A Gift Freely Given (The Tahaerin Chronicles Book 1)

by J. Ellen Ross

  As he listened, Zaraki felt his annoyance growing and he forgot about Symon’s declaration. By their nature, Ostravans were territorial and now Ladvik threatened his queen. “This is unacceptable,” he said as Marcin finished. “Come. We’ll go tell the queen and see what she thinks about this.”

  ***

  Strolling through the castle gardens, Leisha soaked up what little warmth summer had left to offer. A wet, chilly fall waited for another turning of the wheel. She wanted to enjoy walking outdoors while she could, so she drew the light cloak around her shoulders.

  Next to her, Andelko talked about improvements he wanted to make to Branik. “Ideally, we could expand the gatehouse to accommodate an additional portcullis and gate. It would take some doing, but I think it’s important. More obstacles for anyone trying to get in.”

  Leisha felt Zaraki approaching and heard his boots as they crunched down the gravel path. When she turned to greet him, she touched his thoughts and saw anger and concern. Her spymaster looked grim as he led a short, terrified, man to her.

  “I’ll leave you, Your Grace.” Andelko started to bow and retreat, but Zaraki shook his head.

  “Stay. You should hear this, too,” he said and handed Leisha a letter. The wax seal had been broken, but she recognized the emblem. Lord Ladvik of Tarnow.

  “My lady, this is Marcin, an agent of mine in Arnost.” Standing behind Zaraki, the man bowed low and refused to make eye contact with her. “He acts as a liaison to Andrzej. People pay him to get them access to the king, but he works for us. A few hours ago, he brought me this letter, delivered to him by a man claiming to speak for Ladvik.

  “Briefly, it requests assistance from Embriel and asks if they’ll invade, with the promise of the return of the Tymek in exchange for their assistance subduing your allies. It also mentions some vague threats to assassinate you.”

  “Embriel? So, once I’m dead, Embriel would invade and put down any resistance to Ladvik?” Leisha looked puzzled, not sure she understood.

  “That appears to be the plot, yes.”

  Leisha rolled her eyes. “Ladvik’s an idiot. Is this credible?”

  “I don’t know, honestly.” He looked as bemused as she did. “It seems either very poorly thought out, or perhaps they’re just dangling bait to see who bites. Maybe someone is trying to flush out some of my agents. I’m not completely sure.”

  “Is there any information about the plan to assassinate me? I’m rather more concerned about that than I am about Embriel invading,” Leisha said, annoyed at the sloppy, poorly conceived conspiracy. While Embriel would like to retake the Tymek, its return would cost a fortune in lives and tira to help subdue the whole of Tahaerin for someone as unpopular as Ladvik. And alienating Staval by promising his lands in payment? Foolish.

  “They didn’t give any details yet. Marcin arranged to meet Ladvik’s man in Achym with an answer. I’ve already drafted responses for him to deliver to Ladvik asking for proof of some sort of plot before Andrzej will agree to anything. I’m going to be meeting with him as a representative from Embriel. Jan and Eli will be here with you.”

  Zaraki bowed. He needed to pack and draft a quick letter to the man he had hired to run the brewery for him. “Please be careful, Your Highness. It sounds ridiculous, but even so, be careful.”

  Drawing her cloak around her further, Leisha thought the afternoon felt suddenly colder. “I will. I promise. Jan and Eli make excellent shadows. Also, Marcin, I’ll see you rewarded well when this is over.”

  ***

  Aniska stood across the square staring up at the red-roofed house, worrying a fingernail and trying to decide what to do. Twice she had asked a passerby if this was Siven Square and twice she had been told yes. But the three-story home standing in front of her could not possibly be the one Zaraki mentioned buying two years ago.

  It was lovely and large and he had said he bought as a safe house for them. A three-story home fit for a guild leader and his entire family? How could he ever afford this?

  Three weeks ago, when a man appeared at her tavern asking for her, Ani had been away, meeting with her employer. She returned to the bar and one of the girls pulled her aside to warn her of the tall, dark haired man. By her description, Ani knew who had come and felt an icy finger stab at her. She did not fear Fellnin, but she did not want him to take her by surprise either.

