Weaving Man: Book One of The Prophecy Series

by Tove Foss Ford

  “I’ll speak to Cook and lend a hand,” Eiren said, rising and planting a kiss on his forehead. She left him alone in the suite.

  Menders was glad for the letter. It had lifted Eiren’s spirits no end. If only a similar letter would come for everyone in the household.

  Things were depressing and difficult for all, particularly for Katrin and Borsen, who had been locked up for ten weeks. They did not complain, but they were both pale and quiet. Menders had heard them talking between themselves when they didn’t know he was near. They didn’t blame him, but they both longed to get out of the house. They also didn’t want Hemmett to leave but assured each other that he deserved his chance to be top graduate. He’d completed his autumn term assignments by correspondence and still had excellent marks, but he couldn’t afford to stay away from school any longer.

  Both of them had become very dependent on Hemmett, who worked hard to stay cheerful and to shore their spirits up. Many nights Menders heard Borsen come up the stairs and steal into Katrin’s room where he would curl up next to Hemmett on his mattress. The boy had been badly shaken by the attempt on Katrin’s life and the capture of the additional assassins had rattled him more. Though Borsen was fearless in situations where his own safety was threatened, he was very protective of his family, particularly Katrin.

  Katrin gravitated to her foster brothers for companionship and occupation. She was often to be found in the tailor shop with Borsen or bending over his sketches and plans for his prospective future business. She continued in her role of housekeeper and tried very hard to keep a lid on her temper.

  When Menders saw Katrin and Borsen looking pale and sickly from lack of sun and exercise, he had to console himself with the knowledge that they were still alive.

  (54)

  DeLarco

  “DeLarco,” Kaymar said flatly. He flung himself onto the sofa in Menders’ office, looking grim, and tossed a letter on the desk. Menders picked it up and read quickly.

  “Wonderful.” Menders’ heart sank. He went to his cabinet and withdrew the DeLarco file. This was what he feared most – a Surelian trained assassin, young, sharp and at the top of his game. Menders read through the file, sickened by the details.

  “Pleasantly deranged, savage bastard, isn’t he?” Kaymar remarked sardonically. Menders nodded, rose and closed the door to his office.

  “Do we know who he’s targeting?” he asked in a low voice

  Kaymar hesitated before answering.

  “Gladdy says Therbalt’s taken out contracts on you, Katrin, Eiren and Borsen. I hate to tell you this… he specifies that he wants Borsen alive.”

  Menders went visibly pale. “Never,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “Don’t go getting all fired up now, Papa Hen,” Kaymar replied. “That’s exactly what could lead to making a foolish mistake.”

  Menders composed himself. “Agreed. Tread carefully.”

  “Very. Now, here’s how I see it,” Kaymar continued, pausing to light one of the thin dark cigars he favored. “You’re all steamed and wanting to hit back at him. That’s probably what that little tidbit of information about Borsen was designed to have you do, fly around being emotional. Also, you’re squirming with frustration at being sealed off from the world up here, while DeLarco’s free to operate with impunity.”

  Menders shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Sometimes his cousin could see right into him and he always found it unnerving.

  Kaymar waved a hand at the wall, indicating the countryside beyond. “He’s out there. We can’t let a man of DeLarco’s caliber get close to us here – so we won’t.”

  “Just what, exactly, are you suggesting?”

  “We go get him first. It’s time to go on the offensive.”

  “No.”

  “It’s the only way.”

  “I can’t risk losing the manpower, not if we are to maintain full protection here,” Menders retorted, thumping a fist on the desk for emphasis.

  “What we can’t risk is letting someone like DeLarco get close to us here!” Kaymar snapped back. “If he gets as close as a hilltop with a view of this place, I’d not put it past him to build a big enough rocket, fire it and take out the whole damned house!”

  Menders’ expression shifted from anger to concern. His elegant eyebrows knit in a frown. “Could he do that?”

