Guardian of Honor (20 page)

Good advice,
Sinafin said.

Thealia held out her left hand to Reynardus and kept her nose in
the air until the Lord Knight took it. A strong current sizzled from the others
to Alexa. Reynardus was still plenty hot with anger.

She smiled sweetly at him before sinking back into the chair, and
then closed her eyes and tried to
sense
the Marshalls. Maybe she could
get a handle on them that way.

At first she felt them in Pairs, and the auras of the individuals
mingled together in the couples. Something else she envied. The Pairs
were
bonded,
linked in some inextricable way, by love or by blood. Each had complete faith
in his or her partner, had trusted one another with their lives, their hearts.
More, there was a synergy that flowed among the Marshalls—all had been in
battle together. Whatever their arguments and conflict with Reynardus off the
battlefield, they trusted his leadership implicitly in a fight.

The Marshalls vibrated with intensity. They believed in their
vision to save Lladrana. They were dedicated. As devoted to service as any
public defender Alexa had known. She respected such commitment; it resonated
with her core beliefs.

Alexa liked what she sensed in these people—honor, dedication,
willingness to sacrifice and put the greater good of future generations above
their own lives.

She couldn't deny that their purpose was the best she'd ever
known. She couldn't deny that it was a great and worthy cause that appealed to
her. Saving lives, defending a country from truly inhuman monsters that only
wanted to destroy—this was an ideal she could wholeheartedly embrace. Most of
all, she couldn't deny that she felt a kinship with them and knew that they
would come to respect her and call her friend. She could finally fit in and
make a place for herself that would earn her the respect she needed, the
companionship she craved.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes.

"Well?" asked Partis. "I felt your touch." He
cocked his head. "Everyone says they did." His eyes crinkled. "A
very unique, Exotique, but refreshing touch." He let loose of her hand and
the rest unlinked too.

"You are good people," she said simply. For the first
time she noticed the beverage an inconspicuous server had set in front of her.
Frowning, she lifted it to her nose and sniffed. As expected in an inn, it
smelled alcoholic. "What's this made from?"

"Hops," someone said.

"I don't drink alcohol," she said primly, not since that
close escape from date rape at a party in college. She waited for their
reactions. They didn't disappoint.

Everyone stared at her, horrified. Sinafin gave an undoglike
squeak.

Then Partis laughed. "This will be interesting."

Fun!
Sinafin
lolled a tongue.

"Do you have anything made from..." She didn't know
whether to say tea or leaves or what. Since
hops
had translated well,
maybe tea would also. "Tea?"

More stares. Reynardus sighed. "An expensive woman. I should
have known we would Summon an expensive woman."

Alexa guessed that tea was as exotic as she was. She tried to
remember if she'd had any in her fanny pack and if so, how much. If she did, it
would be good quality. She'd been indulging in top-grade Assam since Sophie's
death. She sniffed again at the lager, ale, beer, whatever. Sophie had loved
beer.

The whole
alienness
of the scene crashed down on her...again.
Golden-skinned people with subtly different beautiful features. Light from
large crystals. An inn that smelled of beer and sweat but not cigarettes. And a
Jade Baton with a bronze flame that glowed before her, signifying Power and
magic that she didn't understand.

How her expression changed, she didn't know, but Sinafin dug sharp
dog-claws into her thighs and Partis hummed low.

Thealia cleared her throat. "I have the
pleasure
—"
she glanced at Reynardus and lifted her chin "—to inform you that
according to custom you may choose an estate—land and manor
house—tomorrow."

Your home!
Sinafin exclaimed.

Alexa thought the feycoocu had only spoken to her.
Yes, there
are some rich vacant properties. Be guided by me.

Oh boy. All her emotions were being tugged to make the decision
they wanted. Her heart was with them. With what they offered. Her head reminded
her that if she returned to Colorado she would have to start a new life there
too.

The Marshalls would be her colleagues, and perhaps her friends.
She thought of friends and acquaintances back home. None pulled her enough to
know that she should return.

Lady Hallard tapped a fingernail on the table and all eyes turned
to her. "It is well and good that the new Marshall will be integrated. But
as I understand it, she has been wronged by the Knight Lord Marshall Reynardus
Vauxveau. I, myself, saw how he tried to use his Power against an untrained
novice."

Reynardus flushed at Lady Hallard's condemnation.

Alexa stared. She wouldn't have thought anything could get to him.
Women—maybe
strong
women. From the dream-movies Sinafin had shown her,
Thealia had manipulated him too, until he went away to do the Song Quest.

"I believe the new Marshall must be assured that we are not
only a good people, we are a just people. If the Lord Knight Marshall broke any
vows and oaths, he must pay," Hallard said.

Nothing in her voice or demeanor showed anything but seriousness,
but Alexa thought there was something of glee underneath.

Partis said, "We guarantee you and the Representative of the
Singer—" he nodded to Luthan "—that we will handle this matter. In
private."

Yeah, this was good.

Lady Hallard drew riding gloves from where they were folded over
her belt and drew them on. Her jaw was firm. "Before I accepted the
position as Representative, I spoke to many Chevaliers—nobles and their
household knights as well as independents. There are many who don't respect you
Marshalls, who call you secretive and obsolete."

From the stony faces of the Marshalls, Alexa figured this wasn't
news.

The Lady continued. "We of the Chevaliers do not hold as much
Power, but we are many, and we are fighting as hard as you are. Further, we
have more contact with the general populace. As it stands, I am willing to wait
a couple more months to see how the new Marshall works out. Be warned, shifts of
influence have happened before in our history, and in this dire time
results
are more important than posturing." She snorted when she caught
Reynardus's stare.

