Heroes' Reward (2 page)

And we all
passed each other.

This was fun.

We came across a
few more people, all of whom showed Browne cheer and respect. It was a pleasure
to watch. As far as I could determine, Browne was an excellent healer, a
talented and thoughtful attendant. She worked hard and had risked her life in
aid of her patients. It was lovely to see their gratitude.

We were
approached by Farmer White, a tall handsome man of middle years who, due to the
prosperity of his farm, hadn’t had to work his own fields or slaughter his own
livestock for years. He kept himself trim by, among other things, steeple
chasing with Taro and fencing.

I thought
fencing an archaic sport, but it was pretty to watch.

“Healer Browne,”
he said with a pleasant smile. “I was on my way to see you.”

I’d seen Browne
remain stoic in the face of brutal injuries perpetrated on her patients,
threats of execution by the Imperial Guard, and a horrific battle. Now she
became flustered. Her cheeks flushed, she shifted on her feet, and she tucked a
non-existent lock of hair behind her ear.

It was
hilarious.

Everyone knew
Farmer White had a romantic interest in Browne, and that Browne was not adverse
to his attentions. It just seemed as though she didn’t know what to do with
them.

“May I walk you
home?”

“I’m afraid I …
ah … I’m in the … middle of something. Can we … I can see you later?”

Quite hilarious.

“I apologise,
addressing the matter in the street, and I despise pressing you, but you
haven’t yet responded to my invitation, and the gathering is tonight.”

Browne’s eyes
widened. “Oh. Oh dear, I didn’t mean – I mean I didn’t get it.”

“Ah. Most
peculiar.”

Browne frowned.
“Yes.”

“I’ll have to
speak to James about it. But, as I mentioned, the dinner is tonight. Just a
small collection of friends. I know this is now little notice, but would you be
able to attend?”

Browne tucked
another nonexistent lock behind her same ear. “I would enjoy that very much.”

“Excellent! We
plan to gather at seven. Merely some of the local gentry.”

A gentle way to
warn Browne that she needed to dress well for the occasion.

“I … look
forward to it.”

I couldn’t help
it. I snickered.

White frowned
and looked in my direction, sort of.

“If you would
excuse us, me,” Browne said quickly. “There are supplies I must buy for elixirs
I must make today.”

“Of course. I
don’t want to keep you from your duties. I will see you tonight.” He gave her a
slight bow. “Good day, Healer Browne.”

“Good day,”
Browne stammered.

It was only once
White was gone that I realised I should have left the two alone for their
conversation. White wouldn’t have initiated a discussion of that nature if he’d
known I was there.

Oh well.

Her mind clearly
absent from what we were doing, Browne turned around and headed back to her
cottage. I wondered if she had forgotten I was there. I had to catch the door
to her cottage before she could close it behind her, leaving me outside.

I spent a few
moments watching Browne pick up things and put them down and perfectly align
the pots hanging from her wall. It was only when she moved to clean up the
casting materials that she seemed to realise – or assume – that I was still
there. “Where are you?” she demanded a little sharply.

I scrubbed the
powder of butterfly wing off my forehead.

Browne’s gaze
settled directly on me. “I have to say, that last bit is disturbing.”

“And I have to
say,” I responded. “I still can’t believe that works. It seems too fantastic.”

“It does have
its limitations. I could hear you walking beside me. And your indulgence in
other sounds.” She glared at me.

I tried to layer
a solemn expression over my lack of repentance.

Someone banged
loudly and frantically on the door. I jumped at the sound. Browne didn’t. I
suspected she was used to it. “Healer Browne!”

“Enter.”

Carson Bench,
Browne’s assistant, opened the door, his gaze falling on me. “Shield
Mallorough,” he gasped, having apparently been running. “A Pair has arrived.
They asked to see you immediately.”

Damn.

The appearance
of other members of the Triple S was never – never – a good sign. Usually it
meant Taro and I were going to be grilled for hours or even days about
everything we’d ever done that the Triple S considered odd or inappropriate.
Five years with no such interference had made me hope we’d been forgotten, as
unrealistic as such a desire was.

What the hell
did they want now?

Chapter Two

Fiona’s butler,
whom I adored, was looking out for my arrival. “Lord Shintaro and the Pair are
in Lady Westsea’s private office,” he said, escorting me through the foyer.

Fiona had
offered up her office for our use many times. It and her bedchamber were the
only rooms the servants wouldn’t just stroll into whenever they felt like it.

Taro didn’t like
dealing with the interference of the Triple S council, either, but no one would
know it from his manner as he addressed the other Pair. “Are you sure?” he was
asking, his posture relaxed, a smile on his face. “Her Ladyship has a truly
beautiful selection of reds. And believe it or not, this fish oil liquor is
unexpectedly tasty.”

Fish oil liquor.
A collection of words that should never be strung together.

The Pair swiftly
rose to their feet as I entered. The first thing I noticed was that they were
very young – much younger than had I expected – much younger than any other Pair
that had been sent to us before. If I had to guess, I would say they were
freshly Bonded.