  “You’ve seen what my rockets are capable of,” Kaymar responded. “Other than detonating prematurely, blowing the roof off my shed and having me roll around in the horse trough to put out the flames, I mean.”

  Suppressing a smile, Menders was relieved that his cousin’s absurd sense of humor could lighten the grimmest situations.

  “What I mean is that he’s mad enough to try something like that, Cousin,” Kaymar continued, all smiles gone. “Those grenades Benton had with him would have burned The Shadows to the ground. Consider a rocket that could set fire to the place. We can’t let DeLarco get close.”

  “I’ll concede that but I still don’t like reducing our manpower here enough to send a force after him.”

  “You don’t need a force.” Kaymar blew out a stream of smoke and grinned. “Two. Just two. Ifor and myself. We’ll get him.”

  “I can’t risk you two for such a mission. You were damn near killed when I sent you after Therbalt.”

  “That was different. Therbalt’s snugged up in Surelia like a nest-spider with hundreds of men protecting him. DeLarco’s here and without backup as far as Gladdy can tell. Also, you’re not asking me, Cuz, I’m offering. And if you say no, I’ll go and do it anyway as a free agent. Don’t forget that I don’t actually work for you.”

  Sitting back, Menders scrutinized his cousin, who was looking supremely contented through rising coils of grey smoke.

  “How would you do it?” Menders finally asked.

  “The answer is right there, on your desk – Gladdas Dalmanthea, our ace in the hole. We can’t use our own people for fear he’ll see us coming, so we go through her network. Since no-one knows you two are in collusion, we use that to our advantage.”

  “And then?”

  “Getting in closer will be difficult. After all, he’ll be expecting some move against him. So, I’ll use his own indulgences as leverage.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “I’ll get to him through his own proclivities,” Kaymar said, smiling. “After all Cuz, you know how winning and charming I can be.” With exaggerated care he leaned forward and stubbed out his cigar in an ashtray. “Any further details, you would be better off not knowing. They might keep you awake nights.”

  ***

  Kaymar paced the rose garden path, hands in pockets, his face very blank while his mind was in frenetic motion. He was waiting for Ifor, who was about to come off duty guarding Katrin.

  DeLarco was in the process of imploding, destroying himself through continual indulgence of his sadistic urges, but it might be many years before he managed to finish himself off. Until that time, he was deadly. DeLarco was known to work for pleasure and the menu offered him by Therbalt’s contract would be too tempting to pass up.

  Making matters worse, the contract to bring Borsen to Therbalt alive was working on Menders. Though his cousin had agreed to stay calm and do nothing rash, Kaymar could see he was tempted to go after DeLarco himself. That was something that simply must not happen.

  Ifor came into the rose garden, pausing to light a cigar. “How’d Menders take to the idea?”

  “He doesn’t like it. The longer we let him think about it, he’ll like it even less. It’ll have to be soon and if I have to I’ll do it anyway, without his blessing. You know I have to, don’t you, Bear?”

  Ifor cupped his hands around a lit match, nodding. “I understand, Kip.”

  “There’s only one way to catch this bastard,” Kaymar continued. “I’ll have to bait the trap with what he likes best. It could mean that I’d have to get into a compromising situation with him and I don’t know just how far I would have to go before
I could eliminate him. He’s younger and larger. I could never beat him in a fight, so I’ll have to get close enough to kill. There’s only one way to manage that with someone like him. I wanted you to know how I was going to do it and to hear what you think.”

  Ifor took a puff of his cigar and looked away over the just-budding rose bushes.

  “I’ve never been unfaithful,” Kaymar said suddenly, his voice very soft.

  Ifor looked at him. “I know that, Kip,” he answered, just as softly. “I have what matters. I have your heart. What you need to do with your body – that washes away, Kip. It doesn’t come between us. This is business.”

  “If Menders won’t send me officially, will you still come?” Kaymar asked.

  “Since when have I not? We’re together in this, just like everything else,” Ifor smiled. He looked back at the house.

