Honor's Price (18 page)

“It's a painting of Hob.” She chuckled. “I'm surprised you could get him to sit still long enough to pose.”

Kane led her closer. “It isn't a picture of him. It's truly Hob himself. This is where he rests when he isn't with me.”

At first she thought Kane was teasing her, even though the picture was incredibly detailed and lifelike. She eased close enough to touch the glossy finish of the shield. The white background was cool to the touch, but
the image itself was surprisingly warm. She traced the contour of Hob's throat down to his chest.

“I can feel each scale, and his skin is so warm. I could almost feel him breathe.” Which was impossible.

Although Kane was staring at his shield, she suspected he was actually looking beyond it to his past. “Back when Captain Gideon and the other four of us swore to serve the Lord and Lady of the River, we were each granted an avatar of our own. The gods taught me a simple spell to release Hob each time we leave the river to walk once again in the world. The same spell returns him to the shield.”

Where was he going with all of this?

He squeezed her hand. “I want to teach you how to call Hob forth if you should ever have need of him.”

“I am honored, Kane, but you plan to leave soon, don't you?”

“Yes, I do. Not even my friends know the words that would summon Hob from my shield, but I sense it is important that you learn them. I want you to be protected. You should also know that my friend Averel is the troubadour at the Broken Sword. You can turn to him for help as well.”

Once again Kane's eyes flashed red before returning to their usual color. “Look, I know this all seems strange, but I trust my instincts. Perhaps you are in no greater danger right now than usual, but I'd rather not take the risk.”

She shivered, his words settling like a heavy burden on her shoulders. Unlike her brother-in-law, she had no love of magic. In her life, it had done far more harm than good. Yet she couldn't find it in her to deny Kane this new connection between them.

“Teach me.”

He handed her a piece of parchment with a series of words spelled out. “I've asked Hob to ignore his summoning until you have practiced the spell a few times.”

She studied the sentences written in a bold, masculine script. “I don't recognize any of these words.”

“No reason you should. They're written in the language of my birth, which hasn't been spoken in more centuries than even I can remember. Once you have mastered them, I'll have you call Hob for real.”

She hated the note of sorrow in Kane's voice. How many generations had come and gone in his long life? He wouldn't want her to fuss over him, though, so she concentrated on the words themselves.

She read them through once and then again after Kane corrected her pronunciation in a few places. On the fifth time through, she managed to twist her tongue around the odd letter combinations.

“That is perfect.” Kane traced the words on the page with his finger. “It is the first time I've heard another person speak even that much of my native language in centuries. You have a gift for it.”

She enjoyed his praise. “Shall we see if Hob feels the same way? He may not respond to me no matter how well I say the words.”

Kane chuckled as he set the shield up a little straighter. “I don't think you have to worry. Hob is loyal to those he chooses to call friend. Besides, I told him what I was going to do earlier, and he agreed.”

Despite Kane's assurance that this was all real and that Hob would somehow appear out of the shield, Theda still wasn't convinced. There was only one way to find out.

She stepped back to give Hob all the room she could. Holding the paper in fingers that weren't quite steady, she rehearsed the words one last time in her head before speaking them aloud. As soon as the last word fell from her lips, a flash of light nearly blinded her. She squeezed her eyes closed and waited for the spots to fade. But as she did, she heard the scrabble of claws on the wooden floor and felt the familiar bump against the side of her legs as Hob brushed past.

To make sure she hadn't imagined it, she pried one eye open and looked down. Sure enough, the gargoyle was standing next to his master, his tongue flicking in and out of his mouth.

“It worked!” She stared in wonder at the shield, which now held only the outline of Hob's body. “Truly the gifts of your gods are amazing!”

Kane looked less than sure of that, reminding her that the price of their gift had bound him and the others into their service for centuries of fighting with no end in sight. He patted his friend on the head.

“The hour grows late, and the longer we tarry, the greater the risk that one of the guards will see you leaving my quarters.” He started for the door. “Give me a few seconds to ensure that no one is around.”

