The Guildmaster smiled and tossed the paper across the desk. “Go ahead and read it. Or if you’d rather be spared the details, I’ll sign it now to save time.”
More to spite him than because she really wanted to read her own death sentence, she picked up the elegantly written paper. She slouched in her chair, striving to look casual and unconcerned as her eyes began scanning the venom he had etched on the paper in ink as black as his heart.
Laughter threatened to bubble up out of her, but she forced it down. Hysteria would do nothing to help her situation, and would only convince her former leader that he’d won.
She savored each word, considering its weight and meaning before moving on to the next. It was amazing to see how many crimes she’d committed without realizing it. If the Guildmaster had been able to accuse her of causing the eventual death of their star, he would have. It was tempting to suggest he add it to the list, but the date and time of her execution had yet to be filled in.
There was no use in pushing him, especially if Berk was right about Cullen trying to rescue her. Her pulse raced at the thought; then the Guildmaster jerked her back to reality.
“If you’re done memorizing that paper, hand it back. I need to finish it.” He dipped his pen in the open ink bottle on his desk, enjoying his moment of power.
Staring straight into his eyes, she considered wadding the paper up and tossing it into the fire across the room. Too many years of sitting at a desk would have slowed him down enough to give her time. Then she thought about how satisfying it would be to rip the horrific words to shreds and toss them in his face. In the end, she let the paper flutter down on his desk as she stood up and walked away.
“Aren’t you curious about your appointment with death?”
“Not particularly.” She turned to face him one last time. “But know this, Guildmaster. Someday soon, it will be you sitting in one of those cells and waiting to die when the people realize what you’ve done.”
He sneered. “Me? I’ve done nothing.”
“Exactly. You’ve done nothing for the people you’ve sworn to serve, while their world is raped by greedy men from both worlds. And that is the biggest crime of all.”
Then she walked out. When his Blade wasn’t looking, Berk nodded at her, giving her his unspoken approval.
“Sworn Guardian, shall we see you safely back to your cell?”
“I would appreciate it, Guardian. I grow weary of the Guildmaster’s games.” They walked up the stairs in single file and silence.
When the cell door clanked shut, Lusahn lay on her cot and lost herself in her memories. If they were all she had, at least they were good ones.
“Damn it, Cullen, if you don’t quit that pacing, I’m going to hobble you.” Devlin sat against the tunnel wall, his legs stretched out before him. “Let’s catch some shut-eye while Barak works his mojo.”
“Fine. Call me if anything changes.”
Devlin opened one eye. “Don’t go far. You may have to move fast.”
“Yes, Dad. And I’ll look both ways before I cross the damned street.”
Cullen stalked off down the tunnel in search of some privacy—or maybe something to punch. Barak had been staring at that same spot in the barrier for almost three hours. So far, there’d been no change in the bright shimmer of energy. Cullen knew better than to interrupt him because the first time he’d tried it, the pale-eyed Kalith had threatened to do everybody a favor and gut him with the dull side of his sword. Trahern had offered to help him.
Fine. Their women were safe at Devlin’s house, while Lusahn could be…
He couldn’t think about that. Not until Barak brought down the barrier.
He paced down the tunnel, feeling his pulse race. If he didn’t get control of himself, he was going to pass out. The others would figure it was exhaustion and some serious jet lag from changing worlds, but the truth was, he’d been fighting all-out panic ever since the barrier had snapped back into place, separating him from the one woman he’d ever loved.
Lusahn, with her silver-streaked hair and thickly lashed pale gray eyes, spoke to his heart in a way no one else ever had. What he wouldn’t give to be holding her in his arms again, or better yet, to be showing her with his words and his body how much he loved her. He planned on taking some serious time off to do exactly that.
But first, they had to rescue her. They didn’t have much of a plan, other than impersonating a Sworn Guardian and his Blade. None of them except Barak spoke the language, which made him the best candidate for the Guardian role. The rest of them would march along in formation and try to look as inconspicuous as possible.
