by A. E. Rayne
Bram met Jael’s eyes, and he grinned.
Jael squeezed Eydis’ hand. ‘Come on, why don’t we go and find Biddy? I could really do with some hot milk.’
‘Milk?’ Bram was horrified. ‘What do you want milk for? A night like this and you want hot milk?’
Aleksander joined them. ‘Hot milk?’ He winked at Jael. ‘Sounds perfect to me.’
Meena couldn’t wait to go to sleep.
Instead of dreading it, she had spent the past few nights looking forward to hopping into bed, ensuring she had everything she needed to prepare the tea that would stop her dreams.
The recipe she had found in Varna’s old book had been working so well that she was starting to feel like a different person. Her thoughts were no longer attacking her. Her body was no longer trapping her. She almost felt free.
Meena crawled under the furs, letting her mind drift towards the blissful darkness that awaited her, knowing that nothing would be hiding in the shadows, waiting to torment her. She closed her eyes, her mind immediately wandering to Andala and Berard, hoping that he would stay safe from whatever was coming. And then her thoughts skipped to Jael Furyck, and her eyes burst open, staring into the darkness, all thoughts of sleep suddenly gone.
Meena took a deep breath, shivering uncontrollably, not feeling cold at all.
If she were to try and take that ring...
21
Jael woke with a start, sitting upright.
Her chamber was dark, though a lamp burned on the table beside her bed, flickering the last of its flames across the wall.
She felt as though she’d had a dream, but she couldn’t remember any of it. Trying to catch her breath, she turned around to her pillow, punching it into shape, her eyes resting on the raven who perched on a chair watching her.
Fyr.
Jael blinked, her heart racing now as she hurried out of bed, bare feet on cold floorboards. Gripping the door handle, she turned it, opening the door, padding into the corridor. Light spluttered from sconces along the walls, but no one was stirring. She could hear her brother snoring. Her eyes dropped to the dark stain of Runa’s blood which was still obvious no matter how many times the servants scrubbed the floorboards. The stain from her mother’s wounds had lingered too.
Jael frowned. She had no sense of impending danger, but she headed into the hall anyway, wanting to be sure. Pulling back the curtain, she could see that some were already beginning preparations for their early departure. Fyn and Bram were mumbling sleepily to each other, stretching long arms above their heads.
Jael turned back into the corridor, deciding that she must have imagined the raven, but when she opened her chamber door, she was still there.
She sat down on the bed, confused, watching Fyr’s white eye, then the black one as they blinked at her. Listening. Trying to understand why the raven was there. What she was warning her about?
Was she still asleep?
And then, flapping her sleek feathers, Fyr fluttered over to the bed, stepping along the fur towards Jael.
Jael held her breath, sitting perfectly still as the raven stuck out one dark claw, placing it down on Jael’s knee, hopping onto her leg, staring up at her with a twitching head. Jael looked down at those mismatched eyes, conscious of the sharpness of Fyr’s beak, reminded of the attack in Tuura. And then all the tension in her body eased as she watched the raven, who had her head cocked to one side now, studying her.
It was as though she was communicating.
And Jael smiled, understanding perfectly.
Amma was almost yanked out of bed by a determined Brill who knew that Draguta was waiting in her chamber, up early and ready to help prepare her for the arrival of her husband.
It was dark, and Amma felt like crying, but eventually, seeing how worried Brill was and not wanting to get her in trouble, she sighed and sat up.
‘My mistress wants you in her chamber quickly. We will need time to get you ready for your husband.’
‘We?’
Brill nodded, still half asleep herself. Draguta had not been sleeping, therefore she had not been sleeping either, and the lack of sleep and the constant demands all through the night were starting to wear her down. ‘She wishes for you to look like a queen.’
Amma was getting irritated with the idea of being a queen, certain that Jael had never spent even a moment thinking about her appearance. And, knowing Jael, she never would. ‘Does that mean Jaeger is coming today?’
‘My mistress says so. She saw it in her circle. He will be here this morning.’
