Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne) (9 page)

“She couldn’t have gone
far,” Thorold mused. “One would think she wasn’t interested in a little bedroom
sport.”

Another Guard came up the
stairs and bowed to him.

“None of the neighbors
know where she is,” he said. “It seems her father’s been out of town for some
weeks and she’s been running the shop herself.”

 “I know her father’s out
of town, that’s what made her perfect. I hate dealing with fathers,” Thorold said. “It can get so … messy.”  He turned toward the single window. It looked too
high and too small for even this wench to climb through. “Let’s go. I’ve lost
my taste for this one tonight. I’ll come back another time. Then I’ll make her suffer
for making me wait.” He smiled as he thought of what he would do to her. She
was sturdy - he’d seen that by her work hardened hands. She would last a long
time, he was sure.

It was all Brenna could to
do keep sending energy across the link to reinforce the spell - she had no
strength left to spare for the raw emotions emanating from Beldyn and Jemma. It
wasn’t wild panic – she didn’t think they’d been caught - but Jemma was
terrified, and Beldyn was furious. She’d never felt anything quite so strong
through old steel and it was affecting her ability to maintain the link. She
gritted her teeth and held on, drawing more and more on Kane and Dasid as time
wore on. Finally, she felt Jemma’s fear subside and she reached out and called to
her.

“
Jemma, are you all
right
?”

“
Brenna, thank the gods
you helped us
” Jemma said. “
I’ve never been so afraid in my life
.”

“
Are they gone
?”

“
I think so - at least
I can’t hear them anymore. But he said he’d come back. Beldyn, no, you can’t go
after them, he’ll kill you, you know he will!
”

“
Beldyn
,” Brenna
called him as strongly as she could. “
Beldyn, I need you to help me. Listen
to me
.” She finally felt his anger subside. “
I need to you to help Jemma
get somewhere safe
.”

“
Jemma, yes. I’ll make
sure he never touches her
,” Beldyn said. His anger still crackled along the
link but he seemed in control of himself now.

“
Good
,” Brenna
said. “
Listen carefully. There’s a tavern in Thieves Quarter called the
Crooked Dog. You need to take her there right now. Find Eryl Fentin and tell
him the best thief in Kingsreach sent her. Have you got that
?”

 “
The Crooked Dog, Eryl
Fentin. Yes, I can do that
,” Beldyn said.

“
I know you can. Jemma,
contact me as soon as you get to the Dog. Good luck to you both
.” Brenna
broke the connection and slumped on the bed, her eyes still closed. She had an
hour, maybe less, before Jemma contacted her. She groaned and sat up, opening
her eyes.

“Well, that was
interesting,” Kane said as he stretched and rolled his shoulders. “I feel as
though I just put in a very hard day training.”

“Did I take too much from
you?” Brenna asked worriedly.

“Nothing a good meal and a
mug of ale won’t set right.” He grinned and she sighed with relief. “What do
you say Dasid?”

“I could feel you taking
my strength, Brenna,” Dasid looked at her in wonder. “It was the strangest
sensation - as though I was a water skin being drunk from.” He looked from her
to Kane. “I could sense you taking much more from Kane. You have my permission to
take more from me next time.”

Brenna met his gaze and
nodded before she looked away. It was a very intimate thing, drawing strength
through the old steel, having someone trust her with so much of themselves.  She
felt comfortable with Kane – he was her foundation in so many ways that this
seemed just one more thing added to the list. But though he’d pledged
allegiance to her, Dasid was practically a stranger – and using his strength
connected them more closely. Self-conscious, she reached for Kane’s hand. 

“Well,” Neemah said. “I
have no idea what just happened but I did hear someone mention they could use a
good meal. I’ll just go see what I can find. Unless you’d rather head back to
Duke Ewart’s house? I’m sure they’ve plenty of food there.

Brenna looked over at Kane
and shook her head. She’d rather spend the time here, where it was quiet, than
face the inevitable questions from Duke Ewart. She would let him know what had
happened later.

