The Eyes of a Doll (The World of Shijuren Book 2)

by Howell, Rob

  “Simple, my dear. I will take this amulet to the Readers and leave it in their care.”

  “You would give up that power?”

  “You have listed its horrors accurately. Should my will fade and I use it, then I will fade, slain not happily by the water-patterned steel at your side, but by the universe’s anger.”

  She smiled softly. “Or I could, instead, give it to the Readers and let them record my name not simply as whore, kraljevic, evil erkurios, or murderer, but as the person who ended the power of the Bardheküülle.”

  “And you would be remembered well.”

  “As well as my life to this point could be remembered.”

  “Even carrying it back to Achrida and giving it away might sicken you forever.”

  “It can be shielded. I have had a small box lined with lead made.”

  “Bedarth showed me texts that suggested lead could protect the bearer.”

  “I thought you would know.”

  I sat back as a thought occurred to me. “Could you use the amulet to overcome both the tower and our will?”

  “I think so.”

  “So she could betray us still!”

  “Yes, Sebastijan, she could.”

  I turned to Katarina. “What assurance will you give us that you will not betray us.”

  “Simply this. You will bear the box. When we find the amulet, Sebastijan will place it immediately in the box. Then, when we are out of the tower, you will go towards Lezh with the box. I will stay at the tower, shielding you until you are out of its power. When we are as far apart as we can be while still in sight on the Bujerruge, you will set the box on the ground and ride for Lezh. I will retrieve the box and return to Achrida.”

  “We can’t trust her.”

  I looked at Katarina for a long time.

  “We can trust her whimsy. And her bargains, I think.”

  She nodded her thanks. “You are the only one who has ever looked at my eyes.”

  Sebastijan got up and stomped away to the bar. He and Ragnar started muttering at each other, looking back with wild eyes at Katarina and me.

  “I hope you are the one that kills me someday, Sevener. And I hope it’s with that steel.”

  I smiled sadly. “I know you do. I will take no joy in that time, should it come.”

  “But I will.”

  I shook my head as she rose.

  “I’ll be with Sebastijan at the nuraghi where the Old Road meets Crownstreet tomorrow. Don’t be too late, Sevener. You know I’m not patient.”

  “I’ll want the box first thing, so that I may examine it before we leave.”

  “I knew you would.”

  She turned to go, but halted. Without turning back, she said to the floor.

  “You’re the only one, Sevener. Use you I will, but I will never betray you. You’ll never trust me, and you’ll be wise not to, but I cannot replace you.”

  She left, once again assuming the demeanor of a workman. I could feel a touch of her power making everyone in the Faerie relax, which I suspected also made her presence in the Faerie unremarkable and forgettable.

  Even so, Ragnar and Sebastijan retained some amazement, though they expressed it quietly. They carried over a fresh pitcher and sat with me as conversation returned to normal.

  “Well, I’m to be sayin’ that yer to be never failin’ to surprise even the likes of me that has been seein’ many leagues and many duties over my two score years. To be makin’ deals with Katarina, whom I’m to be knowin’ ain’t nothing but Loki’s fourth child. I’m not to be bein’ sure she’s not the worst of them all.”

  I smiled ruefully.

  “I’m not sure either.”

  “We can’t be doing this,” grumbled Sebastijan. “You can’t be serious about working with her.”

  “Do you have a better idea for how to deal with this ambush? The ambush we know is there? The ambush we can avoid by going to the Bardheküülle?”

  He slumped in his chair.

  “No, I don’t.”

  Then we’ll work with Katarina. I’ll meet you in the morning where the Old Road meets Crownstreet.”

  He nodded unhappily and rose. “I certainly have preparations to make.”

  “And make sure your men stay close to the Faerie while we’re gone. I don’t want Honker at risk.”

  He nodded as he left.

  After he left, I went out to the stables and fed Deor apples. We had memories to share, after all.

