The Death Dealer - The Complete Series

by Katie Roman

  “I told you she was ill!” Grace screamed at Katherine. “You stupid, stupid woman! You unbearable tramp! No wonder you-” The words left Grace's lips before she knew what she said. Luckily, she stopped herself before mentioning the arrest and sentencing of Katherine's husband. Instantly her hands went to her mouth. She was shocked at herself.

  Katherine's eyes widened. Her hair stuck out from its fancy bun, yet she still managed to retain dignity. Deidre sobbed quietly, and for a long moment, no one said a word. Grace's mouth moved like a gaping fish and Katherine stood still, studying her.

  Leandra's return broke the silence. “Your Grace! Lady Deidre is not well.”

  “Yes, so young Grace has informed me.”

  Grace's feet felt heavy. She wanted to run, to escape this moment, but taking the necessary steps seemed impossible. Instead, she waited for the hammer to fall, for Katherine to inform Leandra of her outburst. Even if Grace still held her former station, speaking to the duchess in such an insolent tone would garner swift punishment. Now, as nothing more than a lowly house guard, she couldn't imagine what would happen to her.

  But Katherine did nothing. She simply turned to Leandra and pasted a fake smile on her face. “I thought a visit from an old friend would lift her spirits, but I see it will not.” She turned to Grace, her face an unreadable mask. “I should return to my own chambers.”

  “Your Grace,” Grace and Leandra both said as they curtseyed to Katherine's retreating figure.

  When the duchess was gone, Leandra shut the door and eyed Grace suspiciously. “What did you do?” the nurse hissed. She crossed the room and pushed Grace away from the still sobbing Deidre.

  “Made a lot of trouble for myself,” Grace replied shakily.

  ~*~*~

  The night air made Grace's fingers ache. She tucked her fingers into her armpits to warm them and watched the main road from the gatehouse. The room had a little table and two stools. The lamps were lit, but they didn’t provide any warmth. Grace's fellow guard dozed on one of the stools. His elbows were on the table and he rested his head in his hands. She was alert, at least.

  Each minute that ticked by meant she was that much closer to her punishment. Katherine would have told George and Leon by now about how Grace had spoken to her, and then she'd tell everyone that Deidre had gone mad. Calvin's wedding would be called off and the heir to Arganis would be a pariah. Again.

  Grace stopped watching the road for a moment to hazard a look at the castle. From the gatehouse's viewpoint she could see candles lit in only one room: Leon's. The rest of the castle was a dark foreboding place, rising up high into the night sky. Grace looked back toward the road. If she ran now, she could make it to the next fishing village before anyone realized she was gone. She promised George to wait out the winter, but certainly he wouldn't want her to wait now.

  ~*~*~

  Grace walked the path until she came to a fork in the road: Blood or fire. The goddess Diggery sat and waited for her. Choose, she commanded. Grace looked down each road. The blood flowed like a stream on the path to her right, while the fire ate up the trees in the path to the left. The black wolf sat and licked her chops. Grace took a step backwards and the wolf growled.

  “Midnight and alls wells!” Grace nearly knocked over her stool when the other guard called the hour. She didn’t even realize she had fallen asleep. Her mind, still stuck in the woods with the wolf, raced to catch up to her body as it shook sleep from her tired limbs.

  The other guard looked at her and shook his head. “Sir Leon is coming down from the castle.”

  “How do you know?”

  He pointed out into the courtyard where a figure moved through the dark. From his steady, purposeful gait, Grace knew it was Leon. He was probably coming to her now so she couldn't cause more of a scene when he sent her packing. There is no harm done in a midnight retreat, she said inwardly, and steeled herself for dismissal.

  Leon came into the gatehouse. There was barely room for two, and now the room was overly crowded. “Cooper, go see that the guards posted on the walls are not frozen.” Cooper bowed and left. He knew trouble when it entered his gatehouse.

  Grace thought about launching into her defense before Leon spoke. Who knew? He might even side with her. He loved Deidre, and even wanted her taken to the temple healers for the entirety of the wedding so as not to stress her. But he also respected his position and the social order of things. Katherine far outranked him.

