by Jane Glatt
Kersey frowned and some of the men behind him muttered.
“Not what you were told, was it men?” Kane said. He caught the eye of each man in turn. “Not how I would treat a man under my command. But I wouldn’t have abandoned the Brotherhood when we’d finally been Called just because I had a better offer from the Duke of Comack.” Kane stepped up beside Brenna and fixed his gaze on one man under the trees. “Meaker, you know I speak the truth, you know Brenna’s the Caller. And you know that Stobert betrayed her and the rest of the Brotherhood.”
Meaker hung back but when the rest of the men looked to him, he stepped closer to the fire.
“Lord Stobert said she was an imposter,” Meaker said and his chin lifted. “Said she tricked the rest of the Brotherhood. I’ve followed him all my life and I trust him.”
“See Rowse, we know what we’re about,” Kersey said, closing in on them, his sword pointing at Kane’s chest. “Tie them up.”
Kane, Yowan and Brenna were tied together with their hands behind their backs. Madelay - apparently not seen as a threat - was not tied up. They were marched through the trees to a bigger camp while their belongings, including their weapons, were heaped onto the horses for the short journey. A couple of men started arguing over which one was to claim Runner, and Kane smiled grimly. Let them try - Runner decided who rode him.
Another four men stood guard at the camp where two fires had been laid but not lit. That’s why we didn’t see them, Kane thought, poor timing. That and the fact he’d allowed himself to be complacent. If he’d insisted on no fire they may have had some warning.
Kane, Yowan and Brenna were huddled near one of the fire pits - their legs were tied together and the three of them were lashed to a fallen tree. Kane shifted a little so that Brenna could lean up against him. She still looked tired but the look she sent him made him smile, satisfied that she was feeling fine. They would get out of this. He didn’t know how yet but they would. Kersey and his men better watch their backs tonight. He nodded over Brenna’s head at Yowan, who simply blinked and went back to watching Madelay.
From the laughs and taunts from Kersey’s men it soon became apparent that Madelay was expected to cook their meal and tend the camp. As she went about her duties, Kane frowned. How and when had members of the Brotherhood lost their respect for women? She tackled the tasks stoically, ignoring their humiliating comments as she gathered herbs and dried meat for the stew. She was stopped when she reached for her own pack but Kersey looked over at her and nodded and Madelay pulled a packet from her pack.
Yowan grunted. “Don’t eat what she’s cooking,” he whispered.
Brenna ducked her head and Kane hid a smile. Men who had no respect for women underestimated them at their own peril. If they were lucky Kersey and his men might live to regret it. Watching Madelay’s stiff back as she cooked the stew he knew she’d kill if she had to, healer though she may be.
It was the best part of half an hour before their captors noticed that none of their prisoners had eaten. Meaker had headed to the stew pot, bowl in hand, for a second helping. Before he scooped out more stew he looked down at Madelay.
“Why didn’t she eat?” Meaker asked.
“She ate,” Kersey said. “She took a bowl and gave some to them three.” He gestured to where Kane, Brenna and Yowan sat, bowls of stew beside them. Meaker came over and peered down.
“These three didn’t eat either,” he said.
Kersey joined him. He touched one of the full bowls with a boot. At a sound from the other side of the camp, both men jumped back.
“It’s Raffey,” a voice called. Then the unmistakable sounds of retching were heard. “He’s spewin’ his supper.”
“What did you put in that stew, old woman?” Kersey started toward Madelay then stopped and doubled over. “I’ll kill you for this.”
He drew his sword but dropped it when it glowed, not just white, but red. The sword sizzled when it hit the ground and the grass beneath it blackened. Kane felt the ropes fall away and he stood up, pulling Brenna with him. Brenna stepped out of the ropes toward Kersey and Yowan headed towards Madelay, putting himself between her and Kersey.
