Lines of Fire (The Guild House - Defenders Hall) (7 page)

“Because of what happens with our mother.”

Alric closed his eyes. When they’d met in the stable she had spoken of her mother. He wouldn’t force Kalia to bond but he wouldn’t tell Robec that for fear the Swordmaster would learn. Once he left this place he would seek her and propose a sham bonding. Would give them a year to find solutions.

He must have dozed because the aroma of food roused him. A trainee brought a tray with slices of banta, mashed tubers and a savory sauce as well as other tasty items. He polished the plate and noticed Robec picked at the food.

“At least drink the citren and the soup. You need to replace the blood you lost.”

“Why are you so concerned about me? I’ve been your enemy for years.”

Alric set the citren mug on the tray. “My father taught me to look on no man as an enemy except for those who attack from behind. You never have. If Ilna hadn’t named you as her champion would you have challenged me?”

“No and I wish my father had been as wise as yours.”

After the trays were removed Alric closed his eyes and thought of how to approach Kalia with his plan. At the end of a year if she wanted to run he would help her find a place and continue to the desert to join the riders.

He heard a nasal female voice. “I demand to see Alric. He will be my mate. The Swordmaster promised.”

Alric closed his eyes and forced his breathing to slow. He had no desire to speak to Ilna. Swordmaster’s promise or not, she had been rejected. If he had to fight another duel to prevent pairing with her, he would.

She stroked her arm. His lines of fire burned. He nearly ended his pretense to knock her away.

“If you refuse to leave I’ll call the Senior Medic,” a young man said. “Rest is an important part of the healing process.”

Alric kept his eyes closed until he was sure she had left. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and waited a few minutes before standing. Though his arms and back ached, he walked from his bed and around the three others in the room. He had to build his strength and leave the Infirmary. He paused at the door and motioned to the trainee.

The young man walked back. “Do you need something?”

“Only to leave word about my recent visitor. Do not allow that woman to enter this room. I fought a duel to keep from bonding with her.”

“I’ll let the others know.”

* * *

Kalia knew she should visit her brother and Alric again. She’d gone once and had been thankful Alric had slept. She wanted to avoid the man who had fought her battle and had nearly been killed by treachery. He had granted her the right to choose her bondmate, but the patrols had demanded she and Alric exchange bracelets.

Yesterday, two women from Alric’s patrol had visited to welcome her as one of their patrol. Her hands clenched. Why hadn’t she told them the truth? She didn’t want a bondmate. That wasn’t exactly the truth but she couldn’t speak to them of her father’s threats. There was no need for such a story to spread through the Hall. How could she tell anyone she admired Alric? Her father would find a way to use the demands of the patrol leaders for his own purpose and that was to see Alric banished.

Her other reason scared her. She’d seen the way their lines of fire had moved when they touched. What if Alric could drain her vitality the way her father sapped her mother? A third reason rose. She would be Alric’s last chance to remain in the ranks. How could she take the chance of being forced to break the bond?

Her mother appeared at the doorway of Kalia’s chamber. “A trainee has come. Your father demands to see you.”

Tension gathered around her. She’d had two days without his demands but she’d known the peace wouldn’t last. “I’ll go.”

“Listen to what he says.”

Kalia walked to the door. She touched her cheek. Though no bruises had formed after Alric had touched the spot, the memory of the blow remained. She followed the trainee to the door of the Swordmaster’s office. She knocked.

“Enter.”

“You wanted to see me.” She closed the door and braced for another attack.

“You’re prompt.” He leaned back in his chair. “Are you pleased with the results of your stubborn resistance?”

She met his gaze. “That I don’t have to bond with Petan. Yes.”

“Your brother’s chances of taking my place as the leader of the Defenders aren’t good. He needs a man with Petan’s strength to stand at his right hand.”

Kalia remained with her back pressed against the door. “I feel sorrow Robec was injured by a man he considered his friend. I’m glad Petan’s gone. He tried to kill my brother and take his place with you. If Alric hadn’t stopped the bleeding, Petan would have succeeded.”

“Matters may not be how they seemed to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“How can you be sure Alric’s blade wasn’t the one to wound Robec?”

“Your Left Hand and the Justicar named Petan and the naming was verified.”

He shrugged. “Petan saved Robec’s life when he attacked Alric. He acted before that one could smother your brother.”

Kalia laughed. “Do you really believe that?”

“Doesn’t matter now. You’ll be bonded to your brother’s enemy. Makes my original plan obsolete but I have another. You will exchange bracelets with him the way the patrol leaders have insisted.” He rose and stalked toward her. “At the right moment you will declare the bond broken.”

Kalia opened her mouth to protest. He clasped her hand. The words froze on her tongue. “Yes, sir. Is that all?”

“Not quite. If you fail me again, your mother will suffer and may even die. Your brother and sister will be set aside. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Dismissed.” He released his hold.

Kalia stepped into the corridor. Stunned, she leaned against the wall. Her ability to say anything to contradict him had happened again. She shook her head to dislodge the thoughts that weren’t hers. She must escape.

She didn’t return to her chamber. She ran outside, across the courtyard and entered the stable. The aromas both pleasant and unpleasant didn’t halt her for long. She saddled Mist, retrieved the pack and led her bihorn from the stall.

Her father’s plan to banish Alric was wrong. He had saved Robec’s life. Would the Swordmaster really harm his bondmate or his children? She couldn’t take the chance.

