He sat on a bench and pulled off his boots. “Do thee have a feeling of urgency?”
“No more than usual.”
A knock sounded on the door. His mother handed Reena clothes for both of them. Dala pulled Andalor into the hall. “Your Reena is lovely. Will you settle down?”
He leaned against the wall. “We’re on a quest and have little knowledge of what the future will bring.”
“At least stay for a tenday. Bring all your clothes to the kitchen. Your father put your packs in your room. Tomorrow I’ll do a wash. Your clothes are a disgrace.”
Andalor threw up his hands. “I told Reena you would insist. We’ve had other things to consider.”
She arched a brow. “Having something to do with the army that passed by here lunars ago?”
He nodded. “You’ll hear the tale at dinner.”
“You will stay then.”
“A few days. We can’t tarry more than three days. There are people waiting for us to complete our quest and join them in Pala.”
“Always in a rush.” She turned away. “When you have bathed, come to the kitchen.”
Moments later, Reena left the bathing room. Andalor went inside to take his turn. He emerged to find Reena sitting on the floor in the hall. When she looked up, he saw sadness in her copper-colored eyes. “What’s wrong? Has someone been rude?”
“I didn’t know where to go and waited for you.” She sighed. “Your mother cares deeply for you. My mother … she never –“
He took her hands and drew her to her feet. “She had no choice when the Black controlled her. Help me find our clothes and carry them to the kitchen. The rest of the family will soon arrive.”
By the time Andalor’s brothers, sisters and the two apprentices had gathered around the huge table in the dining room, Andalor wished for quiet. His sisters and his youngest brother had changed. He felt the absence of the brother who had died.
After sharing all the family news, Dala told Andalor his turn had come. He and Reena took turns speaking about the destruction of the Black Jewel and of the stronghold of the wizards.
His father raised a glass of ale. “I’m glad the black robes are gone and that you had a role in the ending. Never will we have to fear another child will be taken.”
His mother and two of his sisters brought platters of tarts and sweet biscuits to the table. Andalor accepted a small cup of tragon from his oldest brother. “I’ve one more tale to relate. About Sandar.” He told them about the death.
Reena leaned forward. “When I gave Andalor the comcrystal I had no idea Gregor was using Andalor’s brother as a spy.”
“How could you have known what would happen?” Andalor’s mother asked.
“She wasn’t herself,” Andalor said. “She was the Black Jewel’s creature.”
“What about the Jewel she now holds?” Andir asked.
“That’s part of the reason for the quest,” Reena said. “We fear the Jewels can be corrupted and seek a way to end their rule.”
“We won’t hinder you.” Andir clasped Reena’s hand. “Sandar was taken four years ago. The moment the wizards claimed him, we counted him dead. They never returned anything or anyone they stole.”
Tears trickled down Reena’s cheeks. “You’re so kind.”
Andalor’s sister went to her. “You’re our sister now.”
Andalor held his mother and dried her tears. “What happened to Sandar will never happen again. The wizards will be completely destroyed. People with talents will be honored. When our quest ends and we learn more about the Jewels, Liara will call all with talents to come to Pala and learn how to use their skills for the land.”
“Why?” his father asked.
“To heal the land,” Reena said. “The many decades of rule by the Black Jewel have harmed Earda.”
“What if the White becomes corrupted?” the older man asked.
“My fear and that of the other Holders,” Reena said. “That’s why Andalor and I must leave soon. We seek a way to prevent that.” She yawned.
Andalor’s mother rose. “The day has been long and filled with joy and sorrow.” She gestured to her daughters. “Take Reena and show her where to sleep.”
After they left, Andalor helped his mother clear the table. “I wish we could stay longer but we need to find supplies and continue our journey.”
“But you will return.”
“When I can.”
“I like your Reena;”
“She needs you. She never knew a mother’s love.