“Shield
Mallorough,” said the Shield. “This is Source Zelan Ming. I am Shield Sanna
Kebit.” I clasped his forearm, and then that of his Source. “We have come to replace
you.”

I was, for a
moment, shocked speechless. It wasn’t as though Pairs weren’t transferred: it
happened all the time. It was just that the Triple S had decided to leave us in
Flown Raven – they had told us so – and the Emperor had lost all interest in us
since Taro’s mother died. I’d truly begun to think we were going to spend the
rest of our lives in Flown Raven, and that possibility didn’t disturb me. I’d
come to like it there.

Kebit took a
letter from his purse and held it out to me. It was sealed with the Triple S
stamp. I broke it open. The message was short.

Greetings Shield Mallorough:

The bearer of this missive, Shield Sanna Kebit, and
his Source, Zelan

Ming, will be assuming the position of Pair of
Westsea.

Who had ordered the transfer? Our last transfer had been imposed
upon us by the Emperor. He’d told us in person, at his coronation. He hadn’t
had the authority to do so – placing Pairs was under the purview of the Triple
S council – but the Triple S had chosen, for their own reasons, to let the
violation slide. Had they now chosen to defy him? And if so, why?

You and Source Karish are to return to Shidonee’s Gap.

I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. Called back to Shidonee’s
Gap. Where the Source and Shield Academies operated. I had left the Shield
Academy knowing that if I were ever called back, it would be because I had
committed an irretrievable mistake, failed in my duties, or committed some
unforgiveable crime. At the time, I had thought those were the only reasons a
Pair would receive such an order.

Taro had later
told me that there was another reason for a Pair to be recalled: if someone
showed an unprecedented talent, that person was taken somewhere and never seen
again.

Taro and I had
not failed, we hadn’t made a mistake, and we hadn’t committed a crime. That
anyone knew about.

Before you begin your journey, you will spend
sufficient time assisting Shield Kebit and Source Ming in settling into their
new post. Kebit shares your talents and would benefit, as would all of the
Triple S, from making the acquaintance of those who have been instructing you.

Kebit shared my talents. The talent to which the letter referred was
obviously not Shielding. Some other talent was being carefully, discreetly,
alluded to, and I was pretty sure I knew what it was.

I looked at
Kebit.

Apparently one
of his other talents was reading the words in the head of another. “Aye,” he
said. “I can cast.”

He could speak
of it, but they wouldn’t write of it.

So I was to
introduce him to Browne. I didn’t know if the Triple S council knew of Browne’s
identity, but clearly they had guessed I’d been receiving training from
someone.

I wasn’t going
to just bring Kebit to Browne without warning. It would be up to her whether
she’d have anything to do with him.

Once this settlement has been arranged, you and your
Source are expected to travel to Shidonee’s Gap with all speed.

Good health to you,

Shield Kayan Lucitani, Secretary, Source and Shield
Service

Just … hell. I gave the letter to Taro. “You are newly Bonded, yes?”
I asked Kebit.

“Yes,” Kebit
responded solemnly.

“Congratulations.”

This young
Shield, fresh out of the Academy, allowed himself a small smile. “Thank you.”

I opened the
door and hailed the nearest servant. “Hiroki. Can you escort Source Ming and
Shield Kebit to our suite and arrange for some refreshments for them?”

“Of course,
Shield Mallorough.”

I turned back to
Kebit. “I’ll speak to Her Ladyship about your arrival and what kind of
arrangements might be made.”

For one thing,
whether they were to live in the manor. Fiona wasn’t required to provide
accommodations to the Pair. She could have let us stay in one of the local
taverns. She had housed us because she liked Taro, she was related to him, and
he’d arranged for her to get the Westsea title in the first place.

One did not
summon the Duchess of Westsea. One asked if one could see her at her
convenience. Fiona wasn’t the sort to make people wait just for the sake of
making them wait, to remind them of her importance. She was the sort to be
constantly moving around, out on the grounds performing physical labour, or
talking to the tenants to see if they had needs that weren’t being addressed.
She was busy.

However, it
wasn’t long before the door opened and Fiona strode in. “You’re being replaced,
aren’t you?” she asked bluntly.

The news was
already making its way among the residents.

“Unfortunately,”
said Taro.

“Well, it had to
happen sometime, I suppose.” She offered us whiskey, which both of us declined,
before pouring some for herself. “It’s too bad. Not just because I’ll miss you
both. Which I will.” She smiled at us. “But I know some of the tenants think
one of the reasons I’m managing as well as I am is because they believe you” – she
gestured at Taro with her snifter – “are here to keep an eye on things. Give me
advice. The power behind the throne, so to speak.”

There were
tenants who had resented Taro for abjuring the title. They felt he was the
natural heir and hadn’t had the right to enable Fiona to inherit instead.
Possibly some of them believed the skills for doing the job well were inborn.

Taro closed his
eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “How can whales remain unseen by so
many?”

