Sorceress of Faith (34 page)

“We’ll
make sure they do,” Pascal assured her.

“All
right, then.” Alexa screwed up her face. “I think I still have plenty of zhiv
to pay two more Chevaliers.”

A
yip came from under the table and a small dog scrambled up to Alexa’s lap, then
hopped onto the table, where it panted, swiped Alexa’s cheek with a long, pink
tongue and curled into a ball. It was the shapeshifter Sinafin, the feycoocu
frog-fairy-vulture-hawk-muff.

Marian
stared at it. “A miniature greyhound?” she murmured.

“Yes,”
Alexa said, petting the dog. “They don’t exist in Lladrana.”

“Of
course not,” Marian said politely. “That would be too easy.”

She
shared a smile with Alexa. Then the other woman stood on tiptoe to peer over
Marian’s head into the booth behind her.

Alexa
looked at Pascal. “What rank do you want to give the Desolly Pair?”

Pascal
jutted his chin. “Koz deserves Fourth.”

“Fourth
rank. He must be good, then,” Alexa said.

Pascal
slipped from the bench and strode to the other booth. The voices behind Marian
stilled, took on the lightness of casual conversation. Then Pascal began
speaking in quiet, reassuring tones.

Moments
later the emotion throbbing from the booth behind Marian was a relief so pure
it held giddiness.

Jaquar
tapped a finger on the table. The small gesture had the three women looking at
him. “Alyeka, do you have any dreeth teeth left, or, better yet, a spur? There
are several Circlets who want those and will pay dearly for them.”

Alexa
rubbed her hands, grinned. “Oh yes.” She looked at Marian and wrinkled her
nose. “Gruesome trophies.”

The
couple from the other booth approached Alexa’s table with Pascal. Koz was a
big, raw-boned man of bluntly handsome features. Under his arm he sheltered a
startlingly beautiful woman with amber eyes and dark brown hair that grew from
a widow’s peak. Marian hypothesized that she, like Jaquar, had some old
Exotique blood—interesting, since progeny from Earth-Lladranan unions were
rare. She wondered if a Circlet had kept track of the bloodlines, the genetic
code…

“Swordmarshall
Alyeka Vauxveau, I present to you Koz and Perlee Desolly, who I think would
make an excellent Chevalier Pair of the Fourth Rank for your household.”

“Thank
you,” the woman whispered.

Koz’s
jaw worked. “I promise you, Swordmarshall Alyeka, you will never regret this.”

“Welcome
to my household, Chevaliers.” Alexa held out her hand.

Desolly
touched her fingers briefly with his own, then half bowed. “Thank you.”

The
woman and Alexa shook hands.

“I
will pay for your lodgings in Horseshoe Hall or the Keep,” Alexa said.

“Thank
you, Lady,” Perlee said. She smiled up at Koz. “We’ll have our own rooms. How
wonderful!” She bit her lip, glanced back at the booth they’d left. “We can
move in immediately…we have our dufflecases.”

Alexa
smiled and waved a hand. “Fine. I’m sure Marwey and Pascal have it all planned
out. Go ahead.” Her eyes twinkled at Marwey, who slipped from the bench and
started out of the inn.

The
Desollys and Pascal followed.

Alexa
tilted her cup. It was empty.

“Do
you want more tea?” asked Jaquar.

“Not
here. I have a better cache up at the Castle. Let’s go there.” Alexa looked at
Marian and a small trill of notes ran in the Song between them. “You can stay
in the suite under mine. In my Keep Tower,” she said proudly. “It’s really
great except it’s always been assigned to an Exotique, so there’s the purple
factor.”

She
turned to Jaquar. “You can stay in the…” She frowned. “Where
do
Sorcerers and Sorceresses stay when they’re at the Castle?”

“We
have never stayed in the past, but perhaps it is time to be more active,”
Jaquar said.

“Didn’t
stay in the past?” Alexa jumped on the admission. Her eyes narrowed. “Since
this war with the Dark has escalated, all the Marshalls are living in the
Castle rather than on our own estates. It’s time the Tower Community
establishes a presence in the Castle, too.”