“Kersey,” Brenna said. “I can’t say I liked you much the first time we met and I like you even less now.” Brenna smiled grimly at the men who now encircled them, swords out. Some were doubled over, clutching their stomachs, and a few knelt on the ground in obvious pain. “I don’t believe you’ve formally met my grandmother.” Brenna gestured to Madelay. “Madelay Kerrich is sister to the Duchess of Aruntun and the foremost healer in all of Soule. There likely isn’t anyone alive who knows more herb lore than she does.” Brenna grinned. “And you forced her to cook your supper.”
“Kill them,” Kersey said.
A few of his men raised their swords and advanced. Kane stepped forward but Brenna simply shrugged and all of their swords blazed to life - and were quickly dropped as they glowed red-hot. The air was thick with the smell of singed leather and burnt grass. One man cradled his hand to his chest.
Brenna lifted a hand and a wind gusted and pushed all of the men to the ground. The wind swirled around her, lifting her hair and plucking at her clothes. She dropped her hand and the wind died down.
“We’re leaving now,” Brenna said. “I suggest you not try to stop us.”
They gathered up their belongings and packed up their horses. Kane grabbed up the now cool old steel weapons along with any knives and swords Stobert’s men still carried. He planned on loading them on their captive’s horses and setting the animals free. He bent down to retrieve a knife from one the immobile men.
“No wonder the King has outlawed witches,” the man spat out. “These two will soon join the old woman’s sister in the king’s jail.”
“How long will they be ill?” Kane asked Madelay. They’d been traveling for four hours with no signs of pursuit.
“Some won’t recover.” Madelay turned serious eyes his way. “The first lad that got sick? He ate three bowls of stew. Of the rest, most will recover in two or three days.”
“Good,” Kane replied as Madelay turned her face forward. Kane kicked Runner forward and came up beside Brenna.
“Madelay says they’ll be down for a few days at least. We need to make camp and get some rest.”
She swayed in the saddle and he grabbed her arm. Her eyes, when she turned to him, stood out darkly in her pale face.
“Brenna, whatever magic you’re doing stop it right now.”
She nodded and slumped over Blaze’s neck. Kane caught her, dragged her from her saddle and pulled her over to him. He settled her in front of him and cradled her to his chest.
“Yowan, grab Blaze if you can.” He slowed Runner and Blaze slowed as well. Wrapped in his arms, Brenna sighed and closed her eyes. Yowan rode up on the other side of the rider-less horse and grabbed the reins.
“I’ll scout a camp site.” Yowan trotted off, Blaze trailing after him.
Madelay caught up to them and peered at Brenna. She reached over and felt Brenna’s forehead for a moment, then she nodded.
“She’s just tired,” Madelay said. “She never completely recovered from the mountain sickness and then she had to use a lot of magic. I’ll make her a tea to help her regain some strength.” She rode off in the direction Yowan had taken.
Kane sighed and closed his eyes and let Runner carry them at his own pace. He needed to take better care of Brenna and not let her drain herself so. He opened his eyes and watched her as she slept in his arms. He shook his head and smiled - even in sleep her chin jutted out stubbornly.
Brenna stretched contentedly and sighed. She’d slept soundly and finally felt rested. She smiled. Kane said they’d try to find an inn for tonight and she had high hopes for a bath and a private room, just her and Kane. She had a feeling neither Yowan nor Madelay would argue about the extra coin they’d be spending. She crawled out from beneath the blankets and took a deep breath.
“You’re looking much better
,” Madelay said.
When Brenna joined her at the fire Madelay handed her a steaming mug of tea.
“Thank you,” Brenna said, taking the mug. “I’m feeling much better.” She sipped her tea and looked around.
“Kane went to scout ahead and Yowan’s lurking around here somewhere, making sure we haven’t been followed,” Madelay said. “Kane said he’d contact you through his sword.” Madelay frowned. “He’s worried about something one of Kersey’s men said, something about my sister being jailed.”
“Can you contact her?” Brenna asked. “Like Kane and I through old steel, or Avery and Laurel?” At Madelay’s puzzled look she continued. “Avery’s daughter, Laurel is a Seer and she and Avery can communicate over great distances.”
