A Feast of Souls: Araneae Nation, Book 2 (33 page)

Scratching behind his ear, Murdoch cast me a sheepish look. “I’m, uh, her prisoner.”

“What?” Vaughn and I asked together.

“Bastards came into
my
room and had the gall to tell me they’d taken
my
son to the grotto. I might be old, but I’m not so feeble they’d dare cross me.” She tossed the sword to Murdoch. “If I can trust you to do what’s right, you can keep it. Otherwise…” She gripped her ax tight. “I’ve no qualms in appointing a new head of the guards.” She tapped her foot. “Well, tell me before I give you my back, would you? Rather not have a blade sunk there. I had enough of that for one day.”

“I am yours to command, as always, Maven.” He inclined his head and sheathed his sword.

“Good,” she said. “We need honorable guards at our backs when we confront the council.”

“The council’s gathered, then?” I adjusted my hold on Vaughn. “How long were we…?”

“Too long,” Isolde snapped. “Not a healer in the whole city. I heard Cleit abandoned us, and he was all we had left. Nerys lacks the proper training to be much use, and you were out cold.”

“She died.” Vaughn’s grip around my waist turned crushing. “She followed after me.”

I stroked his arm, surprised to hear no hesitation on his part. He remembered. One hard look told me he recalled every moment we had shared. His link to me must have afforded him clarity.

“I haven’t forgotten,” he said, as if reading my mind. His arm slid lower, his hand cupping my curves. “I remember everything.” He glanced at his mother. “Mana and I will be wed, soon.”

Calculation gleamed in Isolde’s eyes. “Is that so?”

“It is.” Again, Vaughn spoke without hesitation.

“It is,” I echoed, once remembering I had yet to give him an answer.

“In this, I will not fail you, Mana.” He lifted my hand to his lips, nipping my knuckles. “You will be loved and protected so long as we’re together.” He grinned at me. “You will be happy.”

I chuckled at his sincerity. “I doubt you leave me any choice.”

Trading his grip on Isolde for the bars, he tugged them. “Do you have the keys?”

Metal jingled when Murdoch reached into his pocket. Before the key met the lock, Isolde set her hand on his. He passed over the keys, no doubt thinking she craved the glory of liberating us.

Except she fisted them in her hand and stepped outside of Vaughn’s reach.

“It occurs to me that my son intends to wed you without our having set a bride price.” Isolde tinkered with the ring. “It also occurs to me that if what I’ve heard is accurate, and I see no cause why it wouldn’t be, that means my future daughter has discovered a cure for the yellow death.”

I saw where this was headed. “Nerys made the discovery.”

With a shrug, Isolde dismissed that minor fact. “What matters is that only a handful of spots grow dayflowers, Beltania being the only city that cultivates them. I’d wager of that handful, two or three fingers worth know how to process the flowers and distill the oil.” A grin. “Am I right?”

Uncomfortable with revealing that information in mixed company, I asked a better question. “What are you after? If the cure is accepted as an effective treatment by your clan and mine—”

“I want a cut of the profit.” She thumbed through the keys. “When word gets out that there’s a cure, demand for dayflower oil will mean your clan never wants for anything. They’ll be out of the pockets of the Araneidae and able to fend for themselves.” A flick of her wrist, then, “You’ll be able to fund more missionary work and protect the old ways before modern ideals kill them.”

My head spun at the thought. Freedom from the Araneidae. Preservation of the old ways. No higher power to answer to than our own maven if there was work to be done and funds required.

Isolde illuminated everything I had ever wanted for my clan, for my family.

If her nails click-clacking on the keys were any indication, she knew it too.

“I’m not the Salticidae maven.” Thank the gods for it. “I can’t make any bargains with you.”

“You’re Sikya’s niece,” she groused. “If she won’t listen to you, then I know Masik will.”

“I’m sorry, but no. Even within our clan, there is a division of beliefs. What I’ve done might rile the Salticidae elders. Old Father may object as well. Treatment in this manner is not what he taught me. It was not true to our way but I believe was the right thing to do.” I voiced one of my worst fears. “The old ways are dying because our elders refuse to adapt as our society evolves.”

