A Gift Freely Given (The Tahaerin Chronicles Book 1)

by J. Ellen Ross

  She drew a deep breath and the girl disappeared, to be replaced by a queen. They had no time to mourn or hesitate. “He can’t be found here. Find Symon and have him send a few servants we can trust to hide a body.”

  Grim but determined Zaraki bowed. “Of course, Your Grace. Please lock the door behind me.”

  Once he found Symon and explained the incident, the older man went to work. He still knew a handful of the castle staff and asked them for help. Few in the castle liked Aniol much, it seemed, and the servants gleefully agreed to help dispose of the body. They rolled the former castellan up in the rug, told any curious onlookers the queen wanted it sent to storage and dumped their burden in the undercroft. Aniol often went into Lida to drink, so tonight they would take his body out of the castle and deposit it somewhere disreputable for the town guard to find.

  By the time Cyril decided to act, they hoped the new guard captain would be in place.

  After hiding Aniol’s body, Zaraki and Symon walked to the wing of the castle where staff had their rooms, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary occurred today. “Are you all right?” Symon asked, sounding genuinely concerned. “With killing him, I mean.”

  Zaraki made a dismissive face. “It’s my job and it’s not my first. I’m not an assassin, but I’ll kill to save my employer or myself. I wasn’t about to let them threaten her. I’ll forget this one soon enough.”

  “Your accent says you’re from further east than Embriel,” Symon said.

  “Yes. Ostrava.” Zaraki assumed it would be safe to admit it here, as far away from Cezar as he could travel.

  “Ah. Excellent spies.” The older man sounded pleased. “I know something of your oaths.” His hand shot out and caught Zaraki’s left wrist. Flipping it over to show the brand, he said, “And I know this means you can be trusted. I hope you asked for good pay.”

  Zaraki fumbled, surprised to be caught out. “Her Majesty was very generous,” he said. Then, “Symon, are you sure you’re just a butler?”

  The older man laughed. “Leisha’s father and I were great friends. He included me in many things. Your kind has passed through here before.”

  The rooms Symon allotted to Zaraki were beyond anything he could imagine. The door opened into a formal sitting room with a dining area behind that. A lovely carved door separated the front rooms from a huge bedroom and a smaller room he could use as an office and work area. He thought he would need to work for years to afford the furniture rooms this large required.

  “While we wait on young Andelko to arrive, we can visit the undercroft and you can pick things to fill up all your empty spaces,” Symon told him after giving him the key.

  Zaraki blinked, surprised. “No, please. I can go into town and find things. I’m sure anything here is too good for me.”

  “She insisted, as thanks for saving her,” Symon told him, clapping him on one shoulder. “You work for a queen now. Get used to this.”

  ***

  Three days later, Andelko presented himself to Leisha. Broad-shouldered, with close-cropped, dark hair, he strode into her receiving room in his armor. Zaraki thought the captain’s beard seemed odd and out of place, as few Tahaerin men grew them out, but no one else seemed to care.

  Andelko bowed, looking relaxed and confident. After introducing him to Zaraki, Leisha invited him to sit and eat lunch with them. While the two men talked, she listened as her new spymaster asked Andelko the questions they discussed earlier. She read the newcomer’s thoughts and memories, looking for anything to suggest his loyalties lay with Staval. Instead, she found a near fanatical devotion to her family. Satisfied, she asked Zaraki to explain the current situation at the castle.

  When he finished, Leisha said, “You came well recommended. I want you to replace Cyril as guard captain today. You’ll be working closely with Zaraki to rid the castle of Staval’s men.”

  “Your Highness, I’d be honored.” Andelko looked and sounded shocked. Captain in the King’s Horse to guard captain over the whole of Branik was a large step. He wondered who would give him such an endorsement.

  “Excellent. We need to work quickly and carefully. Once my uncle is aware we’re purging his men and he’s losing control of the castle we can assume he’ll retaliate.”