"I think that is a very good introduction for us," said
a voice from the doorway.

Two men stood there, both tall, one middle-aged and fat, the
other Alexa's own age and handsome, but stern-looking, with
a small streak of silver at his left temple. Both were dressed in robes, dark
brown and dark blue respectively. And they both had the faint blue aura of a
jerir bath around them.

The younger man strode in, and Alexa realized he was the one who
had spoken. His stare was fixed on her. "I am Sevair Masif, Stonemaster of
Castleton and one of the Citymasters. The Mayr sent me. Greetings, Marshall
Alyeka." He bowed.

"Greetings." Alexa bowed back.

The older man's face had turned pale, then ruddy. Masif gestured
him forward. "This is Trademaster Dragee."

"And your business?" Reynardus stood too.

The trader shrank back, but Masif's lip curled. "Obviously
you do not recall, Lord Knight Marshall, that I have been requested by my
fellow Citymasters and Townmasters to interact with the Marshalls. I would
agree with Lady Hallard. The city and town folk are not pleased with the
Marshalls at this time."

"Is that so?" Reynardus said.

"Perhaps if you truth-vow that the Marshalls did
not
linger
in telling us that Lladrana's fenceposts were falling, it would mend the
suspicion."

Alexa sorted that out. The Marshalls hadn't told the rest of the
players that the land was in danger? Jeez. Where was the media when you needed
it?

There was silence. Color crept into Reynardus's cheeks.

"Further," Masif continued smoothly, "you Marshalls
have been secretive in giving us the cure for the frinks."

"There is no cure," Reynardus said, grinding out the
words.

Masif lifted his brows. "It seems to me that we have asked
that very question for the past three months, and this is the first time we
have received an answer."

Partis shifted beside Alexa.

The trader puffed out a breath, straightened his shoulders, and
swept around Reynardus and the table to stand before Alexa. He pulled a large
satchel from beneath his cloak, reached in to take out a smaller linen bag and
put it before her. Then he opened the bag to reveal a casket. "A welcoming
gift from the cities and towns to Marshall Alyeka," he said in a high
voice, bowing.

Thankfully, the box didn't appear very strange. It looked like
tin, and had two little hinged latches in the front. Alexa flipped them up and
opened the box. The fragrance of good tea wafted to her nose.

"Aah," she sighed, then grinned at the man.

He blinked in surprise, then smiled back.

"Thank you very much," she said in Lladranan, then
continued in English. "Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated."

His eyes widened at her words, being translated and broadcast
mentally by Sinafin, and he bowed again. "Our pleasure." He shot a
narrow look at the Marshalls. "We of Castleton, and the other cities and
towns of Lladrana, wish to assure you of our delight in having your help."
He gestured to the box with a beringed hand. "A token." With a
speaking glance at Masif, he bowed again to Alexa and hurried from the room.

"Dragee reminds me that should you wish to leave the Castle,
we of Castleton will find a place for you here or in another town, and work
that pleases you."

Some of the tension left Alexa. Options, how nice.

"Ha!" uttered Lady Hallard. "Masif took the words
from my mind. You, girl—" she nodded at Alexa "—are welcome in the
ranks of the Chevaliers, with or without that Jade Baton. If you don't want the
land or annuity the Marshalls will give you, you're welcome to join the
Chevaliers."

Alexa didn't deceive herself—they'd all want her magic, her
help, and had ideas about how they'd want her to help, but
at least they were up front about it. "My thanks, Lady Hallard."

When the woman winced at her name, Alexa knew she'd muffed it.

Reynardus turned a cold gaze on Luthan, his son. "Isn't the
Representative of the Singer going to try to seduce the Jade Baton into the
Cloister?"

The phrasing and tone would have put Alexa in fighting mode, but
Luthan looked as cool as his father.

"The Song has visited the Singer twice since the new Marshall
came to Lladrana," said Luthan. "I have instructions to act only if
certain events transpire."

Well,
that
seemed to have everyone thinking hard. Good one.

A clanging alarm pounded in alternating short and long bursts.
Alexa was surprised to see the auras of Hallard, Luthan and the Marshalls flow
together in a pattern of sheer determination as they shoved back their chairs
and ran from the room. Shouts came from outside the tavern, and she heard
running as the building emptied.

Fear flooding her, she reached for her baton.

No, Alexa. Not today. No battle for you yet,
Sinafin
said.

When Alexa curled her fingers around the baton and felt the
warmth, it reassured her as much as had Sinafin's words. Wherever she ended up
in Lladrana, she was sure she'd be fighting. She hooked the baton in her belt.

"Marshall Alyeka," Sevair Masif, the Citymaster, said
softly at her elbow.

She looked up at the man and wondered what he might have seen in
her expression.

"Let me walk you back to the Castle. It has been an eventful
two days for you."

Alexa found her voice. "Yes." She closed the linen bag
over the box of tea and put the drawstrings over her left wrist.

He offered his elbow in a gesture Alexa had seen in old movies and
she curved her fingers around his arm and found it as muscular and hard as iron,
then recalled he'd said he was a Stonemaster. Stonemason? It wasn't a
profession you heard about much on Earth, especially in Colorado. No doubt it'd
give a man some solid muscles, though.

"I heard you received a diamond as payment for saving two
Chevaliers. Should you want it converted to coin, let me know," Masif said
as they left the private room for the taproom of the tavern.

"Thank you," Alexa said.

The innkeeper and his staff were clearing the detritus the
Chevaliers had left, and cleaning the tables. Masif dropped some coins on the
bar and the barman looked up.