Theda caught him before he opened the door. “Thank you for tonight, Kane.”

He kissed her softly. “It is I who should be grateful, Theda. You have reminded me what it is that the Damned fight to protect.”

Then he disappeared into the shadows.

G
ideon watched the men-at-arms during their sword practice. The two opposing lines surged forward and back again and again, the rhythmic clang of blade against blade and shield forming a drumbeat in his head.

He wished Kane were with him. The dark warrior had a gift for bringing out the best in even the most inexperienced trainees. But in truth, there was a gaping hole at Gideon's side where Kane usually stood. If Averel and Kane didn't return soon, he'd have no choice but to start the long trek toward the capital city without them.

Murdoch joined him, making his own assessment of their patched-together army.

“No matter how good they are, there aren't enough of them if the duke throws his entire garrison at us.”

He wasn't telling Gideon anything he didn't already know. “True, but then we never expected to defeat Keirthan on the battlefield, and the bastard won't lead his army himself. A man who would attack blindly, unleashing a weapon without regard to where it will land, is a coward at heart.”

Murdoch glanced back toward the keep. “You're thinking it will take magic to finally defeat him.”

There was no use in denying it. “I well know your feelings on the subject, Murdoch, but we cannot fight what we cannot see.”

He pulled his sword and held it up to glitter in the morning sunlight. “Steel is no defense against magic. You know that as well as I do. We'd all prefer an honest fight,
man against man. And my instincts tell me that we will play an important role in this battle, else the Lord and Lady wouldn't have sent us to defend Merewen and the people of Agathia.”

At that moment a cloud passed before the sun, casting them both in a small pool of shade and stealing the shine from Gideon's sword. He immediately sheathed it, hoping that wasn't a harbinger of things to come.

The cloud moved on, taking its shadow with it. They'd reached the end of the row of men. Turning back again, Gideon said, “Kane and Averel will leave within the week to return to us.”

Murdoch nodded as he stared at the horizon, as if hoping to see their two friends riding toward them. “It will be good to be back to full strength again. We've never been apart for this long. That's the only explanation I can think of for how long it has taken me to heal.”

Gideon stopped to face his friend. “You still suffer from the effects of your wounds?”

Murdoch rubbed his side as if easing a lingering pain. “I don't hurt, at least not often, but I do tire more easily.”

Gideon motioned for them to keep walking, not wanting to draw unwanted attention from the troops. “I worry that we are both being pulled in two directions. So is Duncan, for that matter. I do not question your dedication to the Lady of the River, but there is too much at stake for either of us to risk failing in our duty to her. For the first time, three of us have another lady who has a strong claim on us. I wish I knew if that claim is weakening us in some way.”

They walked on in silence as Murdoch mulled over Gideon's words. Finally, he said, “I cannot believe that loving someone is a weakness, Gideon. If anything, it has strengthened our resolve to end Keirthan's tyranny. Even the Lady of the River said so. Leaving Alina when I return to the river will be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I will rest easy if I have made this world safer for her.”

That his friend's words echoed Gideon's own thoughts eased the knot of tension in his chest just enough to let him breathe more easily. He could only hope that the return of Averel and Kane would bring all of them back to full strength. When they took the fight to Keirthan, they would need every bit of resolve and strength they could bring to bear.

“Have the men switch partners one last time and then let them rest. We'll practice again after the heat of the afternoon sun has eased.”

“Where will you be?”

Gideon grimaced. “I have to go convince the cook to begin preparations to feed a small army for the long march to the capital city.”

To his chagrin, Murdoch bellowed in laughter. “You do that. Personally, I'd rather face off against Kane in a bad mood than cross Ellie.”

Gideon couldn't help but grin back. “Would you think me a coward if I asked Merewen to accompany me to the kitchen?”

The big man clapped him on the shoulder. “No, my friend. I would think you wise.”

*   *   *

Was Markus up to something? Granted, he had every right to leave, since Kane's arrival in the great hall signaled the end of the sergeant's day. There'd just been something off about the way the man had gone out of his way to avoid speaking to Kane on his way out of the great hall.

