Return to Alastair (19 page)

“No.”

Suddenly there was another voice. “Have you need of a balm?”

Lucas turned his head. “Yes, Father. Thank you.”

The short priest disappeared as quickly as he’d come, and Lucas put his hand on Tahn’s shoulder. “He seeks to help you, friend. He did tell me you were in Alastair. I was about to go searching.”

Tahn didn’t answer. He only sunk his head into his hands.
Oh, Lucas! Here in the baron’s church! And we don’t know yet what that might mean.

Lucas wiped the cool water again across Tahn’s bruised back. “Is it pretty bad?”

“I sent Lorne to Onath for men. That’s how bad I expect it to be.”

“I meant your back, Tahn. The pain.”

“I’ll live with it. You know that.”

“You’ve lived with too much of it, I think.”

Tahn tensed. “You live your days, Lucas. What choice is there? It’s my lot, it seems. But it won’t stop me.”

Lucas looked carefully at him. “The Lord is your lot now, my brother. The Triletts. The children. They are all well?”

That was like another world to Tahn now. Netta’s love, like a dream, seemed too far away to touch him. In this place, Samis seemed closer. Sanlin Dorn, whom he could scarcely remember, seemed more real. And the hurt threatened to consume him.

“What’s wrong with me, Lucas?” he gasped. “I can’t see past the pain! The battle that’s coming holds my mind. I’m afraid for you, and my sister. And it’s not just Burle. It’s this town! I don’t understand it all. But it will raise up its head and try to destroy us. I thought I had peace. Now I’m not sure I ever will. The things I learn . . . of who I am . . .”

He stopped. How could he explain the war in his heart? Was he really kin to Samis, the sadistic killer and stealer of children? And kin of the baron too, who’d ordered the murder of an entire family as they slept? Both dead men haunted him still. And Samis’s legacy in Burle posed a problem. Would Lionell Trent prove a threat as well?

Lucas had bowed his head. “Tahn—about who you are . . . there’s something I’ve needed to tell you.” With one hand on his dangling golden cross, he sighed. “I couldn’t say it before. I didn’t want to trouble you. But I can’t keep it from you any longer. Samis talked to me. When we rode to find you. He told me that his father had been a bandit and he’d had a brother he scarcely knew. It was Samis’s brother who was hanged here, Tahn. That’s when he took you with him—”

“No.” Tahn tried to get up, but Lucas took his arm.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“Then it’s really true. He was my uncle.” He closed his eyes, trembling.

“Tahn—”

“Oh, God! He said I was like him. He said the sword was part of me, something I’d never escape. But he never told me this! Did he hate me that much?”

Lucas bowed his head. “I can’t say there was much in Samis but hatred for anyone.”

“I hated
him
, Lucas! God help me, I don’t want this! I don’t want him a part of me. But now—”

“Now you’re free,” Lucas declared. “Do what you must in this town. Help your sister. Then go back to Onath and the ones who love you.”

Tahn lay sunken before him. “Samis took pleasure in the things he did to me.”

“I know. And I know it was worse for you than the rest of us. But in his mind he was grooming you to take his place. To be the hardened killer who could rule Valhal and all the men after he was gone. He thought he was right, that he could make what he wanted out of you. I thought he would drive you insane. But you have peace in God now. Don’t forget that. Your uncle or not, Samis has no more hold on you.”

Marc and Tiarra moved with quick steps through Alastair’s streets. Tiarra was in too much of a hurry to stop, but she wanted answers from this stranger nonetheless. “Were you one of those mercenaries too?”

“No, miss.”

“But you’re my brother’s friend.”

“I’m honored he counts me such.”

“I was guilty. He knew it.” She brushed back tears. “Why did he let them whip him?”

“Everyone in the crowd knew why!” the big man exclaimed. “To save his sister. Why else could there be? He thinks you despise him. And he may not know you yet, but he loves you, girl. I hope you can see that.”

“He shouldn’t have—”

“I agree.”

Tiarra turned and looked at the man’s solemn frown. It should have been her; of course he thought that. “How could he do it, then?” she asked with a tremor in her voice.

“I don’t think he can bear to watch someone hurt, miss. I tracked him once. I was paid to do it by the men hunting him. They caught a girl he didn’t even know, but he walked into their trap and took arrows trying to rescue her. It’s the way he is, I guess. Driven at caring for others. Overmuch and to his own expense. Very well he knows he’ll need to fight soon. And now he’s badly hurting. It’s not going to be easy.”

“I’m sorry! Is that what you want me to say? I didn’t know this would happen!” She thought of the bandits, and the agile strength Tahn had against them before. It frightened her. The man was right. Faced with their swords now, her brother would be vulnerable. He might even be killed.

“But he’s a praying man,” Marc suddenly added. “God gave him a way to survive the arrows. He’ll help him again. Don’t worry. It’s a good time for you to be thankful and think of the Christ. He does the same thing for you, girl! You’re guilty, and he takes the penalty. All of it. And then you’re free. It’s a wondrous love.”

