Fire and Gold (Sisters of the North Book 1)

by Mara Amberly

  “I don’t know what you’re doing here dressed as a regular woman, but I thank you for saving my life.” The way he nodded to her was almost like a bow from a seated position.

  Cassia smiled nervously. “I appreciate that,” she said, leaning forward to whisper to Rudolf. “It’s probably better if you don’t mention how you know me or who I am, here.”

  A grin spread across his face. “Consider it done. Not that I can see myself telling anyone that I’m a mutinous bastard either.”

  Rudolf smiled in a way that was both harmless and relaxed. “So what did you do, run away?”

  Cassia resisted the urge to look around, but she once again lowered her voice. “No,” she said.

  Rudolf grinned. “I didn’t think you would. It seems like something else is going on. Something you clearly don’t want to talk about. It’s suspicious indeed.”

  Cassia was relieved that he spoke in a quiet tone of voice.

  Across the room, the bartender was drawing her beer. He brought it over to her, glancing curiously at Rudolf.

  “Is everything alright here?” he asked her.

  Cassia nodded, “I’m fine, thank you.”

  It was a lie, but not a huge one as far as lies went.

  “The food won’t be long. Lonna’s making it for you now,” the bartender said, returning to the bar.

  Cassia glanced down at the table, before gingerly looking at Rudolf. He had to be younger than she’d thought. No older than thirty, but he’d been through an ordeal and it showed. There was a cut that ran along his cheek, and she wondered if he’d been wounded on the ship or in prison. They could be notoriously violent places.

  Cassia sipped her beer, relieved that it served as a distraction. The beer tasted watered down to her, but she’d been travelling all day and it certainly didn’t taste bad. It was even cold. Somehow it set her more at ease, and she noticed Rudolf had a mug of the same brew. “So your name is actually Rudolf?” she asked.

  He nodded with a grin. “Yes, I’m surprised you remember. Some of my friends call me that. The rest call me Knave or ‘the Bastard of Kelbani’. ‘That bastard’ for short. I’m a tricky and despicable fellow according to those who accused me.”

  She grinned at his nicknames, wondering if he’d made any up on the spot. “I rather like Rudolf. It’s a serious name for a serious fellow. Knave and your other nicknames are far sillier.”

  He laughed, “Which is just how I like them.”

  Cassia smiled as she sipped her ale. “You were lucky. Truly the gods were on your side today.”

  He gave her a small smile and she could tell he was not the kind of man who liked to think of his fate in the hands of others.

  “Your companion was being honest then, in what she read?”

  Cassia nodded, “Oh yes.”

  He grimaced at that. “I suppose I should know better than to ask. I wondered if she liked the look of me or she just wanted to save one of us.”

  The red-haired priestess smiled. “She probably did. Neither of us wanted to see anyone executed, but the reading she gave was real.”

  It was food for thought for him. “That’s what I was afraid of,” he said, drinking his beer.

  Cassia laughed, “Why’s that?”

  He merely shrugged his shoulders. “Because it feels like the gods have bought my life and now I owe them something.”

  Cassia smiled and shook her head, causing her red hair to shimmer.

  “Your life will always be your own. I wondered if we would see you again, and if the prison would honour our demand and let you go. We thought they might kill you anyway once we were gone.” After realising how bad this sounded, she added, “Sorry,” and took a sip of her beer. It was hard to tell his thoughts from the way he looked at her, but he certainly appeared different in the lantern light. He looked better, but it was like someone had given him his hope back.

  It seemed to Cassia like he was in a hurry to move past what had happened and begin again. Maybe he was haunted by what he’d been through. Events of that magnitude couldn’t just be forgotten. She knew that well enough herself now. “Why did you do it?” she asked, knowing he probably didn’t want to answer the question.

  His eyes, which had held warmth, took on an edge of coldness.

  “It was complicated. The Captain could be cold-blooded, but he was sending our men to die. It was unnecessary, on the whim of our idiot-King. I tried to stop him and he ordered me killed, so I killed him back.”