“Avery’s daughter is a Seer?” Madelay smiled. “I wager Laurel’s father is that Neal Ravershaw.” Brenna nodded. “Avery wasn’t yet fifteen when I left but I could tell when he looked at her. And they can communicate with their minds? It’s a Kerrich trait that shows up every now and again. Haven’t seen it in a couple of generations though.”
“I don’t know exactly how they do it,” Brenna said. “Do you think you can contact Avery? Or maybe Laurel?”
“I’ll try,” Madelay said. “It’s not something Avery and I could do when we were younger.”
Brenna and Madelay spent the next hour fruitlessly trying to contact Avery or Laurel. Thinking that knowing where Avery was would help, Brenna brought out her map and tried to describe places in Kingsreach where Avery might have been taken, but they still couldn’t contact her.
“And how exactly is it you know what the inside of the castle jail in Kingsreach looks like?” Madelay’s eyebrows arched as she looked at Brenna.
“I was caught stealing,” Brenna said.
“Were you? How interesting.”
Brenna held up her hand and Madelay fell silent. She’d felt a twinge that meant Kane was trying to contact her. She cocked her head and dropped a hand to her knife hilt.
“Brenna, bring Madelay and Yowan,” Kane said. “I’m about an hour away. Just head in my direction. I’ve found an inn.”
Brenna smiled. “Time to find Yowan. Kane has found an inn so it’s a bath and real bed tonight.”
Madelay brushed off her hands whistled shrilly. “That should bring him,” Madelay said. “Although it’s been forty years since I called him that way. I hope he didn’t forget.”
“Forget?” Yowan rode into their small camp site. “You think a man can ever forget that his woman makes a sound like a stuck pig? By the gods, I’m not sure my ears will even recover.” He dismounted and tied Smoke up beside the other two horses. “You’ve heard from Kane?”
Brenna nodded.
“Good, let’s get this gear packed up. You two have done wonders cooking with the travel rations we have but I wouldn’t say no to some fresh baked bread.”
They packed up the few remaining items and mounted up. Madelay settled in beside Brenna while Yowan took the lead.
“And while we travel,” Madelay said. “You can tell me all about being caught stealing. You didn’t think I was going to let something that interesting be forgotten, did you?”
“It’s the inn we stayed in when we first met Westley Stobert,” Brenna said, peering through the trees. “I thought it was on his lands.”
“It was,” Kane replied. He pushed the tree branch further away from Brenna’s face. “But Ewart has posted troops here.”
Brenna peered out across the road and relaxed when she saw the troops lined up there. Some of them carried old steel and everything about it felt right.
They’d met up with Kane a few miles west and had ridden closer under cover of trees. Brenna stifled a yawn. It was midafternoon and even though she’d slept late she was still tired from the combined effects of mountain sickness and using magic.
“I suppose it’s too much to hope that Duke Ewart is here as well?” Brenna asked.
“He’s in Silverdale,” Kane said. “You’ll have to be content with a bath.”
“And a room with a real bed?”
“Definitely,” Kane let the branch fall back.
“Yowan is looking forward to fresh bread,” Brenna said. “Add butter and jam and that sounds like heaven to me.” Her mouth watered at the thought fresh food. “Anything that’s not boiled to death or hard enough to break my teeth.” She picked through her pack and found one last piece of journey bread. She tossed it to the ground. “Let some rodent with sharper teeth than mine chew on that.”
Kane pulled Runner around and she followed. They would go back and get Madelay and Yowan and come up the road this time. Brenna hadn’t sensed anything unusual with the old steel at the inn but Kane had wanted her to get a closer look, in case he’d overlooked something.
In less than half an hour all four were on the road, heading towards the inn. They were stopped by some guards just before the road turned off at the inn.
“State your business,” the guard said. The he peered at Kane. “Captain Rowse? Is that you?”
“Tobias,” Kane said. “Well met. Last time I saw you, you were leaving Kingsreach. I’m glad to see you were able to evade Duke Thorold.”
Kane dismounted and Brenna followed suit.
“Yes,” Tobias said. “And happily employed by Duke Ewart.” He turned to Brenna. “Brenna Lightfingers.” The guard he took her hand and bowed low over it. “Caller.”