* * *
On the third day of their stay, Reena knew they had to leave. Though she treasured this time with Andalor’s family, her uneasiness grew stronger and she felt there was somewhere she needed to be. She sat at the kitchen table with Andalor. “We must leave in the morning.”
He rested his elbows on the table. “I feel the same urge.” He followed her to his old room and helped her pack their belongings.
Reena laughed. “We’ve added more things. I’m glad we have the pack horse.”
“If thee finish packing the clothes, I’ll see to supplies. A ten day should see us to the Screaming Hills.”
She nodded. “See if thee can find news about the road ahead. There’s … I feel worried about what we might find.”
At dinner, Andalor announced their decision to leave in the morning. Protests rose from his brothers and sisters. “Just stay for the rest of this tenday,” his mother said. “We’re planning a party to celebrate your choosing.”
“We can’t stay.”
Reena embraced the older woman. “A party would be fun, but my cousin depends on us to complete our task.”
Andalor nodded. “The land must be healed. You’ve been fortunate here, but other places have suffered floods and droughts. People have been attacked by wild beasts.” He told them about abandoned farms and of the tainted wells on the desert. “In Pala and Quato, I saw many people who had little food.”
“There’s a storm coming,” one of his sisters said. “I can’t say when, but there’ll be wind and rain.”
“Remain until this passes,” his father said.
“We can’t.” Reena said.
“If we encounter a storm, we’ll find shelter,” Andalor said.
The next morning, they loaded the panniers on the pack horse, cramming presents and provisions in the basket. Reena laughed. “If we had stayed much longer, we would need two pack horses.”
He joined her laughter. “Did we really need new clothes?” He mounted his steed.
“Your mother thought so.”
They traveled until dusk and made camp. The next day on awakening, they noticed heavy gathering of clouds, but the storm held off until late afternoon on their third day of travel.
The wind grew stronger. Reena drew even with Andalor. “We need to find shelter.”
He rose in the stirrups and pointed. “Lights ahead. A house. This reminds me of the night we met.”
“Lights mean the family’s at home. What will we do if they won’t let us in? The house is isolated. If I hadn’t heard thy knock and come to the door, Macker would have turned thee away,
He pointed to a building beside the house. “A stable. We can sleep there.”
Reena prodded her steed. Wind beat against her back. Thunder rolled and lightning flashed across the dark sky. She halted at the porch.
Andalor reached for the reins. “You go to the door. I’ll take the horses to the barn. No sense us both getting wet.”
As he rode away, the rain began. Reena dashed up the steps to the porch. The house reminded her of the one where she’d lived before her mother’s death. Instead of knocking on the door, she peered through an unshuttered window into a sitting room. A fire burned on the hearth. A man moved into view. Her hand flew to her mouth. How was it possible? He was dead. Gregor had laughed when he’d brought the news of Macker’s death. A movement caught her eye. A rough-clad man knocked Macker or his twin to the floor.
Reena rac
ed across the porch and vaulted over the railing. She ran toward the barn. Wind whipped and rain lashed her skin. She darted inside and halted just inside the door. Horses neighed. The clang of metal against metal reached her. She crept forward.
Andalor dueled with a man. A second tried to move closer but one of the horses blocked the approach. Reena clasped her Jewel and seized control of the horse. The steed reared and used his horn to gore the man who tried to hold him. The battle between Andalor and his opponent continued. Reena slipped past them. On the floor of an empty stall, she saw two men and a boy bound and gagged. She knelt and cut their bonds.
A cry rang out. She jumped to her feet. “Andalor.”
“I’m all right.”
She drew a deep breath. “I peered in the window of the house and saw a man hit someone who looked like Macker.”
One of the men she’d freed grabbed an axe. “Is Master Macker all right?”
“He’s alive,” Reena said. “Gregor told me his carriage plunged over a cliff and he died.”
“That’s what you were supposed to believe, Miss Reena,” one of the freed man said.
Andalor cleaned his sword. “How many bandits are there?”
“With these two gone, I think four more.”
