Crystal Moon (7 page)

open he stepped inside and pulled her along.

Large, yet sparsely appointed, the room reflected his

personality—deceptively simple in appearance. Comfort came

in the form of a double box bed with its well-stuffed mattress

and clean linens. A suspicious, child-sized lump in the bedding

caught her eye. Smiling, she moved away.

A table surrounded by six straight-backed chairs indicated

Kyne used this room for more than sleeping. Neat stacks of

papers and an open map lay on the table. On either side of the

room’s fireplace, bookshelves covered the stone walls.

She stepped closer and let her fingers trail over the leather-

bound books that filled the shelves. Had he read all these

volumes? Would he allow her to read them?

“You will not leave this room without my permission. Do

not speak to anyone, nor attempt to escape. As you’ve already

seen, the terrain around the castle is rugged, and the sentries

will not hesitate to kill any who doesn’t belong. Meals will be

brought to you.” He crossed the room to the window and threw

back the heavy drapes.

Outside, the mountains rose behind the castle, the blue-

grey rocks changing the setting sun’s golden hues to cool blue.

“I have no intention of leaving. There is much need for me

here. But I’ll not remain in this room.”

“What?”

She ignored his shocked question and wandered around

the bed chamber, using the time to gather her strength.

Challenging this man would not be easy, but she could not

disregard the need she sensed in these people.

Taking a deep breath to calm the quiver in her stomach,

she turned to face him. “I am a trained healer. You have many

sick and injured. I will assist your healer.”

Kyne gave a humorless laugh. “Even if I believed you are

a healer, I would not trust my people to the mercy of DiSanti’s

daughter. They’ve suffered enough at his hands. Do not forget

you are my prisoner. This room shall be your cell.”

“How will you keep me in it? Will you watch me every

moment? Then what of your many duties? Perhaps you will

take me along?”

His scowl deepened, and he stepped toward her.

Standing her ground and keeping her tone light and cool in

the face of his growing irritation took all of her strength. “No, I

suppose you would not think it wise for me to hear your plans.

Then what will you do? Lock me in? I think not. Your people

would soon become suspicious and realize I was not what you

claim.”

“You flirt with danger, woman. If the people below discover

your identity, they will tear you limb from limb. I doubt even I

could keep you safe from their wrath.”

Fists clenched at his side, he towered above her. Though

she could not read his emotions, his body told the tale clearly. If

he touched her now, his feelings of fury and frustration would

swamp her.

He stalked her across the small space and stopped when

they were a breath apart. “You will do as I say.”

She backed away until the bed blocked her retreat. “No.”

Ducking past him, she scurried around the table and faced him.

“But I will give you my word of honor I will not try to escape.

Nor will I cause harm to any here.”

“Honor?” He snorted. “What would DiSanti’s daughter

know of honor? Like the nika plant, the flower is just as deadly

as the root.”

“Perhaps, but the nika root is a powerful anesthetic as well

as a deadly poison. Roasted and blended with other herbs, the

flower makes a drawing poultice. Only when eaten raw does

the flower enslave its victims. Do not be quick to condemn

something because of its misuse by another. In the right hands,

the nika plant can do good rather than evil. I am not my father.

Trust your instincts.”

She held her breath while he deliberated.

After a moment, his body lost its rigid stance as he admitted

defeat on this point. “You are right. I cannot keep you under

lock and key without raising suspicions, nor can I keep you

always at my side. But...”

His sudden smile made Sianna nervous.

“...perhaps I have the next best thing. A guard.”

“Guard?”

Kyne gave a soft whistle. From a dark corner next to the

chamber’s fireplace a shape rose and lumbered forward into

the light. A sense of approaching menace slid over Sianna as

the beast came into view, its claws clicking against the stone

floor.

Though no taller than the wolve hounds below, this creature

possessed twice their bulk and muscle. Yawning, it revealed a

muzzle filled with long, yellowed teeth. Its mouth shut with a

snap. Deep-set, intelligent eyes watched her with interest.

“Warda, guard her,” Kyne told the beast. “From now on

Warda will be your constant companion. Attempt to leave the

castle grounds, and he will restrain you. And beware. Unlike

me, his bite is much worse than his bark.”

After Kyne left the chamber, Warda stared longingly at the

door, then turned his attention to Sianna. She felt his curiosity

and caution.

Kyne had chosen his guard well. Warda would not question

Kyne’s order, nor speak of it to others.

Still, exhilaration rushed through her. She’d won the freedom

to move around the castle and grounds.

Triumph was short lived. A tired sigh slipped through her

lips as she sat down at the table. The task ahead loomed large

and daunting. Healing took an immense toll on a healer, both

mental and physical. Did she have the strength and courage to

help these people?

Warda’s head in her lap shook Sianna from doubt and

inadequacy. His dark, liquid eyes seemed to say, “You will do

what you must, no matter the cost.”

FOUR

Cool, damp air swirled around Kyne as the door to his

chamber clicked shut behind him. One lamp cast deep shadows

in the empty hall. Below he could hear the muffled sounds of

people settling for the night and smell the lingering aroma of

last meal. Weariness dragged at him, but he needed to see to

the welfare of his people. During his and Graham’s absence,

confusion had fallen over the castle. Security and order had to

be restored before he could seek his bed. Once there, he

expected to find little rest. The image of DiSanti’s daughter in

his room banished all hope of sleep.

Someone lurked in the shadows. How he knew, Kyne

couldn’t say, but many times he’d sensed the presence of another

without physical evidence. More than once in battle his ability

had saved his life. Though he gave no outward sign, Kyne tensed,

waiting for the person to identify himself and offer a reason for

his presence. No one stepped forward into the light. Who hid in

the shadows outside his chamber? His fingers closed around

the handle of his knife, and he slipped silently out from under

the lamp’s glow.

