Guardian of Honor (7 page)

Faith jerked in surprise. Stacked in front of her were three large
tomes, all covered in the metallic hide of lizworm, one with an illustrated
page of the jade baton. She frowned. "One moment." With a
whoosh,
a
new book she'd summoned arrived on the table near her. She set her hand on it
and lilted a spelltune. The book opened and Faith bent her head over it.
"The amount of jerir in the Temple's sacred basin should last through an
entire moonspan and a half."

"Ah," Thealia said. "In that case we will not drain
the basin today as previously arranged. I propose that we let word spread that
any who wish to use the pool may present themselves at the gates properly
prepared. They will be escorted to the Temple and watched while they immerse
themselves. Discussion?"

"Thealia, is this wise?
Anyone?"
asked Faith.

"We are at the prelude of a new age. Enough of us have heard
the Song to know that the struggle before us will be long and hard. We will
need
all
our resources."

Mace's—the Armsmaster's—grin was ironic. "Anyone who's bold
enough to come to the Castle and request the use of the pool, and courageous
enough to dunk himself, will be someone I can respect—and train, if needs
be."

There was a moment of silence.

"Any more discussion?"

No one answered.

"Then we are agreed?"

"Agreed," everyone responded.

Thealia smiled in satisfaction. Meetings went so much more
smoothly when their leader, Lord Knight Swordmarshall Reynardus, didn't attend.

"Let's talk about our new Marshall, Alyeka," Thealia
said.

"She can't be allowed to keep that absurd name," someone
grumbled.

"Oh, who's going to tell her that?" Faith smiled.

"Swordmarshall Johnsa, an image if you please," Thealia
requested.

With the care and competence that she brought to all her duties,
Johnsa built a foot-high, three-dimensional model of their new Exotique,
startling in its likeness.

Thealia caught her breath. She'd forgotten how odd Alexa looked.
Or perhaps it was that sunlight accentuated her pale coloring, light hair and
green eyes so much more than the shadowy Temple.

Partis grasped her hand under the table and squeezed.

The harp on the door strummed.

"Enter," Thealia called. Of the Marshalls, only
Reynardus's place was empty. She hadn't anticipated that he'd make the meeting,
and he wouldn't courteously use the doorharp either.

The door opened and Luthan, one of Reynardus's sons—one of
Thealia's dear godsons—entered.

Concern fluttered in the pit of Thealia's stomach. That he was
here meant he didn't agree with the Marshalls on some point. "Do you come
as the Representative of the Chevaliers?" Thealia asked. It was his right,
but she didn't want an altercation with a man she respected, or a breach
between the Marshalls of the Castle and Chevaliers of the Field. But she
wouldn't let him turn her from the path she knew was right. "I trust you
are not the only Chevalier who arrived for 'The Pairing.' I'd like to give our
new Marshall a good choice."

His glance swept the table. He froze when he noted the model of
Alexa. His expression of revulsion was brief but obvious.

Thealia's chest tightened. A pity he could not like her. They both
could do so much worse. Maybe in time...

Luthan smiled, showing teeth. "No, I don't represent the
Chevaliers to the Castle. I am here as the Representative of the Cloister of
the Singer."

"The Cloister!" They hadn't sent a delegate to the
Castle for as long as anyone could remember.

He slid into the proper seat, the one carved with a full moon
sending rays down to a woman who Sang. "That's right. The Cloister wanted
a Representative at the Castle if the Summoning was a success. They approached
me as a man of good moral fiber and one with experience of the Marshalls."

No one could ever deny that. He'd battled his father all his life.

"The Cloister requested I turn over my representation of the
Chevaliers to another whom I trusted, and attend for them."

This complete change shook Thealia. "Who did you choose to
replace you for the Chevaliers?"

He hesitated. "The post is open for the moment."

Mace snorted. "The Chevaliers didn't believe we'd succeed in
the Summoning. Caught them
and you
unprepared. Not a good thing for
knights."

A flush crept to Luthan's cheekbones. He sat straight. "There
is dissension amongst the Chevaliers as to the arrogance and the secrecy of you
Marshalls. Further, some of us Chevaliers consulted the Song a week ago. It
foretold only a sixty-percent chance of success."

Thealia flinched. "The last time the Marshalls consulted the
Song, it was an eighty-percent chance of achievement."

Luthan lifted a shoulder. "Circumstances change."

"We were luckier than we thought," Faith said, smoothing
the page of one of her books.

This change, and the new information, disturbed Thealia. But she
couldn't afford to let it show. "And your replacement?"

"I thought to offer it to my brother."

"Bastien?" Mace laughed so hard he nearly fell off his
chair.

"That rogue...in a responsible position? Impossible,"
Thealia said.

"What's impossible is the thought of the three of
them—Reynardus, Luthan and Bastien—here on the Council." Johnsa shaded her
eyes as if trying to banish the vision. "We'd never get anything
done."

"Bastien is a good man," said his brother.
"Undervalued and underestimated. Further, as delegates, we would follow
the instructions of our patrons."

That started Mace laughing again. "As if Bastien ever
followed any instructions, ever!" he said between snorts. "I thank
you for the laugh, my friend. But we should proceed with business."

Thealia scrutinized Luthan. What
were
his instructions?
He'd just made her job harder. She sought to keep him off balance. "Does
your father know you're the new Cloister Representative and that you're
here?"

His jaw tensed.

So. His father
didn't
know. Not surprising since the last
she'd heard, the whole family had fragmented, Reynardus's sons moving to their
own holdings or camping in the field with the Chevaliers.

She didn't press the issue. Luthan would inherit from Reynardus
one day, and there was that wide streak of silver at his left temple as well as
a few strands at his right. His personal Power was strong, and he might become
a Marshall in the future.