“I think we’ll be better
served here, Neemah,” Kane said. “If you don’t mind finding us something to
eat, that is.”

“I’ll be back soon.”
Neemah headed for the door.

“I’ll help,” Dasid said. “Brenna
and Kane need more rest than I do.”

Dasid unbarred the door
and steered Neemah out of the room.

Brenna sighed and leaned
into Kane, closing her eyes.

“Did you hear it all?” she
asked.

“Yes,” Kane replied. “And
felt it. Beldyn was very angry with his father. It’s a good thing he was there
and Jemma was in contact with you when Thorold came. I hate to think what would
have happened otherwise.”

Something about Kane’s
words sent a shiver down her spine and Brenna sat up. She could See what would
have happened, could See Beldyn’s face twisted in pain and disgust and hatred
as his father told him about the little weaver he’d bedded and how she’d begged
him to take her.

“That was it,” she
whispered. “That was what I felt, what I needed to stop.” She looked at Kane,
her eyes wide. “Beldyn already knew the prophecy meant I would declare myself
queen, it was Jemma who was the key.”

“I don’t understand. What
about Jemma?” Kane sent her a puzzled look.

“Jemma, his one real
friend. If Thorold had used her and twisted it, Beldyn would have believed his
last friend had abandoned him. He would never have trusted the Brotherhood
again.”

“And since nothing would matter
to him anymore he might let his father do whatever he pleased,” Kane said.

He took her hand and she
felt some of the chill leave her.

One person, one person
others wouldn’t even see as important and if Brenna’s other visions were also
true, so many lives depended on what happened to just this one person. She
sighed and settled closer into Kane, letting her eyes drift closed. Her unease
was gone. She hoped it meant that her horrible vision of war had been averted.

When the door swung open Kane
sat up on the bed, gently pulling Brenna upright with him. Dasid entered the
room with a tray of steaming bowls, Neemah following with a pitcher of ale and
four mugs on her tray. She set her load down on the small table and carefully
picked a bowl and spoon off Dasid’s tray.

“Here you are, Brenna.” Neemah
handed the bowl and spoon to Brenna before she turned to get another bowl.

“Thank you.” Kane
gratefully accepted the second bowl from her.

 Dasid and Neemah each
took a bowl, Dasid leaning against the wall while Neemah perched on the wooden
chair by the bed. They ate silently and when they’d finished their meals,
Neemah replaced the stew bowls with mugs of ale. Kane sighed after the first swallow.

“Neemah, I’m not sure
where you managed to find us such a meal but thank you,” Kane said, taking
another sip of ale. “Dasid, did you tell her what happened?”

“Some,” he said. “She was taken
by surprise when we became invisible.”

“Dasid said as how Brenna
made someone else, someone you were talking to through the weapons, invisible
and it must have somehow worked on you here too.”

“Yes, that’s about right,”
Kane said. “It was a girl, a member of the Brotherhood by the name of Jemma who
we were talking to. And Beldyn, Duke Thorold’s son.”

“The one’s to become
king?” Neemah looked from Kane to Brenna before her eyes settled on Dasid. He nodded
and Neemah closed her eyes. “I’m not sure you should be telling me secrets like
this.”

“Why not?” Brenna asked.
“You were here. I think you have a right to know.” Brenna looked over at Dasid.
“Don’t you Dasid?”

“I …,” Dasid started, then
turned away. “Yes, I do. But I didn’t feel it my place to tell her everything
without talking to you and Kane first.”

“Don’t worry,” Kane said.
“It will soon be common knowledge.”

Dasid sent him a puzzled look.

 “Talking to Beldyn was
the final thing Brenna needed to do before declaring herself,” Kane said.

Dasid looked from him to
Brenna, then he nodded.

“Declare herself what?”
Neemah asked.

“Queen,” Brenna said.
“I’ll be declaring myself queen.”

