The Garnet Dagger (14 page)

Outside the cave, I leaned in. “Celeste?”

She didn’t answer me.

With a frown, I crawled into the cave. She lay on her side, her breathing even.

I brushed back a leaf stuck in her blond hair. My fingers glided across her brow and a shock radiated through me.

Perhaps, because I was already full from my curse, I could touch her? Cautious, I leaned over her. My lips tingled before they even brushed hers.

She sighed against my mouth, and kissed me back.

Her mouth opened like a blossom. Gingerly, my tongue touched hers. Surely nectar was not as sweet as this.

Her arms rose, bringing me closer. I fell across her, my body shivering from my power.

Damn my curse. I leapt off her and banged my head against the cave’s ceiling.

She stared up at me as if to focus. “Brock?”

“Aye,” I replied and backed away, ashamed of what I’d done. I was supposed to end her life. What was I doing kissing her?

“I dreamed of you.” She pushed up on her elbows. “And you came and kissed me awake.”

Damn, her eyes froze my heart in their grey depths. I decided to change the subject. “When you were Shadowdancer, I felt a strange wind. You didn’t breathe.”

“Called to get help from my Aunt Laurel.”

“Called?”

“From my spirit to her spirit. She spoke a spell-a prayer for me giving me strength to reach her.”

“But we were miles away.” The scene I didn’t remember walking through rushed into my mind. “Then suddenly we were outside her village.”

“Distance moved aside from us.”

Did she not want to tell me? I stared at her, but she did not acquiesce. “Who can move time and space?”

“You remember a memory, aye?” She continued after a nod from me, “and if you think of the memory strong enough, you bring the sound, smell, and taste of it back to you. Like a kiss to awaken one from sleep — concentrate enough, and time and distance will shorten.”

“Why didn’t you do that before, when you were with Father Morgan?”

“I was too weak. They beat me when I first was taken. I couldn’t even open my eyes and my jaw was broken. By the time I healed enough to see and talk, they still kept my so exhausted and starving, I didn’t have the strength for the spell.

“Once, no, twice, I tried it anyway. But the terror was so engraved in me, that the first time I leapt in distance to the garden just on the other side of the tower. But three monks were tending the plants and caught me. Later, I tried again. Forcing the agony of those around me to focus on my aunt’s home. I got as far as the river magically. But they caught me within the day.

“Beat me until I thought I saw death in the shadows beckoning me. After that, they sent for the Warloc, who put up some kind of magical barrier that I couldn’t get past with my magic. I dared not risk using magic to escape. It was too tricky. But with my life as a horse or a soon dead horse looming before, I decided to try one last time.”

Her words slammed into my heart. I needed the dagger back and her dead. Why hadn’t I demanded the blade sooner?

I left her to gather her things as I cared for Shadowdancer. While she was inside the cave, I searched again for the dagger. But I knew before searching that I would not find it.

She had hidden it with magic. Now a different sort of magic was knotting up pieces of her inside my heart. But I was death; I must remove my emotions from my mind.

Moments later she emerged. “How long did I sleep? It’s almost dark.”

“I scouted while you slept. A village lays a hard ride from here.”

“Should’ve woken me sooner,” she scowled. “Her sacrifice will not be in vain.”

After rummaging through my pack, she removed the head covering with my hair. Once the cloth was secure, she swung onto Shadowdancer. Without another glance at me, she galloped away.

Letting out a curse, I snatched up my pack and raced after them. Miles later, she slowed outside of the village. Torches lit the cobbled walkways.

Breathing hard, I stopped next to Shadowdancer’s flank. “We’ve enough for a day’s stay, if that.” Tonight, I would follow the demands of prophecy and not my heart. I would cure my people and the land. If I could keep this curse as payment for Celeste’s life, then I would. But others were at stake and I could afford no more stalling.

She turned her horse to the direction of an inn up ahead. Outside the inn she dismounted, she then pushed open the wooden door to the inn. I read
Lazy Dog
on the chipped sign outside.

Inside, a woman with a triple chin greeted us. “Only got one room now.”

“How much?” Celeste smiled.

“Two tronce.”

“We’ve enough?” she asked me and flipped a piece of my black hair from her head covering across her shoulder.