Unable to shake his suspicions, Kane waited a few minutes and then left the keep by way of the side door near the garden. He strolled alongside the building until he reached the front entrance. No sign of Markus anywhere. Although he'd rather not alert his target of his interest in his activities, it would be simpler to ask one of the guards on duty which way Markus had gone.

Luckily, none of the sergeant's closest cronies were on duty. Kane kept his movements casual and relaxed.

“Did either of you see which direction Sergeant Markus went when he left?”

The guards both pointed toward the city. “He went that way, Captain. Do you want one of us to fetch him for you?”

“No, that's fine. I just wanted to review the new duty schedule with him. It can wait. If anyone asks for me, I'll be in my office.”

Kane headed toward the barracks to give credence to his claim. The odds of anyone looking for him right now were minimal. The guards had all just started their shifts. If there'd been a problem, he would have already heard about it. If the duke had need of him, Stefan would've let him know as soon as he'd walked into the hall. That left him free to go after Markus, but he would need Hob's help to pick up the man's trail in the crowded city. The only question was whether it was worth the risk. He could only imagine the chaos if the fine citizens of Agathia were to get their first clear look at a gargoyle prowling their streets.

His instincts argued this would be his best chance to discover something to use against Keirthan and his magic. Kane's time in the city was growing short. Soon he and Averel would have to leave and return to Lady Merewen's keep to join the rest of the Damned in preparations for the battle to destroy Keirthan's hold over his people.

He slipped into the barracks through the back door and headed for Markus's desk. He needed something of the sergeant's to give Hob the man's scent. A piece of clothing would be best. Luck was with him because Markus kept an extra tunic in the top drawer. Kane wadded it up and stuck it inside his vest before heading down the hallway to his own quarters.

Inside his room, Kane quickly released Hob from the shield and gave the gargoyle a minute to stretch out the stiffness in his body from being confined for so long. Then he knelt down to face his avatar and held out the shirt. “We hunt, my friend.”

Hob immediately buried his muzzle in the soft fabric and took several deep breaths. Then he grabbed it in his teeth and shook it like a rat, growling deep in his throat. Kane stood back to give the gargoyle more room to maneuver. In seconds, the tunic was torn to shreds.

Kane picked up the pieces and tossed them in the fireplace in the outer office. After checking the hall outside the door, he motioned for Hob to follow him. It was still too light to risk parading Hob through the city streets, which left them only one option. To follow Markus's trail, the two of them would have to take to the rooftops.

They skirted the edge of the practice field, staying just inside the tree line. While Hob kept his nose to the ground, Kane used his keen eyesight to ensure their passage went undetected. After a couple of close calls, they finally reached the alley that paralleled the first street crossing the route that Markus had taken when he'd left the keep.

Kane knelt down at his partner's side. “Can you find him?”

Hob's forked tongue flicked in and out of his mouth several times in rapid succession as he tasted the air. He waddled a few steps farther and turned his head from side to side, repeating the process. Kane watched, waiting for Hob to point the way. It didn't take long.

Interesting that this was the road that led to the same gate Kane had used to enter the city after his last ride with Averel. It was also the one closest to the secret tunnel he'd discovered. Could it be that Markus was headed there? It was almost too much to be hoped. But as they continued on, the scent grew strong enough for Kane to know they were on the right path. A few minutes later, they reached the wall that surrounded the city. The question now was how to get Hob out of the city without being seen. He'd have to create a distraction that would draw all of the guards' attention.

“Hob, stay until I whistle.”

Satisfied the gargoyle would do as he asked, he
grabbed the back edge of the roof and dropped back down to street level. Once there, he studied the line of people and vehicles waiting to leave the city. The best prospect was a group of three horse-drawn wagons. He picked up a handful of small rocks and flung them one by one at the lead horse, putting all his considerable strength behind each throw. Although the jagged stones would sting, they would do no permanent harm to the animal. Just as Kane had hoped, the horse reared up, trying to get away from the uncomfortable barrage.

