by Cindy Dees
“Praise be.” The farmer was shouldered out of the way by a gap-toothed woman of indeterminate age with an enormous belly proclaiming an advanced state of pregnancy. “Me name’s Mag. Whot’s yourn?”
Cicero intervened smoothly, “I am known as Cicero and my traveling companion answers to Carin.”
“Come wit’ me, Carin. Me milch cow’s ailin’ and I canna lose her.” Mag rubbed her round belly. “Not wit’ a bun in the oven so close to cooked.”
Raina frowned. What was this woman doing with that bucket and broom in her hands? Didn’t she know expectant mothers should not work? They were to rest and relax and concentrate on growing the babe. It was said to be bad for the babe to do aught else. But this woman appeared to have been in the midst of heavy housework to no ill effect.
Then the rest of the woman’s words sank in. A cow? They wanted her to heal a cow? She had no idea if her healing magics would even work on an animal. Only one way to find out. And if it meant food, no matter how rude, she’d give it a try.
Raina asked in resignation, “Where’s this beast?”
The woman led her to a low lean-to behind the hovel. Mag stomped heedlessly through the muck and manure, while Raina picked gingerly through it as best she could. Not that it mattered. Her slippers were already ruined.
“’Ere she be,” Mag announced.
Raina spied a giant white-and-black bovine standing in a dark corner, her head hanging low. She made her way to the animal and laid a hand on her side. The animal jerked her head up, and Raina leaped back.
“She won’ ’urt ye. She’s ’bout to keel over dead. Ye came jus’ in the nick o’ time.”
Raina reached out again and touched the beast’s rough hide. The cow was hot to the touch. Feverish. And her breathing was raspy and labored. “Do you know what’s wrong with her?” Raina asked Mag.
“Milk fever. Gots infection in ’er udder.”
Raina leaned down to have a look. The normally pink bag was grotesquely swollen and a dark, angry red. A spell for curing disease, then. She knew how much magical energy a human required. Did a cow require more power in the delivery of the spell due to its size? Or perhaps multiple castings of the spell? Why had she never thought to ask such questions of her instructors?
It appeared she got to learn on the job. She laid her hands on the animal, cleared her mind, took a deep breath, and summoned power to her. She murmured an incant, and a cool, white glow built around her hands, dancing on the beast’s hide. The cow lurched away weakly. Raina followed the animal’s movements, maintaining her contact with the animal’s rough coat, infusing the healing as slowly as she could into the creature so as not to panic her. Slowly, slowly, Raina felt vitality returning to the cow. As her flagging spirit grew stronger, Raina expended some extra energy just to be sure the cow would recover.
She lifted her hands away from the animal. “I think she’ll be all right now.”
“Orc’s breath! Look ’ee there!”
Raina glanced down, and the cow’s udder was already mostly returned to its proper size. It was still somewhat pinker than normal, but nowhere near like it had been before.
“I ain’ seen no healin’ like that afore. Ye be a mighty mage.”
Gall roiled in her gut. Of course she was gifted. The females in her family were bred for magic. She was no different from yon cow.
“Come ’ee to the hut. We ’ave aught worthy to pay for what ’ee just done, but I’ll share whot we’ve got.”
Raina smiled. “A hot meal and a place to sleep for the night are all my companion and I ask.”
“Roight fine-lookin’ young man ’ee got there.”
She stifled a giggle. Her and the bandit? He’d fly into one of the famous battle rages of the kindari if he heard Mag suggest such a thing.
The woman led Raina back to the sod hut as the last vestiges of twilight faded into true night. She ducked under the low door frame and stopped just inside, appalled. The only piece of furniture in the room, a wide plank set on two tied bundles of straw turned on end, was crowded round with no fewer than six filthy children and Arv. They sat on more tied bundles of straw.
Did such poverty exist in Tyrel, or had she been sheltered from it? Was this how all peasants lived? It was hardly better than an animal burrow.
Although a fire burned in the fireplace and the rough space was warm. A kettle simmered over the fire, and the smell emanating from it made Raina’s mouth water profusely.