  Chapter 20

  Early Morning, 7 Blommemoanne, 1712 MG

  Sebastijan and Katarina waited for me exactly as planned. Sebastijan had donned a heavy leather coat festooned with metal rings that covered his arms and thighs. His small horse looked agile and spirited, but his horsemanship was evident. He wore a sword openly, and I could see the hilts of several daggers and knives, including three slid into a bandolier across his chest.

  He also wore a look of anger and frustration. I hoped I had judged things correctly, but either way I had committed us.

  Katarina sat smiling on her own horse. She bore no weapons openly, though her traveling outfit carried many pockets and looked comfortable and practical.

  She held a bag out to me. In it was a small box, heavy with its lead lining and a strong latch. I accepted it and slung the bag over my shoulder.

  “Shall we?” she asked cheerfully.

  We rode westward and soon left Achrida behind. It would take four or five days to get to the split in the road.

  They turned into some of the longest days in my life. Sebastijan’s distrust never wavered. Nor did Katarina’s cheery playfulness.

  Sebastijan spent most of the trip scouting for us. Though the terrain was as poor for an ambush as he had described, it made no sense to ignore the possibility. Plus, it separated him from Katarina.

  Crownstreet between Achrida and Lezh was clearly a busy road, and inns, taverns, and small towns appeared every couple of miles or so along the route.

  We had decided that the inns were too risky for us. Each night we found a defensible campsite. We were blessed with warm, clear evenings each night and slept under the parade of glittering stars.

  Sebastijan and I split the overnight watches while Katarina slept comfortably. Neither of us trusted her enough to give her a watch, and she took shameless advantage of that fact.

  Fortunately, I knew I could also rely upon Deor to provide some warning should the need arise.

  We rode swiftly, all of our horses strong and steady. Deor undoubtedly bore the most weight, but we had ridden on campaign many times and Eirik had kept him well-exercised.

  At our swift pace, we passed several long caravans heading west. I stopped counting at somewhere around a score of the caravans heading eastward. Smaller parties dotted the road ahead of us whenever we crested a hill. Most ignored us as we passed them, but a few waved.

  The sun shined low in our eyes on the afternoon of the fourth day when Sebastijan rode back from his scouting.

  “We’ve reached the split.”

  “Anyone up the road to the tower?”

  He shook his head.

  “No. I’m sure they’re up ahead on Crownstreet at one of a few more likely spots.”

  “Then we should move along. Let’s stay at our normal pace until we reach the Bujerruge and then move quickly up the turn. Let’s not give them any extra time to react.”

  He nodded and led the way, riding past the turn until we made our move.

  Katarina and I took the turn and pushed our horses into a solid quick canter from our normal jog. Sebastijan pounded up the road, galloping past us to retake his position ahead of us.

  “I don’t think anyone saw us turn.”

  I looked at Katarina oddly. “There were at least five or six groups of people traveling that I saw.”

  She smiled. “I meant anyone who cares about us.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Anyone who was tracking us would have gotten angry or frustrated when we turne
d up Bujerruge. I can sense strong emotions around me, even those not within sight. Not for very far, not miles away, but far enough. Not a hint of anger, though many mental screams of fear and amazement.”

  She licked her lips happily, and I shook my head.

  “Still, we should continue our canter.”

  “For a while, yes.”

  When the sun’s disk was sliced in half by the western hills, I saw a flat space near a small creek coming down out of the mountain. We had made good time, I thought, so when I suggested it as a camping spot.

  Sebastijan disagreed angrily. “What, do you think we can dawdle? Are we in the Seven Kingdoms where everyone is lazy?”

  I glared at Sebastijan and snapped back. “No, we’re in the Empire, where everyone is crazy. It’s a defensible spot next to water, what more do you want?”

  “I want to be in Lezh with my head still attached, idiot!”

  I started to snap back but saw Katarina giggling. I realized we were getting close to the Bardheküülle.

  “Oh, shut up and start doing your job.”