  Excusing herself, Ani had ducked outside and taken a long, torturous path back to her rooms. She grabbed only what she needed on the road and left Kajetan behind. The first night sleeping in the open, she decided to risk fleeing all the way to Achym. Where else could she go? On foot and barges, she made her way south into Embriel and then west, cursing Fellnin and wishing she had had time to withdraw her funds from her bank.

  Standing in Achym, in front of the massive house her friend claimed to own, Aniska cursed Fellnin again. She had lost everything and her sour mood had not improved over the course of this trip. A light rain started and she decided she could not stand on the street any longer. She pulled her hood up and turned down an alley between two buildings. After walking a few blocks, she began turning at random, checking over her shoulder to see if anyone followed her. Since fleeing Kajetan, she had not caught sight of anyone, but she did not feel ready to let her guard down.

  Satisfied, she wound her way back through the maze of narrow streets to the front door of the red-roofed house and knocked on the door. No one answered for a long minute and she began to wonder if she had the wrong house. Perhaps Zaraki had sold it.

  Then she heard footsteps and a small, old man opened the door. “Can I help you?” he asked, eyeing her dirty clothes.

  Ani fumbled for words, forgetting for a moment what Zaraki had told her. “Yes,” she managed. “I’m here to see Cezar.”

  The old smiled and stepped aside to let her pass. “Very good. Please come in. The master is away, of course, but you’re welcome here. He’s left a few things for you. I’ll fetch them and then something to eat.”

  Inside, Aniska saw Zaraki had not filled the house with furniture. In the front room, a couple of chairs with red velvet cushions sat around an old table. Two benches with high, carved backs stood pushed against one wall, but the wood floors were bare of any rugs. The plaster walls were unpainted and unadorned. It made the house seem cavernous and empty.

  “Forgive me, lady,” the old man said, reappearing with a small wooden box. “I’m Rufen and I’m here to help you. Are you injured? Hungry? My master said to give this to you.”

  Aniska understood master referred to Zaraki, but she thought could never get used to hearing that. “Just hungry, please,” she stammered.

  Rufen brought out a bowl of fruit along with cheese, bread, and wine. He apologized for not having more to offer. They ate together when Ani insisted.

  However, as the evening wore on, she felt the weight of the last three weeks bearing down on her. She had no job now and very little money. She had to consider her home and everything in Kajetan lost. Fellnin knew she had worked there and so the chance Cezar knew seemed likely. Returning there would invite unwanted attention and so, now she had to disappear. The box Zaraki had left sat unopened on the little table.

  Ani wanted to open it alone.

  “Rufen, do you live here all the time? Or do you have a home?” she asked, pushing the remains of dinner away.

  “I live with my daughter, lady.”

  “I’m going to be staying here for a week, but I can take care of myself,” she said. “You don’t need to stay here with me.”

  The old man understood and excused himself. A few minutes later, he appeared with a small basket. “There’s a lovely market in the Narrows, three blocks north, lady. You can get food there. If you need anything, my daughter lives off Fullers Square. Ask for Linori and someone can point you to our house.”

  Once he had gone, Ani poked at the little, wooden box, wondering what Zaraki could have left here for her. Raising the lid, she found a folded letter and coins. Gold ti
ra – enough to take care of her for months. She blinked in surprise before lifting out the parchment. Ani stirred the glinting treasures with a finger as she read the letter.

  A,

  I hope this finds you well, and I hope the circumstances that brought you here aren’t too dire. Upstairs, there are clothes. I think they’ll fit you. I tried to pick out things you’d like, but I’m not good at choosing women’s clothes. Best of luck with that.

  If you’re in the house, I can assume you’re in trouble. The money is yours, all of it. Do whatever you need to with it. Rufen will take care of you and he’ll be discreet.

  I wish I could tell you where to find me, but of course I can’t. Rufen can get a message to me. If you have to leave here, tell him where you’re heading or find a way to leave me a message.

