The Dark Throne (64 page)

Quinn gave a low whistle. “That’s heavy.”

I swallowed. “Yeah. It’s not something he talks about much.”

“I’m not trying to throw a wrench into anything,” said Quinn. “I’m just telling you what I see.” He glanced over to Luca again. “And that guy…he’s a hell of a fighter, and he’s solid. He loves you, anyone can see that, and I know for a fact that he doesn’t think you need saving.”

My chest tightened. “I thought it was against the rules to be in love with more than one person.”

Again Quinn took a few moments to think. “There are different kinds of love, little boss. Maybe you just need to sort out which is which.”

I sighed. “That’s just more confusing.”

“
Life
is confusing.” Quinn raised one eyebrow. I reached over and hit his arm. “Ow. Easy on the goods.”

“You’re supposed to be a big, tough savage, remember?” I reminded him. Luca’s voice suddenly surfaced in my mind:
but then again, I’m mostly savage anyway
.

My brother’s teammate rubbed his arm. “Yeah, well, you’ve got a heck of a punch, even when you’re just messing around.”

I laughed, but the whirling knot of emotions in my chest remained. Why did Quinn’s words spark such a sinking recognition within me? I felt like I already knew the answer to the question of Finnead and me, but I didn’t want to make it real by admitting it, even to myself. What kind of
person
did that make me, falling so easily out of love? Had I mistaken lust for love, despite all of Finnead’s courtly graces? I gazed out at the bleak horizon of the Deadlands and shifted again in my saddle.

“Hey.” Quinn nudged his mount closer to mine. “Don’t let it eat you up, little boss. Just let it settle for a few hours. It’s not something you have to decide right away. Or really ever, if you don’t want to.”

I smiled. “Nobody else has talked to me about it in quite the way you have.”

“Probably because they look at you and they see this legendary warrior.” He raised his hands when I shot him a sharp look. “I’m not making fun of you. I’m serious. A lot of the fighters, they’re in awe of you. So I wouldn’t expect them to be able to give you some brotherly advice.”

“I wouldn’t say legendary,” I muttered. Then I raised my voice. “Do you have any family back home?”

“Changing the subject.” Quinn smiled. “Sure. I’m the oldest of seven, so lots of younger brothers and sisters, a few nieces and nephews at this point.”

“But you’re not married?”

“Nah. You know what they say, they don’t issue you a wife.” He grinned. “But Jess is married, if you can believe that anyone would love that salty old hardass. Two daughters. Our old senior chief had to call in some favors a few years ago when Jess got himself hemmed up for threatening a boy who’d been harassing his oldest.”

“I’m not surprised,” I replied, thinking of all the stories that Liam had told me over the years.

“And Duke’s engaged, or at least he was when we left,” Quinn continued.

“I’ll do my best to make sure you all get back to your families, when this is over,” I said.

A strange look passed over Quinn’s face; then he smiled again. “Don’t go making promises you can’t keep, little boss.”

“Stop calling me that,” I muttered. “I’m not little, and I’m not your boss.”

“You’re the mini O’Connor,” Quinn rejoined, “and he’s the big boss, so that makes you the little boss. Plus, now that you complained, you’re stuck with it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sure.”

Shadows suddenly rippled over us; I looked up and shaded my eyes, grinning at the beautiful sight of the Valkyrie flying overhead. And I thought I glimpsed fierce white-haired Niamh
blow a kiss
to Quinn as she swooped low on her winged mount.

“If I saw what I just think I saw, you should probably keep your hands to yourself down here,” I told Quinn. “Gray is…well, Gray, but if one of the twins has her eye on you…”

“Wait, she’s a
twin
?” Quinn looked as though I’d just told him he won the lottery.

“An identical twin,” I said with a smile.

“Lord help me,” he said, but his delighted grin belied his words. I shook my head and touched my heels to Nehalim’s sides, guiding him over toward Luca and Merrick, leaving Quinn staring up at the commander of the northern vanguard’s Valkyrie.

“This is a bit less eventful than I anticipated,” I said by way of greeting.

Merrick smiled. “Certainly, it’s less eventful than our journey to Brightvale. But I think it is the calm before the storm.” His gray eyes became unusually pensive. I wondered what he’d seen in his scrying-glass that dampened his usual good spirits. “The other two vanguards will be returning soon. The southern probably before the western, at this point.”

Elwyn’s vanguard would return before Finnead, I translated in my head. I glanced at Merrick. “Have you been watching them on their journey?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Usually every few hours, or at the direction of the
vyldretning
.”