For the first time in hours, he smiled. How likely was it that Blake Trahern, one of the biggest, baddest Paladins ever, could fade into the background? But as long as they kept their faces shadowed in their cloaks, they could pass for a Blade—until the fighting started.
It was time to see if Barak had finally made some progress in weakening the barrier. As Cullen returned down the tunnel, he heard Devlin and Barak talking.
Barak’s words were coming fast and furious. Although Cullen couldn’t make out what he was saying, the excitement was clear. He started off at a ground-eating lope. Devlin was starting in Cullen’s direction, but he stopped when he saw him coming.
“Finley, get your ass back here if you want to go after your woman.”
Cullen sped up. The barrier was clearly weakening but it might not stay that way for long.
Barak stood with his hand held palm out toward the barrier. Cullen and Lonzo positioned themselves half a step behind him on either side, while Trahern stood behind them in grim silence. Warriors to the bone, all were ready to hike through hell to do battle if necessary.
Barak shuddered as a section of the barrier slackened and died. “Hurry! It will not stay down long.”
He led them through in a rush. It snapped back in place a heartbeat after Trahern cleared the ragged hole in the energy field. The four of them clustered together, adjusting to the change in temperature and light.
Barak tilted his head to one side and then the other. “We’re not alone in the caves.” He pitched his voice so that it wouldn’t carry far beyond where they stood. “Give me a minute to check where they are.”
He didn’t stay gone long. “If we are careful, we should be able to reach the outside without a problem. Beyond that, I cannot guarantee anything.”
Cullen clapped him on the back. “You got us this far. It’s a start.”
“Keep your hoods pulled forward to shadow your faces. As chilly as it is, no one will question that. And—”
“Enough already!” Cullen snapped. “Let’s go get her!” Before he totally lost it. He tried to push past, but Barak got right up in Cullen’s face, his pale eyes flashing in anger.
“Don’t forget that Lusahn is my sister, Cullen Finley. You’ve already jeopardized her life. Don’t make it worse by rushing things now.” Then he slowly moved out, the rest of them falling into formation behind him with their hands on their weapons.
The battle would soon begin, and there was no one in any world Cullen would rather have at his side. He trusted these men with his life—and even more important, he trusted them with Lusahn’s.
Chapter 13
T ime was a slippery thing. Had she been locked in this cell for two days? Two nights? It was difficult to tell with no windows and the limited light, and the hours seemed to drag.
Sleep only came in fits and starts, her dreams haunted, leaving her as tired when she woke up as when she’d gone to sleep. Mostly it was a weariness of the heart.
When the door opened, she didn’t bother to look. Either they were coming for her, or they weren’t. She wouldn’t cower, and she wouldn’t beg for mercy.
But the footsteps stopped at Larem’s door. The scrape of a tray being pushed under the door echoed loudly. Breakfast. Or maybe it was lunch. Since they fed them the same thing at every meal, it didn’t matter. But since they still bothered to feed them, perhaps it
wasn’t yet time to die.
Her tray arrived next, shoved under the door with no comment. Ever since Berk had drugged Larem, she ate only a little and then waited to see if she felt ill. So far, the bland soup had had no side effects.
Maybe it was silly to even worry about someone trying to drug her or poison her. She would soon be dead; what did it matter how?
Larem stirred and then picked up his tray. All hope for sleep gone, she did the same. After a few spoonfuls she started to set the tray back down on the floor, planning on shoving it back out of her cell.
“Eat more of that. You need to keep up your strength.”
Larem’s unexpected remark startled her. She set the tray beside her on the cot again. “Why do you care if I eat or not?”
Larem kept his eyes on the far wall. “Worrying about you is an old habit.”
“I can take care of myself.” Even if it hurt to feel so alone.