Amma shuffled towards the edge of the bed in her nightdress, one hand on her small bump, trying to quell a sudden rush of nausea; unable to tell whether it was from the baby or the prospect of seeing her husband.
Reaching out, she took the hand Brill was offering, unable to raise a smile.
‘I have to go.’
‘You just got here!’ Gisila complained as her daughter edged towards the door.
Gant stopped Jael with a look, and she turned around, huffing back to the bed. ‘I have to go, Mother. There’s a lot to do, and if I’m not out there, no one will be doing it!’
‘And if I never see you again? Is this the last thing you want to say to me? Just an angry grumble about something that doesn’t matter?’ Gisila was propped up on pillows, feeling stronger, but still in a lot of pain. She grimaced. ‘Let them organise themselves. Let Aleksander do it, or Axl. I want to say goodbye to you.’
If Gant hadn’t felt so tense about everyone leaving, about not leaving himself, he would have laughed.
Jael scowled, hating goodbyes. ‘Gant will look after you,’ she tried.
‘I know that,’ Gisila snapped. ‘We’re not here to talk about Gant, are we? We’re saying goodbye to each other.’ She tried to get her daughter’s attention, placing her hand on Jael’s, trying to bring her closer. ‘We may never see each other again.’
‘Well, I appreciate your confidence, Mother.’
Now Gant did laugh. ‘Never thought anyone would be worse at goodbyes than Ranuf, but you really are, Jael. I’ll go outside, see how everyone’s doing, so take your time. No one’s going anywhere without you.’
It wasn’t even dawn.
Jael had ensured that everything was packed the night before so they could depart as the sun was rising. She was eager to make the most of the day, hoping to reach a safe campsite before nightfall.
Safe.
It seemed like a terrible joke now.
Gant shut the door behind him, and Jael felt her shoulders tighten further, knowing that soon she would have to say goodbye to him as well.
She sat down on the bed, careful not to disturb her mother, who looked pale, she thought, her eyes flickering across her face. Worried too. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ Jael admitted. ‘What can I say?’
Gisila touched her daughter’s arm. ‘You’re not confident, are you?’
Jael hardened her stare. ‘Confident? Going to face Draguta and her monsters?’ She laughed, and it sounded like the taunting voice in her head. ‘I’m confident enough in what we can do, but what they can do...’ Jael wanted to leave it there. She was making everything worse. This might really be the last time. ‘We’ll do everything we can, Mother, and I’ll look after Axl, I promise.’
‘And Aleksander?’
‘I think it’s more likely he’ll be looking after me, but of course I will.’
‘What will happen if none of you return?’
‘None of us?’ Jael frowned, staring into her mother’s eyes, watching pain and fear meld into a look of pure terror. ‘Then you’ll find a way, won’t you? You were the Queen of Brekka once. And if that happens, you will be again. You will find a way.’
Jael’s voice was iron-edged, and Gisila felt the burn of tears threatening her eyes, which would surely make her daughter bolt for the door. ‘I will,’ she promised. ‘I will.’ She dropped her head, sensing that she was about to lose control. ‘Please, Jael, be careful. Please.�
�� And she burst into tears.
Jael leaned forward, her arms awkwardly around her mother, feeling her sob against her shoulder. ‘I promise. I’ll do everything I can to come back. To bring us all back.’ Tears were threatening her own eyes and Jael realised that she had to pull herself together. Sitting back, she inhaled sharply.
‘You should go,’ Gisila said, wiping away her tears. ‘Isn’t that what you’re about to say?’
Jael grinned. ‘Yes, I should. But I’ll be back, don’t worry.’
‘Ahhh, if only that were possible, but, being a mother, it’s not. Do what you must, Jael. What you were born to do.’
Jael nodded, heading for the door. She paused, gripping the handle, turning around.
‘Your father was always so proud of you,’ Gisila smiled, more tears coming quickly. ‘I know he never said it, but he was. He would be so proud of you now.’
Jael turned back to the door, unable to say any more.