  “Time for all this to stop,” he added. “This is no life, not for anyone. Hiding in shadows, scared of the light, like spiders.”

  “Then we’ll need to go soon.”

  ***

  My dearest Mahmay,

  I must tell you of a mission that I plan to undertake. Though I hate to trouble you, it is necessary that you know that this is a very serious business. I might not survive. I know that you would prefer to be prepared.

  I have knowledge that makes me the best man for this mission. There is a very powerful person who is seeking to have Katrin, Menders, Eiren and Borsen killed. He has also taken out contracts on Ifor and me. We have not told Menders this – he is already half mad with anxiety over the threat to the children and has the entire household closed up with the winter shutters bolted. It has been that way since autumn.

  This is a situation that cannot go on, my dearest mother. The safety of those I love is at stake, as is my own. I have an opportunity to put a stop to this threat. I know you would not have me flinch from duty.

  So if this is to be goodbye, I want you to know that you have always been a delight and inspiration to me. You have helped me so much, Mahmay. I am proud of my Princess mother.

  I hope to make you proud of me.

  I have a clear heart, for I protect the future of Mordania.

  Your loving son,

  Kip

  Baronet Kaymar Shvalz,

  Prince of Mordania and Fambre

  ***

  “It takes a freak to catch a freak!” Kaymar finally snapped.

  “You’re not a freak, damn it!” Menders retorted.

  “Only because I choose not to be!” Kaymar flashed back. He stopped and forced himself to become calm, though his head was ringing with voices. He’d gone to tell Menders that he was going after DeLarco, only to have Menders balk at the plan.

  “Menders, don’t you remember when I first came here, still half-mad? Most of it was from having been sent out to kill so many times. You know that even the most well-trained and dedicated assassin feels guilt. He would be a monster if he didn’t. The guilt was so terrible for me that I sought out punishment, but I began to like it instead – oh hells, why am I telling you this? You already know, you would never have let me come here and guard Katrin if you hadn’t known everything about me!”

  Menders turned away and looked out the window, saying nothing.

  “I have moved in the circles this man does,” Kaymar went on, refusing to flinch, though he feared losing some of the regard Menders held for him. “I know how to get close enough to kill him.”

  Menders didn’t speak. Kaymar knew he was being manipulated to continue talking and suddenly felt content to do so.

  “Menders, no-one else can manage this. I’m the only weapon you’ve got and we’re running out of time. Either we end it now or the threat could go on for years. How long can we keep growing children locked up in a dark house?”

  Menders turned toward him.

  “Yes, I did know about that part of your life,” he answered gently. “I believed you had put that behind you, as many of us left lives behind when we came here. As long as it didn’t interfere with your dealings with Katrin and the other children, it was none of anyone’s business. I’m more concerned for you than anything. Your happiness has been hard-won and I don’t want it compromised, even if I have to go after DeLarco myself.”

  Kaymar felt of rush of affection and gratitude for his cousin, mixed with and horror that he’d spoken openly about eliminating DeLarco. Kaymar knew Menders wasn’t equal to the task. He was too old. He’d been out of the game too long.

  “Ifor understands that it’s strictly business,” Kaymar responded, hoping to derail Menders’ last sentence. “He’s willing to be my second on this mission.

  “As for my being a freak – yes, I am, but it is only a part of me, a part I have voluntarily and gladly put away out of reach, because it brought me very little joy once the initial thrill was gone. It is no longer part of my life and has never been part of my life with Ifor. I understand people like DeLarco. I know what to do and what to say to get him in a compromising situation to finish him off. None of Menders’ Men knows how to do that. Where will you find someone who does, Aylam?”

  Menders started. Good, Kaymar thought. I’m not going to let you start closing off your ears as you are wont to do when hearing things you don’t like. You forget that we’re family, the same blood. Not only do I know more about you than you think I do, but in many ways we are very much alike. You just reacted to things that happened to you when you were small in a different way than I did. We both ran afoul of the same tutor, cousin of mine. In some ways, I might just know you better than you know yourself.

