The Sworn (52 page)

Cam nudged their prisoner with the toe of his boot. “Hear that? Whoever your man is inside the palace, we’ll get him.”

The assassin’s face was pale. From the bluish cast to his skin, Cam wondered whether the man would make it back to the palace. But the glint in his eyes was defiant. “Cut one down, and another will spring up. Isencroft must be free!”

“Gag him,” Wilym said to the guards, with a nod toward the prisoner. He walked over, knelt next to the man, and let his hands hover over the wound as he had done for Donelan. This time, Cam noticed, Wilym kept his eyes open. Wilym jerked the knife clear and the prisoner groaned. For a few minutes, Wilym worked over the wound. “That should keep him from dying before we reach Aberponte. We’ll see if he changes his mind about being helpful. If not, well—”

“If he isn’t helpful, hang him,” Donelan said. “That’s getting off easy for trying to kill the king. It would serve him right to be drawn and quartered, for losing me my stag!”

Now that the prisoner realized that death would not
spare him imprisonment and interrogation, fear replaced defiance in his eyes. “He’s not kidding about the stag,” Wilym said in a cold voice. “The king takes his hunt very personally. If you want a quick death, and a painless one, you might want to cooperate.” Wilym gave the man a cold smile that was ominous.

For the first time, the assassin looked uncertain. Though he said nothing as the guards manhandled him toward the horses, Cam would have bet money that Wilym and the mages would get what they needed from the man if it came down to a choice between the gallows or worse.

“Whoever’s working with him probably isn’t the only traitor inside the palace,” Wilym said to Cam as they moved ahead, out of earshot of the prisoner. They stayed a pace behind the king, with their swords drawn.

“It’s not necessarily the servants who are disloyal,” Cam said. “It could be anyone they speak to outside the palace, from the woodcutters to their families.”

Wilym nodded. “Give me a foreign enemy any day. This disloyalty from within is like leprosy. A kingdom can’t stand when no one can trust his fellow countrymen.”

Even if we can defeat Alvior and his dark summoner, what will the war do to Isencroft?
Cam worried.
I can see what it’s done to Margolan to unseat Jared. It could take a generation to repair the damage the Divisionists have done. Lady Bright! We haven’t mustered the army yet, but the war’s already begun.

T
hat’s Dark Haven?” Aidane stared at the dark, forbidding outline of the manor house. In the moonlight, the large building looked ominous. Aidane wasn’t sure what she had expected, but not this gray, sullen fortress.

“Dark Haven isn’t like the villas you’ve seen in Nargi,” Kolin said over his shoulder. “It’s a stronghold, not a place to lounge. You’ll be glad enough for the walls once you’re on the inside.”

Now that they were at the gates, Aidane was nervous. Not all of the apprehension was her own. Thaine’s spirit was positively jumpy. Thaine had been a reasonably pleasant traveling companion on the long trek from Dhasson, and in the nearly two weeks it had taken them to cross into Principality and reach Dark Haven, Aidane and Thaine had gotten to know each other through the silent conversation between their thoughts as Aidane bore Thane’s spirit in her body.

But if Aidane had gained a friend in Thaine’s ghost, it seemed to come at the expense of her welcome among most of the rest of the party. Cefra, once so outgoing, now
regarded Aidane warily. Zhan’s attitude made it clear that he tolerated her because of Kolin’s forbearance. The peddler and the musicians kept to themselves. Only Jolie and Kolin made an effort to seek out Aidane, but even they seemed to be guarded. Aidane turned as Jolie rode up next to her.

“I’m still not sure it’s wise to bring you here.” Jolie kept her eyes on the road, but her words were intended for Thaine. “Jonmarc has a good thing going for him, finally. I won’t let you interfere.”

Aidane felt the shift in her posture that indicated that Thaine was coming to the forefront. “I didn’t come to bed him; I came to warn him. And if you recall, I’m the one who left him.”

Jolie gave Aidane an appraising glance. “I recall. You thought you’d bettered your prospects with your
vayash moru
patron.”

“It’s not like I broke his heart. We were never in love.”

“I just want to make sure that you don’t suddenly change your mind now that Jonmarc’s ‘prospects’ have improved.”

Aidane could feel Thaine’s impatience. “I haven’t changed my mind. This is about preventing a war. It’s the Durim I’m after. I want them to pay for what they did to me.”

