A Deadly Dance

by E. V. Greig

  A Deadly Dance

  The Legend of Graymyrh – Book Two

  E.V. GREIG

  Copyright © 2017 E.V. Greig

  All Rights Reserved.

  Previously published as part of The Legend of Graymyrh – Complete Edition Copyright © 2014 E.V. Greig

  Chapter One

  Kaiwan watched as Hugo rode away from Briersburge. He had come back briefly then, but not for her: for Lady Naomi. Did he serve her as a soldier now, or was there some other reason? Why did he not bother to speak to me again before he left for good?

  “He will come back, Kaiwan.” Lady Naomi was behind her. “He needs time alone to heal that is all. But he will come back.”

  “What do you care whether he returns? Surely you have no need for him!”

  “Oh for pity’s sake you have nothing to fear from me in that regard! Hugo and I are simply old friends.”

  The Ullensian blushed. “I do not understand.”

  “That’s another reason that he’s gone. He would be wrong to enter into a courtship with you now, Kaiwan. You’re not ready, and nor is he. Be patient. True love is not to be thwarted.”

  ∞∞∞

  Efrym Bandhir was not happy with his current situation. All of his carefully planned schemes had been undone! “How dare they stand against my will: I, the Sun King! Why, I have lived for aeons – I am unending! It is only fitting that Naomi should belong to me.”

  He gazed ruefully back towards the keep and sighed. His steed, his sword, almost all of his equipment was still back there. All that he had were the clothes upon his back and a few throwing daggers. “Oh, my sweet Naomi, do you think that I could not see you there at your gate yesterday, watching your new champion ride forth? Has he truly turned your head so easily, or have you perhaps seen through him – do you send him away now to be rid of him? Yes, I suspect that it is so! You regret what has occurred now. You know in your heart that we are destined to be together forever!”

  It was impossible for him to hate her. Oh, certainly, she was a feisty one; but that was not her doing. She was as he: immortal. How could she not be proud? If her behaviour were lacking, then it was surely due to those fools that had raised her. She herself knew no better, and therefore was blameless. He thought that perhaps he might still love her after all, despite what had happened.

  From his vantage point in the mountains, he had observed that accursed vagabond ride forth dressed as a general. The cur had gone south, and vanished amid the rolling fields. Bandhir had been considering making his return to the keep. Dwelling alone in these mountains was by no means appealing. He knew nothing of this strange new world: not its lands, or its peoples, or their speech. “I shall need a guide.”

  ∞∞∞

  “What do you mean? You and Banor are leaving too?” Kaiwan stared at Ruiryk in disbelief. “Why must you go?”

  “We need to go and look for Slo’annathorys. He may still be alive out there.” Ruiryk hugged her. “I’m sorry, Kaiwan. Look, you’ll be safe here. And you have Luath and Althanor to keep you company.”

  “Poor Luath isn’t even able to open his eyes, and Althanor is but a child – not that I shall see much of him anyhow. He serves Lord Von Rosenhof as his page now, and dwells in the main keep.”

  “Well, mayhap you can visit him! I don’t know! Kaiwan, I don’t have time to argue with you about this! Banor and I need to leave as soon as possible.”

  She pulled away from him. “Go then. I wish you good fortune.”

  “That’s better. Be a brave girl now, Kaiwan. We shan’t be gone forever you know!” Ruiryk grinned at her and patted her on the shoulder as he hurried out of the cottage to join Banor. “Alright, let’s go!”

  Kaiwan could not bear to watch them leave. Instead, she made her way to the stables and wandered amidst the stalls petting the horses. “Why must everyone go?” Tears began to well up in her eyes and she ducked inside one of the looseboxes to hide until she could regain her composure.

  The occupant snorted and nuzzled her hair. It was a pale coloured mare, paler even than Uleno had been. Pure white – but no horse was ever pure white! No – there shall be a few dark hairs upon her somewhere I am sure.

  Curious, she began to search for them. The white horse stood patiently, enjoying the attention. She was white: neither grey, nor pale dun, nor even cream, but white – as white as the fresh summer clouds! Parting the hair, Kaiwan found pink skin beneath it. Fascinated, she moved to the animal’s head and examined her large dark eyes. Not albino either – how is this possible?

  She heard voices then, and realised that perhaps she should go. This horse was doubtless the property of someone important. She had no right to be in here. I must leave before anyone sees me.

  Patting the horse one last time, Kaiwan edged out of the loosebox and carefully shut the door. As she was fixing the bolt, a hand closed on her arm and dragged her back. “Let me go!”

  “What are you doing in here, wench?” Callum scowled at the girl. “Hark at this, lads: she thinks to steal one of the horses!”

  Eric and Mikel came running from their work. “Who is she? She looks so strange!” Eric frowned. “Is she of the desert? Did she come with Lord Bandhir?”

  “Nay, that dog brought no one with him!” Mikel stepped forward. “Well? Who are you then?”

  “I don’t think that she understands us,” Callum observed. “She seems to be speaking in another tongue!”