Tiarra looked at him again, but this was too much for her to bear. Christ and Tahn Dorn. Both trying to save her. And how she’d cursed them both! She could picture the Jesus of the crucifix in St. Thomas’s, bruised and whipped, shedding blood because of her guilt. She saw Toddin’s eyes and knew he could see that she was suddenly shaking. She turned and fled, as fast as she could run, toward Martica’s house. The big man’s footsteps were close behind her, but at least she wouldn’t have to listen to any more of his heartrending words.

In the church, Tahn sat up with a moan. “I need to be up,” he said. “And tend to business.” Lucas had spread the priest’s oily balm across Tahn’s back, and he buttoned his shirt over the bandages that covered it.

“You should rest longer,” Lucas protested. “It won’t hurt you.”

“But it won’t help us. I need to go see the man from the street.”

“Which man?”

“The one with our mother’s necklace in his house.”

“Tahn, are you sure?”

“It means something to my sister, Lucas. Don’t worry. I won’t hurt anyone.”

“That’s not what concerns me. He’s the one who chose to whip you, yes?”

“Yes.”

Lucas shook his head. “Tahn, he won’t want to see you—”

“No one does here. But he’ll see me. They all will, at least until I know my sister is treated fairly. The baron wanted us dead. The old woman told me that. But this town did the ugly work. And I won’t have its bitter medicine spilled now on Tiarra. She was an innocent babe, Lucas. She deserves more than she’s been given.” He pulled to his feet and groaned again, leaning against the wall.

“You’re not ready, Tahn.”

But he pushed away and moved toward the door. “I won’t be weak, Lucas. At least not for long.”

“Let me come with you then.”

“I think that is what your priest feared would happen.”

“I’m not bound here. I can’t let you go without help.”

“You’re a good friend. You were always that to me, even when I tormented you.”

Lucas moved immediately to the door. “It wasn’t your fault. You can’t control your dreams.”

“Only pity the soul who had to share quarters with me, eh?” He started out.

“Lean on me, Tahn,” Lucas urged.

“No. Not as long as I can manage.”

“Let me get you a staff, then. You look like you could fall.”

“I’ll take the staff. But stop worrying.”

“I know you’re in pain. I wish you’d wait.”

“I can’t. But I do want you with me—they’ll be looking for you or Tiarra, and I don’t want you alone.”

“What do you expect to do?”

“Ask God’s wisdom. Trust his hand.”

Lucas went for the staff, and Tahn stood in the church entry, leaning at the doorpost and looking out. A young woman was hurrying past with a baby strapped to her back. She glanced up at him but then turned her face anxiously away.

“God bless you,” he said aloud.

And she stopped. “You should go,” she told him quickly. “Leave Alastair.”

He saw the tears in her eyes as she turned to move on. “Wait!” he called. But she would not.

Lucas came out, and Tahn pointed. “Do you know her?”

“No.”

“I forget that Alastair has people like any other town, with needs and conscience.” He held the staff and the stone rail and made his way down the steps. “Tell me what drew you back, Lucas.”

“What you told me. If I got in trouble, to come to the church. I hated myself. I was going to jump from the cliff by Devil’s Falls. But I wanted to see St. Thomas’s one more time, and sit in the back pew like I did when I was nobody’s child. It wasn’t the same priest who came out. But Father Bray told me about Christ, Tahn. He convinced me to give Christ my life. I think you could like Father Bray. I have told him much about us.”

Tahn took a deep breath. “But . . . St. Thomas’s prospers with Trent money.”

“I know.”

“Pray God the priest will not have to choose his loyalties.” Tahn and Lucas moved slowly across the churchyard. And behind them at a window, the short priest watched.

Tahn didn’t know the name of Tiarra’s accuser, so Lucas asked the wheelwright whom it was who had led the crowd at the whipping. Jothniel Ovny.

Lucas knew right where to go. The Ovnys’ was a large house, the finest in Alastair, with a pillared front. It stood so close to some of the poor houses that it seemed built to shame them. Tahn was about to approach the door, sweating and pale, when Lucas stopped him.

“Are you sure you’re up to this, brother? It can wait. Better that it does.”

“No. He doesn’t expect me now.” He wiped his brow, took another deep breath, and steeled himself against the brutal ache. Then he rapped boldly, and they waited together.

Mikal Ovny answered the door. “Go away,” he told Tahn at first, but then he saw Lucas. “Reverend sir,” he stammered. “What can we do for you?”

“We would see your father,” Lucas answered simply.

“He did what was right according to our custom,” Mikal said nervously, with a wary eye on Tahn.

“Of course,” Tahn told him. “Fetch him for us on a matter of business.”

“Just a minute.” Mikal disappeared behind the closed door. In a moment, his father stood in his place.

“What do you want with me?” Ovny asked Tahn but then turned toward Lucas. “I beg your pardon, Reverend sir. It surprises me to find you in such company.”

“I’ve known the Dorn a long time, Jothniel,” Lucas said. “I stand with him the same as a brother.”

That made the man nervous. “You can’t fault me, sir. It wasn’t my sin. His sister—she was the one who did wrong.

And he came to the post willing.”

“Yes,” Tahn affirmed with growing effort behind his words. “We’re not here to fault you. I ask to see the thing my sister tried to steal. Give me a chance to view what was my mother’s. I bear you no blame for the carriage of justice, sir.”