  “I understand the Duchess Katherine visited your mother.” He slid onto Cooper's stool, but Grace remained standing. “Had you used such a tone with me, I'd have smacked you right off; though I see Deidre took care of that.”

  Grace touched the small cut under her eye. Although it only bled for a few seconds before drying, it stung. Still, she said nothing.

  “Gutter talk and insults may have been how you handled others in Glenbard, but you know better here. However, Her Grace is willing to forgive this transgression out of respect for your mother.”

  A knot in Grace's stomach came undone and her body sagged with relief. Leon continued, “Your presence has been requested for a ladies' ride tomorrow.”

  “What?” Grace's spine stiffened.

  “Her Grace has asked that you serve as guardsman for a leisurely ride that was planned for the ladies. I think she wants you to redeem yourself, although I tried to convince her otherwise. After all, I don't relish the idea of His Highness or Sir Tristan catching sight of you, but she was insistent. Now go to bed. Cooper can watch alone for a night.” Grace bowed to her uncle and left the gatehouse.

  Eight

  In her dream, there was no choice at the fork in the road. Blood threatened to drown Grace. The wood flooded with the hot, sticky liquid and Grace clamored up a tree to get away. Several bodies floated face-down past her. Some wore fine clothes, and others peasant garb. Dozens drifted past while Grace clung to the tree's branches for dear life. Only three that floated by were faced upwards, and Grace knew their faces well. She had a hand in killing them. The branch she held cracked under the stress and dumped her into the river of blood.

  Grace sat up in her bed, panting. It was so dark she wasn't sure if her eyes were open or closed. After a few long moments, she settled back down. Sleep took her quickly.

  This time the road was fire. Burning pine filled her nostrils and Grace tried to stay ahead of the smoke that threatened to suffocate her. Her eyes stung and her body ached as though she had been running for hours. Before her, blue skies and an open field waited. If she could just make it to the edge of the trees! But it was not to be. The great wolf leaped into her path.

  You must decide! she howled. The sound reverberated through the burning wood, and Grace felt it in her bones. The flames licked at her back; their heat disturbingly real for a dream. She closed her eyes and let the heat surround her.

  When Grace woke the second time, she decided not to return to sleep. She pulled on a pair of black trousers, her guard tunic, slipped her feet into her boots, and strapped her sword belt on. She pulled her hair up, knotting it at the nape of her neck. She crept out of the castle and into the training yard.

  In the east, the black of night began to give way to the pinks and oranges of dawn. The ground was covered in frost. Grace regretted not getting her coat, but she'd warm up soon enough.

  In the dirt, she drew a circle with her foot. It wasn't very big. As a matter of fact, if she stood in the center, it barely extended an arm's length outward. She decided to run through the sword exercises, trying not to leave the circle. She liked the challenge. Sometimes she practiced complicated sword dances where she moved freely without the circle, but today she wanted the control. After her outburst at Katherine and her dreams, she knew things were moving beyond her control. Her sword practice didn't have to.

  Her sword moved as an extension of herself, and with each thrust and parry, Grace gained confidence. She stopped once to check her footprints in the dirt. Some came close to her line, but none cr
ossed beyond the circle. She continued. After a time, she abandoned the circle for better foot work. Thrust, block, lunge. Again she stopped, this time to catch her breath.

  Someone clapped softly. Grace hadn't even noticed anyone approach. Turning to face her audience, she quickly dropped to her knee; her sword slipping from her hand and into the dirt.

  “Your Highness!” she exclaimed. Grace kept her head down, focusing very hard on the foot she could see. She heard Drake approach as his boots came into her view, but still she didn't look up.

  “I did not know you had returned to Arganis, Grace.” There was no anger in his tone, only curiosity. “And please, get up out of the dirt.”

  The prince tugged at her upper arm, helping her to her feet. Grace looked up at him and found his eyes shining in the morning sun. He smiled.

  “I returned last summer, Your Highness. I work as a guard.”

  “I can see,” Drake said, waving down at her uniform. “I hope you don't mind me watching you practice.”