Some of the anger drained out of Larem’s expression, to be replaced with…sadness? Or was it regret? “I won’t disagree with that. No matter what has happened in your life—the loss of your parents, the loss of your brother, and now the loss of all that you’ve worked for—you still march on, head held high.”
He slowly turned to face her. “Have you ever allowed yourself to really need someone, Lusahn? Or doubted yourself? If so, I’ve never seen it. It makes it hard for ordinary men to keep up with you.”
He sounded curious rather than angry, but his words still cut through her. Was she so cold? Of course she had doubts and fears; who didn’t? And she had needed someone, but hadn’t found him in this world.
“I’ve had doubts, Larem. Never about the loyalty of you or my Blade, but about the Guild and how things are done. From what I’ve seen here, I was right.” Especially the Guildmaster’s greedy madness. “I needed my brother, but he left our world because of those same doubts. I needed my parents, but they died. And I need Cullen Finley.” If Larem couldn’t deal with that truth, too bad.
“You still feel that way after he deserted you, leaving you here to die?” Larem sounded more like his old self, protective of her.
“Cullen didn’t desert me. We were taking the children to the safety and light of his world, and one of us had to hold off your attack long enough for them to escape. I could do nothing for them in Cullen’s world, but he could. It was the right decision.”
“Will he come back for you?”
Lusahn shrugged and looked around at the thick stone walls that surrounded them. “Thanks to you, we didn’t have the time to plan that far ahead. I won’t hold it against him if he doesn’t. It is enough that he saved my children.”
“Why would he do that, when he is one of the butchers who slaughters our people?”
Lusahn shot him a surprised look.
“I remember Cullen from when we fought our way back to the barrier that time the four of us got trapped on the human side. Even then, you acted strangely about him. You could have killed him then and didn’t.”
“He and his friend allowed us to return to our world, Larem. That is hardly the mark of a crazed killer. If our world was being attacked every time the barrier failed, we would kill those who threaten us. They are warriors, just as we are.”
“Were, Lusahn. We are but shadows that will soon fade into darkness.” Then he slumped over on his cot, facing the wall, and pretended to sleep.
She understood his despair, but to give in to it meant that the Guildmaster and Joq’s accomplices had won. For that reason alone, she nurtured the small hope that Cullen would indeed come after her. But even if he didn’t, she wouldn’t have died for nothing. Her children stood a chance of thriving in the light. Her brother would know she’d forgiven him.
And the memory of Cullen’s love would carry her through whatever lay ahead.
“Why can’t we have some light?” Trahern complained. “I’m tired of stepping on the back of your heels.”
The passage was so dark that if they didn’t stay close, it would be easy to get lost. They all had better-than-normal human night vision, but Barak had them all beat. He marched ahead as if they were taking a stroll in broad daylight instead of inky darkness.
Barak answered, “The Guardians and Blades who patrol these caverns do not generally use lights. If they do, they use one of the blue stones, which we don’t have. If we want to blend in, we must function as they do.”
“Finley, you’re going to owe me big time for every damn bruise I get,” Trahern grumbled.
Cullen grinned. “Maybe Brenna will kiss your boo-boos and make them all better when we get home.”
“Shut up, Cullen.” Trahern cursed again when he bumped into the wall as the tunnel made a sharp turn.
What were they walking into? Were Larem and his buddies lurking in the darkness up ahead, or waiting for Cullen to charge out of the cave?
This whole expedition could turn into one major cluster fuck. But if the other three decided they were on a fool’s mission and turned back, he would go on alone.
“We need to stop.” Barak’s whisper was barely a breath of air as he came to an abrupt halt.
All of them heard the voices coming toward them, and the approaching Blade were carrying light with them, as well. Someone else had the gift for the blue stones.
“We should keep moving, but let me do any talking.” Barak started forward again.
Well, duh. That was obvious, since the rest of them didn’t speak his language. They’d gone no more than ten yards when a Sworn Guardian and his Blade came into view. Barak put on the swagger that Larem and Joq had worn like a second skin. The four of them moved to the side to allow the approaching Blade to pass, but the other Guardian stopped and drew Barak aside. They talked for a minute before the Guardian signaled his Blade to move out.
