A Hint of Frost: Araneae Nation ( Book One) (19 page)

Movement caught the corner of my eye, and I followed it down a path winding away from the city. I loosed a silken thread and kept it tucked in my palm, but something familiar in the gait of the ghost I was chasing made me think I’d guessed right. That Rhys had come here.

My steps slowed as I reached an old gate, worn smooth by the frequent caress of hands. Pushing it open, I was puzzled by the enormity of the barren space and its whimsical sculptures. Some were rusted from a lifetime spent outdoors. Some were little more than artful skeletons.

I shivered when the gate closed behind me and I noticed five plats of freshly turned soil dappled the otherwise dried and cracking earth. Silver figures sparkled in the moonlight, leaning mournfully over each carefully mounded plot. Bending toward the nearest sculpture, I noticed a chain of metal flowers rustled by the breeze. When I straightened, heavy arms banded about me.

I stamped my attacker’s instep and was rewarded with familiar swears. “Rhys?”

He released me on a pained grunt. “What are you doing here?”

“I was worried.” I rubbed my arms. “I wanted to make certain you were all right.”

“You shouldn’t have come.” He cursed his luck. “You should have stayed with Vaughn.”

“Are these burial grounds?” I swallowed my hurt. “Am I allowed to be here?”

“You’re welcome anywhere you wish to go in Beltania.” His sharp tone made me flinch.

“But not here.” His expression made that clear. “I’ll return to the meeting.”

“Stay.” He caught my hand and rubbed his face red with the other. “You might as well.”

Uncertain he meant it, I struggled but he held firm. “Why did you come to this place?”

“The varanus didn’t sit well with me.” He resumed his stroll and dragged me in his wake.

“You thought a walk among the dead would soothe your upset stomach?”

“No.” His steps were sure, and I labored to keep pace with his longer legs. He stopped at a well-rusted sculpture depicting clouds laden with snowflakes and raindrops. “While waiting for relief, I paid my respects. I’d have had no chance otherwise.” He gestured. “My father lies here.”

I stared at the barren earth. “I don’t understand. Isolde wed Brynmor of the Mimetidae.”

“Yes, she did.”

“He died, years ago, but he was buried in Cathis. Father attended his funeral rites.” I faltered when Rhys didn’t speak. “Vaughn
is
your older brother.” He nodded confirmation. “Your father…” I kept my accusation pitched low, “…isn’t his father.” He nodded again. “Your father was Salticidae.”

“He was.” He gave a neat answer for such a messy question.

“How is that possible?” I could guess, but nothing short of slander made sense.

His reluctance to answer showed in the slow shift of his weight from one foot to the other. “My mother was promised to a Salticidae farmer named Kowatsi,” he said after a while, “but drought struck the south and he failed to produce his bride price.”

When he fell silent for too long, I laid my head against his shoulder. “What became of her?”

“With no other suitors vying for her favor, she was given to Brynmor as payment for a debt her clan owed his. She was intended to be his servant, but he grew enamored of her soon after her arrival. Once she became pregnant with Vaughn, his desire for a legitimate heir led them to wed.” He stroked my cheek. “He wanted her child as his successor.”

“He must have loved her then.” Whether that made the situation better or worse, I couldn’t say.

Rhys only nodded. “After she birthed Vaughn, Brynmor devoted himself to grooming his heir. Visits from Vaughn were kept short. His own visits to Mother grew less frequent. She was left alone for weeks on end, in a foreign city, with no understanding of the culture she’d wed into or confidantes to ease her loneliness. She longed for the familiar and became desperate to return home, even for a short visit, but Brynmor refused to allow her such freedom.”

“She attempted to escape?”

“I doubt she had such courage back then, and fate intervened before she made such a call.” He stared at the marker. “She met Kowatsi by chance, at the market in Cathis.” His laugh was hard. “Chance is a stretch, I suppose. I have no doubt he pursued her there. He would have stayed away as long as he could, but in the end…” His voice rang hollow. “They loved one another beyond reason, beyond thought, beyond care of the consequences.” His hand stilled upon my cheek so long he might have forgotten I was there.

“How did Brynmor discover them?”