  “Of course not, Your Highness. I was only out here to clear my head.”

  “I suppose you are too tired for a sparring match?”

  “Uh...”

  “I want to see if you are as worthy a foe as when last we sparred.” Grace caught a hint of mischief in his voice and she forced a tight-lipped smile.

  “I am not worthy, Your Highness,” Grace replied lamely, groping for something to say.

  She owed Drake her life. He was the one to free her when his father would have seen her hang. Still, she wasn't prepared to enter into a sparring match with him. If anyone caught them, the embarrassment alone would kill her uncles. There was no telling what crazy manner of rumors would reach King Frederick. It was bad enough Katherine insisted Grace go for a ride.

  Drake inspected her carefully. “Another day, perhaps? I would not want you too tired to escort the ladies' ride this morning.” He patted her on the shoulder as though they were old comrades-in-arms, and strode away from the training grounds.

  Grace frowned at his back as she bent down to pick up her sword, wiping the dirt onto her trouser leg. Now that she had stopped her exercises, she shivered. The guests would be sitting down to breakfast soon, and she was expected to be ready after that. Returning her sword to her scabbard, she headed back to her room to change into her spare uniform.

  ~*~*~

  The chief hostler, a man named John, had all the horses saddled and ready. Four of the horses were ones Grace knew as Arganis stock and five were entirely new to her, ones for the ladies who would ride. Five stable hands and three other guards checked over the horses one last time.

  Hoburn was with the assembled guards, and Grace smiled to see a friend among those appointed to escort Katherine and her gaggle. Hoburn handed Grace the reins of a cream colored palfrey gelding. The horse butted his head into Grace's chest.

  Grace rubbed his nose with her other hand. “Oh, Pippin. I’m sorry I don’t have a treat for you today.” The horse snorted and sniffed her hand and sleeves just in case she had hidden an apple from him.

  Pippin was Grace's horse before she left Arganis. He was a fine beast; not so ill-tempered as Calvin's Wilfred, but he didn't suffer inexperienced riders. Grace visited him with apples at least once a week to make up for the fact that she never rode him anymore.

  Grace took his reins and held Pippin steady. “Are the ladies coming out soon?”

  Hoburn held his own horse steady; a brown mare named Sally who was large enough to bear his height. Grace patted Sally's nose and the mare nipped her fingers, hoping to find an apple of her own.

  “Their maids came out to say the horses must be ready. Her Grace is not a woman who accepts unpreparedness. A fussy woman, I'm gathering,” Hoburn said. “I am surprised to see you out and about.”

  “Her Grace requested it.”

  “Did she? And how did she even know you were here? I thought his lord was keeping you locked away so as not to cause a stir.”

  Grace sighed. “We had a bit of a run-in last night. I think she is doing this as a punishment for me.”

  “Look alive, boys! Your charges are coming,” John snapped.

  Grace and Hoburn straightened up as the stable hands brought the five new horses forward. From the castle, five women came out. Victoria and two of her ladies came first, followed by Katherine, her arm hooked with Deidre's. Grace's grip on Pippin's reins tightened. Behind the ladies, Leandra came scurrying out.

  With a curtsy, Leandra rushed ahead of the group, stopping herself in front of Grace and taking hold of her by the upper arms. “Her Grace insisted, even after I told her we only take Lady Deidre for walks around the grounds. I told her that ever since that horse threw Lord Daniel, your mother has stayed well enough away from them.”

  “You cannot let my mother out for this ride. She nearly ripped out the duchess's hair last night. Imagine the damage she could do with a horse!”

  Leandra squeezed Grace's arm, shaking her head. “You go right ahead and tell a duchess what she can and cannot do. If it is the same to you, I'd just as soon keep my job.”

  The other women had already come up to their horses. Deidre looked concerned, but she gently patted a white mare's neck. Next to her, Katherine smiled, although the duchess did not bother to look in Grace's direction. Instead, she called John over to discuss something. Grace had no choice but to accept her mother's inclusion in the morning ride.