“There are worse things than being progressive.” Vaughn pulled me closer. “You saw how a few drops of oil saved lives. You’re a healer. Old Father will understand and your clan will too.”

I hoped that was the case. Given the options of watching people die or taking action, I would do the same again. Lives were too precious to risk. Let others debate my actions. I was at peace.

“Ah, well.” Isolde’s mouth set in a mulish line. “That’s unfortunate.”

“If we’re discussing a bride price, shouldn’t you offer my clan something of value for me? It seems that is the traditional meaning.” She scowled while I waited. “Besides the pleasure of your son’s company, what are you willing to offer them? You said yourself we’ll soon be in demand.”

For a moment, she raised her finger. I all but heard her mental calculation.

“We’re mercenaries. You know that.” She paused. “I would offer your clan protection.”

“A generous offer,” I said. “But Sikya is wed to Chinedu, and our clan holdings are secure.”

“Alliances fall in and out of favor as old clan heads step aside and new ones arise.” Her stern expression let me know she was serious. “How about a three-generation alliance with my clan?”

My pulse quickened. “That is a generous offer.”

I saw how the Araneidae had fallen when Lourdes’s father died and his clan invaded Erania. From allies to bitter enemies, the change occurred in the span of heartbeats. Her offer would save my clan from such a fate. Before, we had nothing of value. Our alliances were casually made and kept. Now, if dayflower oil was verified as the cure, demand would bring commerce to my clan’s door, and our circumstances would change. We would be vulnerable until this plague subsided.

And what happened then? What if we developed blessed oils for other ailments?

If my clan chose not to intermarry with the Deinopidae, then once Chinedu passed, so would their offers of aid. With sick surety, I recalled the simple fact if Sikya bore no heirs, then I would be an aspirant for maven of our clan. If that day came, it would be wise to have allies in my debt.

Isolde pointed a finger. “That’s a better offer than any other you’d get.”

Vaughn rubbed his hands over his face. “Mother…”

“I’ll handle this.” Before he reached through the bars and strangled her. “As I said, I’m in no position to make such a bargain with you. I think, given the circumstances, that Sikya will accept your offer.” Despite the bitter blood between our clans, Salticidae honored soul mate marriages.

Our union would not be contested on those grounds. Once learning our life threads had been tied, Sikya might sulk, but she would accept the inevitable. Old Father could help her transition. I knew in my heart he had read this match between myself and Vaughn. I would have his support.

“If we postpone negotiations, then we postpone the marriage.” Her gaze honed in on where I stroked Vaughn’s chest to calm his breathing. “There are things sons of mine won’t do, and that means touching a female, even an intended bride, in your situation, without vows in place.”

I flushed clear to my hairline at her remark. My virginity was not a situation, it was a choice.

“We can wait.” Vaughn’s voice sent shivers down my spine. “Mana is worth the wait.”

With a curl of her lip, Isolde tossed the keys to Murdoch. “Let them out.”

“As you wish, Maven.” Clinks sounded until he found the right one and fit it to the lock.

Vaughn leaned into me, steady but weak from his trials. “I should have known this wouldn’t be simple.” He echoed his father’s words. “Males of my clan are cursed in matters of the heart.”

Eager to leave the grotto and more eager to lighten the burden weighting his shoulders, I called upon the one option I had left to me. “There is one thing I can offer you that is my own.”

“I’m listening.” She put her hand on Murdoch’s to prevent the lock from tumbling.

“What if—in exchange for Vaughn’s hand in marriage—I offer you the life debt that Maven Lourdes owes me?” I fixed her with a hard stare. “The boon is one I earned saving Rhys’s life.”

Pain flashed in her eyes before she glanced away.

“I would add a qualifier. If my maven agrees to your terms, then your conditions are met and Lourdes’s debt remains my own.” Not that I had use for it. “If Sikya refuses to bargain with you, then the debt Lourdes owes me is yours, and you may ask the Araneidae for your heart’s desire.”

When she glanced up, she was resolved. “I’ll take that offer.”

