder to lower him back into his chair. “And not in mine.” She did not care that Eve’s rank had been stripped because of Allric’s personal distaste of her choices. Eve was a friend and she would not tolerate defamation when her friend was in danger. “Why does Eve have the texts? She’s Rygent.”
Torius folded his arms across his chest. “Is it not obvious?”
It wasn’t obvious to Bethany. She looked at Jovan and Allric, who seemed as confused as her.
“She can study the Magic without being corrupted.” Aneese said quietly. “She can interpret the spells and rituals, and report back to us.” She shared a look with Torius. “That way, we can learn what Magic is about, without becoming tainted ourselves.”
“We cannot understand evil unless we study it,” Torius said, his tone urgent. “Anyone touched by the Divine has the ability to resist the taint of Magic. Bethany would never help us, so we asked Lady Eve. She said yes, without hesitation.” Torius narrowed his eyes at Allric. “Once a Knight, always a Knight, Lord Allric.”
Silence blanketed them.
“Is she the only one helping you?” Jovan asked, his voice low and angry. Both priests remained silent. “Aneese, answer me.”
The old elf gulped and looked down at her wrinkled hands, her fingertips stained with ink. “No. Though most live at the temple or in Orchard Park. We asked Eve to take the most dangerous texts.”
“Who else has them?” Allric said, warning in his voice. “Any Knights?”
More silence and significant glances.
“Some of the Black Hand are Knights,” Bethany whispered. She blew out a puff of air. The Black Hand monks were just that, monks. Yes, they possessed significant fighting skills but they prayed and translated texts. They weren’t all warriors.
Translated texts.
Bethany recalled the day she visited her mother, when the monk sat in the back of the room. The opened book looked familiar, but she could not place it at the time. Now she knew. It was the same book she had found in Sarissa’s bedroom that time too long ago.
“Kiner is Black Hand,” Bethany said, unsure of how to form the question.
Torius licked his lips. “He retrieves Eve’s notes when all of you go on your regular jaunts to Little Bheakom.”
Betrayal stabbed Bethany’s heart. Kiner was a part of them; the Tranquility Trio. He knew how Magic had affected Bethany’s life. He should have told her about this. How could she trust him again?
Jovan didn’t give her chance to wallow. He jumped to his feet. “Bethany, choose a couple dozen of the strongest riders we have and saddle up. We leave in twenty minutes,” he said through a clenched jaw.
“Where are you going?” Allric demanded. “It’s the middle of the night.”
Bethany stood, her head high. She knew. “To get Eve and her girls before Sarissa finds them first.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The blaze will consume us all.
—Aleu’s Agony of the Diamond
Bethany dashed to the stables, wearing a chainmail tunic big enough to fit a giant - or Allric. There was no time to fetch her regular armor so she took what was available in the armory. At least she had her Blessed Blades. Never again would she be without them.
“Saddle up,” Bethany shouted. Her horse, Apples, stomped his front legs in his stall when she passed him. Bethany stopped and reached out her hand to calm him. He nudged her hip with his nose. “Not this time,” she said, as his sad eyes watched her. “We’re riding all night.”
A grubby stable boy led her saddled horse past the stalls and under the wooden awning where a handful of knights gathered. Bethany mounted the black and grey stallion. She pulled the chainmail from under her butt and frowned at how uncomfortable it was, but time was of the essence.
Red-faced and panting, Arrago charged into the stables. “Lord Erem,” he said, gasping for air. Bethany turned to see Arrago hand both Erem and Kiner their Blessed Blades, wrapped in a tunic. Another time, she might have teased him for being afraid of something Apexia had touched. Not today.
Arrago did not look at her, even as Erem and Kiner thanked him. She trotted her horse toward the men. Arrago turned his back to her and walked underneath the awning.
She pulled her horse alongside Kiner’s. “Jovan asked you to join?”
“Eve is my friend, too.”
Bethany frowned. “After this, you owe Jovan and me an explanation.”
“I know. Let’s get Eve back. I’ll grovel later.” A half-hearted smile crossed his face.
“I hate secrets, Kiner. Don’t keep them from me.”
Kiner cocked an eyebrow at her. Even in the pale moonlight, she could read his thoughts just by the expression on his face.
“I have no secrets from you.”
“You and Arrago seem to be keeping secrets in your bedroom,” he said before walking his horse to the front of the column of ready riders.
She gritted her teeth, but kept her comments in check.
Erem’s horse trotted by her. The Elorian tipped back a steel flask. She smirked. At least
some things never changed. How that man ever rose as high as he had remained a constant mystery. At least he was good at his job.