Kane shifted to take more
of Brenna’s weight as he led her across the square to Duke Ewart’s house. Jemma
had finally contacted Brenna - she was safe at the Crooked Dog - and though the
conversation had been brief, it had sapped the last of Brenna’s energy. She’d
refused to draw strength from either him or Dasid and now she could barely keep
her feet under her. Tomorrow he’d have to lecture her on the importance of
keeping herself fit and well but for now he was simply helping her get home to
bed.

Thankfully Beldyn had been
able to deliver Jemma to Eryl at the Crooked Dog without any trouble. Jemma had
told Beldyn that Carolie and Colm could be trusted - they could get messages to
Brenna, if needed. Eryl would get Jemma out of Kingsreach safely.

When he reached the stairs
to the house Kane gently picked Brenna up and carried her up. She didn’t even
have the energy to protest and he frowned as he made his way to their room. She
could not allow herself to get so depleted - he’d have to make her see that in
the morning. He laid her on the bed, gently removed her clothing and pulled the
quilt up over her. A few minutes later he slid into bed beside her. She was fast
asleep when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

Duke Thorold scanned the
note before crumpling it angrily. How dare she, that
witch
, how dare she?
He turned and waved off the two servants who held his silk vest for him.

“You will keep this quiet
today of all days, Captain,” Thorold said. Barton nodded and Thorold poured
himself a glass of wine. “Does anyone else know this news?”

“No my Lord,” Barton said.
“I received the sealed note myself and came here directly once I read it.”

“Who did it come from?”
The note, from the Brotherhood of the Throne, had advised him that Brenna
Trewen, his son’s bastard, would be crowned today in Silverdale. Both Aruntun
and Fallad would pledge to her.

“It was left with a
servant overnight, my Lord. I have questioned the man himself and he claims he
didn’t recognize the lad who dropped it off. Since the lad said the note was
for you he gave it to me to determine the best course of action.”

“And it was sealed when
you got it?”

“Yes my Lord. I don’t
believe the servant can even read.”

“I will deal with this
later.” He sipped his wine, letting his anger subside. Today was the
culmination of years of planning and painstaking and dangerous execution. He
would not allow the witch to spoil this day.

“You should get into
position, Captain. The guests will be allowed in soon and you must be in place
before them.”

Barton bowed, the polished
buttons on his dark blue dress uniform glinting in the light that streamed in
the window.

No, he would not allow the
witch to spoil this day, the day his son is crowned King of Soule. She could
sit in Fallad and proclaim herself queen but after today there would be a fully
acknowledged king for her dethrone - a king who would not step aside easily or
willingly, he would see to that. Thorold finished his wine and waved his
servants to bring his vest over. He slipped his arms through the fine material
and smiled as they settled it on him, fastening it in front with the heavy,
gold seal of the regent. He would not give this up, not after working so long
and hard to achieve it.

Kane stepped around some wooden
crates and peered in through the open the door. The blast of heat that hit him
sucked his breath from his throat and he coughed as he ducked through the
doors. It was hot enough outside today, he thought as he wiped his sleeve
across his now sweat-beaded brow, but she had to be in the forge. His eyes
adjusted to the glare of the fire and he saw Brenna leaning over a red hot
length of iron. Master Innis, the smith, pointed a thick-gloved hand at the
metal.

“Brenna,” he yelled over
the sounds of the bellows and she turned her head. “It’s time.”

She nodded, touched Master
Innis’ arm, said something he couldn’t hear, then joined him.

“Master Innis was showing
me how to forge a sword,” she said as they stepped out into the relative
coolness of the mid afternoon sun. “It’s very interesting. He said I could try
it myself later.”

“If there’s time,” Kane
said.  “You need to get ready.” He looked at her red face and disheveled hair
and shook his head. “I’d suggest a bath but I fear a cold wash is all you’ll
have time for.”  He led the way through the back alley towards Duke Ewart’s
house. “The crowds are gathering.”