  The pretty new queen and the stranger with the odd accent made for an interesting team, Andelko thought. “Can he do anything? Should we be preparing for a battle? I can start moving men back here from Moraval.”

  “We’d prefer to avoid armed conflict if possible,” Leisha said, hesitant to admit how few allies she had. She needed to resolve this situation without sparking a civil war she could not win.

  “Do you have men you would trust to take positions in the guard here?” Zaraki asked. “The most important thing to do now is replace all of the officers with your men.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  It took Zaraki several seconds to realize Andelko referred to him when he said, sir.

  The next morning Symon released Cyril, and Zaraki escorted the angry and flustered man to the gate. Andelko called in the officers serving under Cyril and advised them of the change in command. He announced a new watch schedule and tighter controls over weapons. That night, watching from a wall, Zaraki caught a man attempting to sneak out of the castle. He turned him over to Andelko for desertion and when they searched his things, Zaraki found a letter addressed to Staval asking what he wanted done about Leisha.

  Three days later, with Andelko’s men called in from the field and promoted, they relieved Cyril’s officers. “This was the easy part, I’m afraid,” Zaraki said during lunch, standing with Leisha as she gazed out a window in her apartments. “I’d expect Staval to be on his way by now. We know he only went back over the mountains to his hunting lodge. I caught the one spy, but I’m sure he wasn’t the only one here.”

  “What should I expect when he arrives?” Andelko asked, pleased to share lunch with the queen and the two other men serving as her advisors. “We have only a few people we can trust. If Staval returns and tries to take command of the castle, we’re outnumbered. Do we bar him from the castle and hope he leaves?”

  Leisha smiled, looking enigmatic. “Invite him in. I have an idea to buy us time.”

  ***

  Though Leisha would have preferred to be seen throughout the castle, Zaraki insisted she stay in areas they controlled. She chafed at the restrictions but, with so many unknown elements, he refused to leave her side unless Andelko could sit with her. When she tired of looking at her accounts, they talked about Tahaerin society or Lida’s history. Zaraki’s curiosity about his new home seemed boundless, and they talked for hours. It unsettled her the day she realized she enjoyed his company.

  With his reluctance to leave her alone, it became a habit to eat all their meals together and she invited Symon and Andelko to join them. At dinner, a week after appointing the new lieutenants, a servant appeared to announce the arrival of her uncle.

  “Let me go scouting before you meet with him, Your Grace,” Zaraki said tersely.

  Leisha dug into her meal. “Of course. I’m in no hurry to greet him. Be sure the servants don’t prepare any rooms for him. He’s not welcome and isn’t staying this time, either.”

  ***

  Staval fumed as he waited in the entrance hall to the castle. That little bitch left them to linger for over an hour without even offering them refreshments or a chance to go to their rooms. Just like her mother, she enjoyed the chance to annoy her guests. Finally, he heard a door opening and saw his niece emerging, followed by a tall, well-armed stranger he did not know. He guessed this was the man he had received messages about, the one advising her.

  “Uncle,” she said and smiled. “I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon. Otherwise, I would have prepared my home for visitors.”

  Her voice sounded so like Shola, cool and insincere. “Yes, well. I wanted to see how you were settling in and see if you needed anything from me. As your regent, I was able to make some improv
ements on your father’s way of doing things. I thought I could help if you had any concerns.”

  His transparent lies annoyed her and Leisha wanted to laugh in his face. “I’ve made changes as well, to suit my own preferences.”

  “So I’ve heard,” he said in a low voice, the threat clear. He wanted her to know he had men watching her.

  Behind her, he saw the stranger tense, and Staval wondered who had suggested she hire her own bodyguard.

  “I’m well aware of your spies,” Leisha said, annoyed at his attempt to intimidate her.

  Staval marked a shift as she abandoned any pretense of civility. She viewed him as an enemy and knew about his plans here. “Niece, your position here is precarious,” he said, well aware of the dangerous young man standing behind her. “You’re far too young to think you can do what your father never could. You can’t tame your nobles. Hopefully your advisor,” he waved a dismissive hand at Zaraki, “has told you your best hope is to find a suitable husband to help you consolidate your power.” He paused, waiting for her confirmation. When none came forth, he continued, “I have several sons of age and quality who would be good matches for you.”