  “Gladdy might have a girl or two who could do it, but DeLarco’s nancy, he’d never rise to them as bait. To my knowledge there isn’t an assassin out there the equal of me who is nancy and can do what I plan to,” Kaymar continued.

  He could see Menders was torn. Go in for the kill, Kaymar, he thought. The conflicting voices that had been chorusing in his mind faded away – only Kaymar was left.

  “It’s up to me now. That’s what having a second is for. Let me do this, Aylam,” Kaymar said softly. “I serve Katrin and I serve you out of loyalty and love. It’s why I’ve always refused to accept payment for what I do here. In this way I can serve you both as no-one else can. You gave me a home and your trust at a time when I was mad and desperate. This is a way to repay that.

  “I can keep the ones you love safe. Borsen – I’d keep him safe. Please, let me do this, Cousin.”

  Menders studied him for a minute.

  “Borsen?” he said quietly.

  Kaymar answered, just as quietly. “He is like a beloved child to me, just as he is to you. He’s what I was once, before certain things and people came into my life. I want Borsen to stay as he is - pure and natural and happy. The thought of something like Therbalt getting hold of him is more than enough to make me succeed.”

  Menders let out a long breath and stood. Kaymar rose with him.

  “On one condition,” Menders said. “You come back alive. No suicide missions, Kaymar. Even if you have to let him go, we’ll get him another time. I need my second – my dear cousin – alive.”

  Kaymar nodded. “Agreed.”

  “When will you go?”

  “Now. You have our current wills and letters for our families if things go wrong.”

  Suddenly Menders cupped Kaymar’s face in his hands. He looked over his dark glasses into Kaymar’s eyes.

  “My troubled boy,” he said roughly, fighting emotion.

  Kaymar felt a glow of happiness. Menders referred to Hemmett as “my first boy” and to Borsen as “my late arriving boy” and considered both of them his sons. It was the first spoken acknowledgment that Menders considered Kaymar to be one of his boys as well, that the relationship between them was more than between cousins.

  “Thank you,” he said softly. “I have missed my Papa terribly since he died when I was fourteen. You have been a wonderful father to me.”

  Menders nodded mutely, dropping his hands from
Kaymar’s face.

  Outside, Ifor was seated on their carriage, the tip of his lit cigar barely showing his overcoated form. Early spring nights were cold in northern Mordania.

  “It seems you were going tonight, with or without my blessing.”

  “Yes, but it’s nicer to have your understanding,” Kaymar replied, wrapping his throat with a scarf, shrugging on a jacket. He worked his gloves onto his hands, then paused, looking at Menders, the smile fading from his face. “I have written to my mother, but I didn’t tell anyone else that we are going. Should something happen… I trust you’ll explain for me? Why I didn’t say goodbye.”

  Menders, his lips pressed into a bloodless line, nodded solemnly. “I’ll see to it.” His voice was thick and hoarse. He took his cousin’s hand and grasped it firmly. “Just save me the trouble by coming back.”

  “Agreed.” Kaymar was suddenly his usual debonair and flippant self.

  With a flourish he donned his hat, winked at Menders, then stepped out into the night, closing the door behind him with a solid thud.

  ***

  “Have you seen Kaymar?” Katrin asked, leaning in the doorway of the tailor shop.

  “Not today,” Borsen replied, not looking up from the sewing machine. Clothing to be mended was piled high around him.

  “Do you know what’s going on?” Katrin asked, closing the door behind her.

  He didn’t answer. Katrin saw that he was gazing at his work even more intently than usual. She went to him.

  “Tell me,” she said quietly. “I know something is happening. I’m not a child. Someone here has got to treat me as if I can stand some bad news.”

  Borsen stitched determinedly on. His work was a comfort to him and had become a barrier between him and all things in the world that were hurtful or frightening. After a moment, Katrin reached out and put her hand over one of his.