Meena had risen early, feeling well-rested and determined to do something about the ring. And though it was highly likely that Draguta had already seen inside her thoughts and possibly her dreams, she was going to try the spell to shut Draguta out of her mind. She had already been to the markets for some black pepper and saffron, and now she was almost running towards the winding gardens, hoping to get there and back to her chamber before Draguta was down in the hall, bellowing her name.
Stumbling to a stop just outside the stables, she spun around, sensing that Jaeger was there, watching her. Dawn was coming, and there was enough light to see that no one was there at all. But he would come today, of that she was certain.
Jaeger and ships full of Followers.
And what would Draguta do to them?
Meena hurried past the stables, not wanting to think about the Followers. She couldn’t do anything about them, but if she got the ingredients she needed, maybe there was a chance she could keep Draguta out of her head long enough to do something about the ring.
The sun was on its way, the square filled with a cacophony of pre-dawn noise that drowned out the caterwaul of the roosters. The lines of saddled, armoured horses stretched from the harbour gates to the main gates, and beyond. The horses appeared confused to be leaving before the sun had done much more than peek above the horizon, though by the time everyone had stopped rushing about, saying goodbye, hurrying to find last minute items, and discovering unexpected problems, it would surely be light.
‘Least there’s no rain,’ Thorgils yawned, his eyes on Isaura who was going through his saddlebags in a nervous panic. ‘Here,’ he said, pulling her back. ‘I’ve told you it won’t fit. Give it to me, I’ll stuff it down my trousers.’
Isaura’s eyes were frantic as she turned around; red-rimmed and swollen. She didn’t want him to worry about her, but she had spent most of the night crying, worrying about him. ‘That won’t make it smell very nice. Or you!’ she grumbled, but Thorgils took the long package from her and stuffed it inside the narrow gap down the front of his trousers, patting it with a smile. Isaura shook her head as he brought her in close. ‘It’s fine,’ he tried to convince her. ‘No doubt it’ll start raining the moment we head off, so I’ll be able to keep it nice and dry in there. No stopping to undo my saddlebags either!’
They were talking about salt fish and saddlebags.
Thorgils felt Isaura grip him hard, burying herself deeper into his arms, wanting to be close to him, to remember every part of him. ‘Come back,’ she breathed. ‘Please. Come back to me.’
Thorgils bent his head until it was sitting on top of Isaura’s. He smiled, enjoying having her all to himself. The children were still asleep, staying with the servants, out of everyone’s way. Sniffing her freshly-washed hair, he smiled sadly. ‘I will. And when I do, I think we need to do something very important, something long overdue, don’t you?’
Isaura stilled, pushing herself back. ‘You do?’
He nodded. ‘I want to make you my wife. More than anything. If you’ll have me?’
Isaura laughed at the look on Thorgils’ face. All his confidence had suddenly vanished as he blinked rapidly, studying her, trying to gauge her reaction. ‘Of course! It’s all I’ve ever wanted too.’ And pushing herself into his arms again, she heard him sniffing away his own tears. ‘So you have to come back. Do what you must, but come back to me, please, Thorgils.’
Thorgils could hear her mumbling as he held on tightly. He could feel the warmth of her, the love in those arms, the thudding of her heart as her chest pushed against his, and he looked up, tears streaming down his hairy cheeks, meeting Jael’s eyes.
Jael blinked, turning away.
Everywhere she looked there were tears and hugs and all the things she found so uncomfortable; the sky was brightening enough to see it all now.
‘Trying to skip out on your goodbyes?’ Aleksander grinned from behind her.
Jael spun around. ‘Trying to.’
Her eyes didn’t linger near his face, though she knew that he probably felt as strange as she did. Well, perhaps not as strange, Jael realised, remembering Draguta’s ring. ‘Ride with me,’ she said, her hand on his arm guard. ‘This morning. Just the two of us. There’s something I have to tell you.’
Draguta gaped at the sight of a dishevelled Jaeger as he stumbled down the pier towards them. He looked like some beggar who’d crawled out of a sewer: all rumpled and filthy, pasty-skinned and bleary-eyed.
Even his hair had lost its golden sheen.