“For one night. Then we’ll be out.”

“Do you have any work I could do?”

The innkeeper looked Celeste up and down. “Pay you one tronce per day for cooking and cleaning.” She winked. “Pay you two coins per day if you can sing or dance. Provided you bathe. You smell like you’ve rolled in manure and rotten skunk.”

I did not like the way the woman leered at Celeste.

Three drunken men were asleep, their heads rested on a table. One of them stirred and fell off his chair. His body splayed out inches from Celeste.

Casually, she stepped over the man. “I can sing, and dance.”

“Good. Tomorrow night. And you’ll earn your pay.”

“Might I have a meal and bath before I retire?”

The woman frowned, but called back to the kitchen.

Minutes later, a girl stepped forward carrying seasoned meat stew.

Celeste thanked them both, and gobbled down the food. When she finished, she thanked the innkeeper then turned. “Walk with me?” she asked and my heart stuck in my throat. “I must put Shadowdancer in the stable.”

We went out into the night in silence. Didn’t know what heaviness hung over her, but I didn’t want to find out. After she set Shadowdancer in a stable behind the inn and brushed down his coat, she followed me back inside.

At our room, she flopped down on the bed. Her hand pressed against her stomach.

“Are you well?” I closed the door. Set my pack down.

“Aye, just women’s pains.” With a tug at the knot, she removed her head covering and my black hair. “Though I’ve never had them this strong before.”

I preferred her with her own hair, even though short, instead of mine.

“Do you need anything?” Maybe I could ease my guilt by seeing to her last request.

“To speak with you.” She pushed up. Her back against the wall, she drew her legs up and hugged them. “The Warloc said things back in the woods.”

I swallowed. Had hoped she’d forgotten.

“Wh-what is the dagger for?” her voice trembled.

“To find,” I said longing to hold her in my arms, “to find a witch.”

“For what purpose?” Her eyebrows rose.

“To … ” my tongue felt thick in my mouth, “to kill her.”

She lunged at me, but I stepped back.

“I thought you were different,” she screamed at me. Tears streamed down her face. “Next you’ll want to kill me.”

I lifted my arms to embrace her, but they fell at my sides when I saw her take a step back. I could not tell her that she was the witch of the prophecies. “I do this to save — ”

“Enough. I don’t want to hear another word.” Her arms pressed against her stomach. “Get out. I don’t want to look upon you again.”

With a nod, I emptied the food out of my pack and set a winter apple and two pieces of flatbread on the table next to the washing bowl.

Then dug out my coin pouch, after I removed the medallion of the woman with the fishtail, I tossed the pouch with the remaining two coins on the bed. At least she would have a decent meal.

“My dagger?”

“Never. I’ll not aid you in killing an innocent.”

“An innocent?” My nerves grated. “What makes you think so?”

“Otherwise,” she said and I saw her shiver, “you’d need no divining tool to find her.”

With a nod, I picked up my pack and left the room.

Outside the door, I waited. Soon, she’d regret her decision and ask me back inside. But in answer, the bolt slid into place, locking me out.

In the branches of a maple tree I watched Celeste’s room. Through the window, I heard the splashes as she bathed. How I longed to be there to help her wash her scarred back. Scent of hyssop, tomato (for the skunk smell), and hint of lye filled the air.

Soon I saw her, draped in cloth, move to the lantern. The flame flickered, then went out.

As much as I wanted to finish my mission, I could not force myself to harm her. Curse the Warloc for telling her my secrets. I’d have told her. In a day or two, but I would’ve explained the reason first.

To see her smile again, I’d live with my irritation. But my father would die. Soon, Nivel had said the trees and our world would perish in darkness. I wondered how far the disease in the forest where I came upon the vampyre had spread.

All night I pondered over things: Celeste, our kiss, my dagger, my mission. My ears strained to hear if she’d call out to me, but only the wind whistled.

I slipped away to bathe and wash my clothes. I found a stream nearby, and a kind blind woman who offered me worn trousers and tunic if I’d wash her clothes for her. She handed over the garments with hands that were twisted and looked painful.

“These are clean, my son’s. He died in the war.”