  She laughed but started focusing her will. I immediately felt some anger and frustration lift off of me, and so did Sebastijan, judging by his relaxing eyes.

  I could almost see a blanket of anger wrapping my soul when I closed my eyes and concentrated, but I could also sense a layer of something else preventing the blanket from truly enveloping me.

  “We’re getting close,” he said.

  I nodded.

  “I’ve sensed it for several hours,” smirked Katarina.

  “Why didn’t you start shielding us several hours ago?”

  She giggled. “I wanted to see you two fight, of course.”

  I sighed, and she turned serious.

  “Well, that and it takes effort. I’ll need all the strength I can muster when we get there.”

  “Which will be when?”

  “It’s not far,” said Sebastijan. “We’ll camp here and get there early tomorrow.”

  “Should we press on tonight?”

  Sebastijan shuddered in horror.

  Even Katarina’s laughter seemed subdued. “No, Sevener, I’ll have strength enough for the night, and you probably don’t want to be any closer to the Bardheküülle in the dark.”

  Sebastijan nodded emphatically.

  After dinner, Katarina got up and motioned us to her horse. Sebastijan’s suspicions returned tenfold at least, but we warily walked over.

  “Sebastijan, please get that pack from my horse.” She batted her eyes at him. That pack had stayed on her horse throughout the ride.

  “Why?” he snapped.

  “Because you don’t trust me, and Edward will need all his skill.”

  We both looked at her with questions in our eyes.

  “Just open the pack and let me explain.”

  We shrugged at each other, and Sebastijan went to her horse. With a surprised “ooof” he lifted the pack, which obviously weighed far more than he expected. Overbalanced, he managed to wrestle the pack to the ground.

  “Open it.”

  In it he found a heavy black hood, a single dully gleaming gauntlet, and a long tunic with pockets that had been filled with metal sheets.

  “Lead.”

  We looked at Katarina with confusion.

  “The gauntlet and metal sheets are lead, as is the weaving of the hood.”

  “Why?”

  “When we get to the amulet, one of us will have to put it into the box Edward carries. Whoever gets the amulet should wear this lead and only grasp it with the gauntlet.”

  She smirked at Sebastijan. “Now, the person retrieving the amulet won’t be me because neither of you trust me. It can’t be Edward because he’s the best fighter among us. That leaves you. Also, since you don’t trust me, he’ll be willing to wear the extra weight as we go into the tower.”

  Sebastijan’s wondering glare at me was almost comical. I smiled back.

  “Can’t fault her reasoning, assuming the amulet is as dangerous as she says.”

  He growled back something I couldn’t understand, and then stomped up the hill to a good perch.

  “That’s not the Bardheküülle,” laughed Katarina. “That’s his own anger.”

  I nodded and finished cleaning up. I moved the hood, gauntlet, and leaden tunic near Sebastijan’s bedroll, thanking the Allfather that I would not have to carry those extra three or four stone.

  We spent an uneasy night together. Katarina stayed up all night, along with Sebastijan. I collected some fitful sleep, but not much. We all carried our own fatigue and anger that morning.

  Since we could not sleep, we packed up extremely early and were miles from camp by the time the sun had risen past the hills. Soon we spied the shining limestone of the tower, a beacon beckoning our hate.

  Around it were landscaped lawns enclosed by a short limestone wall. The lawns called to us, subtly hinting that the anger could be escaped if one found just the right spot in the grass. The road went along the wall, leading directly to the front door of the castle.

  “Right over there,” muttered Sebastijan.

  “What?”

  “I killed my cousins right over there.”

  He pointed to an area of the lawn that seemed no different than the rest.

  “I don’t see anything.”

  “Neither do I,” he growled. “No bones, no nothing. As if I had never been here and they had never died.”

  He paused.

  “Or never lived.”

  I looked at Katarina, and she remained good to her word. I could feel her increase her will to shield our emotions. Her protection wavered only when her horse shied from a startled snake, and she focused on her seat to remain in the saddle. For that brief moment, Sebastijan and I both understood the rage Katarina warded from us.

