Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne) (2 page)

He’d seen a berserker once,
while on patrol along the border of Langemore. A bandit had gone wild when
they’d tried to capture him. At the time Kane had wondered what could cause a
man to lose control so completely. Now he knew.

Later, after they’d rescued
Brenna, he’d seen the nervous looks some of the men sent his way. Even Gaskain
and Dasid had been wary of him for a few days. Kane couldn’t blame them - Dasid
had told him he’d been responsible for the deaths of over a dozen of Thorold’s
guards. All Kane could remember was his overwhelming need to reach Brenna.

He settled back against
the wall and closed his eyes. He never wanted to feel that way ever again.

Brenna sighed, feeling
rough fabric against her cheek. For a moment she thought they were still on the
road and her cloak was under her head, then she moved and she felt the warm
solidness of a body beneath the fabric. Kane. She smiled and opened her eyes,
tilting her head and squinting up at him in the dim room. His chin was tucked
onto his chest and his mouth was relaxed in sleep. She sat up a little and his
eyes opened.

“Were you sent to wake
me?” Brenna asked.

Kane’s smile answered her
own and he shrugged.

“It was only dinner.
They’ll keep something warm for us.”

“You hope. If not I expect
you to cook.” Brenna rolled off the bed, stood up and stretched. Her stomach
rumbled and she yawned. “On second thought, I’m not sure I’m desperate enough
to eat anything you cook.”

When Kane stood he pulled her
in his arms. She leaned into him and took a deep breath, enjoying his scent.

“You won’t have to,” Kane
said. “You’re going to be queen. They’ll have saved some dinner for you.”

“Finally, something good
about being queen,” Brenna said.

Kane drew back enough to look
down at her. “You’ll be able to do a lot of good.”

“I know. But I’d rather
someone else did it.” She reached up and kissed him, savouring the warmth of
his lips, of him, before stepping away with another sigh.

“Let’s go. It must almost
be time to start contacting the others.” Brenna picked up her knife belt and
strapped the weapon around her waist before leaning down to clutch her pack.

Feeling pleasantly full, Brenna
placed her knife beside her pack on the low table in front of her. Kane had
been right and a warm meal had been waiting for them when they came downstairs.
Before retiring for the evening the cook had left a pot of soup and a fresh
loaf of bread warming by the fire. It hadn’t taken either of them long to
polish off their late meal.

“Is it time?” Kane asked.
He pulled a chair up beside her.

They were in Ewart’s
sitting room – Ewart, Dasid, Gaskain, Kane and Brenna all sat around the low
table that held Brenna’s pack and knife.

“I think so,” Brenna said.
She picked up her knife and fingered it. Kane placed his knife – the knife that
had once belonged to his uncle - on the table and she reached a hand out and
touched that as well. They would try to contact Guild Master Brunger first. Brenna
always had trouble contacting the Guild Master but for some reason Kane’s
presence made it possible. Nor did Brenna get as tired and drained when he
joined with her.

She gripped her knife more
tightly and Kane reached over and wrapped his hand over hers before leaning
over to touch his own knife.

“
Guild Master
,”
Kane said through the old steel. “
It’s Kane and Brenna
. We’ve reached
Duke Ewart in Silverdale
.”

The response was weak and Brenna
focused on it, trying to strengthen the connection.

“
I’m here
.”

The enthusiasm in Marcus
Brunger’s voice made Brenna smile. The Guild Master had taken to spying with
wit, determination and glee. Marcus Brunger and Eryl Fentin - Brenna wasn’t
sure who had the best network or who was having more fun but between them they
had most of Kingsreach under surveillance. 

“
Your report, please
,”
Kane said.

“
The church of the
One-God has been appropriating quarters for many priests. It seems they are
bringing them in from all over the country
.”

“
According to
Ewart
they left Silverdale as soon as word came that King Mattias was dead. Do you
know what they’re doing
?” Kane asked.

“
I hear that they’re
here to witness the coronation
,” Marcus Brunger said. “
Thorold is
determined to use the church to impart divine approval on Beldyn’s ascension to
the throne
.”

“
We are glad that
they’re not here
,” Kane said. “
I’m sure Thorold would know our every
move if they were. And there are
s
till no reports that he’s building an
army
?”

“
Our contacts in the
Kingsguard report no unusual orders or training
,” Brunger said.

“
Good. Let me know if
that changes. We hope to postpone any battles until spring. Is there anything
else
?”

“
News for Brenna
,”
Marcus said. “
From Eryl. The seamstress’ shop has been ransacked by the Thorold’s men. The seamstress has been taken
.”

“
Mistress Dudding
?”
Brenna asked. “
Is she all right
?”

“
Eryl thinks not. He’s
had his gang out looking for her but there’s no news. He assumes she’s dead
.”

“
Dead
,” Brenna said.
“
Because of me?
” Brenna’s heart sank and she frowned.
“
I haven’t even seen her
since the night the church killed Sabine Werrett instead of me
.”

“
Thorold found out you
used to live there
,” Marcus replied. “
At least that’s what Eryl’s
hearing from the Quarter. The men who took the seamstress were asking about
you. They were also asking about Eryl
.”

“
But he’s safe
?”
Kane asked.

“
Yes.
”

“
Why now
?” Brenna
asked.

“
Because Mattias is
gone
,” Kane said. “
Thorold
can do what he wants without
opposition
.”

“
Yes
,” Marcus
agreed. “
I’d say he’s flaunting his power
.”

“
But Mistress Dudding
was no threat
,” Brenna said.

“
No but she can be a
lesson
,” Kane replied. “
A warning to the rest of the Quarter that
helping you is dangerous
.”