  All notions of probable innocence aside, he seemed more at ease again, though somewhat more alert than before. Rudolf looked at her, more serious now.

  “A lot of men who kill have got a reason for what they do. Some are forced into it or have a threat hanging over their heads, natural inclinations they can’t ignore or a festering hatred caused by someone or something.”

  Cassia wondered about hatred and that fire of anger that smouldered inside of her, wanting to see the Nemorans slaughtered for what they did to her sisters. She didn’t just want justice, she wanted vengeance. Yet, she felt that went beyond hatred into hurt and the desire to protect others from their violence. If someone had destroyed the Nemorans first, the killings at the temple wouldn’t have happened. The greatest gift she could give the world, as she saw it, was to help stop this from happening again. She could do that by eliminating the threat of the Nemorans.

  The bartender returned with the food Cassia had ordered. He set down a bowl of steaming stew in front of her, which was accompanied by brown bread and a block of butter. Her eyes lit up at the sight, as she was starving; not literally but she couldn’t help tasting a spoonful of the stew immediately. The bartender also gave her a package wrapped in heavy paper. It was the bread, meat and cheese she’d paid for and judging by the weight of it, there was a good amount there. How long it lasted the three of them remained to be seen. “Thank you very much!” she said, pleased to receive the food. She set the package into her sling bag for now, on top of the canteens.

  “You need anything else, you let me know,” he said.

  Rudolf tried not to stare at Cassia’s food. It was impolite and he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.

  The stew was surprisingly good, and the closest thing she’d had to a real meal in a day. It was just beef and vegetable stew, seasoned with pepper, and the bread was warm and freshly-made.

  Rudolf watched her eat for a time before he asked, “Where are the others?”

  She looked up at him, unsure of what he meant. “Oh, my travelling companions? They’re outside,” she said, choosing not to elaborate more.

  “Of course they are,” he said, drinking his beer.

  “Is that woman with you? The serious-looking one who read the stones?”

  Cassia glanced about the common room, but no one else appeared to have overheard. She feared that details like that could give away her secret. “No, she’s back in Kalle.”

  At this he nodded, and she wondered if he was trying to figure out why she’d lied to him. Priestesses weren’t supposed to lie, just like they weren’t supposed to drink beer or secretly date Kelbani men, or any men for that matter. I really am starting to think I’m not made for being a priestess.

  The cool beer was a pleasant complement to her meal. Cassia covered her mouth as she burped, her cheeks colouring slightly as she pretended that didn’t just happen.

  “Good stew?” he asked.

  She laughed, “Yes.”

  He looked around the room, then leant an arm on the table, seemingly more at ease.

  “Have you noticed there’s a man watching you?”

  Her eyebrows rose slightly and she didn’t quite hide the flash of fear in time.

  “You were?” she asked.

  He shook his head slightly, “not me. He’s sitting over by the wall on his own. He has dark hair, a beard, and has a cloak around his shoulders that’s a rusty brown colour.”

  She remembered the man watching her when she walked in earlier. “When I cam
e in he was, but he’s still doing that?”

  Rudolf looked directly at him and the man began to pay more attention to his ale all of a sudden. “Seems that way, but he probably realises we’re talking about him now.”

  Cassia gasped, “What did you do?”

  Rudolf grinned, “Looked at him, that’s all.”

  The red-haired priestess lowered her voice and took a chance. “I don’t mean to inconvenience you in telling you this, but it’s possible that man may want to try and kill me. That or lure me back to his bed, but I think kill.”

  Rudolf looked more than a little surprised. “Why would he – try to kill you, I mean?”

  Cassia grimaced. What happened to not telling anyone about this? “It’s complicated and I’m not sure of the full reasons but there are some men who want me dead.”

  Rudolf had the look of a man who’d ended up responsible for a damsel in distress. “And you wouldn’t have done anything to these men – like rip them off – to give them reason to want to kill you?”