“It is good to see a friendly face,” Brenna said. She smiled as he straightened up. “It seems you’re always finding me at a disadvantage.” She gestured to her travel worn clothing.
Tobias had been the Brotherhood’s spy in Duke Thorold’s house guard. He’d been on hand when Brenna had been caught in the Duke’s study and had let Kane know where she was.
“And would I recognize you any other way?” Tobias asked. “Although you will be safer here than within Duke Thorold’s estate.”
Brenna leaned closer. “Do you want to see what I stole from the Duke that night?” He nodded and she pulled her knife from her belt. She let it glow slightly. “My mother’s knife. He had no right to it so I took it back.”
“I didn’t think you’d stolen anything thing. I’m impressed.” Tobias bowed his head. “I’d love to hear more about this but no doubt you’ll want to get settled. Kane, tell the innkeep that he has my permission to move any of my men, including me, out of a room if he needs a place for you and yours.”
“Please don’t do that,” Brenna said. She desperately wanted a room but not at the expense of hard feelings.
Tobias looked over the four of them. “Of course we’ll do that,” he said. “Besides, it will be good for us. Can’t have the men getting too used to a soft life.”
Brenna eased back in the cooling tub of water. Even her rumbling stomach wasn’t enough to chase her from her bath. She sighed and dragged a hand through her now clean hair, feeling guilty that some poor soldiers no longer had a room, but grateful that she did. The trip over the mountains and subsequent capture by Stobert’s men had drained her more than she wanted to admit – even to herself.
Closing her eyes, she searched for old steel, smiling when she located Kane and Yowan, downstairs somewhere. There were other Brothers here as well but not all of the Duke of Fallad’s guards were from the Brotherhood - many were from the Kingsguard. Tobias said that Duke Ewart had let it be known that men unhappy with the state of matters in Kingsreach would be welcome in Fallad.
Tobias had sent a runner to let Duke Ewart know that Kane and she would be in Silverdale within the week. Hopefully Ewart could meet them - they needed his advice before deciding what to do about Tobias’ other, more disturbing news.
King Mattias had declared the One-God the one, true god - any who refused to accept the edict and continued to follow the old gods would be breaking the law. Already the traffic from Kingsreach into Fallad had increased.
Duke Ewart had been prepared, Tobias said - with wagons and supplies enough to make sur
e everyone who came seeking safety was quickly settled further from the border.
Brenna thought back to the Seeings she’d had in the early spring - this was what she’d been haunted by - masses of people on the move, running out of food, no shelter, diseases running rampant. She hadn’t had the vision since both Duke Ewart and Duchess Avery had been warned to prepare their people. She could only hope that Aruntun was as ready as Fallad seemed to be. This was just the beginning - the hordes of her vision had yet to put their feet on the road.
When the bath was almost cold, Brenna gave up. Water sluiced off her and she grabbed a drying cloth, enjoying the feeling of being clean as she quickly scrubbed herself. She donned reasonably unsoiled breeches and a shirt and started drying her hair. There was at the tap on the door and then Kane entered.
“You’re finished with your bath.” He closed the door and drew her into his arms, gently taking cloth from her and rubbing her hair.
Brenna closed her eyes and leaned into him. She felt him lean over her and draw a deep breath.
“You smell like spring,” he said softly.
“Just a little mint and lavender I added to my bathwater,” Brenna replied, reaching her arms around him. “I find they are relaxing and invigorating.”
“Hmm, at the same time?” Kane murmured. “I must try it.”
“I can ask for more hot water to be brought up.”
“Not exactly what I had in mind.” He buried his face in her hair as he steered them over to the bed.
seventeen
Kane leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the back of Brenna’s chair, the other curved around a glass of brandy. He took a sip of the fiery liquid as Yowan and Madelay rose and headed up the stairs. He wanted nothing more than to take Brenna’s hand and do the same but Tobias had asked them stay behind. He had news for just the two of them.
“The king’s edict on the church of the One-God. How did that happen?” Brenna asked.