  Leisha threw her head back laughing, happy to see him show his hand. “Are you suggesting I marry one of your bastard sons? A half-brother, uncle? Or should I say, father?”

  When he looked confused, she continued. “I’ve heard all the rumors. That you’re my father. That you had an affair with my mother and I’m the product. And I heard how you drove her to her death by threatening to expose it.”

  “I never made those accusations public,” he said, crossing his arms and looking uncomfortable.

  “And yet, how many people heard you say it? Enough I think for me to make a claim. Your lands are very attractive. Lovely mountains and pastureland for my horses. Since you’ve suggested to anyone who would listen that I’m your eldest female child, I expect my claim to those lands to be honored. If not, I’d have to exert it by force.”

  Staval glared at her, wondering who she heard this from. When he started the rumor years ago, he meant it as a way to discredit her claim to the throne. He never considered she might turn it back on him.

  When he said nothing more, she nodded her head in the direction of the courtyard. “I believe we’ve reached an understanding, Uncle. Leave and take your threats with you.”

  Leisha stood on the steps above the yard, watching Staval and his retinue ride out of the courtyard through the gate. Only when they were gone did she turn to Zaraki.

  “Eldest daughters in Tahaerin are entitled to significant gifts of land when they become adults, just like the eldest sons,” she explained. “I’ve bought us a bit of time, no more. He and I both know people will lose interest in this scandal quickly enough. By the time we hold my coronation, he and his friends will be back on the attack.”

  ***

  Zaraki went on the offensive now, tracking down Staval’s agents in town once he believed he had driven them all from Branik. The ones in the castle were the easy ones, of course. In town, they knew the streets and alleyways better than he did and they had friends. He began asking uncomfortable questions and letting them know he was aware of them. Once he tracked a suspicious target back to his hovel or rented room, he would have Andelko and his men sweep in. They would evict the man or woman, jail them if warranted or just let them know he knew who they were and who they worked for.

  One night, he followed a man named Tadu as he wandered back from a meeting with an informant. The snitch’s information was quite good, and Leisha paid well for it. Tadu worked for Staval as an information merchant, watching the coming and goings of the castle staff and guards. Zaraki suspected Tadu was the one who tipped off Staval about their purging his people.

  Now, Zaraki watched him, hoping to find where he slept so Andelko could pay him a surprise visit first thing in the morning. Tadu turned down a filthy, narrow alley and disappeared into a shack leaning against a fuller’s shop. He just needed to make sure Tadu was staying for the night so he could send Andelko to the right place tomorrow.

  A few minutes later, Tadu appeared, this time carrying a heavy pack for travel. Zaraki cursed and considered what to do. If the man chose to flee in the middle of the night, he had good reason. The guards had locked the gates hours ago and climbing over the wall was a crime. The town guard jailed anyone attempting to leave after dark.

  Zaraki wondered if maybe the man was just moving homes, but no, there he was heading straight for the wall. Damn, what a shame. Smiling, he knew there was no way he would let this one walk away into the night. It was a reckless thing to do, but he had not been in a good fight in a while. On silent feet, Zaraki closed the distance between them.

  “Tadu.” The man turned, hearing his name.

  Zaraki drew his poniard, a gift from Cezar for his sixteenth birthday, and lunged. From his sleeve, Tadu drew his own small blade and tacked to his left to avoid the thrust. Seeing the stiletto, Zaraki adjusted but he hated facing opponents with the wicked little blades. They usually bounced around, refusing to engage except to jab with the needle-sharp points.

  Tadu dodged his next thrust, stabbing at his knife hand as if splitting a block of ice.

  Leaping back out of the way, Zaraki pressed back, thrusting again and trying to keep the other man off balance. This time, Tadu scrambled backward, unwilling to engage, looking for any escape.