“Have they encountered anything unusual?” I tried to keep my face neutral. Oddly, the Sword awakened at my question, a tendril of its power sliding down my war-markings.

“What exactly do you want to know?” Merrick replied. “No offense meant, Tess, but I’ve traveled with you for long enough to know that you have a very specific question in mind.”

“Last evening, the Walker from the western vanguard said they were being hunted by a Dark archer.” I met Merrick’s eyes. “Have you seen this archer?”

“Yes.” But Merrick said nothing more, though I waited silently.

“And? What do you know about him?”

“I can’t say,” Merrick said softly. “The High Queen orders me not to speak of it.”

I frowned. “Not even to me?” I almost said
I’m the Bearer
, but I closed my teeth on the words.

“I’m sure we’ll find out more when the vanguards return,” the Arrisyn said.

“In the meantime,” said Luca, “it looks as though your brother and companions are received well.”

“Yes,” I acknowledged. “Merrick,
why
aren’t you allowed to talk about the archer? I’d think that Vell would want us all to know the foe we’re facing.”

Merrick shifted in his saddle. “I cannot pretend to know the mind of the High Queen.”

I clenched my jaw in frustration. “I’d hoped that the Wild Court’s foundation would be composed of less secrets than the other Courts.”

“Tess,” said Luca, “something is weighing on your mind.” He reached out and touched my arm, drawing my gaze from Merrick to him. “Don’t let your frustrations lead to words you will regret later.”

“I just want to know what’s going on,” I said in quieter voice. Then, to Merrick: “I wasn’t criticizing the High Queen’s decision. I know that you’re following orders. You’re one of the most loyal people I know.” I smiled a little, trying to swallow my irritation.

“Of all people, I think you are one of the few
allowed
to criticize the High Queen,” replied Merrick lightly. “And of course I take no offense. Emotions run high in the days before a battle.”

“You are an authority on battles now?” Luca asked jokingly.

The navigator grinned. “As much an authority as anyone else, by this point.”

“Can we just talk about something…normal?” I asked almost plaintively.

Both men looked at me and laughed. I scowled, but then eventually gave in and smiled.

“What exactly is
normal
these days, Tess?” Merrick asked, still chuckling.

I sighed. “I don’t know! But just constantly talking about the battle makes me…anxious.”

“How are your hands?” said Luca.

“No better and no worse,” I replied, grateful for the change in subject…but my thoughts kept circling back to the archer, and Finnead…and Luca. “Still achy sometimes, but I’m used to it by now. Yours?”

“The cold in the northern mountains made my bones ache,” the
ulfdrengr
replied with blunt honesty. “Just in my hand.” He flexed his scarred hand in demonstration.

“Now that you mention it, my scars ached a bit more too,” I agreed.

The sun rose overhead and shortened our shadows as the hours passed. The great army moved at a steady pace, though Nehalim tossed his head occasionally, chafing at what he thought to be a slow speed. I rode with Merrick and Luca for a few hours, and then drifted back over to Quinn and Duke. They treated me to some amusing stories about Liam and each other, a few of which I’d heard before from Liam’s perspective. I kept an eye on my brother, but he remained deep in conversation with Vell for the entire morning. Occasionally I saw Vell grin, her golden eyes flashing and her regal poise falling away for a moment. I found myself smiling, glad that she was comfortable enough with my brother to let him see her true demeanor.

The Valkyrie flew overhead, occasionally sending out pairs of scouts. Nehalim continued to express his displeasure at the slow pace, tossing his head and occasionally breaking into a tight prance. At first the white
faehal
’s restlessness annoyed me, but then Wisp murmured into my ear, “All are feeling the anticipation.” I marveled, not for the first time, at the Glasidhe’s perceptiveness, and let Nehalim prance. We pressed on over the barren landscape, waiting for the vanguards’ return.

Chapter 32

A
few hours past noon, Merrick straightened in his saddle, his gray eyes sharpening as he stared intently into the distance. I followed his gaze but couldn’t see anything. The Caedbranr thrummed in its scabbard, so I reasoned that
something
had to be happening. I watched, and after a few moments made out the silhouette of a Valkyrie flying low and hard, the winged
faehal
’s legs galloping through the empty air with the punishing tempo of its wingbeats. After a few more minutes, I made out a cloud of rising dust on the horizon, smudges in the dust resolving into riders pushing their mounts hard. The Sword pricked my arm with its power, my war-markings suddenly blazing emerald. I closed my teeth on a sound of surprise and guided Nehalim over to Vell. But just before I reached her, she put out a hand and steadied Liam on his mount. My heart surged into my throat as he slumped in the saddle, and Nehalim leapt forward when I touched my heels to his sides.