“Now I know how Rhys felt when you offered him up to Lourdes as her husband.” Vaughn scowled. “At least he didn’t have to hear his mother and his future wife haggling over his value.”

Isolde shrugged. “You should be proud. She drove a hard bargain for you. Don’t know that I would have paid it, myself.” Her pointer jabbed in my direction. “That was cutthroat, to buy one of my sons with the blood of the other.” Her gaze softened. “You’ll make a fine maven one day.”

Complimented by Isolde, would wonders never cease? I stammered, “I—well, thank you.”

After slapping Murdoch’s wrist, she tested the weight of her ax. “Hurry up, guardsman. Get them out of there. We’ve a council meeting to crash, and I want my heir at my side, thank you.”

Grunting a non-answer, probably the safest response to Isolde, he swung the door open.

She set out on her mission, determination in every step, before we stepped free of our cell.

“Wait—Maven—the stairs…” Murdoch raced to catch her, steadying her ascent.

My stomach knotted when I stepped over the spot where Vaughn had fallen. His blood still slicked the stairs. Once he took the first step, I wrapped an arm about his waist and held on tight.

He grunted when I squeezed too hard. “I can manage the climb on my own.”

“Remember how you said there were times when you wanted to tend me?” His silence gave me my answer. “This is one of those times for me. Be a dear. Hush until we reach the landing.”

“Yes, dear.” He indulged me, though he no longer required my steadying arm. “After all, you paid a hefty sum for the honor of wedding me. I suppose you’ll expect me to work off my debt?”

Taken aback, I frowned up at him. “Why would I…?” I flushed. “Oh.”

“Yes.” His sinful smile made me stumble. “Oh.”

If his smile was this potent…I shivered to think of the rest of him.

At the top of the stairs, we were met by guards. Two familiar faces made me sag with relief.

“I heard you were dead.” Lleu tossed Vaughn a sword. “Look plenty ready to fight to me.”

Bram lifted a short bow and patted his quiver of arrows. “My bow is yours to command.”

Vaughn inclined his head, voice gruff. “Close ranks.”

“Deverell’s the one to watch.” Murdoch took his place behind Lleu. “He’s seen the garden.” His gaze lowered. “His wife…” He swiped a hand over his mouth. “He can’t be reasoned with. I know from experience. I’ll ask you to try and spare him if he loses his head, but his family is several males strong. If Deverell makes a move, others will follow. Prepare yourselves. They’re all excellent fighters.”

“We’ll do our best to avoid bloodshed,” Vaughn said. “No one wants the clan divided.”

“Division is inevitable.” Bram glanced up. “Today we learn your enemies. Pay attention.”

While the males discussed tactics, Isolde linked arms with me and tugged me to her side.

“Show no weakness.” She rolled her shoulders. “They don’t call us mercenary for nothing.”

Foreboding prickled my nape. “Vaughn can’t—”

“He can, and he will.” She pinched my arm. “This is your first lesson on being a Mimetidae maven. Your paladin must never show weakness. His mercy must be earned and given sparingly. The clan is Vaughn’s by birthright. These people loved his father, they love him, but if they scent blood, they will go in for the kill. Do not let your fear for him show. Fear is something shared in private moments, once the blood has dried and the clan is secured. It’s something you whisper in his ear at night, not something addressed in the morning. Understand? His life is in your hands.”

Though my arm hurt, I resisted the urge to rub the pinked skin. She was right. If I wanted to secure my place among this clan, today was as good as any to make my public claim on Vaughn.

Earning their affection would take time, if it happened, but I would command their respect.

“I understand.” I smoothed my clothes into some semblance of order. “I can do this.”

“Course you can.” Another pinch made me jump. Isolde grinned. “You’ll do, Mana.”

Snagging my arm a second time, Isolde swaggered to the head of the guards, hefted her ax to her shoulder and led our formidable procession. Through my bond with Vaughn, I felt assurance and dissolved my fear before I compromised him with my doubts. Instead, I sent him love, hope and the promise I would support him however events unfolded. Together, I swore we’d triumph.