  “What’s she saying, Callum?” Eric was curious. “Can you understand her?”

  The other two stable hands shook their heads. Mikel smirked. “Maybe she is asking us to kiss her!”

  “Ach, Mikel, don’t! She’s crying!” Eric felt awkward now. “We ought to ask someone who she is.”

  Callum and Mikel exchanged glances. “Maybe we have a better idea, Eric.”

  “What do you mean, Callum?” The youngest of the three youths was nervous.

  Mikel snorted and shoved him away. “Go and finish the mucking out, little brother! Callum and I will see to the wench.”

  Eric hesitated for a moment. “You should let her go.”

  “Fuck off, Eric!” Mikel made a fist. “Do you want me to thrash you again?”

  “Alright, I’m going!” Eric ran.

  Callum grinned. “Alright then, wench – let’s have a proper look at you!” He tugged at the bodice of her gown. It tore easily, exposing her slim form. The girl slapped him across the face and shouted at him in that strange tongue again. Behind them, the white mare squealed and put her ears back.

  Mikel glanced at it. “We’d best do this elsewhere. If that beast gets too excited, then it might kick down the door of the box again.”

  “Alright then; we can take her up to the hay loft.” Callum tried to drag the girl along with them. “Ouch! She bit me!”

  “I’ve got her now, Callum. Let’s get going before someone else comes along.”

  The mare whinnied and barged against the door of the loose box. The bolt, only half fastened, fell undone, and the door swung open. Snorting nervously, the pale horse trotted out into the aisle. She spotted the two youths immediately: laughing and tugging at the female’s robe. Her cries unsettled the animal and the mare charged straight into the two stable hands, rearing and striking out with her pale hooves.

  Kaiwan fell clear of the violence. She stared in awe at the white mare trampling her attackers. After her talk with Lady Naomi, she was able to guess what they had been attempting to do to her. “Ullen be praised! You have killed them: I am safe now, thanks to you, pale one. Oh, but now you may be blamed for all of this! I must take you to safety at once, friend!”

  ∞∞∞

  “Gone?” Naomi blinked. “Well, where to? Horses don’t simply vanish, Elharan.”

 
; “Aye, well this one appears to have done so. And so have two of the stable hands.” Elharan shrugged. “They can’t have left the keep: the gates are closed and the guards would have seen them. But we can’t seem to find them.”

  “Who saw them last?”

  “Another stable hand; he claims that there was someone else in the stables – a girl. He won’t tell me anything more than that. I suspect that something ill may have occurred. He looks guilty of doing nothing, if you take my meaning.”

  Naomi groaned. “You think that he stood by and did nothing whilst the other two...?”

  “I suspect. I cannot prove it either way. Not until we find them.”

  “Where is your witness now?”

  Elharan smiled. “I gave him to Misericord.”

  ∞∞∞

  “So, you say that you simply stood by?” Misericord was circling Eric. The youth sat tied to a chair in one of the cells. The cell itself was dark, and lit by a single dim torch. “Stood silently by?”

  Eric sobbed. “I’m sorry! I was scared: Mikel said he’d thrash me if I didn’t go away!”

  “Your craven cowardice has cost another far worse, I fear.” The masked man stopped his pacing and stood behind Eric. “Where would such wicked ones hide, I wonder?”

  “I don’t know! I swear I don’t! Please don’t hurt me!”

  “I am a witchfinder,” Misericord replied quietly. “I murder whom I must.”

  “No, please don’t kill me, sir! I told them not to; I said we ought to ask someone who she was! It weren’t my fault, sir, I swear!”

  “What weren’t?” Misericord breathed.

  “What they did!”

  “Whatever was it that they did do?”

  Eric howled. “I don’t know! Mikel jested about kissing her, but she was crying! They sent me back to my work – I was busy, I don’t know what happened! Ask them!”

  Misericord began to count on his fingers. “A maiden meek, a craven coward creeping, and a brazen brace of brutish boors! I expect an evil end to this endeavour.” He hummed to himself, and then spun into a crouch in front of Eric; bringing his silver mask level with the youth’s tear stained face. “Describe the doomed damsel!”

  “She – she was small and sort of dusky skinned, like. I thought she was a servant of Lord Bandhir maybe. Her hair was long and black. She had blue eyes, but with pale in the middle of them. And she spoke funny, and dressed funny.”

  “Mayhap I might not murder you yet.” Misericord sliced the rope binding Eric to the chair. “Flee for now fearful fool: I find you merely moronic.” Eric scrambled to his feet and bolted from the cell. “My mistress shall doubtless be dreadfully displeased by these dire deeds.”

  ∞∞∞

  Kaiwan paced the cottage, hoping that her spell would hold. She had cleaned the blood from the pale horse, and hidden the bodies of the youths by piling hay on top of them. Then she had cast, transforming white to bay, shortening the flowing mane and tail by several inches, and creating the illusion of heavyset bone. Now the mare was grazing contentedly in one of the paddocks. Kaiwan had come back to the cottage to mend her robe. She was protecting me! Now I must protect her!