Jaquar’s
teeth gleamed in a smile that wasn’t quite nice. “I agree, but you bait me.
Well, let’s see. We could raise a Tower in the middle of one of the Castle
courtyards.”

Staring
at him, Alexa said with heavy irony, “Oh yeah, that will work.”

His
brow furrowed as if he pondered her phrasing. Marian chuckled.

“The
Castle is called The Marshalls’ Castle,” Jaquar pointed out. “We of the Tower
would be on your grounds—you would have the strategic advantage.”

“Heaven
forbid that any of the communities of Lladrana would work together to save us
all from the Dark,” Alexa snapped. “Turf wars. Shee-oot.”

Jaw
flexing, Jaquar said evenly, “I said I want to end that, but I will also remind
you that the Marshalls kept the knowledge that the fence posts were falling and
the horrors were invading from the rest of the country until far too late. No
wonder the Marshalls have alienated other segments of our society.”

“Did
we hide that knowledge, indeed?” Alexa stood, planted her hands on the table
and leaned forward, every small inch of her exuding menace.

“Not
you—those before you.” Jaquar raised a hand in peace.

“Can
you tell me that none of the Tower Community knew what was going on?” she said
in a dangerously low voice. “That no one tracked the Dark? Tell me that you all
didn’t remain quiet, too, watching the Marshalls struggling to staunch the flow
of horrors. That you didn’t hesitate to inform the other members of Lladranan
society. That you stood back and let Chevaliers die fighting until I asked for
your help. That you didn’t really join this action until you all knew a
sangvile was loose and it was feasting on your own.”

The
inn had fallen silent, everyone focused on their table. Anger and suspicion
swirled in the atmosphere. Did Alexa know she was stirring up a mob? The wait
staff had vanished.

Jaquar
paled beneath his golden skin. He stood, looming over Alexa. It had no effect
on her. “I will say that we made mistakes, individually and as a community.” He
swept a glance around the room. Many of the Chevaliers turned back to their own
business. One tough, rangy man met Jaquar’s eyes. “Mistakes we have paid for.”
Grief laced his voice.

Alexa
sighed and raised her hands, palms out. “Peace between us. As we say in
Exotique Terre, ‘That was then, this is now.’” A considering look came to her
eyes. Her smile matched the one Jaquar had given her earlier. “I suppose we
Marshalls could claim one of those islands off the west coast that you Circlets
like. Establish a presence among you, instead of making rooms available here in
the Castle.” She straightened.

Choking,
Jaquar flung up a hand in what Marian recognized as the gesture of a fencer
when hit. “That isn’t necessary.”

“Then
the Tower needs a presence here in the Castle. Permanent rooms. To
work with
the Marshalls and the Castleton City Guildfolk.” Alexa’s glance speared Marian.
“Try to integrate the Tower Community with the Marshalls.”

Marian
opened her mouth, closed it, then stood.

Jaquar
reached out and took her hand, raised it to his lips. “For tonight I’ll stay
with Marian.” He paused.

When
she didn’t contradict him, she felt some tension leave his stiff body.

“Tomorrow
we can tour the Castle and choose rooms for the Tower Community, should any
wish to come and stay.”

“I’ll
expect you at the Marshalls’ Council Meeting tomorrow morning,” Alexa said.

“Of
course. I’ll be there.”

The
outside door opened, and as fresh, cool night air poured in, Marian felt some
of the negative emotions in the room flow out—given a little push by Alexa and
some of the Chevaliers. Marian was impressed at the teamwork, the willingness
to help. Her vision shifted slightly and she heard Power—a ready tune of
support from the flying knights encased Alexa, and washed to Marian, too, out
of respect for Alexa and her obvious acceptance of Marian. No tune reached
Jaquar.

Sinafin
yipped.
That was very well done. It is a good start
. She approved.

Marian
saw some Chevaliers nod and realized the feycoocu had broadcast the comment.

A
middle-aged, sturdy woman of obvious authority strode to them.

Alexa
inclined her head to the woman, gestured to Alexa. “Lady Hallard,
Representative of the Chevaliers to the Communities of Lladrana, let me
introduce you to Exotique Scholar Marian Harasta.”