"Why are you here?" Thealia asked.

Luthan's gaze went to the image of Alexa. "The Chevaliers
heard the Summoning was a success. This changes the whole battle plan."

"As we told you it would," Thealia said dryly.
"Though you doubted us. Do you stay to be part of the Choosing and
Pairing?"

His eyes widened in horror. His cheeks reddened a bit. "Ah,
no. I didn't come for The Choosing and Pairing. Nor has any other
Chevalier."

Thealia just raised her eyebrows and stared at him. He shifted in
his seat.

She continued. "That is the next step, you know. To Pair our
Exotique—Alyeka—with a person of Lladrana so she will stay. The Chevaliers
should be here."

Luthan frowned and leaned forward. "Let's call your
'Choosing' exactly what it is. It's a forced, involuntary life and blood-bond—a
bossechain. Her Choosing will not be a ritual to find and love a mate. Her bond
will not be a coeurdechain." His smooth and quiet tones had disappeared
and his voice took on a harshness that echoed his father's.

"Semantics," she said, but her lips tightened. She met
his eyes. "It isn't quite ethical, but over the centuries we've found it
necessary and effective."

He sat up straight. "It is wrong."

She raised her eyebrows again. "We gave our new Marshall a
choice of bedmates last night, in the hopes we could avoid the formal ritual.
She retired alone.

"The rest of us are agreed. Do you choose to challenge us,
Chevalier Luthan, with combat? Or call a vote of all the Castle, Tower,
Chevaliers, Cloister and Towns?"

Luthan shoved his chair back and stepped away from the Council
table, distancing himself from the decision. He leaned back against the stone
wall, ignoring the chill that would bite even past the argenthide of his riding
clothes, and folded his arms.

"I choose to personally disagree for the Lorebook."

Thealia sighed. "Always so contrary. Of two options you
always choose a third."

A touch of a smile graced his lips. He glanced at the little model
of Alexa and a hint of pity passed over his face. "And this Choosing will
take place this afternoon."

"So, you did read the Castle information board?" Thealia
stared
coolly down her nose. "The funds and lands that
come with Alyeka as her dowry could greatly benefit you."

"Not at that cost. I won't be offering a token for the
Choosing Table." He headed for the door.

"Luthan, before you go, cleanse yourself as if for a great
ritual and use the protection pool," Thealia called.

He paused. His brows lowered as he studied the Marshalls. "It
really does make a difference?"

"Now, and probably in the future," Thealia agreed.

"Is it true that it's painful?"

"Agony," Partis said cheerfully. "But you're a
tough, young knight, you'll handle it."

Luthan grimaced, outlined the badge on his tunic in an absent
gesture. He glanced at Thealia. "Is it a suggestion, or an order?"

Thealia felt her face soften, wondered if it was evident to the
others. She had such a love and delight in Reynardus's sons, this one in
particular. "Only a strong suggestion."

Luthan ran a hand through his hair. "I can be cleansed, in
and out of the pool before the Choosing. I'll inform Bastien of this
conversation this evening. I'm sure he will take advantage of the pool also—if
for no other reason than his pride."

Mace cleared his throat and Luthan turned to him. "Yes?"

"If you flew in on a feisty volaran stallion, after the pool
you might want to leave on a gentle mare."

Nodding shortly, Luthan bowed to them and turned.

"Luthan," Thealia said.

He looked over his shoulder.

"I don't believe your father thought of using the pool. You
might remind him."

Luthan's gray eyes clouded, chilled. He inclined his head.
"My squire will send him a note," he said stiffly, then left.

"The boy had a point about the Choosing and Pairing," said
the oldest Marshall, Albertus.

"Do we have to discuss this again?" Thealia asked.

There was silence around the table. Several Marshalls wouldn't
meet her eyes. She didn't like a forced blood-bond any more than the rest.

It could be chancy: if the drug mixture or amount wasn't right, or
if the drugs affected the Exotique's judgment so she made a bad choice. To be
tied her entire life, mind, body and heart to the wrong man—Thealia cut off her
thoughts. She couldn't afford them. There were many others who had and would
sacrifice themselves for Lladrana—Alexa was just one more cost.

It was unfortunate that she would be forced, but how they needed
her Power! The Spring Song had prophesied that the Exotique was the solution to
their failing boundaries—the melody rippling out in a hopeful trill.

Thealia hardened her heart and her expression. When she met each
of the Marshall's eyes again, she infused them with her own determination. This
had to be done.

4

"C
all me Sinafin," the fairy had said in Alexa's dream,
twirling and tinkling like wind chimes. The little being was no more than three
inches high and completely pink—lacy wings, pointed ears, hair, tiny
gown—everything.

Sinafin had stared at Alexa as much as Alexa had stared at her,
and for as long.

"I must be dreaming," Alexa had said.

Sinafin had perched on the headboard and swung her feet. "You
are. I'm not really a fairy. I just took this image from your mind." She
shrugged and considered her wings. "It's not a bad form, but I don't think
I'll wear it outside of your dreams."

"Then what are you?"

"That doesn't matter," Sinafin had replied with music in
her voice. "What does matter is that you understand what is
happening."

"What?"

Sinafin had sighed, studied her toes and flexed her feet.
"You have been Summoned to Lladrana."

Alexa's heart had thumped. She'd licked her lips. "Heavy
mojo. Chimes. Rainbows. Chant. Gong. Large silver pentacle. It doesn't look
like I can get home easily." She didn't even want to think about
disappearing holes and big hairy monsters. With fangs.

The fairy avoided Alexa's eyes.