  Cassia’s eyes widened, “no, of course not! They’re bad men and I don’t know. I’m sure they have reasons but I don’t know them.”

  Rudolf sighed. “Were you hiding out at that temple in the guise of a priestess so the men wouldn’t catch up with you? I should’ve known from the way you got into that beer–”

  Cassia laughed, “no. Just no, alright? I really am one. This probably isn’t the place to discuss it, but I would like to know the reasons behind it, myself. Now just wouldn’t be the time.”

  Rudolf rubbed his hands together, “I don’t know about that.”

  She wasn’t sure what Rudolf or Knave meant at first, then she realised that he might be intending to interrogate the bearded man.

  “No, don’t do that. They’ll know I’m here if they find him and that could bring more trouble my way and yours. It’s better if they think we’re regular people just passing through. Do you know what I mean?”

  His eyes glinted darkly, blue but with a sparkling of mischief.

  She didn’t know what that meant until suddenly his face was very close to hers and he kissed her.

  That crazy son of a bitch! I’ll kill him!

  Oh, Josef is probably worried sick about me right now!

  It felt good, like a rebellious indulgence, though one she had little say in.

  He’d obviously cleaned up since his time in prison because she could tell he’d bathed and his breath was fresher, but for the taste of beer. The kiss didn’t last long because she pulled away. Cassia wanted to slap him with all of her might, be she avoided doing that. Let the bearded man watching her be convinced they were together! Then he’d have less reason to suspect she was a priestess, if the man was a danger at all.

  “You shouldn’t have done that!” she exclaimed, though she kept her voice down with her complaint.

  “Why not?” he asked, obviously amused.

  “Because you don’t just kiss women like that, without warning. I could’ve slapped you or worse. I’ve retaliated with my knee before!”

  He roared with laughter and glanced across the room. “The man who was watching you is walking upstairs. Maybe our ruse worked.”

  She bit her lip, unsure. “What’s this ‘our’ business? Hmm, it did?” Cassia asked. She hoped that where Brigita and Alexa were, they were still well-hidden in the darkness and not watching her right now. Dear gods.

  “If the men who want you dead are truly motivated to kill you, are you sure that food you’ve got there is safe?” he asked.

  Cassia glanced down at her bag and hesitated. “I...” She sighed, “I don’t know, but I can’t see them poisoning us if they’re not sure. Can you?”

  Rudolf shook his head. “It depends on how crazy they are, but probably not. Besides, I know Malcolm and Lonna, who run this place. They’ve been here for a long time and they’re as trustworthy as people come.”

  She nodded, but felt somewhat less safe than she had. It wasn’t that she was feeling particularly secure in the first place, but the night seemed darker than it had been all of a sudden, and even with people in the vicinity, any of them might’ve been a threat. Curiously, the murderer she was speaking to seemed one of the least worrying. It dawned on her that she was no less a murderer, nor was she helpless. She’d probably killed more people than he had.

  She thought of introducing him to Brigita and Alexa, but she’d lied to him about Alexa coming along on the journey. It would be better to wait and speak with the others first to ensure they wanted to meet him. He shouldn’t be making the decisions; they should. There could be an advantage to travelling together – safety in numbers, and another person to fight if they were attacked by the Nemorans. If the enemy were looking for women alone fleeing the city of Kalle, their group might prove a less suspicious target if they had a man with them. Somehow Rudolf’s company made her feel safer, but between herself, Alexa and Brigita, their martial and magical abilities were in the very least formidable compared to untrained civilians.

  “Are you staying at the inn tonight?” she asked.

  Knave’s eyebrow rose slightly, “why are you interested in joining me?”

  Cassia glared at him and he grinned back. “Not like that!” Cassia felt lonely, but it was Josef’s company she craved. Not this man. “I mean to return to the inn, that’s all,” she said.

  He wasn’t sure what to make of this. “I’m staying in room number five.”

  Cassia nodded, then quickly ate the last of her stew and set the remaining slices of bread in her bag, beside the rations for their journey.