Several of the children slid over and made space for her at the makeshift table while Mag dished up wooden bowls of stew for everyone. Raina drank hers without the luxury of a spoon. Apparently, travelers were expected to provide their own. She must remember to pack one the next time she ran away from home.
The stew desperately needed seasoning, but it was hot. And filling. Casting the magic had made her even more voracious than she already was, and hunger was the best seasoning of all. She drank three bowls before she began to feel guilty for hogging this humble family’s limited fare.
“Arv, ye’ll ne’er believe whot she did … why, the cow’s practically as good as new. Just like ’at. I ain’ ne’er seen the like.…”
Raina tuned out the woman’s description of the feat she’d just performed, concentrating instead on the sallow faces of the children. She reached out with her mind and was distressed to sense the weakness of their spirits. When her hostess finally wound down, Raina asked, “Mag, when you dress out an animal carcass, what do you do with the liver?”
“Why, I toss it to the dog if ’e be about.”
“You might want to cut it up small into a stew and let the essence cook out of it. ’Twill put color in your children’s cheeks and give them more energy. And spinach. Do you grow spinach in your garden? It is good for children and new mothers.”
The woman nodded, wide-eyed. “Where did ye say ye be from? We don’ get no ’igh ’ealers through these parts.”
Cicero inquired casually, “With what frequency do healers travel through this area?”
“Maybe every other harvest. But none so gifted as yer lady frien’.”
Arv piped up, “Las’ ’eart ’ealer ter pass through were ’at crazy White ’eart feller. Whot were ’is name, Mag?”
“Balthazar. On ’is way to ’eal them orcs up north las’ year. Ain’ seen ’im since. Them Boki mus’ve kilt ’im.”
Aghast, Raina replied, “What do you do for healing in the meantime?”
Mag shrugged. “We make do wit’ ’erbs and potions. No’ the fancy magical kind, mind ye. Jus’ teas or poultices ter ease a tooth ill or the like.”
Raina frowned. She knew a fair bit about herbal remedies, and many of them were effective. But just as many that floated about the market squares were completely useless. Mag might have just solved the thorny problem of how to finance a journey to Dupree, though. She asked, “Are people generally willing to trade bed and board for healing magics and potions?”
Everyone at the table laughed as if she’d just asked the most ridiculous question they’d ever heard.
“Gor’ yes! ’Tis ’ow mos’ ‘ealers make their way. They go village ter village an’ farm ter farm tradin’ they’s services for a meal ’n’ roof.”
Raina nodded slowly. Indeed.
Arv interrupted her thoughts. “Be ye in a great ’urry ter reach yer destination, then?”
Yet again, Cicero intervened. “To what end do you ask such a question?”
“Mag’s time be comin’. ’Twould be a great comfort to ’ave someone such as ye ’ere. If’n she passed on and lef’ me wit’ all these bairn, Oi’d be in a bad way, Oi would.”
Raina looked at the little faces around her, fear glinting in their big-eyed gazes at the idea of losing their mother. She glanced up at Mag. “How long until the babe comes?”
“On the morrow, may’ap. Mebbe a few days ’ence.”
Raina winced. She and Cicero probably shouldn’t tarry so long in one place. But then he shocked her by shruggi
ng and announcing, “We are in no particular hurry to reach any specific destination.”
She stared at him, stunned by his declaration, before turning to Mag. “There you have it. We shall tarry until the babe comes.”
* * *
Justin prowled the keep restlessly as he had ever since Raina blinked out of existence in the doorway of the barn two nights before. He’d failed her. She’d begged for his help and he’d refused her. By the Void, he’d all but thrown her at that ruffian who’d disappeared with her to the Lady knew where. Where are you, muckling?
Justin being consumed with worry for her safety, his feet carried him without conscious thought to the southeast tower, and more specifically to the landing before Lady Charlotte’s solar. If anybody knew where Raina had gone, it would be her mother. Not that Charlotte was likely to tell. Even the dullest clod could see the thick tension between the mistress of the keep and her two unwelcome guests.