  “Fight me,” Zaraki taunted, seeing an older man, underfed, and not willing to die for his master.

  Tadu looked left, then right, still searching for a way out, but he held his stiletto low and to the side. “Shut up, boy,” he snarled. Desperation crept into his voice as he realized he faced a trained opponent and not just an opportunistic thief. He circled around, making several feints to find a way to escape down the alley.

  Tired of dancing around, Zaraki pressed forward again, running in fast, trying to close the distance. Tadu bent away, leaning left to dodge the blow. For an old, hungry man, he came back up fast and stabbed down with his stiletto. Too late, Zaraki saw his mistake and cried out as the blade sunk into his left shoulder.

  But just as he learned when sparring in the yard, or taking a beating from Fellnin, he used the pain to focus his attention. He saw his opportunity and thrust upward, the narrow blade of his poniard sliding into Tadu’s chin, and up, up, up. The other man slumped lifeless to the ground, leaving his stiletto buried in Zaraki’s shoulder.

  He could feel the grinding of the sharp point every time he drew breath or moved his arm, agony screaming through his left side. Pain blossomed and Zaraki felt a wash of blood soak his clothes when he pulled the blade out, hurling it away. What a stupid mistake. He should have never been so sloppy. In the back of his mind, he heard Ani lecturing him.

  Pressing his hand to the wound, he staggered back. He needed to get out of here before anyone found him. His horse stood around the corner and down a few houses, and every step jarred his wound. Hauling himself up into the saddle, Zaraki saw darkness gathering in the corners of his vision and feared he would pass out from the pain. He gathered up the reins, grateful his horse stood still as he screamed through clenched teeth.

  Once upright, he grabbed a handful of his tunic and balled it into a knot to stuff into the wound to stop the bleeding. Whispering a silent thanks to Cezar for all his training on caring for wounds, he clucked at his horse and the animal started for home. The motion lashed him with pain and more than once he imagined being found passed out, bleeding in the street.

  An eternity later, he passed through the gates at Branik. Given the reactions of the guards there, Zaraki thought he must look awful. One of them stopped his horse and tried to help him off while the other started calling for the castle doctor. He tried to slide down one side while maintaining some amount of grace but lost his balance when pain ripped through him.

  Falling, he remembered. Landing in the dirt, he did not. When he woke up, several men were helping him to his feet and up the stairs to h
is rooms. He saw Andelko’s face swimming in his vision and then nothing more.

  ***

  Zaraki heard and felt the door to his rooms slam open at first light. Bathed and swathed in clean bandages, he hoped he looked less corpselike than earlier. Levering himself into a more upright position, he prepared to face Leisha as she stormed into his bedroom.

  Her cheeks flushed an angry red seeing him in bed. Pointing to the servant who brought breakfast and the one removing the blood-soaked sheets from last night, she barked, “Get out.” They scuttled behind her, making themselves as small as possible.

  Symon stood in the corner of the room. He had hoped to check on the patient before their queen heard about the incident. Now, he saw the anger written on her face and made to follow the servants out. He recognized Shola there, the hard set to her mouth and the way she held her body still. If possible, he preferred to avoid a tirade this early in the morning.

  “Stay put. I’m not going to hit anyone,” she said, plucking out Symon’s memory of her mother raging and striking maids or anyone else unlucky enough to stand too close. “What happened?”

  “Your Grace, I’m sorry,” Zaraki began. “I saw someone I recognized and decided to follow him. I wasn’t as careful as I should have been.”

  “What does that even mean?” she asked, giving voice to the fury she felt. She liked Zaraki, liked his easy smiles and quick wit. So busy worrying about herself, the thought of his dying had not occurred to her before now. She did not want anything to happen to him.

  “I knew the man I was following was Staval’s spy and I saw him trying to leave town after the gates were closed. I shouldn’t have followed him alone, but I decided to risk it anyway. He’s dead, and I took a stiletto in the shoulder.” He winced, remembering the pain.

  “The castle doctor has seen you?” she asked.