  There was a rap upon the door of the cottage. “Kaiwan? Are you in there?”

  The Ca’Ryln gulped and hurried to open the door. “Lady Naomi – what is it?”

  “Are you alright? I know what happened in the stables, Kaiwan.” Lady Naomi bustled in, closing the door behind her. “Where are the two stable hands that attacked you?”

  Ullen save us, she knows what happened! I must not risk tarrying here a moment longer!

  “Kaiwan? Why, you are shaking! Sit down – I shall make you some tea.” Naomi turned to look for the kettle. “What happened is completely unacceptable, Kaiwan. An example shall be made, I assure you of that...!”

  The Ullensian sobbed as she brought the length of kindling down upon her hostess’ skull. “Forgive me please! I cannot let you hurt her!”

  She ran to the other door: the one that led into the forge. The stables were empty when she reached them. Kaiwan wrapped herself up in one of the long cloaks worn by the keep’s scouts. Pulling up the cowl, she hurried back to the pale horse’s loosebox and collected her bejewelled tack from the pegs outside. Casting another swift glamour to make it seem plain, the young Ullensian carried it out to the paddock and tacked up the horse. “We cannot stay here, brave one! Alas, you will have to wear your saddle and bridle. The guards would be suspicious if they saw me riding bareback – no one seems to do that here.”

  Swinging lightly up into the saddle, she gave with the rein and squeezed gently with her legs. The mare nickered softly and ambled off towards the main gate of the keep. The guards did not give them a second glance; for scouts came and went constantly; such was their duty. Exiting the keep, Kaiwan turned northwards into the mountains. “We shall go to Ullensia, friend! I shall set you free there, and beg forgiveness from Ullen for having failed my herdmate! Although I begin to wonder: did He send you to find me so that I might redeem myself?”

  ∞∞∞

  Korius eyed the golden haired dryanth warily. She was up to something, he could tell by her posture. “What are you plotting this time, Wildheart?”

  “Your slow and painful death, dolt. Don’t you have work to go to?”

  “I am not expected at the college today. Is that a knife?”

  “No, it is a spoon.”

  “Oh. What are you doing with a spoon?”

  “Nothing.” Lonrari tossed the utensil aside. It had proved to be no use for prying open the lock on the main gate anyhow.

  “Why is it bent in half?” Korius wondered.

  Lonrari snarled at him and fled upstairs to her chamber. “I hate you!”

  He heard the door slam shut and lock behind her. The sylvanth shrugged and unbent the spoon between his finger and thumb. It snapped in two. “Hmm, I think I may need to purchase some better quality cutlery.”

  ∞∞∞

  Eric sighed and forked another pile of hay into his barrow. “Why do I always get the blame anyway? It’s not fair!”

  Glancing down, he saw a small black and white cat pawing urgently at the hay. “What’s the matter then puss? Is there a rat in there? Let’s clear it away for you to get at him!”

  He tugged more of the hay aside and peered in along with the cat. “Oh Gods, no – somebody help! Murder – I say, murder!”

  Spellsnitcher hopped in next to the bodies as the terrified youth ran off. “Ah, good – lunch!”

  ∞∞∞

  Elharan spotted the red hound scratching and whining at the door of the cottage. “What’s up with you then, eh? Has Naomi locked you outside for once?”

  He scratched the dog’s ears and knocked on the door. “Ho there! Is anyone in there?” No one answered him, so he lifted the latch and entered. The hound bounded past him and scrabbled to Naomi’s side. Elharan blanched. “Naomi!”

  He hurried over and scooped her up. “Better get you to the infirmary: Gods, who did this to you? And where the hell is Misericord?”

  “Elharan?” Naomi blinked. “Where is she?”

  “Where’s who?”

  “Kaiwan, of course: I came to talk to her, but someone hit me on the head. It must have been Mikel or Callum – they must have been in here when I arrived! No wonder she looked so afraid! Elharan, we have to find them!”

  “The witchfinder will catch them; you need to see the healers. Those two louts shall hang for this treason, Naomi!”

  “There’s never been a hanging in Briersburge!”

  “Aye, well there’s never been rape and treason either! It’s time we got this keep back in good order.”

  He carried her into the main keep: bellowing at a passing unit of guards. “Somebody tell Lord Von Rosenhof that the Lady Naomi has been assaulted! And find Misericord too – tell him to hurry up and find those stable hands!”

  “I have just hastened to here to let the Lady learn of their lateness!” The
witchfinder was simply present, but Elharan told himself that the man had to have been lurking behind a convenient pillar. “My Lady, have you been horribly harmed?”

  “I’m fine, Misericord,” Naomi assured him. “Elharan put me down.”

  Elharan glared at them both as he complied. “You always were stubborn.”

  “And you always were too protective. Did they say anything before you killed them, Misericord?”

  “My Lady has been most malignly misinformed. The dastardly duo was already decidedly dead.”

  His mistress was shocked. “How did that happen? And more importantly, where is Kaiwan?”