The door to Lady Charlotte’s office was closed. No doubt she was closeted with those cursed mages who’d scared Raina into bolting.
He glanced up and down the curving stairwell. The torches had already been lit, which meant the night watch was already posted. No one should come this way anytime soon. But just to be safe, he dipped the corner of his cloak in the bucket of water under the torch and used it to snuff the light. A faint odor of scorched wool filled the narrow landing.
He sidled up to the door and crouched at the keyhole. A key was in the lock and blocked his sight, but sound seeped out readily enough.
“… portents are strong. Everything will reach a crisis soon.”
That was Kadir. The older mage.
“Bah!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Dreams and visions. They’re naught but fancies and wishful thinking. What is soon to a soothsayer, anyway? A turning of the moon? A year? A hundred years? I care not for such nonsense unless these charlatans can tell me where my daughter is.”
Justin rocked back on his heels, disappointed. Charlotte didn’t know where Raina was, then. Unless she lied to the mages.
Kadir was speaking again. “… not understand. Great cycles of time and history are coming together all at once. We are deeply alarmed. The prophets with whom I consult are emphatically not charlatans. Such a convergence has not been recorded in millennia.”
Justin sucked back a hiss that threatened to escape his teeth.
Kadir added forcefully, “And our daughter is at the very center of it all.”
Our—What? Why would Kadir refer to Raina thus?
Periodic swishes of fabric indicated that Charlotte paced her office. A long silence unfolded, and Justin waited in agony to hear more. What mess had Raina landed in the middle of?
“Where is she, Kadir? Where did that blasted dousing rod take her?”
A deep sigh. “Would that I knew. We could not afford to lose that wand. My order was hoping to use Rowan’s Wand to go in search of other artifacts associated with Rowan herself and with the Green Court.”
Justin frowned. What court was this? The Imperial Seat was the only court he’d ever heard of.
Kadir continued, “Something strange happened when the girl touched the wand. A burst of magic—”
“Backlash,” Charlotte said impatiently.
“Nay,” Kadir said slowly. “She interrupted the casting of the ritual at the critical moment. Something more than backlash occurred. I worry for Raina’s safety, wherever she might be.”
Charlotte snorted. “She had no concern for the danger of a backlash. She was more interested in avoiding being transported to Alchizzadon as your prisoner.”
“No need for drama, Char. You know it was for the best.”
“Best? She’s disappeared to stars know where. She could be in grave danger!”
Justin silently cheered Charlotte for expressing his sentiment exactly.
“She strikes me as the type to land on her feet,” Kadir replied mildly.
Justin had to give the fellow that. Raina had a decent head on her shoulders and a fair helping of common sense. Most of the time. When she wasn’t talking crazy about being forced to have a child with a stranger or blowing up magic rituals. But if Kadir had been planning to kidnap her after all—to which the whoreson had just admitted—could Raina’s other wild claims also be true? Justin’s eyes narrowed dangerously. If those mages thought to hurt her, they had a surprise coming in the form of his blade.
“She’s a lot like you,” Kadir commented quietly.
“I did not run from my duty when the time came!”
“Ahh, but you fought it.”
“In the end I did the right thing.”
Justin frowned. What they had asked of Raina was most certainly not the right thing.
Kadir was speaking again. “… girl makes a good point, you know. What we have demanded of the daughters of Tyrel is a travesty.”
Charlotte’s desk chair creaked sharply as if its owner had just dropped into it heavily, mayhap in shock.
Kadir continued, “We have foreseen a revolt like this for several generations. We thought you might be the one, but at the last minute, you relented. Raina, however—”
“What do you mean, you foresaw a revolt?” Charlotte exploded, cutting him off.
“Think about it. We have bred a line of arch-mages. Women more powerful than almost all other known wizards. The daughters of Tyrel are educated. You own land. You are the result of thousands of years of concerted effort to create extraordinary women. It was inevitable that eventually you would realize your own power and break free of us.”
Break free? Justin’s mind stumbled over the thought, paralyzed by the implications of it.