Barak said something curt to the Guardian and his Blade before they left. When they were out of sight, he signaled them to resume their march, continuing on in silence until they reached the mouth of the cave. Outside, the cold silver light of the moon did little to lessen the darkness or the chill of the night air, but it felt damn good to be out of the choking, closed-in caves.
A short distance down the trail, Barak stopped and looked back. They were alone.
Cullen took one more look around before speaking. “What’s wrong? What did that Guardian say to you?”
Barak looked worried. “He questioned our patrolling the same area that he and his Blade had been assigned, then complained that the other Blade had taken a break and hadn’t come back yet. He suggested that we patrol the trail down to the valley, because with the mood the Guildmaster is in, he’d blame everyone if some crazy human made it past the caves.”
Lonzo said, “So they are expecting Cullen.”
“I think so. He also grumbled about all this unnecessary duty because of a Sworn Guardian who had been arrested and was awaiting execution. As of this evening Lusahn was being held prisoner, along with the sole surviving member of her Blade.”
“Larem.”
“It would have to be.” Barak’s expression turned grim. “But the execution order has been signed and could be carried out any time the Guildmaster decides to. All the Sworn Guardians and Blades have been ordered to do extra patrols, just in case someone is crazy enough to try to rescue her.”
“It’s no more than we expected.” Trahern was staring all around them, studying the barren terrain of Barak’s home world.
Lonzo had drawn his sword, holding it down at his side. “So what do we do now?”
“Nothing’s changed. We walk in formation to the Guild and do whatever’s necessary to get Lusahn out of there,” Cullen replied.
Trahern asked Barak, “Do we have time to get there before your sun comes up?”
Barak studied the sky. “Yes, I would think so. However, it would be impossible to get her away from the Guild and back to the barrier before dawn.”
Cullen had already reached that same conclusion. “And if we broke her out, we’d have t
o find a place to hole up until nightfall, and with every Guardian and Blade searching for us.” He considered their options. “So the best bet is to hide first, break her out after the star sets, and then make a run for it.”
Blake added his two cents’ worth. “But every hour we delay makes it that much more likely they’ll execute her before we can get to her.”
Cullen’s temper was frayed to the breaking point. “Damn it, Trahern, don’t you think we know that! But what good would it do to stage a raid on the Guild in broad daylight? And you can see for miles in this wasteland; we’d be sitting ducks.”
Lonzo stepped between them. “Can we take this argument somewhere else? We’re too exposed on this hillside.”
Paladin tempers always ran hot right before battle. Until they were safe, it would take a lot of effort to think clearly beyond the need to fight, even if it was with each other. Cullen shoved his anger back under lock and key.
“We’ve got two options. We can head for Lusahn’s house, although they’d be more likely to look for us there. Or we could spend the day at Joq’s cabin outside of town. We’d have farther to go to reach Lusahn at nightfall, but we’d have a clear view of anyone approaching the cabin. It has the added advantage of no close neighbors.”
Trahern looked past Cullen to Barak. “What do you think?”
“I’d say Joq’s is the best option. We can skirt the town, reducing our risk of running across another patrol. They’d be expecting us to head toward town, not away from it.”
Cullen nodded. “Let’s get moving. Standing on this ridge is making the back of my neck itch.”
“Stay close. I wouldn’t want you to walk off the side of the trail. You’d get to the bottom faster that way, but you wouldn’t enjoy the trip as much.” Barak gave them one of his fleeting smiles and led the way.
They automatically fell into their Blade formation and hiked down the hillside, stopping every so often to rest, since Lonzo and Trahern weren’t yet acclimated to the thinner atmosphere. Each time, Barak would reach out with his extra-sensitive hearing to make sure they weren’t being followed. So far, luck was with them.
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