Bethany watched the remaining soldiers mount their horses. Some sported ill-fitting armor and weapons that she knew weren’t their own. When Jovan had given the order, she rushed through the corridors, shouting at on-duty guards and off-duty knights to fall in behind her. There had not been enough time for some to get their things from their rooms. Eve’s life, and the life of her girls, were more important than cozy outfits.
“Jovan, your blade,” Arrago shouted. “I stopped by your study for it.”
He exchanged the one in his hip scabbard for his own Blessed Blade. Jovan looked in her direction, determination hardened his features. Without looking behind at the soldiers still getting suited up, he waved his hand in the air.
“Head out!” Jovan commanded, taking the lead of the column.
She noticed Arrago standing by the door stroking Apples. She was going to save her friend and she did not need either of their sad eyes distracting her.
Turning, she headed to the front of the line with Jovan. They charged through to the front of the temple. Most of the horses were stabled in Orchard Park, but a few hundred were kept at the temple for emergencies. If this did not count as one, Bethany didn’t know what did.
“Move!” Bethany shouted as the twenty-eight riders galloped down the causeway that joined the Temple of Tranquil Mercies with the mainland and Orchard Park.
Little Bheakom was nearly a day’s ride. To maintain the pace, they’d need to stop several times to change horses, not to mention keep watch over the elven and Elorian soldiers who had not slept in over a day, like herself and Jovan.
It didn’t matter. They had to get to Eve before anyone else did.
* * * * *
Bethany and Jovan led the charge through the brothel’s front door. A noxious blue haze lingered in the air and Bethany coughed as her lungs rebelled against the smoked grass weed. Through the dim light, she spied one of the servants. “Casey, where is Eve?”
The mute girl timidly pointed to a dark hallway at the back of the room. Even over the frantic singing and panging keys of the harpsichord, Bethany heard Jovan sigh. Or, rather she saw him sigh, his lean chest and shoulders heaving. “I’ll get her, Jovan. You clear the place. Get the girls on the horses. And stop playing that bloody music!
After taking several long strides, she heard Jovan shouting orders behind her but realized he was still following. Turning, Bethany whispered, “Jovan, I think she’s in the…the…business rooms. I’ll get her. There’s no need for you to see your mate curled up with another man.” She leaned closer. “We don’t have time for this.”
“Erem! Get those girls out of here. They have five minutes to collect their belongings and then I want them on horses,” Jovan shouted to the lanky elf. “If there aren’t enough horses, double up.”
Jovan stepped ahead of Bethany. He grabbed the door latch and paused. “She’s allowed to service women. Just not men.”
Bethany did not have enough time to process that particular revelation as Jovan flung the door wide.
“Eve!” Jovan shouted.
Relief hit Bethany. Her full-clothed friend sat in a wooden rocker next to a bed. Concern quickly replaced relief. Eve’s outfit matched the elegance of her dark skin perfectly. The forest green pants and tunic hugged her curves, as was only right for a woman of her position. Yet, her face and hands were grimy, her curls hung heavy with oil, and black circles shadowed her eyes. Eve managed a weak smile before it quickly faded. “Bethany, what happened to your face?”
“Apexia’s tits, Eve. You look like shit,” Jovan said as he reached his hand out to help her out of the chair.
Bethany glared at Jovan. “We know about the books. You have to get out of here. All of you.”
Eve’s brown eyes grew wide and she pulled a dirty hand over her hair, flattening her curls. The tips of her Rygent birth tattoo jutted out of the bottom of her bell sleeves. Even her sleeves were dirty. “Who’s coming for me?”
“Sarissa.”
Eve stared at Jovan then back at Bethany. She blurted, “I need to get the books first. Can the two of you look after her?”
Bethany looked at the small lump lying on the corner bed. “Of course. Who is she?”
“No idea. I mended her as best as I can, but she was almost dead when a local farmer found her. He thought I could help, but she needs someone more experienced than me.”
Jovan reached out and touched Eve’s arm. “She can ride with me. Get the books and your swords and meet me outside.” Jovan picked the bloodied girl up in his arms and eased her over his shoulders. He tightened his grip on his Blessed Blade. He nodded at Bethany. “You get the rest out. I’ll get this one.”
Chaos broke out inside the brothel, as frightened girls and women, and a few naked men, rushed to find their belongings. Children cried as the adults swore and yelled at them. People collided on the narrow stairs as some rushed to leave while others were intent on gathering their things.