The
woman’s dark brown eyes studied Marian. She nodded once, briskly, and shot out
her hand. Marian untwined her fingers from Jaquar’s and took the woman’s hand,
found it hard with calluses. Obviously this woman didn’t send her Chevaliers
into battle without her—she led her Chevaliers in battle.

“Salutations,
Marian, pleased to meet you.” She dipped her head at Jaquar. “Sorcerer Circlet
Dumont, good to see you. We need all the help we can get.” She hesitated, then
tramped away to the bar and the tough, rangy Chevalier that wore her
colors—gray and yellow.

“Let’s
go now,” Alexa muttered. “Before everyone in Castleton shows up to meet you and
ask you questions. At least you speak the language well,” she said enviously.
“Better than I do.”

She
swept out in front of them. Jaquar plucked up his hat and set it on his head,
left the booth and stepped aside for Marian, then brought up the rear. Marian
was amused that she was sandwiched protectively between the two.

No
one stopped them.

The
night air was brisk, the sky magnificently star-studded. The air smelled pure
and with her inhalations, Marian tasted Song—the tang of the City, the mainland
of Lladrana.

Once
they left the vicinity of the Nom de Nom, the streets and squares were quiet,
though not dark. Plenty of windows were lit, showing that the culture wasn’t
simply dawn-to-dusk.

Marian
and Alexa walked together and Jaquar trailed behind, talking with Sinafin who
had changed into warhawk form when none of them were looking and rode on his
shoulder.

Soon
they reached the road to the Castle. It was uphill. Marian straightened her
spine and tried not to think of her aching feet. At least the magical slippers
had wonderful arch support.

Alexa
took off at a rapid pace. Valiantly, Marian kept up. “Alexa,” Marian said in
English, trying to keep a whine from her voice. “Can you slow down a little? I
walked two hours to a beach, practiced Power lessons for another three or four,
then rode lightning here.” She glanced back at Jaquar, who was talking to
Sinafin. “Not to mention…other activities. My body feels like…” Her muscles
felt whipped, but her inner core felt glowing at riding lightning and the sex
afterward.

“Oh?
Sorry. Those ‘other activities’ can really wear a person out.” Alexa grinned up
at Marian.

“Yes.
How far is it?”

“To
the Castle? About two miles.”

Marian
suppressed a groan, but Alexa sensed it anyway. “Not used to walking, eh?”

“No.
Bus.”

“Car.”
Alexa sighed. “I’m a bad horsewoman. Of course, since I used to be a
terrible
horsewoman, that means I’m improving. I haven’t ridden alone on volaranback
lately, not since I broke my arm again.” She shook her head. “I fall off.
Everyone, including the volarans, is appalled. Maybe I have an inner ear
problem. No, can’t be that because the jerir got in my ears all three times and
that would have healed.”

She
continued talking, but Marian paid no mind as she struggled to grasp the wisps
of memories that had come from Alexa during their blood-bond. “Wait!” Alexa
stopped, Marian gestured to continue walking and they did, but she said, “The
jerir pool—a healing pool. It healed awful wounds.”

“Yes,
it did,” said Alexa. “And little cuts and scrapes, and bruises. Everything. We
used all the benefits up and had to send the remaining sludge away. I think to
some island where a Circlet could study it.” She put her hand on Marian’s arm.
“But I don’t know how jerir is for diseases. You might want to speak to the
Castle Medica or Swordmarshall Thealia. I know they’re working with a
black-and-white baby who swallowed some jerir. Black-and-whites usually have
bad Power flow, but whether that translates into bad brain synapses or what, I
don’t know.”

“Maybe,
just maybe…” Marian whispered.

“Marian,
if jerir was a cure-all for black-and-white problems or anything else, I assure
you, rare as it is, it would still be used
a lot
.”

Marian
sniffed back hopeful tears that had lodged in her throat. “You’re right, of
course. But it’s an avenue to explore.”

“Of
course.” Alex stared at Marian. “You really do look exhausted.”

“Thanks
a lot.” Marian shrugged. “I ache.”

“The
Castle baths are spring fed. Hot springs,” Alexa said. She skipped a little up
the road.