Brenna clutched her knife
and Kane’s grip tightened around her hand. Mistress Dudding was dead because of
her. Someone she’d barely thought about in all the months since she’d been
taken in by the Brotherhood was dead because she’d known Brenna, had been kind
to Brenna.

“
Tell Eryl to stay safe
,”
Kane said. Gently he peeled her hand from her knife and folded her into his
arms, gently resting his head on top of hers.

“It’s my fault,” Brenna
said. Her voice caught in her throat and she leaned into Kane.

“No,” he said firmly.
“It’s Thorold’s fault.”

Kane’s head lifted off of
hers. “Someone who helped Brenna before the prophecy started has been taken by Thorold’s men,” Kane explained to the others in the room. “Now they’re looking for Eryl.”

“Can he get out of
Kingsreach?” Dasid asked.

“He won’t leave,” Brenna
said. “Not Eryl.” She wiped a hand across her eyes and sat up. “He always says
that the Quarter will look after its own. I hope it does.”

 “Is Thorold targeting
people Brenna knows?” Dasid asked.

“It seems so.” Kane
sighed. “Brenna, who else would be at risk?”

“Who else?” Brenna shook
her head. “Half the people in the Quarter have been customers. I never turned
away anyone who was ill. Other than that there’s Pater, his nephew Martyn and Mistress
Mundy over at the Wheat Sheaf.”

“Where the healer from
Aruntun was killed,” Kane said. “We’ll ask Eryl to keep an eye on her. Pater
and Martyn are Brotherhood - you can’t keep them safe.”

“But I’ll feel responsible
if anything happens to them,” Brenna said.

“
They’re helping you save Soule from Thorold. That’s their choice
,” Kane replied.

“I don’t want any more of
my friends to die,” Brenna said.

She got up to pace the
room. Kane was right - Mistress Dudding’s death wasn’t her fault, not really,
but it felt like it. And it didn’t change the fact that people were in danger -
and dying
- because of her. She had to put it out of her mind - she had
more to do tonight, more people to contact.  She sighed heavily and sat back
down. Kane clasped her hand and she sighed again. Time to get back to work.

Brenna stretched, wincing
when her muscles protested. She always tried to relax when contacting others
through old steel but when she was done, she invariably found that she’d been
tensing her muscles and clenching her hands. Tonight was worse - finding out
about Mistress Dudding had put her even more on edge than usual. She leaned
against the hearth and rubbed her hands in front of the flames, trying to warm
them up.

“Here, drink this.”

Kane handed her a mug of
tea and she wrapped one stiff hand around it. She took a small sip and sighed.

“Just one more tonight,”
he said.

“Two,” Brenna replied. “I
want to talk to Jemma.”

“Do you need to?”

“Yes. I must have had a Seeing
when I was asleep. I keep hearing Jemma’s name in my head.” She sipped her tea
and shook her head. “She’s our best connection to Beldyn right now. She needs
to see him.”

Kane looped an arm around
her shoulder and simply waited, silent, as she finished her tea.

“Jemma first then,” Kane
said. He took her mug from her and steered her back to her seat.

The others all settled in
as she picked up her knife once more.

“
Jemma, are you there
?”
Despite her fatigue Brenna found Jemma easily.

“
Brenna
?” Jemma
replied.

“
It’s me
,” Brenna
said. “
You need to see Beldyn
.”

After a quick conversation
Brenna broke the link to the younger girl.

“I asked her to try to see
Beldyn as soon as possible,” Brenna said. “She said that all the guilds are
putting forth their best goods for the coronation so I told her to talk to
Marcus Brunger. He can make sure she’s part of any delegation. We’ll need to let
Marcus know next time we contact him.” Brenna stood and stretched her arms
overhead before sitting down again.

“Jemma confirmed what
Marcus said,” she continued. “The church of the One-God is housing many, many
priests in the neighbourhood around the church. They’ve mostly been welcomed into
homes but Jemma has heard of a few families who were forced out. The families
haven’t been seen since and the rumour is they were sent to the High Bishop for
being
uncharitable
.” Brenna couldn’t stop her shudder. So many people
hurt - or worse - in the name of the One-God - Kane’s uncle Feiren, Neal
Ravershaw, Mistress Dudding and now innocent families. Thorold and the High
Bishop
had
to be stopped.

Brenna took a shaky breath
and handed her second empty mug to Kane. She’d protested the delay when he’d first
insisted that she take a break between each contact through old steel but now
she was grateful for each short respite. Especially tonight. She couldn’t stop
thinking about poor Mistress Dudding and it was sapping her energy. She kept
picturing the seamstress confused and shaken, wondering why the church or
Kingsguard or whoever had taken her kept asking about a tenant who had died a
year ago.

Brenna shrugged her
shoulders, trying to work out the kinks. Kane’s fingers massaged her tight
muscles and she leaned back into him.

“Ready for Yowan?” he
asked.

She nodded. She usually
left her grandfather for last. Not only was he the easiest for her to contact,
being both a Brother and her close relative, but somehow he projected love and
care across the old steel. Tonight she needed to feel that more than ever.

Kane sat down beside her
and again they both reached for the knives.    

“
Yowan, grandfather,
”
she sent outward.

“
Brenna love. Good to
hear from you
.” The response was immediate and Brenna smiled at the warmth
in her grandfather’s tone.

“
We made it to Silverdale
and Duke Ewart’s safely. The Brotherhood training facility will be moved here
as soon as possible. Dasid thinks in the next few weeks
.”

“
That’s good news
,”
Yowan paused. “
What’s wrong? You’re upset about something. Are you all right
?”