He paused. Guided by instinct, he whirled around and

pounced on the intruder, pinning him against the wall, a knife at

his throat. The person grunted at the impact of Kyne’s body,

but offered no resistance.

“Je’al?” Kyne loosened his grip, but kept his knife poised

at the younger man’s throat. “What are you doing here? Did

you plan to finish what you started?” Stepping back, Kyne pulled

Je’al into the light. “The woman is a valuable pawn. I

overlooked your first attempt on her life, but I cannot allow you

to succeed, nor can I allow you to disregard direct orders. Speak

up, man, what are you about?”

“You’re right, Rul. I foolishly let my emotions guide my

actions with the woman. As much as I wish her dead, I realize

now she is more valuable to us alive.”

“Then why are you skulking outside my chamber?”

“I want to volunteer.”

“Volunteer for what?”

“Someone will have to deliver your message about his

daughter to DiSanti. I want to be that someone.”

Kyne sheathed his knife and studied the young man. At ten

and seven annum, Je’al had a man’s build, but despite the trauma

of his young life, he was yet a boy. “It is too dangerous. DiSanti

is apt to kill any messenger I send.”

“Let me do this. Aubin was my friend. He saved me from

death at the hands of DiSanti’s men and from despair when my

family fell. I could not protect Aubin, but I can do my part to

see justice done. Who else would you send? Graham or one of

the older men? They are needed to train the others. Which of

your men is expendable?”

Je’al was right. Someone needed to convey the message

to DiSanti, and whoever did so faced the possibility of death.

“Very well. Tomorrow I will draft my letter to DiSanti, and you

will carry it. In the meantime have last meal, a bath and rest.

Speak to no one of the woman. If any were to learn of her

identity, your trip will be for naught. A sardak is not lured from

his lair by dead bait.”

“Thank you, Rul. You’ll not regret your decision.” Je’al

hurried away as if afraid, should he linger, Kyne might change

his mind.

Kyne watched the young man leave. The fact that he found

himself more concerned with the woman’s safety than he did

with Je’al’s bothered him. Other than a means to destroy

DiSanti, she meant nothing to him. He would do well to

remember that her fragile appearance and gentle ways hid a

soul as black as her father’s. Her denial of guilt, her claim of

being a healer and wishing to help his people, were nothing but

clever lies designed to deceive him. He couldn’t let his unwanted

lust for the woman sway his decisions.

“Why do you haunt the hall?” Graham’s voice came out of

the darkness.

Lost in his thoughts of the woman, Kyne had let Graham

approach without detection. She was dangerous in more ways

than the obvious. “Je’al was here.”

“Where is he now? Is she unharmed?”

Even Graham thought first of their captive’s safety.

“He volunteered to carry my message to DiSanti.”

“But that will be suicide.”

“Perhaps not if we word the message correctly. Come,

we’ll use your chamber to draft my letter. Je’al leaves at first

light.”

“Have you decided how best to use the woman against her

father?”

“I believe I have.”

***

Sianna stroked Warda’s shaggy head and looked over at

the bed. “You can come out now, Zoa.” Warda padded back to

his spot near the hearth and settled down. How much of what

she’d heard would the child understand? Sianna probed, but

sensed no hostility.

The bed covers rustled, and Zoa’s tousled head popped up.

She yawned as if just awakening. “How did you know I was

here?”

“It’s a little trick I have. I can always tell when someone is

near.”

“How?” The little girl scrambled off the bed and trotted

over to Sianna’s side. She panted at the effort.

“Well, you know how you can smell if a person has bathed

or not, or if they’re wearing scent?”

Edging nearer, Zoa nodded, her gaze rapt with interest.

“People also give off emotions, and I have a nose for it,”

Sianna continued.

Zoa leaned close and put her hand out to Sianna. “What do

I smell like?”

“Let’s see.” Sianna took Zoa’s hand and sniffed it. “Hmmm.

I can’t quite tell.”

“Maybe I need to be closer.” With that the girl climbed into

Sianna’s lap. “Can you tell now?”

The feel of the little girl’s warm, slight weight filled Sianna

with a strange longing as well as a feeling of contentment.

Enfolding Zoa in her embrace, Sianna nestled her nose into

Zoa’s silky hair and breathed deeply. “You smell of sunshine

and laughter. Good smells for the nose and the heart.”

Zoa wrinkled her nose and giggled. “You smell like quinar.

Can I learn to smell people’s emotions, too?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never tried to teach anyone to do it.”

“Father says I learn quick. I can do sums better than Etam,

but,” she added with a flash of honesty, “he reads better than

me. I’ll work real hard.”

Sianna wasn’t sure if her talent could be taught, but time

spent with the little girl wouldn’t be wasted. Like a fetid mist,

the scent of illness hung over Zoa. If allowed, Sianna knew she

could help Zoa’s lungs become whole again.

Zoa snuggled close. “I’m glad you’re here. Etam says

Father gets lonely because he sleeps alone. I get scared when

I sleep alone. Father is so brave, I don’t think he gets scared.”

“Everyone is afraid at times.”

“Do you get scared?”

“Often.”

Soft fingers patted Sianna’s arm. “You’re safe now. Father

will protect you.” Zoa spoke with the confidence of childhood.

“He’s going to save everyone from the evil monster man and

his ugly daughter.”

Zoa’s words flayed Sianna’s heart. If the child understood

the truth, she would hate Sianna. As would the other people

below. The thought of that much hatred aimed at her made

Sianna shudder. Their thoughts alone would destroy her. The

enormity of the task she set herself loomed before her.