She was not impressed, having spent hours preparing Amma to greet her victorious husband. And turning to the girl, she could see that Amma did indeed look beautiful. Elegant. Like a lady. A queen.
Jaeger didn’t even look worthy of emptying her chamber pot.
‘Well,’ Draguta grumbled, taking Amma’s hand. ‘We will return to the castle. And you, Jaeger Dragos, will clean yourself up into something resembling the king of this magnificent kingdom. I do not wish your poor wife to have to inhale your fetid odour, or lay her eyes on your decaying body a moment longer!’ She spun around, spinning Amma with her, striding back down the tiny stretch of newly built pier towards the square.
Jaeger looked bemused, watching as his men stumbled over the gunwales, all trying to fit on the new wooden boards of the pier. There wasn’t enough length yet for more than two ships to moor at any one time, so they were going to have to take turns unloading their cargo and prisoners.
‘And you will bring those dogs into the square!’ Draguta bellowed over her shoulder. ‘Guard them until I return!’
She didn’t even slow down.
Jaeger watched them leave, too nauseous to feel disappointed. His body was rocking, every part of him damp and aching. He didn’t feel right at all. Whatever sickness was lingering would not retreat.
Lifting a hand to his clammy head, he felt the heat of his brow.
Yet, he was shivering, in need of a fire. Unable to stop thinking about Meena.
Wondering if she was still alive.
Assured that Draguta had left the castle to greet Jaeger, Meena had hurried up to her chamber, eager to begin.
She still had the piece of silk Jaeger had torn off one of Draguta’s discarded dresses in his desperation to have her dream for him. And she would need it. The spell called for Meena to use an item from the dreamer she wished to keep away.
And Meena very much wanted to keep Draguta far away.
One eye on the door, she ripped the strip of white silk into smaller pieces and added it to the bowl at her feet which contained a pungent mix of her own blood, black pepper, garlic, and a long list of herbs and spices. Glancing at the open book on the floor beside her, Meena squinted, realising that she had forgotten to get bay leaves, but she knew that Varna had a jar of them on her shelf. So, scrambling to her feet, she hurried across the chamber, knowing that Draguta would only be preoccupied for so long.
She had to hurry.
Aleksander felt flustered as he glanced around the square.
U
nusually muddled.
There was so much to think about, but he hadn’t been sleeping well for some time, and he was struggling to think quickly. Perhaps it was the thought of saying goodbye, he realised.
The idea of not returning.
Spinning around, deciding to go and find Gant, he threw up his hands, grabbing Hanna’s arms before she fell backwards. ‘Sorry!’
Hanna smiled, shaking her head. ‘I was just about to say hello. I didn’t think you’d heard me coming.’
‘No, no.’ Aleksander glanced around awkwardly. ‘It’s a bit noisy this morning.’
‘It is,’ Hanna laughed, though her eyes were filled with worry. ‘No one wants to leave anything behind.’
‘Or anyone. Though with Jael bellowing from one end of the fort to the other, I’m sure no one’s sleeping.’
Hanna could see her father eyeing her in the distance. He was talking with Edela, though he appeared ready to head her way. ‘I... I hope you’ll defeat Draguta, and... return soon.’
Aleksander nodded, taking a deep breath. ‘So do I. It would be nice to end this. To feel safe again.’
‘Hopefully, we will be. Soon.’ Hanna wanted to reach out and take his hand.
Aleksander didn’t know how he felt, but he knew that he very much wanted to get back to Andala and find out. He smiled at Hanna, unable to take his eyes off her, lost for a moment in the possibilities of what might be.
Then Marcus’ voice carried towards them, and he blinked, realising that he had better keep moving. Walking past Hanna, his arm by his side, he reached out his hand and touched hers. ‘Look after yourself.’ And leaving her behind, he disappeared to find Gant.
Hanna watched him go, unable to stop staring until her father walked into her line of sight with Edela, Ayla, and Astrid.
Edela was trying to get rid of Marcus, who was mumbling about too many things she didn’t want to think about now. She was about to suggest that he go and find something else to do when Jael arrived, which was easily the biggest distraction of all.
