Frank-EReturn

by The Exile's Return [lit]

  Toniqua had to die. But first he needed to learn who her contacts and comrades were.

  He laced the bodice closed, straightened Searlait's clothing, and returned to his suite.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  KADY'S PLEA

  Lord Channadar, his elbow propped on the arm of his chair, rested his head against two fingers pressed to his temple. How long do you think she will sleep, My Dragonfly?"

  "First Jump and four months pregnant? Twenty-four hours would not be surprising. A Jump that far is draining on even a young and fit mage. Leeza the Dragonfly, sitting cross-legged upon a large floor pillow, leaned her back against the wall.

  "The time has come to dance once more over the fields of war. Channadar turned his gaze to Tiderider, the Golden Fae Who Has Seen the Sea. Go and arrange a meeting between Lady Maguire and the Grand Master for tomorrow morning. If Mohanja gives you the slightest grief over it, you have my permission to dance on his head."

  "It will be done. Tiderider bowed and departed on his errand.

  "She is without clothes or coins in her purse, protested Damayanti, curled in a chair with her long legs beneath her. The leather pants and tunic she wore sheathed her form to perfection.

  Channadar straightened and flicked his fan at her. I will provide for her in a way that will not offend her prideif Stoneriver is any example to go by, she will have too much for her own good. A small dance is called for. He waved at Chucomei. Create an account for her at the Bank of Havensword. Move one hundred thousand gold from my account into it. We shall tell her Cahira did it and she will not be able to refuse."

  The Mage of Wings rose and left.

  "And now for your task, Leeza. Shopping."

  "I've always been good at that."

  "I know. Channadar gave her a droll smile. Can you discern her size at a glance?"

  Leeza nodded. Easily."

  "Buy Lady Maguire a wardrobe fit for a queen. And jewelry that will set her off to best advantage. I wish to see her dressed as a royal lady in distress and not a princess of farmers. We must send the right message to the Grand Master."

  "I know exactly where and what to buy. She darted to the door, opened it, and stared at the mon who had been about to knock. What brings you, Cousin?"

  Hathura stepped into the room and met Channadar's eyes. Lady Maguire. This is my third visit in search of her. I am told you have her."

  "I might."

  "Do not dance with me, Channadar. Do you or do you not hold Lady Maguire?"

  "Why are you looking for her?"

  "The Second Mother has asked me to bring her home. Her husband is dying."

  "Do me one favor, Hathura. Then I will tell you where she is."

  "Ask."

  "Since you clearly Jumped here from Wolffgard, you are the only one who can do this quickly."

  "Ask."

  "Install a Mirror Gate in her home."

  Mirror magic was peculiar to the Fae. The island their people lived upon experienced energy fluxes due to the sunken city buried beneath it. It had made them creative and versatile. They could not establish permanent gates between Faewin and the outer world, but the use of mirrors had proven a viable substitute.

  "You have the mirror?"

  "Yes."

  "Shield it properly and I will take it there."

  Channadar flicked his fan at Damayanti. Fetch the mirror. Then he turned to Hathura with a tiny smile of sheer impishness. You had best sit down for this."

  Hathura quirked an eyebrow at Channadar and took the chair that Leeza had vacated.

  "Let me tell you about Kady Maguire."

  "I know her."

  "Not the way I do. Chucomei Read her. There must have been an Abelard in the bushes."

  "If you are saying what I think you are, then there must be a mistake."

  "No mistake."

  "She is lycan. They do not produce mages of that caliber."

  "Well, they have. She is a pan-elementalist."

  Hathura rewarded Channadar with a stunned look. It is not possible."

  "When the stress upon a race or creature becomes overpowering, they either die off or they mutate. Our people are a prime example of it."

  "Using the standard bio-magicalist scale, one to ten, with Cahira a one and Josiah Abelard a ten, how would you rate her potential?"

  "A seven. Channadar began swinging his closed fan back and forth. You have a very dangerous situation here, Hathura. A pregnant, untrained pan-elementalist with a dying husband that she loves dearly. Either we help her, or we risk her destroying Wolffgard in the paroxysms of grief when he dies."

  Hathura looked shaken. I am only a six."