Since Eve’s dismissal from the elven Service, she had set up the establishment to cater to the carnal needs of soldiers, including the Knights. She kept it far enough away so that Allric’s disapproving eye would not be upon her. Now, Bethany thought, it would be deserted in a matter of minutes. All of Eve’s hard work gone because of Sarissa.
She shook it off. There was no time for gloominess. They had to organize the more than forty men, women, and children who called the Prancing Tomcat home. Bethany grabbed the front door and unlatched it.
A haggard redhead stood on the other side of the door. Bethany stumbled backwards, shocked by the image of herself.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Viper’s fire will devour the Diamond unless she breaks free from her shackles of safety.
—The Prophecy of the Diamond, Second Tablet
In that moment, Sarissa slipped and thanked Apexia for the gift standing slack-jawed in front of her. She had supposed the bustle of knights outside was little more than a happy and serviced investigations team or whatnot. It had not crossed her mind that the well-to-do whorehouse was hiding her sister in its bowels.
She smiled as Bethany brandished both of her Blessed Blades. How they shimmered in the invisible glow of her fading Magic. There was enough life in the brothel to renew the spiritual strength of her entire group. Behind her, Sarissa heard the unsheathing of steel. She hoped Robert and the others would find her and soon. In her weakened state, she could not take on several dozen armed knights.
“Sister. It is good to see you,” Sarissa said with a grin, baring her teeth. Her heart pounded from both fear and excitement. Calmness was needed to survive this obstacle. Taunting Bethany would give her precious minutes.
“Sarissa,” Bethany practically hissed.
She cocked her head. “I like the facial wound. The scar will help add to your reputation. May I come in?”
“I’ll kill you before I let you step foot inside this building,” Bethany sneered, unflinching in her fighting stance.
Sarissa chuckled and looked past Bethany’s stoic figure. “Greetings, Jovan. It’s been too long since I’ve enjoyed the comforts of your bed.”
While Bethany’s hard gaze did not wander, she flinched at the small tidbit, even if it had been a bald-faced lie. Neither verbally responded, but neither did anyone attack. They were probably as stunned as she was. The commotion in the background slowed and quieted. People did clear out, though. Perhaps through a back entrance.
Sarissa recognized Amber’s limp body draped over Jovan’s shoulder. She sighed. “Oh, Jovan, you could always make the simplest tasks look heroic and sexy. You are carrying my property. If you hand it over, I promise not to kill anyone for a full minute.”
Jovan’s eyes narrowed. Behind her, she heard the shuffle of booted feet as at least a half dozen knights tried to creep up behind her. She shook her head at her sister and raised her voice so that all could hear
. “Knights, a word of advice. If you want to sneak up on an Elorian bad guy, ensure you don’t stink of day-old garlic. Really, Bethany. You wouldn’t have tolerated that smell in the old days.”
The shuffling stopped. In the staring match that followed, Sarissa examined her sister’s face. Bethany had aged well with her flaming red hair and smooth, pale skin, unlike her own, which had turned sallow from years of exile. If Bethany was lucky, the wound would only lightly scar, adding an aura of dangerous sexuality. Sarissa took a perverse delight in her sister’s maintained good looks, knowing that humans would still treat her like little more than a cheap roll in a hayloft.
A sharp point nudged against her back. “Sarissa, submit for arrest.”
“Ah, yes, Kiner. How good to have the gang all together again. Tell me, is Erem here as well? And should I assume Allric is too important to be here running errands?”
Bethany stepped towards her. “I know why you’ve come. I won’t let you take the books. I took them once from you. I don’t give them back.”
Books? Plural. A chill ran through Sarissa’s spine and her muscles clenched. A grin stretched across her face. She only heard about the one. She mustered her best shocked face. “There are Magic books here? I only came for my whelp. How good of you to tell me the great news. That changes things. I’ll let you keep the scrawny thing in exchange for those books.”
A dark-skinned woman with a crossbow stepped from the shadows of the far hall. “Over my dead body.”
“How typical.” Sarissa inclined her head. “But, if you insist…”
A gust of wind blew from Sarissa’s outstretched hands, knocking over the knights directly in front of her, including Bethany and Jovan. Jumping over their collapsed bodies, she rushed the dark-skinned woman, chanting a barrier ward that incinerated the woman’s incoming bolt. She slapped the bow from the woman’s hands and punched her.
“Robert,” Sarissa cried out, hoping her aloof partner was nearby. She was at an extreme disadvantage and moments away from a sword in her gullet. “Robert, get your ass in here.”
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