“Is there a way into the house from here?”
One of the men pointed. “That door leads to a passage into the kitchen.”
“Weapons?”
The first man brandished an axe. The second hefted a maul. “I’ll use this. Knives in the kitchen.”
Andalor turned to Reena. “Thee and the lad see to the horses. Stay here.”
She nodded. She would help care for the horses but she had no intention of staying in the barn. She removed the saddles of the riding horse and placed their packs and blankets with the panniers. While the boy groomed the steeds, Reena gave them grain and water. She took a knife from one of the dead men and slipped into the passage.
When she reached the kitchen, she peered into the room. She heard grunts and curses. One of the bandits lay on the floor with a gash on his head. The two men from the barn had cornered another. She moved into the dining room and opened the door into the sitting room.
Andalor dueled with one man. Reena saw Macker. A tall, broad-shouldered man held a knife to Macker’s throat. He pulled him toward the door.
“I’ll kill him,” Macker’s captor shouted.
Andalor stepped back. A wave of fear rolled through Reena. She sucked in a breath. She had to act. She cupped her Jewel and saw the tabby on the mantle. She used her gem and ordered an attack. The cat leaped onto Macker’s captor and clawed his head and face. He screamed and the knife flew from his hand. Macker fell and crawled away. When he reached Reena, she pulled him into the dining room. The cat continued to savage the man who had held Macker.
Reena released her Jewel. She turned to her foster father. “I thought you were dead.”
He shook his head and clasped her hands. “Lady Reena, the Black Jewel was destroyed. How did you survive?”
“Liara saved me. She said I hadn’t been bonded to the Black long enough to become its captive. She removed the tendrils that had invaded me.” She stepped into his embrace. “Gregor told me you died.”
Macker released her and sank on a chair. “A false report.”
Andalor stepped into the room. Reena went to him. “Are thee all right?”
He nodded. “The men we freed in the barn will see to the bodies.” He paused. “Sir, where are the rest of your servants?”
“The women were locked in the pantry.” Macker rose. “I’ll release them.”
Reena examined Andalor. “Thee are injured.”
“Some minor cuts.” He studied her face. “The cat’s attack came at the right time.”
She grinned. “The tabby was the first weapon I could use.” She set the knife on the table. “I have no skill with this.”
He winked. “Or with obeying orders.” Andalor brushed his lips over hers. “The horses?”
“Are being cared for. I had to come and I’m glad I did.”
“So am I.”
Macker appeared in the doorway. “Andalor, your arrival was unexpected but most welcome.”
Andalor clasped the older man’s hand. “I’m glad we could help. Seems you have a tale to tell.”
“As do you. My house is yours.” A clock chimed. “So early. I thought hours had passed since their invasion.”
With no warning, Reena began to sob. The tears were ones she hadn’t been able to shed when Gregor had announced Macker’s death. They were a release of the tension of the past hour. The tears released the anger she’d felt at Gregor and the Black Jewel. She also sobbed for joy because the man who had been a father to her was alive and well.
Macker patted her shoulder. “Child, dry your eyes. Rejoice. I live and so do you.”
“I know.” Reena gulped and released a shuddering breath. Andalor slid his arm around her waist. Warmth infused her. She smiled. “For a time after the Jewel was destroyed, I was blind. Then the Orange called to me and the Holder of the Red restored my sight. How did you escape when your carriage plunged over a cliff?”
Servants bustled past them and entered the sitting room. A buxom woman paused beside Macker. “We’ll have things in order soon.”
He dismissed the woman to her duties and turned to Reena. “I wasn’t in the carriage.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“When I saw the road they’d chosen, I knew they had no intention of seeing me safely to my destination. On the morning of the accident I decided to ride.” He smiled. “The wheel shaft had been weakened. The carriage went over the cliff and I allowed them to believe they had succeeded. I came to this estate. No one knew it was mine.”
“Who were the men who attacked the estate?” Andalor asked.