“But … but … the Great M-m-age…,” Charlotte stammered.
“Ahh, yes. The Great Mage. His time draws near. Very near, indeed, if the portents are true.”
Charlotte jolted. “Then it is more important than ever that we recover Raina! The House of Tyrel dares not fail in its duty after so long.”
Kadir sighed. “We were not able to place a rune upon her before she bolted. We have no way of tracking her. She’s smart, resourceful, and, if she’s at all like her mother, stubborn.”
“I have asked terrible things of both of my daughters. Tell me it was not in vain. That my girls will be the ones to end this.”
“Raina has gone from us. Perhaps she will find a source of magical power strong enough to rouse the Great Mage. Perhaps it is fated that she will be the one to end our long wait.”
Great Mage? Magic to rouse him? What was all this? Justin frowned, straining to hear more.
Kadir said quietly, “Our soothsayers think there’s a possibility—slight, but possible nonetheless—that Raina may solve the problem of rousing the Great Mage.”
Charlotte snorted. “The Mages of Alchizzadon have worked on that for thousands of years. What could a mere girl do that the greatest scholars of our age have failed to achieve?”
Kadir replied, “For several months, seers across the colony have been reporting similar visions and prophecies. Mind you, they live and work separately. And yet, they are seeing nearly identical signs. The stars are aligning.”
“Toward what event?”
“I am not at liberty to go into the details of our seers’ visions. We have our agents combing the Midlands and beyond in search of her. If she can be found, she will be.”
An urge to bolt out the door in search of Raina himself nearly overcame Justin. Charlotte was speaking again. “… sure she’s not dead?”
“Positive. The portal opened for just an instant. I saw Raina and that kindari fall through.”
“To where?” Charlotte exclaimed in frustration.
“The Wand of Rowan could have taken them anywhere it has been in the past. Who knows where it chose to take them?”
It chose? Kadir spoke of this wand as if it were a living thing. Justin had picked up a few tidbits here and there over the years about magic—he had a habit of eavesdropping on the secret magic lessons that had b
een arranged for Raina over the years—but he’d never heard of a sentient magic item.
“Where would the wand take a stranger new to its use?”
Kadir spoke quietly enough that Justin had to press his ear to the door to hear the answer. “The grove of the rowan treant, Whisper, lies in Dupree. Guarded by dryads. Perhaps the wand went home to its maker.”
“The wand bears fae magic? Bah!” Charlotte burst out in disgust. “A fae spirit could have thrown Raina anywhere!”
Every story Justin had ever heard of the fae painted the mythical creatures as sly, conniving tricksters with dark senses of humor and a wide mean streak. And one of them had taken Raina?
Kadir spoke soothingly. “The fae are bound by the rules of their courts. I do not believe they would harm an innocent young girl.”
Justin scowled. Well, at least the man admitted that Raina was innocent in this entire affair.
“Where is this rowan grove?” Charlotte inquired.
“West of the city of Dupree.”
“Why on Urth would Raina be cast all the way there?”
Kadir’s answer was grim. “I would not presume to know the workings of any fae magic. The timeless ones do not see the world as we do, and work for their own mysterious purposes.”
Justin leaned against the wall beside the door, cursing himself roundly. This was his fault. Raina’d asked for his help the night of her party and he’d ignored her. Sent her away from him. He’d known her all her life and never once had she given him cause to believe she was anything but honest and forthright. He should have believed her.
He’d heard enough. His next move was obvious. He snuck away from the solar on grimly silent feet. He’d helped make this mess; it was up to him to help fix it. If Raina was not in this rowan grove, mayhap the dryads there would know where the treant’s rod had sent Raina.
He returned to his pallet in the dormer for the castle lads and quickly packed the gear he would need for a long journey. A stealthy trip to the kitchen to supply himself and he was on his way. Foreboding weighed heavy upon him. Raina was caught in the middle of something huge, and it was his duty to rescue her. The night was cold, but he did not feel it nipping at his nose as he set his feet to the north road at a steady jog.