  "But you are also yuwenghau."

  "Small comfort. How soon can you have the mirror ready?"

  "An hour. But you must not install it until I have spoken to the Grand Master. I will send the mirror with or without his consent, but I would rather have it."

  * * * *

  Kady woke in a strange suite in the palace. The first things she noticed were the bed curtains in shades of bright green brocaded with wondrous white birds whose long tails swirled around them. She turned on her side and saw Chucomei sitting in a chair by the bed. A strange dark-skinned mon stood beside her in a kilt and halter so revealing that it appeared shameless. The unknown mon had feline features.

  "Awake at last. Chucomei smiled warmly at Kady. You had us very worried, young mage."

  "How did I get here? Kady blinked away the cobwebs in her mind. Her throat tightened with a flash of memory in which she saw Kynyr lying in the guestroom bed, pale and still.

  "You Jumped, said the stranger.

  "Who are you?"

  "Damayanti. Your cat."

  "You are the rarest of the rare, Kady Maguire, said Chucomei.

  "I know. I'm a lycan mage."

  "Oh, more rare than that. I Read you while you slept to be certain you had not harmed yourself. You are an untutored pan-elementalist."

  "Cahira can't teach me that. Kady immediately decided that had been an inane thing to say under the circumstances.

  "StealsThunder can and she likes you."

  "I'm not worried about that. It's Kynyr. Kady glanced again at her surroundings and she realized that she must be in one of the chambers of Channadar's starrooms.

  Chucomei nodded, her eyes filled with gentle concern. Damayanti has told us. Stoneriver sent her to guard you."

  "Stoneriver.... His image filled Kady's mind, so strong and arrogant, and yet comforting to have on her side.

  "A powerful ally. He has taken an army into Red Wolf and has most likely crossed the border by now. He went to the Patriarch and pledged himself to your service before our gods."

  Kady's mind reeled and for several moments she could find no words to speak. My husband is dying. They're telling me it's Black Mountain Fever. Out of nowhere, Kady remembered Stoneriver telling her how the heir of Creeya was poisoned and everyone thought it was an illness. She got one of those feelings that she now recognized as intuition and it made her blood run cold. But I have the strangest feeling ... that it's poison."

  Chucomei glanced at Damayanti.

  The Shivari nodded. Poison is the Serpent's favorite weapon."

  "You need to see the Grand Master. He's in residence now. The queen is close to giving birth and he intends for them to remain here until she is delivered. Chucomei stood up with a conspiratorial look. Get dressed. Your appointment to see Osterbridge is in less than an hour."

  "I didn't bring any clothes. Kady climbed out of bed.

  "Your wardrobe has already been taken care of."

  "I can't pay for things. I didn't bring any money."

  "Once in a while Cahira has a flash of precognition. She set up an emergency account for you at the Bank of Havensword and placed Channadar in charge of it. Ever since your last visit, all those lords and ladies you impressed have been adding to it."

  At a gesture from Chucomei, Damayanti laid out a wool underdress and a heavy broc
aded silk dress in shades of azure. Then she opened boxes of jewelry.

  Kady gasped in surprise at the wealth before her. This is all mine?"

  "Yes, indeed it is. It will accentuate that full belly of yours. Ceejorn Osterbridge has a weakness for rescuing pregnant women in distress. I suspect it's because of what happened to Talons."

  "You're going to run a game on him to get me what I need?"

  Chucomei laughed. How many Fae can dance on the head of a human? As many as can get their attention."

  * * * *

  Lord Channadar escorted Kady to see the Grand Master, briefing her on what to say as they climbed to the seventh level and traveled down a long hallway lined on the left with stained glass windows that made rainbows on the tiled floor.

  The paladin-king of Creeya, Ceejorn Osterbridge, looked nothing like Kady had imagined him. She had expected an older, grim-visaged mon as Grand Master of the Assassins Guild. Instead, Ceejorn had a pleasant face and smiled frequently.

  He had not been born noble. Ceejorn had been an orphan, taken in by the Guild and trained from childhood. He proved himself in defeating a coup against the kingdom that killed his closest friends and left him bereft. He married the young girl that he had fallen in love with, only to discover that she was the last heir to the throne of Creeya, Isen Sinjin.