There were still
people who refused to admit Fiona was an excellent titleholder and they
wouldn’t see anything that contradicted them. They enjoyed their increased
prosperity while claiming everything had been better in the good old days, when
a proper Karish held the title. The illogic was baffling.

“I believe they
want Shield Kebit to learn about casting,” I told Fiona. “I think they may have
chosen him in particular for this reason.”

Fiona’s eyebrows
flew up. “Why?”

“They didn’t say
and I can’t guess. They’ve asked me a lot of questions about casting in the
past, but I’ve always received the impression they disapproved of it.” Though
maybe what they truly disapproved of was the fact that I was learning about it
without their permission or supervision.

“I don’t like
this,” said Fiona. “I’m not prepared to expose my people to accusations of
violating casting laws.”

“I understand
completely. And it’s not as though you’re legally required to arrange for their
instruction. I certainly don’t have the authority to force you. Nor does the
Triple S.”

Fiona spent a
moment in contemplation. “I’ll put it to Browne. She would be the one to
provide any instruction, and introducing newcomers to the local healer wouldn’t
be seen as unusual.”

Fiona had so
much common sense.

“I’ve been
ordered to arrange for their settlement in Flown Raven,” I added.

“They can live
here. All the better to keep an eye on them until I know what they’re about.”

I sighed. “I’m
sorry you were dragged into this.”

She smiled.
“You’re assuming this is all about you.”

“Well … aye.”
And I was embarrassed. Sometimes I was so inward thinking.

“Ah, the
arrogance of youth.”

She was only a
few years older than me.

Taro and I went
to our suite. We started pulling out some of the stuff we had to pack, then
looked at the enormous piles with dismay.

“I can’t believe
how much we’ve accumulated,” said Taro. “It would be impossible for us to take
it all.”

“We could give
it away,” I suggested.

“We’d have to
rip our braids out of all the clothes first.”

“Ugh.”

Sources were
identified by a black braid sewn into their clothing on their left shoulder,
Shields by a white braid. It was illegal for regulars to wear them. It would be
a nitpicky task, pulling out the braids, and we had a lot of clothing. Still,
we couldn’t just bin it all. That would be a vile waste and would be
interpreted by the regulars as a lack of gratitude.

We didn’t see
the other Pair for the rest of the day, nor the day after. In addition to
dealing with the clothing we were leaving behind, I went through my records
about all of our experiences with channelling in Flown Raven and rewrote those
portions I didn’t want strangers reading. During this process, I received a
note from Browne asking me to visit her the next day an hour before dawn.

This meant the
casting Circle was meeting. At a ridiculous time of the day, at a secret
location. Maintaining the fiction that no one knew the casting Circle existed.

So, in the
darkness before dawn, I pulled out the ridiculous yellow robe such occasions
demanded I wear, silently climbed down the many stairs of the manor, and made
my way through the cool and slightly foggy air to Browne’s cottage.

Browne greeted
me with, “I understand you and Source Karish are leaving.”

I accepted her
cup of tea. “Aye.”

“We’ll miss
you.”

That was sweet.
“Thank you. I’ll miss being here.”

“Do you know
this Pair at all?”

“No.”

“Not even the
Shield? I always understood that the student populations of the Academies
weren’t all that big.”

“They aren’t,
but Kebit could be eight years younger than I. I wouldn’t have interacted with
him.”

“That’s
unfortunate. I would have liked to get an opinion from you on their character.”

“I can’t imagine
the council would have sent an inferior Pair to a post as important as Flown
Raven.” Bureaucrats did stupid things all the time, I knew, but someone would
have to be really drunk for a really long time to send an incompetent Pair to
one of the wealthiest titleholders in the world.

After we had
finished our tea, Browne and I went to Farmer Snow’s lot, joined along the way
by other casters, young and old, from various occupations. Casting talent,
which not everyone had, could show up in anyone.

There were,
including Browne and myself, twenty members of the Circle. The number twenty
was important to them because people had ten fingers and ten toes. They’d given
me no other explanation, and seemed surprised that I didn’t understand the
significance.

A chorus of
“Fair morning, Shield” greeted me before we stood in a circle to welcome the
sun. We did this by humming, which would have struck me as bizarre and
ridiculous if I had been merely been told of it, but which I found beautiful to
participate in. It made me feel connected to the others. It was nothing like my
connection to Taro, of course, but still, it was pleasant.

Once the sun was
properly up, Browne announced, “You may have heard that Shield Mallorough and
Source Karish are leaving us.”

Of course, they
had.

“You may also
remember that we promised Shield Mallorough that, should she be transferred,
she would be released from the Circle.”

There were
grumbles in response, which surprised me. Why would they have difficulty with
this? This issue had been decided five years before, when I’d first joined the
Circle.

Mitloehner, an
older man who still resented the fact that the rest of the Circle looked to
Browne for guidance rather than to him, said, “I don’t like it. If she isn’t
bound to us, there is no reason trust her discretion.”

Discretion. He
had no idea how discreet I could be.

His lack of
faith irritated me. I said, “Where I’m going, no one’s going to care about a
bunch of regulars playing with spells.”