I washed her other clothes for her and wrung them out. She didn’t live far, so I walked with her to her cottage carrying the wet clothes. I hung them up on tree branches for her, and then bid her farewell.

Back at the stream I undressed and stepped into the knee deep water. After I bathed with soapstone I found, I slipped on the clothes from the blind woman. My hair still damp, I crawled back into the maple tree and watched for any sign of Celeste.

She slept like the dead. Morning came, and still no movement from her window. Smells of cooking porridge and bread filled the air. Noon approached and just as I was easing down the tree when I saw her figure pass the window. My muscles cramped from remaining in one position too long.

Lost my footing, I crashed to the ground. I thought I heard a giggle. Glanced up at her window, but her face did not peer down at me. I jumped up and dusted the dead leaves from my clothes.

Pulling my cloak hood up I strolled, and hoped I wasn’t limping too much, inside the inn. Thankfully, my cloak was in my pack when Celeste sprayed the skunk upon us for I had no tomatoes to help rid me of the stink.

Men poured over liquor. I heard the innkeeper direct the cook to take food up to Celeste’s room. A servant scampered up the stairs with a tray of food in hand. Garments draped over one of her arms.

“Now boys,” she said to the men who chomped away at beef stew, “soon we’ll have your entertainment. The new lass is dressing now.”

Heat pulsed through my skin. I took a table near the back of the inn. Was she speaking of Celeste?

An hour later, I got my answer. Celeste crept down the stairs. Clean, but hardly dressed. A flared skirt hit her calves, and a cotton blouse dipped low against her breasts.

Clenched my fist and wanted to gouge out the eyes of all the men who leered at her.

Shakily yet soft, she sang. With each step, her voice grew louder.

The men clapped their hands and stomped their feet.

Her song about a maiden who seduces men. At the bottom of the stairs, she kicked her skirt up, flashing a thigh.

Thought I saw a man drool into his flask. I moved to sit up, but knew Celeste would not approve of my interference.

The tempo of her song changed, and she whirled around the room. How she managed to spin and kick her legs without bumping into the tables, chairs, or patrons I couldn’t guess.

The words changed: her lover killed her through the heart with an arrow. At the last words, her stare bore into me from across the room.

Did she see me? I felt a pain stab me, thinking her words referred to me. The applause was deafening. She dipped into a curtsy. Then she sang a mournful song about betrayed love.

Her words severed me and I could not bear to hear anymore. I stood up and strolled outside. I went to the stables and checked on Shadowdancer. He munched on a bag of oats.

“Don’t let her know I follow.”

He let out a snort as an answer to my request.

“I fear for her safety. I am abandoning my own people and my cure by letting her live for another night.”

Still I heard her voice carry on the wind from her song. When she left in the morning, I’d follow. What I wouldn’t give to travel back in time and cut out the Bergone’s tongue before he told her. Selfishly I wanted more time with her before she was lifeless.

The Warloc wanted me dead. Now I wished him the same.

• • •

Finally, the music ceased. But her words still haunted me. From the other side of the street, I saw as she took a candle up to her room.

As she undressed, her silhouette locked me. Her form more filled out then I remembered. Naked, but the shadows from the tree obscured details. She dipped out of my vision. I leaned forward, straining to hear.

I was rewarded with the sound of a splash. My mouth went dry at the memory our other bath. Doubt the event left her with a lingering heat as it had me. Remembered her skin glowed from her scraping soap over herself. Did she wish I was there to soap her back?

Sleet prickled my hands, so I tucked them under my cloak. Balanced against a crackling street light, I waited for Celeste to finish her bath. And finish teasing me with her splashing and humming.

After washing and drying, she tugged a dress over her head. Then she donned a cloak. Not to alert anyone, she replaced the makeshift wig of my hair and head covering.

Stuffed things into a pack, then blew out the candle. She disappeared into the darkness.

With a creak of her door, the candle lights from downstairs gave me enough light to see her. She swung the pack over her shoulder and bound down the stairs.

Outside, she ran to the stables. I watched as she and Shadowdancer galloped out of the stables and into the night. When they passed, I let out a curse. “Shadowdancer, don’t run so fast.” I mumbled.