Jolie’s gaze was skeptical. “I’ll be watching.”

Thaine’s disappointment was genuine. “You used to trust me.”

Jolie’s expression softened. “You might not have hurt Jonmarc with the way you left, but I wasn’t happy about it. You left a note and disappeared. Not much of a good-bye after you’d made your home with us for so long.”

Thaine’s regret was real. “I’m sorry. I was a fool. If it’s
any consolation, I died for my foolishness, and I continued to pay for it, long afterward.”

The anger was gone from Jolie’s face. Aidane was surprised to see genuine caring, something she hadn’t expected. “You were free to go any time you wished,” Jolie said quietly. “No one is ever forced to stay with me against their will.”

“I know. You took good care of me. Of all of us.” Thaine swept her arm to indicate the other whores who rode behind them just far enough to be out of earshot. “I’ve seen enough other houses in the business and enough other managers to know that you’re one of a kind, Jolie.”

“Damn right about that.”

“Do you think Jonmarc will believe me?”

Jolie shrugged. “It’s not him believing you that worries me. I’m fond of Carina, his wife. She’s been good for him. Carina’s a healer, Thaine. Not just the best damn healer in the Winter Kingdoms, but a mind healer, too. For the first time since I’ve known him, Jonmarc’s actually happy. I don’t want anything to go wrong with that.”

Thaine looked away. “I understand. I’m dead, remember? Dead and without a body of my own. Let Aidane carry my warning. When I’ve done all I can, I’ll leave and go to my rest.”

Jolie’s eyes held a sadness Aidane hadn’t seen there before. “Principality’s not a bad place for our kind to die. After all, they worship the Lover and the Whore. Perhaps the Lady will grant you favor.”

“We’re here.” Kolin’s voice interrupted whatever reply Thaine might have made. Thaine’s spirit drew back into the recesses of Aidane’s mind, leaving Aidane master of both her mind and her body. Jolie fell back, taking a position
with her girls. Kolin looked at Aidane and shook his head. “I can’t wait to see what Jonmarc makes of you.”

Aidane watched nervously as guards opened the huge manor house gates. The guards outside the gate were dressed in the livery of King Staden’s soldiers, making it obvious that the king had a stake in protecting Dark Haven and its inhabitants. Aidane wondered if the guards inside the gates were
vayash moru
. They hailed Kolin and waved the group inside. A tall, flaxen-haired man was waiting for them in the courtyard. He was clearly of noble birth, Aidane thought.

“You’re late,” he said to Kolin, but Aidane heard worry more than censure in his tone.

“Had some unexpected complications,” Kolin replied, handing off the reins to his horse.

The blond man looked at the newcomers, and his eyes widened in recognition. He went to where Jolie stood with her girls and gave a bow in greeting, kissing the back of Jolie’s hand.

“Jolie? What an unexpected surprise.”

Jolie grinned and held her head up as if she wore her usual finery instead of the plain traveling dress. “Good to see you, Gabriel. Even with the king’s blessing, Margolan got a little too dangerous for my taste. Thought we’d throw ourselves on Jonmarc’s mercy and sit this out somewhere safe.”

Kolin had already begun to hand off his newest charges to Zhan, who took the rescued
vayash moru
and
vyrkin
toward one of the other buildings that ringed the courtyard. Kolin spoke in low tones to other servants, who motioned for Ed and the musicians to go with them. Soon,
only Jolie’s party and Aidane remained in the courtyard with Kolin and Gabriel.

“Where’s Jonmarc?” Kolin had moved so quickly that Aidane hadn’t seen him until he spoke from beside her.

“Inside. He’ll be anxious to see you, and happy to see Jolie. I’ll have the servants find a place for you and your girls.”

“Anyplace that’s dry and warm is fine with me. I thought perhaps we might set up shop in the village. We can earn our keep.”

Gabriel frowned. “You might want to rethink that, at least for a while, Jolie. I know you’ve come for sanctuary, but Dark Haven’s not as safe as it used to be.”

“Jolie! What brings you here?”

Aidane looked up to see a man standing on the landing of the entranceway. His dark hair was loose around his shoulders, and he moved with the muscular grace of a swordsman. As he drew closer, Aidane could see intelligence and surprising humor in his dark eyes, and she glimpsed a nasty scar that ran from his left ear down into his collar.
That’s him
, Thaine whispered in her mind.