As she led Mist from the stable she glanced toward the gate. Guards stood blocking the entrance. Instead of attempting to leave by the Defenders Gate, she entered the tunnel between the walls leading to the Halls of the other Guilds. She passed the entrance to Healers Hall. Thoughts of Alric and Robec arose. Should she warn her brother? That meant seeing Alric. The connection to him might flare hotter and ruin her chance to escape. Would Robec believe her? Was he too firmly under the Swordmaster’s control?

At the opening into Artisans Hall she peered toward the gate. No guards paced around the opening. With a grin she mounted Mist and rode away from the walls. Someone shouted but she paid no heed and pushed her steed into a gallop.

Until dusk she followed the main road. She noticed a side path leading north. She dismounted and saw tracks left by carts. Who had come this way? She decided to chance taking a new direction.

The sky darkened. Stars appeared. She reached a clearing with a fire circle. After gathering wood, she lit the fire. With luck several days would pass before anyone missed her. Maybe not before Alric and Robec were released from the Infirmary.

She toasted bread over the fire and spread soft cheese on the surface. As she put grain in a pan with water to make porridge for the morning meal, she sipped kafa. How long would the food she brought last? She wasn’t sure she knew enough about plants to gather them but she had a few coins. If she found a farmer willing to sell or a village with a market, she would spend them.

With a groan she drained the mug, spread her blanket roll and settled down to sleep. A cracking noise startled her. She sat and peered into the dark shadows. Did something move? Her panicked breathing slowed. The thundering beat of her heart ebbed.

Each sound became a wild animal sneaking across the clearing to attack. Wind rustling the leaves became voices whispering secrets. She added wood to the fire, settled again and watched the flames until she slept.

In the morning, groggy from a restless night, she gulped several mugs of kafa and put the rest in her water flask. After drowning the fire she saddled Mist and stowed her gear before continuing along the road. The ruts made by carts seemed fresh. At midday, she saw three wagons parked by the side of the road. Peddlers, she thought and studied the carts. The paint on the sides had faded until she couldn’t read the name.

As she rode past a man waved. “Are you the Defender sent to act as our guard? Your partner on the way?”

Kalia halted. “I’m not. I’m on detached duty.”

His scruffy beard held streaks of gray and yellow. His clothes bore dust from the road and stains of food.

“You in a rush to reach your destination?” he asked.

“Sort of.” Her gaze skittered past him to study the rest of those seated around a small fire. Two women and three men sat on the grass. One of the men looked vaguely familiar but she couldn’t recall where she had seen him. Was he a banished Defender? His shirt could have once been green.

“Maybe you could travel with us.” The peddler looked at the pack behind Mist’s saddle. “For food and coins. All you’d need to do is ride ahead and find camping spots for the night and stop at any farm along the way to see if they were interested in trade.”

Kalia thought about the offer and her meager supply of food. “Have you kafa?”

He laughed. “Never travel without the makings.”

“Who are you?”

“Name’s Hosar. Come and have a bit of nooning with us.”

Kalia nodded. “I must think of my duty first.” Accepting the offer made sense. Not only would she have a few free meals but she might learn more about the territory ahead.

“In two or three days travel, we’ll come to a village. There are half a dozen farms on the way. Aren’t very profitable around here. Ground’s too rocky but we manage to sell goods made by the Artisan’s trainees.”

Kalia frowned. Did the Artisans allow their trainees to sell the goods they made? Had she stumbled on a smuggler? She would give the peddler a chance. Hopefully along with the food he provided, she could purchase a few things from the farmers or in a village.

“Will you travel with us?”

“Until my road takes a turn in a different direction.”

She accepted a bowl of stew from the woman at the fire, a mug of kafa and a chunk of dark bread. With her food in hand she sat apart from the others and ate.

When the wagon train moved on, Kalia rode beside the lead one to gauge their speed. Then she rode ahead to find a site for the night.

The journey fell into a routine. Once she stopped at a farm and bought cheese and apelons. Another day, she managed to buy grain and part of a ham. She smiled. She had almost enough food to last for a week or more. From the woman who did most of the cooking, Kalia learned of a few greens and herbs she could pick. Soon she could leave the peddler behind.

What she saw in the small village made her decision easy. One of the men lifted a piece of jewelry from a display in a shabby shop. She witnessed the peddler’s thumb touch the scale when weighing kafa beans. She walked to Mist to check her packs, mounted and rode as far and as fast as she could before nightfall.

Chapter
5

Alric held onto the back of a chair with one hand and moved his injured arm in a series of exercises. The pinch and pull of the muscles told him the stitches were due to be removed. He finished the set and prowled the room. Inactivity made him want to scream. Five days had passed since the duel. Five days of boredom. He turned to Robec and saw him raising and lowering his leg.

Alric nodded. “Keep at it.” At least his former rival, though not a friend, was no longer an enemy.

Ganor strode inside. “Brought you a present.” He dropped several sand-filled leather bags on the bed. “These should keep strengthening your arm and back muscles.”

Alric noticed a look of envy on Robec’s face. Was he regretting the loss of a friend? Had he realized Petan had done little to earn that title?

“So what’s happening outside these walls?” Alric asked.

Ganor glanced toward Robec. “Several assignments in the works. Requests from the Artisans and Justicars.”

“That all?”

Robec leaned forward. “Did the Swordmaster really banish Petan?”

“He did. At first he tried to keep him but Petan refused to answer the Justicar’s questions. The patrol leaders demanded the banishment be made permanent so the Swordmaster agreed. Didn’t matter. Petan vanished. Didn’t take his steed. Bihorn savaged a stableman and had to be put down.”

“Good riddance,” Robec said. “Beast attacked me once.”

Alric lifted one of the weights. “Anyone know where Petan went?”

“Who knows,” Ganor said.