  “Are you sure you’ll be alright out there?” he asked, nodding toward the door.

  “I hope so,” she said, not entirely certain but reassured that her sisters were nearby and he would be as well.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The rooftop was warm and Jonas’ lay flat against it, looking out over the edge. The street below was two storeys down, and the hard-packed earth of the road had been overtaken by desert sands, masking its appearance. The sun was close to setting, so Jonas acted with care to avoid being seen. His house move had been an exercise in stealth, especially as Jonas was unsure if he was being shadowed. He felt more secure now that he was away from his old lair. He’d left his bag of possessions inside this house, other than his spyglass. He brought it up to his eye to observe the enemy’s compound in the distance.

  The compound held several buildings that had been walled off from the town beside it, as well as a stable. The buildings were larger, taller and more elaborate than most city dwellings; more mansions than houses. An old man, who hid out in town hoping to find his daughter, had told Jonas that the largest of the houses in the compound had once been the mayor’s residence. Apparently the mayor was forced to hand it over and the town with it when confronted by a sizeable military force. The other buildings were more of a mystery, but Jonas assumed that important people had lived there. Now he thought the soldiers patrolling the town had moved into those buildings. At the very least, he could see them coming and going at various times of the day and night. It gave Jonas a small amount of information, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted to get in there to see what he could find.

  The patrols were more frequent around the compound than in the town, and there were always guards stationed at the compound’s gate. It would be a huge risk, getting in there, but Jonas had some advantages that would make it easier for him. He would just have to go about it very carefully. He lowered the spyglass after a few minutes, staying close to the roof’s surface so his silhouette couldn’t be easily spotted at a distance. The sky had taken on a deep orange glow against the ochre of the sands; a world of lustrous gold as nightfall approached.

  Jonas had timed the patrols and while there was no precise order to it, hardly more than a quarter of an hour passed before he saw the next group of soldiers. It was unpredictable and that was its strength, but it might also be its failing. It should give him plenty of time to slip in, if all was as it
looked at a distance.

  He’d heard a few names that supposedly originated within the stronghold, from listening in on soldiers and from speaking with a local girl who hid out in another house. There was Elena Briette, and this seemed to be a name that belonged to someone important. It sounded like a woman’s name, but he seldom saw women inside the compound. More often the soldiers were men. A young girl he’d met named Yasmin, who he hadn’t seen again after that day, told Jonas she heard the name Kraven Mistbane. She didn’t know who it was. It sounded like a cowardly name to Jonas, but who could tell what someone was like based on their name? It’s more often what they’re like based on their allegiance. The soldiers are dangerous. It doesn’t matter who they are.

  Jonas took another look through the spyglass and breathed out a sigh. What could’ve happened to the people in there? It’s like they disappeared, and there’s no sign they were released or their bodies dumped. They just never came back. Maybe they’re still in there or perhaps there are caves, but if they were free they would’ve returned home to their families or to get their things. If I can find them, I’ll set them free, but I think it’s more likely they’re dead. “The manse must be in there,” he murmured under his breath, barely more than a whisper. He could feel the power concentrated in the area, subtly tugging at his senses. It wasn’t possible to narrow it to the compound, but it was the most heavily-guarded place in town. If the soldiers knew about it, then it stood to reason that it would likely be there.

  Tonight I go in. I can’t leave until I do this and I think I’ve waited long enough. Done with his spying for the moment, Jonas clambered along the fragile rooftop to the far side of the building and peered down over the edge. Once he was as sure as possible that there weren’t any patrols or observers nearby, he swung his legs out over the edge and carefully lowered his body over the side. It was a long way down, so he made sure he had as good a hold as possible on the wooden beams, because the tiles might come away. Jonas only needed to drop a short distance to a window ledge while he held on to the frame, but was hard to do that carefully. Once he had a good grip on the frame with his right hand, and he was all but hanging from the roof with his left, Jonas let go.