  Don’t lose touch. Whatever happens, I’ll find you.

  Z.

  Folding the letter, Aniska set it to one side and dumped the golden coins out on the table. She examined the box, turning it over in her hands, looking for a maker’s mark, anything that might provide a clue to its origins. Though small, it was inlaid with metal and mother of pearl. It was well made but yielded no hints of where Zaraki might have acquired it. Good boy, she thought.

  A yawn snuck up on her and she smothered it with the back of her hand before scooping the coins back into the box. Ani took it upstairs with her, found a room with a bed and stripped off her ruined dress. She collapsed into bed. Tomorrow she would figure out what to do. Tonight, she just wanted to sleep.

  When a whisper of sound invaded Ani’s dream, she did not move, confused for a second and unable to remember where she was. Had the noise come from the house or someone in her room?

  The bed shifted.

  No matter how many people she slept with, men or women, she never allowed them to spend the night in her rooms. They could come over for fun, but then they had to find somewhere else to sleep.

  Ani bolted out from under the covers, grabbing the stiletto under her pillow as she found her feet. Silvery moonlight poured through the large window and she saw a figure sitting at the end of the bed. A large man with closely cropped dark hair held his hands out in front of himself, warding her off.

  “Please, Ani, I’m not armed. Please.”

  She recognized the voice and stepped back, putting distance between herself and her Ostravan brother. The stiletto slipped up into the sleeve of her shift. “Fellnin?” she asked, incredulous, wondering how he had found her. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  “Just passing through on my way back to my employer, Ani,” he lied, trying to calm her down. Still holding his hands out in front of him, he showed her he was unarmed.

  “Bullshit.” Ani drew the word out. “Why are you following me?”

  He smiled at her, looking smug and satisfied. “It’s not hard to track a red headed woman traveling alone through Embriel. So, how have you been since you left Ostrava? What have you been doing?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Working, Fellnin,” she said, not trying to hide her frustration. “In Kajetan at a job I liked until you showed up.”

  He frowned in the moonlight and shook his head. “You didn’t have to run. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Now he was just pissing her off. “Really?” she demanded. “Because that’s not the impression you’re giving off right now.”

  Fellnin said nothing and continued to sit quiet and still at the end of the bed. He looked hurt that she was not more receptive to him.

  Angry and exasperated, Ani threw up her hands. “What do you expect? The last I heard of you, Father told you to kill Zaraki and me. I’m not happy to see you.”

  When he looked up, she saw his face clouded with rage. “I was never going to kill you. Only him. He broke his oaths and dragged you down with him.”

  “It was all lies. All of it. We were never sleeping together. Why did you come to Kajetan, Fellnin?” Ani thought about killing him. Though they grew up together, he had always been a bully and as he got older, he became an insufferable whiner. She had no time for his nonsense, but if he had come here to kill her, he would have done it earlier. And, she reasoned, if she killed him she would have to dispose of the body or flee Achym. Better to wound him then.

  “I just wanted to talk to you. Haven’t you ever thought of giving all this up? Forgetting your oaths and doing what you really want to do? I’ve always loved you, always.”

  “Get out,” Ani snapped. “And leave us alone.”

  Across the room, Fellnin stiffened and then surged off the bed. In an instant, he stood inches from her, holding her elbows to her side and squeezing hard enough to hurt. She felt his breath on her face and felt her heart start to beat faster. His anger did not surprise her nor did it frighten her. As children, he always tried to use his size against her and she almost always won their confrontations.

  “Why do you even care what happens to Zaraki? Why?” Fellnin demanded, shaking her. “Have you ever asked him who he works for? In Lida? It’s bullshit and it’s not fair. He doesn’t deserve it. Ask him and see how you feel about him then.”

  Ani did not want to deal with a body and she did not want to leave the safe house just yet, but she could certainly make it so Fellnin left her alone. The stiletto slipped down into her hand and she stabbed at his crotch.