  ~*~*~

  Grace led the party down the king's road, Hoburn rode in the center, and the other two guards rode rear guard. Victoria and her two friends rode directly behind Grace, while Deidre and Katherine rode next to Hoburn. Pippin walked along, head held high, bearing Grace along as though she weighed nothing. She was happy to be in the saddle again. For the winter's wolf hunts the guards mounted up, but since Grace did not take part she rarely got the chance to ride anymore.

  From behind her, Grace heard the ladies Gretchen and Juliet making snippy remarks about having a female guard. Calvin’s betrothed, Victoria, remained quiet.

  “Is this what will happen to us if we are considered unfit to be married?” Gretchen asked loudly. Grace rolled her eyes, glad they couldn't see her face. “Forced to wear men's clothing?”

  “And live in servant's quarters?” Juliet added.

  “It could be worse,” Victoria said. “I'd rather wear men's pants than be forced into the robes of a priestess.”

  Grace hazarded a look over her shoulder. Gretchen and Juliet looked at Victoria as though she were crazy, but Victoria just winked at Grace. Grace turned forward again, shaking her head slightly.

  “Grace, tell us – how does it feel?” Gretchen snickered. “What is it like, being so beyond repair that you had to change sexes?”

  Grace said nothing. Her tongue got her into this mess, and she wouldn't give Katherine further cause to despise her.

  Instead of listening to their talk, she concentrated on the road and the weather. The day dawned sunny and warmer than it had been. Grace's breath didn't hang as a little frozen cloud today, and the frost had already melted. Under the shade of the trees it was cool, but she savored each pass through a sunny patch. The rays penetrated the leaves and warmed her face as orange, red, and brown leaves fell along the road. Beyond the oaks were the tall pines, their scent heavy in the air.

  “Grace?” Juliet called. “What is it like to share a bunk with so many men? Do you get any sleep?”

  “Mind your tongue!”

  Grace looked over her shoulder to see Katherine urging her horse next to Juliet's. “Young ladies do not make such vulgar assumptions, and in front of the girl's mother, no less!”

  Grace looked further back. Her mother was visibly lucid and her face burned red. Grace wasn't sure if she was ashamed of who her daughter was, or embarrassed by Juliet's nasty remarks. But really, it didn't matter. It was all because of Grace that her mother suffered to hear such things.

  “Your Grace, I am only stating-”

  “You are stating
nothing more about this guardswoman. Victoria?”

  “Yes, Mother?” Victoria, who already sat straight and tall, managed to grow even taller when Katherine addressed her.

  “Ride with Lady Deidre. You two,” she pointed at Gretchen and Juliet, “ride with the rearguard. Good gentlemen,” Katherine instructed the two in the rear, “tell them, in as much detail as possible, what your day and training is like.”

  Everyone did as Katherine instructed, and the duchess brought her horse up to Grace's side. Grace refused to make eye contact; she simply looked straight ahead at the sun-spotted road with its many colored leaves.

  “You were once charged with being a witch,” Katherine said quietly. Behind them, Victoria talked to Deidre and the two guards detailed their lives. “But witches are crafty and calculating, whereas you are rash. I never did believe those charges.”

  “Thank you, Your Grace,” mumbled Grace. She was at a loss for anything else to say.

  “However, you are a fool.”

  “Then why have you asked that I come on this ride?”

  “Because you are my friend's daughter. Any kindness, any favor I ask of you, any defense I make for you, is not because I feel you are worthy, but because Deidre needs to think her daughter has not fallen entirely.” Katherine looked back to Deidre and Grace followed her line of sight. Her mother laughed delicately and patted Victoria's arm.

  “Those little ninnies, Gretchen and Juliet, will think your mother's madness can spread to them. I know better. Fresh air, good company, and kindness will ease her mind.” Katherine looked forward again. “Her nurse said you read to her and play chess with her. These are good things. I used to do that with my grandfather as his mind slipped away. It is good of you to take care of her.” Grace said nothing, but waited for the insult Katherine was sure to hurl at her next. However, Katherine said nothing else. She just continued to ride beside Grace.

  The ride continued peacefully enough, and before long, Grace returned them to the courtyard. The ladies' maids and Leandra came to see the ladies inside.