“Liam!” I pulled up beside Vell and tried to guide Nehalim behind Vell’s mount so that I could get closer to my brother.

“A vision,” said Vell tightly without looking away from Liam’s ashen face. Before I had time to absorb her words, Quinn drew his mount up on the other side of Liam and threw his own arm around Liam’s shoulders. Vell sat back into her own saddle. Nehalim shook his head and snorted, as if to say that he’d been right to ignore my attempt to ride to Liam’s side.

“I think the visions are more intense in this world,” she said to me, “and they’re happening more often, now that the battle draws near.”

“How is he going to fight like this?” I asked, watching helplessly as Liam finally drew a shuddering breath and straightened. Quinn said something to him in a low voice and he nodded. With a clap on the back, the tattooed man released Liam and let his mount drift back. I picked up my slack reins and this time Nehalim listened to me. I drew up beside Liam.

“Don’t look so concerned, Bug,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

“Your lips are blue,” I retorted, “and you nearly fell off your
faehal
.”

“But I didn’t.” He smiled gamely at me. “I can’t expect everyone to stop what they’re doing every time one of those slams into me.”

“What was this one?”

He took a deep breath and addressed Vell. “There’s a sizable force of Dark creatures pursuing the riders returning to us.”

“The ones on the horizon?”

“Them, and the ones behind them,” Liam replied.

Vell grinned and her eyes slid to Gray. “Sound the horn. Let’s go meet our vanguard.” Without waiting for the blast of the white horn, she kicked her mount into a gallop and the surrounding riders followed suit, the rest of the army cascading behind us. Nehalim gladly surged into his fleet-footed gallop, but I hauled on the reins and kept him apace with Liam’s mount, afraid he would fall. The clarion call of the horn hung in the air and the ground shook as wave after wave of riders leapt into a gallop. But my brother shook his head at me and smiled, shouting something that I couldn’t hear above the rushing of the wind in my ears. He pointed ahead to Vell, and then leaned over and slapped Nehalim’s hindquarters. I cursed and grabbed a fistful of silky mane as Nehalim shot forward, quickly closing the distance to the High Queen.

Beryk and Kianryk wove through the galloping
faehal
, their long lithe bodies stretched low to the barren ground, wreathed in dust. I tugged my scarf up over my face to counter the whipping wind. Then I glimpsed a silver-and-black streak join the other two wolves, and I grinned as Rialla took her place beside Beryk. But even though part of me exulted in this headlong rush toward battle, worry for Liam clouded my mind.

He is a warrior, just as you are a warrior.
The Caedbranr’s words sounded in my head unbidden.

But this isn’t his war,
I answered. Tendrils of my hair escaped my hasty plait and danced in the wind.

It is now, just as it is yours. Put away your worry and fight
.

The vanguard had slowed, the Valkyrie overhead shooting arrows down into an unseen foe. I drew my plain blade from the scabbard lashed to my saddle. Vell’s sword flashed in her hand as she raised it overhead, sending up a fierce Northern war cry. Gray rode to her right, golden hair streaming unbound behind her; and Luca joined in the battle cry with his axe held aloft on my left. Wisp leapt from my shoulder and flew overhead, cutting through the air like a flaming arrow. In the rush of anticipation and heady excitement, it became suddenly very easy to heed the Sword, and I tucked my concern for my brother into the back of my mind.

The Valkyrie messenger reached us and wheeled his mount in midair, leaning low to shout his message to the High Queen, who did not slacken her mount’s pace but urged her
faehal
even faster. The ground shook with the thunder of the army’s galloping hooves, and as we neared the vanguard we saw the seething mass of misshapen creatures boiling around them, the warriors fighting in a desperate circle, surrounded on all sides by Dark creations that defied any simple definition or description. I leaned over Nehalim’s neck and watched through my wind-blurred vision as one of the riders was dragged from his mount by a huge ogre; a pair of Valkyrie dove down and attacked the monster before it brought its club down on the warrior. I hefted my sword in my grip, welcoming the bloodlust that surged into my chest. Another war cry rose up over the galloping ranks and I saw the warriors of the southern vanguard fight with renewed vigor as they saw our approach. I joined the cry, a wordless yell accompanying my raised sword; and then we were upon them, and the Army of the Three Queens swallowed the Dark creatures whole, crashing around them like the storm-whipped ocean around a solitary rock.