Jonmarc embraced Jolie, and the two began to talk rapidly in the thick river patois that was a favorite of smugglers and thieves. Jonmarc’s affection for Jolie was clear, and Jolie fussed over Jonmarc like a son she hadn’t seen in years. As if he suddenly became aware of the others around them, Jonmarc switched back to Common.

“Of course you’re welcome, all of you. Gabriel’s probably told you that it’s not the best time to try to relocate your house, but until things settle down, you’re welcome here. I’ll warn you; it’s tight. We’ve been overrun with refugees, and it’s kept Carina busier than she should be.”

Something made Jonmarc turn and he looked Aidane up and down. “What do we have here?” To Aidane’s surprise, he addressed her in fluent Nargi.

“That’s one of our ‘complications,’ ” Kolin said.

“Hello, Jonmarc. Been a long time.” It was Thaine’s voice that spoke, and her spirit surged forward, filling Aidane so that Aidane took on her stance, her mannerisms, all in the span of a single breath. And while Aidane knew that Thaine had told the truth about her intentions, Aidane could also feel Thaine’s perverse pleasure in the stunned look on Jonmarc’s face.

“That’s not possible,” Jonmarc whispered, his eyes widening.

“Aidane is a
serroquette
,” Jolie said quietly. “We met up with Thaine’s ghost by accident. Thaine says she has a warning for you.”

“Perhaps we should have this conversation inside,” Gabriel said, with an unhappy glance at Kolin. Gabriel gestured, and two servants came running to see to Jolie’s contingent and their sparse luggage, although Jolie did not follow them.

Gabriel led them inside, and although Thaine was at the forefront of her consciousness, Aidane looked around as they entered the manor house. She had called on many highborn clients and was accustomed to the great homes of Nargi. While Dark Haven was easily their equal in size and construction, it was austere by comparison. There were no paintings of esteemed ancestors, real or purchased, no grand tapestries regaling tales of family history. What Aidane could see of Dark Haven and its rooms showed its furniture to be practical but not opulent, and its decoration to be minimal. The manor seemed as
unpretentious as its lord, and Aidane was even more curious to learn more about Jonmarc Vahanian.

Kolin, Gabriel, Jolie, and Aidane followed Jonmarc to a small parlor. He closed the door behind them and lit the lanterns. Then he turned to face Aidane, hands on hips.

“What the hell is going on?”

Under Thaine’s control, Aidane squared her shoulders, taking a defiant stance. “I thought you might be happy to know that I’m dead.”

Something flickered in Jonmarc’s dark eyes. “I’m sorry. How long?”

Thaine shrugged. “My patron brought me across as a
vayash moru
a few weeks after I left Jolie’s Place. I guess it’s been about five years now. It went badly after that.” Thaine tried to sound nonchalant, but Aidane felt the pain behind the words. It was true what Thaine had told Jolie, that she had no designs on Jonmarc. But at the same time, Thaine felt keenly humiliated at having to admit just how badly her choices had turned out. “My last ‘patron’ tired of me and sold me for my blood to the Black Robes. They murdered me as an offering to Shanthadura.”

Jonmarc paled at that, and Aidane saw pain in his expression. “Thaine, I—”

“I didn’t come here for pity.” Thaine’s voice was sharp, and Aidane could feel embarrassment turning into anger. “I’d heard about the new Lord of Dark Haven. My patrons debated the uprising last year, and I heard all about how you put down the
vayash moru
who broke the Truce.” She glanced at Kolin and Gabriel, and her smile was more of a smirk. “My patrons feared you, and they hated fearing a mortal. Congratulations, you have the same reputation as a fighter among the undead as you had among the Nargi.”

“I’d have rather not had to earn either one.”

Jonmarc’s gaze seemed to see through her bravado. Thaine looked away. “The Black Robes talked in front of me, because I was expendable. They’re planning something big in Principality City during the Feast of the Departed. They want to disrupt the festival and cause panic. But there’s more to it. They want to slaughter as many people as they can as a blood offering to Shanthadura. They think that if they murder the priestesses, the Black Robes can take their place and bring the worship of Shanthadura back to Principality.”