  With ever-increasing dread, we made our way to the door of the tower. We left our horses there, staking down Sebastijan and Katarina’s mounts in a shady place with as much water as we could leave. I simply patted Deor on his muzzle and promised to return soon. He butted me away, and I could tell he wanted to leave this place as quickly as we could.

  “What’s in here?”

  “Well, Sebastijan, it’s a castle. The upper floors contain the rooms of its ruler.”

  He started to shrug into the leaden tunic. “And of course the amulet is at the top.”

  “Oh, no, it’s several floors below us. You needn’t worry you’ll have to climb up several flights of stairs in that tunic.”

  “Alcaeus be praised.”

  She looked at me. “Sadly for you, Edward, the great treasures you would love are in those upper floors. We will not have the chance to explore them.”

  “Just get me to Lezh so I can protect Harald.”

  “Of course, my dear.”

  Sebastijan was ready, except for the hood. He had settled his bandolier over the lead tunic and slid several more knives in it. Also attached to the bandolier were the lead gauntlet and hood.

  Katarina appraised us and nodded. “You’ll do. Now, we’ll go in and then ultimately down the back stairs into the caverns and storerooms below. The corrupt down there will look to ambush us once we have descended. Be wary.”

  I slid my hand into the boss of my shield and drew my sword. Sebastijan stood with his sword in his right hand and a dagger his left. Katarina pulled out a small shuttered lantern that she lit with practiced ease.

  I opened the door.

  Given all of the stress to get to this point, I expected something to attack us immediately as we entered the Bardheküülle. However, all we found to greet us was a luxurious entryway.

  I stood on a marble floor. About ten feet in an artificial stream burbled, and a wide marble bridge crossed its four-foot width. Plants—cultivated, living plants—rose above my head from urns on either side of the doorway.

  Across the bridge, the tower opened up into a broad room with stairs on either side curving around the tower walls to the next floor.<
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  For some reason I knew I did not belong upstairs.

  Under the stairs, open doorways led back into the tower. I looked at Katarina and Sebastijan, who shrugged. I decided to take the right doorway, and they followed me.

  I could hear Katarina’s rasping breath as she kept her will clamped down on our anger. Her lantern beamed intermittently over my shoulder, but the ambient light told me this was a kitchen. A large hearth on the back wall was stacked with wood and tinder awaiting the evening meal. Cast-iron pots and kettles hung on hooks. Knives and utensils stood in urns awaiting need.

  No dust covered any of it. Every item sat ready to help make a feast. I did not want to see the pantries, for I had no doubt they contained fresh foodstuffs. My stomach rebelled at the thought of eating anything found in this place.

  Katarina motioned across the way, where a darker black emanated from a large door opening. It led to a landing from which a wide set of stairs, at least twice my height in width, dropped downward.

  She moved the lantern beam to our feet so we could see where we stepped, though I barely noticed, looking for motion ahead of us.

  We reached the first basement. She briefly lifted the shutters to give us a view of the large room we stood in.

  I immediately saw motion as three odd figures attacked us.

  I took a half step to my right and then two quick chopping steps directly forward to bounce the middle of the figures off balance with my shield. I hoped to tangle him in the figure to my left, though I had not the time to see if I succeeded. I used the impact to propel a strong snap to my right at the third attacker.

  I heard a crunch and felt my sword chop into the body. The creature tried to continue attacking, but after an initial step it slumped down, pulling my sword with it. I cleared my sword as quickly as I could and simply waved it in front of my shield to create some sort of threat.

  I need not have bothered. My initial charge had succeeded, and struggling to get out of a crumpled heap were the two other figures. I stepped quickly and slashed downward on one of them, following with a quick stab at the one at the bottom of the pile.

  Over my back I felt something whirr past. I turned to look to my right and saw a fourth figure about to stab me with a rusty sword. A quivering hilt stood out from its throat.