“Bandits. The leader was a former Queen’s Guard who fled after the battle on the plain.”
Reena looked from one man to the other. “I’m glad we reached you before more harm was done.”
Macker grasped her hand and bowed low. “You are my foster daughter and well loved. While my servants set the house in order and prepare a meal, you can bathe and change your clothes. While we sup, you can tell me about your adventures.”
Andalor released Reena. “I’ll fetch our packs.”
Reena followed Macker into the hall. She glanced at the music room and the library. “This house is much like the manor where we lived.”
Macker paused at the stairs. “I liked the plan.” He led the way up the stairs and opened the first door.
Reena gasped. “It’s like my room at the manor.”
He nodded. “I never thought you would sleep here, but this room carries memories of other days.”
* * *
Andalor stepped from the tub, dried and pulled the chain to empty the water. He dressed and tied his hair back with a leather thong. With light steps, he went downstairs and entered the sitting room where Reena and Macker waited. All signs of the recent fight had been removed. The tabby curled in a basket beside the hearth.
Macker handed Andalor a goblet of wine and led them to the dining room. Two women placed platters on the table. Reena took several pieces of grain wrapped in grappa leaves. She passed the plate to Andalor. “You remembered my favorites.”
The elderly man chuckled. “There’s roast bovine with tubers and roots cooked in the broth with three kinds of scallions for flavor.”
Andalor filled a small plate with an assortment of tidbits. “Before Reena and I begin our talk, I’d like to hear more about your escape. Surely the wizards sent one of their own to accompany you.”
“They did. He was a fool.”
“What do you mean?” Reena asked.
“He was sent with me as a punishment. He’d broken one of their rules and was meant to die. I tried to persuade him to ride but he feared horses. Even when I told him about the dawizard to the carriage, he refused to believe me. The driver was my man and just
before the carriage shaft broke, he jumped from the seat.”
Andalor finished the first course. When the main course arrived, he helped himself to the bovine dish. “When I have time, I’ll turn your escape into a song.”
“I’ll be eager to hear it.” Macker grinned. “Now, tell your tale.”
Reena put her knife on the plate. “Of my time in the palace when I was controlled by the Black Jewel, I have few memories. The gem kept me in thrall. We left Pala and journeyed to the plains facing the Screaming Hills. This is what I recall.”
She spoke of the arrival and the four Holders who had come with her. “They couldn’t work together. I tried to force them. I did so many things during that time that shame me. I tried to kill Andalor. He escaped and joined the others. He killed Gregor. Then Liara attacked and pulled the tendrils of evil from me.” She touched Andalor’s hand. “My Chosen saved me.”
Andalor caressed her fingers. “And thee saved me after the battle.” He related his part of the tale from encountering Disa to the meeting with Liara and their journey across the desert to the Screaming Hills. “So back to back Brader and I stood. Came the Guards. Came the imaginary beasts and phantom men. I was sorely wounded and woke to find Reena at my side.”
“What happened to the Queen’s Guards?” Macker asked. “They should have sworn allegiance to the Holder of the White.”
“Many did. Of those left, some returned to Pala. I imagine there were deserters,” Andalor said.
“Except for Timir and the injured men the Holders treated.” Reena reached for her goblet. “The injured left for Pala. The rest of us journeyed to the Palace of the Seven Jewels.”
“I thought the place was in ruins and the desert had encroached,” Macker said.
“There are definite ruins,” Andalor said. “The grounds are like a vast oasis.”
Macker signaled the serving women. “Bring the tarts and cheese to the sitting room along with a pot of kaf.” He rose. “I’ve a feeling your tale isn’t finished.”
Reena laughed. “Not by far.”
Once they’d eaten the sweets and relaxed with mugs of kaf. Andalor began the story of how they’d found the remaining Holders and their Chosen. “So the six of us heard about the wizards’ stronghold and sent word to Pala.”
Discovering the Jewels' Secret Page 13