  Sensing her motion, he jerked his hips to one side, barely saving his ability to father children. The needle sharp knife plunged into his thigh. Howling in pain and surprise, he let go of his grip on her arms and danced back. He saw her drop into a crouch, weapon held off to one side. Another knife lay somewhere close and she would use both on him. With one hand pressed to his thigh, Fellnin held the other out in front of him and began backing out the bedroom door and down the steps.

  ***

  The road to Achym took them through lovely parts of Tahaerin. Zaraki loved the passes through the Violet Mountains with the imposing peaks rising on either side. They passed through valleys full of late summer flowers and out onto the flat Tymek plain stretching to the Vinca River. At times, he wished he remembered more of where he came from, but the memory faded years ago. Tahaerin was his home now and he loved it.

  The tolls Leisha collected kept the road clear and well maintained. Coupled with fine weather, they made excellent time down to the river. A small number of coins got them on a ferry to cross the river and they were in Embriel.

  They split up well before reaching the outskirts of Achym. Marcin would meet with Ladvik’s man and then make an offer to arrange a face-to-face encounter with an Embriel representative, depending on how the meeting was going. Zaraki turned Capar towards the house on Siven Square.

  He had only visited the house a few times, but he always loved it. It was his and it was expensive. If anything ever happened and Leisha decided she did not need him, he always had this house to fall back on. It gave him the sense of security he always craved as a child. On one trip last year, he paid well for new beds, benches, and a lovely table.

  Today, hordes of people crowded the streets, and he called out to get them out of Capar’s way. When he turned in the square, he looked into the right-most window on the second floor where he always made sure to leave one curtain pulled aside. Anyone climbing through the window or rifling through the room inside would disturb the gauzy fabric, and he would proceed with caution into the house. Every other visit the curtain hung just as he left it, but this time someone had pulled it down and made no attempt made to replace it. His heart sank when he thought of Rufen and hoped nothing had happened to the old man.

  Without giving any reaction, Zaraki tapped Capar’s side and moved him through the square to a side road where he found a tavern with a stable. He paid the stable hand extra to make sure Capar got a good helping of horse bread tonight and patted his friend’s neck as he left, promising to return as soon as possible.

  Strolling towards the house on the square, Zaraki mingled with the crowd and looked the front of the building over. The door
remained shut and none of the windows looked open. Of course, it did not mean much except he had a conscientious intruder who tidied up after himself. He spent a bit more time just watching the house before walking up and trying the door.

  Finding it locked, he fished a copy of the key out of his belt and turned the latch. Just inside the door he stopped to listen and hearing nothing, he moved further in. Then, on the floor, he saw the blood. A dark trail that someone had tried to clean ran from the back part of the house to the stairs, but he could not tell which direction the wounded person had traveled.

  He heard the smallest of sounds, a sweep of a foot across the floor and turned just in time to catch sight of a body flying towards him. Grabbing the first limb he could, Zaraki forced the person to the floor and heard the breath go out of her. Thief then, probably, he thought, pushing down hard on her chest to pin her to the floor.

  A well-placed punch to the side of his head set him back on his heels and the thief jumped up, bounding backwards. He deserved that.

  “Zaraki?” he heard her ask, shock in her voice. Aniska rushed forward. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea you were coming. I thought it was Fellnin again.”

  Struggling to his feet, Zaraki shook his head to clear it. “What the hell are you doing here? And who did you say was here?”

  “I could ask you the same thing,” she said, frowning and rubbing her arm where he had grabbed her. “Fellnin came looking for me in Kajetan. He came to my bar asking about me, but I was reporting in that day. As soon as I got back, the other barmaid warned me. I knew who it was from the description, so I ran for it and came here to hide out. Then, a few nights ago, someone came into the house.” She stood and sheathed the short dagger he had not noticed her handling before. Sneaky little thing.

  “It was Fellnin here, too. When I ran from Kajetan, I was so careful. Even so, I woke up one night with him in the bedroom with me. We fought, I stabbed him in the leg and he took off.”