  At heart, Ceejorn would always be the common, ordinary mon who won fame for uncommon acts of bravery. All of that showed in his gentle manner.

  Channadar bowed to the Grand Master and tilted his head in a sly way as he waved his fan at Kady and white swans filled the chamber with their illusory presence. I bring you, Lord Ceejorn, the White Swan of Red Wolf. Lady Kady Maguire, Princess of Red Wolf."

  "Lady Maguire. Ceejorn gave her a pleasant nod of greeting and another smile spread across his plain face.

  "She is in dire circumstances that only you can save her from."

  "You are known to us, Lady Maguire, Princess of Red Wolf. Tell me your troubles."

  It startled Kady for an instant to be called a princess. My husband, Prince Kynyr, is the last adult male heir to Red Wolf."

  "That is known to us."

  "The healers are calling it Black Mountain Fever. There is no cure for it. However, Lord Channadar reminded me of the story of Talons Trollbane."

  A shadow passed over Ceejorn's face. You suspect poison?"

  "I do. No one knows more about poison and antidotes than the Guild. Please, Your Majesty, I'm throwing myself on your mercy. Please help me."

  Ceejorn turned to Channadar. Can your people get her home and establish a mirror gate?"

  "Yes, Your Majesty."

  "Do so. Lady Maguire, I place my resources at your disposal to save your husband and your threatened kingdom."

  Sudden tears slid down Kady's cheeks. She had never expected that it would come this easily. Kady glanced at Channadar and received a knowing wink. Bless you."

  The Grand Master thrust his chin at her belly. Is it a boy?"

  "Yes, your majesty."

  "Then I have just one request to make in exchange for my aid. Name the little bugger Ceejorn?"

  "Of course. A small smile touched the edges of Kady's mouth. Her son was going to have the longest name she had ever heard of at this rate.

  Ceejorn winked at Channadar and Channadar winked back. She did not know whether to laugh or cry, because she realized this meeting was a formality only. The decisions had been made before she arrived.

  "Does he have a godfather picked out yet? Ceejorn asked.

  "No, Your Majesty."

  The Grand master indicated Channadar with his thumb. Pick him."

  "Lord Channadar will make a fine godfather."

  "One day there will be a King of Wolves with an amazing court that will go down in history with the richness of legend. Your son, Lady Maguire. Lord Channadar's lips turned impish. King of all the clans."

  * * * *

  "Kady couldn't cry for our sister and she deserted her husband. But everyone cares about Kady and no one gives a bloody damn about me. Larena snarled across the kitchen table at Mary.

  With Kady gone and Kynyr down with the fever, Larena had been showing more and more of her true colors to Mary and the other bitches of the household, while simpering at every male that came through regardless of race. Aghavie had taken to her rooms and refused to come out after a run-in with Larena within hours of Kady's disappearance.

  "One more word out of you, and I'll rip your bloody face off, Mary growled, going hairy on her.

  "You wouldn't dare. I'm Kady's sister."

  "Act like it."

  The sound of strangers in the front room drew both of them from the kitchen. Hathura stood there with four others. He introduced the three carrying a large rectangular object wrapped in thick black cloth as Da'Shanagara, Juniperarrow, and Starsilent. StealsThunder glanced around as if she owned the place, spied Mary, and declared. We need to use a drawing room for this."

  "What is it? Trevor asked, arriving moments after Mary.

  "A mirror. We need plenty of room. Show us. StealsThunder flicked her closed fan at Trevor, marching past Larena as if the bitch did not exist.

  Mary repressed a smile of satisfaction. No one delivered better snubs than the Fae and Larena had made a very bad impression all around when she met them in Creeya.

  Trevor showed them to a room. They started moving all the furniture and piling it up in a corner. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at this but said nothing, figuring they knew what they were doing and that Kady must have okayed it or they would not be about it.

  The mirror was unwrapped. The surface was black and did not reflect. Once it was mounted on the wall, StealsThunder invoked it. The surface swirled and cleared revealing another place. A tall dark mon with cornflower eyes stood there with the satchels of a healer crisscrossing her chest. She stepped through the mirror and Trevor nearly fell over.