“Mother said Vaughn was an inquisitive child. He noticed her leaving home one afternoon, which was, as I said, unusual, given her lack of social outlets, and he followed. Brynmor, in turn, followed Vaughn, afraid for his heir to brave the market alone.” His hand fell. “There are slavers in Cathis. Children are their specialty.” He frowned. “Once Brynmor caught up to Vaughn, his curiosity was piqued and they followed Mother to her rendezvous.”

I covered his hand with mine and dreaded the end I sensed coming.

Salticidae believed in soul mates, that much I did know, and they spent the whole of their lives preparing for the day they met that person. For his father to have lost Isolde…I’d heard few survived such loss even prior to thread binding. Faced with living without her, he may have welcomed the end.

“Brynmor caught them together.” He paused, then swallowed. “He carved Kowatsi’s still-beating heart from his chest, and he ate it.” His hand dampened. “He wanted to make an impression on Vaughn, and he succeeded.” He glanced at me. “That’s why Vaughn stays. He feels responsible for me. He hates me for what I am, for what our mother did, and hates himself for his role in Kowatsi’s…” he steeled himself, “…in my father’s death.”

“I’m so sorry.” I kissed his palm. What a miserable bond between the two of them.

“You owe me no sympathy.” He turned from me. “It was a long time ago.” His profile showcased the unforgiving line of his jaw. “You deserve to know who and what you’ll wed. I know this alters your opinion of me, and you may regret our earlier intimacy, but I will fulfill our bargain and you will be mine.” His fists balled. “I hope you can forgive me in time.”

I caught him by his thick wrist. “You believed this would change my opinion of you?” With Vaughn as the conscience whispering shame in his ears, of course he would fear ridicule.

“You paid my mother for a Mimetidae partisan.” He pulled from me, but I held fast. “You were cheated.”

In recalling how our deal unfolded, I was struck by the realization Isolde had managed a coup worthy of my father. I had refused to wed a Mimetidae, so she countered with a male of her choosing. I agreed, thinking I could renegotiate if she saddled me with an ogre for a partisan because her choice would be a Mimetidae when I’d denied that possibility. “I hadn’t realized.”

“I doubt she meant you to. At least not until after we were married.”

Surely he must realize… “If I’d been given the choice, I would have chosen you.”

He snorted. “You would have chosen the maven’s bastard son as your match?”

I scowled at him. “You are more than the sum of your parents’ mistakes.”

“I’m less than worthy of you.” His half smile was hard. “I’m called Rhys the Cold because I never part from my sword. Its cold steel named me. I’m nothing but a blade for hire.”

“I know who you are.” I turned him toward me. “You’re Rhys the Warm, Rhys the Kind, Rhys the least cold and most noble male I know.” I thumped his chest. “You said I will be yours. Have you not noticed you’re already mine?” At that, he grinned. “Besides, I know your secret.”

“I have so many.” His chuckle was tired. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

“You always taste of anise.” I sank my hands into the pockets of his pants and found the seed packet I’d anticipated and held it to my nose. “I assumed you liked their taste, but that’s not it.” His shoulders tensed tight as my bowstring. “Isolde sent you to live among your father’s clan.” I felt more than saw him nod and ventured my best guess. “It’s because you’re like them, isn’t it? You couldn’t remain in Cathis with her because you’d taken after him. Salticidae are more than strict vegans, they can’t digest meat.” I replaced his packet. “You can’t either.”

“When Brynmor died, Mother called me back to Cathis. The seeds were her idea.” He shrugged. “He had kept the details of her affair private to safeguard Vaughn’s legitimacy.” His smile was sad. “My birth was excused as stillborn, and I was sent here hours later. The best I can say for Brynmor is that he did love Mother, and exchanged my life for her faithfulness.” His next words gave me chills. “My return from the grave reeked of scandal. If they knew my constitution was so weak I purged each time I partook of our enemies’ flesh, they would kill me for defiling their sacred practices.”

Beneath the moonlight, shadows cut hollows in his cheeks and made the skin beneath his eyes appear bruised. Strain showed in the tightness of his mouth, and when I pulled him down to kiss me, my lips tingled. His anise taste was stronger, serving as a poignant reminder of his loss.

“Come on.” He sought the seeds in an unconscious habit. “We’d best return. I’d rather not be found here if Vaughn is sent to fetch us.”

I followed without remark, anything to spare him more pain.