When it couldn't break free of its traces, the draft animal lunged forward, dragging the wagon right into the path of another caravan that had been cleared to enter the city. Within seconds, the drivers from both groups were down on the ground screaming at each other as the guards pushed their way into the argument. While they tried to sort out the tangled mess, Kane fell into step with a group of pedestrians as they walked out of the gate. He gradually fell back, letting the distance between him and his temporary companions increase. When they followed a curve in the road, he quickly cut back to the city wall.

Once he reached the safety of some scrub brush, he whistled three times, paused briefly, and then whistled one last time. Within seconds, Hob came flowing over the top of the city wall. Now that they were together again, Kane stepped aside to let Hob determine which direction Markus had gone.

The scent was strongest straight ahead on the trade road, which made no sense. Where would he be going out that way with no horse? It didn't matter. If he wanted answers, Kane had no choice but to follow. Past the next bend in the road, he found his answer. Markus had cut across country as soon as he was out of sight of the guards on the gate, heading straight for the hillock that held the entrance to the tunnel.

With Hob at his side, Kane took off running, hoping to close the distance between them and their quarry. As they ran, he watched the horizon ahead to make sure he
didn't overtake Markus before he reached his destination. A few minutes later, he spotted him and immediately dropped to the ground when the sergeant abruptly stopped to look back. Was he sensing Kane on his trail or simply being cautious?

Kane remained where he was for several minutes, finally easing up slowly to look around. Markus was nowhere in sight, but there was little doubt where he was headed. Kane crossed the remaining distance at full speed.

He motioned for Hob to hang back as Kane cautiously approached the small hillock, listening hard for a sign of anyone in the area. The only heartbeats he could hear were his own and Hob's much slower one. Drawing his sword, Kane edged closer to the door and tried the handle. Unlocked. Good. It would save him the trouble of having to break in.

Inside the tunnel, the air smelled of fresh candle wax and smoke. Markus must have used the light to find his way through the tunnel. Despite the absolute darkness, Kane had no such need. That didn't mean Hob liked it. He bumped Kane's leg and whined.

Kane put his hand on the gargoyle's scaly shoulder. He never knew how much Hob actually understood and how much he picked up from the tone in his master's voice. Kane aimed for calm when he spoke. “I know you don't like being underground, boy, but I've got no choice. This might give us the answers we need.”

Then he started forward, stopping every few feet to listen. Hob stuck close to his side, the flutter of his vestigial wings reflecting his increasing agitation, but he kept pace with Kane.

The tunnel stretched on ahead for some distance, gradually sloping downward, which came as no surprise. After all, it had to be deep enough to pass under the city wall and the streets beyond. Kane kept moving forward and down, focusing on his target. Like Hob, he'd always hated closed-in spaces, and right now he could feel the heavy weight of the ground above him pressing down.

It was tempting to turn back and wait for Markus to return. But Kane kept going, counting his steps to judge how far the tunnel traveled under the city, although he had his suspicions. It would be just like Keirthan to have a bolt-hole that would allow him to escape if the city came under attack. Kane was betting the tunnel led straight to Keirthan's underground chambers.

Once Kane knew for sure, he'd retreat and figure out how best to collapse the tunnel to permanently plug that hole. It would be the last thing he did before he and Averel left the city to rejoin their friends.

He moved forward, slower now, his movements more deliberate, with longer pauses between every few steps. If he was right about where the tunnel led, he had to be drawing close to its end. During one pause, he realized he was rubbing his chest, the pulsing ache a clear signal that he was approaching the center of Keirthan's power. When he started forward again, his cheek burned hot as his steps sped up with little regard for stealth.

He needed to slow down or, better still, retreat to safety, taking Hob with him. The danger that waited ahead could very well destroy them both. Inside his mind, he screamed an order for his feet to stop moving, but his body refused to obey. His face dripped with sweat as he fought against the relentless pull, his body no longer his to command. Hob planted himself in front of Kane, trying to block his way. It didn't work. The tangle of magic coming from ahead dragged him on and on.