  More people started coming through it. Fae in their multi-colored finery, prancing and mincing, came through first. Humans followed, some of them in the uniform of the Guild.

  "Where are we going to put everyone? Mary asked.

  Trevor lifted an eyebrow in an expression that was startlingly like his father's. Buy more furniture?"

  "I guess we'll have to."

  "Show me to the prince, demanded Cornflower eyes.

  "Who are you? Trevor asked.

  "Shaheeramat. Most call me Sha. I'm senior healer to the Guild."

  That said all that needed to be said. Kady had not only involved the Fae, but brought the Guild to their aid as well.

  "Mary!"

  She turned at the sound of her name and saw Kady step through the mirror. Mary ran to Kady and hugged her, sobbing. Dearest gods, I'm so glad you're back."

  "Kynyr?"

  "Sheradyn's with him. Kynyr's not expected to last the day. Pandeena is saying the prayers for the dying over him."

  Kady hurried to his room and found it filled with people. She heard Sheradyn's voice raised in protest as Starsilent and Juniperarrow hoisted him up and carried him out. If she had not been so worried about Kynyr, Kady would have laughed at Sheradyn.

  Pandeena pushed through the crowd and clasped Kady's shoulders. I had just started the prayers. He's nearly gone."

  Kady paled, pulled loose from Pandeena, and dragged a chair to his bedside. She stroked his face, getting no reaction. Her chest and her throat tightened. I love you, Kynyr. I wish you could hear me. I love you."

  Two myn in the uniform of Guild healers set a table close to the bed. Sha spread her equipment across it. She grasped his wrist, Reading him.

  "I can try something. Sha took what looked like a glass tube with a plunger mounted on an extremely long needle. She filled it with fluid from a vial.

  "Hypodermic syringe, Kady gasped.

  One of the Guild surgeons present gave her a smile. Cahira's translations of that medical text have allowed us to recreate some of the lost technology."

  Sha threw back the blanke
ts and opened Kynyr's shirt. She thrust the needle directly into the heart muscle and pushed the plunger.

  Kynyr's chest heaved and jerked. Then his eyes fluttered open, and he breathed her name. Kady."

  Sha smiled again, and this time there was more feeling in it. She settled into a chair, took his hand, and Read him thoroughly. It's not Black Mountain Fever. He's been poisoned."

  "I was right. A strangled sob escaped Kady, torn between happy and frightened. She pressed the back of his hand to her cheek. I love you."

  "Poison. Pandeena's eyes narrowed. The Serpent's work."

  "I'm afraid so. It has all the hallmarks of a Romilay or a Sidera Tyrins creation."

  "Can you save him?"

  "I can try."

  Kynyr's eyes flickered from Kady to Sha. Poisoned ... by Malthus ... or ... Belgair?"

  Pandeena's eyes went distant. They both gain by Kynyr's death. Belgair, I'm told, wishes to be Regent. Malthus wants his children on the throne. Kynyr is a threat. But so is the child growing beneath Kady's heart."

  Kady kissed her husband's lips. When I find out who did it, Kynyr ... I'll kill them."

  EPILOGUE

  THE EXILE RETURNS

  They rode down out of the Black Mountains from the northeast. Twenty-five lycans in hybrid form, their harnesses jingling, ten Shivari in mon form, two hundred humans, and five swan-mays in silver armor with cloaks of black feathers hanging from their shoulders. Sixty auxiliaries accompanied them with wagons and supplies. Fifteen gryphons of various species circled overhead, reds, blues, greens, and whites. Three banners flew above the vanguard: the golden book and blade on a black field of the Assassins Guild; the Black Swan on an azure field of the Netherguard; and the crimson bear that was the personal standard of Brock Redhand.

  At their head rode Brock Redhand who had taken the name of Stoneriver in his exile.

  Reist Devlin, his lycan second-in-command, rode closer to him. How does it feel to be on your home soil again?"

  "Strange. I haven't been here in a century and it hasn't changed at all. Stoneriver signaled a halt as they reached the broad meadows four days north of Three Stones. The question is, how do you feel about it?"