After escorting me back to the council meeting, Rhys led me to where Sikyakookyang and Chinedu sat. The pair talked to each other, and it took a moment for our presence to register. Or so it seemed until Chinedu’s eyes cut our way.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” Rhys inclined his head. “I regret our hasty departure, but time is of the essence. We leave Beltania at dawn.”

Sikyakookyang eyed him with concern. “I wish both our circumstances were kinder.”

“Once my sister is recovered, we will need lodging on our way home.” I extended an olive branch. “We would be honored if you would allow us to rest here before crossing the veil.”

“I would like that.” Her acceptance came slow. “You are always welcome in Beltania.”

I dipped my chin in thanks, relieved the evening had ended peaceably and eager to escape their
hospitality
. As though my nod were a signal, Rhys guided me up the stairs onto the empty street. His steps gained fresh urgency the closer we came to his home, and his grip on me would leave marks. He led me inside and threw the locks. His back hit the door, and he slid to the floor.

“Rhys?” His eyes closed, blocking me out.

“Give me a moment.” His throat worked over a hard lump. “This will pass.”

I sank beside him, shifting until I was comfortable on the hard floor. Guiding his head onto my shoulder, I stroked damp hair from his pinched face until he fell into fitful sleep.

Chapter Ten

Leather creaked as I tightened the straps on my thigh quiver. Resting my bow across my lap, I plucked the string and let the resonance vibrate in my fingers. I was ready. Today I would get my sister back. If I were lucky, this day would also see an arrow of mine pierce Kellen’s black heart.

Blood from my parents’ murderer would stain my hands. It felt right. It felt like justice. I rubbed my fingertips. It felt terrifying to contemplate a double standard if Pascale were involved.

“You’re favoring your left side.” Rhys appraised me from his seat upon Brun.

“It’s nothing.” I rolled a shoulder, limbering the tight muscle in case I had cause to use my bow. As I shifted in the saddle, my bruised tailbone complained about the long hours spent getting acquainted with the hard floor last night. When Rhys had awakened with a shy smile that settled low in my stomach, I’d known then my discomfort was worth such a tender reward.

He glanced away. “You should have gone to bed.”

“I did. My partisan made the floor his bed, and I thought it rude not to join him.”

He grunted a non-answer and then changed subjects. “Keep your eyes and ears open.” His fingers drummed his sword hilt. “We’ll lose what cover we have soon and be left out in the open.” He considered that a moment. “A desperate Theridiidae makes a dangerous enemy. With your sister in tow, I’d wager he’ll run unless we corner him.” He paused. “His aim will be good.”

“I’d imagine so, but even if it’s not, his venom will make up the difference.”

“I figured as much.” He cocked his head to one side and listened. “Do you hear that?” He caught Marron by her bridle and pulled her up short.

Ahead of us, Vaughn lifted his head to scent the air. He turned, and his warning died on his tongue as a score of Theridiidae encircled us.

Bulky reptilian creatures waded from the forest’s edge onto the road.
Varanus
. They were double the size of our ursus and covered in dull gray-green scales. Their vibrant tongues flicked out to taste the air. I counted three Theridiidae, one per varanus, and twice that number on foot.

Flanked by riders on either side, Pascale sat atop the center mount. Its saddle belonged on an ursus, and the blanket beneath it was charcoal and orange—the colors of Erania’s neighboring city—marking this beast as the one they’d used to escape. The others must have masked its scent, which meant Vaughn was unable to pick its trail from the varanus who would use the road regularly. Also clear to me was that this tidy ambush had been set into motion some days earlier.

It must have been. Given how neat and calm their approach was, I had no doubt that Pascale and Kellen had been sent to Beltania for no other reason than to make us eager enough in our pursuit that we overlooked the loss of her trail, confident in Vaughn’s ability to rediscover it again. What pained me most was that my sister sat tall and proud. Her bored expression made me feel as though she would rather stifle her yawn than offer me aid, but there was tension in her eyes that gave me hope she might yet prove an ally. I hoped for both our sakes that was the case.

“Maven Lourdes.” The male to her right addressed me with easy familiarity. He was not a guard I recognized, but the male to her left I knew. He was the male from my parents’ room. He was, judging by his proprietary hand on Pascale’s shoulder, Kellen. Well, that was one mystery solved. “I didn’t believe Kellen when he said you’d come.” He smiled. “I’ve never known an Araneidae that wasn’t afraid of leaving their nest. Yet here I possess a matched pair.”